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Debbie Dujanovic reporting
Produced by Kelly JustSALT LAKE CITY -- You've seen the video here on KSL 5 News; I-15 turned into a parking lot because of a wreck or vehicle breakdown. Nothing moves until cops can clear the scene. There are programs in place to help police get vehicles towed out of the way as quickly as possible. Investigative reporter Debbie Dujanovic followed a tip and uncovered a towing system with a set of rules that could end up costing you.
A flat tire, fender bender or a major crash all mean one thing: you need a tow. If you don't know who to call, the cops will take care of it. In most counties, it is part of a police dispatcher's job to send out the next towing company on their rotation. To get on these lists tow companies must pass inspections, meet insurance requirements and be properly licensed. In Weber County, it also takes something else: cold, hard cash.
"I had to pay to play," said AMS Towing owner Steve Gary.
How much? To get his 14 tow trucks on the Weber County rotation Gary has spent $32,500. On top of that, a private dispatch company collects monthly fees -- $50 for each truck, plus another $10 every time he's called out.
Gary explained, "If you get 20 calls, it's $200. If you get one call it's $10. But it's a per dispatch fee for those calls."
So what does this mean for you? You are probably going to get charged more. A government source very familiar with what's going on in Weber County heard we were working on this report and offered to explain how it's happening. He agreed to go on camera as long as we hid his identity.
According to our source, "Once they get called out, their time starts. And so responding there slowly, they get more money. Then to have it cleaned up and moved out of the way, they make more money."
State law mandates tow truck drivers on a rotation list charge no more than $121 an hour. Our source alleges companies on Weber County's list may be taking more time to clear scenes as a way to stretch out their fees and cover their overhead.
We asked Gary if he notices this.
"I think there's a possibility that it could be happening," he said. "I don't think that it's across the board."
This system was created by the Ogden Weber Towing Association, an organization for towing companies. It seems there is a series of unwritten agreements between this association, towing companies, a private dispatch company and cops. So when you need a tow in Weber County, the cop still calls the police dispatch center. But they don't send a truck. Instead, it sends the call to a private dispatch company which manages Weber County's rotation list. The Ogden Weber Towing Association decides which companies get on that list. And it seems everyone benefits from this system but you.
First, there's the Ogden Weber Towing Association. To get more than one truck on the list, towing companies must pay the association $2,500 per slot. Next, that private dispatch company gets paid to handle the calls. The towing companies benefit because they're guaranteed regular business from the cops. Until we started digging around, it looked like the cops were in line for their own reward. The towing association was planning to buy the Weber County Sheriff's Office a $30,000 license plate reader. The LPR system can scan 1,000 license plates an hour to zero in on more cars that need a tow. Association member Steve Gary says there's been a sudden change of heart.
"I think everybody thought it was a good idea," said Gary, "and then all of a sudden everybody was, well maybe it's not such a good idea, because of the controversy."
We asked the Ogden Weber Towing Association for an on-camera interview. By phone, it denied tow truck drivers on the rotation were dragging their feet to charge more. It reiterated that the $2,500 is only charged to companies with more than one truck on the list, but those monthly fees apply to all trucks. The association claims Weber County's system saves taxpayers money saying when tow truck drivers pay for their own dispatch company, the county doesn't have to spend its time and money.
So now that you know what's happening in Weber County, here's what you need to do. If you are alert after an accident, ask the officer to contact a tow company you trust. Otherwise, cops must use the rotation list.
E-mail: iteam@ksl.com
