Buffalo changes mobile parking payment outlets

Buffalo, NY (WBEN) The city of Buffalo is changing from Buffalo Roam to ParkMobile when it comes to mobile parking payments.

The ParkMobile app is already active in Buffalo and allows drivers to pay for individual parking sessions without loading money into a prepaid wallet. The City is installing new ParkMobile signs across metered parking areas, prioritizing downtown, followed by Elmwood Avenue, Hertel Avenue, and the remaining metered areas. This work includes updating accompanying signs that detail parking hours and time limits.

The Buffalo Roam app currently remains available as an option to pay for parking but will be gradually phased out with a final date of service still to be determined. The transition is intended to give drivers time to adjust and continue using money already loaded into their Buffalo Roam wallets. When Buffalo Roam is no longer supported, the City will provide instructions to the public on how to obtain a refund of any outstanding wallet balances.

Following the expiration of the City’s previous mobile parking payment contract, ParkMobile was selected in 2024 through a competitive request for proposals and determined by the previous administration to offer the best value to the City. The Buffalo Common Council approved the original ParkMobile agreement on May 15, 2024 and an amendment simplifying the transaction fee on June 24, 2025.

Alongside the mobile payment transition, the City is working to repair out-of-service pay-and-display kiosks while evaluating a broader plan to upgrade and replace the equipment. Restoring these machines is part of the City’s effort to maintain multiple payment options for residents and visitors.

Quick Facts for Drivers:

• You can use ParkMobile now. Follow the instructions on the ParkMobile sign at your parking location and confirm the correct zone before paying.
• You can still use Buffalo Roam. Drivers may continue paying through Buffalo Roam during the transition, including in areas with new ParkMobile signs.
• Payments through either system are recognized. Parking enforcement officers can verify parking sessions purchased through both Buffalo Roam and ParkMobile.
• You can continue using your Buffalo Roam balance. Money already loaded into your wallet remains available to pay for parking through Buffalo Roam during the transition.
• An app is not the only way to pay. Drivers can use available street meters and pay-and-display kiosks. ParkMobile also offers a text-to-pay option listed on street signs.
• Parking tickets will not be delivered through ParkMobile. Buffalo has not adopted this ParkMobile feature. Tickets will continue to be placed on vehicles and handled through the City’s Parking Violations Bureau.