Car booted? You'll be able to take it off yourself in Austin
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin City Council passed an item to allow people to take parking boots off their cars themselves Thursday.
People who have their cars booted for violations will now be able to remove the boot after they pay the fee. A boot operator will send a code to the person's smartphone to unlock it, and then the person can put the boot in an on-site receptacle. This eliminates a security deposit fee for the customer, the city said.
The ordinance said vehicle boot operators have to send violators the code within an hour of paying the fee. The receptacle must be placed in a "well-lit and clearly marked area of the parking lot where the immobilized vehicle is parked."
There are five companies listed on the City of Austin's website authorized to place boots on cars. They are:
- Admiral Enforcement
- Austin Express Towing
- Austin Parking Company
- Capital Parking ATX
- Central Parking Enforcement
The city council passed the item on consent.