Towtrucks...never - ever good to see one coming...
Sharper Minds Daily...
Posted on 12/27/2004 12:01:19 PM PST by MississippiMasterpiece
Starting New Year's Day, if your car breaks down on a Houston freeway, expect a tow truck to show up promptly to whisk you out of the way whether you want the service or not.
Houston's new towing ordinance takes effect Saturday. It is a major piece of Mayor Bill White's traffic-management plan that declares all freeways to be tow-away zones. The city has signed contracts with wrecker companies to patrol 29 freeway sections and immediately remove any stalled or wrecked cars, expanding a pilot project that's been in place on the Katy Freeway since March.
White contends the policy will reduce traffic congestion created by stalls and crashes as well as reduce the potential for secondary wrecks.
"Studies have shown that our freeways are much safer if we can get stalled and wrecked vehicles towed out of the way faster," White said last week at a news conference about the program. "We think this will be a model for the country."
Workers are installing 72 signs at the city limits and other locations warning: "Disabled Vehicles Will Be Towed — It's the Law."
Traffic management Councilman Michael Berry, the chairman of the transportation committee, who helped White push the ordinance through in May, said motorists will notice an improvement in commute times.
"The public told us they did not want to be stranded on a freeway that became a parking lot because one car ran out of gas or blew a tire," Berry said. "What a difference this is going to make in the day-to-day lives of our residents."
Other city officials also are pledging the towing program will ease traffic congestion. Under current rules, a stalled vehicle may not be towed until a police officer arrives on the scene and requests a wrecker. Because dealing with broken-down vehicles had not been a police priority, cars often sat for hours before being moved.
"You will see a tremendous difference in the flow of traffic starting in January," said Joe Breshears, director of the Mayor's Office of Mobility.
Motorists no longer will be allowed to change a flat tire on the freeway shoulder, walk to the nearest gas station to obtain additional fuel or call their own help. The 11 companies that have the new city towing contracts are required to respond to all disabled vehicles within six minutes and promptly get them off the highway once authorized by a police officer at Houston TranStar, the region's traffic-control center.
Drivers will be able to say where their cars should be taken, within 30 miles. They'll be charged $75 for the first five miles and $1.50 per mile thereafter.
"We are going to attempt to move those vehicles immediately, even if it's just off the freeway to a safe location," said Ken Ulmer, president of A-1 Towing, which holds the towing contracts for parts of the Katy Freeway. "For that towing fee of $75, we would change the tire for the consumer."
Tow trucks participating in the freeway towing program, dubbed "Safe Clear," will be required to accept credit cards and checks. Typically wreckers only accept cash and impound vehicles if motorists don't have it.
Motorists still face temporary seizure of their vehicle if they lack any form of payment. They will have to pick up their cars from storage lots, paying a storage fee in addition to the standard towing rate. Or a car can be sent to a mechanic, who will add the towing charge to the invoice for repairs needed.
Berry said the Katy Freeway pilot project, which has towed an average of 140 cars per month outside Loop 610, has been a success.
"These individuals who were stranded on the freeway have said they didn't know how they were going to get their cars moved out of the way," he said. "Most were thankful we were there."
Training drivers Some motorists, however, have been irate when told about the mandatory tow. Participating wrecker drivers are being trained in how to handle conflicts, and to request that a police officer respond to deal with any unruly person.
David Saperstein, the mayor's mobility chairman, said public safety and traffic flow overrules the interests of individual drivers who are stranded.
"They need to know to check their gas before they get on the freeway and make sure their car is freeway-ready," Saperstein said. "If they have a problem, they are not going to be able to call a friend and wait to get it fixed. They are going to be towed."
Members of auto clubs offering roadside assistance will no longer be allowed to wait for that service to show up. They will be towed by the city contractor, which has exclusive towing rights in its zone, and can seek reimbursement later.
Anne O'Ryan, public and government affairs manager for AAA Texas, said her association will reimburse its members for any police-ordered tow including one under the Safe Clear program. AAA is talking with the city and its contract wreckers about setting up direct billing so the member won't have to foot the bill on the scene, she said, but that issue won't be resolved by Saturday.
Jeanette Rash, owner of Fast Tow, which will patrol some Inner Loop freeway zones, said she hopes drivers understand and appreciate the program.
"It's imperative for the public to know that we are just trying to put them in a safe place," Rash said. "We are doing this at the minimal cost we possibly can."
The $75 base tow fee is a reduction from the Houston Police Department's current $115 authorized charge.
That charge will remain for vehicles towed at the direction of police officers off the freeway network, where any city-licensed wrecker stays eligible for the work.
Rash said she expects to encounter some hostile motorists but knows the program is important.
"People do get hit and killed on the side of the road while changing a tire or working on their car," she said. "What is the cost of a tow versus a life?"
What if you have AAA?
Sorry I didnt read the whole thing.
Boy this sounds like a really suck deal to me. The LA freeways are patrolled by contract tow trucks who give you gas, water, fix your flat tires and tow you off the road for free.
Great guys have rescued my butt a number of times.
I get they are trying to improve traffic flow, but I still think it's crap. I have a cell phone, and tow coverage from my insurance company. It irks the crap out of me that I would have to pay $75 for a service I am paying $4 a month for now.
GRRRRRR!!!!
Stupid bureaucrats.
Hmmm. It seems "they" thought of an answer for every question I had -- every contingency was covered. Why does this make me suspicious!! LOL! Having driven in Houston (not to mention LA, Detroit, Chicago), I do think it's a good idea to immediately get disabled cars either waaaaay over to the right or towed, but....can't help wondering how many people can afford $75 and when the price is going to go up.
Hey, maybe they can use this program to ID and bust illegals!
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Lot of bucks going to grease a lot of hands. Gotta love politicians.
I got places to be.
"The LA freeways are patrolled by contract tow trucks who give you gas, water, fix your flat tires and tow you off the road for free."
I admit I'm no MBA, but I wonder how they make a profit.
Not to worry, if they are illegals, the gummint will provide for them and pay the fees for the tow and perhaps even apologize to them for the inconvenience.
I wonder if this is thinly vieled security to remove potential threats from the roadside
"for the five minutes it takes me to change my own damn tire"
Xena: Warrior Mechanic. :-)
Here in Missouri we have what are called "Motor Assists" that drive the highways in loaded pickup trucks. They change your tires, give you some gas, whatever you need. They are staffed by trained mechanics and it doesn't cost you a dang thing.
Sounds like the line needs to be said...."Houston, you have a problem."
So now, a flat tire that previously would have only cost me the time to change my tire and the cost of a patch kit, is now going to cost me $75 minimum, plus mileage, plus the patch kit.
Heck, It might be cheaper to simply slow down, and run on the flat till I could get to the next exit. I bet that will help the congestion a lot.
same thing in LA. I think the Houston program was developed by ENRON
What does slow down traffic are wrecks, wreckers and emergency vehicles. Are they going to immediately hook up to a car that has been in an accident to get it off the road? Sorry vulture, but you ain't touching my vehicle until I get a police report to back up what I'm going to have to explain to my insurance company.
Yup they will just take the tags off and leave the car. happens everyday. Half the time a car that breaks down isnt worth the tow. I have a friend in the tow business and he gets a lot of them , cars left on the side of the road, Yes you can find the owner thru the Vin number but finding someone who leaves a car means finding someone who will just tell you to keep it, and the police dont care , they got rid of it. Luckily the price of junk is up now so he can get a junk dealer to take it ,about a year ago even the junk man didnt want them.
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