Out-of-Zone Parking
By default, riders must end their ride inside a designated parking zone. If your fleet operates in an area where strict parking enforcement isn't practical, you can allow riders to end rides anywhere - with or without a fee.
Navigation
Configure out-of-zone parking from Dashboard > Settings, under the Parking Zone Enforcement section.
How It Works
When a rider tries to end their ride, the system checks whether the vehicle is inside a parking zone. The behavior depends on your settings:
| Setting | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Out-of-zone parking disabled (default) | Rider is blocked from ending the ride. They must move to a parking zone first. |
| Out-of-zone parking enabled, no fee | Rider can end the ride anywhere. No additional charge. |
| Out-of-zone parking enabled, with fee | Rider is shown the fee amount and must confirm before ending the ride outside a zone. |
With a Fee
When you enable out-of-zone parking with a fee, here's what the rider experiences:
- Rider taps "End Ride" outside a parking zone
- The app shows a confirmation dialog with the fee amount (e.g., "$5.00 out-of-zone parking fee")
- Rider can either confirm (pays the fee, ride ends) or cancel (ride continues, they can move to a parking zone)
- If confirmed, the fee is charged to their payment method along with the ride cost
The fee is a flat amount you configure - it's the same regardless of how far they are from the nearest parking zone.
Configuration
Enable Out-of-Zone Parking
- Go to Dashboard > Settings
- Scroll to Parking Zone Enforcement
- Check Allow ending rides outside parking zones
- Optionally set a fee amount (in dollars)
- Save your settings
Setting the Fee Amount
If you enable the checkbox but leave the fee at $0 (or don't set one), riders can end rides outside zones for free. To charge a fee:
- Enable the out-of-zone parking checkbox
- Enter the fee amount in the input field that appears
- Save
Common fee amounts:
| Fee | Use Case |
|---|---|
| $0 | Allow out-of-zone parking freely |
| $1 - $3 | Gentle nudge toward parking zones |
| $5 - $10 | Stronger incentive to use parking zones |
| $10+ | Discourage out-of-zone parking except when truly needed |
Finding the Right Fee
Start with a moderate fee ($3-5) and monitor your parking compliance rate in Analytics. If most riders are paying the fee instead of using zones, your zones may need to be in better locations. If no one is paying it, your zones are well-placed and the fee is doing its job as a deterrent.
When to Use This
Good candidates for out-of-zone parking:
- Fleets in large, open areas (beach towns, campuses) where riders travel far from parking zones
- New fleets that haven't set up comprehensive parking zones yet
- Fleets where rider convenience is more important than strict vehicle placement
Keep out-of-zone parking disabled if:
- You need tight control over where vehicles end up (downtown fleets, property-managed fleets)
- Your parking zones are comprehensive and well-placed
- Local regulations require vehicles to be parked in specific areas
Out-of-Zone Alerts
Separately from the parking fee, you can enable out-of-zone alerts to get notified when a ride ends outside a parking zone. This is useful even if you allow out-of-zone parking - it helps you understand where riders want to park so you can add new zones.
- Go to Dashboard > Settings
- Find Out-of-Zone Alerts
- Enable the toggle
- Alerts are sent to your configured alert email
Alerts Work Independently
Out-of-zone alerts work regardless of whether you allow out-of-zone parking. You can block out-of-zone parking but still get alerts about attempts, or allow it and track where riders end up.
Parking Zone Validation Mode
This related setting controls how the system determines whether a rider is in a parking zone:
| Mode | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Hybrid (recommended) | Uses whichever GPS signal is most accurate - the rider's phone or the vehicle's IoT device |
| Vehicle only | Only uses the vehicle's GPS. More consistent but may be less accurate for some IoT devices |
| Both required | Both the phone and vehicle must be in the zone. Strictest, but can cause false rejections |
The validation mode applies to all parking zone checks, including out-of-zone parking fee decisions.
FAQ
Does the out-of-zone fee appear on the rider's receipt? Yes. It shows as a separate line item on the ride receipt, labeled as an out-of-zone parking fee.
Can I change the fee amount after setting it? Yes. Changes take effect immediately for all new rides. Rides already in progress are not affected.
What if a rider parks out-of-zone but my zones have a GPS buffer? The system accounts for GPS accuracy using the buffer zone setting (default 10m). If the rider is within the buffer distance of a parking zone boundary, they're considered "in zone" and won't be charged the fee.
Does this work with parking rewards? Yes. If a rider ends inside a reward zone, they get the parking reward. If they end outside all zones, they pay the fee (if configured). The two systems work independently.