In the summer, Old Orchard Beach transforms from a small Maine community into a full-scale tourist destination. With a year-round population of around 5,000 and peak-season crowds that can swell to 100,000+, parking quickly becomes a make-or-break part of the visitor experience.
For Gregory Bunce, Parking Enforcement Supervisor, the priority is clear: keep parking moving smoothly during peak periods while giving the town better visibility into what’s happening on the street.
The Challenge: Manual Systems That Couldn’t Scale
Before Passport, Old Orchard Beach relied on coin-operated meters and paper-based enforcement. Collecting revenue meant handling and depositing cash, while enforcement required handwritten tickets and extensive post-season data entry.
“We’d be carrying around hundreds of pounds of quarters,” Bunce recalls. “And at the end of the year, we’d still have thousands of paper tickets to enter.”
That approach worked during the off-season, when parking activity was minimal—but it quickly broke down once summer arrived. As demand ramped up almost overnight, the town needed a way to manage a dramatic seasonal increase in activity without creating backlogs or operational strain.
The Solution: From Coins and Paper to a Digital System
Old Orchard Beach modernized its parking program with Passport, moving paid parking, enforcement, and permits into a fully digital system supported by real-time tools and centralized reporting.
For visitors, the Passport Parking app reduced friction by eliminating cash and minimizing kiosk-related issues. Parking became more self-directed, allowing people to pay quickly and move on with their day.
“The app is pretty self-sufficient. People sign up, pay, and go.” — Gregory Bunce, Parking Enforcement Supervisor
For enforcement officers, handheld devices replaced paper tickets—providing instant confirmation of whether a vehicle had paid or held a valid permit.
Permits were also brought into the same system, making it easier for officers to validate compliance in the field and reducing administrative work behind the scenes.
The Results: Scaled for Peak Season, Backed by Data
With Passport in place, Old Orchard Beach is able to manage the sharp contrast between off-season and summer demand—when parking activity increases dramatically and enforcement volumes spike.
Despite that seasonal surge, the town maintains real-time visibility across parking and enforcement, helping staff stay efficient even during the busiest weekends.
That efficiency has translated into measurable results. By the end of 2025, Old Orchard Beach saw an 18% year-over-year increase in total parking revenue, driven by improved compliance and smoother operations during peak season.
“It’s night and day,” says Bunce. “Passport has made the job a hundred times easier.”
Behind the scenes, centralized reporting has also improved communication with town leadership, giving staff easy access to data that supports operational decisions and budget conversations.
A Trusted, Collaborative Partnership
As Old Orchard Beach transformed its parking operation, having a collaborative partner played an important role. Passport works closely with town staff to support day-to-day operations, answer questions as they arise, and help the team navigate peak demand with confidence.
“Old Orchard Beach is a great example of how a seasonal operation can scale year over year when the right systems are in place. We conduct regular check-ins to make sure everything is running smoothly and continue identifying opportunities to support their growth.” — Kevin Clark, Client Success Manager at Passport
That ongoing collaboration gives the town confidence in its parking program and the flexibility to continue refining operations as demand evolves, without adding unnecessary complexity for staff or visitors.
Together, Passport and Old Orchard Beach have built a parking operation designed to scale, no matter how busy the season.