July 18, 2017 By Nathaly Pesantez
Motorists can pay for on-street parking in Queens and citywide using their phones, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today.
ParkNYC is a mobile phone app that will allow motorists across the five boroughs to pay for parking remotely. An online system links license plate numbers to NYPD traffic enforcement agents who confirm payment through their handheld devices.
The announcement was made as Queens parking meters became live in the final step of the program’s rollout. When ParkNYC launched in December 2016, it was only available in midtown Manhattan.
With Queens live this week, pay-by-cell is now available Citywide at all 85,000 parking spots served by DOT Muni-Meters.
The app is free and available for iPhone and Androids. Users must enter personal information and their vehicle’s license plate number. The app also features a “wallet” function, where money can be loaded in increments as low as $25.
Once parked, motorists input the unique zone number for the block and the duration of their parking.
The app also features an “extend” option, where parking time can be added without returning to the car.
“We are excited to bring ParkNYC to Queens, and thrilled that mobile payment is now available at every metered parking space in every borough,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg, who held a press conference demonstrating the device in Forest Hills today. “Now drivers no longer have to scramble for change, and they don’t even need to walk to a Muni-Meter to get a receipt that could blow away from their dashboard.
Parking meters will still accept coins and credit/debit cards for payment, and rates will remain unchanged, according to a press release.
Remote payments can also be made online without the app by going to www.parknyc.org. An automated phone system is also set up for payments through a toll-free number.
9 Comments
This is a terrible idea. Not everyone owns an Iphone. people like flip phones. I would rather pay through a meter with coins thank you.
They should really charge a lot more for street parking to reduce congestion and use the money to fund infrastructure and public transportation. Driving in city centers should be seen as a privilege, not a right. You have to think about the damage you are doing to the community (congestion, noise, pollution, etc.) every time you decide to drive down to a main street which is otherwise accessible by public transportation. I know people will complain that public transportation is just not as reliable or efficient, but it could be if we invested more money into it and street parking is a good source for that revenue.
From the FAQs. Yea, I’ll stick to the paper system.
The City of New York enforces overtime parking regulations. If you choose to park in a space for longer than the posted limit, paid or not, you can be issued a summons by enforcement officers
Once your session expires, you will not be able to extend your parking session or use the ParkNYC app again in the same zone for 30 minutes. This is to discourage overstaying time limits.
One thing I don’t like is once you move the car somewhere else, you have to start over and pay for a new spot. If you use the paper system you can pay for an hour time and drive around to different parking spots with the same parking slip. I do this often as I run errands that average 10-15 minutes. Just buy an hour time and you can park anywhere for that hour.
Oh great. Another way for the State to keep track of its subjects. No thanks
First step to all parking being metered
My thoughts exactly. I am an Ex-Pat New Yorker retired and living in Virginia. I keep up with things here on the Astoria Post. You never lose that sixth sense of knowing when you are being ‘Set up’ LOL
$25 minimum is a little much for me since I don’t park in metered spaces often.
This is a fantastic development. I am very pleased with this plan.