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Amending Chapter 9-600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Service and Other Businesses," by amending Section 9-605, entitled "Towing," to clarify requirements for application of the rotational tow system, and by adding penalties, under certain terms and conditions.

AI summary

This enacted law clarifies that tow truck operators generally must be selected through Philadelphia’s rotational tow system to remove vehicles from police-dispatched accident scenes or from the shoulder of a limited-access highway, unless State Police select or allow the tow. It also allows the Police Department or enforcement agency to impound unlicensed tow trucks, and allows police to impound trucks whose drivers refuse a lawful order and tow in violation of the rotational system; reclaiming an impounded truck requires a $500 fee, in addition to any fines or civil penalties.

File details

Status
ENACTED
Introduced
November 17, 2016
Sponsors
William K. GreenleeDarrell L. Clarke
View official record ↗

Full text

THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:

SECTION 1. Section 9-605 of The Philadelphia Code is hereby amended to read as follows:

`

CHAPTER 9-600. SERVICE AND OTHER BUSINESSES

§ 9-605. Towing.

(4)

Rotation method of tow truck selection.

(a)

No person shall engage in towing from the scene of an accident

where police have been dispatched or otherwise respond to the scene of the accident

or with respect to a disabled vehicle [that is either impeding traffic or] on the shoulder of a limited access highway unless that person has either been selected through operation of the rotational system established under this subsection, or has been selected or permitted to perform such tow from a state highway by the State Police.

(14)

Enforcement.

(a)

The Enforcement Agency or the Police Department may impound any unlicensed tow truck.

In addition, the Police Department may impound a tow truck if its driver refuses a lawful order of a police officer at an accident scene and tows or attempts to tow a vehicle from such accident scene in violation of § 9-605(4)(a) and the police officer’s order.

The owner may reclaim any impounded vehicle upon the payment of a five hundred (500) dollars impoundment fee. Such impoundment fee shall be in addition to any fines or civil penalties set forth in this Section.

___________________________________

Explanation:

[Brackets] indicate matter deleted.

Italics

indicate matter added.

End

File history

Sometimes city council's record keeping is not complete. This timeline reflects the information on the council's legistar website.
  1. Council actionMAYOR

    Signed

  3. Council actionCITY COUNCIL

    Read and ordered placed on next week's second reading calendar

    Council actionCITY COUNCIL

    Suspend the rules of the council

    Pass
    Council actionCITY COUNCIL

    Ordered placed on this day`s first reading calendar

  4. Council actionCommittee on Streets and Services

    Reported favorably, rule suspension requested

    Council actionCommittee on Streets and Services

    Hearing held

    Council actionCommittee on Streets and Services

    Hearing notices sent

  5. Council actionCITY COUNCIL

    Introduced and Referred

    Pass