Tow Truck Drivers Protest Philly Plan To Take Over Impounds
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A plan to have the Philadelphia Parking Authority handle the storage of cars towed after accidents drew protests today from private tow truck operators at a City Council hearing.
Many involved agreed that the city's current system of dispatching private towers to the scene of accidents has problems.
Under Councilman Jim Kenney's proposal, the tow companies would be forced to take the vehicles to Parking Authority impoundment lots. He says that would ensure that the cars aren't held hostage by unscrupulous operators.
But towing operators like Jose Giral showed up at the hearing to say that losing their storage fees will put them out of business:
"There's already a system in place. I think what we need to do is go back to that system and try to fix it, with the help of the police department and L&I (the city's Department of Licenses and Inspections). Not the Parking Authority."
No vote was taken on Kenney's plan, and Council plans another hearing on the rotational towing debate next week.
Reported by KYW City Hall Bureau Chief Mike Dunn.
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