Board approves ParkMobile and Passport apps, parking system to shift to pay-by-plate

New Canaan — The Board of Selectmen on Sept. 16 voted unanimously to allow the parking department to contract with Passport Labs Inc. and ParkMobile to add two mobile payment applications for on‑street and lot parking, and to convert the town’s parking machines and mobile service to a pay‑by‑plate system.

The agreement establishes Passport and ParkMobile as additional consumer options alongside the town’s existing pay‑by‑phone provider and the town’s pay machines. Passport will charge consumers a 30¢ convenience fee per transaction; ParkMobile’s fee will be 40¢. Passport’s software arrangement also consolidates the town’s ticketing, permit, and enforcement services under Passport; the town will continue to pay Passport 12% of collected parking ticket revenue under that contract, consistent with prior practice.

The change also includes planned upgrades to on‑street and lot machines to support pay‑by‑plate (license‑plate registration) rather than space numbers, which the parking manager said is rolling out in lots first and will expand as machines are installed. The board was told the physical pay machines had tracking information showing delivery either the day of the meeting or the next day; the manager said installation work and pad preparation were underway and she was pushing for September activation of the full system.

Why it matters: The additional apps are intended to give residents and visitors choice in payment methods and to simplify enforcement and customer experience. The board heard specifics about consumer convenience fees and that alerts or reminder features already offered by the town’s current vendor may carry a separate per‑alert charge not applied by the two new vendors.

What the board approved: A motion to approve the parking manager’s request to enter into contracts with Passport Labs Inc. and ParkMobile passed unanimously. The board also noted the parking manager, Stacy (identified in the meeting as the parking manager), will retire effective Feb. 28 after 22 years of service.

Discussion and clarifications: Selectmen asked whether the percentage paid to Passport is a share of ticket revenue or a surcharge; staff clarified the 12% is a vendor fee on ticket receipts that the town has paid for roughly a decade, carried forward into the new Passport contract because Passport acquired the prior vendor. The town will continue enforcement patrols in lots that become free for an hour under the revised lot configuration; officers will register vehicles and enforce maximum stays as before. Some council members asked about when Park Street lot work and ramp construction would affect vehicle access; staff said they would coordinate the machine installations with the park‑access construction schedule and communicate travel changes to the public.

Next steps: Staff will finalize installation of machines and the pay‑by‑plate switch, complete contract paperwork, and launch the additional app options to users. The board did not attach conditions to the contract approval beyond normal procurement and purchase‑order processes.

Speakers quoted in this story are identified from the meeting transcript.