Toronto’s city council considers new rules for area towers
Toronto, Ontario — October 4, 2017 — Toronto’s city council is considering new rules for tow truck operators. Among the proposed changes is a fixed rate for towing services. Over the past five years, Toronto has received an average of 150 complaints per year against tow truck drivers, for a rough total of 750 complaints. City staff […]
RCMP arrest impound lot scammer
North Vancouver, British Columbia — September 29, 2017 — North Vancouver RCMP has arrested a man accused of defrauding victims by asking for money to get his vehicle out of the tow yard. Over the last several months, this scenario has played out several times in North Vancouver, according to a statement by North Vancouver […]
Ontario Recovery Group looking at “Uber-like” towing system
Toronto, Ontario — September 27, 2017 — The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA), the Ontario Recovery Group (ORG) and government officials continue to develop proposals to improve how commercial vehicles involved in collisions are removed from major highways in a cost-effective and professional way. One positive outcome of these discussions is a proposal for a joint […]
Toronto to institute traffic wardens and quick clear squads to aid congestion
Toronto, Ontario — September 18, 2017 — The government of Ontario is moving to amend the Highway Traffic Act to permit non-police officers to direct traffic in Toronto. Mayor John Tory announced that Torontonians will see full-time traffic wardens on the city streets by early in 2018. Tory campaigned in part on promises to reduce […]
Death of RCMP officer renews calls for change to the slow down move over law
Memramcook, New Brunswick — September 15, 2017 — Constable Francis Deschenes of Amherst RCMP was killed September 12, after having pulled over to help change a flat tire on the Trans-Canada Highway near Memracook, New Brunswick. Investigations on the collision show that a utility van collided with Deschenes’ police car and the SUV. Deschenes died […]
Toronto tow truck rules may introduce fixed rates
Toronto, ontario — Setembember 15, 2017 — Tow Truck Drivers in the Toronto area may be facing some new rules surrounding towing rates. The city’s municipal licensing and standards division is recommending setting a fixed towing rate of $250—up from between $166-$188. Tow truck operators may also have the option of charging an additional $100 fee […]
Crash kills tow truck driver on the job
Strathmore, Alberta — September 6, 2017 — The towing industry, friends and family bid their goodbyes to a tow truck driver who was killed on the job in a road collision, in Strathmore, Alberta, August 29. According to a media release from the Alberta RCMP, the tow truck and a tractor-trailer had both been travelling […]
California man attempts to remove vehicle from moving tow truck
Compton, California — August 5, 2017 — Last week in Compton, California, a desperate man took extreme measures in attempt to detach his Nissan Atima from a moving repo tow truck. The man had been unable to make a number of payments, and his vehicle was consequently taken from him. But, unfortunately for the tow truck […]
Year’s greatest recoveries on display at PTAO’s Recovery Theatre
By CTAR Staff Markham, Ontario — August 22, 2017 — The Provincial Towing Association of Ontario (PTAO) has now announced the finalists for Recovery Theatre. This is a brand new PTAO Tow Show event, taking place Friday August 25 on the Markham Fairgrounds. The event will feature industry specialists who will discuss some of their […]
New towing by-law sees 41 tow truck companies and drivers charged
Waterloo, Ontario — August 17, 2017 — In February, a by-law designed to crack down on predatory tow truck drivers who offer unsolicited services after a collision was introduced. Since then, 41 charges have been laid against tow truck drivers and towing companies who have violated this by-law. The by-law, with a fine of up […]