A Veterans Day to Remember

On Tuesday, November 11th, the 95th annual New York City Veterans Day Parade, aptly titled “America’s Parade,” will be honoring the men and women who have served and protected our country by marching up 5th Avenue from 26th to 52nd street. Veterans Today describes this Parade as “the largest Veterans Day Event in the nation”. This year, the parade’s theme will be “’Land of the Free/Home of the Brave,’ in honor of the 200th Anniversary of the writing of the Star Spangled Banner. The Featured Service Branch will be the U.S. Marine Corps.

The Parade first started in 1919 after Woodrow Wilson declared Armistice Day a national holiday on Nov. 11. Over the years, Armistice Day became Veterans Day and started to get the serious attention and support that it gets today (over 20,000 participants each year) when the United War Veterans Council formed, taking on the responsibility of organizing the Veteran’s Day Parades in 1945 shortly after World War II.

America’s Parade has become a long standing tradition of honoring our men and women in uniform. However, if you are unable to make the trip into New York City for the Parade, the New York City Veterans Community is organizing the third annual “Veterans Week NYC.” According to Veterans Today, the Week consists of activities like the “Patriots Tour”, which visits war monuments throughout the 5 boroughs, the “Veterans Mass” at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on November 9th, and the “Band of Pride” concert in Times Square on November 10th. Make sure to come into the city to check these events out and support our troops.

Now comes the tricky part. With thousands of people coming into the city to attend these events, finding parking will be very difficult. You can make your trip easier by booking your parking ahead of time with ParkJockey. We have parking in NOMAD by the Parade’s starting point as well as parking in Midtown, Flatiron, and all throughout New York City.

Book now using promo code “VETERANS” and get 10% off your booking.

ParkJockey presents PlumValet!

Circled the block for 15 minutes and still parking a 10 minute walk away from your the shops? Lost your reservation at your favorite restaurant in town because it took 20 minutes to park outside the restaurant? Made your date walk six blocks in those fancy high heels because the closest garage was full?

Sounds all too familiar?

At ParkJockey, we believe that drivers should enjoy more shopping, dining, dating and all the good things in life rather than looking for parking, parking and walking to and from garages. This is why we are launching PlumValet, the mobile app that lets our plum valets pick up and return your car wherever and whenever you want in New York City, Chicago, Miami and London.

We will launch the new service in a staggered manner, starting with London next week!

What makes PlumValet special? We created it to be more than a button in a mobile app for you. We designed it to be “the hero behind the hero” like Alfred is for Batman. We engineered it to be “the tech that make you look good” like Q is for James Bond. We programmed it to be your trusted parking helper and confidant like Alice from the Brady Bunch.

How do we do it? We have partnered with long-established valet companies and the most reputable parking operators. Our valet partners bring professional ‘car takers’ and a proven insurance coverage. Our parking operator partners make sure that your car and keys are locked in safe garages. This is not the first car they handle; so you can comfortably enjoy your activities next time you drive to town.

So, pre-register NOW at PLUMVALET.COM, and your first time with PlumValet is on us!

#ParkNoMore

Cracking Down on Parking Fraud

As populations continue to grow in large cities, car usage rises to match the population increase. All of this has made parking even more challenging and complicated. To make matters worse, evidence exists that some drivers are using and selling fraudulent disabled parking decals to steal spots from the disabled. Mark Perriello, president and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities describes it as a serious problem, saying “the issue needs to be addressed.”

parking-fraud An article in Government Technology Magazine discussed a new solution being tested by Pondera Solutions. Pondera Solutions is a “product and services firm focused on implementing Google solutions in government agencies.” As mentioned in the article, they are using Google technology to address the emerging disabled parking problem. The Fraud Detection as a Service (FDaaS) is described as “a cutting-edge fraud detection engine that helps identify, predict, and prevent improper use of disabled parking permits.” Jon Coss, CEO of Pondera Solutions, said the FDaaS can help track down fraudsters. He rightly observes that “if someone is at 500 percent of the average [number of replacement cards issued], they are either very forgetful or it’s possible they might be profiting from trafficking these things.”

However, FDaaS does not provide definitive proof of fraud, merely an indicator of it, which requires state or local agencies to follow up on the information. So although it is drawing a lot of positive attention and a number of jurisdictions are considering using FDaaS, it is not a finalized solution to the problem.

So when planning to drive in the city, why take the chance that some driver with fraudulent disabled parking decals will steal your spot? We are firmly against parking fraud and we have your back!

With ParkJockey, you are guaranteed a spot at a convenient location nearest to your destination. We even have a feature where you can specify disabled parking so all of your individual needs are met. No hassles like mystery parking tickets, no worry about fraudulent placards, no time wasted looking for your spot. No matter where you may want to go in the city, be it Flatiron, Tribeca, Midtown Manhattan, or anywhere in the NYC area, ParkJockey allows you to focus on what is important, the destination.

Make sure to use the promo code NOFRAUD next time you park and save 10% off your parking!

Bank of America Chicago Marathon 2014

October 12, 2014 marks the 37th anniversary of the Chicago Marathon. It is considered one of the six World Marathon Majors as well as Boston, New York, Berlin, London and Tokyo. The first race held in Chicago was on September 25, 1977 under the original name Mayor Daley Marathon with 4,200 participants. Now the marathon has around 45,000 runners, but only participants clocking in less than 6.5 hours are timed. In 2008, the marathon’s name was changed from LaSalle Bank to Bank of America. That year 37,455 runners completed the race giving it the highest completion at that time. The men’s course record is by Dennis Kimetto with 2:03:45 in 2013 and the women’s is by Paula Radcliffe with 2:17:18 in 2002.

The marathon begins at Grant Park and runs through 29 of the Chicago’s neighborhoods. The race is sectioned into three parts the North, West and South passing Chicago’s main stadiums such as Wrigley Field, United Center and US Cellular Field. There will be 20 aid stations and medical staff every 1-3 miles with ambulances throughout the course in case of emergency.

Participants train for a very long time to make sure they are qualified for this race since it is 26.2 miles. Not only are they dedicated to finish they also raise money for charities such as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, American Heart Association, Out of the Darkness and The Anti-Cruelty Society. If you wish to donate to a great cause click here
to view all the charities for the marathon.

Also, if you want to attend the race but not exactly sure where to go here is the marathon’s course map with cheering zone information. ParkJockey has parking locations all over the city so once you figure out where you want to view the race type the address into the search bar on the home page and the closest parking locations will appear.

Good luck to everyone participating in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Hope everyone has a great and safe time! -ParkJockey

Don’t Let Parking Drive You Crazy !!!

Getting parking tickets can be very stressful business. It makes you wonder just how far people will go to avoid a parking ticket. One San Francisco woman went 12 blocks. With a traffic cop on the hood of her car!

The Huffington Post reports that Bo Mounsombath, 33, was trying to get out of a parking citation by swiping a ticket from another car and placing it on her own. Obviously, that old trick wasn’t slick enough to get by San Francisco’s finest, and while a traffic officer was writing her a ticket, Ms. Mounsombath hit the gas and took the officer for a half mile ride on the hood of her car.

Usually, parking tickets are only a petty, albeit expensive, nuisance. However, you never can tell when your morning can shift gears from facing a $50 fine to facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon. Don’t push your luck and don’t let parking tickets drive you insane. Keep your cool and book your parking space ahead of time with ParkJockey.

ParkJockey expedites your trip to store to get your new iPhone 6!

iPhone 6 is coming out tomorrow!

If you are planning on heading out to pick up your iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus on Friday morning, ParkJockey recommends reserving your parking in advance to expedite your trip. Feel free to use and share the ParkJockey One-Touch Parking™” solution and no-cost mobile application to find an Apple store near you and reserve a parking spot for tomorrow instead of spending your time searching for parking during the rush! ParkJockey is now live in U.S. in Chicago, Miami and New York and in the U.K. in London.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW ALL AVAILABLE APPLE STORES IN YOUR CITY AND RESERVE PARKING

ParkJockey Launches One-Touch Parking™ App

ParkJockey Launches One-Touch Parking™ App in Chicago

Chicagoans Can Now Drive With Peace of Mind & Let ParkJockey Handle the Rest – from Locating to Reserving Parking & Cashless Payments

CHICAGO ─ September 15, 2014 ─ ParkJockey, developers of the “One-Touch Parking™” solution, announces its time-saving and eco-friendly parking locator and reservation tool is now available in Chicago. The no-cost mobile application drastically reduces the time spent searching for a parking spot by providing parking locations, estimates walking distances and even learns your parking-specific preferences so users can make an informed and smart parking reservation, pay for it in advance, and seamlessly sync their reservation with their calendar.

“ParkJockey rolled out its One-Touch Parking reservation application in London, Miami and New York earlier this year with rapid adoption rates and we expect to bring the same level of relief to the more than 2.6 million Chicago residents and nearly 40 million people who visit the city annually,” commented Managing Partner, James Weiss, ParkJockey Chicago. “Chicago is known as the City that Works and ParkJockey’s parking application is going to make sure its dedicated workforce gets to work with less stress and without overpaying for their parking.”

At launch, ParkJockey’s application included access and reservation capabilities for more than 6,000 parking spaces in Chicago and this number is expected to grow exponentially by the end of the year.

“Our advanced team of technology experts and business leaders have invested and developed an application that eases logistical challenges for commuters and travelers, while also helping to ensure parking lot owners and operators are operating at their full capacity and revenue potential,” remarked CEO and Co-Founder of ParkJockey, Umut Tekin. “But we are not stopping there. ParkJockey is already planning to roll out its second application by the end of the year. The premium application has not yet been announced but can best be described as a ‘virtual valet’; we are expecting it to revolutionize parking as we know it.”

Benefits for ParkJockey Users

One-Touch parking™ solution predicts the optimal parking space based on your preferences and external factors such as the weather.
One-Touch reservations from website or through the application.
Saves time and fuel spent driving around searching for parking.
Integrates / seamlessly syncs with your Facebook or personal calendar.
Access to ParkJockey’s round-the-clock local customer service support.
No payment worries; ParkJockey provides a cashless experience.
Application learns your parking preferences such as valet versus self-park.
ParkJockey Loyalty Rewards Program – one point is given for every dollar spent on daily parking and the user receives a $5 off parking discount once they accumulate 500 points.

Benefits for ParkJockey Parking Operators and Owners

Increase revenue potential by tapping into ParkJockey as a sales channel.
Optimize capacity utilization with full online control to modify your capacity and parking tariffs.
Collaborate with traffic generating venues – your parking operation will be exposed to events, venues and companies in your area to drive reservations and sales to your location.
Web-based solution provides real-time operational information and analytics.
No monthly fees, no sign up fees, no credit card fees, and no commitment.

About ParkJockey

ParkJockey is led by a team of experienced technology entrepreneurs, management consultants and parking specialists. ParkJockey has unrivalled expertise in the industry and is available in London, Miami and New York. A rapid expansion program is in place and will include Amsterdam, Istanbul, Los Angeles, Paris and San Francisco by end of the year.

ParkJockey is a no-cost mobile application, website and parking rewards program that helps users easily find and reserve parking, in advance or on-the-go. ParkJockey removes the stress out of locating parking, comparing prices and confirming availability for an easy park and go option for today’s busy commuter. ParkJockey is a member of the US National Parking Association and has been recognized in the UK for “Innovation in Consumer Experience”. For more information, visit ParkJockey.com. ParkJockey is available for download from the iTunes® App Store and the Google Play™ store app.

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Google Play is a trademark of Google Inc.

iTunes is a registered trademark of Apple Inc.

Disney on Ice: Heroes and Princesses

Disney on Ice is a series of touring ice shows primary aiming at children. The shows features figure skaters dressed up as popular Disney cartoon characters performing scenes from Disney films. The show began in 1981 played all over the world including America, Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Not every show is the same theme from Disney Princesses to Toy Story and Finding Nemo. This year’s show is titled Princesses and Heroes held at the United Center from September 10th-14th. You can visit Ticket Master to order tickets and view different show times for each day.

Disney on Ice will be presenting all of your favorite princesses such as Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Rapunzel, Snow White, Tiana and Aurora. You will also get a chance to see many other characters from the movies such as the Genie from Aladdin, Founder from Little Mermaid and the Seven Dwarfs from Snow White. The classic movie fairy tales will be live to see right before your eyes with artistic skating, acrobats, music ballets, special effects, stunning set design and amazing choreography. No matter what age you are you will definitely enjoy the show so come join the fun at the United Center with your family and friends.

Our parking for the United Center for this event is located at 2022 W Washington Street. Make sure to purchase your ticket as soon as possible for Disney on Ice to see all your favorite characters perform. Then make sure to purchase your spot from Park Jockey! Hope everyone has a great time and enjoys the show!

U.S. Cellular Field Boxing Event

World class professional boxing is returning to US Cellular Field, home of the Chicago White Sox August 23, 2014, starting at 6:00 PM. Local fight promoters, Hitz Boxing and Round 3 Productions signed on to stage this event at the South Side stadium. Last year’s event attracted 8,200 fans for the first outdoor boxing match in over a century.

The fights marked the first outdoor boxing event since 1962 at Comiskey Park when Sonny Liston knocked out Floyd Patterson to win the World’s heavyweight title.

This time around, Chicago’s own Donovan “Don Da Bomb” George (25-4-2, 22 Kos) will be fighting for the Super Middleweight World Title against Dyah Davis of Coconut Creek, Florida. Both of the boxing promoters for this event, Bobby Hitz of Hitz Boxing and Frank Mugnolo of Round 3 Productions signed George to their contract. When George won his first Golden Gloves championship it was Bobby Hitz who presented him with his trophy.

Hitz Boxing and Round 3 Productions just recently started working together in 2013. Hitz holds the record for longest running boxing promoter in Chicagoland.

Two other hometown boxing favorites representing Chicago are Frankie “Time Bomb” Scalise and Mike “Hollywood” Jimenez.

The boxing event is presented by B96 and will be hosted by The J Show’s very own J Niice and Showbiz Shelly. If you get to the park early on Saturday B96 will be hosting a live tailgate event for all the fans. If you do not have you tickets you can purchase them here.

Once you get your tickets for the event then you can purchase parking with Park Jockey at the McClellan school here!

You can also receive $5.00 off by using the promo code BOX14.

Chicago Air and Water Show 2014

The Chicago Air and Water Show is an annual air show held at the shores of Lake Michigan presented by Shell Oil Products U.S and the City of Chicago. The show began in 1959 and is now Chicago’s second biggest festival with over two million viewers. The show is also the largest and oldest free admission air and water exhibition in the United States. This year the show will take place August 16th-17th from 10am-3pm each day with North Avenue Beach at the center point.

The air show is a free event bringing daredevil thrills with demonstrations by military and civilian aircrafts, boats, diving and parachute teams. This year’s headliners will be the U.S Navy Blue Angels, U.S Army Parachute Team Golden Knights, and the U.S Navy Leap Frogs. Herb Hunter, known as, “The Voice” of the event and a former pilot in the show will be announcing play by play during all the performances. Some of the sponsors for the show this year are Pepsi, American Airlines, Aquafina and the Chicago Tribune. The schedule and more information for the show can be found at www.chicagoairandwatershow.us.

Many people camp out early to grab a spot on the beach to make sure they can view all the acts taking place. Some of the best places to watch the show are Castaways Bar and Grill at North Avenue Beach, boat rides at Navy Pier or head on up to the John Hancock Observatory. If you want to get good seats and need to find quick and easy parking, Park Jockey has many location nearby. Please visit our website and reserve your’ parking now.

Be sure to grab your sunscreen, bottled water, ear plugs, sunglasses and binoculars before heading out to the show. Hope everyone enjoys all the performances! 🙂