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Hudson's transition to a modern parking payment system is showing positive results, according to city officials. The new system, which went into effect on January 16, 2026, replaced traditional coin-operated meters with an app-and-kiosk-based payment method while expanding paid parking areas to include sections below 3rd Street on Warren Street.
Police Captain David Miller expressed satisfaction with the system's performance at a recent Safety Committee meeting. "Some people feel that this change is not beneficial, and I assure you, that it's running great," Miller stated.
The numbers appear to support this assessment. In January 2026, the city issued 1,603 parking tickets with 1,825 paid, generating $114,885.17 in revenue. This marks an increase from January 2025, when the city collected $102,266 from parking tickets.
Since the Hudson Police Department took over parking system management in June 2025, revenue has increased significantly. The third and fourth quarters of 2025 saw $649,256.41 in total parking revenue, representing a 17% increase compared to the same period in 2024, when the city collected $555,394.
The new system includes six kiosks already installed in municipal lots and at the Amtrak train station, with an additional ten kiosks planned for installation in the coming weeks. The payment options include using a QR code, text-to-park with a $0.39 transaction fee, or the ParkMobile app with a $0.60 fee. The kiosks accept coins and credit/debit cards but not dollar bills.
Mayor Joseph Ferris has noted positive feedback as residents adapt to the changes. "As more and more people get used to the system, the feedback has been helpful and positive," Ferris told NEWS10.
The city has also made accommodations for residents with disabilities. Following concerns from the community, Hudson revised its policy on January 15, just before implementation, to exempt anyone with a valid handicap tag or license plate from paying for on-street parking or in short-term municipal lots.
Police Chief Mishanda Franklin also reported progress on addressing the backlog of parking ticket appeals during Monday's meeting. "As of today, we did go through all of the backlog appeals, and there are decisions made on all of those going back to November of 2024," Franklin said.
The Safety Committee meeting where these updates were shared was the first committee to meet this year since Council President Margaret Morris reinstated the committee structure to the council, aiming to streamline informal council meetings and provide more time for discussion of various issues.