The summer season will not only bring an increase in population to Ocean City, but also an incline in transportation and parking services throughout the resort community. For residents and visitors, the decision to take the “Beach Bus” or drive and park throughout town will be easier, with more convenient options for costumers.
“Our buses are safe, clean and reliable which makes purchasing an all-day $3 pass a no-brainer for many residents and visitors,” commented George Thornes, director of transportation for Ocean City. “We noticed last year that we could improve services by providing more buses on Coastal Highway, so as a result we have increased our planned deployments for the 2015 summer season by 22 percent.”
The Coastal Highway “Beach Bus” will begin the summer deployment schedule on May 22, with the daily $3 Ride-All-Day fare. Busses are scheduled to run every 10 minutes from 6 a.m. until 3 a.m. and every 20 minutes from 3 a.m. until 6 a.m. each day. More information regarding transportation services, including the convenient Park-N-Ride, which offers ample free parking and $3 Ride-All-Day bus shuttle to the South Division Street Transit Center from the West Ocean City facility, please visit: www.oceancitymd.gov.
For those who prefer to drive, Ocean City’s new pay-to-park mobile app allows customers to pay for parking from their smartphones by downloading Parkmobile’s mobile applications for iPhone, Android, Windows, Blackberry, and Amazon Fire smartphones. Customers using the new Parkmobile system can register online at www.parkmobile.com or download the mobile app in their phone’s app store. Once registered, they may use the mobile app, internet, or a toll-free number to pay for parking.
“We are always looking for ways to improve our services and provide ease to our residents and visitors,” said Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan. “With a mobile parking app, families can spend more time on the beach or strolling the Boardwalk without having to leave and pay the meter.”
The app, which will go into effect Memorial Day Weekend, allows customers to instantly begin using the system with their registered mobile phone. Using a wireless handheld device, enforcement officers will know that a motorist has paid with the Parkmobile app, so customers should not worry if the meter does not change. As an added bonus, mobile app users have the option to receive alerts and reminders 15 minutes prior to expiration of their parking session.
