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

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Current Tow PolicyRelated 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)

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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

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Citation Statistics for FY10

Total citations issued FY10: 57,626Total vehicles cited FY10: 31,655

• 32.73% (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/year2005: 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:

• 2009-10: 89%• 2008-09: 88%• 2007-08: 87%

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Unpaid Citation Balances

Citation balances outstanding more than 2 years are

written off as uncollectible:

2008: $161,9652009: $126,4882010: $107,410

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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 2nd

violation and tow vehicles with 3 or more unpaid citations

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Citation CollectionBENEFITS:• 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

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Citation BalancesOutstanding 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

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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

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Citation Collection

BEST PRACTICE:Additional $10 escalation of citations 30 days past due

BENEFIT:Provides disincentive for allowing balances to remain unpaid

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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 area2. no valid permit3. time parking4. 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?