Councilman David G. Greenfield hailed the DOT’s adoption of his own earlier plan to allow drivers to pay munimeters via mobile app. “Virtually everyone has a smartphone these days,” Greenfield said. “Allowing drivers to pay for parking and refill the meter by use of a smartphone app was a no-brainer. That’s why I called for it in a law I co-sponsored in 2015. This is going to make driving and parking in our city much more convenient for millions of New Yorkers.”

The new program, called ParkNYC, was announced by the Department of Transportation last week. It will allow smartphone users who download the ParkNYC app to pay for all digitally metered parking spaces via their phones. Customers can also refill the meter and extend the length of their stay via the mobile app as well. The program has so far been implemented in parts of Manhattan, and is expected to roll out throughout the entire city in the coming months.

The 2015 bill, Intro 966-2015, called for allowing customers to pay for parking spaces by mobile app or text message. “I want to thank Transportation Committee Chair Ydanis Rodriguez and Councilman Ben Kallos for their partnership and for all the hard work they did to turn this vision into reality,” Greenfield said.

Greenfield has long been an advocate for New York drivers, and has achieved noteworthy victories, including a rule that prevents the city from needlessly towing cars to an impound lot in situations where a boot could be employed instead. Greenfield also led the fight for legislation allowing drivers to prepay munimeters, rather than having to return to their cars when metered hours come into effect, and also passed the five-minute grace period for muni-meter receipts.

“Not everyone in New York drives a car, but for the millions who do, ParkNYC is going to make their lives a lot easier,” Greenfield said. “I’m thrilled that the DOT has taken my idea and run with it, and I look forward to continuing to work with Commissioner Polly Trottenberg and her entire team going forward to build upon this progress.”

(YWN Desk – NYC)