Jen (Booting) - PPA

How did you become involved with the PPA?
At my old job years ago we did an inventory test, and my results came out that I should be in either education or law enforcement. Well, I worked in education for eight years, so, now I'm in law enforcement. I'm enforcing the law. Booting cars. I started in the impound lots, and it was kind of stationary - I like it here because you're traveling the city and you're recovering scofflaws. I started here on Valentine's Day and my first boot was on my birthday on Passyunk Avenue.

What traits do you need to do this job?
You've got to have tough skin to have this job. People will call you every name in the book, they'll even threaten your mother when you're booting their car, so you just can't let everything upset you, you gotta try and keep a cool head. Just remember, they're not paying your bills everyday, you're here to do a job. When you're hired for the job, they ask you if you can work in all kinds of weather. If you say 'no' that's not a good thing. Rain, snow, sleet, does not slow down booting, unless it's big gigantic balls of hail, we're not getting out of the truck getting hit with hail balls.

Mike (Booting) - PPA

Why do you work for the PPA?
I'd been a ticket-writer for almost three years, and I've been a booter for almost two. I like that aspect of actually being able to help people, legitimately help people.

What traits do you need to do this job?
It helps to be a people person because you've got to know how to calm someone down. Part of the job is dealing with hostile citizens that don't want their car being booted - that's their livelihood! You've got to know if someone's getting agitated or getting irate. You've got to know when to back off-- how to make them not so upset. I tell people a lot of times, "If you're cool, I'im cool." You let people go, you give them a warning, a heads-up that they're on the boot list. They understand that, they respect that.

Steve (Booting) - PPA

How did you become involved with the PPA?
I've been with the parking authority for 24 years - since the program started in 1983. I'm the veteran. I actually wrote tickets for about two weeks. I was trained by two different PEO supervisors. And after my training I went out on the street, and they both claimed that they were the ones that trained me because I went out the first day and got like forty tickets. It's fun and I actually liked it because it was really good exercise. I lost like ten pounds in a week and a half.

Why did you join the PPA?
You go to a different area every day, you meet different people every day, you come into different circumstances every day. You really get to hone your skills as far as dealing with people and seeing how you can keep people from getting agitated and having a real problem. I'm pretty good at dealing with people and I'm pretty good at finding the boots out there.

What traits do you need to do this job well?
I really like driving around. I've been more or less a professional driver, all my life, and so I really like being behind the wheel. But my favorite part of the job is meeting people on the street- when they're not angry that is. I like helping people out when I can. If I can help them get their tickets paid for, I'll do that. I carry a car opening kit, if somebody's locked out of their car and I can take a minute or two to try to open their car, I'll do that.

Clarence (Towing) - PPA

How did you become involved with the PPA?
I'm a wedding photographer and videographer. I had a studio up on 52nd Street in Southwest Philly and I did very well up there. But life goes on. I saw that my age was coming on me, that I should get a job where I start paying into my retirement, and so I came and I ended up here.

I've been in the PPA for eighteen years. I originally came in as a shift manager at one of the parking facilities; I was there for six years. I left there and went to writing tickets on the street for a little less than two years, then I came over here to be a tow operator. I have spent 10 years in a tow truck.

Why did you join the PPA?
Well, my grand mum always said I was supposed to be a minister or preacher of sorts. But I felt dedicated to the cause of just helping people in general. I like seeing people happy. I like seeing people smile. And basically, I have dedicated my life to getting people out of situations that they need getting out of. Whether it was drugs, trouble, marriage, or whatever. I enjoy being able to do that.

I enjoy towing. I just don't enjoy the reactions that I get from people. I like happy people, I like people with humor and joy and who are uplifting. Before I came here, I was with AAA doing the same thing. When people broke down on the side of the road with flats and disabled vehicles, they were so happy to see me come with the truck. Now when they see me coming, it's gloom and doom. No one's ever happy. So this can be depressing.