PEI towers remind drivers of dangers of whiteout conditions
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island — March 24, 2015 — Tow truck drivers in P.E.I. are puzzled as to why some motorists choose to brave bad weather. The P.E.I. Guardian reports that the weekend’s snowfall warning and blowing snow advisory—with Environment Canada citing totals of 15 cm accompanied by 70 km/h wind gusts province-wide—kept tow operators, first responders […]
Manitoba towers call for change in tow truck classification
Winnipeg, Manitoba — March 23, 2015 — Towing operators are calling on Manitoba Infrastructure and Technology (MIT) to change the classification of tow trucks, allowing them access to weight-restricted roads. Metro News reports towing companies recently met with MIT to discuss classifying tow trucks as essential emergency vehicles, as the current rules often leave towers no […]
Ottawa police play favourites at crash sites, towers say
Ottawa, Ontario — March 19, 2015 — Local tow truck drivers are taking issue with Ottawa police practices, citing collision site favourtism and unfair ticketing. Sharkey’s Towing and Road Service operator, Edwin Weber, told 580 CFRA News Talk Radio that the force’s crackdown on illegal “collision chasers” — towers seeking out crashes and competing to be […]
Ottawa police stage fake collisions to charge competing towers
Ottawa, Ontario — March 18, 2015 — Ottawa police are staging crashes to crack down on citywide “tow truck wars,” where unauthorized towers race to be first on the scene. In a Metro News report, Sgt. John Kiss says that the problem has become unmanageable, with a rising number of tow operators in violation of the city’s bylaw — […]
New Westminster looks to relocate tow yard, animal shelter facility
New Westminster, British Columbia — March 16, 2015 — New Westminster city council is looking into relocating the city’s animal shelter and tow yard. The New Westminster Record reports that the land surrounding the 231 Ewen Ave. address, the current home to both services, is set to be redeveloped in the next two to three years, […]
Tower charged while responding to Kitchener crash
Kitchener, Ontario — March 12, 2015 — A tow truck driver was arrested after arriving at the scene of a collision in Kitchener earlier this week. CTV News reports that the tower had been responding to the March 10 crash on Strasburg Road near Ottawa Street, when Waterloo Regional Police stepped in. Authorities say they hadn’t […]
Miller releases new spreader bar
Ooltewah, Tennessee —- March 11, 2015 -– Miller Industries is now offering a new spreader bar that works in conjunction with its full line of heavy-duty products. The adjustable, five-piece bar is designed for use in all ranges of lifting applications, from heavy through light-duty, allowing for straight vertical lifts without damaging or collapsing the sides […]
Manitoba emergency workers remind motorists to slow down, move over
Winnipeg, Manitoba — March 9, 2015 — Emergency workers are asking Manitoba motorists to mind the Move Over law. CTV News reports that throughout the province, an average of 128 emergency vehicles are involved in collisions each year. Section 109 of the Manitoba Highway Traffic Act (HTA) was put in place to protect emergency personnel, directing drivers […]
Tow truck and school bus collide in Chatsworth
Owen Sound, Ontario — March 5, 2015 — A Chatsworth tow truck driver has been charged after colliding with a school bus earlier this week. Blackburn News reports the tow truck was exiting a private driveway onto the township’s sideroad 9B on the morning of March 3, when it struck a school bus travelling westbound. Grey County OPP […]
Tory: Toronto tag-and-tow policy seems to be working
Toronto, Ontario — March 4, 2015 — The numbers are in following the initial launch of Toronto Mayor John Tory’s aggressive tag-and-tow policy, showing a six percent decrease in city-wide towing. In a report by Global News, city data — obtained from a police-created chart provided by the Parking Ticket Operations division of Toronto’s Revenue Services — […]
