Downtown Parking to Launch Mobile and Credit Card Parking Payments

Published on December 6, 2018

The City of Huntsville is adopting new technologies to make it easier for patrons to pay for parking in the downtown area.

Beginning in early 2019, about 400 parking spaces, including those with coin-operated only meters, will be updated for easy pay by smartphone and credit card options. This will enable users to:

• Monitor their parking sessions
• Extend time remotely
• View payment history
• Receive email receipts

“We want to make it easier for customers to pay for parking and to extend their time without the hassle of returning to a meter,” said Tommy Brown, Director of Parking and Public Transit. “You can be in a meeting that is running late and add more time to your parking meter using your cell phone.”

While a coin/bill pay option will still be available when paying to park downtown, Mayor Tommy Battle believes the new meter system will make it more convenient for residents and guests to enjoy Huntsville’s downtown.

“People expect to have the ease of mobile apps and credit card options when they purchase a good or service, and parking meters are no exception. This is just one more step in the City’s effort to modernize our business practices and make us user-friendly,” said Mayor Battle.

Council will be asked to approve a finalize a contract with i3 Verticals that will allow for the implementation of the Passport App and multi-space meters at their regular meeting on Thursday, Dec. 6. Parking and Public Transit plans to begin installing the new meters around Big Spring Park and Lot H, which adjoins The Avenue.

Passport Parking App

• iOS, Android and mobile web apps allows consumers to park at traditional meters without the necessity of coins.  Parkers establish a minimum $5.00 wallet on the app with their credit card and pay for parking from that wallet.
• Consumers will enter their license plate when they park and enforcement will use the license plate to determine who has paid to park.
• Consumers will receive reminder notifications, email receipts and remote session extensions that allow them to extend their parking without going back to the meter.

Multi-Space Meters

• A single Multi-Space meter will service numerous parking spaces so there are fewer meters to maintain.
• Consumers will enter their license plate when they park and enforcement will use the license plate to determine who has paid to park.
• The meters allow for more flexible forms of payment such as coins, bills, and credit cards.
• Consumers have the ability to receive parking expiry reminders and to extend time via mobile phone using the integrated Extend-by-Phone service.

PassportParking is free to download through the App Store Google Play . Users can also manage their parking at ppprk.com . The app is also available in many cities nationwide.