Philadelphia Parking Authority suspends mobile payment app

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - The Philadelphia Parking Authority has announced they will suspend parking meter payments through the mobile payment app, meterUp, this Wednesday.

According to the PPA, the app service provider, Pango USA, experienced financial problems, causing them to suspend the app as a payment option.

Once again, motorists who have been using the app will have to pay at the kiosks as of 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, April 12

The PPA apologized for any inconvenience, and stressed that that "other forms of payment, including cash, coins and credit cards are accepted at all kiosks."

The PPA says they plan to work on a replacement for the app, but the selection and implementation process could take several months to complete.

"I want to apologize for any disruption in this convenient service. I anticipate that we will have a new company with adequate resources and history of success to provide stable service this summer" Executive Director of the PPA Clarena Tolson said in a statement.

Pango released the following statement:

"Pango USA and the Philadelphia Parking Authority have jointly agreed to suspend the MeterUp program in the City of Philadelphia effective 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, April 12. Since the last quarter of 2016, when Pango was purchased and new ownership inherited the PPA Agreement, Pango has tried to work with PPA to find solutions that were consistent with the Agreement and that would give Pango the opportunity to make additional income beyond the $.01 convenience fee, to help limit losses. After months of meetings without progress on those solutions, and since PPA demanded to cut off value-added services that were already in place, both parties have now agreed that this agreement cannot continue. The Pango team believes that we have provided the best possible mobile pay solution to the citizens of Philadelphia under the circumstances, and we thank those citizens for the opportunity to serve them. "