Drivers Benefit From Philadelphia Parking App Wars
By KYW tech editor Ian Bush
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A new app in Philadelphia signals the start of a different kind of 'parking war' -- one that could save you a decent amount of cash when looking for a spot at a garage or surface lot in the city.
A Center City hotel charges $38 to shelter your car for the day. But the same place can be had for $13 with an app called SpotHero.
"Once you have your credit card stored, it's really simple -- you put in the address where you're going, it shows you the available spots and you can decide if you want to purchase," explains SpotHero CEO and founder Mark Lawrence. "You arrive at the garage and simply scan your phone to get in the gate and scan to exit. Or you'll show the attendant your reservation, and they'll validate you, and let you in and out."
SpotHero is the newest on the block, competing with Parking Panda and ParkWhiz. You benefit from that competition: we found savings of $7 on one garage in Society Hill, for example, by shopping among the apps.
They work the same way, generally: you reserve and pay for your parking spot by iPhone or Android app or on the web. Each service lists details like wheelchair accessibility, valet, and whether the facility offers in/out privileges.
The savings are a result of negotiated rates with garages, which are able to reduce their excess inventory.
"They love it because they get extra money and a guaranteed customer," Lawrence says. "Consumers love it because they get a discount and they know exactly where they're going to park."
With four dozen locations, SpotHero promises double the number of garages and lots offered by Parking Panda and ParkWhiz.
