A major issue over towing companies came to light a few weeks ago, concerning the "LIST" of towing companies that hauls the wrecked cars away from accidents in the city limits. I didn't realize how big an industry this is until I did some checking on this. I wondered, why the big deal. For $50 to $75 bucks just to haul a car away, and there's not that many wrecks in a month. Why the fuss.
I found out, its the storage charges they want. Once they get your car to their lot, they can begin charging you, or rather your insurance company, storage charges for your wreck, parciularly if it's stored indoors. Then, there comes the second towing charge, from the wrecker lot, to the body shop. Another fee. Keep in mind, you can have your car towed to your house, but, then what. It clogs up your driveway or garage for a week or so until the adjuster sees it, approves the repair, then you have to have it towed to the body shop. Most people won't do that.
Storage charges are very broad as well, from what little I could learn about this part of the process, depending on the vehicle from what I've found out. Wrecker owners don't like to discuss this. They get what they can from each insurance company.
SO, lets get to the point.
The city of corbin purchases two wreckers, and maybe a rollback. Plain jane lookking wreckers, but adaquately equipped of course. One smaller one, for the standard car or pickup, and a larger, medium sized one, for the larger trucks and such, but not the tractor-trailer sized vehicles, and a regular rollback truck. Cost of these, depending on new or used, lets say $150k for all, or even go up to $175k if you wish, maybe $200k for all three. We can shop around, used or leased is sometimes the best bet. Oh, and we'll build an inside storage building too, to get those big storage charges. Maybe another $50k or so, but, right now, buildings and labor is cheap, we could get a better deal.
We hire one person, for $10 an hour as the wrecker driver. We find another driver, as an alternate, hire them as a regular garage employee, but as an alternate driver, and pay them the normal $8 an hour, but when they go on wrecker runs, they go up to the $10 for that period of time. They're on call for service, 24/7, alternating of course, so no one is worked too hard.
A wreck happens in the city, the city wrecker gets them on the hook, and takes them away. Oh, and they take them away to a city lot, with inside storage, where the city gets the storage fees. The car owner gets the first 48 hours free from the city, to decide where their vehicle goes. Then, the city charges the same fees the independents charge to the insurance companies.
During the process, if they want to hire another wrecker service to come get their car, no problem. Fine. If not, the city can haul it to the body shop, for say $25bucks with a 15 mile free limit. The city is still making money.
And, no problems anymore about any list. The city does it all.
And, if you wish, the city will haul your wreck to your house, to a body shop of your choice, or anywhere within reason, for the same charge the other wreckers get. You, the owner can pay them, or, wait for the insurance company to pay them. Just like now with the independents.
What do you think???? I know who WON'T like it.
And, wreckers are basically the same. They're a truck that hauls cars. Sure the lift and hoist systems changes a little, from the old cable/bumper wrap type, to the wheel lift, but, they just haul cars. Rollbacks, flatbed trucks, are all the same too.
Believe me, if 13 wrecker companies are mad enough to approach the city commisssion about hauling a few wrecks, with a couple more that didn't show up, there is big money in this process somewhere and the city needs to look into it.
