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MTP - ACTION ITEM: (1) Receive a Status Update on the Parking Meter Mobile Pay Program; and (2) Provide Direction to Staff.
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Meeting Date: October 16, 2024
Contact Person: Andrew Maximous, Mobility & Traffic Engineering Manager
Public Works Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-5628
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [ ] General Fund: Yes [ ] No [X]
Attachments: Yes [X] No [ ]
Public Notification: E-Mail via GovDelivery (10/11/2024): Meetings and Agendas - Mobility, Traffic & Parking Subcommittee; Notify Me - Construction, Street Maintenance and Closures; Stay Informed - Bicycle & Pedestrian / Culver CityBus / Construction, Street Maintenance and Closures
Department Approval: Yanni Demitri, Public Works Director/City Engineer (10/11/2024)
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BACKGROUND
Parking in Culver City (City) is a limited resource that is in high demand. The Public Works
Department operates approximately 1,990 on-street parking meters within the City that generate an average of $82,000 in revenue per month. On-street parking meters allow cities to manage on-street parking demand to promote efficient turnover and increase availability for the public to utilize or visit the adjacent land uses.
On April 26, 2024, the Mobility and Traffic Engineering Division launched the Parking Meter Mobile Pay Program. Approximately 35 meters in the downtown area were selected for the pilot program, including meters along Lafayette Place, Irving Place, and Cardiff Avenue. QR code stickers were placed on the meters with instructions to download the ParkSmarter app to enable mobile payments and the option to extend your stay.
DISCUSSION
Since the launch of the pilot program, the use of the mobile pay option has increased steadily. August 2024 saw a peak of 336 transactions. The mobile transactions accounted for about 15% of the total number of transactions at each meter.
Recently, several other Southern California cities have seen an increase in false QR codes that attempt to send customers to illegitimate websites that claim to be associated with the agency.
Considering the vulnerability of the QR code system and for a better customer experience, Staff recommends that the pilot program be switched to a “Text 2 Pay” system. Text 2 Pay does not require downloading of an application and our parking meter vendor, IPS Group, has seen greater adoption in other cities versus the ParkSmarter application.
There is no additional configuration fee needed to convert the existing pilot meters to Text 2 Pay. As with the application, the convenience fee charged to use Text 2 Pay is paid by the end user.
Staff recommends that the Text 2 Pay program be implemented and evaluated for 3 months at the 35 pilot meters in the Downtown area before expanding to other areas in the City.
The sample decals that would be placed on each meter is attached.
ATTACHMENTS
• 2024-10-16-MTP-Mtg-ATT-Culver City Text 2 Pay Decal