New Parking Technology in Rock Hill Disconcerts Drivers, City Responds

ROCK HILL, S.C., August 2, 2023 — Changes in the parking system at a major venue in Rock Hill are causing a stir amongst visitors who find the new technology confusing and claim that it contributes to large fines.

The Change in Technology

The Rock Hill Sports and Event Center has shifted to a tech-savvy approach for its parking procedures. Drivers park in the garage, scan a QR code or call a number from their mobile phones for parking payment. The premises have replaced the traditional garage arm and paying station with this new approach, facilitating smoother traffic flow, according to Derrick King, a frequent visitor to the venue. “You park, scan your QR code coming out, pay, and you don’t have to worry about keeping up with a ticket,” King stated.

Driver Confusion and City Response

However, this advanced system has not been a smooth ride for all users. Several drivers have highlighted unclear signage leading to misunderstandings and consequential penalties. Rusty Yaple, the facility manager for the City of Rock Hill, acknowledges these grievances. He explains that the majority of complaints arise from unrecognized license plates due to incorrect entry. If the camera fails to recognize a car due to incorrect license plate input in the system, it tags it as an unpaid parker, thus triggering a $30 fine.

Improvements and Adjustments

Though Yaple maintains that the fines aim to encourage compliance rather than generate revenue, he and city officials are taking note of drivers’ feedback. They have responded to the complaints by increasing the number of signs that guide drivers on how to pay for parking.

With the city’s response to concerns, some, like King, express a belief that these improvements will mitigate confusion. “I feel like if more of those were just posted around on different floors, I feel like that would take care of that,” he said.

Minority Disapproval

Regardless of the complaints, city representatives stand by the new system, emphasizing that the majority of drivers have adapted well. They stated that the sports and events centre sees an average of 7,000 parkers every week, with complaints about the new system only coming from about one percent of them.