Passport app users nationwide can now pay for parking through Google Maps.
Charlotte-based Passport, a firm specializing in mobile payments for transportation, first launched this capability in Austin, Texas, close to six months ago. It is rolling out across Passport's client base, now live in more than 400 cities.
"What we're doing is really aligning with our customers on the excitement of the opportunity of democratizing payments to a wider range of folks in their communities," said Khristian Gutierrez, chief revenue officer at Passport. "We reach more people by meeting them where they are. We meet them in applications they already have."
Users do not have to switch apps to make payments. Passport's operating system is already deployed across its customer base. Gutierrez said the Google partnership is an example of Passport's strategy to expand capabilities, drive digital demand and bring third parties into the ecosystem.
Financial details of the partnership have not been disclosed. Gutierrez said the timeline for a full rollout will be based on the clients' pace.
He said Passport is looking for more partnership opportunities, although he declined to give further details. Passport announced partnerships with iAccess Life, PlusPass and PapayaPay last fall. In December, Passport made another step with Google — allowing Google Pay users to access Passport's services without downloading the full app, making the payments process more efficient.
Passport has been in this space for a decade. It works in parking enforcement, payments and permitting. Micromobility, with e-scooters and bicycles, is another focus. The firm's efforts have paid off, despite a rough period in 2020 when the pandemic hit. Passport was on last year's Inc. 5000 list, logging a 457% pre-Covid growth rate from 2016 to 2019. It landed at No. 12 on the Charlotte Business Journal's Fast 50 list, with average revenue growth at 80% in 2017 to 2019.
Passport's work fits into larger issues on equity and access, Gutierrez said. For example, developers have previously questioned whether mobile apps support the underbanked. The pandemic, however, has led some to question whether a program can be equitable at all if there are no digital payment options, he said. Efforts to avoid exposure via public surfaces have also made digital payments more attractive.
Passport has more than 1,200 clients in the U.S. and Canada. There are about 250 employees. They plan to return to the office in the summer.
