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SUN CHRONICLE STAFF

ATTLEBORO - A Rhode Island company that operates numerous commuter rail station parking lots - including the South Attleboro, Norfolk and Franklin lots - has filed a lawsuit in federal court over the MBTA's recent increase in parking fees.

AIM Parking Management of Providence claims in the suit that Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority increased the company's workload at the parking lots without a commensurate increase in pay because of all the extra dollar bills and coins that commuters use to pay for parking.

The lawsuit was filed Jan. 9 in U.S. District Court in Boston over the fee hikes that took place in November.

The MBTA said it raised the fee for its commuter lots by $2 per car as of Nov. 15 to deal with budget problems. The move effectively doubled the cost to park at most suburban parking areas, where the cost had been $2 a day. AIM said in its lawsuit that it first learned of the increase in parking fees Oct. 16.

AIM said it told the MBTA on Oct. 29 that the fee increase would essentially cause customers to deposit twice as many dollar bills and coins at the lots. AIM said it would need more employees to help count the influx of money.

AIM estimated that the additional labor costs would total almost $220,000 a year. The company also said it told the MBTA that the fee increase would result in $16,610 in additional costs for supplies and materials and about $31,500 in management fees.

AIM, a division of Rhode Island developer Churchill & Banks, said it requested an almost $268,000 increase in extra compensation from the MBTA, but the agency denied the request.

AIM's suit alleges that the MBTA has been unjustly enriched at the company's expense because the MBTA will not provide an increase in compensation to cover the increase in parking lot management costs.

The suit seeks a court decision that would provide that compensation, along with damages and legal expenses.

MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo declined to comment about the lawsuit.

Officials at AIM couldn't be reached for comment, nor could Christopher Hultquist, the Providence lawyer who represents the company.

AIM manages 19 parking locations for the MBTA, including those at stations in Canton, Dedham, Franklin, Norwood, Norfolk, South Attleboro, Stoughton and Walpole.

The parking lots in downtown Attleboro and lots in Mansfield not owned by the town are managed by the Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority.