Parking App Usability & Enforcement Trust Assessment

Welcome! This survey asks about your experiences with parking apps and your perceptions of parking enforcement. It should take approximately 8–10 minutes to complete. Your participation is entirely voluntary and you may stop at any time. There are no right or wrong answers — we are interested in your honest opinions. All responses are confidential, will be anonymized, and reported only in aggregate for research purposes. By continuing, you agree to participate.

In a typical month, how often do you drive a car?

• Daily
• A few times per week
• About once a week
• A few times per month
• About once a month or less
• I currently do not drive

The following questions ask about parking apps you have used in the last 6 months. Please answer based on your overall experience.

The next questions ask about your perceptions of parking enforcement and citations. Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each statement.

Please rank the following potential improvements for parking apps from most important (top) to least important (bottom).

1. Clear map of rules and zones
2. Real-time availability or occupancy hints
3. Quick extend from lock screen
4. Auto-stop when you drive away
5. Unified account across cities and providers
6. Easier dispute guidance inside the app

Based on your responses in this survey, please share any additional thoughts or suggestions about parking apps or parking enforcement.

Finally, a few optional questions about you for classification purposes.

Thank you for completing this survey — your responses have been recorded and will be used to improve parking app experiences. You may now close this window.

In which country do you primarily use paid parking?

• United States
• Canada
• United Kingdom
• Australia
• European Union
• Other country

How easy or difficult was it to find the correct parking zone or location code in the app?

I trust that parking citations in my area are issued fairly.

How likely are you to recommend a parking app to a friend or colleague?

We'd like to explore your parking experience in a bit more depth. An AI moderator will ask you a couple of brief follow-up questions.

What is your age group?

• 18–24
• 25–34
• 35–44
• 45–54
• 55–64
• 65+
• Prefer not to say

When you pay for on-street or lot parking, which method do you use most often?

• A dedicated parking app (e.g., ParkMobile, PayByPhone)
• Pay at a city meter or kiosk
• Scan a QR code to pay in a browser (no app)
• A garage or lot operator's app
• I rarely or never pay for parking
• Other (please specify)

How easy or difficult was it to start a new parking session?

I am confident that paying through a parking app protects me from receiving an unfair citation.

Which gender do you identify with?

• Woman
• Man
• Non-binary
• Prefer to self-describe
• Prefer not to say

When did you last use a parking app to start or pay for a parking session?

• Within the last 7 days
• 8–30 days ago
• 1–3 months ago
• 4–6 months ago
• More than 6 months ago
• I haven't used a parking app

How easy or difficult was it to extend or add time to an active session?

Parking rules and restrictions in my area are clearly communicated.

What is the highest level of education you have completed?

• Less than high school
• High school diploma or equivalent
• Some college, no degree
• Associate degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Graduate or professional degree
• Prefer not to say

How easy or difficult was it to complete the payment process?

I understand how to contest a parking citation if I believe it was issued in error.

What is your current employment status?

• Employed full time
• Employed part time
• Self-employed
• Student
• Homemaker or caregiver
• Retired
• Unemployed and looking for work
• Prefer not to say

How easy or difficult was it to understand the parking rules and time limits displayed in the app?

If you received a parking citation in the last 12 months, what was the outcome of the most recent one?

• Paid without contesting
• Paid after contesting (reduced or upheld)
• Dismissed after contesting
• Still deciding whether to contest
• I have not received a citation in the last 12 months

Overall, how easy or difficult was it to complete your most recent parking app session from start to finish?

Approximately how long did it take you to start your most recent parking session in the app?

• Less than 1 minute
• 1–2 minutes
• 3–4 minutes
• 5 minutes or more
• I don't recall

In the past 3 months, which of the following issues, if any, did you experience when using a parking app? (Select all that apply)

• Couldn't find the correct zone or code
• GPS or location was inaccurate
• Unclear time limits or rules
• Payment was declined or failed
• Timer or notifications were confusing or missing
• App crashed or froze
• Price shown didn't match signage
• Received a citation despite paying
• Other (please specify)
• None of the above