Spring Break
Drivers haggle cost of vehicle towing charges
Jeff Sullivan
Issue date: 4/24/09 Section: News
04/24/09 - If a student parks illegally at the University of Rhode Island, chances are he or she is going to get towed. But what happens when that same student happens upon the tow truck as the driver is loading the car on the truck?
If the student has enough money on them, and the tow truck driver says it's OK, the car will not have to be towed to the impound.
"When a tow truck is called … they are entitled to put a mechanic's lien on it," Robert Drapeau, director of security at URI, said. "They have the option to take the vehicle or negotiate with the driver at the time. That's nothing the university negotiates, that's between the tow truck driver and the person whose car it is and is based on the public utilities commission rules and regulations."
John Lachappelle, owner and operator of J & D Towing, said regardless of the position of the vehicle, if the truck is in the process of towing the car, a towing charge of $80 is enacted. He said if the car is taken to a secure holding lot, there is a charge of $24.
"Once you lift the car up and move it one foot or 10 miles, they pay the full penalty," Lachappelle said. "The $80 is the maximum charge, and we can charge them less, and we do. Once we have the car in our possession, sometimes the driver will say 'oh just give me 60 bucks,' and they'll say they only have $50 on them, and that's fine. We don't have to do this, it's up to the [tow truck] driver."
Lachappelle added leaving the decision to his employees is designed to cut down on students wasting the time of the drivers. He explained that sometimes one of his employees will wait for the person being towed to go to the ATM to pay the penalty charge, and they would never come back. In that case, they just take the car.
Jennifer Galyon, a senior textiles and design major at URI, said that she had parked at the parking lot behind Dunkin' Donuts in the Kingston Emporium during her freshman year. The towing company, she could not remember the name, was just about to drive away.
If the student has enough money on them, and the tow truck driver says it's OK, the car will not have to be towed to the impound.
"When a tow truck is called … they are entitled to put a mechanic's lien on it," Robert Drapeau, director of security at URI, said. "They have the option to take the vehicle or negotiate with the driver at the time. That's nothing the university negotiates, that's between the tow truck driver and the person whose car it is and is based on the public utilities commission rules and regulations."
John Lachappelle, owner and operator of J & D Towing, said regardless of the position of the vehicle, if the truck is in the process of towing the car, a towing charge of $80 is enacted. He said if the car is taken to a secure holding lot, there is a charge of $24.
"Once you lift the car up and move it one foot or 10 miles, they pay the full penalty," Lachappelle said. "The $80 is the maximum charge, and we can charge them less, and we do. Once we have the car in our possession, sometimes the driver will say 'oh just give me 60 bucks,' and they'll say they only have $50 on them, and that's fine. We don't have to do this, it's up to the [tow truck] driver."
Lachappelle added leaving the decision to his employees is designed to cut down on students wasting the time of the drivers. He explained that sometimes one of his employees will wait for the person being towed to go to the ATM to pay the penalty charge, and they would never come back. In that case, they just take the car.
Jennifer Galyon, a senior textiles and design major at URI, said that she had parked at the parking lot behind Dunkin' Donuts in the Kingston Emporium during her freshman year. The towing company, she could not remember the name, was just about to drive away.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 4
Libby
posted 4/24/09 @ 1:28 PM EST
When I was a freshmen, my now housemate--then suitemate, saw a tow truck connecting itself to her car, so she ran outside and got in the car. The tow truck then lifted the car, despite her being in it. (Continued…)
URI Stafff
posted 4/27/09 @ 3:41 PM EST
Boo-hoo-hoo. Don't park illegally and you won't get towed. This story is a non-issue. URI is a teeny-tiny school. You can cross the entire campus in 10 minutes. (Continued…)
URI Staff
posted 4/29/09 @ 2:52 AM EST
The issue of poor parking around dorms does not explain why the faculty lots within 10 feet of purely academic buildings are constantly full of students who are not permitted to park there. (Continued…)
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