Amid COVID-19 concerns, the ParkMobile app will allow people to avoid touching the meter while paying for parking on their mobile phone device.

ParkMobile, the leading provider of smart parking and mobility solutions in the United States, announced today a new initiative with the Lancaster Parking Authority to promote contactless parking payments in order to reduce the number of people touching the meters. With the recent COVID-19 crisis, many city leaders across the country are encouraging residents to use the app versus the meter or kiosk to prevent the spread of the virus.

Lancaster, Pennsylvania Contactless Parking

The ParkMobile app is free to download for both iPhone and Android devices. To pay for parking with the app, a user enters the zone number posted on stickers and signs around the meters, selects the amount of time needed and touches the “Start Parking” button to begin the session. The user can extend the time of the parking session on their mobile device, without ever having to go back to the meter.

ParkMobile has over one million users in Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and State College, and has recently added Allentown, Bethlehem, Reading, and Easton to their platform. Beyond Pennsylvania, ParkMobile is widely available up and down the Northeast Corridor from New York City to Washington, DC., and in over 400 cities across the U.S.

Lancaster City is considered a pioneer in parking industry, having launched ParkMobile in 2014 when most cities were only offering coin operated meters. Over the past six years, Lancaster’s transactions through the app have grown by almost 160% as people have paid for over 90 million minutes of parking.

“We are excited to lead the way in offering a customer friendly contactless mobile payment option for parking,” says Larry J. Cohen, CAPP, Executive Director of the Lancaster Parking Authority. “Using the ParkMobile app protects the safety of both the people paying for parking and the authority’s workforce by reducing physical interactions with meters.”

“We are proud to work with the Lancaster Parking Authority on this important initiative to promote contactless parking payments in the city,” says Jon Ziglar, CEO of ParkMobile. “Lancaster has been a great partner throughout the years and sets a great example to their neighboring cities about modern and safe parking solutions.”