The City of Asheville is committed to offering safe and convenient payment options for our services, including our parking meters. In order to provide a mobile payment option at our parking meters, the City currently contracts with Passport Labs. This contract is set to expire Dec. 31.
In order to continue providing a mobile payment option, the City will enter into an agreement with a national purchasing cooperative, NCPA. We wanted to make our customers aware that under this new agreement, those who use the Passport app will be charged an additional $0.25 per transaction. This does not apply to using cards or coins at the meters.
Parking options
There are more than 700 on-street metered spaces in downtown Asheville. All meters are for short term parking (two hours or less, as marked) at a cost of $1.50 per hour.
In City garages, the first hour is free, the second hour or any portion thereof costs $2.50 followed by $1.25 per each additional hour or fraction thereof. (Daily maximum: $12).
Parking in City garages remains the better deal.
Also, while the collection booths are not being manned at this time, security and cleaning services remain on site at every garage. And the garages have live remote video assistants at the exits to help with any payment issues that may arise.
Where the money goes
Asheville Parking Services is an enterprise fund, and that means that the division supports itself rather than relying on tax money from the City’s general fund. In addition, money collected from Parking Services helps fund the ART bus system.
For more information, please visit the Parking Services webpage on the City of Asheville website.