Feature

City announces hotline, email to address towing complaints 9.30.11

FOX 59

The city began rolling out more measures to help protect people from predatory towing Thursday. City leaders announced a new hotline for people to call or email with towing complaints.

Kirsten Paisley works at the Ripple Deli. She knows parking can be a real pain.

"You just have to be really careful."

Paisley, like many in the village, has had her run-in with the tow companies.

"It wasn't a pay lot when I came into work at 3, but when I got off of work at 10 my car was gone."

And she’s not alone. After hundreds of complaints the city passed an ordinance a month ago to regulate towing. Ryan Vaughn, the City-County Council President worked on the ordinance.

"I said when we passed this that this was the first step. It was going to be a process and today we're taking additional steps.

The hotline number is 327-TOWS or you can email tows@indy.gov to report an issue. If you report an issue make sure to name the date, location and time of the tow in question, as well as leave your contact information.

Vaughn said it appears the new ordinance is working.

"I used to get two or three a day and a lot more on the weekends and I've only had two complaints since the ordinance took effect."

Paisley said she’s just glad there is something to fight back.

"Just that there is something that we can do now."

The towing ordinance:

  • Caps tow fees at $150 and storage fees at $30 a day

  • Signs must be posted in plain view at the entrance and exit of a lot

  • You must be able to claim your car 24 hours a day, seven days a week

  • A representative of the property owner must sign the tow order for each tow

  • All towing companies must accept both cash and credit cardsThe ordinance also requires companies to become licensed in the city. Ten companies have become licensed to operated in Indianapolis: Hanna’s, Indiana’s Finest Wrecker, Indy Towing Service Inc., Interstate Towing, Last Chance Wrecker, Meacham, Olmsted, Pro Tow, Cook’s Towing Service Inc. and Zore’s Inc.

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