Plastic goes in, paper comes out. Don’t we all want a parking meter that gives something in return? The city of Rockville is the first city to trial the Park and Save program by Mastercard and Parkeon. The city is installing parking meters that print localized coupons.
Mastercard and Parkeon already announce the partnership a few weeks ago, and now they selected Rockville Centre to be the first to trial the new program. Park and Save doesn’t only give parkers a bonus, but also gives local merchants the opportunity to showcase their products to the shoppers.
The parking meters will accept credit card payments and print coupons to be spent at local businesses. People can select which coupon they want. Local companies can pay 50 dollar to advertise during this 2 month trial. Mastercard’s couponing system will be integrated in the existing Parkeon terminals.
But you don’t have to feed the meter in order to get a coupon. Even if you don’t park, you can walk up to the meter and select the coupon you want. The mayor of Rockville Centre hopes that this new feature will encourage more people to visit the city and maybe make up a bit for the lack of parking spaces. In the future they will think about this issue, but for now let’s see how the trial goes. The trial is a source of income for the city as well: If it works they get a part of the profit that Mastercard makes during this first trial.
The Park and Save system is a first of its kind. This loyalty program doesn’t require a sign up process or smartphone app installation, unlike many other loyalty programs. It’s quick, easy and accessible to everyone.
About Parkeon
Parkeon is a key player in the sector of urban mobility. By providing a single offer encompassing parking management solutions and ticketing solutions for public transport, Parkeon is now present in 55 countries and is accelerating its growth in emerging markets such as Eastern Europe, Asia and Latin America. Parkeon’s capacity for continuous innovation is demonstrated every day. Systems and equipment provided by Parkeon facilitate management and mobility in more than 3000 cities. Parkeon employs over 1,000 employees worldwide and achieved revenues of 168 million euros in 2012.
About MasterCard
MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com,is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone.
For more information, please visit www.parkeon.com.
