Connected Communities: City Development and Economic Reinvestment Through Parking and Transit

The public and private sectors are undergoing significant changes in trying to identify more areas to collaborate and support the latest technologies and infrastructure being implemented around transit and parking systems. However, many of the city service providers lack the deep knowledge in what it takes to support advanced card programs or are limited to local politics and government regulatory issues around funds management and other payment related issues.
Major city service providers are replacing their outdated, non-connected, infrastructures in lieu of advanced parking and transit systems. The new infrastructures enable higher efficiencies, increased revenues, and improved citizen, tourist and traveler experiences. Examples of advancements include:
– On-street parking with Pay-and Display meters. These meters replace single-space coin-operated meters with advanced solar powered, multi-space meters equipped with wireless communications for the acceptance of credit, debit, and prepaid cards. In most cases, the cities are issuing smart cards for prepaid value or meter time. Examples include Portland, Oregon, Seattle, Washington; Toronto Canada; New York City, New York. – Campus programs where students can leverage school ID with payment applications for both on and off campus activities – Transit systems are rapidly getting away from paper-based ticketing and replacing them with card-based programs that enable faster access through turnstiles, more flexibility in frequent traveler programs and the combination of retailer based payments outside of the transit system. Washington DC, London England and Hong Kong, China
Cities are trying to maximize the value and benefits delivered to all parties involved including citizens, local merchants/retailers and service providers, as well as tourists that frequently visit their city. They are looking to do this through collaboration and partnerships with service providers to minimize costs, yet advance their Community Based programs for retail, tourism, payments, loyalty, and transit applications. This is especially beneficial to community re-investment and downtown development.
Local area chambers, councils, operators and merchants can benefit by conducting an assessment of their current state, future plans and key objectives. Then map services, partners and solutions to meet the needs of the city, local merchants and business community with the programs needed. The city will then be able to identify partners that can manage the majority of the card, tourism or loyalty programs while still reducing budgets and increasing revenues for the city if they know how to articulate the programs and roles needed.