DPW Parking

I happened to park on the roof (18^th & California) after it had snowed a few days before and they did — as usual — a terrible job of clearing the snow. Due to the horrible job of clearing the snow, I was unable to see the space lines and parked between two cars and received a $ 75 parking ticket for «taking up two spaces». When trying to dispute this charge which wasn’t my fault at all, I am told that the ticket was given by a third party — which is OBVIOUSLY be paid by DPW Parking. Be careful & don’t park on the roof unless all spaces are clear or your $ 10 parking will cost $ 85. Very disappointing considering I’ve been parking in this garage for over three years and have seen terrible parking by others and people constantly driving the wrong way. At least now I know where NOT to park.

I will be filling a compliant with the better business bureau regarding this company due to an experience I had with them this evening. To preface this, this parking facility doesn’t have a person in their booth to handle transactions, but rather they have you take your parking ticket with you when you leave the garage. When wanting to get your car out of the garage, you insert the ticket to pay at a pay station at which point you use the same ticket to open the doors to the building to enter the parking garage. Yes, a lot can go wrong through out this process. Such as when my ticket would not register at the pay station. I walk to see if an attendant is available because the signage indicates they should be there till 7 pm. Nope the booth is empty along with no number or any info that might be useful in this situation. We head back to the pay station outside (I have my 5 year old with me). I try dialing the assistance line they have at the pay station, after 2 «your call can not be completed as dialed» messages, I get a real human! But a minute into our conversation we get disconnected. I try again and can’t get through. Oh, and yes I was on a time sensitive schedule where I needed to be somewhere by a strict time. We walk back around the building up a non-​pedestrian friendly parking ramp (still no attendant) to our car where I think to try the machine by the booth where you exit in your car. Nope it says «bad card/​ticket», yes this is a very bad ticket. So I have to reverse uphill out of the exit lane (kinda dangerous) and l pull into the closest stall I can find, which is marked as reserved, but I’m thinking well this whole level of reserved spots are empty cause it’s now 6:30 pm and I want to see if I can get a new ticket front the machine when you enter. We walk down and no, I don’t weigh as much as car and it would not dispense a new ticket. Mind you I want to drive my car through the exit barrier at this point, oh and no parking at attendant in sight. Back at the pay station I call their help line again numerous times and finally get about 2 minutes with someone at which time I give them my location, name, and #, then we get disconnected again. A nice gentlemen who I think works in the building noticed what was happening and generously offered to call the building manager. He told her what was happening and she then called the on staff parking attendant. As I’m about to flag down a police officer to help me (it’s been nearly 45 minutes at this point). This nice guy let me know that the parking garage is «terribly mis-​managed and that I should try to left up the exit gate». Finally, several minutes later the parking attendant opens the door to the building, I get in my car drive down to the booth and he inserts the ticket and of course it doesn’t read properly. Somehow he gets the amount for $ 33, mind you this is for 2 hours of parking, 45 min of which my car was being held against my will. I am shocked that they expect me to pay for the time that I was attempting to pay and exit the facility! It’s plain stealing in my book and I tell him I’m not gonna pay it and I’ll call the police cause I’ve been trying to find him for a long while now. He then tells me in a smug voice that he’s been here and wrote me «that ticket on your window», oh! That $ 75 ticket, wow now that’s service folks! He proceeds to tell me how rude I am and yells to the other cars that I’m refusing to pay. I reverse up that damn incline again. Take a deep breathe cause I am livid at this point, call my partner and he says «just get out of there» and so I end up giving this guy my card to get out of this situation. Yes, I’m venting on Unilocal but I have never had such a crass experience where I am being swindled and treated like I’m the bad person.

Parked here for an afternoon Rockies game. Parking agents CC machine ran out of paper during our transaction. He couldn’t find any to fit in machine. Line backing way up. I finally said don’t worry about the receipt. He said, «thanks, feel free to park anywhere.» We did. Came back after the game, low and behold, a $ 100 ticket issued by the very guy that said park anywhere. When I asked him about it, he claims he told me not to park in certain spots as they are reserved. He did not tell us that. Then he said I could appeal it with their website. I emailed in my situation. The receptionist replied that they would be glad to reduce my fine by $ 20, and even more if I would pay in 30 days. What a racket! Charge people to park, tell them where to park, then ticket them for even more money. If they don’t pay, send them to collections! BAD LONG TERM PLAN! I WILL NEVER RETURN!

Worse customer service ever. In less than a month 2 different people were handling my monthly parking account. When I hadn’t yet paid I’d already received my pass. When I requested to return the unpaid pass I was basically told welp you’ve got it now use it and pay us. Even though the pass had never been used and the month hadn’t even started. Meanwhile a co worker of mine HAD paid for his pass a month in advance but never received it. When he asked for a refund or replacement pass they told him to call the postal office about the missing parking pass and that they would not issue a refund AND that he’d need to come down to their offices to get a replacement pass. This company is now called Douglas Parking and they’re terrible & fairly mean. I’m now at the adjacent lot for $ 10 less and much friendlier people! Thanks Alpha Park!