Parking-lot-trap tows, roadside tows: Truckers' defense against predatory billing, other practices

Overdrive Radio

In this episode, dive into the nitty gritty around the notion of "predatory towing," whether after a crash or disabling event at the roadside or in a parking-lot trap. The episode continues the conversation following the relatively new trucking resource you heard about a few weeks ago – the American Transportation Research Institute’s big report on the commonality of outsize tow bills and unethical practices, including ways to combat them: https://www.overdriveonline.com/overdrive-radio/podcast/15660783/predatory-tows-bigdollar-trucking-impact-postcrash-or-parking The Truckload Carriers Association held an online seminar earlier this week in an effort to raise awareness among carrier members there but also highlight some recent-history legislative victories, particularly in Maryland. You'll hear today from Dave H:eller, a Senior Vice President at TCA, about that event and ways anyone can engage and inform themselves on the issues to potentially effect change for the better. Yet also: Dive into the work of Overdrive’s own Alex Lockie, who’s been covering the rise particularly of parking-lot-trap-type situations since early last year, all of which has brought a big response from readers, as he details in the podcast. Likewise, owner-operators have delivered plenty advice to glean about tackling problematic tows, as did the ATRI report, underpinning a new step-by-step guide Lockie authored on how to play defense against predatory practices, published here a few weeks back: https://www.overdriveonline.com/regulations/article/15660104/how-truckers-can-fight-predatory-towing-bills That’s not the end of the story, by any means, though. Stay tuned for further reporting suggested in some of the conversations throughout the podcast. Other towing resources/stories mentioned: **How one small fleet owner marshalled local laws against a parking-lot trap: https://www.overdriveonline.com/channel-19/article/14894396/truck-booting-and-towing-traps-in-light-of-eld-mandate **Detail on Maryland towing legislation: https://www.overdriveonline.com/regulations/article/15542568/maryland-mtas-predatory-towing-bill-explained **Detail on Colorado booting/towing legislation: https://www.overdriveonline.com/parking/article/14897263/parking-perils-the-increasing-cost-and-risk-of-booting-and-towing