LEAVENWORTH – In order to streamline the payment process, the City of Leavenworth upgraded from parking meters to pay kiosks in addition to adding a pay-by-text option earlier this month.
“The city often received feedback that the meters were not user-friendly. Users frequently experienced problems with the credit card reader and issues with condensation in the meters affected visibility and usability. At the end of the day, the meters were not providing the level of user experience we want for parkers,” said Communications and Special Projects Manager Kara Raftery.
The kiosks are solar-powered 9.7-inch touch displays with multiple languages. The parking session begins once users enter their license plate and duration of stay, and pay with a debit or credit card. They do not have to put the receipt on their car.
The pay-by-text option allows users to pay by mobile phone without downloading an app or creating an account. Users can send a text message to the number displayed on the pay station or sign at their location. The user will receive a secure link in which they can input their payment information. The pay-by-text is available in addition to the currently used ParkMobile pay-by-app option.
“When implementing a change to any system, we anticipate a range of feedback from residents and visitors alike. With “three-ways-to-pay”, we hope each parker can pick a payment option that best suits their needs – making it easier and simpler to pay for parking in Leavenworth,” said Raftery.
The city partnered with Flowbird Group for the parking payment upgrades, a company that specializes in urban mobility solutions. Transaction data from the pay stations are collected by Flowbird’s system and shared with the city’s Parking Department, which is intended to help the city make data-driven decisions in parking management. Raftery said the city plans to use the data to track the highest areas of use throughout the day in order to determine future event parking and staffing plans.
"We are thrilled to continue our long-standing partnership with Leavenworth, bringing innovative solutions like Pay-by-Text to enhance the City's parking experience,” said Benoit Reliquet, President of Flowbird America in a press release. “This collaboration underscores our commitment to delivering cutting-edge digital technologies that meet the evolving needs of communities."
Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media
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