The City of San Luis Obispo has now transitioned to just one parking app.
From three apps to one, as of Sunday, the PayByPhone app is now the only mobile parking app used by the city, eliminating ParkMobile and Honk as options for payment.
“People coming downtown, they're always like, 'Hey, which one do I use for parking downtown'?” one local who works downtown explained.
According to the City, vendor proposals, community feedback and review by city staff were all taken into account when deciding which app to keep.
PayByPhone was ultimately chosen in an effort to consolidate and streamline the parking process.
“I have personally used the Paybyphone app and I think it is easier," Ambiance CEO Kannyn January explained. "I'll be curious to see what sort of initiatives the City takes to really market the app as, and all its features in terms of how it will drive traffic downtown.”
For owner of Hands Gallery, Sara Vaskov, who’s been at the forefront of changes to downtown parking for the last two years, she’s happy to see consolidation and hopes the adjustment to just one app will go smoothly.
“I think a single parking app makes the most sense," Vaskov stated. "Just getting those people that have had multiple, that are used to the one that, that wasn't chosen [is important]."
The app was also chosen so that businesses could offer discounts through it, such as free parking to entice people to come into the store. Prior to the change, businesses could purchase parking validation codes. Having a single app would add to that.
“It's still the individual business owner that's going to have to cover that, so that's still something I'm looking into," Vaskov said.
On-street kiosks are also still available for people who don’t want to use the app. Anyone with other parking apps on their phone are encouraged to switch over to PayByPhone, but for January, she hopes that the perception around parking downtown continues to improve.
“We need to shift the perception for people that are that coming downtown is easy. That parking is easy and here's why and here's how,” she said.
The City has also upgraded its on-street pay stations and parking structure gate systems. To download the app, click here.
