‘Nothing’s going to be done,’ rages driver who paid to park but was towed anyway – they were charged $3,000 | 92I449I | 2024-04-29 12:08:01
'Nothing's going to be done,' rages driver who paid to park but was towed anyway – they were charged $3,000 | 92I449I | 2024-04-29 12:08:01
CITY lawmakers revoked a towing company's business permit for 30 days while a hearing takes place.
The company has had its permit revoked previously after customers complained about illegal tows and holding semi-trucks hostage for thousands of dollars.
A1's Towing & Hauling, otherwise known as A1's Xclusive Auto, has had its towing permits temporarily revoked for the second time after semi-truck drivers complained to lawmakers about the company illegally towing trucks.
The first time they were taken was back in November 2023, when complaints first began coming to the Transportation Committee in Memphis, Tennessee.
"In this situation, I'm having a hard time wrapping my personal arms around this because of the multitude of complaints that seem to be reoccurring," Chairman Kevin Kane told A1's owner Colton Cathey, quoted by CBC affiliate WREG.
"There is something wrong here."
Several more complaints were sent by truckers to the permits office of the state and were presented during the meeting.
A majority of the complaints hovered around violating city and state ordinances, inflated towing and storage fees, and questionable payment methods.
During the meeting, Cathey told Kane that he'd been working with Permits License Administrator Yolanda Fullilove, but hadn't contacted any truck drivers who filed complaints.
Over the phone, former customer Tabrianna Foster of Mississippi recalled a time when she and her husband parked their 18-wheeler at a truck stop – but it was still towed by A1's Towing.
She said she was forced to pay $3,000 to get the truck returned.
Foster said she'd decided to come forward with her experience after other companies admitted to airing their grievances.
<!-- End of Brightcove Player --> "I heard them talking about all these large companies besides my complaint, and if I didn't speak up toward the end, nothing was going to be done," she said.
Foster's testimony convinced the commissioners to suspend Cathey's permits while an investigation was launched to determine whether the incident violated city ordinances.
"[Cathey] had every excuse in the book on how he helps people, and if he gets a complaint, he responds, and that's not true," she continued.
"We are a small business. Our loads are terrible. We are barely getting paid. That $2,900 I had to pull out of my 401k just to pay it."
The company was investigated by both the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Memphis Police Department in late October last year.
One out-of-state company went to WREG to comment about their dealings with the company.
<!--googleoff: all--> <blockquote class="article__quote"> </blockquote> <!--googleon: all--> "I've been in business 23 years, and I have never seen a towing operation like this," said Fenn Church, the owner of Church Transportation.
"This is horrible what they are doing to the industry."
Church told the outlet that A1's employees booted one of his driver's trucks while the driver was still in the cab.
They then demanded a $272 fee to remove the boot, and after the driver attempted to pay with a credit card, the A1 employee decided it was taking too long and towed the truck anyway.
A hearing will be taking place shortly to determine whether or not the company violated ordinances[/caption]
To get the 18-wheeler back from A1's Towing, Church paid $4,500.
"I called A1's towing myself and talked to a guy in dispatch, and I said, 'Greg, there is no need to tow the truck. Just tell me what you want, and we'll be glad to pay your ransom. Just tell me what you want,'" he recalled.
"Nope, it doesn't work like that."
In the meantime, city council members have asked permit officers to create rules for towing companies to help curb bad behavior from the jump.
More >> https://ift.tt/bYnZwqW Source: MAG NEWS
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