Police choose tow truck companies to call on for collisions

City police have chosen three local tow truck companies with whom they will work closely over the next five years.

Starting March 1, when Peter borough Police are called to a collision in the city and the motorist has no preference regarding the towtruck company, police will use one of only three firms: Fitzsimmons Towing, Na de au’ s Collision Service or Wallace Towing.

The three companies were selected from eight that bid to be the go-to companies for police .( All local firms were welcome tobi don the five-year contract.)

The police services board approved the selection of the towing companies at a meeting Tuesday night.

The idea was to regulate towing services when police are called to a collision.

Traffic Sgt. Jeff Char tier wrote in a report to the police board that there is currently no standard approach to providing tow-truck service at collision scenes–and that’s caused problems.

Chartier writes that police have been receiving complaints about high prices from tow truck companies and also slow service.

Motorists will pay no more than $200 for a tow, under the new agreement( Char tier told the police board the cost can be $350 or more, otherwise).

The tow companies that bid on the contract were evaluated by a police committee.

“The chief and staff made sure this was looked after in a very professional way,” said Coun. Dan Mc Williams, a member of the police board. “I’m looking forward to this working.”

Peter borough Police also patrols on contract in two neighbouring townships.

In Cavan Monaghan Township, the two companies of choice were ABA Towing and Woodward’s Towing.

In Lakefield, no companies bid on the contract; in case of a policereported collision there, one of the three Peter borough towing companies will be called.

The owners of about six tow truck companies were at the police board meeting, on Tuesday.

Kris Coleman, owner of AFP Towing in Peterborough, wasn’t happy: He said his company was overlooked by dint of being smaller than others.

He has a smaller fleet and works out of a home office, he said – and he said that mean the scored lower on the evaluation.

See TOW TRUCKS | A2

TOW TRUCKS from A1

Meanwhile he said his company is the only one in Peterborough certified by the provincial Ministry of the Environment to cleanup fluids after a crash.

The other companies that were selected by police will be asked to do this clean-up without certification– so they’ ll be cleaning up“illegally,” Coleman said.

“Police should be more in tune with the law,” Coleman said.

But in the meeting, Chartier said tow truck companies clean debris and fluids from crash scenes all the time.

That’s been the case for years, he said: “And there’s never been issues.”

At the meeting, owners of the selected tow companies thanked police for giving them the opportunity to work together.

“I really think we’re on the right track, in this city,” said Scott Fitzsimmons of Fitzsimmons Towing.

“I think the community will be happy with the way they’re being served.”