Software Glitch Causes New Parking Meters to Overcharge Drivers
RIVERTON, Ohio — A recently installed parking meter system in downtown Riverton accidentally charged motorists ten times the intended rate for nearly three days before city officials discovered the error.
The problem came to light after several drivers reported unusually high charges appearing on their credit card statements following short visits to downtown businesses.
According to city officials, the new meters were supposed to charge 25 cents every 10 minutes. Instead, a software configuration error caused the machines to charge 25 cents per minute.
“I parked for about an hour and didn’t think anything of it,” said local resident Mark Henderson. “Later that evening I checked my receipt and realized I’d paid $15 to park. At first I thought I was reading it wrong.”
The city installed the new smart meters last week as part of a modernization project intended to replace aging coin-operated units.
Public Works Director Angela Morris said the error originated during the system’s final setup.
“An incorrect value was entered into the rate table before activation,” Morris explained. “Unfortunately, the mistake wasn’t immediately detected because the meters were functioning normally in every other respect.”
Officials estimate that approximately 600 parking transactions occurred before the issue was identified and corrected.
The city has promised automatic refunds to all affected motorists.
Mayor Thomas Greene apologized for the inconvenience during Tuesday’s city council meeting.
“We understand residents are frustrated,” Greene said. “The good news is that we identified the problem quickly and no one will be left paying more than the approved parking rate.”
Local business owners expressed concern that the overcharges may have discouraged visitors from shopping downtown over the weekend.
“It was probably the most expensive parking in Ohio for a couple of days,” joked bookstore owner Linda Parsons. “At least people got a good story out of it.”
Several residents shared photos of unusually large parking charges on social media, prompting dozens of comments and jokes about Riverton becoming “the new Manhattan.”
City officials said all refunds are expected to be processed within the next two weeks.
Meanwhile, workers have begun auditing the remaining parking meters to ensure no additional configuration errors exist.
“We’re confident the issue has been resolved,” Morris said. “Although we’d certainly prefer not to become famous for parking meters.”
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