Flowbird app & Pay by Text now available in Sewickley!

New mobile payment options offer faster convenience than ever before.

The Borough of Sewickley, Pennsylvania has announced an exciting upgrade to its parking system in partnership with Flowbird Group, the leader in curbside management and urban mobility solutions, and Butts Ticket Systems, Flowbird’s local distributing partner. The Borough is replacing its aging parking pay stations with Flowbird’s Pay-by-Plate Solar-Powered Smart Parking Kiosks, fully equipped with the industry’s latest technology. Additionally, the Borough will now be offering two modernized payment options, the Flowbird mobile payment app and Pay-by-Text.

The new parking system will feature solar-powered parking kiosks with a 9.7” full color touch display that is accessible for all customers, including meeting ADA standards. The touch screen display has the look and feel of a tablet, walking users step-by-step through the transaction process. To begin, the user simply enters their license plate number and desired length of stay. Payment will now be accepted with either coins or debit/credit card. Once payment has been made, the parking session has started and there is no need to walk back to their vehicle to display a receipt on the dashboard.

A new and exciting feature of the updated pay stations is Extend-by-Text. Once users finish their transaction on the kiosk, they will have the option to input their mobile phone number. When their parking session is about to expire, they will receive a text with the option to add more time remotely without needing to walk back to the pay station.

The Borough is also excited to announce the release of two new 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.

Here’s how it works: Once the user is parked, they can find a number posted on the kiosk near their parking location. The user simply texts the number provided, immediately receiving a secure link to follow to input their parking details. They enter their license plate number, parking duration and payment information. A confirmation is sent, and their parking session begins. Information is sent to parking enforcement who can verify the vehicle is in compliance. That’s it! There is no need to create an account, download an app, or visit a kiosk.

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

Project management and installation is being managed by Flowbird’s local distribution partner, Butts Ticket Systems, based out of Pennsylvania.

The new payment solutions are planned to go live mid-July 2023.