PAY-BY-PHONE PARKING APP
City council to consider easier method
Digging for change to feed a parking meter may soon be unnecessary as the city considers signing on for a new mobile phone payment app.
Fahd Mikhael, manager of traffic operations, said one of the major reasons for implementing a payby-phone system, which he called the way of the future, is the ease of use.
“No cash is needed,” Mikhael said. “It’s very convenient for the parker.”
Mikhael said PassportParking Inc.’s mobile app and enforcement solution is being recommended for council’s approval on Monday.
PassportParking operates in a number of North American cities, including Detroit, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Victoria, Buffalo, Portland and Timmins.
Three implementation options are identified in a report for council but Mikhael said the recommended choice includes the app as well as a new integrated parking enforcement system.
Speed and accuracy of issuing infraction notices would improve significantly with the proposed system, according to Mikhael, and would likely reduce ticket reviews due to electronic and photographic evidence produced by the system.
Two other options included in the report use the city’s current parking enforcement hardware and software or recommend upgrading those components.
And while not replacing the equipment would cost the least, Mikhael said there could be problems with integration. The later option would cost the most.
With the suggested option, city enforcement personnel would carry a cellphone and a Bluetooth activated printer that would produce tickets.
“If we’re going to keep the existing enforcement, cost wise it’s the best way,” Mikhael said.
“If we include both enforcement and the app (the recommended option) that’s the easy and the best way to go. One source reduces confusion.”
Users of the parking payment system would download the app on their phone and create a virtual “wallet” that could be filled with any amount of money using a credit card.
After parking, the user would activate the app, plug in the information identifying the parking space and how much time is needed and the payment would come out of the wallet.
Parking users would also be required to pay an additional 15-cent convenience fee each time the app is used, although the city could opt to absorb that fee. The report estimates that would cost the city between $24,000 and $69,000 per year — based on a utilization rate of 28 to 40 per cent of all parking transactions.
Parking tickets could also be paid through the app.
The cost to the city for the PassportParking system is $18,000 plus HST per year. Administration is recommending the city sign on for a three-year term.
There is an additional one-time cost of $15,150 for implementation.
If approved, the app will only work at parking meters and parking lots. Currently, parking garages have a number of payment options including cash or credit cards and will soon offer debit card payment.
“This is an extra,” Mikhael said. “People can still pay cash, so it’s not going to change the way we’re doing it now.”
People can still pay cash so it’s not going to change the way we’re doing it now.