Passport Launches Motu, a New Parking App for Grand Rapids

Residents and visitors of Grand Rapids can take ahold of how they spend time around the city with a new on-street parking payment app, Motu. The app, developed by Passport, the global leader of mobile payments for parking and transit, provides an easy way to extend parking time. Inside the app, a few quick taps on the user’s smartphone screen can lengthen leisure time — up to two hours in most locations.

The Motu app is a change from Grand Rapids’ previous app provider, Parkmobile. In addition to paying for parking, the Motu app has a customized design for Grand Rapids and allows drivers to monitor their parking sessions, view payment history and receive email receipts. Drivers can even extend parking time at no additional cost.

“As a growing city, Grand Rapids is seeking to get ahead of its increasing population trends, the housing market and future mobility demands,” said Josh Naramore, manager of the City’s Mobile GR and Parking Services. “With the Motu app, the City can continue to support growth and activity, while staying true to its environmentally friendly initiatives.

“When you’re on the go as much as our community you want an app that can get you where you’re going quickly. Motu offers a type of convenience that appeals to both residents and visitors.”

Passport executive Tom Wiese said, “This partnership with the City of Grand Rapids is an important one to us. First, it shows the community that paying for parking doesn’t have to be a burdensome task. With the right app it can be effortless. Secondly, this expansion in Michigan continues to display the work we’ve done in the state and will continue to do as a parking payment provider, making parking in the City of Grand Rapids a breeze.”

Passport is the industry’s leading mobile technology solution specializing in enterprise business applications and payments for the public and private sectors. In Michigan, it is the No. 1 mobile pay provider with millions of transactions per year. The auto capital’s mobile pay parking app, ParkDetroit, is designed and powered by Passport. Other Passport-managed apps include Michigan State University’s SpotOn app and Ann Arbor’s ePark app. The University of Michigan of Ann Arbor, the University of Michigan of Dearborn, and the cities Flint and St. Joseph, also use Passport’s PassportParking® app. The Motu app is free to download through the App Store or Google Play. Users can also manage their parking at motu.ppprk.com.

About Passport 

Passport transforms the way cities manage their operations. The fintech company’s mobile-first platform has been adopted by more than 450 cities, universities, and private operators around the world in cities including Chicago, Toronto, London, and Miami, across more than 5,000 locations. Passport’s product lines —– parking, transit and tolling payments, parking enforcement, and permit management —– enable organizations in the public and private sectors to streamline their operations, enhance customer service, and make data-driven decisions. Consistently recognized as one of the fastest growing companies and Best Places to Work in Charlotte, North Carolina, Passport has an ingrained practice of putting People First —– a guiding principle in its Culture.

Passport is backed by a group of investors, including Bain Capital Ventures, Grotech Ventures, MK Capital and Relevance Capital. Learn more, or get in touch with Passport at passportinc.com.