Yesterday, locals launched Haystack, a mobile app created by Canton neighbors to ease parking issues in the city while improving the quality of life of its residents. The goal of Haystack is to alleviate street parking pains by allowing neighbors to help each other out with a simple tap and communicate in real-time.
An added objective of Haystack is to reduce emissions and congestion in the city. Haystack also hopes to help boost revenue for local businesses by encouraging a more frequent and efficient turnover of parking spots, therefore getting more patrons in the city and to the places they would like to visit.
Haystack is free, and alerts users to street spots about to become available in real time, saving time and reducing the city’s emissions from circling drivers. Drivers in need of spaces are seamlessly matched with nearby neighbors and are able to secure their parking spots.
Features of Haystack include:
· Offer Your Spots for Cash
Offer any street space at the touch of a button before you head out and be matched with nearby Haystackers. Offer when you’re paying a bill at a restaurant or about to leave your home. Be matched with a nearby Haystacker and view their progress in real-time. Enjoy seamless cashless transactions through your phone.
· Find the Perfect Spot
Find a street space within minutes on your way home that fits your car for about $3. Anonymously contact your fellow Haystacker if you have any problems.
· Help Neighbors & Reduce City Emissions
By offering your spots, together we can do our part to help neighbors save time parking and reduce Baltimore’s emissions from circling cars.
· Simplify Parking Together
“For far too long, we’ve circled the block every night, burning fuel, wasting time and destroying our harbor,” said Eric Meyer, Founder of Haystack and a local Canton resident. “Haystack empowers neighbors to solve parking together, it’s the world’s most sophisticated parking technology, and we are proud that it was created right here in Baltimore.”
Developed in partnership with Maryland-based Digital Management, Inc. (DMI), Haystack is the latest addition to the emerging sharing economy. The app is currently available for free download for all iOS and Android mobile users.
“Haystack is a great example of how mobile technologies can unite and empower a community to creatively address its challenges,” said Sunny Bajaj, DMI’s President and CEO. “We’re excited
about how convenient, user-friendly and economical it is to use the app. I’m eager to use Haystack myself the next time I visit Baltimore.”
Haystack has also partnered with Baltimore-based foundation Living Classrooms for the first ever “Park-A-Thon” and will donate $1.00 to the organization for every transaction made during the first week of service in Baltimore. Living Classrooms works to strengthen communities and inspire young people to achieve their potential through hands-on education and job training.
“Living Classrooms is pleased to partner with Haystack,” said James Piper Bond, “Both our students and the larger community benefit from a cleaner and healthier environment and we support Haystack’s efforts to reduce vehicle emissions.”
About Haystack Mobile Technologies:
Haystack was created in 2014 by residents of the Canton neighborhood of Baltimore, MD in an effort to solve the city’s parking issues. Haystack is a mobile app and smart parking system that allows neighbors to alert each other to open parking spaces in real time, reducing the amount of time wasted circling the neighborhood and reducing emissions from circling cars entering our environment. To learn more, please visit www.haystackmobile.com.
Twitter.com/haystackmobile
my problem with this is that the parking space isn’t really yours to sell. it belongs to everyone. it’s the same as saving a shoveled out parking space with a chair. THE PARKING SPACE DOESN’T BELONG TO YOU, SO YOU CAN’T SELL IT.
What this app is condoning should be illegal. A private company should not be brokering (and profiting from) the buying and selling of public assets that are not for sale. Eric Meyer’s app will actually cause more problems due to abuse and uncivil people looking solely to profit from the app. Haystack users and non-users will be fighting over parking spaces, and this guy is going to laugh all the way to the bank.