There’s gold in them thar parking spaces!
The creator of a new mobile service that helps motorists find free parking spaces is offering to pay anyone who uses his software to report open spaces in Park Slope.
The app — called Luis — enables drivers to share free spaces in exchange for a small tip, but the company’s honcho says he will cover all the gratuities out of his own pocket while he is getting the businesses up and running.
“In the beginning when drivers tip other drivers, we’re going to tip from our pocket on their behalf,” said Phil Roschupkin, who is himself a former Sloper and runs his company out of Ditmas Park.
Luis allows drivers to select one of two buttons — one for drivers looking for parking and another for those about to vacate a spot, then uses the global positioning system to guide motorists to the flagged space.
And whenever a user is successful in steering another to an open space, the parker is given the option of tipping the leaver a few bucks for the information — a small portion of which Roschupkin and his company will shave off the top.
Currently, however, anyone willing to leave a tip will be able to do so on the designers’ dime, making the service completely free of charge until some later date.
“We’re going to start monetization maybe in a year and a half, or two years, but not now,” he said.
Roschupkin says he is rolling the app out in Park Slope first because it was inspired by his own time living and driving in the neighborhood, which he says is notorious for its dearth of available parking.
In fact, he was fired from a job for coming in late due to circling around the Slope looking for parking, and ultimately sold his car.
“I know the struggle,” Roschpukin said.
And at least one local resident agrees the Park Slope parking struggle is real, and said she would be willing to use the app — and pay the tip — if it meant saving a few trips around the block every few days.
“Parking is a pain here,” said 25-year resident and driver Nancy Johnson. “I’m going to use the app. I might tip them, not more than a couple bucks, but I might if it saves me driving around the block six times.”
Find the app at www.luisp
