Metropolis Parking Fines Lawsuit
The Lanier Law Firm is filing a class action lawsuit against Metropolis Technologies, a parking lot company that uses artificial intelligence to enforce parking fees. The company has engaged in numerous deceptive business practices in Houston, Dallas, and other major cities across the nation when it sent threatening notices to vehicle owners demanding payment without properly disclosing their rates or, in some cases, without making it clear that drivers would be charged for parking.
If you have ever received a ticket from Metropolis Technologies or paid unfair parking fees, you may be eligible for compensation. Call our business litigation attorneys immediately at (800) 723-3216 to learn how you can join our parking lot fines lawsuit.
Who Is Metropolis Technologies?
Metropolis Technologies Inc. is a parking network company that uses AI technology to monitor parking. As of May 16, 2024, Metropolis Technologies has over 4,000 locations nationwide, making it the largest parking network in North America. It advertises itself as a convenient parking solution that allows drivers to park without stopping to pay. However, the exorbitant costs and inconvenience of appealing unfair parking fines far outweigh the supposed convenience.
How Metropolis Parking Lots Work
When you enter a Metropolis parking lot or garage, you may not encounter any obvious signs you are entering a paid parking area. There are no locked gates, parking lot attendants to pay, parking meters, or ticket kiosks. The few signs that the company does post are often located in inconspicuous areas.
The only way to pay for parking is through an app you must download onto your mobile device. When you enter the garage, your vehicle is under camera surveillance, which photographs your license plate and tracks the times you enter and leave the garage. If you do not exit the garage within ten minutes, you will be charged for parking, whether or not you have parked your car.
If you are not logged into the app and have not supplied a credit card number, you will receive a bill in the mail that will include a parking fee and a penalty for not paying, even if you left without parking.
According to a Click 2 Houston report, you must scan a QR code after you enter a Metropolis parking garage on Franklin Street in downtown Houston to find out how much you will be charged, meaning you may already be accumulating fees before you know how much you are paying.
Metropolis Bad Practices Are a Nationwide Problem
Most consumers are willing to pay reasonable parking fees in metropolitan areas. However, consumers nationwide have complained about the unreasonable and unexpected bills they are receiving from Metropolis.
The Tennessee Attorney General received at least 66 complaints from consumers in 2023. According to the Better Business Bureau, the company has a “pattern of complaints regarding service, billing, and collection.” The complaints allege the following:
- Metropolis charges excessive fines for unpaid parking.
- There are no clear ways to pay within the parking facilities.
- The QR codes do not always work, even with customer service assistance.
- Consumers received fines for unpaid parking even when they paid.
- Consumers have been billed for vehicles not registered to them, but Metropolis refuses to remove the fees upon appeal.
The Better Business Bureau contacted Metropolis to request voluntary cooperation in eliminating the pattern of complaints, but as of May 30, 2024, the company has failed to address the matter. The BBB’s website has 53 pages of complaints against Metropolis.
Metropolis Parking Garages in Dallas and Houston
- 411 N. Akard Street
- 1606 Patterson Avenue
- 500 North Akard Street
- 601 North Akard Street
- 2525 McKinnon Avenue
- 2700 McKinney Avenue
- 2218 Bryan Street
- 1222 Commerce Street
- 805 Franklin Street
- 515 Louisiana Street
- 400 Main Street
- 1102 Preston Street
- 415 San Jacinto Street
- 1311 Preston Street
- 1310 Congress Street
- 1117 Capitol Street
- 777 Clay Street
- 1401 Louisiana Street
- 1415 Louisiana Street
- 1500 Jefferson Street
- 1700 Crawford Street
- 1601 St. Joseph Parkway
- 1313 Hermann Drive
- 1213 Hermann Drive
- 714 Yale Street
- 915 Wakefield Drive
- 949 Wakefield Drive
You May Have Been Illegally Charged for Parking in Metropolis Parking Facilities
When you enter a Metropolis parking garage or parking lot, you start accumulating fees, regardless of whether you are aware of it. According to numerous consumer complaints, when you do not pay for parking for any reason, you receive a bill in the mail for the parking fee and an excessive fine. Customers have received a bill even if the QR code malfunctioned, preventing them from paying. Many customers received a bill and a fine even after paying on-site. Metropolis may have violated numerous state and federal consumer protection laws.
The Federal Driver Protection Law
The Federal Driver Protection law prohibits private businesses from obtaining personal information from a license plate without the written consent of the owner unless it is for a permissible purpose. Metropolis photographs license plates and obtains personal information to send a bill. This is not a permissible purpose under the law and may constitute an invasion of privacy.
Deceptive Trade Practices
We allege that Metropolis has engaged in deceptive trade practices, violating §17.46 of the Texas Business and Commerce Code. According to the law, a business engages in a deceptive practice when it withholds information to persuade a customer to use a service that the customer may have declined had all the information been disclosed upfront.
Similarly, we allege that the company violated the Federal Trade Commission’s policy against deceptive trade practices. According to Section 5 of the FTC Act, a deceptive practice is any representation, omission, or practice likely to mislead any reasonable consumer and affect the consumer’s decision.
We allege that Metropolis engaged in deceptive business practices by doing the following:
- Failing to inform consumers upfront that they were being charged for parking
- Failing to provide complete and accurate information about the price of parking
- Failing to provide a means to pay for parking and subsequently penalizing consumers for not paying
- Without clear, conspicuous, and accurate signs about the cost of parking, Metropolis is charging consumers without their consent and may be engaging in unfair billing practices.
Our Houston Class Action Lawyers
Mark Lanier
Mark Lanier is one of the top civil trial lawyers in America. He has a three-decade history of obtaining landmark settlements and verdicts against the world’s most powerful corporations. He is nationally recognized for his creative approach, zealous advocacy, and ability to connect with juries.
Alex Brown
Alex Brown is the managing attorney of our Commercial Litigation section. He has decades of experience handling complex litigation for individuals and multinational corporations. He has won national recognition as a Texas Super Lawyer and from Best Lawyers for his work in commercial litigation.
Contact the Lanier Law Firm Today if You Received a Ticket from Metropolis
Our Houston class action lawsuit attorneys are accepting cases in Dallas and Houston in the class action parking lot fines lawsuit. If you have ever paid unfair parking fees and penalties to Metropolis, joining our parking lot class action lawsuit can help you recoup the money you paid, hold Metropolis accountable, and stop the company from fleecing other consumers. Contact us today to schedule a free case review.
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