Technology behind ticket cancellations

The number of parking tickets cancelled in Saskatoon has tripled during the last decade, records show.

Close to 10 per cent of parking tickets are now being cancelled by the city, up from three per cent in 2000.

But it’s not a drastic change in policy that’s causing the statistical anomaly.

It’s technology.

The main reason, say city parking officials, is the move to electronic ticket machines, which were introduced in 2003. Parking commissionaires cancel or void tickets to make sure their machines are working at the beginning of each shift. Tickets are often cancelled and reprinted when errors are found before they’re placed on windshields, said Phil Haughn, parking enforcement co-ordinator.

There have also been glitches with the machines, which have resulted in the cancellation of thousands of other citations, a problem that has been solved, he said.

"The reason for the increase is machine errors or intended cancellations," Haughn said.

In Saskatoon, the number of cancelled tickets would equate to more than $200,000 in forgone revenue. However, the number of tickets cancelled for legitimate reasons — and not because of error — is constant at between three and four per cent, Haughn said. That would equate to around $75,000 to $150,000, most of which is due to human error on the part of commissionaires.

Auditors in a number of cities across Canada have raised concerns about the high number of tickets cancelled by municipalities. A recent audit in Toronto said the city lost $5 million in so-called "drive aways" in 2008 from people who drove off while their ticket was being written. Another $13 million was the result of loose policies around ticket cancellations, which city hall there still won’t release.

Coun. Maurice Neault said the high number of cancellations in Saskatoon raises eyebrows. If the equipment is the problem, then it needs to be looked at, he said. There also needs to be a closer look at exactly why tickets are cancelled and a breakdown of how many are with good reason.

"It raises questions," Neault said. "I don’t know how you’d have so many glitches with the machine. They’re supposed to make it more efficient. All you have to do is hit enter."

Tickets are cancelled for a number of reasons, city policy shows. The only way tickets can be cancelled is if a supervising manager signs off that stringent criteria was met. Tickets are cancelled because of clear errors on the citation or the meter or if the ticket was issued to a person with a parking permit or a stolen vehicle, for instance.

In 2002, the City of Saskatoon changed a policy so that tickets are cancelled if people return to their vehicles while the offence is being written.

This year, more than 500 tickets were cancelled because they were issued too far in advance of plows coming through after the January storm.

The city initially had problems with recovering tickets when the handheld machines crashed. But they now back up tickets on memory cards.

"The reason why we moved into electronic ticketing was to stop duplicating service, to reduce errors and reduce the input time it took to get all the information in," Haughn said.

"I’m not too concerned about the cancelled numbers."

WHY TICKETS ARE CANCELLED

The City of Saskatoon for the first time released its policy on cancelled parking tickets. Here are some of the reasons. Several sections were blanked out relating to reasons around the court process. In every case a ticket can only be cancelled with proper documentation and only by a select few city managers.

– Errors: These include incorrect date, time, address, meter number or licence plate. The error must be obvious and the ticket must be checked to see if it was altered.

– Inoperable meters: A meter technician must verify the meter was not working at the time the ticket was issued.

– Issued to permit holders: Tickets given incorrectly to those holding parking permits.

– Stolen vehicles: Authorization given by police with file number showing complaint filed.

– Confusion: Tickets issued after a time specified by a sign, for instance. Must be reviewed.

– Police or fire: Police or fire chief sends written notice that vehicle was used by member.

– Extraordinary circumstances: This includes private parking, driver deceased, vehicle inoperable, driver a jury member or subpoenaed to give evidence in court.

– City vehicles: This includes city vehicles and city employees or councillors with parking permits.

dhutton@sp.canwest.com

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JUST HIT CANCEL

Year Tickets issued Cancelled Percentage

2000 118,982 3,279 2.8%

2001 126,638 5,194 4.1%

2002 125,304 4,354 3.5%

2003 125,905 4,046 3.2%

2004 118,950 6,823 5.7%

2005 131,932 9,031 6.8%

2006 123,963 8,763 7.1%

2007 128,583 11,995 9.3%

2008 125,646 12,328 9.8%

2009 133,587 11,498 8.6%