Oshkosh rolls out Passport parking app and license-plate enforcement for permits and daily parking

City transportation staff told the Oshkosh Transportation Committee on May 13 that the city has implemented Passport for electronic permit sales, mobile daily permits and enforcement by license-plate readers, replacing paper hang tags and the previous vendor.

Staff said the Passport system centralizes overnight street-permit sales and lot-permit management in a web portal and mobile app. “Passport parking started as a way to sell permits electronically and better manage the on street overnight parking,” a staff member said, noting the prior vendor would not extend its contract and the city procured Passport to keep services uninterrupted.

Under the new system, monthly and lot permits are purchased and managed online; enforcement is done using license-plate recognition, so physical hang tags are no longer issued. Staff said council previously approved a $3 daily permit; after vendor fees the total for a daily permit is roughly $3.57. The mobile app also supports validation codes businesses can buy and give to customers; staff said salon owners and other downtown businesses had requested that feature to allow customers to stay longer than two hours.

Staff acknowledged initial “hiccups” as users adjusted and said customer help remains available at the city counter for people who need assistance. The city is encouraging downtown permit-holders and visitors to register license plates in the Passport portal or mobile app; once registered, reusing and managing permits becomes easier, staff said.

The committee discussed the app’s utility for visitors and employees who need occasional daily permits and noted the advantage of a vendor used by neighboring cities. There was no formal committee action on the report; staff will continue outreach and user assistance as adoption proceeds.