PORTLAND, Oregon — A recent report from Portland’s city ombudsman has revealed significant disparities in towing costs for drivers after accidents or breakdowns, primarily due to a loophole in the city’s policy regarding private request tows.
These types of tows, often used by police to minimize paperwork and avoid issuing citations, are not governed by the city’s municipal towing contract, allowing companies to set their own rates.
Tony Green, Portland’s deputy ombudsman, noted that the city responds to about 7,000 car breakdowns yearly, which can lead to vastly different charges for the same service.
He emphasized that while most towing companies adhere to the regulated contract rates, one company, Elite Towing, has been known to charge significantly higher fees.
“One company is charging five times as much,” Green said.
“The city is leaving these community members with unpleasant surprises when they expected a much smaller charge.”
Under the current contract, rates for hazard tows — typically for vehicles obstructing traffic — are managed, but private request tows initiated by police fall outside this regulation, even when the vehicle is still in a public area.
According to the report, while five out of six tow companies voluntarily comply with the contract rates, Elite Towing has been exploiting this gap for higher charges.
Green remarked, “The company isn’t necessarily doing anything wrong, it’s perfectly legal.
It’s just unfair to community members caught off guard by exorbitant fees.”
In light of these findings, Green has recommended that the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) revise the towing contract to encompass private request tows from police.
By doing so, wider consistency in charges could be achieved, ensuring that all drivers face reasonable rates.
However, in response to the ombudsman’s recommendations, PBOT has communicated its decision to not adopt this amendment.
Instead, officials have suggested that police provide drivers with a list of towing companies, allowing them to make price comparisons.
Green has criticized this suggestion as impractical for individuals who find themselves stranded on the roadside.
“Most people operate on the assumption that police will protect them and help them out when they’re in trouble, and that is what the police aim to do,” he said.
The Portland Police Bureau, which currently endorses the existing policy of private request tows, stated that officers prioritize minimizing further distress for victims after crashes or breakdowns.
“Officers empathize with individuals who have experienced traumatic events like car accidents and strive to assist by alleviating additional burdens,” the bureau noted in a statement.
Green acknowledged that the police are acting in good faith but stressed the need for the city to enact uniform policies.
“This could be labeled a loophole, or whatever you prefer, but it’s critical for the city to establish regulations for these specific tows to shield community members from excessively high charges,” he stated.
He further underscored the implications of unregulated towing fees, noting that they can lead to prolonged wait times and confusion among drivers.
“The current lack of regulation can open the door for more companies in the future to exploit this absence of oversight, resulting in higher charges that could catch even more community members by surprise,” he warned.
Green expressed that while temporarily resolving the issue with Elite Towing might be feasible, it fails to address the overarching problem of potential future non-compliance from other companies.
“Even if an arrangement is made with this particular business, it doesn’t ensure that another company won’t decide to impose exorbitant rates down the line,” he concluded.
image source from：kgw
