Hudson, Wisconsin sits just across the river from the Twin Cities, a small city with a lot of cross-border traffic and a parking operation that has to keep pace. For the past seven and a half years, Katie Soukup has overseen that operation as Parking Enforcement Coordinator, working alongside Passport the entire time.
A Partnership That Runs Deep
Katie has worked with a lot of people at Passport since she started. What’s stayed consistent, she says, is the level of trust.
“When they’re traveling through the area, they reach out to see if I can meet for lunch, or take a moment to talk about how operations are going. That level of personal connection really means a lot.” – Katie Soukup, Parking Enforcement Coordinator, City of Hudson, WI
Katie talks to her client success manager regularly, not because something’s wrong, but because the relationship runs so deep that check-ins are just part of how they work together. She’s watched the partnership evolve as Passport rolls out new technology, with the team explaining early on how each update will actually help her operation.
A Consistent System for a City on the Move
Before Passport, Hudson’s parking enforcement ran on aging equipment that made consistent, reliable compliance difficult. Officers spent as much time troubleshooting as they did actually managing the growing demand at the curb.
The enforcement side operates smoothly, and the technology behind it is reliable and user-friendly,” Katie notes.
When Hudson shifted enforcement to Passport’s unified system and implemented license plate-based technology, Katie has felt an immediate impact through use of a more modern platform
The change shows up most in how Katie spends her time. With a more reliable system in place and better visibility across her team, she’s able to focus more on customer service, education, and safety.
For Cities Weighing Their Options
When another city reaches out to ask about making a similar move, Katie starts with her own experience. She’s upfront that every city is different, and what’s worked for Hudson won’t look identical everywhere. But there’s one thing she always comes back to.
“Once you establish a partnership with Passport, you will not regret it,” says Katie. “They are with you every step of the way. Their whole team is just so passionate and scrappy. The enforcement product runs smoothly, but the people at Passport have really invested in our success.”
Katie doesn’t see the partnership slowing down anytime soon. If anything, she expects it to keep pace with an operation that’s still growing.
“I only see our partnership with Passport growing stronger,” Katie reflects. “Their commitment to improving parking compliance has been a critical part of our parking operation.”
For the City of Hudson, that growth isn’t really about what’s next on the product roadmap. It’s about a relationship that’s held steady for years, and shows no signs of changing.