ParkMobile data could make Atlanta one step closer to a “smart city,” CEO Jeff Perkins said.
Perkins is new to the CEO role at ParkMobile, a local parking and mobility startup, but he’s very familiar with the company after joining as chief marketing officer in 2017.
ParkMobile’s goal is to become a company that helps cities manage mobility options, both in terms of parking and other transportation, Perkins said. That help is especially important in ParkMobile’s home city, infamous for traffic congestion and lack of walkability.
ParkMobile data could help alleviate some of those problems, Perkins said. It shows which areas are the most and least frequented by drivers. With that information, the city of Atlanta has more insight into how to manage its curb space or parking lots.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the city allowed some restaurants to take over some of their parking lots or nearby streets for outdoor seating. Having this data helps the city make better decisions on how best to use parking spaces by showing the traffic in the area, Perkins said.
“Cities are going to be able to make much smarter choices,” Perkins said. “You’re going to see more cities trying different things — bike lanes, rideshare pickup.”
The current CEO became the head of product last year, a time during which the company focused on innovation while business was slow because of the pandemic. After European-based EasyPark Group bought ParkMobile in June, former CEO Jon Ziglar moved to Atlanta’s apartment rental giant RentPath, putting Perkins in the driver’s seat.
The EasyPark Group acquisition allows ParkMobile to collaborate with global companies and implement new parking features in the U.S. For example, EasyPark Group can create an inventory of all a city’s parking supply compared to demand, which could help with planning city parking programs, Perkins said.
Product innovation is one of Perkins’ top priorities as CEO, he said. ParkMobile plans to adapt to different mobility trends while expanding its core parking payment app, which is now in more than 450 cities in the United States.
In 2020, the company added a web app where people can pay their parking without downloading anything onto their phones, Perkins said. ParkMobile integrates into Google Maps and Google Pay, which is part of its goal to “meet consumers where they’re at.”
ParkMobile’s long-term plan is to accommodate autonomous vehicles, Perkins said.
ParkMobile features would eventually allow autonomous vehicles to pay for parking, open parking garage gates or pay for car washes on their own without the driver.
Listen to the full interview for more on the CEO transition and ParkMobile's upcoming product innovations:
