“Pesky parking boots getting you down? Can’t get to work on time because parking tickets are piling up? Well the innovative city of Oakland has the product for you, just in time for the holidays!”
Oakland is implementing a new technology that the city says will make things “smoother” for motorists whose vehicles are subject to being towed. Next week, the city will launch a new SmartBoot vehicle immobilization system that allows parking violators to pay on the spot to have the boot removed.
Oakland is the first city in the state to use the technology. The city projects the program will generate $800,000 per year.
The SmartBoot targets the most serious parking violators who have accumulated five or more unpaid parking tickets. Millions of dollars are owed to the city in unpaid tickets, as the city currently has 68,000 vehicles with five or more delinquent parking tickets.
“The City of Oakland is interested in using new and innovative ways to streamline tedious processes for its citizens and employees,” said Deputy Chief David Kozicki of the Oakland Police Department in a release.
“This program is one of those ways, and it helps us manage the supply and demand of the City’s limited on-street parking spaces.”
Once the SmartBoot has been removed, it must be returned to one of two drop-off locations in the city.
James Spencer can be reached a jspencer@publicceo.com
–