The City Council has agreed to vote on an updated wrecker ordinance initiated by owners of towing companies asking for a rate increase.
Vice Chair Raquetta Dotley said the list of rate hikes had been approved by the Wrecker Board (which has the same membership as the City Beer Board).
Former Chairman of the Wrecker Board Bill Glascock took the lead in finding a solution to the complaints that would be fair to the business owners and to the public.
He worked with Mark Shackleford, owner of Shackleford Towing and Recovery, who was chosen to be the spokesperson for the Chattanooga wrecker companies.
The City Council has the ultimate authority to make a change to the ordinance.
The tow truck owners approve the new rates, Ms. Dotley said earlier.
Mr. Shackleford said he did not expect to see much opposition from the public because people do not generally call to ask about rates and do not complain until they get their car towed.
The proposal includes moving daytime tows from $125 to $250 and night/weekend/holiday tows from $135 to $275. Daily storage would go from $15 per day to $35 per day.
Ms. Dotley said that the new proposed city rates are lower when compared to the amount that the state highway patrol is allowed to charge for towing. And the new rates would be considered middle of the road with what Hamilton County charges, it was stated.
Here is the latest draft of the proposed changes:
Sec. 35-160. - Billing and charges for district wreckers.
(4) The maximum charges for district wrecker calls shall be as follows:
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Current
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Proposed
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A Class
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Daytime tow
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$125.00
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$250
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Night/Weekend/Holiday
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$135.00
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$275
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Daily Storage (After 8 Hours)
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$15.00 per day
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$35 per day
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Extra Winching
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$50.00
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$100/hour flat rate
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A. Extra winching is for overturned vehicles and/orVehicles off roadway and down an embankment.Dollies (If wrecker is used)
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$45.00
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Dollies are chargeable only if a wrecker is used for the tow, not in cases where a rollback is used.There should be no extra charge allowed for a rollback tow.
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B Class
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Day time
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$250.00
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$550/hour
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Night/Weekend/Holiday
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$285.00
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$550/hour
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*Extra Winching
(Extra winching if for overturned vehicles and/or Vehicles off roadway and down an embankment).
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$150.00
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$300/hour
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Daily Storage (After 8 Hrs)If picked up within in 8 hours
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Current
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Proposed
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A. Tractor
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$35.00 per day
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$70/day
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B. Trailer
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$35.00 per day
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$70/day
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C Class
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Daytime tow
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$425.00 per hour
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$700/hour
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Night/weekend/holiday
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$500.00 per hour
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$700/hour
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Daily Storage (After 8 Hours)
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A. Tractor
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$35.00 per day
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$70/day
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B. Trailer
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$35.00 per day
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$70/day
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