Council proposes tighter rules for towing

Newly proposed legislation in Philadelphia City Council is designed to keep people from losing their cars to an unscrupulous tow truck driver under false pretenses.

Newly proposed legislation in Philadelphia City Council is designed to keep people from losing their cars to an unscrupulous tow truck driver under false pretenses.

Councilman James Kenney’s bill would stop Philadelphia tow truck drivers from taking cars blocking a private garage for example without leaving a paper trail.

Kenney: In order to take someone’s car, you are going to have to have a police officer or parking enforcement officer ticket the car and they are going to have to take credit cards and debit cards.  If you lose your car, you have your car towed at one o’clock in the morning it’s dangerous to go find an atm on foot so you can give this guy cash, where he’s not allowed to charge just cash.

Councilman Kenney says demanding cash amounts to holding a car for ransom.  He says there are even stories of tow truck drivers who post signs after people park so they can tow the cars and collect big fees.