Ditch the Kiosks, Ridgewood? Why Moving to a ‘Pay-by-Phone Only’ Parking System Could Save Taxpayers $1M+

Parking Revolution: Ridgewood Considers Ditching $1M Kiosk Plan to Cover App Fees Instead—Smart Move?

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood, NJ, is at a major crossroads with its parking system. Village officials recently greenlit a hefty bond ordinance—reportedly over $1 million—to finance the purchase of replacement parking payment kiosks. However, a growing trend in neighboring New Jersey towns is raising a critical question: Should Ridgewood follow suit and pivot to a more modern, cost-effective, smartphone-app-only payment model?

The Great Parking Shift: NJ Towns Go Digital-Only

The move toward purely digital parking payments is accelerating across New Jersey, driven by cost efficiency and user convenience.

• Fair Lawn and Glen Rock, for instance, now mandate that non-residents use a phone or smartphone app for parking in their commuter lots.
• Hoboken has embraced the digital-first model almost city-wide, where non-residents must pay via an app in most zones, with traditional kiosks reserved only for the main business district. This policy is a clear sign of the direction urban parking management is heading.

These municipalities are recognizing the fundamental shift in how people transact—the phone is the new wallet.

The Kiosk Problem: High Cost, High Maintenance

While providing a physical option is a courtesy, the hidden costs of parking kiosks are substantial:

1. Massive Upfront Investment: Ridgewood’s proposed $\text{\$1 million}$ bond ordinance highlights the significant capital outlay required just to acquire the hardware.
2. Expensive Maintenance: Kiosks are machines exposed to the elements, vandalism, and constant technical wear-and-tear. Repair and maintenance costs become a continuous drain on municipal resources.

In contrast, a smartphone app system requires minimal physical infrastructure, offering huge savings in initial purchasing, installation, and long-term maintenance.

A Game-Changing Solution: Eliminating the App Surcharge

The biggest obstacle to an app-only system is the associated convenience or service surcharge, which often frustrates users.

Here’s the exciting thought for Ridgewood: If the Village saves over $1 million by avoiding new kiosks and ongoing maintenance, could that money be repurposed to cover the app surcharge for the end-user?

By absorbing the transaction fee, the Village could:

• Eliminate User Resistance: Make the app the most convenient and cheapest way to pay, encouraging higher adoption.
• Maintain Revenue: Continue to collect parking fees efficiently without the overhead of cash collection or kiosk repair.
• Signal Modernity: Position Ridgewood as a forward-thinking, resident-friendly municipality.

This pivot—from spending millions on old technology to subsidizing the cost of modern, efficient payment—is a genuine opportunity for taxpayer savings and improved service.

What Do YOU Think?

Should the Village of Ridgewood follow the growing NJ trend? Is a ‘Pay-by-Phone Only’ system a smart, sustainable way to save over $1 million and improve the parking experience by covering the transaction fee?

Tell us in the comments!

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