Parking App

[kboish]

While I was rummaging around on the city website the other day I saw a page where they promoted a parking app called Parkmobile. After I saw it, I thought I remembered such a thing being discussed elsewhere on this board.

I guess it is supposed to help point you to open parking spots in an area- both garage, secured lots, and on street metered parking. I downloaded it to see how it worked and play around with it. I didn't really get its utility for on-street parking. It basically just listed every single street as a "parking zone", even those that were clearly marked with no parking signs (i was checking their accuracy as I rode the bus home yesterday).

Has anyone else used this app? Is this just a matter of the app needing more precise data, does the city need to have "smart meters" for it to work, or is this app just not that great for on-street parking? Are there other better apps like this out there people have used?

[smh]

It's really an app to let you pay for parking without putting change in a meter. You sign up for an account with the license plate of your vehicle. Then groups of meters are in zones. You pay for a certain zone for a certain amount of time. Then when the meter maid comes by, they check a list from the app when they see a flashing meter. As long as your plate is on the list for that zone you're good. It is incredibly convenient compared to change. Plus you can top up your time from anywhere.

[kboish]

It's really an app to let you pay for parking without putting change in a meter. You sign up for an account with the license plate of your vehicle. Then groups of meters are in zones. You pay for a certain zone for a certain amount of time. Then when the meter maid comes by, they check a list from the app when they see a flashing meter. As long as your plate is on the list for that zone you're good. It is incredibly convenient compared to change. Plus you can top up your time from anywhere.

Ah, that makes sense. That is convenient since I never have any change. Thanks for the clarification. I thought it was supposed to be a parking locator.

[flyingember]

I used it one day. It works exactly as advertised.

[smh]

It's really an app to let you pay for parking without putting change in a meter. You sign up for an account with the license plate of your vehicle. Then groups of meters are in zones. You pay for a certain zone for a certain amount of time. Then when the meter maid comes by, they check a list from the app when they see a flashing meter. As long as your plate is on the list for that zone you're good. It is incredibly convenient compared to change. Plus you can top up your time from anywhere.

Ah, that makes sense. That is convenient since I never have any change. Thanks for the clarification. I thought it was supposed to be a parking locator.

Agreed, it has greatly improved my ability to park at meters.

[pash]

.

[flyingember]

Yes, it works well, it's just somewhat confusing because it's not integrated with the meters in any way.

I know what you mean, it uses zones instead of unique IDs

[pash]

.

[scooterj]

This app made me really, really nervous the first couple of times I used it but I love it now. I've started seeing the zone numbers and QR codes at some of the city-owned parking lots, too.