You’re stranded and alone. It is 2AM, you’re 10 miles from your home, and there is no bus route you can take back. Most have stopped running anyway. You call for a cab for the eighth time, but there is still not a single vehicle in the whole city to take you home. You have been waiting for three hours, hoping that one will come on duty. All you can do is wait.

It’s a story common to more than 120,000 people with mobility disabilities in Philadelphia. You do everything right — you call for a ride from a taxicab company (often days beforehand, as is the current policy for wheelchair accessible vehicles) and your ride just never shows up. And when they stand you up, you’re stuck waiting on that lonely corner.

The Philadelphia Parking Authority’s (PPA) Proposed Rulemaking Order 126-11 ”Modern Taxicab Standards” would solve this problem. The new regulation will require all vehicles purchased for taxicab service after a designated date to be wheelchair accessible. If this rule is approved, the precedent of universal accessibility will be set here in Philadelphia, and other cities across the nation will be urged to follow suit. We have waited on that lonely street corner long enough.

Accessibility is a civil right. Twenty-five years after the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law, politicians and businesses alike are still disregarding the rights of people with disabilities. As with every struggle for civil rights, a shift will only occur through the efforts of those with the strength and courage to correct injustice. We must continue the fight.

This regulation is about more than transportation. Being able to utilize a responsive transit system means being able to participate in society. Being heard and understood starts with being able to come to the table. Accessibility is the first step toward awareness and acceptance, and we can’t afford to wait any longer.

Your part starts with submitting a public comment in support of this rulemaking. It starts with you going to the PPA blog and sending an email. The public comment period will end on Monday July 13, 2015, so if accessibility is something that affects you or someone you know, speak up.

Let’s make the City of Brotherly Love the first city in America with a fully accessible, fully integrated taxicab system — with liberty and taxis for all.

Note: The above text was drafted by Taxis For All Philadelphia, an advocacy group promoting unhindered taxicab accessibility for those with mobility disabilities.  

Do you have an insatiable appetite for Tastykakes, French culture or history in general? Welp — come Saturday, July, 11, 2015 at 5:30 p.m., those appetites will be fulfilled as the Eastern State Penitentiary celebrates Bastille Day!

Once again, Eastern State Penitentiary is partnering with The Bearded Ladies to “accurately portray” the French Revolution through an hour-long spectacle of song and dance. To make things even more “historically accurate,” Napoleon, Joan of Arc, Philly’s very own Benjamin Franklin and a six-foot French Baguette will also make appearances before more than 3,000 Tastykakes are flung from the prison towers!

Here’s the best part: You don’t have to pay a dime to attend! Just make sure you’re there by 5:30 p.m. so you don’t miss all the hubbub! For more information on what to expect, check out the Eastern State Penitentiary’s preview. Oh yeah — don’t forget your Super Soaker so you can storm the walls. Vive la révolution!

Now that you know what to expect, how about giving your car the royal treatment by parking safely and conveniently in a garage? For only $10 and a 13 minute walk, you can park at our 19th and Callowhill Lot  before taking in all the festivities. As always our parking locator has you covered with other parking options, too.

Need more parking guidance? Connect with us on Twitter or Facebook!

Notice of Rescheduling of Sales of Wheelchair Accessible Taxicab Medallions

On March 7, 2015, notice was published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin of the Philadelphia Parking Authority’s Board Order 15-003 directing the Taxicab & Limousine Division (“TLD”) to administer the sale of 61 Philadelphia taxicab medallions, each of which are designated as wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) taxicab medallions.  This notice included the date, time and location of the bid openings for each of these medallions.

Bid openings were scheduled on each of the following dates at 10:00 a.m. at the TLD Headquarters at 2415 S. Swanson Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148:

   Sale Date                                         Medallion Nos.
July 8, 2015                            WP-1651, WP-1652, WP-1653, WP-1654, WP-1655 & WP-1656

July 15, 2015                          WP-1657, WP-1658, WP-1659, WP-1660 & WP-1661

However, Pursuant to the Board Order under Paragraph No. 9, TLD Director James R. Ney exercised his discretion to reschedule the sale of these medallions.  Therefore, the sealed bids for the aforementioned medallions will be opened by the Director at the TLD’s Headquarters as follows at 10:00 a.m. at 2415 South Swanson Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148:

New Sale Date                                Medallion Nos.

August 19, 2015                    WP-1651, WP-1652, WP-1653, WP-1654 & WP-1655

August 26, 2015                     WP-1656, WP-1657, WP-1658, WP-1659, WP-1660 & WP-1661

Please refer to Board Order 15-003 for all ordered instructions and other information concerning the sale of these medallions (http://www.pabulletin.com/secure/data/vol45/45-10/445.html). See also 52 Pa. Code §§ 1013.31 – 1013.37 relating to Medallion Sales by Authority.

James R. Ney, Director

Taxicab and Limousine Division

We’ve all seen our share of bad parking jobs. You know — the types that leave you scratching your head wondering what could have possibly been going through the driver’s mind before turning off the ignition. In fact, some park jobs are so mind boggling, they become Internet viral sensations. Take a look at the gems below and learn from the best, or in this case, the worst.

Parking Fail #1

There are only two explanations for this one: Either the car merely fell out of the sky, or Ace Ventura went for a joy ride.

Either way, hopefully the owner of the silver Honda had some sort of sense of humor. Maybe their reaction was something like this, but it probably wasn’t.

Parking Fail #2

Sinkholes: they’ll getcha. Imagine walking out of the grocery store to your car only to find it swallowed by the earth. On the surface, the driver appeared to have a superb park job, so this isn’t a parking fail on the driver’s part, but definitely on the parking lot’s part. This is a particularly bad case of “wrong place wrong time.” Could you imagine the call to the insurance company? “Hi, State Farm? Soooo, my car got gobbled up by a sinkhole. I’m covered, right?”

Parking Fail #3

This police officer definitely went home with a story that night. Just look at how he’s trying to process the situation here.

Officer: “Whelp. I think a see the problem here. Ya see, there’s a car wedged in between two other cars.”

What was the recourse here? Even the best tow truck drivers in the world would be dumbfounded. They probably would recommend getting a crane in there, and we don’t blame them.

Do you have a funny or ridiculous parking pic? Share it with us on Twitter or Facebook! Who knows — maybe it’ll be featured on the next edition of Parking Fails!

This Request for Proposals (RFP) is being issued by the Philadelphia Parking Authority (the “Authority”). The Authority is soliciting written proposals from qualified vendors for emergency snow removal services at Philadelphia International Airport under a three year Contract. The sole contact at the Authority shall be Mary Wheeler, Manager of Contract Administration, at 701 Market Street, Suite 5400, Philadelphia, PA 19106 or via email at mwheeler@philapark.org.  You must register with Mary Wheeler via email by providing the primary contact name, company name and email address prior to downloading the RFP documents below.

15-17 Notice to Proposers

RFP No. 15-17 Emergency Snow Removal Services at PHL

Alright, folks. Time for another stroll down the Philadelphia Parking Authority’s (PPA) Memory Lane.

If you visited Penn’s Landing in the mid ‘90s, there’s a good chance you parked at our lot under the bridge, then made a beeline for South Street.

For nearly five years, the PPA operated the aptly named AutoPark at Penn’s Landing. With over 200 parking spaces, you could park for only $4 before taking in the waterfront, or exploring the always vibrant South Street.

Fun fact: The grand opening ceremony was such a big deal, Fredo Corleone showed up!

Ok — so that’s not Fredo, it’s Rocky Morroto, the PPA’s Director of Off-Street Parking, but isn’t the resemblance uncanny? No need for a Halloween costume for Rocky in those years.

Fast forward to 2015: the PPA no longer operates the lot at Penn’s Landing and Rocky’s hair is grayer than clay, but he’s still making sure our garages are on the up and up!

If you’re looking for parking, check out what our current garages and lots have to offer. And if you’re interested in some of the improvements we’re making, check out our 8th & Filbert garage transformation!

Running a red light is no joke — it puts you, pedestrians and other motorists in danger. And aside from putting a dent in your car, you can also put one in your wallet with a whopping $100 fine!

Here’s the deal: In some cases, a red light ticket doesn’t need to be issued in-person by a police officer. It can also be issued through the Red Light Camera Program.

Throughout the Philadelphia area, there are 26 intersections with Red Light Cameras installed, and if a vehicle goes through a red light at these intersections, a violation notice will be automatically sent to the owner’s address.

We encourage all motorists to obey the traffic laws. If you have been issued a fine for running a red light, here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) that can help you figure out your next steps:

Question: How do I pay my Red Light Camera ticket?

Answer: If the Red Light Camera violation is not past due, you have four options to make a payment.

1. By mail: To Red Light Camera Program, P.O. Box 597, Baltimore, MD 21203-0597
2. In person: At 45 N. 8th Street
3. Over the phone: Call 1-844-248-0449
4. Online: Red Light Camera violations under 30 days old can be paid here.

If the violation has gone past due, you also have four options to make a payment.

1. By mail: To Parking Violations Branch, P.O. Box 41819, Philadelphia, PA 19101
2. In Person: At 913 Filbert Street
3. Over the phone: Call 1-888-591-3636
4. Online: Red Light Camera violations over 30 days old can be paid here.

Note: To make payments online or over the phone, you will need your citation and PIN numbers. If you’re paying by mail, checks and money orders can be made out to the Philadelphia Parking Authority.

Question: Can I be put on a payment plan for Red Light Camera tickets?

Answer: No payment plans are given for Red Light Camera violations.

Question: Can I dispute a Red Light Camera ticket I received?

Answer: Yes, you may request a hearing within 30 days of receiving your Notice of Violation. If you don’t make a payment or request a hearing within 30 days of the date of your Notice of Violation, you will lose your right to a hearing and additional penalties will be added to your original fine.

If you would like to request a hearing within 30 days of the date of your Notice of Violation, you have three options:

1. By mail: Fill out the Hearing Request Form attached to your Notice of Violation and mail to the Red Light Camera Program, P.O. Box 597, Baltimore, MD 21203-0597.
2. Online: You can schedule a hearing online here. Just make sure you have your citation or Personal Identification Number (PIN) ready.
3. Over the phone: Call 1-844-248-0449

Question: Can I have access to the video/pictures showing my violation?

Answer: Yes, you can view full color images and video here. Just make sure you have your citation or PIN ready.

Question: What are the locations of Red Light Cameras?

Answer: All Red Light Camera locations are listed on our website here and on this interactive map.

Any more questions? Let’s hear them on Twitter or Facebook! And remember — pump those breaks!

Executive Order No. 15-0007

August 2015 Fuel Surcharge Notice

The Board of the Philadelphia Parking Authority will hold a special meeting Thursday, August 6^th at 9:30 am. in the Board Room of the Authority’s headquarters, 701 Market Street, Suite 5400, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

If you have a Residential Parking Permit (RPP), chances are you’ve had to take a trip down to our permit office at 35 North 8th Street to renew it. Welp, here’s some good news: You no longer have to make the trip to renew your permit.

Instead of driving or walking to our permit office, you can renew your RPP from the comfort of your own home.

Let’s cut to the chase: you can renew your RPP online.

A few things to keep in mind though:

• You must reside at a residence within a residential parking district.
• If you have three or more outstanding parking tickets or Red Light Camera violations, you will not be eligible to purchase or renew your parking permit. If you have three or more outstanding parking violations, payments can be made here.
• At the current time, you may only use this site if you have an existing residential permit account. To renew your RPP or to request a permit for an additional vehicle, you must use your existing account number. Your account number can be found on the renewal notice mailed to your address of residency.
• You will be asked to provide proof of residence, vehicle registration and insurance. All documents must be at the same address within the residential permit parking district. Proof of residence can include:
  • Utility Bill
  • Driver’s License
  • Housing Lease
• The vehicle registration requirement can be waived if you drive a company car (including a leased company car), or if you are in the military service.

Note: There is a $2.50 processing fee for online permit renewals and ticket payments.

If you have an existing RPP and would like to replace it for the following reason(s), please contact the RPP office at 215-683-9730 for further instructions:

• A new license plate
• Moved to a different district

Do you have any permit questions? Check out our Permit Primer or get at us on Twitter or Facebook!

Remember that ridiculous $17,000 check Lane Johnson tweeted about a year ago? Or that even more outrageous response from Evan Mathis? It begs the question, just how can a group of guys eat $17,000 worth of food — and is Del Frisco’s really that good? Fortunately, you won’t have to take out a loan to find out.

Once again, Center City District’s Restaurant Week is making a triumphant return. From August 2 through 7 and continuing from 9 through 14, you can grab dinner at Del Frisco’s for $35 or under. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Over 100 restaurants are participating, so plan ahead and get your reservations now.

Here’s even more good news: the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) is once again offering discounted parking for the participating restaurants! The deal is for $9 or less and runs from 4:45 p.m. through 1:00 a.m. with a voucher from participating restaurants. Check out our locations offering discounted parking below and see what works best for you. We can also field any parking questions on Facebook and Twitter. Bon appetite!

AutoPark at Old City:

• Validation rate: Enter after 4:45 p.m., $9.00

AutoPark at Independence Mall:

• Validation rate: Enter after 4:45 p.m., $9.00

AutoPark at Jefferson: 

• Validation rate: Enter after 4:45 p.m., $7.00

AutoPark at Gallery Mall:

• Validation rate: Enter after 4:45 p.m., $7.00

AutoPark at 8th & Filbert:

• Validation rate: Enter after 4:45 p.m., $7.00

8th & Chestnut Lot:

• Validation rate: Weekday enter after 4:45 p.m., $7.00
• Sunday flat rate: $9.00

Family Courthouse Garage:

• Validation rate: Weekday enter after 4:45 p.m., $7.00

This Bid is being issued by the Parking Authority (the “Authority”). The Authority is soliciting bids from general contractors to provide all necessary equipment and labor to install the new elevators at AutoPark Olde City, 2nd and Sansom Streets, Philadelphia, PA.  Bid documents will be available after 3:00 PM, Tuesday, August 4, 2015 at 701 Market Street, Suite 5400, Philadelphia, Pa 19106 for a fee of $75.00.  The sole contact at the Authority shall be Mary Wheeler, Manager of Contract Administration, via email at mwheeler@philapark.org.

BID No. 15-13 Notice to Bidders

Notice of Rescheduling of Sales of Wheelchair Accessible Taxicab Medallions

On March 7, 2015, notice was published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin of the Philadelphia Parking Authority’s Board Order 15-003 directing the Taxicab & Limousine Division (“TLD”) to administer the sale of 61 Philadelphia taxicab medallions, each of which are designated as wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) taxicab medallions.  This notice included the date, time and location of the bid openings for each of these medallions.

Bid openings were scheduled on each of the following dates at 10:00 a.m. at the TLD Headquarters at 2415 S. Swanson Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148:

   Sale Date                                         Medallion Nos.
July 8, 2015                            WP-1651, WP-1652, WP-1653, WP-1654, WP-1655 & WP-1656

July 15, 2015                          WP-1657, WP-1658, WP-1659, WP-1660 & WP-1661

However, Pursuant to the Board Order under Paragraph No. 9, TLD Director James R. Ney exercised his discretion to reschedule the sale of these medallions.  Therefore, the sealed bids for the aforementioned medallions will be opened by the Director at the TLD’s Headquarters as follows at 10:00 a.m. at 2415 South Swanson Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148:

New Sale Date                                Medallion Nos.

August 19, 2015                    WP-1651, WP-1652, WP-1653, WP-1654 & WP-1655

August 26, 2015                     WP-1656, WP-1657, WP-1658, WP-1659, WP-1660 & WP-1661

Please refer to Board Order 15-003 for all ordered instructions and other information concerning the sale of these medallions (http://www.pabulletin.com/secure/data/vol45/45-10/445.html). See also 52 Pa. Code §§ 1013.31 – 1013.37 relating to Medallion Sales by Authority.

James R. Ney, Director

Taxicab and Limousine Division

If you have a Residential Parking Permit (RPP), chances are you’ve had to take a trip down to our permit office at 35 North 8th Street to renew it. Welp, here’s some good news: You no longer have to make the trip to renew your permit.

Instead of driving or walking to our permit office, you can renew your RPP from the comfort of your own home.

Let’s cut to the chase: you can renew your RPP online.

A few things to keep in mind though:

• You must reside at a residence within a residential parking district.
• If you have three or more outstanding parking tickets or Red Light Camera violations, you will not be eligible to purchase or renew your parking permit. If you have three or more outstanding parking violations, payments can be made here.
• At the current time, you may only use this site if you have an existing residential permit account. To renew your RPP or to request a permit for an additional vehicle, you must use your existing account number. Your account number can be found on the renewal notice mailed to your address of residency.
• You will be asked to provide proof of residence, vehicle registration and insurance. All documents must be at the same address within the residential permit parking district. Proof of residence can include:
  • Utility Bill
  • Driver’s License
  • Housing Lease
• The vehicle registration requirement can be waived if you drive a company car (including a leased company car), or if you are in the military service.

Note: There is a $2.50 processing fee for online permit renewals and ticket payments.

If you have an existing RPP and would like to replace it for the following reason(s), please contact the RPP office at 215-683-9730 for further instructions:

• A new license plate
• Moved to a different district

Do you have any permit questions? Check out our Permit Primer or get at us on Twitter or Facebook!

On March 7, 2015, notice was published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin of the Philadelphia Parking Authority’s Board Order 15-003 directing the Taxicab & Limousine Division (“TLD”) to administer the sale of 61 Philadelphia taxicab medallions, each of which are designated as wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) taxicab medallions. This notice included the date, time and location of the bid openings for each of these medallions. The sales began on May 6, 2015 and resulted in the sale of 50 WAV medallions (WP-1601 through WP-1650).

Pursuant to the Board Order under Paragraph No. 10, the TLD Director exercised his discretion and requested the Authority Board to remove the remaining 11 WAV medallions from the schedule to permit TLD staff and the regulated industry to focus on getting all of the WAV medallions already sold into service more rapidly.

Therefore, please refer to Authority Board Order No. 15-006 (Download) cancelling the sales of the remaining 11 WAV medallions (WP-1651 through WP-1661).

The Pennsylvania Convention Center is known for hosting big events — and they do it right. Throughout each year, the convention center is home to a plethora of events such as the world renowned Philadelphia Flower Show, The Philadelphia Auto Show and much more.

This month of August is no different, with events happening every week. Check out some of the more notable events happening at the Pennsylvania Convention Center this month and find out how we can help get you parked!

American Idol Tryouts:

“Congratulations. You’re going to Hollywood,” could be the words uttered to a lucky Philadelphian as American Idol holds try-outs on August 15 and 16. So get practicing to make sure you don’t wind up on the American Idol Blooper Reel. Good luck to those participating!

Magic The Gathering & Yu-Gi-Oh Tournament:

Everyone has those awful memories of playing against your crazy neighbor who makes up a new rule every time it’s their turn, or when your older brother stole your Blue-Eyes White Dragon and sold it to buy a soda from the corner store. Well, maybe not everyone, but now you have the chance to compete in a fair environment with real judges! Prep your decks. The time for schooling noobs and getting revenge on the guy whose mom buys him every card in the deck is coming!

That’s right: The Pennsylvania Convention Center is holding both Yu-Gi-Oh and Magic the Gathering tournaments from August 21 to 23, so get crackin’ on your battle strategies!

While you’re prepping your decks and practicing in front of the mirror, make sure to plan ahead in finding parking. Luckily, our  Auto-Park at Gallery Mall is only a stone’s throw away from the Convention Center. And if that doesn’t work for you, our parking locator can get you squared away!

If you have any questions, or need help getting parked, reach out to us on Twitter or Facebook!

Our world will never be short of parking fails. Think about it: In the U.S. alone, there are hundreds of millions of parking spaces, so someone is bound to screw up. All the drivers can do is hope their parking mishaps aren’t posted online for the world to see.

Unfortunately for the three drivers in this edition of Parking Fails, they were unable to suppress the viral nature of the internet we’ve come to love and adore. Let’s take a look:

Parking Fail # 1

Lesson to all drivers: When a police officer says, “OK, you’re free to go,” triple check to make sure your car is in drive. Why? See Exhibit A to the left.

Looks like the driver got a little too antsy after being cut a break. The good thing is that it looks like no one got hurt, but the driver should still be cited for utter stupidity.

Parking Fail # 2

OK — who gave Vin Diesel the keys? From the looks of this one, someone was trying to reenact a scene from The Fast and the Furious.

Either way, this guy gives a whole different meaning to the term residential parking.

Note: For information on Residential Parking Permits in Philly, check out the blog post about it..

Parking Fail # 3

Not sure who to feel bad for in this one — the construction workers or the driver? Regardless, this guy has cemented himself in parking fail history.

On a side note: maybe they should just leave the car as is. It makes for some interesting street art. Who knows? Maybe this was actually the work of the elusive graffiti artist Banksy.

Have you spotted a parking fail? Send it our way on Twitter or Facebook and maybe it’ll be featured in a future edition of Parking Fails!

This RFP is being issued by the Parking Authority (the “Authority”). The Authority is soliciting proposals for the procurement of Microsoft Dynamics GP Software and Licenses.  Prospective Proposers will need to register by emailing Mary Wheeler, Manager of Contract Administration, at mwheeler@philapark.org prior to downloading the attached documents in order to participate in this solicitation.

15-14 Notice to Proposers
PPA RFP No. 15-14

Normally we take a look at our old facilities for Throwback Thursdays, but this time around we’re switching it up and heading back to our parklet on Park(ing) Day in 2013!

Every year on the third Friday of September, cities around the globe participate in Park(ing) Day, a one day event calling attention to the need for more open space in urban areas. Participating cities transform metered parking spaces into mini urban dwellings called parklets — and that’s exactly what we did! 

In 2013, we set up shop on 7th and Market Streets, right in front of the Free Library of Philadelphia. Passersby and motorists were taken back by the sudden change in scenery. What was once a metered parking space turned into a mini outdoor lounge where you could win prizes from our prize wheel, or just take a midday siesta in our lawn chairs.

Our employees also put their artistic skills to the test by decorating parking meters, which were used to take donations for our yearly charity, Santa Express! In fact — in 2013 alone, over $500 was dropped into the decorated meters! All the proceeds went directly to bringing holiday joy to underprivileged families throughout Philly.

Last but not least, if you stopped by our parklet, you could have sat on the throne and be crowned The Park King (see what we did there?).

Now here we are in 2015 and we’re gearing up for Park(ing) Day on Friday, September 18! Make sure you swing by our parklet on 7th and Market Streets and check out all the hubbub!