The pilot program will last one year, and will hit 300 spots in the outer boroughs in the next few months. All you have to do is sign up and it’ll let you pay for however much time you need for parking. Later, as your parking gets ready to expire, the app will send you a message asking if you want to pay more. It’s simple, and could do away with having to keep quarters around or having to wait in line at those damn Muni-Meters.
This means you’re less likely to deal with a ticket, which is automatically excellent. And the technology has potential for other applications. What about alternate side parking? Two-hour rules? When the city is planning road work? If case of flooding or inclement weather? You can go on and on. NYC could build this program out to be something essential to any city driver. [NY Post]
Image: Jason Jones/Shutterstock
EckyThump
Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 8:44 AMThis actually sounds like a good idea, it’ll save you rushing back to fill the meter when it’s getting close to the time and wasting money topping up when there’s still five or ten minutes to go! Only problem I can see is the councils ability to creep the parking fee up by a cents at a time! #]
Mark
Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 8:47 AMWe have had this in New Zealand for a few years. You just fire a text off and you’re all set. No searching for coins. Seriously life changing.
HH8
Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 3:54 PMSome Sydney streets have meter parking where you can pay by mobile phone. But you need to open an account first. Also you have to be at the machine to take out the paper ticket to place inside your vehicle. The best one’s are in North Sydney. You park in a designated bay #. Ring to pay and type in which bay # you parked in. Whallah!!! Don’t even have to leave where ever you are to top up meter parking.
Renato
Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 4:42 PMYEA! Auckland has had this since i was at uni (6 years ago), just send a text and out comes a display ticket from the machine. no registration or accounts or anything! works across all phone networks too.
best thing since they made it free parking after 6pm in the CBD.