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SpotHero and Miami Parking Authority team up to tackle Miami’s parking problem

Riley Kaminer
Riley Kaminer
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By Riley Kaminer

Parking in Miami just got a little easier, and that’s thanks to a partnership between SpotHero and the Miami Parking Authority (MPA). Both organizations have teamed up to bring a much-needed solution to one of the city’s most frustrating problems: parking. 

If you’ve ever circled Wynwood or Downtown Miami looking for a spot, you know the pain of Miami’s parking struggle. But as Angel Diaz, the Director of Operations for the MPA, shared, the partnership with SpotHero has already begun to chip away at that frustration. 

“We realized we needed to be on this platform,” Diaz told Refresh Miami, explaining how SpotHero’s platform allows the MPA to offer more convenient parking options to its customers. Diaz, who has been in the parking industry for over 30 years, has seen firsthand how critical it is to innovate with technology – especially in a city growing as fast as Miami.

Mark Lawrence, the Miami-based founder and CEO of SpotHero, started the company because he “loved to drive and hated to park.” SpotHero, which now has 250 employees (some of them are pictured above in a team photo), was born from the idea that it wasn’t a shortage of parking spaces causing problems but rather a lack of visibility. “People just don’t know where the parking is,” Lawrence explained.

Miami is the latest in a long line of cities where SpotHero has expanded its reach. With over $1 billion in parking reservations booked and more than 10 million drivers served across the U.S. and Canada, SpotHero has become a go-to app for parking solutions. But what makes this Miami partnership special is that it tackles a problem that’s only getting worse. Miami is now the 8th most congested city in the world, with a 30% increase in congestion from 2021 to 2022. The collaboration with MPA aims to reduce the amount of time people spend circling for parking, which in turn reduces traffic and emissions.

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Both Diaz and Lawrence are eager to expand their work together. Diaz noted, “We didn’t launch every location right away, but the goal is to scale to as many as possible.” And the possibilities extend beyond just parking garages. Cruise parking, airport parking, and even marina reservations are on the horizon. “There’s a lot of room for growth,” Diaz said.

SpotHero is looking to expand both geographically as well as in terms of technology. Lawrence is particularly proud of SpotHero’s integration capabilities, which allow for seamless entry and exit at various parking locations. “We’re really excited about making it as easy as possible for people to park,” Lawrence said, explaining that the less time people spend searching for parking, the more they can enjoy the Magic CIty.

The MPA also benefits financially from this partnership. “It’s definitely a new revenue stream for us,” Diaz said, highlighting that the partnership is helping both the MPA and its customers.

Both Diaz and Lawrence also have their personal favorites when it comes to Miami’s parking gems. Diaz, for instance, raved about the 1111 Lincoln Road garage, describing it as “beautiful” with its stunning design, even if it isn’t the most efficient from a revenue perspective. Lawrence, on the other hand, prefers a garage in the Design District that’s known for its eye-catching artwork and unique architectural design.

With SpotHero and MPA’s plans for growth and a shared commitment to making parking easier and more efficient, it seems like Miami drivers might finally have something to look forward to the next time they hop in their car.

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Riley Kaminer
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