Flowbird: App for parking in Rochester, NY

Parking in Rochester

Flowbird app

City of Rochester

In 2024, the City of Rochester announced an improved way for motorists to make payments at City parking meters and select pay stations using their mobile device.

Rochester residents and visitors may use the app Flowbird. The technology offers pay-by-app and pay-by-text features that provide users with a simple and convenient way to pay for their on-street parking from the comfort of their vehicle.

The user-friendly, pay-by-app and pay-by-text technology allows motorists to set customizable notifications to receive warnings for when their meter time is expiring and to extend parking times with ease.

“We continue to modernize our metered parking technologies, and this new app brings us further into the digital age. This is just the latest improvement our parking team has made to increase flexibility and convenience for those who work, play, and visit our city.”
— Maylor Malik D. Evans

How it works

Remember you can also still pay at the pay station with cash or card!

The Flowbird-accessible pay stations and parking meters will display a blue decal with information on how to pay by app or text

Steps

To pay-by-app, users download the Flowbird app to their mobile phone from the Apple Store or Google Play, or click the following button:
Flowbird app
Once signed up and logged in, users simply enter their vehicle license plate number, length of stay, and encrypted payment information. There is $0.35 processing fee.
To pay-by-text, the user sends a text to the number displayed on the pay station or parking meter at their parking location. The user will receive a text reply that directs them to a secure link to enter the vehicle license plate number, length of stay, and encrypted payment information to start the parking session. There is also a $0.35 processing fee.

Drivers can still pay for parking using a credit card or coins at pay stations and parking meters.

Users paying by mobile device will not have to display the electronic pay station receipt on their vehicle's dashboard. Parking enforcement will scan the vehicle’s registration to ensure parking compliance.