ParkMobile
TypePrivate
IndustryParking
Founded2008
FounderAlbert Bogaard
HeadquartersAtlanta, GA,
United States
Area served
North America
Key people
Cameron Clayton (CEO, EasyPark Group)
David Hoyt (CRO, Managing Director)
John Brown (COO)
Tony Stewart (CL&PO)
ServicesParking payments and reservations
OwnerEasyPark Group
Websiteparkmobile.io

ParkMobile is a mobile and web app providing parking payments in North America.[1] Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, users can pay for on-street and off-street parking via app on their smartphone, web browser, or through calling a phone number.[2] ParkMobile also offers parking reservations at stadiums or venues for concerts and sporting events, and in metro area garages.[3]

History

ParkMobile was founded in the United States in 2008 by Albert Bogaard after originally starting in the Netherlands. The initial product served only zone (on-demand) parkers and payment for the parking spot was made via a phone call through an IVR system.[4]

In 2009, the ParkMobile app was released and the product launched in its first city, Grand Rapids, Michigan.[5] Parking payments have since been accepted through a user's account by connecting a credit card. ParkMobile deployed in Washington, D.C., in 2011.[6] As of 2023, ParkMobile now has over 50 million users.[7][1][8]

Parking reservations were introduced in 2017, allowing users to reserve parking in advance.[9] In 2018, the company recapitalized with BMW as the shareholder.[10] ParkMobile was then acquired by a joint venture with BMW and Daimler.[11] Under this joint venture, ParkMobile parking payment functionality was available and integrated with BMW's navigation system in many of its 2018 models.[12] EasyPark Group, the Swedish-based parking solutions company, acquired ParkMobile in 2021 and is the current owner.[13][14]

In 2022, ParkMobile launched in the City of Boston with a city-wide parking app, ParkBoston, powered by ParkMobile.[15][16]

Operations

Products

ParkMobile's product offerings include zone (on-demand) parking payments, parking reservations, and a self-service reporting engine. Zone parking is the company's most widely used service. Users can use the app on their smartphone to pay parking fees.[17] In 2017, ParkMobile began offering parking reservations.[9] The service is provided in addition to on-demand parking options at stadiums and venues, as well as metro area parking garages. After launching the reservations feature, ParkMobile became the first mobile parking app provider in North America to have a consolidated app with both on-demand and reservations parking in one.

ParkMobile 360, the company's self-service management and reporting platform for operators, launched in 2018.[18] It is a web-based application for parking operators to manage parking inventory, adjust rates, create special parking events, and track analytics.[18][19]

In 2020, ParkMobile began offering an option to pay for parking with Google through integrating the ParkMobile experience with Google Maps[20][21] In 2021, ParkMobile launched its web application, allowing users to complete their parking transactions directly from the mobile website without having to download the app or have an account.[22] ParkMobile integrates with parking gate equipment so customers can use their app to pay for parking and scan to enter and exit the garage.[23]

Locations

ParkMobile has over 50 million users across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.[24] The app is available in over 550 cities in the U.S. and over 150 colleges and universities.[25][26]

Controversies

Data Breach

In March 2021, ParkMobile suffered a cybersecurity incident "linked to a vulnerability in a third-party software," potentially exposing users' email addresses, phone numbers, and license plate numbers.[27] ParkMobile responded by launching an investigation and notifying law enforcement authorities and affected municipalities. The investigation concluded "no sensitive data or Payment Card Information was affected" but ParkMobile confirmed basic account information, such as license plate numbers and possibly email addresses or phone numbers, were accessed.[28]

Complaints of Predatory Towing and Excessive Ticket Issuing

Since all paid parking sessions from a single supplier are able to be viewed together, the ease of viewing and enforcing parking violations has caused controversy. Parking Enforcement Services in Birmingham, Alabama, has been the subject complaints by users of the ParkMobile app who had paid for a parking session and still had their vehicle towed.[29] Customers often use old or expired license plates and forget to update to the correct number, or mistype when entering their information into the ParkMobile app. The complaints are that the towing companies offer no lenience for these mistakes. They return to their car as the session expires, and find their car has been towed.[30]

Additionally, other municipality across the country have received complaints about excessive parking ticket issuing when inputting their information incorrectly in the ParkMobile app.[31] In Stone Harbor, New Jersey, parking ticket violations increased by over 1,600% from the previous year since launching with the ParkMobile app.[32] Police officers refute complaints of being "too strict" on writing tickets by admitting the ParkMobile system allows officers to "more seamlessly enforce" the city's parking laws.[32]

References

  1. 1 2 "ParkMobile App Hits the 30 Million User Milestone as Demand for Contactless Payments Increases". www.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  2. ↑ Rodler, Liza (2019-06-28). "When Is Being Together Worth $5.50 an Hour? Please Solve". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
  3. ↑ Gaming America (October 19, 2022). "ParkMobile teams up with Oak View Group to provide digital payment parking options". Gaming America. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  4. ↑ Ramos, Rachel Tobin. "Local lot owners call for pay-by-phone parking". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
  5. ↑ Harnick, Chris. "Parking meter payments go mobile in Grand Rapids, MI". www.retaildive.com. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  6. ↑ Jouvenal, Justin (2011-04-20). "D.C. rolls out pay-by-phone parking meter system". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  7. ↑ "Fort Collins to implement use of new parking app July 1". Loveland Reporter-Herald. 2022-06-28. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  8. ↑ "ParkMobile CEO Jeff Perkins to step down a year after taking role". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
  9. 1 2 Beilin, Holly (2017-05-24). "With Reservations Rollout, Parkmobile Looks Toward Parking Domination". Hypepotamus. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  10. ↑ Etherington, Darrell (2018-01-16). "BMW acquires Parkmobile parking app to help tackle city traffic". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
  11. ↑ "BMW and Daimler agree to merge mobility service businesses". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  12. ↑ Taub, Eric A. (2017-11-30). "The Technological Race to Find You a Place to Park". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
  13. ↑ "EasyPark Group Announces Intent to Acquire ParkMobile". www.parking.net. 2021-03-09. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  14. ↑ Ehlinger, Maija (2021-03-09). "ParkMobile Announces Plans To Be Acquired By European Parking Group EasyPark". Hypepotamus. Retrieved 2023-03-02.
  15. ↑ "Upgraded ParkBoston app launches Monday: What you need to know". WCVB. 2022-08-14. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  16. ↑ Robisheaux, Collin (August 22, 2022). "City of Boston updates parking app with help from mobile developers - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Boston Globe. Retrieved 2023-03-02.
  17. ↑ "Stone Harbor issues 17 times more parking tickets this May than a year ago — and the police chief has no remorse". PhillyVoice. 2023-06-29. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  18. 1 2 Ulinskaite, Dominyka (2018-11-08). "ParkMobile Launches New ParkMobile 360™ Solution". www.parking.net. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  19. ↑ Perkins, Jeff (2020-10-12). "ParkMobile 360 Platform to Consolidate Analytics and Rate Management Across Parking Technologies for Fresno, Clearwater, Orlando, and Chattanooga". www.parking.net. Retrieved 2023-03-02.
  20. ↑ Haselton, Todd (17 February 2021). "Google Maps now lets you pay for parking without leaving the app". CNBC. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
  21. ↑ Trop, Jaclyn (2022-03-10). "Google lets Android users pay for parking with their voice". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
  22. ↑ Perkins, Jeff (2021-03-02). "ParkMobile Launches New Mobile Web App for Contactless Parking Payments". www.parking.net. Retrieved 2023-03-02.
  23. ↑ Stewart, John. "Covid—And a New Partnership—Help Push ParkMobile Into the Garage". Digital Transactions. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
  24. ↑ "ParkMobile expands to Puerto Rico with contactless parking at Distrito T-Mobile". News is My Business. 2021-10-21. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  25. ↑ Rysak, Melissa (2022-07-11). "University of Louisville Expands ParkMobile Partnership". IPMI. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  26. ↑ "UTEP, ParkMobile to Offer Reserved Parking for Campus Events". www.utep.edu. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  27. ↑ "ParkMobile Breach Exposes License Plate Data, Mobile Numbers of 21M Users – Krebs on Security". 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
  28. ↑ "Cashless Parking Vendor ParkMobile Suffers Data Breach". GovTech. 2021-06-01. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
  29. ↑ Gann, Heather (2023-06-23). "Birmingham tow truck driver tells woman on crutches to 'park on the street next time'". al. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
  30. ↑ "Birmingham City Council to host Town Hall addressing aggressive towing concerns". CBS 42. 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
  31. ↑ Seagraves, Torie (2023-06-09). "ParkMobile Causes Problems for Drivers at More Beach Towns". CoastTV. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
  32. 1 2 NJ.com, Amira Sweilem | NJ Advance Media for (2023-07-12). "Jersey Shore town wrote 1 year's worth of parking tickets last month after app switch". nj. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
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