MONTEGO BAY, St James: MoBay Introduces Automated Car Park — Montego Bay has taken another significant step toward becoming a smart city with the introduction of its first automated public car park in the heart of the resort city.
The new system, located at the Harbour Street car park in downtown Montego Bay, was officially commissioned by the St James Municipal Corporation (StJMC) as part of its ongoing modernization and urban development programme.
The automated facility allows motorists to receive a digital access card upon entry and pay parking fees based on the duration of their stay before exiting. The system is designed to improve efficiency, enhance security, and streamline revenue collection by reducing reliance on manual operations.
Mayor of Montego Bay Richard Vernon described the project as an important milestone in the city’s smart city agenda.
According to Vernon, the initiative forms part of a wider strategy aimed at integrating technology into municipal services to improve the quality of life for residents and visitors.
“It is these small procedural improvements that contribute to the larger vision. Over time, these systems will be integrated to help create a truly smart city,” the mayor said during the launch ceremony.
The automated parking system was implemented at a cost of approximately $4 million and was developed under the Montego Bay Striving Towards Environmental Protection and Urban Preservation (STEP UP) programme.
Representatives from Innovative Core Solutions, the company responsible for the technology, said the system eliminates the need for paper receipts while reducing opportunities for revenue leakage and improving accountability.
The municipal corporation also revealed plans to expand the automation programme to other parking facilities across the city, including the library car park. Additional upgrades are expected to include licence plate recognition technology and enhanced security features.
The project joins a growing list of smart city initiatives in Montego Bay, including online municipal services, surveillance systems aimed at tackling illegal dumping, and the planned introduction of smart bus stops.
City officials believe the new automated car park will not only improve convenience for motorists but also support efforts to modernize urban infrastructure and better manage traffic and parking demands in Jamaica’s second city.
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