Press Releases
MCDOT Adding Another Option for Pay-By-Phone Parking
For Immediate Release: Thursday, November 16, 2017
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) recently contracted with Parkmobile, in addition to MobileNow!, to offer parking patrons more pay-by-phone payment options. MCDOT is phasing in the ability to use Parkmobile for County on-street, lot and garage meters over the next six months, and by the end of this week, the transition will be complete in all Bethesda garages. Since 2009, MCDOT has offered parking customers the option to pay for parking using a pay-by-phone mobile app from MobileNow!. Montgomery County is one of the first jurisdictions in the country to expand mobile payment for parking to two companies.
“To provide greater flexibility to our parking customers, MCDOT will now be offering more than one choice for mobile parking payment,” said MCDOT Director Al Roshdieh. “Adding the option of using Parkmobile, which is the same app used by Washington, D.C., could provide greater convenience for those who park frequently in the District. This expansion is another example of the way in which MCDOT continues to embrace technology and innovation to expand alternatives for our customers and enhance our services for travelers.”
MobileNow! and Parkmobile both offer customers the option of a pre-funded “wallet”, or a “pay as you go” option. The wallet option allows customers to fund an account in advance and deduct funds with each future transaction. Wallet customers will be charged a $0.25 transaction fee. The “pay as you go” option charges a credit card on file for each transaction. Pay as you go customers will be charged a $0.45 transaction fee.
“We at MobileNow! are sincerely honored to continue to provide the very best value, customer service and fast options serving Montgomery County,” said John Oglesby, MobileNOW! President and CEO. “Montgomery County has always been a forward-thinking, tech savvy County, and we are confident customers will continue to enjoy the convenience that MobileNOW! provides as we enter our seventh year of our partnership.”
“We are delighted to be partnering with Montgomery County to introduce our mobile parking solution,” expressed Jon Ziglar, CEO of Parkmobile. “With more than seven million users, Parkmobile is excited to introduce our services to the area to enhance the parking experience by eliminating the taxing process of paying with cards or cash. We look forward to our continued partnership with Montgomery County to expand our services in the surrounding area over time.”
Mobile phone parking can potentially save customers money because they only pay for time parked. In addition, the apps provide reminders before a meter expires and, where allowed, gives customers the option to extend their parking time remotely.
MCDOT offers public parking at about 12,000 parking spaces. More information about mobile phone parking is available on MCDOT’s website.
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Media Contact: Esther Bowning 240.777.7155