The University of Connecticut’s Storrs campus was losing the parking battle.
“It was a free for all,” one campus official admitted. “Cars going everywhere, all the time.”
With 13,000 spaces spread across a sprawling campus, enforcement had become a game of whack-a-mole. Students without permits grabbed spots from people who’d paid $460 for passes. Repeat offenders racked up ticket after ticket – and nothing happened.
Then, on July 31st, UConn started booting.
But not the old way.
A Boot That Removes Itself
UConn’s new approach uses the PayLock SmartBoot – a wheel clamp that drivers can remove themselves after paying.
See it in action:
Here’s how it works: Parking enforcer Wade Patchell cruises campus with a license plate reader. When a vehicle hits $200 in unpaid tickets, it gets booted. The driver scans a QR code on the boot, pays online, and removes it themselves. No waiting. No awkward phone calls. No trip to the parking office.
“There’s a code on it. You scan it with your phone, pay your fees, and you can actually get it off yourself.”
The whole thing takes about 10 minutes.
What Changed
Since launching the program, UConn has:
- Collected tens of thousands in fees that were previously going unpaid
- Freed up officers to patrol instead of chasing down boot removals
- Created a 24/7 system that works at 2pm or 2am – no staff required
They’re now running 14 SmartBoots across campus.
For Christina Clemons, a senior at Hilltop Apartments, the crackdown was overdue:
“I paid $460 for a pass, but people without passes still park there. They take up me and my roommate’s spots.”
Why This Matters
The old booting model was a staffing nightmare. Every time someone paid their fine, an officer had to drive out and remove the boot – sometimes in the middle of the night, sometimes in the rain, almost always inconvenient.
With self-release booting, 97% of drivers handle it themselves. No dispatch. No overtime. No confrontations.
UConn needed enforcement that was efficient, available around the clock, and actually changed behavior.
They got it.
Dealing with similar challenges on your campus? Learn how Self-Release Booting works →
