040406 TowingTOWING IN THE CITY
OF VIRGINIA BEACH
CITY COUNCIL BRIEFING
APRIL 4, 2006
TOWING IN VIRGINIA
BEACH
Consensual-Accidents/Breakdown
Non-Consensual-Illegally Parked
Public-Streets/Parking Lots/Garages
Private Parking Lots
TOWING VOLUMES
Summer 2005 (May-September)
Non-Consensual
3201-Private
3782-Public
Two Year Total Tows 2004-2005
37,744-Private
30,852-Public
68,596-Total
PURPOSE OF BRIEFING
Identify Problems
Examine State and Local Laws
Summarize Legislation
Propose Solutions
PROBLEMS WITH NON-
CONSENSUAL TOWS
Tow operators only accept cash, and they
require exact change
Lack of Information
Vehicle owners-especially tourists-may not know:
•Where their automobile has been towed
•Who to call for information
•Whether they need exact change
•Where to find an ATM
LACK OF COURTESY BY
TOW OPERATORS
No Consequences for Rudeness
TOW SURVEY PROCESS
INADEQUATE
Not all tow operators are forthcoming with
survey forms
Current database lacks precision
needed to determine relevant trends
Limited consequences for violations of
City Code provisions and policies
Current survey process is ineffective
PROBLEMS UNIQUE TO
PRIVATE LOTS
Predatory Cruising
Property owners are not required to call and
specifically request that a vehicle be towed
Blanket authorization allows tow companies to
tow at will, even when the business served by the lot
is closed
Inadequate Signage
Signage in some lots not visible at every entrance
PROBLEMS UNIQUE TO
RESIDENTIAL PARKING AREAS
Inadequate Signage
Signs lack information that might deter one from
parking illegally
•Signs do not advise of cost of fine, tow or impoundment
fees
Signs lack information on how to retrieve towed
vehicles
RESIDENTIAL PARKING PERMIT
SIGN
CITY OPTIONS UNDER
STATE LAWS
State Law Gives the City Four Options with
Respect to Towing:
The City may rely on the State to regulate all aspects of
towing, including towing practices and fees;
The City may regulate towing practices, but let the State set
fees;
The City may regulate towing fees, but let the State regulate
towing practices; or
The City may regulate both towing fees and towing practices
WITHOUT LOCAL
REGULATION
A vehicle towed from Virginia Beach could be impounded
in another city
Lot owners would not be required to include on lot signs the
cost of the tow, name of business that owns the lot, and whether
parking is restricted to certain persons, such as customers
Lettering on signs could be of any size, and signs could be
made of any material
Tow operators would not be required to notify police
within 30 minutes of a tow, and failure to notify would not
subject the tow operator to prosecution
PENDING LEGISLATION
Enable localities to prohibit predatory
cruising by requiring written authorization
at the time the vehicle is towed. Ordinance
could curtail kickbacks by excluding
anyone with a financial interest in the
towing company from authorizing tows.
Establish a statewide towing board to
regulate towing.
POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS
Towing Information Line
Access towing database
Advise callers of
•Location of vehicle
•Cost to retrieve
•Types of payment accepted
•Locations of ATMS
•Taxi Information
Advise how to obtain towing survey/lodge complaint
Police Personnel on site at Oceanfront
REQUIRE ALL TOW COMPANIES TO PROVIDE
CHANGE AND REQUIRE ACCEPTANCE OF
CREDIT CARDS FOR PUBLIC PROPERTY TOWS
Strengthen city code to explicitly require
change be provided
Police Department can require tow
companies to accept credit card payments
for tows from public property
ADD INFORMATION TO CITY
SIGNAGE
Contact number in Residential Parking
Permit
Deterrent information
ENHANCE SURVEY FORM
DISTRIBUTION AND FOLLOW UP
Forms and contact information distributed
to police staff, operators of lots and garages,
businesses from whose lots vehicles are
towed
Prosecute towing company violations of City
Code
Aggressively use removal from police
towing list
ADOPT PROVISIONS OF NEW
TOWING BILL
Proposed ordinance includes provisions
authorized by the new legislation to curtail
predatory towing and kickbacks
RECOMMENDATIONS
Refer towing ordinance to towing advisory
board
Seek Council input
Councilmember Towing Concerns and Proposed Solutions
April 4, 2006
ConcernsPrivate LotsPublic LotsRPP Areas
Accept cash Amend City Code to require tow operators to provide 1.Amend City Code to 1.Amend City Code to require tow
only; no changerequire tow operators to operators to provide change
changeprovide change
2. Amend police wrecker list
2. Amend police wrecker list criteria to require acceptance of
criteria to require acceptance credit cards
of credit cards
Who to call Create pamphlet with towing information, including N/AAdd 311 city information number
for 311 number (tow company contact information (city information number to RPP area signs
informationalready required on signs)already on signs)
Enact City Code provision to require specific written N/AN/A
“ Predatory
authorization from businesses and address issue of (police-requested only)(police-requested only)
cruising”
kickbacks
Inadequate N/AN/A Redesign signs with additional
signage(signs already required at all entrances)(informative signage properly information, including 311 number
posted)
Lack of 1.Police courtesy patrol and CSOs to be source of Amend police wrecker list Amend police wrecker list criteria
courtesyinformation and assistancecriteria to permit removal to permit removal because of lack
because of lack of courtesyof courtesy
2. Distribute informational pamphlets (including
costs, 311 information number, how to find where
vehicle has been towed, accepted forms of payment,
location of ATMs, taxi phone numbers, how to lodge
a complaint)
3. Business that contract with towing companies will
be informed of complaints