ParkMe (formerly Parking in Motion) and Parkeon have recently completed an integration which will enable the companies to provide free parking solutions to residents of major cities.
This integration provides parking guidance via smartphones, in-car navigation systems, and personal computers, with maps displaying the best places to find parking. In order to display parking occupancy information, ParkMe’s system combines real-time meter transaction data from the Parkeon system with historical occupancy information, parking space turnover, rates, the time of day, day of week and a complex series of proprietary algorithms. In addition to helping motorists find parking, this system can help cities adjust their parking policies to ensure the proper occupancy level on the street.
"Together with Parkeon, we have worked with the city of Austin to provide free and useful data to ease parking problems for its residents," Alex Israel, co-founder and chief operating officer of ParkMe, said. "As we move forward, we are eager to work with additional municipalities to help solve parking problems and relieve related stress."
By guiding motorists to the most available parking areas, cities not only ensure a higher level of driver satisfaction, but they also help reduce their environmental footprint. When drivers find their parking spaces more quickly, there is less circling around the block, leading to fewer carbon emissions released into the atmosphere and less oil used in the process. Traffic in cities is improved as well, opening up lanes for other motorists and buses.
"Our meter systems collect millions of transactions on a daily basis," Sean Renn, U.S. product marketing manager for Parkeon, said. "Partnering with ParkMe to make this information beneficial to both cities and motorists is very exciting."
The city of Austin, TX was the first Parkeon client to launch this new integrated system, using data from more than 700 Parkeon multi-space meters deployed around the city.
"Austin continues to have an increase in demand for on-street parking in our central core," Steve Grassfield, parking enterprise manager for the city of Austin, said. "The ParkMe and Parkeon collaboration will help alleviate our residents' parking-related concerns by providing free parking information that is continuously updated."
Consumers can download the free mobile phone app and get more information by visiting the ParkMe website: www.parkme.com. Businesses can also download a free widget to add to their websites that will enable their customers or other visitors to find available parking nearby.
