PangoUSA is expanding to Alexandria, VA, to grow its user base for its mobile application that lets drivers pay for parking via mobile.

Starting Dec. 9, drivers in Alexandria, VA will be able to pay for public parking via the Pango app. As part of the launch, PangoUSA will offer new users two free hours of parking, and the company will also waive the convenience fee for all users through Mar. 1, 2014.

“Alexandria is one of the largest cities in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, which encompasses northern Virginia and southern Maryland,” said Neil Edwards, president of PangoUSA, New York.

“As Washington, DC is home to the Pentagon and many federal agencies, we expect for our partnership with the city of Alexandria to drive massive adoption from local citizens and also from federal employees who commute and work in DC,” he said.

Pango was founded in Israel and is now in use in 47 cities worldwide.

Pango parking
Alexandria is the first city in Virginia that will offer pay-by-phone for on-street parking, according to Pango.

Among the other cities that use Pango are Pheonix, AZ, New York City, Auburn, NY, Latrobe, PA, Towson, MD and Scranton, PA. The app can be used for both on-street parking as well as in off-street garages.

According to Mr. Edwards, Pango serves more than 800,000 active accounts and processes approximately 2 million monthly transactions worldwide.

Drivers can download the Pango app for free in Apple’s App Store, Google Play and BlackBerry World.

Then they can register their car and billing information directly within the app, on Pango’s Web site or by calling 855-547-2646. After the initial registration, drivers simply select the car and location to pay for parking.

The app will also use GPS to locate a car if the user allows it to do so.

Pango charges the normal metered fee plus a convenience fee of 24 cents if the user pays with a prepaid Pango account or 29 cents for other payment methods. Pango will be waiving this convenience fee in Alexandria through Mar. 1, 2014.

Additionally, restaurants, shops and other businesses can provide complimentary parking promotions to their customers using prepaid codes.

The app also includes a map of public and private parking garages.

Happy drivers
Pango provides a number of different benefits for drivers.

First of all, drivers can avoid having to stand in the cold while paying at a kiosk and can instead pay from their phone while sitting in their car. It is less stressful and safer.

Additionally, Pango will notify users when time is running out so they are not charged extra. Alternatively, users can add more time to their parking remotely if they want.

Drivers also do not need to have exact change. They also do not need to roam the streets looking for parking because they can find it on their phone.

“Pango has many future plans for expansion in the United States,” Mr. Edwards said. “Also, with new updates and expansions to the app, Pango will make driving more efficient, fun and social and while helping cities generate more revenue and reduce their operating costs.”

Final Take
Rebecca Borison is editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York