Charleston, SC Updates Its Parking System with Effortless Digital Solutions

February 2024, Charleston, SC – The City of Charleston, South Carolina has announced an exciting upgrade to its parking system in partnership with Flowbird Group, the leader in curbside management and urban mobility solutions. The City is updating its parking system with modernized touch-screen pay-by-plate parking kiosks, fully equipped with the industry’s latest technology. Additionally, the City will be offering two new digital payment options, the Flowbird mobile payment app and Pay-by-Text! The upgrade is a part of City’s continued efforts to enhance the customer service experience with a modernized solution.

The updated parking system will feature solar-powered parking kiosks with a 9.7” full color touch display available in all City-owned surface lots. The touch screen display has the look and feel of a tablet, walking users step-by-step through the transaction process.

The new parking kiosks will introduce a ‘pay-by-plate’ parking system. This means that users will no longer be required to return to their car to display a receipt on the dashboard. Instead, all they need is their license plate.

“The City of Charleston is excited about the opportunity to upgrade our parking meter technology to improve the parking experience for our citizens and those who visit our wonderful city,” said Director of Traffic and Transportation Robert Somerville.

The City is also excited to announce the release of two other digital parking solutions, the Flowbird Mobile Payment App and Pay-by-Text!

The Flowbird App allows patrons to pay for parking from their mobile devices, receive text notifications when time is about to expire, and extend their time without having to visit a parking kiosk. Designed as a true mobility app, the Flowbird App features a map-based user interface, integrated with Waze and other navigation systems to guide users to their preferred parking location.

The app can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play Store.

Pay-by-Text is an easy-to-use web-based solution that allows drivers to pay for their parking session directly from their phone – without creating an account or downloading an app!

By implementing modernized parking solutions with convenient payment options, the City will be able to better manage parking turnover and visitor influx during peak periods and provide a more user-friendly experience. The addition of digital payment options will bring a consistent and higher level of customer service to the parking public.