Business & Tech

Parking in Port Jeff-There's an App for That

Hate to feed the meter? Here's an option.

If you’ve ever had a hair appointment that ran too long or dinner in town where you just wanted to linger a little longer, you may appreciate a new mobile app that will allow you to pay for your parking right from your phone or mobile device. 

The app, available through MobileNow!, works with mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets and has been available for parking in Port Jefferson for the past two weeks. Village officials are diligently trying to spread the word.

To get started, the user creates an account on MobileNow! You can then enter your cell number and PIN to login and access your personal account page where you enter in payment information. GPS tracking notifies the system that you are in Port Jefferson. When you go to park in town, a user pulls up the app on their phone and enters the parking space. Users can also choose to call instead of using the app.

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Joey Zee owner of Z Pita and a member of the town's parking committee, is helping to spearhead the initiative, which he said is good for both visitors to Port Jeff and merchant and restaurant owners.

“Users of the app can enter their time or extend it when they need to and not feel compelled to rush out of the restaurant,” he said. “The extended time can make people feel more comfortable, not rushed.”

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From the merchant side, business and restaurant owners can choose to extend parking time for customers in situations where a patron faces an unexpected delay or just as a courtesy.

“It’s an additional payment option,” said Krista Altok Tass, Managing Member of MobileNow!  “It is a convenience for those who don’t have cash on them or want to skip a trip to the parking kiosk or who want to extend their parking time without going back to the meter,” she said.  “So many people are becoming accustomed to the convenience of apps.”

The convenience does come with a fee; forty-cents for the transaction. If the user extends their time before it runs out, no additional fee is charged. The app is being used in 46 towns nationwide, with Port Jefferson pioneering the state of the art option on Long Island.


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