How Fair Lawn's New Commuter Parking Works

The Fair Lawn Council scheduled a special meeting for Tuesday night to discuss the new system and fees for commuter parking permits at the Radburn Station lots and Saddle River Road bus lot.

Under the new system, which is not yet being enforced, drivers must first sign up with Parkmobile via their website, smartphone app or by calling them at 877-727-5304. Drivers can't reserve spaces — they couldn't before, either — but they can pay in advance or after parking by going into the app, on the website or calling the number to sign in to that spot for the day and automatically pay via credit card or PayPal. 

Parkmobile sends emails and notifications to confirm that payment has gone through and to remind that parking has ended. The app also features a countdown until parking expires.

Drivers will also likely be able to sign up for weekly or monthly passes, according to Borough Manager Jim Van Kruiningen.

When drivers register with Parkmobile, they have to provide their address, so police will know whether they are Fair Lawn residents or not, and ticket non-residents parked in resident-only spaces. 

The daily rates of $1 for Fair Lawn residents and $2 for non-residents, which officials may opt to change Tuesday, make for a steep increase from the old $54 annual fee for residents and $188 for non-residents, commuters said last week. This was the first rate increase in 12 years.

Van Kruiningen said he had compared parking rates at 21 train stations on the Bergen, Main and Pascack Valley lines and that Fair Lawn's rates were still comparable to the others. 

In neighboring Glen Rock, residents can pay $1 per day via Parkmobile or buy an annual permit directly from the town for $145. Non-residents can pay $1.35 per day to park, including Parkmobile's $0.35 transaction fee.

Officials said they may change the fees they charge drivers to park after some residents complained that their fee had increased more, by percentage, than for non-residents.

Tuesday's special council meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. in the borough municipal building.