With historic streets, thriving business districts, and a growing demand for convenience, Pasadena, California needed a parking payment system that could keep pace. For Parking Manager Jon Hamblen, the goal was simple: modernize how payments were processed while giving the city more visibility and control behind the scenes.

The Challenge: Outdated Systems and High Processing Costs 

Before switching to Passport Payments, Pasadena relied on separate systems to manage mobile transactions and reconcile credit card processing – leading to inefficiencies, blind spots, and extra fees.

The city also lacked transparency into how payments were trending across its meter zones, making it harder to plan ahead, validate revenue, and improve curbside performance.

The Solution: A Seamless Transition to Passport Payments

Pasadena initially partnered with Passport to launch mobile payments in 2018. As adoption soared, the city took the next step: consolidating payment processing with Passport. The change simplified operations and unlocked meaningful cost savings.

“With Passport, we immediately saw pretty significant savings,” says Hamblen. “Passport can process microtransactions at rates our city processor couldn’t even approach.”

Before making the switch, Hamblen and his team shared processor statements with Passport to better understand the potential financial impact. “Do your homework,” he advises other cities. “We were able to get a sense of the savings ahead of time and Passport made that process simple.”

Pasadena estimates annual savings between $10,000 and $25,000 as a result of lower transaction fees and improved operational efficiency.

The Results: Transparency, Simplicity, and Real-Time Insight

With Passport handling both mobile transactions and processing, Pasadena eliminated the need to reconcile multiple reports. Everything lives in one place, with zone-based summaries delivered monthly to help the team monitor trends and flag issues quickly. The data is also easy to share with stakeholders – from monthly commissions to city staff – thanks to Passport’s visual, downloadable reporting.

“It’s a great litmus test,” Hamblen explains. “If Passport usage is up 6%, we know the system’s performing well overall.” 

Customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, too. “There would’ve been a rebellion if I said the app was going away,” said Hamblen. “Once people use it, they don’t want to go back.”

A Relationship That Goes Beyond Transactions

While the benefits of Passport Payments are clear, it’s the collaboration that stands out most to Hamblen. “There’s an eagerness to be progressive,” he shares. That’s hugely appreciated.”

“It’s a true partnership – symbiotic. And that makes all the difference,” Hamblen explains.

From testing new ideas to planning for occupancy-based rate adjustments and future curbside innovations, Pasadena sees Passport as a long-term, trusted partner in building a more modern, data-driven parking program.