Web Search powered by YAHOO! SEARCH
share
email
font size
options
 
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Controller: Private tow companies are bilking drivers

City Controller Alan Butkovitz today accused private tow truck operators in Philadelphia of exceeding legal limits on tow fees and running cash-only businesses, which is prohibited by city law.

Butkovitz said the tow company violations were blatant and widespread, which the controller blamed on law enforcement by the city's department of Licenses and Inspections, which regulates the city's private towing industry.

"It seems like there's open contempt for what the rules are because L&I has left such a gap in enforcement that these companies actually believe that they're making the law," said Butkovitz at a morning press conference.

The controller's report includes photos of signs posted throughout the city by private tow companies warning motorists that a tow will cost them $175, exceeding the $150 limit set by city law. Many of the signs also say the tow operators will only accept cash as payment, another violation of city law.

Butkovitz recommended that L&I step up enforcement of towing law, and also urged increase police department involvement to "deter the type of predatory towing and price gouging that goes on in Philadelphia."

Click here for Philly.com's politics page.

Posted by Patrick Kerkstra @ 11:44 AM  Permalink | 12 comments
Comments   
Posted 12:42 PM, 11/10/2009
DonQ
That's $175 plus a $50 hooking fee, plus a day's minimum parking fee of $75 - cash only, and you get no receipt. Just ask anyone whose car has gotten towed by one of these thieves. The racket has grown by leaps and bounds, specially with all those private entrances being made in South Philly.
Posted 01:51 PM, 11/10/2009
phillygoat
Does Lew Blum follow the law?
Posted 02:18 PM, 11/10/2009
snjgwmc
Did the city pay Butkovitz for that assessment? I thought that was common knowledge for years.
Posted 02:44 PM, 11/10/2009
JAYQ
THIS IS GREAT NOW THE CITY WANTS TO IMPOSE THAT THERE IS CITY LAW AGAINST CASH BUSINESS,WOW LAST TIME I CHECKED THE CORNER HOT DOG CART AT 7TH ST AND ARCH ST DID NOT ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS !!!! SOMEONE PLEASE TELL THE FEDERAL GOVERMENT TO STOP PRINTING DOLLAR BILLS CAUSE PHILADELPHIA BUSINESSES CANT NOT ACCEPT CASH LOL
Posted 02:44 PM, 11/10/2009
JAYQ
THIS IS GREAT NOW THE CITY WANTS TO IMPOSE THAT THERE IS CITY LAW AGAINST CASH BUSINESS,WOW LAST TIME I CHECKED THE CORNER HOT DOG CART AT 7TH ST AND ARCH ST DID NOT ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS !!!! SOMEONE PLEASE TELL THE FEDERAL GOVERMENT TO STOP PRINTING DOLLAR BILLS CAUSE PHILADELPHIA BUSINESSES CANT NOT ACCEPT CASH LOL
Posted 02:44 PM, 11/10/2009
JAYQ
THIS IS GREAT NOW THE CITY WANTS TO IMPOSE THAT THERE IS CITY LAW AGAINST CASH BUSINESS,WOW LAST TIME I CHECKED THE CORNER HOT DOG CART AT 7TH ST AND ARCH ST DID NOT ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS !!!! SOMEONE PLEASE TELL THE FEDERAL GOVERMENT TO STOP PRINTING DOLLAR BILLS CAUSE PHILADELPHIA BUSINESSES CANT NOT ACCEPT CASH LOL
Posted 03:08 PM, 11/10/2009
JAYQ
I THINK THE CITY CONTROLLER NEEDS TO READ FEDERAL LAWS BEFORE HE STARTS VIOLATING SMALL BUSINESSES CIVIL RIGHTS BY TELLING THEM WHAT THEY CAN AND CAN'T NOT CHARGE FOR THEIR SERVICES OR WHAT FORM OF MONETARY PAYMENT SHOULD THEY ACCEPT. IN REFERENCE TO TOWING THE CITY ORDENANCE STATES THAT A NON CONSENSUAL TOW (WERE THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE IS NOT PRESENT)TOWING COMPANIES MUST POST A 3" BY 3" SIGN AT EACH ENTRANCE OF THE PROPERTY WITH THE TOWING COMPANY NAME, ADDRESS , PHONE NUMBER, RATES $150.00 HOOKUP,$25.00 PER DAY STORAGE AND METHOD OF PAYMENT ACCEPTED,NO WERE IN THE ORDENANCE STATES THAT THEY MUST ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS, IT MUST BE A NEW LAW WERE THE PRIVATE COMPANIES OWNER DON'T HAVE A SAYING OF THEIR OWN BUSINESS, I THINK THE CITY SHOULD COME IN AND RUN THE BUSINESSES SINCE THE OWNER'S APPARENTLY HAVE NOT CIVIL RIGHTS OR SAYING ON HOW THEY SHOULD GET PAID.
Posted 04:09 PM, 11/10/2009
phantomphan
@JayQ 1. "CANT NOT" is a double negative that translates to "CAN". 2. If you're not smart enough to know that caps lock is on and you only have to press submit once, I can see why you would not be able to understand that the city law is only for towing, not hot dog carts.
Posted 05:00 PM, 11/10/2009
Michael1971
What about how these guys show up at the accidents before the cops and get paid off by the lawyers for convincing 'accident victims' to pursue baloney soft tissue injury cases. The lawyers pay them $500 a head! ALSO, consider..... why is $150 a tow reasonable!?! If you get a requested tow its just $40-$60. But the CITY allows the tow companies to rape us with $150 tows! The City should change the ordinance amount to $50.
Posted 05:06 PM, 11/10/2009
mikeyg
Why doesn't Butkovitz audit the Parking Authority and find out where all the tens of millions owed to the city schools has gone. This guy is a pure smoke and mirrors window dresser. Al Schmidt was the right choice, now live with the incompetence Philly.
Posted 06:39 PM, 11/10/2009
dlicious
While I can understand the city controller cracking down on the tow companies "cash only" business practices, it comes at a time when the city is "hurting" for cash itself. This is not new to the controller or the city. Not only are the tow companies doing cash only business they are putting their signs on a vacant business. If some parks in front of a vacant business they run the risk of getting towed. Case and point, Wilkie Buick on Broad Street has been out of business for well over a year. Tow companies were towing cars from the back of the vacant business. On a particular day a friend of mine confronted a tow driver asking why are you towing a car from a vacant business especially when the tow warning signs were old and barely legible. The tow driver became very irate and cursed my friend. A few days later, new tow signs were on the vacant business and more cars were towed. Now there is a new tow company signs on that same vacant Wilkie Buick business and citizens cars are still being towed and the tow company only accepts cash. How about that bull-ish.
Posted 02:20 PM, 11/11/2009
Zero
When I lived in State College, I parked my car in an apartment building parking lot without a permit for an hour. When I came out, it was gone. The price for the tow and a day in the company's was $80. I thought THAT was a ripoff. Apparently the tow companies here are a completely different animal. wow...
12 comments
About Inquirer City Hall Staff
The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff Shields, Marcia Gelbart, and Patrick Kerkstra take you inside Philadelphia's City Hall.
Advertise Here