Andrew Mollenbeck, wtop.com
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Drivers know the routine all too well: sit in traffic and then circle for a parking space.
But technology can help cut down at least one of those frustrations.
A mobile phone application called Parker, already in use in College Park and Rockville, serves as a parking space scout.
The app uses real-time information to show drivers available metered spaces and garage parking. It also includes the parking rates in the given spot.
Parker is now available in historic Ellicott City, where drivers have traditionally done plenty of circling.
The system, available on iPhone and Android devices, uses data from sensors in the ground to determine whether a space is available. That information is combined with a driver’s location to identify potential spaces.
Besides locating available spaces, Parker also allows drivers to pay for parking and add time to the meter.
It is free to download.
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