Avoid Parking Ticket Late Fees with Free Mobile Payments

By Anthony Derasmo, senior director of Systems Development, Transportation, Central and Local Government for Xerox

An estimated 41 million Americans traveled at least 50 miles from home during the 2014 Independence Day weekend, according to AAA. With average gas prices much lower this year, even more people will likely hit the road this year for the holiday weekend.

But getting there is only half of the battle. Once you arrive at your destination, you may be met with unfamiliar parking territory and local regulations. So whether you’re going to visit your old college buddies in San Francisco or heading to Boston to see your in-laws, be sure to ask your host or hostess for their advice for parking your vehicle during your stay.

Inevitably, some travelers will be surprised by a parking ticket over the course of the long weekend. And that’s when the situation becomes stressful. Out-of-towners don’t typically know where City Hall is located, and it will likely be closed for the holiday. You could pay through the mail, so long as you actually remember to open your mail at home. Shouldn’t there be a more immediate, smarter way to take care of a simple citation?

Xerox has developed a solution that relieves some of this stress. PayTix is a new mobile application available in 14 cities across the United States, and there are four reasons it could make your next parking ticket less of a headache.

• It’s simple: From the app’s main menu, choose the city where you received a ticket, then either scan the barcode on the ticket or enter the citation number. Ticket information will appear immediately, including how much you owe.
• It’s free: There aren’t any hidden convenience fees; the app is completely free to use.
• Reminders: You might not be able to pay your parking ticket right away, and that’s okay. But if you forget about it, you could face additional late fees. PayTix has a “pay later” option, and the app will send an automatic notification each morning to remind you of the necessary payment.
• Privacy: PayTix doesn’t store ANY of your payment information.

We hope that nothing interrupts the excellent holiday weekend you have planned. But the next time you find a parking citation on your vehicle, consider using PayTix to make the payment.

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