Photo by Constructed Spaces.

Now, drivers can get a text that no one wants to receive—that their car has been towed, booted, or relocated by the D.C. Department of Public Works.

But it turns out that there’s something worse than getting that message: namely, not getting it and having to call a hotline to figure out where the heck their car is.

About 50,000 cars get booted or towed in D.C. every year, according to DPW. Until the agency began its new “Tow and Boot Alert System,” ringing up DPW’s towed vehicle locator hotline was the only way for people to find their vehicle.

DPW might relocate cars a few blocks away in the District, even if they’re legally parked, because of an event like a presidential motorcade. The text message is intended to let drivers know where, exactly, that relocation happened.

But don’t think the text will come in time for you to beg for mercy from a parking enforcement officer. The message will come about 10 minutes after the car is towed, according to DPW spokesperson Jonathan Kuhl.

“We want to make sure everyone stays safe and avoid any kind of complications and any situations that would be unsafe for parking enforcement officers,” says Kuhl.

If a driver gets the boot, which happens when a car has two or more unpaid parking tickets more than 60 days old, the message will include information about how to pay off the fines.

“Our goal is to give people as much information as possible,” says Kuhl. “We know it’s not always a fun process but we want to make it as smooth as possible.”

To start getting the dreaded texts, drivers must register their vehicles at www.dpw.dc.gov (the hotline isn’t going away, so drivers can still call in). And here’s some tips about how to avoid the pink and white tickets altogether.