Fort Worth's abandoned shopping cart crackdown now in effect

FORT WORTH, Texas - New rules are in place in the City of Fort Worth starting this month in an attempt to cut down on abandoned shopping carts in the city.

In February, City Council approved a new ordinance that will punish retailers if they don't act quickly to remove shopping carts that have been taken from their property.

The ordinance took effect on July 1.

If a resident reports an abandoned shopping cart to the city, staff members will call the store and ask employees to pick it up.

If the cart is not picked up in 24 hours, Fort Worth employees will pick it up and store it at a drop-off station.

The store can then pick it up for a $50 fee.

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If the cart isn't picked up after 30 days, the city will throw it away.

Stores that have 15 or more carts taken within a 6-month period will have to enter a shopping cart control plan.

The plan includes things like installing wheel locks that activate once the cart is moved out of the store's parking lot.

Carts with sensor-based locks will not be charged the $50 fee at the city's drop-off station.