Mar 21, 2026
Parking apps make life more convenient for drivers — except when they don’t work, as was recently the case for one Philadelphia commuter.
Michael returned to his car at the Regional Rail Haverford Station parking lot one evening to find a ticket on his windshield, even though he’d prepaid using the transit parking app.
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He reached out to NBC10 when he realized there was a glitch with the app that could be affecting more commuters (1).
It turns out the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) parking app confused his station’s parking lot — where he parks every morning — with another that shares the same name.
NBC10 learned that the same bug landed commuters with tickets at two other stations that share similar names.
SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch acknowledged the glitch and was aware of three app users (including Michael) who got tickets because of it, adding that all three were reimbursed.
He said the transit authority was fixing the bug and encouraged anyone who might have been wrongfully ticketed to contact SEPTA’s customer service.
If you want to dispute a parking ticket, here are some suggestions on what to do, and not do.
Determine whether you’ve been wrongly ticketed
If you believe you’ve been wrongly ticketed, document as much as you can. That includes taking photos or video of your vehicle as it was parked when you were ticketed, along with any nearby signage. Save receipts if you paid for parking.
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Reader’s Digest recommends reading the ticket closely, to see if there are errors — for example, incorrect date, time, no signature — and if the ticket clearly states which ordinance was violated (2).
If details on the ticket are missing or incorrect, or if the law violated isn’t clearly stated, you can dispute it.
For some people, it may be easier to pay the ticket than deal with the cost, money and stress of fighting it. But if you’re up to it, challenging an unfair ticket could be worth your while.
A report by 9NEWS Denver found that of 49,000 people who disputed parking tickets in 2025, 78% had their tickets either reduced or dismissed (3).
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How to dispute an unfair ticket
Check dispute procedures in your area, paying close attention to deadlines for paying a ticket or registering a dispute.
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There may be an online dispute resolution process, or you may have to go to a municipal building in person and make an appointment for a hearing.
Jeremy Rosenthal, a Texas-based criminal defense lawyer, told Reader’s Digest that the following excuses won’t stand up in court:
- saying you didn’t know the law
- saying you made a mistake
- saying you can’t afford the ticket
- saying you asked a parking enforcement officer and they said it was OK.
He added that you may win if you dispute a ticket for legitimate, extenuating circumstances — like that you had to stop for an emergency or parked in a handicap parking spot but did not display your credentials. But it’s rare.
One way or another, it’s important to deal with the ticket rather than ignore it.
Unpaid tickets can add up. Tickets that are paid late or left unpaid could accrue late fees, be sent to collections and could even result in your car being impounded, depending on the laws where you live (4).
Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
NBC10 Philadelphia (1); Reader’s Digest (2); 9NEWS (3); Progressive (4)
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Rebecca Payne has more than a decade of experience editing and producing both local and national daily newspapers. She's worked on the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail, Metro, Canada's National Observer, the Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press.
