Schenectady, N.Y. — The Schenectady County Metroplex Development Authority today announced the introduction of Passport, a mobile parking app that allows customers the option to pay for parking through their smart phone.

“Passport is a proven app that has been used throughout the United States,” said Ray Gillen, Metroplex Chair.  “Our parking lot attendants will continue to take cash and credit cards, but now we will also offer the ability to pay by phone using the Passport app.”

Metroplex contracts with LAZ Parking to staff downtown parking assets.  The new app will be available as a test in two downtown lots starting in March.  The two lots are the Franklin & Liberty lot near City Hall and the Clinton South lot behind Proctors.

Passport allows customers the ability to pay, extend, and manage parking with just a few taps on their phone.  In addition, Passport users can receive parking receipts and receive alerts when parking sessions are about to end and extend parking times directly from their phone.

Metroplex owns and manages 13 surface lots and the downtown parking garage offering convenient parking to downtown visitors and employees. Parking weeknights and weekends is free. The new parking app will provide one hour of free parking in the two test lots from 9 am to 5 pm weekdays followed by a charge of $1 per hour.

In the past five years, Metroplex has invested over $2.2 million to make improvements to the parking garage and 13 surface lots downtown.

Passport is a leading mobility management company and is used by 1,000 cities, universities and transportation agencies, including Chicago, Toronto, London, Los Angeles, and Miami. More information on the introduction of Passport and a video on how to use the app is available at www.parkschenectady.com. Download the free app from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (android devices).