Galveston Texas is the first city to replace parking meters completely with phone voice or app payments for parking on city streets.
Other cities such as Boston, Chicago. Miami, Seattle, and San Francisco offer Kiosks along with phone apps. In Galveston there are no meters or backup kiosks. Payment options include PayByPhone app, mobile website or calling a toll free number.
The PayByPhone apps for Android, iOS and BlackBerry registers the parking car by the license plate number. There is no need to place a receipt on the dashboard. Car owners are notified via at text message when the parking time is running out with an offer to pay for an extension.
The city of Galveston saves money by not providing meters or kiosks. The system is provided by CreditCall.
The 34,000 drivers signed up for the program within the first three months and 50,000 transactions generated in the first 160 days. The system, which went live in September, is expected to generate approximately $700,000 per year over the next five years which will be invested in the Seawall area of Galveston