Decatur tests pay-by-cellphone system for parking

On the busiest days, Christina Muir can expect 20 of those who walk into her boutique along Decatur’s East Court Square to be searching for one thing: coins for the parking meters.

The hunt has become more intense since early 2007, when Decatur increased its street parking rates from 50 cents to $1.50 per hour.

That’s cheaper than nearby garages but still more in change than shoppers in today’s credit-card society usually carry.

“Those spots are always filled right there,” Muir said as she faced the metered spaces outside Vivid, the boutique she owns. “It does get people in the store, but then I have to tell them that I don’t have change.”

Muir and other shop owners’ meter troubles might ease with a new pay-by-cellphone parking system the city is testing at 54 spaces near the square and along North McDonough Street.

During a three-month test that launched last week, Decatur officials want to see if the system is easier on visitors, businesses and parking monitors.

“Our challenge is to make sure those spaces are turning over,” said Lyn Menne, Decatur’s assistant city manager. “We can get a better idea of how our on-street spaces are used.”

Also, she said, “we can target where we’re having problems with people feeding a meter” —- local workers, typically, who park on the street and run outside every two hours to put more quarters in the meters.

The city would rather see the street spaces opened up every couple of hours to better accommodate shoppers.

People can use the pay-by-cellphone option to buy two hours of parking. “Feeding the meter” isn’t an option; vehicles must be moved after two hours.

It’s free the first time, and $3.25 —- the usual parking rate plus a 25-cent fee —- every time thereafter.

After the first use, pay-by-phone parkers are reminded via text message to register online and to add $20 to their accounts.

Money will be debited each time they park and dial at one of the 54 spaces.

If Decatur keeps the system after its trial, different dollar and time amounts could be added, as well as functions to add more minutes via phone.

“We knew there had to be a different way to pay other than carrying around rolls of quarters,” said Menne, who added that the city considered other systems, but liked the fact drivers needed only a cellphone for this one.

Cities like San Francisco and Miami also are using pay-by-cellphone parking, but Decatur is the first test for MobileNOW!, a New York-based company that pitched the system to city officials.

For now, Decatur pays nothing for the system, and the 25-cent fee goes to the company.

Costs will be determined later, if Decatur decides to keep or expand the system.

“So far, so good,” said MobileNOW! president Krista Tassa, who said there were some problems with the helpline late last week. “We’ll get our glitches, we’ll have our comments. That’s how you learn.”

Menne said she’s seen parkers use the system since it was introduced last week, and she hasn’t heard any complaints.

East Court Square store workers, though, said they still see the same number of people coming in for change as before.

Decatur officials hope that regular visitors to its central business district will be early adopters.

It could be a hard lesson to teach, though. Many drivers dig immediately into their pockets for change and ignore the yellow signs and stickers announcing the new, pay-by-phone method.

“I would have just thought it was just a marketing gimmick,” said Virginia-Highland resident Alex Henderson, one of three motorists who tried the pay-by-cellphone option when it was pointed out to them. He liked it.

Another driver fumbled when looking for his BlackBerry’s pound symbol, which required him to start over. The third said she’d rather come prepared with coins than be billed for text messages.

All three agreed that plunking a few quarters in the meter can be quicker —- but not if they risk getting a ticket while they run into a store to ask for change.

“I never have change,” said Henderson, who planned to eat at Sweet Melissa’s restaurant with his sister on Saturday morning but hadn’t prepared to pay for a meter. “I would definitely use it.”

HOW IT WORKS

Decatur launched a three-month test of pay-by-cellphone meter parking last week in lots at East Court Square and North McDonough. To use it:

1. Park, then call 678-791-4116 on a cellphone.

2. Enter the parking space number displayed on the meter, followed by the pound (#) symbol.

3. A voice message and a text message will confirm the two-hour parking session. A text message will alert the cellphone owner when 15 minutes remain.

4. First-time parkers get two hours free. Anybody returning who wants to use the service will have to register at www.goparknow.com or by calling 866-951-7275. Registrants will receive a personal I.D. and password for their phone.

5. At www.goparknow.com, registrants can add $20 to their accounts, which will be debited as they park. During the trial, parkers are limited to $20 additions and two-hour parking sessions, which cost $3.25. If the city chooses to continue using the system, different dollar amounts and time choices may be added.