NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — It can be somewhat confusing to navigate the world of parking fees in downtown Nashville, and it can get worse if you get a violation or a boot put on your car.
But a new bill in the Metro Council aims to clear things up a bit, while also raising the fee that booting services charge to remove a parking boot placed on vehicles from $50 to $75.
Among other changes, the bill would establish uniform requirements for booting company employees with ID that shows who they're working for.
"We've had some people say it wasn't clear who they were, they put a lanyard on, and then put a coat on because it was cold," said Billy Fields with the Transportation Licensing Commission.
Fields says many people get confused when presented with a bill much larger than $50, sometimes even double that amount.
Fields says that's because on top of a $50 boot removal fee, private parking companies can also charge a maximum parking fee as high as $85 in some places.
It's a charge that remains unregulated.
"They can charge whatever they want for the parking fee, they can only charge so much for the booting fee," Fields said.
To understand why, Fields says you should imagine if a private lot were your driveway at home.
"If somebody parks on it, you get to recover whatever you want to recover," Fields said. "We don't regulate how much people sell things for in stores either, and it's the same situation."
The commission says the removal fee increase will help cover the cost of the booting companies putting them on and removing them.
