A bad tow can do more than wreck a trucker’s day. It can wipe out a hard-earned paycheck. That’s why states across the country are pushing back against predatory towing and the companies that profit when drivers have nowhere else to turn.
From Connecticut to Utah, lawmakers are putting stronger protections in place to stop unfair towing practices and give truckers a fair shot.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has been leading the charge, working with states to pass common-sense rules that protect drivers from being taken advantage of.
Arizona
Arizona truckers were on the verge of getting stronger towing protections. However, the effort hit a dead end.
Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed HB2305. The bill would have created one statewide set of towing rules. Cities and counties would no longer have been allowed to set their own towing rates for vehicles removed from private property.
The bill would also have tightened the rules before a tow could occur. Warning signs would have been required to meet state standards.
Towing companies would also have needed to photograph or otherwise document the parking violation and notify law enforcement within one hour of the tow.
Truckers were included in the proposal. The bill called for a study committee to review heavy-duty towing practices and recommend improvements.
It also directed the Department of Public Safety to study whether Arizona should create a towing compliance and enforcement unit.
In her veto message, Hobbs said the state already has a towing study underway.
“Before establishing another study committee focused on towing on private property, it is important to review the findings and recommendations from the initial study,” Hobbs wrote.
Rep. Leo Biasiucci, R-Kingman, blasted the decision. He called the veto “stupid.”
He argued that the governor sided with bad actors rather than with drivers who were hit with unfair towing bills.
“Her veto letter states that she vetoed the bill because we don’t need another study committee,” Biasiucci said. “If she would have actually read the bill, she would have understood what the bill does.”
North Carolina
North Carolina is sending a message to predatory towing companies: enough is enough.
A new law that took effect in 2025 gives truckers and other drivers stronger protections. The rule covers vehicles towed without consent.
One of the biggest changes took effect Dec. 1. Tow companies can no longer boot commercial trucks for parking enforcement.
Companies that ignore the law can be fined up to $1,000.
The law also protects cargo. When a truck is towed without consent or by government order, companies must promptly return commercial cargo if the driver or cargo owner requests it.
If cargo needs to be moved, a trailer swap is allowed. The swap is permitted as long as the replacement trailer is similar, in good working condition and no more than five years older than the original.
Rep. Mike Schietzelt, R-Wake, said the law is a positive step. He added that more work is needed to better protect commercial drivers.
OOIDA welcomes changes
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has spent years fighting to stop truckers from getting trapped by predatory towing.
Doug Morris, OOIDA’s director of state government affairs, said most towing companies operate honestly. But he said a small number of bad actors damage the entire industry’s reputation.
He said the new rules are a step in the right direction. Too often, lawmakers discover towing companies charging far more than they should simply because they think drivers have no choice.
Still more to do
North Carolina lawmakers say the job isn’t finished.
Another bill, H199, targets towing companies accused of sticking truckers with sky-high towing bills.
The proposal would create a Towing and Recovery Commission to oversee nonconsensual towing and booting.
The commission would license towing companies. They would also cap fees for towing, storage, booting, and cargo handling. The group would also investigate public complaints.
The bill also gives truckers another layer of protection. Tow companies would be banned from charging storage and cargo-handling fees for freight.
If cargo can’t be unloaded, companies would have to allow a trailer swap using another trailer owned or operated by the same carrier that is in equal or better condition.
The proposal also would make booting a commercial vehicle a felony.
The bill awaits action in the House Finance Committee. LL
More Land Line coverage of state news is available.
Credit: Source link
