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Va. County Approves Tow Reforms

The Arlington County (Va.) Board voted unanimously at its Dec. 13 meeting to approve new measures aimed at curtailing predatory towing practices.

The most controversial measure was one requiring a second signature for written authorization of the property owner or an agent for each individual trespass tow conducted at a non-residential property during normal business hours.

While local residents expressed their support, the Chamber of Commerce and many local businesses shared concerns it would but an undue burden on businesses.

The second signature requirement was voted on separately from the main legislation.

Other changes within the legislation aim at protecting vehicle owners. Tow truck drivers will be required to photograph the vehicle at all four corners, giving the vehicle owner a safeguard and towers protection against false damage claims. Towing receipts will now also include a disclosure that photos and/or video evidence are available upon request as well as contact information for the county office that handles trespass towing.

The reforms also include new requirements for signage and markings on the interior of parking lots and facilities to provide clear information about parking restrictions.

The County Board voted unanimously to approve the reforms. The implementation of the second signature amendment is delayed until July 1, 2017.

Source: connectionnewspapers.com.

Towing Suit Dismissed

A Chesterfield (Va.) Circuit Court judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed against the county last year by a local towing company.

The judge ruled that Chesterfield’s police chief acted within the scope of his authority when he removed Central City Towing from the county’s rotation in 2015.

Central City Towing sought $500,000 in damages for breach of contract and immediate restoration to the rotation. The county contends the tow company violated the contract by overcharging the owners of two vehicles for towing services following an October 2014 accident.

Because of the complexity of the accident, as well as the time and equipment required to separate two vehicles that were “severely entangled and on top of one another,” Central City charged the cars’ owners a combined $6,637.

Under the police department fee schedule approved by the Board of Supervisors, the maximum amount the company was allowed to charge was $1,300.

Central City claimed it received no complaints from either of the vehicle owners, who consented to the charges at the scene of the accident, or their insurance companies.

According to Central City’s attorney, the police department was alerted to the situation by an unnamed competitor.

Following an investigation, it was determined the company had charged more than the maximum allowable fees and its police towing contract was terminated.

Source: chesterfieldobserver.com.

Pa. Woman Suing Repo Firm, Others

A Philadelphia, Pa., woman is suing American Credit Acceptance, Par North America, International Recovery Systems and Clifford Williams, alleging violation of debt collection laws, breach of contract, assault and battery, conversion and negligence.

Kangi E. Crews filed a complaint on Dec. 22 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylva-

nia against the defendants, alleging several improprieties in the repossession of a vehicle, including claims she was falsely charged with offenses in cases that were then dismissed.

According to the complaint, Crews alleges she suffered damages as the result of an improper repossession and false accusations. The plaintiff holds the defendants responsible on a variety of allegations, including a claim that Williams’ background should have kept him from working as a repossession agent.

Crews requests a trial by jury and seeks statutory damages, actual damages, court costs, treble damages and punitive damages.

Source: pennrecord.com.

Barnett New APTRA Executive Director

Angela Roper Barnett is the new executive director of the Arizona Professional Towing & Recovery Association. Roper replaced Patricia King, effective Jan. 1.

Barnett comes with close to 20 years of experience in the towing and recovery industry. She has owned two towing companies in Texas and has been an industry instructor for 10 years.

While active in the towing industry, Barnett served in volunteer roles with Towing and Recovery Association of America and Women’s Towing and Recovery Association of America. She was awarded the Tow Woman of the Year award by WTRAA in 2007.

“Angela’s wealth of experience in this industry as well as associations, will make her an excellent addition to APTRA’s team,” said Conor Gleason, president of APTRA. “We believe Angela will continue the great job Patti King began with APTRA and expand the association’s reputation and membership.”

Source: aptra.net.

TowShow.com

Standing Out Against the Landscape

by George L. Nitti

Like a classic movie, it can be a pleasant change to see a tow truck in black-and-white. In Panama City, Fla., White’s Gulf County Wrecker Service operates a mostly black-and-white fleet of light- to heavy-duty wreckers.

“My grandfather started the company in 1949 with a black-and-white tow truck,” said owner Richard “Bubba” White. “We serve several counties, spread out over 170 miles.”

One of their latest acquisitions, a 2016 Peterbilt 388 twin-steer with a Century 1075 rotator, stands out for its bold, black-and-white schematic and sheer size.

Weighing in at more than 80,000 lbs., the unit is the largest wrecker/rotator in the state of Florida, according to one source.

“They don’t build nothing bigger than this right here,” White said.

On the side front end of the Peterbilt chassis is the word “Pops.”

White said, “It’s a tribute to my grandpa. He died in 2008. He taught me almost everything I know about a wrecker.”

Further down the side of the unit is another symbol giving tribute to his grandfather: a man walking in front of a bull.

Explaining its significance, White said, “Before my grandfather started the business, he pulled out a Model T with a bull.”

White himself acknowledges that his driving force is helping people.

“There’s a lot of aggravation and a lot of stress,” he said, “but at the end of the day, it’s worth it.”

Perhaps the most amazing feature of the unit is the driver himself. Bubba lost a leg due to a staph infection several years back, but doesn’t let anything stand in his way, using a prosthetic leg to get the job done. Bubba was given the American Towman Silver Star: Joe Doblmeier Award during the 2012 AT Expo in Baltimore for overcoming adversity in his dedication to the industry.

“It’s mind over matter. I don’t mind … so it don’t matter.”

Editor’s note:

This story originally ran on AT’s sister site, towindustryweek.com, which features industry news, training, recoveries, new products and more. Don’t miss out—make sure to read it each week. George L. Nitti has written for

American Towman since 2009.

He started out as a news writer and now writes a weekly feature on TowIndustryWeek.com, Tow

Illustrated, which spotlights the tow truck graphics.