Tucson Leverages New Technology to Develop App for Both Parking And Transit

The City of Tucson has announced the release of GoTucson, a service that will allow users to pay for on-street parking and purchase transit fares through a mobile application. Developed in partnership with Charlotte, NC-based Passport, GoTucson will provide a simple, unified, and intuitive tool to dramatically improve the experience of visiting and exploring Tucson.

The new GoTucson service will roll out in two phases. During the first phase, residents and visitors to Tucson will be able to pay for ParkTucson on-street parking from the GoTucson app or mobile website. The second phase, expected to start Spring 2015, will bring a revolutionary mobile ticketing app to the Sun Tran and Sun Link transit systems.

“We are excited to be the first city in the world to offer an app for both parking and transit,” said Carlos de Leon, Deputy Director of Transportation for the City of Tucson.  “Whether you’re driving or riding, mobile payments make traveling around Tucson more convenient and intuitive by allowing you to pay from anywhere.”

“Our customers will love how they can now stop worrying about how much change they have in their pocket or how much time is on their meter, and focus on all that Tucson has to offer,” said Donovan Durband, Parking Administrator for the City of Tucson’s Park Tucson division.

New decals will be applied to parking meters to indicate that the new service is in effect. To use GoTucson, customers must first register for free either via the GoTucson app, by going to www.gotucsonapp.com, or by calling the local toll-free number listed on the GoTucson decals. Once registration is complete, customers can pay for parking by using the app, mobile website, or calling a local phone number. GoTucson also provides customers the option to receive text message alerts and reminders prior to their parking session expiring.

GoTucson will also leverage technology in the City’s new credit card parking meters to update the meter to show time purchased through the service. Parking enforcement officers will now be able to see which spaces have valid sessions by either checking the meter or using a handheld device.

A 25-cent convenience fee will be applied for each mobile payment transaction. Customers will be clearly informed of the convenience fee before confirming payment.

“We are very grateful to the City of Tucson to provide us the opportunity to create a true urban mobility application,” said Nathan Berry, VP of Sales for the region. “Tucson has created a seamless experience for both drivers and riders, and we believe cities around the globe will soon follow Tucson’s lead in bringing parking and transit closer together.”

About Passport

Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Passport is an industry-leading mobile payments company specializing in integrated urban mobility solutions. The company provides the most advanced technology that allows parking and transit agencies to manage operations more effectively and efficiently and better serve their customers. Passport’s mobile payment systems are deployed throughout the US and Canada, with clients such as Chicago, Toronto, and Boston.

Passport is backed by a highly respected group of investors, including Grotech Ventures and Relevance Capital. For more information, please visit www.gopassport.com