TrafficPayment.com allows for online ticket payment
The service also charges a 7 percent convenience charge.
Published Sept. 12, 2008
Driving to the courthouse to wait in line and finally paying a month-old parking ticket will be a less common ordeal in Columbia because of a new system offering residents a way to pay traffic violations online or over the phone.
The city offers this new service through TrafficPayment.com and allows the public to pay citations online all day every day or by phone between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Spanish-speaking operators are also available.
One benefit of the new system is that it allows for last-minute payments.
"The entire process takes about three minutes on the phone," said Lisa Rahman, spokeswoman for the traffic payment Web site. "The transaction is almost immediate online."
The court is then notified of the exact time and date of the payment. A confirmation e-mail or fax is also sent to the customer confirming the payment.
"However, as with any new technology, mistakes may be made when trying to send or load a page, so it is important to enter the correct billing information and read your billing statements carefully to make sure the charge was only applied once," Rahman said.
Personal information will remain confidential through this service, as it only requires a name, citation number and means of payment to complete the transaction, Rahman said.
The Web site emphasizes that it is always important to check with local traffic and parking policies to ensure you are following all the guidelines of the institution.
As soon as the deadline to pay the ticket passes, it is not possible to use the service to pay a fine and the court clerk needs to be contacted for billing information.
The service also applies a convenience charge.
"The company charges a 7 percent convenience charge in addition to payment of the ticket," Rahman said. "But once a ticket exceeds $500, the fee is dropped to only 5 percent."
Headquartered in Addison, Texas, the service is gradually becoming available in cities across the nation. The company provides the service to municipalities and schools at no additional cost to the entity.
Junior Evy MacDonald said she recently received a ticket and knew about the hassle of paying the ticket in person.
"Depending on how much your ticket is, 7 percent isn't too expensive," MacDonald said. "I think it is much more convenient for people versus going to the courthouse and paying in person."