Are Taunton tow trucks doing their jobs after crashes? Police investigating. Here's why.

TAUNTON — Are tow truck companies following the terms of their contracts with the city of Taunton?

That’s what the City Council and Taunton Police Department want to determine.

Detective Sgt. Joseph Balmain told the Council's Committee on Police and License at its Sept. 5 meeting he is launching an investigation into determining if all six tow truck companies contracting with the city to handle motor vehicle crashes are following established procedure and have the means to fulfill their requirements, when it comes to the towing of vehicles and cleaning up of debris when responding to the scene.

Committee Chair Jeff Postell said what prompted the discussion was a request from Councilor David Pottier, who doesn’t serve on the Committee.

What prompted the investigation?

Pottier told the Committee me made the request due to seeing the “remnants of an accident” left behind on several recent occurrences. Examples he cited included crashes on Gordon Owen Parkway and in the Myles Standish Industrial Park area where, he said, glass and plastic from a damaged vehicle remained.

Pottier was concerned over the safety issues of leaving this debris behind.

“What can be done to ensure compliance with the safety of these streets?” Postell asked Balmain.

Balmain said six tow companies are contracted with the city and work on a rotating schedule throughout the year, with each company on call 24/7 for two-week intervals.

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Is street cleanup part of a tow truck's duties?

Balmain said street cleanup after an accident is absolutely part of these contracts and if the vendor on call left the accident scene without doing this, they either have to return or risk termination of their contract.

Which 6 tow truck companies have contracts with the city?

A public records request with the town clerk’s office revealed the six tow companies contracting with the city: Perry’s Towing & Service; Harry’s Auto Wrecking; Tony’s Auto Wrecking; Armand’s Garage; Mac’s Garage & Towing; and R & F Motors, Inc.

The most recent contracts for each vendor were all signed on Oct. 1, 2022 and go to Sept. 30, 2025.

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How big a problem is this?

Balmain stated he was unaware if there had been any recent complaints filed with Taunton PD against these tow truck companies over towing or clean-up issues.

Councilor Estele Borges said her recent discussions with Taunton police left her to conclude this issue wasn’t “as frequent as we think,” adding she hasn’t heard of any specific issue with debris cleanup from a vehicle accident in at least six months, citing an accident that occurred on East Water Street.

She added there are also vehicle accidents that go unreported, with debris simply left behind because some drivers don’t want the incident on record.

Here's what the contracts say

An analysis by The Gazette of each tow company’s contract with the city indicates each company is required to have in its inventory at least one truck with a crane capable of lifting five tons, at least one flat bed truck, and at least one wheel lift tow truck.

Among the tools each vehicle arriving to the scene must have on site include 100 feet of 3/8 inch cable, a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, 4 foot and 6 foot pinch bars for prying, flares, one hydraulic jack and a broom and receptacle for collecting debris.

Each contract states “unless directed by the Taunton Police Department to not clean up or remove debris, the Contractor must treat oil or gasoline spills, and remove broken glass or other vehicle debris or parts associated with the vehicle.”

Do the tow truck companies have the right equipment?

Though not naming a company or citing any incident, Balmain told the Committee he and Police Chief Edward Walsh are concerned over whether every company contracting with the city is sufficiently equipped to handle towing and maintenance for every accident.

“Some of the companies I don’t think have the proper equipment,” he said.

Balmain said, in addition to verifying, through truck inspections, that these companies can meet the equipment needs spelled out in their contracts, he also plans on verify they are meeting insurance policy requirements.

Postell agreed with Balmain’s plans, saying “we need to dig deeper to make sure the contracts are being followed to the letter” and there are “checks and balances in place” ensuring no liability issues on the city’s part.

Next steps

Councilor Barry Sanders asked if a complaint log existed for these tow companies, and Balmain said no. Sanders responded by saying it was a good way to keep track of issues and if a pattern of complaints, whether from the public or public safety officers, was getting lobbed at any specific company, then that would be an indication it was “time to look elsewhere.”

Councilor Christopher Coute also recommended a written memo be sent out to all tow companies, acting as both a notification of truck inspections to be done by Taunton Police, as well as a reminder of the expectations the city has related to having the necessary equipment and following proper procedures for handling accidents.

The Committee motioned and approved Balmain returning with an update sometime in October on the status of each tow company, as well as to send out the aforementioned memo and set up a complaint log.

This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Are Taunton tow truck companies cleaning up after car accidents?