Palm Springs expands towing contractor pool beyond city limits
An amended ordinance allows storage facilities within 10 miles of the city border, a move the city hopes will increase competition and lower tow rates.
If you get your car towed in Palm Springs, you might need to travel out of city limits to pick it up under an amended ordinance passed by the Palm Springs City Council on Wednesday.
The city’s police department sometimes arranges for vehicles to be towed, such as when “the owner/operator is arrested, detained, incapacitated, or physically unable to drive the vehicle,” according to a city staff report. These instances are referred to as “non-consensual” tows.
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Under the current city ordinance, contractors who provide these tow services must have vehicle storage facilities located within city limits. But this requirement “limits the potential pool of bidders when the city issues requests” for these services, according to the staff report. The storage facilities also must meet certain square footage requirements to ensure they’re large enough to handle RVs or commercial vehicles.
An amendment approved unanimously by city council on Wednesday will expand the location requirements for potential towing contractors to have a vehicle storage facility either within city limits or within 10 miles of the city’s border (measured in driving distance).
There are currently two towing operators providing these services in Palm Springs. The owner of one of these companies spoke against the change on Wednesday.
“Emergency personnel will be tied up waiting for out of town towing services, all this while the Palm Springs taxpayer foots the bill. Tow yards north of the washes will create a logistical nightmare for customers needing to access their vehicles,” said David Bell of Dave’s Towing.
The police department does not anticipate issues from using out-of-town operators, Acting Captain Mike Torres said Wednesday.
The city expects that expanding the pool of potential bidders for tow services will increase competition and make tow rates more competitive. This could potentially mean passing cost savings onto those whose vehicles are towed, “though the specific amount cannot be precisely determined at this time,” states the staff report.
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