Parking permit systems offer the ability to replace traditional paper scratchcards or visitor voucher parking permits with virtual parking permits.
Traditional parking permit scratchcards are physical paper cards or booklets with printed permit options that can be scratched off to select the time of use needed. However, modern parking permit management software offers the ability to create digital parking permits providing operational cost savings and customer service benefits.
Paper Scratchcard Parking Permits
Typically, paper scratchcard permits are purchased by a resident that uses on-street resident’s parking. They then use the scratchcard to give to visitors, such as family members, who need to park outside their property.
Parking permit scratchcards are often made as tear-out booklets or cards with scratch panels. The visitor tears out a permit page or uncovers, by scratching, the required date and time information from the scratchcard, then displays the permit inside their vehicle’s window for on-foot enforcement staff to see and check.
Digital Scratchcard Parking Permits
A digital scratchcard is a virtual version of a traditional paper visitor’s permit. A resident or visitor buys parking permit credits via an online self-service parking permit system. Permit credits can then be used by the permit system user when needed. Via their self-service system, the user allocates the credits to a vehicle and the required timeframe to authorise it for parking.
Zatpermit Virtual Parking Permits
Zatpermit parking permit management software provides the equivalent of a permit scratchcard in the form of a virtual permit.
Virtual permits can be purchased from a Zatpermit self-service user account and can be assigned to any visiting vehicle. These digital scratch cards are single-use only, much like their paper counterpart. A resident can purchase additional scratch cards, based on the rules set by the organisation selling them. Once the permit is assigned to the visiting vehicle, its information is added to the Allow List for the parking location. There is no need to display a permit in the vehicle windscreen when using a virtual permit as on-foot enforcement staff will identify the authorised vehicle from their Allow List.
See how Unity5’s Zatpark and Zatpermit are helping Cornwall Council deliver their Strategic Parking Plan
“The system has enabled us to provide better service and experience for our customers“
Download the full Cornwall Council Case Study
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Neil is a writer focused on simplifying complex technology, operations and regulatory subjects for our public and private sector audience and highlighting how Unity5’s SaaS solutions simplify complex business processes.
