Philadelphia Parking Authority's Parking App Gets Impounded
MeterUP, the mobile payment service, was shut down at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, PPA officials said Tuesday afternoon
By Vince Lattanzio ••
Philadelphia’s popular parking app MeterUp is no more. NBC10’s Matt DeLucia tells why the Philadelphia Parking Authority kicked the parking payment app to the curb.
If you're hoping to pay for street parking in Philadelphia with your smartphone, you're now out of luck. The Philadelphia Parking Authority has shut down its mobile payment app.
MeterUP, the mobile payment service, was impounded at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.
PPA officials said the company that designed and maintains the app, Pango USA, is having financial difficulties and has been unable to pay its credit card processing service.
Pango USA, in a statement, said the company had been negotiating with the PPA to collect additional funds through the service. Under the agreement, Pango USA charged a $0.01 convenience fee on each meter payment through the app. When the two groups couldn't agree, they decided to shut the app down.
Drivers can still use credit cards for parking payment at the large green kiosks, as well as cash and coins.
Clarena Tolson, the PPA's executive director, apologized for the shut down calling the decision "unavoidable."
An app that let drivers renew their parking meter from their phone is no more. Randy Gyllenhaal reports from Center City about how the old fashioned method is now back on the streets.
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The app was launched in November 2015. It is heavily-promoted on PPA property with signs and stickers for the app posted on parking kiosks and parking signs.
Pango USA was sold in October 2016 and then began to run into financial trouble, the PPA said.
Tolson said the parking authority is putting out a request for proposal to replace Pango USA as the service provider, but believes it could be several months before a new company is brought online.
City of Philadelphia
City of Philadelphia
Partial closures on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway for the upcoming NFL Draft in Philadelphia are underway. Check out our visual guide to all of the closures.
City of Philadelphia
The production setup for the NFL Draft Experience began on April 5.
City of Philadelphia
Phase 1 of the closures began Monday and will last until May 7. Spring Garden Street westbound closed at Pennsylvania Avenue. The right two lanes of Eakins Oval in front of the Art Museum steps closed for the building of the theater. The westbound center roadway of Benjamin Franklin Parkway maintained two lanes from 20th Street to Eakins Oval. The left lane of Benjamin Franklin Parkway closed from East Eakins Oval to Spring Garden St. and continues to southbound Kelly Drive, where it opened up to three travel lanes. Southbound Kelly Drive dropped one lane between 25th St. and Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
City of Philadelphia
Phase 2 began on April 19 and lasts until May 2. Inner lanes of the Parkway will be closed from Eakins Oval to 20th Street.
City of Philadelphia
Phase 3 of the closures begins on April 24 at 7 p.m. and will last until May 1 at 5 a.m. Benjamin Franklin Parkway will be closed from 20th Street to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Martin Luther King Drive will remain open to 24th Street. Eastbound Spring Garden Street will remain open from 31st Street to 24th Street. Kelly Drive will be closed at Fairmount Avenue with traffic detoured onto Fairmount Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue.
City of Philadelphia
Phase 4 of the road closures will begin on April 25 at 12:01 a.m. and last until May 1 at 5 a.m. CLICK HERE to see the full list of Phase 4 closures.
City of Philadelphia
Phase 4 of the road closures will begin on April 25 at 12:01 a.m. and last until May 1 at 5 a.m. CLICK HERE to see the full list of Phase 4 closures.
City of Philadelphia
City officials say 49 flags on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway will be temporarily replaced by NFL team banners during the NFL Draft Experience. The city's Public Property Department will handle the installation and removal. They have not yet revealed the exact date for the replacement but say it will take place close to the event date.
