PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — What do you get when cross a Portland artist who raps about cats with enforcement officers from the Portland Bureau of Transportation? A video to encourage people to use a new app.
When the Parking Kitty app debuted earlier this year, Portland city officials hoped it would help people with parking issues. Despite the city’s claim drivers use of the app “has exceeded expectations” — 6% of all parking transactions are now done on the app — PBOT wanted to get the word out to those who haven’t used it yet.
That’s where Moshow the Cat Rapper came in.
A new video called “Parking Kitty” was released Tuesday featuring Moshow, a cat and backup dancers whose day job is being a PBOT enforcement officer.
“We’re hoping this will encourage people to use the Parking Kitty app or mobile web site, but also think of this as an opportunity to present our enforcement officers as real people,” PBOT spokesperson Dylan Rivera told KOIN 6 News in an email. “They get a lot of abuse from people who are mad about parking tickets, but when they wear the Parking Kitty T Shirt, people treat them nicer. And in general, people these days want government agencies to be more approachable and human.”
The Parking Kitty app can be used throughout Portland’s parking districts, plus Washington Park. PSU students will be able to use the app once school begins.
By the way, one of the backup dancers is PBOT Director Leah Treat.
