De Blasio Administration Announces Kick-Off of "ParkNYC," a New Mobile Payment System For On-Street Parking

December 19, 2016

Starting in midtown Manhattan, system will be phased in Citywide, coming to all 85,000 parking spots served by DOT Muni-Meters by Summer 2017

NEW YORK––The de Blasio Administration today announced the introduction of ParkNYC, a new and convenient way to pay for on-street parking in New York City. Implemented by DOT and operated by Parkmobile, LLC, a private vendor, ParkNYC allows motorists to remotely pay for parking using an online system that links registered license plate numbers to NYPD traffic enforcement agents’ handheld devices that confirm payment. Using a smartphone, Commissioner Polly Trottenberg of the Department of Transportation demonstrated ParkNYC at a metered spot in the Kips Bay neighborhood of Manhattan.

“Parking in New York City can be a challenge, but ParkNYC will make it just a bit easier,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “With no paper receipt and the ability to quickly get on your way, this new pay-by-cell tool fulfills our commitment – made in this year’s State of the City address – that we would help save New Yorkers the most precious of resources: their time.”

“With ParkNYC, drivers no longer have to scramble for change or even walk to a Muni-Meter to get a receipt for their dashboard,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “With no added fees, mobile alerts that let you know when your parking session is ending, and the ability to extend a session without returning to your car, ParkNYC offers a great convenience to New York drivers. We are excited that ParkNYC will be available at every metered parking space in every borough by the end of next summer.”

The process for using ParkNYC is very simple:

1. Download the ParkNYC app or go to www.parknyc.org to register an account.
2. Enter personal information including phone number and email; create a password.
3. Provide a license plate number for the account and set alert/notification preferences.
4. Load your wallet. A ParkNYC wallet works like EZPass, and can be reloaded in increments as low as $25. Once registered, drivers may use the mobile app, internet or a toll-free number to pay for parking. 
5. Park. After parking, enter the unique zone number for block and length of time. After confirmation, the driver is set!
6. Extend. If time is running out and maximum time has not already been reached, parking time can be extended without returning to the car.

Commissioner Trottenberg noted that ParkNYC was a new option for parking payment and underscored that DOT Muni-Meters would continue to accept coins and credit/debit cards for payment for customers who don’t wish to use the new service. Parking rates and time limits are block-side-specific and will remain unchanged for all payment methods.

The ParkNYC mobile app went live on Friday, December 16, and is available for download at no cost for iPhones in the App Store and for Android at Google Play. It can be used as zones are phased in Citywide on a rolling basis through next summer. The website www.parknyc.org includes more information about registration and FAQs and can also be used for remote payment without downloading the ParkNYC app. Transactions can also be made by voice call to an automated phone system.

Beginning this month, ParkNYC zone numbers will roll out on signs and decals on the sides of Muni-Meters in Manhattan between 14th and 59th Streets. The new signs and decals identify each block-side with a distinctive six-digit zone code.

“ParkNYC is a major customer service win,” said NYPD Chief of Transportation Thomas Chan. “Technology is providing the public with an excellent alternative payment option, and in my opinion a more convenient option, to ease their busy days. In the old days you usually needed a bunch of quarters and you had to watch the meter. Now all you need is ParkNYC and your mobile device.”

“With ParkNYC, drivers will have the ease of paying for parking in New York City right in their pocket,” said Jacques Jiha, Commissioner of the Department of Finance, which collects parking fines and adjudicates violations. “This app will eliminate some of the hassle, and perhaps some of the fines, that can occur when time runs out on a parking meter.”

“The work of modernizing government services is endless, but this is another good step forward,” said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. “Programs like DOT’s ParkNYC make our urban environment itself more user-friendly, reducing New Yorkers’ everyday hassles. I’m sure anyone who’s struggled with broken muni-meters will be thrilled as this program becomes available on New Yorkers’ streets and cell phones.”

“I am thrilled that a mobile payment system for on-street parking, ParkNYC, is coming to our city, and that the rollout of the program has begun in my district,” said Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney. “Every New Yorker knows that parking can be difficult, but ParkNYC can help make the process easier and less stressful. Thank you to Mayor de Blasio and the DOT for helping to move our city forward.”

“New Yorkers don’t want to get tickets when parking meters expire, or carry a roll of quarters or run back and forth to their cars in order to avoid them,” said Assembly Member Richard N. Gottfried. “Now that the de Blasio Administration has launched the ParkNYC mobile payment system, they won’t have to.”

“Like most New York City drivers, I've spent too much time worried about feeding the meter,” said Assembly Member Daniel Quart. “Whether they drive or use transit, I don't know any New Yorkers who likes to waste time, so I'm glad to see our city use technology to make the streets more efficient for everyone. ParkNYC will provide a great new option for paying for parking, and I'm excited to see what New York does with our extra time!”

"It's great to see that NYC, led by the DOT is bringing our parking systems into the 21st Century," said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, Chair of the Committee on Transportation. "ParkNYC's pay-by-cell functions, spurred by my bill in the City Council, will allow New Yorkers to seamlessly pay and keep moving, knowing that time is always of the essence. With these upgrades, we can continue to see even more innovation and thoughtfulness about how we can modernize parking in New York City. From next-level dynamic pricing, to rethinking about how to manage these systems more efficiently, DOT is certainly on the right track and I applaud their efforts."

“ParkNYC is a tremendous improvement in the way we pay for parking in NYC,” said Council Member James Vacca, Chair of the NYC Council Committee on Technology. “NYC has been a leader in embracing technology to make our interactions with the City simpler and more efficient. ParkNYC will eliminate the inconvenience of muni-meter and needing to run outside to feed the meter for those who choose to take advantage of the mobile payment systems. I applaud Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Trottenberg for their commitment to making NYC a more user-friendly, technology-embracing place.”

"With this convenient option to pay for on-street parking, we ‎are not only helping drivers, but the restaurants, shops and other small businesses they patronize as well," said Council Member Margaret S. Chin. "ParkNYC is a great way to save time and money and is part of our city's continuing effort to make the lives of hard-working New Yorkers easier. I look forward to seeing this service expand to include lower Manhattan as soon as possible."

“The ParkNYC mobile payment system will make parking easier for everyday New Yorkers,” said Council Member Costa Constantinides. “This fair and convenient solution will help more drivers extend their parking time before their meter runs out, avoiding tickets and fees. I commend Mayor de Blasio and DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg for their work on this new program.”

"For the 1.4 million people who own and drive cars in our city, ParkNYC will be a game changer,” said Council Member David Greenfield. “Gone are the days of leaving a store or restaurant to run back to the meter, or getting a ticket when you forget to go back. This is going to eliminate parking headaches and reduce stress for millions of New Yorkers. I look forward to ParkNYC's rollout throughout the entire city over the coming months, and I want to thank Commissioner Polly Trottenberg for all the hard work she did to secure this victory."

"Paying for parking has finally entered the 21st century," said Council Member Dan Garodnick. "I am very pleased ParkNYC launched right here on Manhattan's East Side and look forward to seeing it spread throughout the five boroughs."

"The Park NYC app promises to put an end to the days of fumbling for change or swiping a credit card through a muni meter, an advancement that is especially welcome as we enter the colder months,” said Council Member Deborah Rose. “This new app will save time and reduce paper – a win-win for busy New Yorkers – and I look forward to seeing this technology expand throughout the city."

"The typical New Yorker's relationship with parking can often be contentious, to say the least," said Council Member Stephen Levin. "Unlike the old days, you no longer have to scramble to your meter with a fistful of quarters. With the ability to pay-by-cell, mobile alerts and a refillable electronic wallet, ParkNYC introduces much needed convenience to what used to be a challenging experience."

“Finally, the days of feeding the meter will soon be over thanks to ParkNYC,” said Council Member Donovan Richards. “There’s just never enough hours in the day, so saving a few minutes here and there can go a long way toward making somebody’s day that much easier. I’d like to thank Mayor de Blasio and DOT Commissioner Trottenberg for using technology to find ways to improve the lives of New Yorkers by making the hustle and bustle just a bit more manageable.”

“The ParkNYC app will inject some convenience into the notoriously frustrating New York City parking experience,” said John Corlett, Director of Government Affairs for AAA Northeast. “Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Trottenberg deserve credit for their efforts to bring parking into the 21st century.”

“We are pleased to partner with New York City to deliver a faster, easier and more convenient way to park. Now drivers in New York City will be able to take advantage of our technology, which enhances the parking experience by eliminating the need to carry coins, swipe a card, print a ticket or run back to the meter to add time,” said Jon Ziglar, CEO of Parkmobile, the vendor operating ParkNYC. “New York joins the over 200 cities and 5 million people nationwide that use Parkmobile and we look forward to working with the Department of Transportation to further innovate and expand convenience for people in the largest parking market in North America.”

About Parkmobile

Parkmobile, LLC is the leading provider for on-demand and prepaid mobile payments for on- and off-street parking and mobility related services. The Parkmobile network is available in more than 2,000 locations, including 36 of the top 100 cities in the U.S. It is the most widely used mobile parking solution in the country with over 5 million people using Parkmobile’s services over 30 million times per year. Parkmobile’s services include on-street parking, off-street parking deck, airport and event reservations and municipal parking permit solutions. Parkmobile serves over 20 airports as well as provides reserved parking solutions for private operators, the Super Bowl, the College Football Championship Series, Fenway Park, Nationwide Arena, and Soldier Field to name a few. For more information, visit us at www.parkmobile.com, on Twitter @Parkmobile, or facebook.com/Parkmobile.