State, Postal Service investigating A1’s Towing
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The city’s chief legal officer says the state of Tennessee and the U.S. Postal Service are looking into the activities of A1’s Towing and Hauling.
In November, the Memphis Transportation Commission suspended A1’s Towing and Hauling’s booting and towing permits for 30 days after receiving several complaints from truck drivers who claimed they were illegally booted and towed by A1’s and charged thousands of dollars to get their semi-trucks back.
Deputy City Attorney Michael Fletcher said A1’s has since been cited for more violations and will have another hearing before the permits office. Fletcher said the state and postal service are also investigating the towing company.
“One of the trucks they took was a postal service truck,” said Fletcher. “They’ve subpoenaed information from us, and the state is also looking at it because there are some enforcement arms the state has that we don’t have.”
Fletcher and Permits Administrator Yolanda Fullilove both appeared before a city council committee Tuesday.
Council members have asked the permits office to create a set of rules and regulations for tow truck companies that can be posted on the city’s websites to eliminate bad actors in the industry.
Councilman Ford Canale said he continues to get complaints about A1’s Towing and Hauling and doesn’t understand how they are still allowed to operate in Memphis.
Driver stays in truck 33 hours to avoid being towed by A1’s
“I don’t know what needs to be done, colleagues, but we can’t continue to let people get preyed upon in our city and feel threatened and have to pay exorbitant fees that go far beyond what we passed in our ordinance, but something got to be done,” said Canale.
Last month, the owner of a minority-owned trucking company out of Florida contacted Councilman Canale and WREG after A1’s towed his big rig from a truck stop on Lamar.
Jaleel Shaw with S-Greenlight Trucking admits he didn’t see the pay-to-park signs but said he was bullied by several armed men and forced to pay nearly $2,700 to get his truck released.
During the committee meeting, Councilman Chase Carlisle said Memphis is a heavy logistics town, and he was afraid A1’s business practices were going to drive truckers away.
“You are talking about sales tax, gas tax, a hotel-motel bed tax. All of those things start to have a downward problem for us,” said Carlisle. “I’m going to step way out of my lane here, and I know we’re talking more civil at this point, but from a criminal standpoint, it borders on racketeering.”
The attorney representing A1’s Towing and Hauling said he disagreed with council members’ assessment of the company.
“Can you explain how towing and booting illegal parkers is racketeering?” said Darrell O’Neal,
Council members said they plan to meet with people in the towing industry to get their feedback on a set of wrecker rules and regulations. Canale said the rules won’t stop those already violating city ordinances but will put other companies on notice.
“Do I think this is enough? No, that’s going to take legal action,” said Canale.
A number of trucking companies from across the country have threatened to sue A1’s. A1’s Towing has also taken legal action of its own.
Last year, A1’s filed a lawsuit against the City of Memphis, the Memphis Police Chief, and multiple MPD officers, accusing them of “weaponizing a civil municipal ordinance to discriminate against the minority-owned company.”
A Chancery Judge also ordered MPD not to engage in parking or towing disputes on private property. Both cases are still pending in the courts.
City Council is expected to vote on the Towing Rules and Regulations in March.
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