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Since announcing their intention to transition toward a technologically-friendly pay-by-phone model through the Israel-based company Pango, nearly each of Bronxville’s 1,000 coin-operated meters have become accessible to motorists through their smart devices.
In October last year, village officials announced that, following a yearlong review of parking and infrastructure in Bronxville they were moving forward with the pay-by-phone parking initiative in an effort to encourage more space turnover and to increase local retail business.
With the technology in place, officials with Pango will host a meeting at Fogarty's on Wednesday, Feb. 24 to officially launch the new parking payment options. Pango staff members and the village administration will be on hand to explain the efficacy of the program, and how it may benefit residents.
According to Mayor Mary Marvin, they sought to “make meters more understandable, customer friendly and technologically advanced, (while) adding a level of uniformity and consistency to the entire parking matrix.”
“In essence, the Pango service is a downloaded app that allows parkers to pay for their meter charge by phone,” she said. “It alleviates the need for a pocketful of coins and allows one to add time remotely if running late up to the allotted hour limit on the meter.”
The Pango service is free to use and download, though there is a 25-cent service charge per transaction. The pay-by-phone option will not replace traditional meters; it will simply serve as another option for those visiting the village. Since fully implementing the program, village officials estimate that more than 500 transactions have been made.
With pay-by-phone meters now fully implemented, village officials are in the process of scheduling additional instructional forums for parties interested in learning more about the process and Pango.
Marvin noted that these measures were necessary because, “due to the increase in staffing throughout village businesses and institutions, as well as the increase in service-oriented businesses versus the traditional soft-goods stores, parking is at an all-time premium in the village.”
The public meeting with Pango will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at Fogarty's restaurant on Kraft Avenue.
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