City commission OKs more 'roam towing' in Tallahassee, fee hike by as much as $100

Arianna Otero, Tallahassee Democrat
·2 min read
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Towing fees are set to increase by as much as $100, after remaining flat for over 20 years.

At the request of towing companies, city commissioners unanimously passed a new ordinance without discussion that will raise allowable towing fees, and even add new ones. According to city agenda materials, Tallahassee towing fees are the lowest in the state and haven't been changed for class A vehicles since 2015 and since 2000 for class B and C vehicles.

City staff described it as "a more thorough process and transparency for companies and civilians whose cars have been towed."

Class A, B, and C vehicles are all types of vehicles, from motorcycles to cars, and their weight determines which class they belong in.

The ordinance raises the allowable fee for each class of vehicle:

  • Class A - from $110 to $130

  • Class B - from $145 to $240

  • Class C - from $300 to $400

But the changes to class vehicles weren't the only changes the ordinance would make to towing fees.

Extra fees are defined in the ordinance including a $30 after-hours release fee for any vehicles released between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m. and a $35 fee for the use of a "dolly," which is used to safely transport electric vehicles.

It also changes the hours to allow for more "roam towing."

"The roam tow hours are proposed to be changed from midnight to 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. and this change will be reflected on new roam tow signage," the city staff wrote in their analysis. "There is already inadequate parking in many, if not most, of the private complexes. Having earlier roam tow hours will assist those individuals who pay an additional fee to have a reserved parking spot."

Staff estimate that there are 11 private towing companies in Tallahassee.

The ordinance is set to have a public hearing on Nov. 8. If it passes during that city commission meeting then Tallahassee will no longer have the cheapest towing rates in the state but instead be put on par with costs for many other major cities in the state such as Miami, Jacksonville and Key West.

Arianna Otero is the City Solutions Reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact her via email at AOtero@gannett.com or on Twitter @ari_v_otero

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee towing fees may rise by as much as $100