Several local tow truck business owners are challenging a Boise City Council proposal that changes towing rates.
BOISE, Idaho — This story originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
A handful of local tow truck business owners challenged a Boise City Council proposal to change rates for towing services, believing it simply wasn’t enough.
At Tuesday’s meeting the council unanimously voted to defer a decision on the ordinance which included minor increased and decreased costs. After hearing from local business owners the council decided more time is needed to consider notable changes.
“It’s a significant rewrite,” said Boise Valley Towing owner Stan Deming.
Deming pointed out several gaps in the city’s existing ordinance, no definition of when the timer starts for a tow, no consideration of tows that require more expensive equipment, and inadequate compensation for more difficult tows. The proposed update would not have addressed these concerns.
“The things we don’t have in the proposal for (towing businesses) is a detailed spell-out,” he said.
To highlight his point, Deming referred to a recent motor home tow that lasted from midnight to 7 a.m. In the case of non-consenting tows, the company has to remove personal belongings from the vehicle, in addition to emptying motor homes’ sewage and oil. He said tows like this sometimes result in his business losing money.
Jessica Reeves, owner of Act Towing, noted a lack of coverage for instances where they deal with hazardous fluids during a tow. This includes bodily fluids inside a car and certain vehicle fluids.
Each business owner Tuesday evening noted discrepancies between the codes for Boise, Ada County and the Idaho State Police. Deming said it would be better if the city matched Ada County’s rates.
Council Member Jimmy Hallyburton said he has heard similar concerns during his time on the council but it has been difficult to come to a solution that most owners could agree with. As independent businesses, each tow company seems to want something different. The challenge was evidently a lack of consensus on a new payment system.
“Towers are towers, they’re not necessarily businessmen,” Deming said, acknowledging that it has been difficult.
Affordable & Dependable Towing owner Harley Lewandowski said that coming into alignment with Ada County’s rates would be better than nothing and that it’s difficult to pick a fair request.
“It’s hard to describe what your self worth should be,” he said.
Since he began towing, the business’ lot rent has increased by 60%, among many other increased costs. At the same time Lewandowski said each agency’s rates have remained relatively the same.
“It seems to be working with 20-year-old models,” he said.
Owner of Rocky Mountain Towing Randy Colson said that the Ada County rates are still too low.
“We’re nowhere near where we need to be,” Colson said.
A long time tow business owner, Colson said he was previously president of the Idaho Towing Association and has witnessed a lack of growth in rates. He no longer tows for the city of Boise as it is not profitable.
R&R Towing owner Richard Roberts said that not everyone wants to be on the towing association, yet another wrench in identifying what is considered a fair rate across the board.
“We want to work with you guys, as far as rate changes and ordinances,” Roberts said to the council.
The council members agreed to defer a vote on the ordinance to Feb. 10 as they seek out a more-permanent solution.
“We want to be good partners,” Council Member Luci Willits said.
For more stories from the Idaho Press, click here.
