APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – Drivers in Appleton may not have to plug change into parking meters for much longer.
The common council is expected to vote on Wednesday on implementing a program that would allow people to pay for city parking through a smartphone application.
If successful, Appleton Communications Coordinator Chad Doran says people could enter the parking stall number posted on the meter into the free app and select how much money they would like to pay.
Doran notes a $0.15 convenience fee would be added on to each transaction.
He says the idea is all about convenience as it would keep people from having to carry coins while also allowing people to add time to their parking allotment without having to run back to the meter.
Doran says the program will also benefit people who travel between cities as the same app is used in places like Green Bay and Fond du Lac.
The city would pay a company called ‘Passport’ $2,500, a merchant processing fee of 2.9%, and $0.30 per transaction. Doran says those costs are for Passport to manage credit card payments.
Doran notes there will be no changes to the current meters or parking hours and says people can still use coins to pay for parking, if they choose.
According to Doran, the idea came from a 2014 study that looked into the city’s downtown parking.
If the council signs off, Doran believes the new program could be implemented this summer.
