The Gustine City Council approved a contract with Data Ticket, Inc. during its April 15 meeting to process parking and administrative citations, selecting the company’s second cost model. Model 2 has a lower per-citation cost but excludes additional services such as delinquency collections and appeals correspondence.
The approval comes as the City works to replace its previous provider, Duncan Solutions, which ceased providing citation processing services to Gustine last year after transitioning away from serving small agencies.
Mayor Pat Nagy expressed concerns about the timing of the decision, describing the move as “putting the cart before the horse” since the City has yet to establish a new fee schedule for citations. The council, nonetheless, moved forward with the contract to address mounting challenges in citation processing.
The departure of Duncan Solutions left Gustine without a partner to handle parking citations. Since then, the Police Department has been issuing only administrative citations, which are processed manually by staff. This labor-intensive process has led to significantly fewer citations being issued, creating inefficiencies and additional burdens on City staff. While citations are primarily aimed at maintaining traffic safety, they also generate some revenue for the City.
To find a replacement, the City issued a "Request for Qualifications" in February, reaching out to several companies. Ultimately, only two companies submitted proposals: Data Ticket, Inc. and T2 Solutions. After a thorough evaluation process, which included an interview and a software demonstration, an RFQ committee—consisting of Police and Finance Department representatives—determined that Data Ticket, Inc. was the best fit.
One key factor in the council’s decision was Data Ticket’s ability to coordinate with the Department of Motor Vehicles to report unpaid fines, something Gustine’s current system cannot do. Additionally, Data Ticket ensures that surcharges from citations are properly sent to the State Controller’s Office, addressing an issue highlighted in a recent audit. The company also offers financial services, including an escrow banking system, which would simplify refunds, reconciliation, and payments to various agencies.
The council chose Model 2 to minimize upfront costs, though the City is obligated to pay a minimum monthly fee of $250 if citation revenues do not meet this threshold. City staff will now work with Data Ticket to review and update the fine structures for all citations to ensure cost recovery.
