Minneapolis switch to new mobile parking app takes place Sunday

May 16, 2023

MINNEAPOLIS — Users of the MPLS Parking mobile app will need to take action by this Sunday in order to pay electronically for metered on-street parking.

The city is switching over to a new system administered by Flowbird, that will continue to allow motorists to pay for their on-street parking without going to a pay station.

City officials say when downloading the new app, some information will automatically transfer for existing app users, but they will be prompted to create a new password and enter updated payment information.

Once that information is entered MPLS Parking app users can pay for their spots quickly and efficiently by entering their parking space number into the app and selecting how long they plan to be parked. Users can add time to their parking session from their mobile device up to the moment it is set to expire.

The new MPLS Parking app can be set up to send email or text message notifications when a parking session is about to end.

Other features of the new app include a web browser version of the app, a convenient map view of metered parking areas and an enhanced display of rates and time limits when a parking space is selected.

Fleet accounts will now also be available for organizations with multiple users.

"The metered parking pay stations in the city are also supplied by Flowbird along with a robust management system," a city committee wrote in a memo ahead of the vote approving the switch to Flowbird. "Combining both the pay station and mobile app transactions into a unified management system will create efficiencies for management of the overall system."

As of Sunday, April 16, the old MPLS Parking app will no longer work for parking in the Minneapolis municipal off-street system. Users are encouraged to contact 311 if they encounter issues with the new app.

The City of Minneapolis says in 2022 about 65% of all parking payments were made via the parking app, close to 3.7 million transactions.

For more information on the new MPLS Parking mobile app, check out the city's website.

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