Instead of getting their car towed, people who consistently don't pay their parking violation tickets might soon find that the next time they violate parking rules on campus, their vehicle will be immobilized with a "boot."

Until now, someone who had accumulated at least four overdue parking tickets could have come out to find their car ... gone -- towed away to someplace downtown. Towing can strand the motorist and cost the vehicle's owner $100 or more -- and the towing companies only accept cash.

As of June 1, Transportation Services will begin using bright orange wheel-immobilizers, or "boots," that are placed on a vehicle's tire to prevent the vehicle from being driven. Applying a boot achieves Transportation Services' same goal of getting the parker's attention as does towing, without the time, inconvenience and costs involved in retrieving the vehicle.

"We feel that for our customers it is a better alternative for us to use booting, rather than towing, when appropriate," says David Lieb, associate director for transportation. "This does not indicate more aggressive enforcement; we will only be booting cars that, in the past, we would have towed for multiple violations."

Once a vehicle has been booted, a $60 fee must be paid for the vehicle to be released. That fee can be paid at any time over the phone by credit card as well as in person at Transportation Services, Mondays-Fridays, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Upon receipt of the boot release fee, personnel will be immediately dispatched to remove the boot, 24 hours a day. If the driver does not call and pay the boot removal fee within 24 hours, the vehicle will be towed. In any case, the owner/driver remains responsible for all outstanding citation fees.

Vehicles that are parked in spaces reserved for specific individuals or for persons with disabilities, parked in fire lanes or other life-safety zones, on the grass or on sidewalks will still be subject to towing. A car that is displaying a stolen, forged or altered Cornell parking permit may also be booted or towed.

To avoid being booted or towed for overdue violations, customers can view, appeal and pay citations at http://myparking.cornell.edu.