ATLANTA — The company that enforces parking in the city of Atlanta is still allowed to give tickets during the coronavirus crisis, and it's also still charging late fees for parkers who try to appeal.
Channel 2 investigative reporter Justin Gray found out about the issue after people started contacting him when they could not reach anyone at ATL Plus.
“How many times do you think you’ve tried to call them to get this worked out?” Gray asked Ku’ulei Sako.
“Oh my god. I don’t know, over 20 times at least in the past week and a half,” Sakko said.
Gray also tried to call ATL Plus multiple times on multiple days and got the same voicemail message that Sako did.
“I’ve been calling every week. There are times when I think, ‘Oh, maybe somebody will answer. But no one,'” Sako said.
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Sako also showed Gray the emails she sent ATL Plus multiple times in March and April trying to appeal the two parking tickets she received just before the coronavirus outbreak, but she received no response.
“If I didn’t have proof, I would pay it. I would go ahead and pay the citation, but I have proof, and I would like to provide,” Sako said.
While she can't get someone to answer her about her appeal, Sako said she does keep getting new notices adding extra late fees and threatening the booting and towing of her car.
“The fees have increased, and I’m worried about my car being towed or booted on my driveway,” Sako said.
“I’m just floored by the whole thing,” said William Perry, who runs the nonprofit Georgia Ethics Watchdogs. “It’s hard enough to talk to them during normal times. Now they are completely absent. Nobody can get them. There’s no excuse for it. It’s just a horrific customer service issue.”
The customer service problems with ATL Plus predate the coronavirus crisis.
In January, Channel 2 Action News reported the company was awarded an "F" rating by the Better Business Bureau.
In February, in a joint Channel 2 Action News and Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigation, we reported emails between city officials, showing ATL Plus was continuing to bill people for tickets that had been dismissed in court.
During that investigation, Atlanta Municipal Court Judge Gary Jackson wrote: “I am getting dozens of complaints every week. ATL Plus continues collection efforts while knowing the cases have been dismissed.”
Sako told Gray this isn't her first run-in with ATL Plus. She said she had successfully appealed multiple tickets last year.
“When I go to Atlanta, I know I’m going to get a ticket even though I paid through the app,” Sako said.
It turns out trying to get an answer from ATL Plus about what is going on is also not easy.
Gray sent the company a list of questions about whether they have staff dealing with customer appeals right now and if they are still giving out tickets.
This is the only response he got:
“All inquiries related to the on-street paid parking program should be directed to the City of Atlanta through the Department of Public Works Office of Transportation or Office of Communication.”
But the mayor's office won't speak on behalf of ATL Plus. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottom’s office said it is now looking into the issue after Channel 2 Action News brought it to their attention.
In a statement, the city said:
“Pursuant to the Mayor’s Administrative Order, all parking enforcement officers are to refrain from taking any actions — including booting and towing — in restricted areas of the City’s right of way. Parking enforcement officers are still allowed to issue citations.”
That order also can't prevent booting or towing on private property, such as potentially, Sako's driveway.
“Worrying about these tickets, it just adds an extra layer of crazy to an already crazy time,” Sako said.
The Atlanta City Council hired ATL Plus after complaints about the city's previous parking contractor, PARKAtlanta.
The 2016 contract guarantees the city $7 million each year from the $13.5 million in estimated fine revenue.
“This is really one of the dangers of privatization for elected officials because elected officials are giving up the ability to help their constituents for a private company that is providing captive customers with this service,” Perry said.
Channel 2 Action News also brought these new ATL Plus concerns to Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore.
“I was not aware of it, and I am going to encourage the citizens to call 311 to lodge their complaint,” Moore said.
So with ATL Plus not answering people’s complaints, is there anything that can be done?
You can still file appeals to tickets on the ATL Plus website, but not everyone's case can be handled that way.
The mayor’s office confirmed to Gray that they are looking into the matter.
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