Boston Puts Brakes On Haystack Parking App
BOSTON (CBS) - A new app that allows people to find parking spaces in Boston is being shut down in response to a vote by the city council.
A new ordinance outlaws services that allow people to sell or save public parking spaces.
The app, called Haystack, is being used successfully in Baltimore.
"In Baltimore, we saw a terrific, proactive, wait-and-see approach," according to Haystack CEO Eric Meyer. "The folks there said 'This is a new technology, there are potential benefits for our residents, and some potential concerns.' But rather than take premature action that could rob their neighbors of what could be a very useful tool, they said 'Let's see how this plays out.'"
Meyer says he's willing to work with the city to make sure Haystack can work in Boston.
"We've had two meetings with city hall officials. We're even open to some revenue sharing, and to tweaking parts of our model," he says.
The council says the Haystack app is illegal and could be unsafe as people try to keep public parking spaces open for others.
Meyer says the council vote was not based on fact.
"They are dealing in hypotheticals. We've had no reported issues. We've heard this rhetoric, 'There's going to be blood in the streets,' and that hasn't happened. We've had over 1,000 successful transactions, and we haven't seen any of that."
Meyer says the vote by the city council is a vote against new disruptive technology and innovation that sends the wrong signal across the country.
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