What you need to know
- Google Maps is gaining the ability to pay for street parking and public transportation.
- The new Pay for parking feature will begin rolling out today in over 400 cities across the U.S.
- Google says the ability to pay for transit will expand to 80 agencies around the world in the coming weeks.
Google is adding new tools to Maps to make it even more useful when you're on the go. You can now pay for parking and public transportation right from Google Maps.
Google has partnered with parking solutions providers Passport and ParkMobile to allow users in the U.S. to pay for street parking from driving navigation in Maps. All you'll have to do is tap on the 'Pay for Parking' button that will show up automatically as you get close to your destination. Next, enter your meter number, the amount of time you plan to park for, and tap 'Pay.'
Google says the Pay for Parking feature will be rolling out to Android users today in 400+ cities in the U.S, including Boston, Cincinnati, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington D.C. The feature is also expected to be available on iOS soon.
When you look for transit directions in Google Maps, you will now be able to pay for your fare without having to switch to a different app. Similar to the Pay for Parking feature, you can pay for transit fares using the credit or debit cards linked to your Google Pay account. In the San Francisco Bay area, users can even buy a digital Clipper card directly from Maps. Once you purchase a ticket, you can tap your phone on the reader or show the digital ticket to start riding. The feature will expand to 80 agencies globally in the coming weeks.
