Towing service ordinance passed by Montgomery City Council

The Montgomery City Council voted to pass a new ordinance that will have consequences for some drivers.

City leaders voted 8-1 to approve a new measure that will result in a person car being towed if they are involved in an accident and do not have a driver's license or auto insurance. The council has tabled the issue several times in the past 2 years because members could not come to an agreement on how the law should be written. That is, until Tuesday.

A committee meeting decided Tuesday that the version before it would be the final version to go before the city council, and when it was brought to the floor it passed by an 8-1 margin. Only Councilman Arch Lee voted against it.

The ordinance says that anyone involved in an accident that doesn't have a driver's The driver will then be forced to pay the ticket fees and the towing fee, a cost that could exceed more than $600.

There is a delay in relation to the auto insurance portion but the state of Alabama does not have adequate technology to verify a driver's auto insurance. Once the state works out the issues with that system, the city of Montgomery will start towing cars belonging to drivers without insurance.

There is no delay for the driver license portion of the ordinance and it will be put into effect 10 days after Mayor Todd Strange signs the ordinance. 

Municipality new towing rules hooked

The District of West Kelowna is changing the way it works with towing companies. Previously, the municipality used a 'Rotational Towing and Storage List Policy.

In essence, when the district required vehicles towed it allowed towing companies to conduct the service on a turning basis.

That policy was rescinding Tuesday.

Now, West Kelowna will go with a single towing company on a contract basis. The contract will be for 3 years with an option for 2 additional years based on performance.

The tender will be awarded to the highest bidder which meets the strict criteria set out by the municipality. Up until now, the District of West Kelowna has not been compensated by towing companies registered on the rotation.

At the current time there are two companies on the towing rotation, Mario's Towing and Del Oro Towing. Towing services up for bid are for the removal of abandoned, broken down or inoperable motor vehicles due to accidents or breakdowns.