What Do Parking Enforcement Workers Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Parking Enforcement Workers patrol assigned area, such as public parking lot or city streets to issue tickets to overtime parking violators and illegally parked vehicles. They also enter and retrieve information pertaining to vehicle registration, identification, and status, using hand-held computers.

Other tasks include:

• Patrol an assigned area by vehicle or on foot to ensure public compliance with existing parking ordinance.
• Write warnings and citations for illegally parked vehicles.
• Appear in court at hearings regarding contested traffic citations.
• Maintain assigned equipment and supplies, such as hand-held citation computers, citation books, rain gear, tire-marking chalk, and street cones.
• Respond to and make radio dispatch calls regarding parking violations and complaints.
• Maintain close communications with dispatching personnel, using two-way radios or cell phones.

We asked Parking Enforcement Workers how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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70% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 72% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Parking Enforcement Workers assign and review the work of subordinates. They remove handbills within patrol areas.

A typical day for a Parking Enforcement Worker will also include:

• Maintain assigned equipment and supplies, such as hand-held citation computers, citation books, rain gear, tire-marking chalk, and street cones.
• Maintain close communications with dispatching personnel, using two-way radios or cell phones.
• Write warnings and citations for illegally parked vehicles.
• Provide information to the public regarding parking regulations and facilities, and the location of streets, buildings and points of interest.
• Collect coins deposited in meters.

We asked some Parking Enforcement Workers a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	49% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	19% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	64% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	57% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	59% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	60% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Parking Enforcement Workers also make arrangements for illegally parked or abandoned vehicles to be towed, and direct tow-truck drivers to the correct vehicles. They may also appear in court at hearings regarding contested traffic citations.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Parking Enforcement Workers Investigate and answer complaints regarding contested parking citations, determining their validity and routing them appropriately. They might also Respond to and make radio dispatch calls regarding parking violations and complaints.

In addition, they Identify vehicles in violation of parking codes, checking with dispatchers when necessary to confirm identities or to determine whether vehicles need to be booted or towed.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Mark tires of parked vehicles with chalk and record time of marking, and return at regular intervals to ensure that parking time limits are not exceeded.

To some Parking Enforcement Workers, it is also their responsibility to Perform simple vehicle maintenance procedures, such as checking oil and gas, and report mechanical problems to supervisors.

Working life

Less than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Parking Enforcement Worker, you can expect to work less than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes333041.htm