MPS: Somerville Continues Decline in Illegal Parking with SafetyStick® Program Renewal

The City of Somerville has renewed its use of SafetyStick® devices for a third year as officials continue working to reduce illegal parking at MBTA bus stops and other safety critical curb zones.

In a city where buses, pedestrians and delivery vehicles all rely on limited curb space, blocked bus stops can interfere with transit service, create safety concerns for riders and add to congestion along busy corridors. Somerville first piloted the technology to better understand how often those violations were happening and where they were most persistent.

Since that pilot, the city has expanded the program to 25 SafetyStick® devices deployed throughout Somerville. At one monitored location, violations fell from 68 in June to 14 in September, showing how consistent monitoring and enforcement can change driver behavior over time.

Similar results have been seen in nearby Lynn, Mass., where the SafetyStick® was introduced roughly a year after Somerville’s pilot. There, the city reported violations dropping by as much as 70% over several months as drivers learned they could no longer block bus stops without consequences. Somerville and Lynn have both adopted the SafetyStick® model to enforce parking violations at MBTA bus stops while allowing municipalities to retain most of the associated violation revenue locally. That stands in contrast to the MBTA’s planned rollout of bus-mounted enforcement cameras, where citation revenue would be directed back to the state rather than the communities where the violations occur.

Somerville’s renewal is also likely to draw attention from other municipalities in Greater Boston as city officials and transportation leaders look for more consistent ways to protect transit access, manage limited curb space and keep safety zones clear in dense urban environments.

“Cities and towns are recognizing that they can deploy SafetySticks quickly and at no cost to monitor bus stops and improve safety while keeping enforcement revenue within their own communities,” said Rob Matthews, vice president of business development for Municipal Parking Services. “We expect that many municipalities within MBTA, such as Boston, Brookline, Medford, Malden, Quincy, Newton, Chelsea, Revere and Arlington, will look closely at the results and follow Somerville and Lynn’s lead.”

Somerville’s experience reflects a broader trend among high-density communities adopting technology to manage curb space more effectively. SafetySticks are also deployed in Bridgeport, Conn., the densest major city in that state, and Guttenberg, N.J., which ranks as the second most densely populated municipality in the United States. Their adoption in some of the country’s densest communities shows how solar-powered curb monitoring can help cities manage limited curb space, improve transit reliability and keep safety zones clear.

With the renewal of its agreement with MPS, Somerville will continue using SafetyStick® to collect curbside data, support enforcement and help keep MBTA bus stops accessible for buses and passengers.

SafetyStick® is a solar-powered, camera-based monitoring solution designed to deter and document illegal parking in safety-critical curb zones, including bus stops, hydrants, crosswalks, bike lanes and loading areas. The technology helps municipalities monitor violations continuously while supporting safer streets and more reliable transit operations.

About Municipal Parking Services (MPS)

Municipal Parking Services Inc. (MPS) is a pioneer in AI-driven enforcement and compliance technologies. Since 2013, MPS has leveraged its unique platform to deliver cloud-connected parking and safety solutions that reduce illegal parking, increase compliance, and improve safety outcomes. MPS solutions use embedded AI to automate license plate recognition, dynamic pricing, zone monitoring, and enforcement, creating safer, smarter communities. The company partners with leading safety organizations, including Vision Zero, IPMI, IACLEA, and IACP. Headquartered in Austin, Texas. Learn more at www.mpspark.com.