Oxford Aldermen Aim for Stricter Towing Regulations
Plans to revise towing practices are underway, with the Oxford Board of Aldermen proposing a tough approach to curb unscrupulous behaviours touted by some towing companies. Notably, some of the incidents fuelling this move involved towing from apartment complexes.
Unsettling Towing Practices Spark Action
At the recent Oxford Board of Aldermen’s regular meeting, Mayor Robyn Tannehill demonstrated the impetus behind the proposed regulation changes by reading from several emails she has received. These correspondences, largely from visitors to Oxford and parents of University of Mississippi students, voiced their distaste at perceived unfairness or overcharging engaged by some towing companies within the city.
A repeated issue seemed to be the businesses’ insistence on cash-only payments, with towing costs generally settling around $300 for the simple act of loading the vehicle onto the tow truck. Other more heart-rending anecdotes served to further underscore potential injustices occurring, including charges of up to $2,000 to recover a vehicle that had been carted off while its owner was away on winter break.
Proposed Revisions to Towing Ordinance
The proposed ordinance offers a more stringent set of laws to control towing activities. It emphasises the need for explicit authorisation before a vehicle can be taken away. For public streets, this should be from a law enforcement officer, the vehicle’s owner or an authorised driver. For private property, authorisation must be given either by the property owner or an authorised employee.
An additional measure mandates both the towing company and property owners to keep records of all vehicles towed, which should be available for inspection by the Oxford Police Department upon request. It will also be illegal under the proposed ordinance for a towing company to pay property owners for the privilege of providing their services.
Additional Regulatory Measures
The proposed ordinance includes specific measures for insurance and licensing of towing vehicles. It also seeks to set clear guidelines for property owners regarding signage alerting vehicle owners to towing policies. These signs should be no less than 24 inches by 24 inches in size, and clearly visible.
Swift reporting of towing activities to the Oxford Police Department is another proposed addition. It stipulates that the department should be notified within one hour of a vehicle being towed. Costs also get addressed in the proposal: it caps the fee for towing a light-duty vehicle from private property at $200 and a daily storage charge of $30.
Next Steps on the Proposed Ordinance
A public hearing is planned for 5 p.m, April 16th at City Hall to discuss the amended ordinance in more detail. It acts as the next step in the process of introducing the changes. Locals and interested parties are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the proposal ahead of the hearing. The proposed ordinance in its entirety is available to read on the City’s official website.
