An Auckland parking warden responsible for 14,000 tickets has earned the council an immense $744,000 in just 13 months on the job.
The parking officer eclipsed their runner-up by at least 5000 tickets, according to NZME, and has carried out double the number of tows.
Auckland Transport (AT) says the officer issues a significant number of tickets as he patrols the bustling central city area - including around courts and universities - and is younger, allowing him to cover more ground at a quicker pace.
In the 13 months ending March 31, the officer dished out 14,250 infringement notices - roughly six tickets per hour - earning Auckland Council $744,644.
As reported by NZME, his three runners-up had much more experience in the role than the young warden, holding the job for seven, 16 and 25 years respectively.
The second and third highest performers each raked in between $530,000 and $540,000 for the council over the past year, while the fourth brought in $392,491.
AT employs 168 parking officers, but significantly reduced the team throughout the nationwide lockdown in response to COVID-19, operating on just 28 officers to deal with serious complaints. Normal enforcement restarted in Auckland on May 28.
According to AT's website, on any given day there's up to 160 wardens patrolling the city for parking infringements. They are also available to "help, assist and guide" motorists in making "effective parking decisions".
