Flowbird Partners with the City of Minneapolis to Launch New & Improved MPLS Parking App

The City of Minneapolis launched the newest version of its white-labeled mobile parking payment app, the MPLS Parking App, in just 6 short weeks after extending its partnership with Flowbird, a global leader in curbside management and urban mobility solutions. The upgraded app replaces the previous version and now offers enhanced user experience and feature-rich capabilities.

The new MPLS Parking App officially launched on April 16th and covers approximately 9,500 City-owned parking spaces. Designed as a true mobility app, the MPLS Parking App features a map-based user interface, integrated with navigation systems to guide users to their preferred parking location. Each unique parking space is plotted on the map, with hours of enforcement, restrictions and rates clearly displayed upon selection, as well as clearly indicated special event rate zones for venues such as US Bank Stadium and Target Field. Users can easily pay for parking from their mobile device, receive push or email notifications when time is about to expire, and extend their time without having to visit a parking meter. The app even has a ‘Find My Car’ feature which guides users back to their parked vehicle.

The new version of the app is also complemented with a convenient web portal option. Users now have the same in-app experience by logging into their account via their preferred browser and completing their parking transaction. This added feature is crucial to ensure all drivers have equal accessibility to remotely pay for parking in Minneapolis.

The City of Minneapolis began looking for a new MPLS Parking App provider at the end of 2022 when the previous vendor’s contract was coming to an end. Through a rigorous procurement process, Flowbird was selected as the new vendor that would fulfill the vision for the upgraded MPLS Parking App.

On March 8th, 2023, the contract to begin the new MPLS Parking App’s development was signed, and in just 6 short weeks, all user accounts were transferred, and the new app launched in Minneapolis on April 16th, 2023. The successful app development turnaround is among the fastest that the industry has seen.

“We are very pleased to bring the City of Minneapolis an improved mobile app with several new features in just a few weeks,” says Benoit Reliquet, President and CEO of Flowbird America, “Bringing an effective and future-proof mobile experience to the City in a timely manner is key to adequately support its businesses, citizens and visitors.”

The City will also benefit from Flowbird’s elite business intelligence and back-office management suite. The system integrates reporting of all meter and mobile transactions, making it easier than ever to manage its overall parking ecosystem in real-time, while making data-driven decisions for the future.

Other methods of payment will continue to be available through Flowbird kiosks throughout the City’s parking spaces and select lots.

The City of Minneapolis joins several other cities across the Midwest utilizing the Flowbird mobile platform, including Indianapolis, Indiana; Detroit, Michigan and Toledo, Ohio.

About Flowbird

As the global leader in urban mobility, Flowbird has been promoting a different vision of the smart city for over 50 years. By offering flexible transportation and parking solutions in 80 countries and 4,350 cities around the world, Flowbird deploys an optimized and unique offer to address the specific issues of each territory and make urban mobility simpler, multimodal and environmentally friendly. Flowbird in figures: 2021 revenues: €309 million 1,300 employees - 8 Flowbird offices worldwide - 100 million users.