transport.tamu.edu Tow Policy Discussion Suggesting some changes to our tow policy Current tow policy Industry best practices Benefits of implementing best practices Revenue implications of implementing best practices

transport.tamu.edu Current Tow Policy Related to Revenue Collections Published Policy: Customers with 3 or more or $100 or more unpaid citations are eligible for tow Practice: Billable customer vehicles with 4 or more unpaid citations are relocated to lot 88 Unaffiliated customer vehicles with 4 or more citations are towed to wrecker lot with a hold until citation fees are paid Employee vehicles with 4 or more citations AND who have been issued a tow warning are towed to wrecker lot with a hold until citation fees are paid No towing after 3 pm Friday, overnight or on weekends Late fee/early payment $10 discount 14 days after issue date Issue citation due notices 5 and 15 days after issued date of citation and monthly thereafter (beginning of semester will change to 1, 7, 15 day notices)

transport.tamu.edu Challenges with Current Policy/Practice Different practices for different customer classifications Not doing what “we say we do” Hinders consistency in: – Communication to customers about what they can expect – Training – Revenue collection

transport.tamu.edu Citation Statistics for FY10 Total citations issued FY10:57,626 Total vehicles cited FY10:31, % (18,860) of the citations issued during the last fiscal year were 9.62% (3,045) of the vehicles cited. Total number of citations issued per year is decreasing: 2010:60,000/year 2005:65,000/year 2001:108,000/year

transport.tamu.edu Most Frequently Written Violations The 4 violations written most often are: No Permit – 21,686 Unauthorized area – 18,358 Pay-by-Space violation – 7,137 Time violation – 4,768 Per year percentage of violations from these four categories: :89% :88% :87%

transport.tamu.edu Unpaid Citation Balances Citation balances outstanding more than 2 years are written off as uncollectible: 2008:$161, :$126, :$107,410

transport.tamu.edu Citation Collection BEST PRACTICE: Implement consistent policies and practices SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION: – Billable customers- Relocate to on-campus lot vehicles with 3 or more unpaid citations – Non-billable customers - Issue tow warnings in conjunction with 2 nd violation and tow vehicles with 3 or more unpaid citations

transport.tamu.edu Citation Collection BENEFITS: Gain consistency in: – Practices – Communication to customers about what they can expect – Training – Revenue collection Increases compliance with the rules and creates better availability of parking for paying customers Opportunity to offer wait list choices more quickly due to fewer violators cluttering popular lots

transport.tamu.edu Citation Collection BEST PRACTICE: Relocate/Tow customers with balances > 90 days old or > $100 BENEFIT: Disincentive to allow balances > 90 days old or > $100 to remain unpaid Increases compliance with the rules and creates better availability of parking for all other customers Opportunity to offer wait list choices more quickly due to fewer violators cluttering popular lots

transport.tamu.edu Citation Balances Outstanding citation balances from customers who have fewer than 3 DUE citations where at least one of the due citations is greater than or equal to 90 days old: – Total # of customers in this category:4,717 – Total # of citations due in this category:5,938 – Total $ associated with this category:$245,711 Outstanding citation balances from customers who have fewer than 3 DUE citations where balance due is greater than or equal to $100: – Total # of customers in this category:4,457 – Total # of citations due in this category:5,155 – Total $ associated with this category:$213,511

transport.tamu.edu Citation Collection BEST PRACTICE: Consistent practices on weekdays, evenings and weekends BENEFIT: Customers consistently know what to expect Increases compliance with the rules and creates better availability of parking for paying customers Opportunity to offer wait list choices more quickly due to fewer violators cluttering popular lots Installation of after hours payment terminal enables releasing towed vehicles after 3 pm Friday and on weekends

transport.tamu.edu Citation Collection BEST PRACTICE: Additional $10 escalation of citations 30 days past due BENEFIT: Provides disincentive for allowing balances to remain unpaid

transport.tamu.edu Citation Collection BEST PRACTICE: Additional escalation of citation fines when individuals have 3 or more citations in any of top four citation categories: 1.unauthorized area 2.no valid permit 3.time parking 4.pay by space violation BENEFIT: Provides additional disincentive for continuing to violate the rules Increases compliance with the rules and creates better availability of parking for paying customers Opportunity to offer wait list choices more quickly due to fewer violators cluttering popular lots

transport.tamu.edu Questions?