New App Helping New Jersey Residents Make Money Renting Their Driveways, Helping Commuters Find Parking
WESTFIELD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) – Want to make a few extra dollars?
Perhaps maybe you're a driver looking for somewhere to park your car.
Either way, you're in luck; there's a new app allowing homeowners to put their driveways up for rent to commuters.
A slice of pavement is worth a lot these days, especially in commuter-heavy towns where parking spots are limited.
Joe Colangelo started renting out his driveway in 2016 to a frustrated commuter.
That idea inspired the Boxcar app, a service where property owners can sign up to rent their driveways and commuters can easily find parking.
"These spots go for $7 a day, which is $2 more than municipal parking, but again you can show up any time of the day and a have guaranteed spot," Colangelo said.
Most commuter towns like Cranford have a wait list to get a spot at the train station that can be up to five years.
"If you don't get to the local train station by 6:30 in the morning you are out of luck," commuter Jennifer Rowland said.
Rowland pays $9 a day on the app for a spot and says it's worth every penny.
Steve Oliveira rents two spots behind his property, directly across from the Westfield train station. He estimates he will make $300-400 this month.
"The additional income source helps me do improvements to the property," Oliveira said.
The majority of spots available on the app are located at churches and other non-profits.
Pastor Tom Rice says he didn't like being the bad guy, telling people they could not park in the Cranford Alliance Church parking lot. Now he doesn't have too and the extra funds go a long way.
"The main reason we went with Boxcar is really to get rid of our parking pirates… this past summer we had to get a new roof so that goes towards helping pay the bill."
Colangelo has partnered with municipalities that lack the space to expand parking options.
"Nobody wants to build a $12 million parking deck in these nice little downtown areas, so what we're doing is making use of all of these parking spots that aren't used Monday through Friday," Colangelo said.
Boxcar now has 800 parking spots under management in New Jersey towns.
The app is now expanding in Bergen County. It's already in use on Long Island, in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and California.
