Maryland Inching Closer to Enacting Predatory Tow Bill

With House Bill 487, Maryland is set to end predatory tow practices involving commercial vehicles on highways under the jurisdiction of state police. The bill is before Gov. Larry Hogan after passing a unanimous House and Senate vote in March. 

The governor has 30 days from the April 11 ending date of the General Assembly to let the bill become law without his action, veto or sign it into law. If it becomes law, some provisions will take effect Oct. 1 and others on Oct. 1, 2023. 

Sponsored by Democrat delegates Linda Foley and David Fraser-Hidalgo, the bill requires the state police to establish requirements regarding a list of qualified towing companies used when initiating tows for disabled or abandoned commercial vehicles. Rate sheets would be available to the public upon request. 

Louis Campion, president and CEO of Maryland Motor Truck Association described predatory towing as a national problem for truckers with each state having its own provisions. Currently in Maryland, if a medium- or heavy-duty truck must be towed on a highway under the state police, the police have a tow list as required by state law and rotate the company called to tow. The trucking company has no role in selecting the company, and there are no consumer protections to address use of charges, excessive rates and inflated invoices. 

While a new law would not set tow fees, Campion said it would require tow companies on the state police rotation to submit a rate sheet with maximum charges that cannot be exceeded. Trucking companies could choose a tow company unless there were urgent timing or safety needs. He sees that provision as a good way for trucking companies to establish fair and positive business relationships with towing companies. The legislation would ban per-pound billing, which has drastically increased prices on tow invoices.  

Joanne Blyton of the Towing and Recovery Association of America spoke against the bill on behalf of 35,000 towing companies nationwide. She cited concerns about how both the law and rates would be implemented, noting that per-pound billing methods are acceptable and used by the Maryland Department of Motor Vehicles to determine weight for its registration fees. She said shippers such as the U.S. Postal Service also use per-pound billing. 

Source: https://www.ttnews.com/articles/