600-10 Towing Flashcards
When dealing with _______ employees shall not take action contrary to the City of Houston Code of Ordinances dealing with Auto Wreckers and Storage Yards (Chapter 8, Article III).
wreckers, towing of vehicles,and storage lots,
Contract Auto Wrecker
Any auto wrecker properly registered with the City of Houston under a Police Authorized Tow Service Agreement (PATSA), displaying the correct City of Houston wrecker medallion, and properly equipped to tow another vehicle
Heavy-Duty Wrecker
A wrecker having a chassis rated at five tons or greater by the vehicle manufacturer and a winch rated by the winch manufacturer as capable of lifting a minimum of 30,000 pounds.
Hooked Up
According to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, when a vehicle is fully prepared for transport by attachment to a wrecker, lifted in tow position, with tow lights and safety chains attached and, if required, placed on a dolly in a raised position and the only thing remaining is for the tow operator to drive away.
Incident
For the purpose of this General Order, an unplanned randomly occurring traffic event that adversely affects normal traffic operations.
Incident Management Tow
Any tow of a vehicle in which the wrecker is summoned to the scene of a traffic accident or to an incident, including the removal of a vehicle, commercial cargo, and/or commercial debris from a crash or incident scene.
Nonconsent Tow
A tow of a motor vehicle that is an incident management tow or a private property tow and is not a consent tow.
Owner
The owner of the vehicle towed or transported or any driver of the vehicle who reasonably appears to have authority to operate the vehicle.
Police Authorized Tow
Any tow authorized by a law enforcement officer. These tows are considered nonconsent tows.
Police Scene
For the purpose of this General Order, a scene requiring a police investigation, such as a vehicle crash, stolen vehicle recovery, or custodial arrest, or any other place a vehicle is subject to removal by a law enforcement officer. Tows from a police scene are considered nonconsent tows
Private Property Tow
Any tow of a vehicle authorized by a parking facility owner without the consent of the owner or operator of the vehicle.
Safe Clear
Under section 8-127 of the City of Houston Code of Ordinances, individual wrecker operators may establish a SafeClear Freeway Tow Agreement (SafeClear) with the City of Houston to provide towing or emergency road service on designated freeway segments.
Special Incident
A traffic scene that cannot be cleared by using only the services of a wrecker because of debris, special loads, or a vehicle of unmanageable size or condition
Towing Zone.
An area in the city of Houston within towing boundaries designated by the department’s Auto Dealers Detail to establish areas of responsibility for contract auto wreckers. Each contract auto wrecker is authorized to tow in one towing zone only (see section 19 of this General Order for exceptions). The towing zone boundary designations are kept on file in the Auto Dealers Detail.
TxDOT Scene.
A special incident occurring on specifically designated state highways and requiring a heavy-duty wrecker or other support equipment to clear the roadway of vehicles and/or debris
Vehicle Examination Building (VEB)
The location used to process vehicles for forensic evidence. The VES is operated by the Houston Forensic Science Center.
Vehicle Impound Lot (VIL)
The vehicle storage facility located at 1300 Dart and maintained by the department’s Property Division
Wrecker Driver License
Wrecker drivers performing nonconsent tows shall have a wrecker driver license issued by the City of Houston.
What are the three categories of wrecker driver licenses issued?
Private Property License, Police Authorized Tow Service Agreement (PATSA) License, SafeClear License
Private Property License
This license permits tows only from private property under a valid contract. The license shall state “Private Property Only.” The license holder cannot tow from any police scene unless called by the vehicle custodian.
Police Authorized Tow Service Agreement (PATSA) License
This license permits tows from private property under a valid contract and from police scenes with the exception of freeways. The license holder is allowed to tow from freeways if requested by a law enforcement officer or vehicle custodian.
SafeClear License
This license permits tows from any police scene including on and off the freeway. It also permits tows from private property under a valid contract.
Officers shall always use ______?
contract auto wreckers for police authorized tows.
Officers authorizing the towing of vehicles shall ensure ________?
they are moved quickly and safely.
When are “officers are empowered to order ANY contract auto wrecker to remove any wrecked or disabled vehicle a sufficient distance to clear the street for traffic”?
Under emergency conditions or when there are more disabled vehicles than wreckers present. When officers authorize tows under the above circumstances, a Houston Police Department Record of Vehicle Disposition/Wrecker Slip (wrecker slip) shall be completed and officers shall sign the slips as non consent tows.
What “steps shall be followed” when officers authorize incident management tows?
Officers shall:
ask the vehicle operator where he or she would like to have the vehicle towed
direct the wrecker driver to deliver the vehicle where the owner requested
If the owner is capable and willing to decide on a destination location for the vehicle, officers shall obtain the owner’s signature in the Owner/Operator’s Destination Authorization for Non consent Tow section of the wrecker slip
If the owner is not capable or is unwilling to decide on a destination location, officers shall have the vehicle towed as a non consent tow by a contract auto wrecker to a police private storage lot in the police scene’s towing zone
The City of Houston does not regulate towing, towing fees, storage fees, or towing destinations for which kind of tows?
consent tows
For______ the fee is set by City ordinance
non consent tows
When “the vehicle owner does not desire the vehicle to be towed, no charge shall be made and the vehicle owner shall be allowed to take possession of the vehicle” only if:
the vehicle owner is present at
or
arrives at the scene where an auto wrecker is attempting to tow a vehicle
and
if the vehicle has not been “lawfully” hooked up by the auto wrecker
What shall occur “if the motor vehicle has been lawfully hooked up to the wrecker but not towed from the scene and the owner does not desire the vehicle to be towed”?
A half-price towing fee (a.k.a. drop fee) will apply. In this case, the vehicle shall be released to the vehicle owner upon payment of one-half the regular towing fee. A wrecker driver is required to tell the owner when the drop fee applies.
If the vehicle has not been completely hooked up, ______________.
the wrecker driver must drop it for no charge.
Wrecker drivers performing non consent tows from a police scene shall have?
a City of Houston wrecker driver license prominently displayed on their person
AND
The company identified on the driver license shall match the company displayed on the wrecker for the license to be valid.
Contract auto wreckers shall be registered for only one towing zone and may be utilized under PATSA only in that zone EXCEPT when:
The wrecker is owned by the owner of the vehicle being towed by the wrecker.
*NOTE: Officers shall ensure both vehicles are owned by the same person or company listed on the registration form or current bill of sale before allowing a wrecker to operate under this exception
OR
The vehicle is being towed as part of a lawful repossession pursuant to a request by the lien holder.
OR
wrecker’s owner does not have a place of business in the city of Houston
AND
the wrecker is not used to perform any non consent tows in the city of Houston
AND
the wrecker is operated in accordance with applicable state laws
At police scenes, officers shall ensure all wreckers:
Park as close to the curb as possible.
Not interfere with the flow of traffic.
Not park within a distance of 100 feet from a wrecked or stalled vehicle.
No person shall be allowed to ignite any flammable object within a distance of ______ in any direction from a crash scene or enter into the area with any type of burning material.
fifty feet
To avoid any appearance of impropriety, officers shall make a general broadcast (GB) whenever they need a wrecker.
Officers shall not:
Make prior arrangements or show favoritism in any form with any wrecker company or driver
Recommend any wrecker service (e.g., company, repair facility, towing location, or type of wrecker) to any owner.
Accept gifts, gratuities, or favors of any kind from wrecker drivers or wrecker owners.
Allow the number of wreckers at a scene to exceed the number required for the vehicles involved plus two additional wreckers to warn oncoming traffic.
Officers shall be held personally responsible for completing a wrecker slip in legible print for _____ tows from police scenes
ALL