City Council wants to deal with Philly’s wreck chasers

This week City Council will consider what to do about aggressive towing companies that compete to haul vehicles from area highways. And at least one local company is getting ready for the fight.

When Philadelphia City Council heads back to work this week members could walk straight into battle with a group that’s known to be aggressive, competitive, and cut throat – towing companies.

Councilman Jim Kenney plans to introduce legislation requiring inspections for accident tow trucks.  He also wants tow drivers to pass criminal background checks and hold commercial driver’s licenses.

Ready for the fight, is Lew Blum of Lew Blum Towing, who says he’s trying to pull together dozens of fellow towing company owners to form an association that can stand up to Council.

“This association that I want to do, if we climbed on each others back and got to the top of that mountain, then somebody could holler up and say hey City Council do you hear me now?  Because divided, nobody hears us, but united they will,” he says.

Blum says the Association’s membership fees could help pay for a lobbyist, a website, and even newspaper ads.

Another piece of legislation that was already passed by Council, requires a ticket be issued by a neutral party, like the police or the Parking Authority, before a company can tow a vehicle from a private parking space.