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WASHINGTON D.C. -- Dozens of D.C. towing companies have banded together to form an official association that would give them clout with city officials.

"People have looked at the towing industry in this city as a bunch of bandits and crooks for too long, and it's just not true," says Beverly Ingraham, president of the newly formed Metropolitan Washington Towing Association (MWTA).

Miss Ingraham, employed with a towing company in Southeast, said more than 30 operations had joined the organization since The Washington Times reported last month that the District was the only municipality in the United States without any such official association.

The goal is to "to streamline the industry and create one voice that will be respected by government officials who are trying to put restrictions on us, but not on the police," she said.

MWTA was incorporated three weeks ago. It is recognized officially by the Arlington-based Towing and Recovery Association of America, a national towing lobby that receives Department of Transportation funding for its driver-safety program.

Miss Ingraham said MWTA last week submitted four pages of recommended changes to towing regulations announced last month by D.C. Mayor Anthony A. Williams.

Mr. Williams, a Democrat, vowed to draft the regulations — the first effort to regulate the towing industry in more than 35 years — in August after a report issued by the D.C. inspector general's office uncovered illegal schemes involving police officers.

Erik S. Gaull, a city administrator who co-chaired the mayoral task force that drafted the new regulations, welcomed the formation of an official association of towing companies.

"Before this group started, it was pandemonium," Mr. Gaull said. "The new association gives us a single point of contact, which is much more willing to discuss things in a manner that's conducive to having their concerns taken seriously."

Mr. Williams admits he has little regard for towing companies that criticize his efforts to "clean up" their industry. He told reporters at his news briefing this week that "if the towing industry wants to organize, I welcome their organization. But I've not met with the towing association yet."

Miss Ingraham said MWTA's biggest problem with the mayor's new regulations is that they do not indicate clearly which city agency is responsible for notifying the owner of a vehicle that has been towed.

Currently the D.C. Police are responsible for notifying vehicle owners when their car is impounded.

Vehicle owners who are not notified of the towing often accuse tow companies of delinquency, she said, adding that the regulations need to make it clear that towing companies are not responsible for notification.

"The police should be responsible," Miss Ingraham said. "How can a tow company be expected to get information about where an owner lives or what their phone number is? Only the police can find that out."

She said towing operators are tired of taking the blame when D.C. police officers request that vehicles be towed and leave as soon as the trucks arrive. (Thanks Kevin)

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NEW YORK --United Road Services, Inc. announced today financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2001.

For the quarter ended December 31, 2001, the Company reported revenues of $53.9 million and a net loss of $3.3 million, or $1.55 per diluted share. For the year ended December 31, 2001, revenues were $226.5 million, and the net loss was $13.7 million, or $6.52 per diluted share. Weighted average shares outstanding were 2,096,045 and 2,096,284 for the quarter ended and year ended December 31, 2001, respectively. For the quarter ended December 31, 2000, the Company reported revenue of $57.0 million and a net loss of $8.2 million or $3.90 per diluted share. For the year ended December 31, 2000, revenues were $246.6 million, and the net loss was $158.9 million, or $81.95 per diluted share. Weighted average shares outstanding were 2,091,652 and 1,939,337 for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2000, respectively.

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WISCONSIN -- A probe by the Wisconsin justice department has concluded there was no "criminal intent'' behind towing practices in Superior last year that some have alleged are illegal.

Douglas County District Attorney Dan Blank this week reiterated his original opinion that he will not file any criminal charges in the controversial issue.

"I wouldn't say I'm disappointed,'' said Superior Mayor Sharon Kotter, who made the findings of the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation public Thursday afternoon. "I probably anticipated a different result.''

"I guess we'll just have to live with it. At least I know that the citizens wanted this done. And now everybody understands the new towing ordinance.''

After Blank first decided against criminal charges last May, city officials were bombarded by public pressure. In response, Kotter and the City Council had asked for an independent review from Attorney General James Doyle to clear up the matter.

In early 2001, Superior police investigated the improper towing of vehicles parked in private lots. Although parked illegally, the vehicles hadn't first been ticketed, as state law requires.

After reviewing a 2-month Superior police investigation, Blank and the city attorney's office decided that incidents before Jan. 22 wouldn't be prosecuted. That's when police put tow truck operators on notice that towing without citations is against the law. The towing then subsided.

A second part of the probe was into the alleged harassment of patrons at JT's Bar & Grill, 1506 N. Third St.

Operators of the popular bar frequented by many in the gay community said customers were having their vehicles towed at the request of the man who manages the adjacent property. Those vehicles also hadn't been ticketed first by police.

Tow truck operators had claimed police officers told them no citations were needed. Some officers admitted they weren't aware of the need for citations.

Superior Police Chief J. Mark Diamond eventually supported the attorney general's inquiry, saying the police were innocent of any malfeasance.

"That's not surprising to me,'' he said of the justice department conclusion. "I really questioned the reason for the request for additional investigation in the first place. But there were some serious allegations made that I felt made it necessary to have a review of the case to establish public trust.''

The reason the state's investigation took 10 months was because of Sept. 11, Kotter said.

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FLORIDA -- It won't be an April Fool's prank Monday when you see exit numbers change on Interstate 4.

It's part of a statewide project to make exit numbers on the green and blue signs coincide with mile markers.

Transportation officials say the new numbers will make it easier for drivers to figure out distances and for tow trucks to find people stranded near mile marker signs.

They say it will also reduce numbering confusion when new exits are added between existing ones.

Monday morning, crews will start changing over signs at DeLand exits, starting with what is now Exit 56, or State Road 44. It will become 118 -- the number of miles from where I-4 ends in Tampa.

The I-4 work should take two months.

Construction crews will head from east to west, working their way toward Tampa. But they will jump around somewhat.

For example, changing overhead signs like the ones in Daytona Beach will have to be done at night, when they'll need to close some lanes to get the work done, said Jackie Miller, a state Department of Transportation engineer.

Interstate 75's numbers will also start changing Monday. Interstate 10 has already received new numbers, and Interstate 95 will get them in May.

Transportation officials say so far they've received few complaints.

"We got one or two phone calls saying, 'I'm used to this exit number,' " Miller said.

"We just tell them, you know, you can get used to the other one."

The old exit numbers will remain alongside the new ones for two years.

Kevin Bakewell, a spokesman for the AAA, says that appears to be making things easier for drivers. (Sandra Pedicini - Sentinel Staff)

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TEXAS -- A Pleasant Grove woman was killed Friday morning after she apparently threw herself under the tires of her car as it was being towed for illegal parking.

Dallas police said Barbara Elix, 40, confronted the tow-truck driver as her car was being towed from a Dallas apartment complex for parking in a spot reserved for tenants. Witnesses said she jumped onto the tow truck, and the car as they were moving. As her appeals went unheeded, she apparently tried to physically prevent the tow and threw herself under the car's tires, police said.

Elix was visiting her mother, who lives in the complex in the southeast Dallas section of Pleasant Grove.

Police have not released the name of the tow-truck driver, who was taken to a Dallas hospital complaining of chest pains.

Police say the matter will be referred to a Dallas County grand jury.

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WEST VIRGINIA -- The Monongalia County Sheriff's Department arrested three men Monday on charges of third-degree arson at a towing yard, said Detective D. Smith.

James Luzader and Jeremiah Luzader, both of Granville, and Danny Robertson, of Pursglove, were arrested in the early hours of Monday morning after being seen by Lt. Mark Ralston leaving the lot of Black's Towing on W.Va. 7, where a vehicle was burning.

Ralston stopped the three men and arrested them in connection with the car fire at 1:42 a.m., Smith said.

All three men have been arraigned in Magistrate Court and were being held in the North Central Regional Jail in Doddridge County on Monday.

Smith said the case is still under investigation, but that he believes the three men knew whose car it was.

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WISCONSIN -- One of two Manitowoc County men who took a stolen tow truck on a joy ride and caused extensive property damage will spend 14 months in prison.

Caleb Rusch, 18, told police the ride reminded him of a video game, "Driver," in which the player steals a vehicle, has numerous accidents and is chased by police.

Rusch and the other man, who is scheduled for a jury trial June 19, left a party Oct. 28 after drinking heavily, broke into The Tune Up Shop, 612 N. Water St., and took the keys to the tow truck.

They drove the tow truck through a fence at the Manitowoc Yacht Club, damaged property at Comcast Cable and Maritime Metro Transit and sideswiped several vehicles parked on north side streets.

After being cut by glass from numerous collisions, the two men went to Holy Family Memorial Medical Center, where they told officials they had been attacked by Asian gang members. But police later found the other man's wallet and identification in the abandoned truck at South 18th and Hamilton streets. The truck's blue paint matched paint found on vehicles that were struck.

Rusch will be on extended supervisor for 58 months after the prison sentence. He was also ordered to pay $9,711 restitution to property owners and an insurance company.

A charge of being a party to burglary and 10 counts of party to crime of criminal damage to property against Rusch were dismissed. (Thanks Kelly)

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WASHINGTON -- A new "junk car" ordinance will help rid unincorporated King County of junk vehicles, but may be a nightmare for towing companies forced to remove them.

The County Council voted unanimously Monday to give sheriff's deputies power to impound any vehicle that meets three or more of the following criteria: being parked on private land without the property owner's permission, being parked on a street or other public property for more than 24 hours, being extensively damaged, being inoperable, having a "fair market value of $500 or less," and lacking valid registration or licensing.

While the new ordinance will empower deputies, it fails to address the redemption problem with most junk vehicles. A very low percentage of these so-called "junk cars" are ever picked-up by their owners, which leaves the towing company paying the bill for recovery, storage, processing, and ultimately disposal.

Many years ago, a towing company could sell vehicles for the scrap metal value; not any more. These days, the price of scrap metal has plummeted, and it costs more to prepare and transport the vehicle to the scrap yard then the $15 to $20 you would get for it.

Pierce County, a county notorious for "junk cars", started a telephone hot line last month to handle complaints about junked and abandoned vehicles in its jurisdiction. 

Most counties, including Pierce, are very aware of the redemption problem with "junk cars", and the plight of towing companies which are forced to tow them. Pierce County actually has a clause in their towing contract that promises to boot any company from rotation that turns down a "junk car" tow.

ITOW also attended a Thurston County Commissioners meeting Tuesday in Olympia. Thurston County is also seeking to change the County's legal definition of a "junk car". The proposed new definition was so broad and undefined that it would give the county the right to tow away any disabled car, whether on public or private property, as a "junk car".

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A study conducted by United Kingdom-based Transport Research Laboratory found that driving behavior is impaired more by using a cell phone than by being above legal alcohol limits.

Cell phones and other wireless technologies have become a popular way for tow truck drivers to stay in contact with dispatchers and customers while on the road.

Using simulators, the group that drivers' reaction times were 30% slower when using a hand-held phone compared with being drunk. Specifically, drivers had trouble maintaining a constant speed and keeping a safe distance from the car in front while using the phone.

However, according to recent studies conducted all over the U.S., drivers are much more likely to be distracted by eating or talking to other passengers than a cell phone. 

Direct Line, the insurance company that commissioned the study, said in a release on Friday that even when a hands-free cell phone was used, it still was a major distraction for drivers, who tended to miss more road signs while talking. The study also concluded hand-free cell phone use was also more dangerous than drunken driving.

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The average price of a gallon of diesel climbed three cents to $1.281, up nearly 13 cents over the past month. The price, reported by the Department of Energy for the week ending March 25, is the highest national average for diesel since Nov. 5.

Prices for all petroleum products have been spiraling upward as demand increases and supply dwindles. Supplies are drawing taut because the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries has kept intact production cuts that it made in December. Non-OPEC oil producers like Russia and the Netherlands are also showing resolve by maintaining pledged production cuts.

Even though retail diesel prices have risen dramatically, they are well off the rate of increase set by gasoline, according to the DOE. Retail gasoline prices have risen more than 17 cents in the past three weeks. The government said diesel prices remain lower because of greater supply and lower seasonal demand. Diesel has risen only 9.7 cents over the same period.

Tow operators on the West Coast and in California paid the highest prices for diesel. To check prices in your area, go to www.itow.org/fuel.htm.

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MICHIGAN -- That car on the side of the road may look harmless, but state lawmakers want to give motorists less time to get it off the side of the freeway because the cars are deemed safety hazards.

State Sen. Bill Bullard Jr., R-Highland, has sponsored a bill that enables law enforcement agencies to impound registered vehicles abandoned for 18 hours.

Police policy now is to wait 24 hours.

"Studies consistently show that the longer abandoned vehicles stay on roadsides, the greater the rate of accidents," Rep. Bullard said.

The bill passed in the state Senate and is in the state House of Representatives.

According to statistics by the Southeastern Michigan Council of Governments, 12 fatalities on state roads in 1999 were the result of abandoned vehicles.

Local law enforcement agencies said abandoned cars aren't a big problem on I-75 and US-23, but could become one with more traffic.

Sgt. Al Cardenas of the Monroe post of the state police said when he worked at the Metro South Post in Taylor, abandoned vehicles were a concern.

"People would go to the airport and leave their car on the freeway," Sgt. Cardenas said. "Then they expect it's going to be there when they come back."

The crowded freeways of Wayne County made abandoned vehicles more dangerous, he said.

"It causes a lot of havoc in Detroit. When there's three lanes of traffic, with everyone going 70 mph, if there's quick braking required, the natural reaction is to go to the right or left."

The sergeant said that though they enforce the 24-hour rule, if a motorist calls and informs them that their car is on the side of the freeway, some leeway is given.

If a car is parked too close to traffic or if it's not registered, it's hauled away as soon as police see the vehicle. Motorists also can get tickets for abandoning their vehicles too close to the roadway.

Sgt. David Kottke of the Monroe County Sheriff's Department said deputies tag and have vehicles towed after 24 hours but make exceptions when weather conditions make the abandoned cars more dangerous.

"If the weather is bad and it's snowing, we'll remove vehicles if it hasn't been tagged. We don't want the snow plow drivers having to worry about them," he said.

Sheriff's department officials said abandoned cars on freeways haven't caused many injury accidents recently.

"I don't think it's a problem, certainly no worse than Wayne County," Sgt. Kottke said, "But people have to understand they can't just leave their cars on the side of the road. It does pose a threat." (Thanks Don)

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MICHIGAN -- Fire took the life of, tow truck driver, James Scheffler's 2-year-old son Jacob two weeks ago, but the boy's sister, Julionna, continues to recover in an Ann Arbor hospital.

Julionna, just 10 days old when she and her brother were trapped in a van that caught fire in Maybee, has been upgraded to fair condition and reportedly has been taken off a respirator at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor.

Investigators pinned the cause of the fire to an electrical problem on the passenger side of the engine. Monroe County sheriff's deputies said Friday no criminal charges will be sought in connection with the March 9 fire, although the fire report, like all other reports, will be forwarded to the Monroe County Prosecutors Office.

James and Clara Scheffler of Maybee have been at the side of their infant at the hospital since their van caught on fire in front of an auto parts store on Ostrander Rd.

Mrs. Scheffler had driven the family's Ford Aerostar minivan from their home on Ostrander Rd. to Owen Auto Parts, 12815 Ostrander Rd., where Mr. Scheffler works as a tow truck driver. She got out to tell her husband that their home had lost power and left the children strapped up in child seats in the van.

While she talked to her husband inside the store, a passerby saw white smoke coming from the van. He entered the building and told the family. Everyone rushed outside when they learned the children were in the van. The passerby slid open the door, got the children out of the van and then attempted to resuscitate the kids as the van erupted into flames.

While Julionna started breathing again, Jacob did not.

Julionna, initially listed in critical condition, was upgraded to serious, then fair condition by hospital staff. Born March 1, she's now 22 days old.

Detective Tom Redmond of the sheriff's department said Ford Motor Co. officials said there had been no recall for electrical problems in that part of the engine.

The fire started in the engine compartment, he said, and burned its way through the dashboard panel of the van, below the glove box in the front seat area.

"That's the first fire like that I've ever seen," he said Friday.

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NEW YORK -- Many Capital Region tow truck companies were busy dealing with fender-benders and other accidents during a steady snowfall March 18. But with less than 35 inches of snow this winter, the area would need two more feet of snow to catch up to the seasonal average, according to the National Weather Service in Albany.

A dry, warm winter means cars don't slide on icy roads, batteries don't die, and towing companies and collision repair shops don't service as many customers.

"The towing business is terrible" right now, said Dave Brun of Dave's Towing Specialists in Clifton Park. Towing is only about 10 percent of the company's business, he said. The company also offers specialized trucking services.

Brun said it's not just the weather that is slowing down business. Manufacturers are improving the quality of cars and trucks, and designing them to better deal with the demands of winter driving, he said.

Still, from December 2000 to February 2001 AAA Northway, headquartered in Schenectady, responded to 19,034 emergency road service calls, said Ian Pinkerton, the group's marketing manager. Calls are down 11 percent for the same period this year.

Most winters, very cold weather causes more problems than snow and ice. When the area has a sustained cold snap, a lot of people wake up to cars that won't start, he said.

There is not much that tow company operators can do except wait it out, said Mike Jones, manager of Robert's Towing & Recovery in Delmar. "You go into your war chest and try to pay the bills," he said.

For Robert's Towing, which specializes in heavy equipment towing, the summer months during the construction season are typically busier than the winter.

Fewer tows also mean fewer customers for automotive repair shops. Richard Bowman, president and CEO of Collision Experts Auto Collision Centers Inc., which has locations in Albany, Schenectady and Clifton Park, said sales are down 20 percent from last winter on a same-store basis. But because the company has doubled the size of its Clifton Park shop, overall sales will likely be just about even with last year, he said.

Collision Experts services about 2,000 cars a year, with a average of $2,000 in damage per car, Bowman said. In the winter the company tends to see more accidents with relatively little damage, he said. In the summer, on dry roads, there are fewer accidents but the ones that do happen cause more damage, Bowman said.

Business is also down this winter at Art Taylor's Garage in Albany, said Art Taylor. Battery sales are down 60 percent for the season, he said.

In addition to the unseasonable weather, his business has been feeling the effects of the national recession, Taylor said. People have been reluctant to take on the expense of repair work with the economy still uncertain.

But in the past couple of weeks, consumer confidence appears to be rebounding, Taylor said. Customers are now waiting for income tax refunds, and starting to come in for spring tune-ups.

"It's starting to get crazy again," Taylor said. "I hope." (Robin Wood - The Business Review)

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CALIFORNIA -- A 10-year-old boy suffered a serious head injury yesterday when a tow truck hit him as he rode a bicycle in Southcrest, San Diego police said.

The boy was taken to Children's Hospital. His name was not released.

The boy was pedaling across National Avenue near 37th Street about 5:35 p.m. when he was struck. Police said he came out from behind a school bus that was stopped, and that the tow truck's driver didn't see the boy in time.

Investigators said the tow truck driver was not at fault.

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The torque wars have begun, with the Big 3 vying to offer the most potent powerplants. Each has its "best in class" boasts. Now Ford has upped its ante to counter Chevrolet's 6.6-liter Duramax and 5.9-liter High Output Cummins Turbo Diesel announced for the Dodge Ram Heavy Duty.

Ford has pumped more muscle into the 7.3-liter Power Stroke diesel V-8, which now delivers 525 lb-ft of torque at 1600 rpm on models equipped with an automatic transmission. The engine produces 250 horsepower at 2600 rpm. This is an increase of 20 lb.-ft of torque over last year's Power Stroke engine.

More torque allows a diesel engine to tow heavier loads, while enhancing the vehicle's performance feel. High torque ratings allow drivers to maintain speed without frequent transmission shifting and enable drivers to easily launch heavily loaded trucks from rest. In addition, torque also enables drivers to maintain speed while negotiating steep grades.

In addition to F-Series Super Duty models, the Power Stroke diesel also is available on the Ford Excursion and E-Series van, wagon, cutaway, and stripped chassis models. The engine is built for Ford by International Engine Group, a division of Navistar International Corporation. Ford and International are currently developing the next generation Power Stroke diesel engine. Details will be announced later this year.

Looking beyond the volleying claims, how does the PowerStroke stack up? The Isuzu-sourced Duramax 6600 diesel V-8 used in GM trucks puts out 300 hp at 3100 rpm and 520 lb-ft, leaving the Ford leading the current twist contest. However, the Ram's imminent diesel boasts 305 horsepower at 2900 rpm and 555 lb.-ft. of torque at 1400 rpm.

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Ford Motor Co., whose reputation has been bloodied by the Firestone tire crisis, recalls, launch problems and falling quality rankings, has been hit again.

The automaker Thursday acknowledged it recently was forced to stop shipment of some of its best-selling pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles because of a defective part in their four-wheel-drive systems.

The vehicles affected are the 2002 models of the Explorer, Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, Ranger and most versions of the F-series pickup, said Ford spokeswoman Della DiPietro.

The latest problem involved a defect in the electric motor connected to the transfer case on four-wheel-drive versions of the vehicles. The transfer case directs engine power to the front and rear axles.

"We think we caught most, if not all, of the problem vehicles before they left the plant," said DiPietro. An unspecified number of vehicles are sitting in plants waiting to be repaired, but DiPietro said Ford had corrected the defect on vehicles in production Thursday, so they can be shipped out to dealers.

DiPietro would not say when the problem started or how long it had gone on.

Production at the eight plants that make those vehicles -- such as the Michigan truck plant in Wayne -- was never halted. Ford continued to make the vehicles, but kept them on site while hourly workers made repairs. The Michigan truck plant builds the Expedition and Navigator.

DiPietro would not say what supplier made the part or where it was made. She also wouldn't say how many vehicles were held back.

An auto enthusiasts Web site, BlueOvalNews, first reported on the problem Wednesday morning. The site said about 4,000 four-wheel-drive vehicles were held back, a number DiPetro would not verify. The vehicles are expected to be repaired by the end of March.

Four-wheel drive is by far the most popular version of Ford's sport-utility vehicles and pickup trucks.

Ford's reputation for quality has been under fire since the Firestone tire crisis surfaced in 2000. The automaker's image was further tarnished by launch problems for the Escape, Focus and Explorer and then a last-place ranking in J.D. Power's & Associates initial quality survey in 2001.

Ford also failed to respond to ITOW's repeated requests in November 2001 for information concerning new F-550 trucks which were being delivered to local towing companies missing critical brake parts.

"Ford is under a microscope right now. The bad rap they are getting will go away as soon as these quality problems do," said Jeff Schuster, J.D. Power director of North American forecasting. "It sounds like they handled this one well by correcting the problem before it got out to dealers and to drivers."

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KENTUCKY-- International Truck and Engine Corp. unveiled two new truck models at the 2002 Mid America Trucking Show, a regional Class 8 tractor and Class 7 heavy-duty construction chassis.

International truck group president Steve Keate said the company's 7600 severe service chassis, aimed at waste, construction, and towing fleets, will go into production in August, followed by its 8600 regional day cab tractor in September. Both will be built at Internationals truck plant in Garland, TX.

Keate also unveiled new interior packages for International's 9000I and 5000I Class 8 sleeper tractors. The interior re-design of those two models doubles internal storage capacity, offers wood-grain dash and door panels, and also boost interior lighting fixtures.

Keate added that there are no plans to introduce a sleeper version of Internationals new 8600, as the 9000I remains the company's primary Class 8 sleeper product. He did note that International is aiming to unveil a completely new Class 8 sleeper tractor sometime in 2005.

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Wrecker Fees Anger Trucking Company
Mar 22, 2002

TENNESSEE -- The president of a local trucking company said the $6,669 bill he received from Yates Wrecker Service to remove the scattered wreckage of an 18-wheeler from the site of a multivehicle crash last week on Interstate 75 in Catoosa County, Ga., was excessive.

But Guy Yates, owner of the towing company with offices in Ringgold, Ga., and Chattanooga, said the amount his company charged Brent Bass of B&H Freight Services was fair, and that there is more involved in removing a severely damaged transfer truck from the interstate than backing up a tow truck to it and driving off.

Mr. Bass said he was upset because he had to write a check to Mr. Yates before his damaged vehicle and its cargo were returned.

"In 11 years of business nothing like this ever happened to us before," he said. "When I went to get it, I was told I had to pay to get the trailer."

Mr. Yates said he has charged more for recovering wrecked 18-wheelers. The most expensive recovery was more than that ($6,669)," he said. "It was a loaded propane tanker with more than 9,000 gallons of propane. When it's a hazard, you get more."

Officials said 25 tractor trailers were involved in the Interstate 75 pileup just north of Ringgold on March 14. The northbound lane of the interstate, where 21 of the rigs crashed, was closed to traffic from about 8 a.m. until 1 a.m. the next day, Sheriff Summers said.

Mr. Yates said the expense in recovering a truck is related to the manpower and equipment used, not the distance the truck is towed. The damaged B&H truck was towed less than a mile to the Yates facility just north of Ringgold, he said.

The whole front end of the B&H truck was torn off, and the front axle and springs were all over," he said.

Mr. Yates said he had to bring in another wrecker, called a rollback, to carry away pieces of the truck. He said he is unsure how many trucks his company towed from the site of the largest traffic accident in Georgia history or what it charged other trucking companies for recovery.

Mr. Yates said costs were high at the I-75 recovery site in part because he had 15 employees at the scene for hours doing nothing but waiting, and a dozen wreckers, one with a purchase price of $450,000, that were idle.

"To me, the insurance adjuster who deals with this stuff every day is the authority," Mr. Yates said. "They were more than happy with the charges."

Yates Wrecker wasn't the only towing company used in the recovery. A total of 18 wrecker companies took on the task of hauling away the wrecked vehicles, Sheriff Summers said.

Jim Shuler, a spokesman for the Georgia State Patrol, said there is no price cap in Georgia for towing and recovery. The charge for towing a truck in Atlanta will differ from one towed in Ringgold, he said.

Mr. Shuler said his office has received one complaint from a Chattanooga woman who paid $250 to have her wrecked car removed from the pile-up and towed 15 miles. He said there also was a complaint Monday from a trucker.

"We're encouraging anyone involved in the accident who believes they've been treated unfairly to put it in writing and send it to state patrol headquarters," Mr. Shuler said. "We can't get them their money back, but we can suspend a wrecker service from the rotation."

Rep. Ron Forster, R-Ringgold, said he has received no complaints from truckers or other motorists involved in the accident.

"Government involvement in business, to me, never seems to come out good," Rep. Forster said. "Mostly it should be between the person providing the service and the consumer." (Thanks Brian)

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The GT-300 Geo-Telephone from CSI Wireless combines location-sensing and GPS positioning capability with wireless communication (dual-band TDMA/AMPS) technology.

This allows the delivery of location-specific information, and gives callers the option to be "seen" as well as heard anywhere in North America.

The GT300, available this summer, is aimed at fleet operators and other companies serving mobile personnel. With the GT300, drivers can know and relay location information at any time. When GT300 users activate the phone's real-time tracking feature, dispatchers can monitor and direct mobile assets. And individuals can stay in touch with home or office from almost anywhere.

For more information, visit www.csi-wireless.com.

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WASHINGTON D.C. -- The D.C. inspector general yesterday recommended that Mayor Anthony A. Williams' proposed towing regulations be revised to make towing companies responsible for notifying owners that their vehicles have been towed.

In a six-page letter to the mayor, Inspector General Charles C. Maddox said the new regulations do not indicate who should notify owners of towed vehicles — the towing company, the police officers who request the tow, or the Department of Public Works employees who monitor vehicles after they are towed.

"It is our opinion that since tow companies financially benefit from tows, they should be responsible for notification [of vehicle owners]," Mr. Maddox said in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Times.

The mayor's new towing regulations were published Feb. 15 in the D.C. Register and remained open for public comment until yesterday. Officials in the mayor's office yesterday said they had not yet reviewed Mr. Maddox's recommendations.

Mr. Maddox recommended the regulations be changed to state: "A tow company shall send a notice by certified mail, within five working days after a vehicle was taken into custody, to the last known address of the owners of record ... giving the name and location of the tow company ...

"A tow company shall within 10 days of towing a vehicle publish notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the District once a week for two consecutive weeks [of the car´s whereabouts]."

"In the event that a vehicle owner claims that they were not notified of a tow and subsequently refuses to pay the storage charge, the tow company will have a record of notification," the inspector general said.

Officials with the mayor's office last month said they purposely created the regulations without indicating whose responsibility it would be to notify the owners of towed cars.

The plan was to have that responsibility assigned administratively after the regulations have been approved by the D.C. Council, Mr. Gaull said.

The mayor's office intends to hire a company to develop a computer bank that will automatically contact the owner of a car within hours after it is towed, officials have said. The system would operate out of the Department of Public Works and "ideally" would generate a certified letter to the car owner.

It also would make an automatic e-mail notification to the insurance company that is linked to the car's license plate number and would use a computerized calling system to contact the car owner's home telephone.

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COLORADO -- David Foster, 20, of Alamosa, died at 9:48 a.m., Monday at Memorial Hospital as the result of injuries suffered in an accident March 14.

According to the Colorado State Patrol in Colorado Springs, the accident occurred at 3:15 p.m., when Foster was eastbound on an El Paso County road east of Colorado Springs.

The road passes through rolling hills, and as Foster near the crest of one such hill in his 2002 Toyota Corolla, a westbound tow truck was turning left at a T intersection ahead.

Foster attempted to avoid the accident, braking and skidding for more than 150 feet before impacting between the tow truck and the vehicle it was towing.

Foster was taken to Memorial Hospital, where he was initially reported in critical condition and requiring the aid of a respirator.

The driver of the tow truck, Gary Grafft, Peyton, was initially cited for careless driving resulting in injury. The CSP said that citation will be changed to careless driving resulting in death.

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Speaking to a conference for female entrepreneurs, President Bush said Tuesday that he is seeking billions of dollars in new tax breaks to spur small businesses, the Associated Press reported.

Bush has revived a proposal to allow small businesses to increase the cost of equipment and machinery that can be deducted in one year to $40,000 from $25,000. This tax relief can help many smaller towing companies save money.

He also wants to remove regulatory barriers that could slow growth, encourage greater competition by small businesses seeking government contracts and make the government a greater advocate for small businesses.

In addition, Bush is encouraging small businesses to band together to obtain health care for employees, a move he said would lower business costs, AP said.

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Kenworth Truck Co. is looking to boost sales of its Class 6 and 7 model T-300 trucks because it believes medium-duty demand will grow in 2002.

"For example, we're finding construction companies wanting to move down to a Class 7 vehicle for work in residential areas," he said. "We're also seeing many delivery companies moving to Class 6 and 7 trucks." (Thanks Frank)

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The average price of diesel fuel jumped by more than 3 cents in the past week, to $1.25 per gallon, according to a U.S. Department of Energy report.

The biggest increase for the week ending March 18 occurred in the Rocky Mountain region, where prices increased by 4 cents per gallon. Nearly every other region in the country reported diesel price hikes of 3 cents per gallon or more.

The national average diesel price has increased by more than 11 cents per gallon since its two-year low in January. Falling petroleum inventories are putting pressure on prices, DOE reported. Commercial inventories have now fallen for six straight weeks.

DOE reports that the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries’ December 2001 production cuts are now impacting crude oil imports, and imports could remain low through May. Last week OPEC ministers said they would keep oil production cuts intact, forcing the price of crude oil to stay in the range of $22 to $28 per barrel; it is now around $24 per barrel.

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IOWA -- A new state law requires motorists to drive slower and change lanes when encountering emergency, towing, recovery and highway maintenance vehicles with flashing lights.

Gov. Tom Vilsack on Thursday signed into law House File 2112, which gives tow truck drivers "lane of safety." Motorists violating the requirement would be guilty of a simple misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of $35.

The legislation stems from crashes that peace officers and emergency workers have had over the years.

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WYOMING -- An Elk Mountain towing company owned by the town's fire chief, Steve Bonner, was heavily damaged by fire.

Damage was estimated at $120,000, including $17,000 in inventory and $35,000 to the building at Elk Mountain Towing. The business is 44 miles east of Rawlins off Interstate 80.

A newer building was undamaged. "We weren't quite ready to move into the new one," Bonner said, but it will enable the business to stay open.

Bonner suspects soldering done on water pipes Saturday started the fire and the fire smoldered unnoticed for four days.

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FLORIDA -- The Stern's tow truck lifted the mangled Mazda, onto the bed of the truck -- the same truck that the Mazda ran into just an hour earlier.

According to witnesses, the Mazda was traveling east on State Road 776 in Englewood when it attempted to cross oncoming traffic and pull into Walgreen's Pharmacy parking lot on the corner of S.R. 776 and East Dearborn Street.

The Mazda crossed two lanes of traffic before running into the Stern's tow truck that was traveling west on the shoulder of S.R. 776.

The Mazda was spun around by the large truck, hitting a brown Cadillac, driven by Don Bartlet, whose wife Diane was in the passenger seat.

The bumper fell off the Mazda and flew into a male pedestrian on a bicycle. He was knocked off his bicycle, but suffered only minor scratches to his arm.

"The two on-coming lanes of traffic stopped and let her go," Don said. "But the truck never saw her coming and she didn't see him."

The driver of the Mazda, a 36-year-old woman, was transferred to Englewood Community Hospital, where she was treated for serious but not life threatening injuries. Her name was not released Friday pending notification of next of kin.

The Bartlets refused transportation to the hospital, although Don said he planned to see his own doctor later in the day for back pain.

"I am just so thankful we are all alive," Diane said, standing next to her car, which received moderate front-end damage. "I only broke a fingernail -- thank God."

Florida Highway Patrol Trooper George Yock said charges may be pending following a complete investigation.

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MICHIGAN -- After over an hour of hearing opposition on the way the wrecker service rotation in Oceana County works for non-preference calls, Mason-Oceana 911 Dispatch Director Tom Altland, two law enforcement heads and the county's seven wrecker services agreed to change the current policy.

Altland, who said the dispatch center gets an average of only three to four non-preference calls a month, made it clear that it was up to the wrecker companies to decide what was the best rotation. But, he also made it clear that the dispatch center wanted to see a change.

"We're not the wrecker service's supervisor, we don't have any authority on this at all. If someone asks for non-preference, and the wrecker turns it down they go on to the next wrecker," Altland said. "The biggest problem we've had is deciding who is going where for non-preference, and that's why we went with the whole county. I'm only here as the referee, and whatever you agree on is fine. But, there won't be a solution that fits everybody."

The seven wrecker services worked on one county-wide rotation, no matter how far the wrecker had to drive to do a job.

Both sides agreed that the system was causing unnecessary delays, tying up officers' time, and was bad business among each wrecker service.

"We don't want a county-wide system. By the time we get to the south end of the county, somebody's already there doing the job. I don't know how many times this has happened, when there's been more than one wrecker at a scene," Jay Wilicki of A-1 said. "Your time is lost because of the distance you have to travel to get to that call."

Both Michigan State Police Lt. Dave Roesler and Oceana County Sheriff Ken Prince said their officers didn't like the county-wide system, but both added that it was not the officer's job to recommend a wrecker on non-preference calls.

"One of the problems we have with a county-wide system is if A-1 (near Pentwater) has to go to Hesperia, that's a long time for an officer to wait," Roesler said.

Some of the wrecker employees claimed that officers were showing favoritism toward one service over another.

"If it's a non-preference call, an officer is not supposed to call a wrecker, or recommend one," Prince said. "I think what's happened with the county-wide rotation is a wrecker sometimes gets called from clear across the county, and the officer ends up waiting a long time. I understand you don't like driving clear across the county, but you won't turn the call down, because it's business. I don't think it's working with the county-wide rotation."

Altland said there may be times when an officer has to make a recommendation or call the closest wrecker to a scene.

"For dispatch purposes, calling the closest wrecker won't work because a lot of them are so close to each other," Altland said. "But, there are a couple incidences where an officer can call for the closest wrecker. One, if there is a danger, and two, if there is an investigation going on."

Under the new policy, the dispatch center will work two separate rotations for non-preference calls, dividing the county in two parts, at Baseline Road.

Joe McGhan of McGhan's Towing was indifferent, and would go with any system.

"Personally, I don't see anything wrong with the way it is. I don't like running clear across the county, but there aren't many times when I have too," McGhan said. "I don't see where this is such a bad deal. My feeling is, if you cut the county in half, that's also fine with me."

Towing companies in the northern portion of the county are A-1 Auto, Oceana Auto, Paul's Auto and Tire, and McGhan's Towing. South of Baseline Road are Eagle Towing and Recovery, Strait's 24 Hour Towing, and Neal's Auto.

The splitting of rotations might eliminate sending more than one wrecker to a job.

"If you split the county, you make it more on rotation and you'll have to figure out two more rotations. That seems like a lot of work," Joe Rosse of Paul's Towing said. "I think the rotation we have now works the best, but it's not worth it to me to spend my fuel if I get to a job, and someone's already there. I would like to see a change be made."

Both Chuck and Jim Leonard of Oceana Auto were happy to see a rotation change.

"I think splitting the county at Baseline Road is a fair cut," Chuck Leonard said. "That's a good dividing line. We'll still get as many calls."

"Let's start over right now at this meeting," Jim Leonard said.

In three months, Altland will again meet with the wrecker representatives to review the change. (John Szegda - Herald-Journal)

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TEXAS -- Wrecker drivers around Galveston county expressed concern Monday that the City of La Marque's amended wrecker ordinance might hurt their business.

City officials said the change was an effort to protect the city, residents and the wrecker companies.

The ordinance approved Monday changed the city’s previous guidelines governing wrecker trucks by deleting a portion that mandated wrecker companies have a storage yard inside the city in order to be put on the city’s rotating non-consent tow list.

City Attorney Ellis Ortego said that federal law preempted the city from enforcing that guideline. He said that storage of vehicles fell under federal transportation laws that superceded the city’s ordinance.

“The federal government has a broad definition of transportation,” he said.

The new ordinance does not require wrecker companies to keep storage facilities in the city. That deletion has caused some local companies to worry wrecker services in Houston could now get on the city’s rotation list thereby taking away business from the local community.

“We have to stay competitive,” said James Morris, owner of MCH Auto and Truck Repair.

Morris and Robert McDonald spoke to city council members Monday about the wrecker ordinance and its implications, especially the pricing.

McDonald owns A&E Wrecker Service and said that the city’s guidelines on pricing were a cause of concern. McDonald had been charging $115 for the past two years for a tow until the city made him drop to $60, he said.

He said he was told he would be dropped off of the city’s rotation list if his prices were not lowered.

Morris said that the need to expand fleets and rising insurance costs made it difficult for the wrecker companies to make a profit.
“We’re not out here just raking in the money,” he said.

The city’s ordinance does not set a price for towing. That recommendation would come from a committee appointed by the city council. The city council will have the final say as to how much towing prices would be in the city.

City Manager Carol McLemore said that the city was trying to find a palatable solution to the concerns. She said as a service to residents it would be unfair for them to have their cars towed and have to drive to Houston to pick them up.

She said that the city is going to research a way to contract for non-consent tows with a stipulation that they companies have a storage yard in La Marque. (Alicia Gooden - The Daily News)

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ILLINOIS -- Since 1920, AAA Chicago has been offering Emergency Roadside Service to its members. Now, the signature service is available to members on the Internet at www.aaa.com .

Members who require a tow, extricating/winching, fuel delivery or lockout service can log onto www.aaa.com and fill out a service request form. A service truck will then be dispatched electronically.

As call volumes have increased over the years, AAA has had to utilize cutting edge technology to assure efficient and reliable service. AAA Chicago averages nearly 400,000 ERS calls in a year and nearly 30 million ERS calls are made a year throughout the United States and Canada.

"The service will be especially useful to members who have car problems while at home or at work, and at times when call volumes are extremely high," said Dave Bufka, AAA Chicago's senior vice president of member and automotive services. "Many people don't realize that more than 60 percent of the ERS calls, especially during winter storms, come from members who are in the need of assistance at home or work."

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FLORIDA -- An employee of a Palm Beach County towing company was arrested over the weekend after an unruly customer alleged their family was kept inside the company's fenced impound lot against its will.

Kaitlyn D'Alessandro, 20, was jailed, and her company is threatening to sue the sheriff's office for what seems to be an unwarranted arrest.

According to D'Alessandro, the incident began when a furious customer blamed her company, Kings Wrecker, for slashing his tire.

"There was a picture of the tire flat before we towed it," D'Alessandro said.

D'Alessandro, who is seven months pregnant, said the man acted surprised to see the picture which proved his tire was already flat and later accused her driver of stealing tools from the van.

"He was saying we're thieves and crooks," D'Alessandro said. "The customer threatened to call police, and I said, 'That's fine, you're more than welcome to do that.'"

Several minutes passed before two Palm Beach County sheriff's deputies arrived, but instead of asking D'Alessandro about the tire or tools, she said the driver had made other accusations.

"They asked me if I'm the gatekeeper, and I said, 'I'm the only supervisor here who ran the gate,'" D'Alessandro said.

The customer's wife reportedly told the sheriff's office that her family was not being allowed out of the lot in their car. Authorities then arrested D'Alessandro.

"I finished with the customer," D'Alessandro said. "(The deputy) asked me to come around the corner to where he was, and he said, 'You're under arrest for false imprisonment.'"

No one disputes that the gate was closed, but Kings Wrecker's owner, Jerry Lopez, said no one forced the customer or his family to stay.

"She had plenty of time to leave on two occasions," Lopez said. "The reason why these people never left was to make a theft report. Period. End of story."

Lopez said he is outraged that no deputy took the time to recognize D'Alessandro's condition.

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MICHIGAN -- Monroe police are investigating a van fire that killed a tow truck driver's 2-year-old boy and left his 11-day-old sister clinging to life.

James Scheffler works as a tow truck driver at an auto parts store. His wife, Claira buckled children Jacob and Julionna into a minivan Saturday night after losing power at home, police said. They said that she drove to the auto parts store where her husband worked. 

While she was inside calling the power company, the van caught fire.

Bystanders saw the vehicle on fire and alerted the parents. A witness pulled the children from the van and began performing CPR.

The boy died. His sister was taken to an Ann Arbor hospital where she remains in critical condition.

Fire officials said that the fire appears to have started in the engine of the van, described as an older model. Authorities said that the fire spread quickly.

Witnesses told police that the woman was only in the store for a brief period of time. Investigators said that they believe the fire was accidental.

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MINNESOTA -- State legislature has approved a bill mandating that diesel fuel sold in the state contain a mixture of 2 percent biodiesel. The bill now must be signed by Gov. Jesse Ventura to become law.

Biodiesel is a fuel made from vegetable oils or animal fats. Under the legislation, Minnesota’s diesel fuel would have to meet the 2 percent biodiesel requirement by June 2005; or as soon as the state can produce 8 million gallons of biodiesel annually and a federal tax adjustment somehow lowers the price of the Minnesota biodiesel by 2 cents per gallon.

The Minnesota Trucking Association and a group of business, transportation and consumer interests called the Biodiesel By Choice Coalition have come out against the measure, saying it will have a negative economic impact with little, if any, corresponding environmental benefit.

The 2 percent biodiesel is expected to be 3 cents per gallon more expensive than standard diesel, and would cost Minnesota truckers alone an additional $16.3 million per year, according to a study published on the coalition’s Web site.

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WASHINGTON D.C. -- Police investigated a double shooting that left one person dead at a towing company lot in Northwest D.C.

It happened at the corner of Otis Place, Northwest, a couple of blocks south of the Metro station. That's where police say shortly before 3:30 p.m., the victims were in front of a towing company lot when two suspects came up and opened fire.

One man died at Washington Hospital Center from a bullet to the head. The other man is at Howard University Hospital after being shot in the chest.

There are no immediate details on what led to the shooting, or whether a suspect is in custody. We will bring you more when the details are released.

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According to a new study by J. D. Power and Associates, 30% of consumers in the market to buy a new vehicle indicate that they would definitely consider purchasing hybrid electric vehicle, with another 30% indicating a strong consideration. The study surveyed 5,200 people, the firm noted.

J. D. Power's Hybrid Vehicle Consumer Acceptance Study found the number one reason consumers said they would consider buying a hybrid vehicle is concern over high fuel prices. Other concerns include the high level of U.S. dependency on foreign fuel supplies, a federal tax incentive and concern for the environment.

Though price and costs play a critical role in the acceptance of hybrid vehicle technology, the study shows there is a greater willingness to pay for hybrid vehicles than previously believed. Consumers also expect to pay more for a hybrid than they would for a traditional gasoline-engine vehicle, J. D. Power said.

Consumers also indicate that their appetite for hybrids would increase if the federal government helped offset some of the additional costs. Consumers not only see a federal tax credit as important to their decision to purchase a hybrid, they also expect the credit to be nearly equal to the additional cost for the hybrid option over that of the gasoline-engine version, the study said.

Based on its own forecasts and market data, Agoura Hills, CA-based J.D. Power expects the hybrid market to reach 500,000 vehicles per year shortly 2005.

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FLORIDA -- "Be good little tow operators and you'll get a gold star", That's Palm Beach County's kindergarten-like plan to reign in what they call price-gouging towing companies.

The new gold-star decals will adorn tow trucks from companies who agree to ethical practices, and criminal background checks, and then lay down a cold, hard $500 cash.

The county says it's designed to give consumers confidence in towing operators and an industry troubled by price-gouging and other problems, but  the Gold Star program essentially takes the place of the county's illegal licensing fees, which were eliminated last year after the county was sued for violation of federal law.

Palm Beach County commissioners approved the Gold Star Standard program Tuesday, two weeks after slashing county towing rates claiming they were too high. The rules take effect around April 1.

While tow operators are getting less money, more fees, and a shiny new sticker, Dennis Moore, the county's consumer affairs director says "The consumer's are getting a real break here". He also admits that companies that sign-up for the program will be subject to citations, $500 fines, and even jail time for non compliance. 

The new Gold Star Standard program will recognize towing companies if they pay a fee and meet certain criteria, including conducting criminal background checks on their employees, abiding by ethical business practices and agreeing to mediation in billing disputes.

The county did not elaborate on the billing  mediation, but with such clear billing guidelines having been laid out by the county, it's unclear why mediation would ever be needed. Perhaps, when a consumer, who parked illegally and got their car impounded, complains about the amount they paid to get their car out of impound, the county will order towing companies to lower the bill even further to make the consumer happy.

James Jennings, president of Emerald Towing in Boca Raton, said he supports the Gold Star program because it will help separate the good guys from the bad guys. But Rich Gerweck, owner of East Coast Towing of Boca Raton, said the Gold Star fees are akin to paying for a county contract.

Commissioner Burt Aaronson said, "It's no different than the Good Housekeeping seal of approval." Except, it costs $500, and if you don't sign-up with the program, the county has promised to list your towing company on it's website as a rip-off company.

The county's Moore said an incentive program is the closest thing the county can get to regulating the towing industry.

In 1995, Congress, realizing that tow companies were being overly burdened with regulation, passed a law restricting a county's ability to regulate towing, making it "interstate commerce," just like trucking.

Subsequently, two operators sued Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Palm Beach County settled in 2001, agreeing to regulate only the maximum fees companies can charge for the so-called "nonconsent tows," such as when police call for a tow truck after a collision.

Two weeks ago, commissioners lowered those fees, claiming that they were among the highest in the country. Tuesday, they knocked them down further.

They cut the flat rate for nonconsent tows from $120 to $80. But they allowed towers to charge a storage fee of $20 after six hours rather than after 24 hours.

All together, many citizens will pay about $100 for a tow of a standard size automobile parked illegally on private property and recovered at least six hours later. That compares with $140 for such a tow a month ago.

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NEW YORK -- Niagara Falls Tow truck operators reached an very uneasy, tentative agreement with city officials Monday over a proposed new towing ordinance, which would raise the charges they collect but also impose a new license fee.

In a meeting with city administration representatives, City Council Chairwoman Frances M. Iusi and Councilman Vince V. Anello, the tow truck operators agreed to a license fee of $300 every two years, half of the original proposal, and got a $10 surcharge dropped.

The city administration wanted the towing operators to collect the surcharge on every call and pass it back to the city. The operators said that they didn't want to be the city's collection agency and that handling the surcharge would be too cumbersome for them. Iusi and City Administrator Albert T. Joseph agreed Monday they couldn't find a way to make that work either.

George Satarian of Satarian Towing said the new fee structure is all right, but the operators are less happy about the license fee. "We have no choice. We have to be happy," he said.

Iusi claimed the fees were based on what the operators said were fair. There are 13 operators on the city's preferred towing list.

In 2000' The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, in the case of Tocher vs. Santa Ana, found that additional licensing fees like the $300 that Niagara Falls is attempting to charge are prohibited by federal law. 

Joseph withdrew the ordinance from the Council agenda in January after the operators complained. They said they had negotiated the new charges but had never been consulted about the license fee. Iusi said the tentative agreement would likely go back to the Council for approval Monday.

The ordinance would raise the existing $35 and $40 towing charges to a standard $65 for vehicles up to 10,000 pounds and $85 if a flatbed truck was used. Additional fees for other services also are in the ordinance. The operators said this would be their first increase in 12 years.

The operators currently pay no fee to be on the Police Department rotation list. The new fees apply only to towing incidents in which the police are involved, which amount to about 1,200 a year. A new $50 administrative impound fee is intended to cover police time and paperwork.

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The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is likely to maintain its current production curbs through June, Reuters reported Monday.

Both diesel fuel and gasoline, used in large quantities by the towing industry, track with the price of crude oil.

The cartel will meet Friday and a senior delegate told Reuters that options for the second half of the year would be kept open.

OPEC has sought to keep the price of oil above $20 a barrel by reducing production and by convincing non-OPEC producers to join in the reductions.

The market basket of prices OPEC uses to measure demand, stood at $21.71 on Thursday, Reuters said.

For much of 2001, OPEC sought a price in the $22-28 a barrel range, but now appears willing to settle for the low end of that range, Reuters said.

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The price of crude oil rose more than 3% in international trading Monday as concerns grew that the United States could expand its war on terrorism to include Iraq, Bloomberg reported.

Instability in the Middle East, which could threaten the supply of oil, has caused the price of crude to rise. Crude is refined to produce gasoline and diesel fuel, making its price crucial to the trucking industry.

On the International Petroleum Exchange in London, the price of crude oil rose 72 cents, or 3.1%, to $24.05 a barrel on Monday, Bloomberg said.

Iraq currently supplies 3% of the world’s oil supply, but many of its neighbors are major exporters like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

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The average price of a gallon of diesel fuel rose more than 4 cents to $1.216 – its highest level in four months.

The increase, reported by the Department of Energy for the week ending March 11, was most dramatic out West, where truckers in California and along the West Coast saw price spikes of more than 6 cents.

Rising fuel costs can largely be blamed on falling inventories, the DOE said last week. Commercial petroleum inventories, which include diesel fuel, fell dramatically over the last three weeks, matching the steepest three-week seasonal decline since 1996. Diesel had remained relatively cheap because diesel stocks were at historic levels, but as demand has increased and the amount of oil imported declined, pressure has built on the price.

The DOE said diesel and gasoline prices have been tracking fluctuations in the oil market. The price for a barrel of oil has risen to more than $21. A cold-weather snap in the first week of March coupled with higher gasoline demand have also put pressure on prices, the DOE said.

While tow operators in the West have been hit the hardest by the rise in prices, diesel buyers in every region experienced a swing of 3 cents or higher. Diesel prices are now more than 7 cents higher than their two-year low of $1.14 in January.

To check diesel prices in your area, go to www.itow.org/fuel.htm.

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PENNSYLVANIA -- The Pittsburgh City Council tentatively approved new towing regulations that penalize private property owners, and protect parking scofflaws.

A measure by Councilman Alan Hertzberg will make it much tougher for towing companies to tow vehicles from privately owned lots in the Strip District and elsewhere.

All private parking lot owners who wish to keep illegally parked vehicles off their properties will be required to get towing permits from the city and barricade their lots with chains or fences when they are not in use. Owners who do not barricade their lots and allow illegally parked vehicles to be towed anyway will face $1,000 fines for each vehicle towed.

Tow truck operators will additionally be required to notify police of the make, model and license plate number of each towed vehicle and where it is being taken. Final votes on the measure is set for Tuesday.

ITOW attempted to contact Mr. Hertzberg about his proposal, but he did not respond.

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CONNECTICUT -- A tow-truck driver carted away an illegally parked car with a 2-year-old boy inside Saturday, despite warnings from the child's babysitter, police said.

Police eventually tracked down the vehicle and found the baby inside, unharmed. He was sitting behind the steering wheel, apparently enjoying the excitement, they said.

Waldema Rivera, a tow-truck driver from Cross Country Automotive, was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment. He could not be reached for comment Saturday.

Police would not identify the child, his parents or the babysitter.

The incident occurred about 2 p.m. near 424 Garden St. When Rivera stopped to tow the car, the babysitter - a neighbor of the boy's parents - objected, police said. But Rivera ignored the pleas, and hauled the vehicle away, they added.

The neighbor called the police, who located the car, which was still hooked up to the tow truck. Since the car was not properly secured, Rivera, 30, of 241 New Park Ave., was also charged with towing an unsecured load.

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FLORIDA -- Local lawmakers in Florida cannot stop drivers from using wireless phones under legislation approved Thursday by the state legislature.

The Florida House voted 115-0 to approve legislation "preempting regulation of operator or passenger use of commercial mobile radio services to the state." In effect, the law, which also calls for a distracted-driving study, would prevent any local or city legislatures from passing automotive cell-phone bans.

The House passed a version of the bill that was approved 39-0 by the Florida Senate late last month. The legislation now heads to the desk of Gov. Jeb Bush, R, for approval.

Last year, shortly after Florida's Attorney General issued an opinion that existing state statutes did not prohibit local governments from regulating mobile-phone use, several Florida municipalities introduced distracted driving laws.

Miami-Dade County lawmakers became the first to move on such a proposal, enacting a law banning the use of handheld wireless phones while driving last September.

State lawmakers moved to preempt further local legislative efforts, fearing a "scenario in which a driver lawfully using a cell phone in one jurisdiction might cross into another jurisdiction where the behavior is outlawed," according to a Senate staff analysis of the bill.

Bush hasn't said whether he will sign the bill, but his spokeswoman, Elizabeth Hirst, said the governor supported the idea.

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CALIFORNIA -- A 30-year-old man was attacked with a steering wheel lock when he cut in front of a tow truck driver while waiting to cross the border yesterday, San Diego police said.

The victim was in line to cross into the United States about 10:45 a.m. when he cut in front of the tow truck driver, causing a minor collision, police said.

The driver of the tow truck came at the victim with a steering wheel lock in hand, police said. The victim, struck on the head, was taken to a hospital for treatment of a concussion and cuts to his head. Police later arrested the tow truck driver.

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TEXAS -- A Montgomery County police officer received minor injuries Friday night when he was struck by a tow truck while directing traffic.

Precinct 3 constable's deputy Mike Uber was directing traffic on Rayford Road near Geneva around 7 p.m. while firefighters and paramedics worked to save 20-year-old Justin Marley of Spring from his burning Camaro.

Marley had been driving on Rayford when he apparently lost control of the sports car and left the roadway, overturning in the ditch that runs along the north side of the road. Although the car came to rest upright, it caught fire, and Marley was unable to escape on his own due to an apparent head injury.

With westbound traffic shut down, Uber and other officers were directing eastbound traffic around the accident scene when a Rickey's wrecker pulled into a nearby parking lot, striking Uber.

"He just flat didn't see him," Department of Public Safety Cpl. A.J. Miller said of driver Mark Barnes, 41, of Conroe. Miller, who investigated the auto-pedestrian accident, said he does plan to issue a citation to Barnes, but wouldn't specify until his investigation was complete.

Uber was taken by ambulance to Hermann Memorial Hospital in The Woodlands, where he was treated for an injured knee and abrasions. Marley, meanwhile, was eventually freed from the Camaro and taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston by LifeFlight helicopter.

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MARYLAND -- A 24-year-old tow truck driver from Silver Spring was killed and a man was wounded in a shooting early yesterday after patrons left the Magic Cue, a Beltsville nightclub that was the site of a double homicide a year ago.

Prince George's County police identified the dead man as Marco A. Cedillos. Police spent the day interviewing witnesses to sort out the violence at the club in the Calverton Shopping Center in the 4000 block of Powder Mill Road. "We've got a long road ahead of us," said Cpl. Diane Richardson, a police spokeswoman.

Richardson gave this account of the incidents: About 2:30 a.m., as the Magic Cue was closing, a 22-year-old man was shot several times in the parking lot.

The victim was hospitalized in critical condition, Richardson said. Police would not identify him.

About a half-hour later, Cedillos and three other Silver Spring men who left the club in a green Jeep Cherokee noticed that they were being followed by a Chevrolet Suburban, police said.

As the Jeep approached eastbound Route 50 and Martin Luther King Jr. Highway in Lanham, police said someone in the Chevrolet opened fire. Cedillos, the driver of the Jeep, was hit several times in the upper body, police said, and a 25-year-old man in the back of the Jeep was shot once. The other two passengers were not hurt.

Cedillos died a short time later at an undisclosed hospital. The injured passenger was listed in good condition, according to police.

Cedillos drove a tow truck for a living. He was the father of two children, Sheri Addison, 4, and Marco A. Cedillos Jr., 1, according to Sonya Addison, who said she was his companion and the mother of the children.

Addison described Cedillos as a hard-working man with a good sense of humor; she said she knew of no one who would want to hurt Cedillos.

Police are withholding the identities of the injured men because they are witnesses. The Magic Cue, known for its pool hall, was the focus of a police investigation last year.

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MARYLAND-- Announcing a city campaign to clear Baltimore streets of abandoned vehicles, Mayor Martin O'Malley said yesterday that the city temporarily will tow derelict vehicles for free beginning next week.

After a grace period from Monday through April 5, city officials said, owners of towed cars and trucks will face fines for having their vehicles disposed of. Typical fees range from $160 to $300.

Speaking in the North Baltimore neighborhood of Remington, which is littered with many abandoned vehicles, O'Malley said he has lost patience with an unseemly citywide problem: "Little things can demoralize neighbors, and there are some things only government can do.

"Here's your chance to get rid of that heap. ... It's just that simple," he added. O'Malley emphasized that amnesty from parking and other fines will not be granted.

A tow hot line, 410-361-9600, will be established so city residents may make appointments to have their vehicles picked up. A caller must provide the make, model and location of the vehicle, and show its title to the city tow-truck driver.

The city will impound the cars and auction them or sell them for scrap metal, officials said.

Abandoned cars are defined as unlicensed or unregistered, damaged or deteriorated, ones that are on private property without the owner's consent or vehicles parked in the same place on a public street for more than 48 hours.

In a second phase of what's been dubbed the "Remove Abandoned Vehicles Now" campaign, O'Malley said, the police, public works and housing and community development departments will coordinate more aggressive enforcement of the abandoned vehicle laws. Removing abandoned vehicles from private property could take up to 17 days, officials said, because notices will have to be mailed to property owners.

Retired Army Col. Alfred H. Foxx, director of the city's Office of Transportation, will head the RAVN campaign, which will use seven city tow trucks. Asked how many cars the city intends to tow, he said, "As many as we can get."

Lawrence J. James, 46, a lifelong Remington resident, said he hopes the initiative will improve community morale. "People have been stealing a lot of cars and stripping them down of all the parts, leaving them around here," he said.

After O'Malley boarded a city tow truck to demonstrate a tow, he promised to be available if pressed into service: "I'll go out on every one of these calls." (Jamie Stiehm - Baltimore Sun)

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Researchers using a 16 year study of 500,000 people conducted by the American Cancer Society in 1995 have concluded that long-term exposure to fine particles of air pollution, including diesel exhaust, can increase the risk of death from lung cancer by 12%

The study, by researchers at Brigham Young University, New York University's School of Medicine and the University of Ottawa, examined data from people living in metropolitan locations versus those living in rural areas.

The study found those people in metro areas exposed long-term to emissions from factories, coal-fired power plants and diesel trucks had a 12% higher death rate from lung cancer than those living in rural areas. The study added that such long-term exposure to air pollution is comparable to the cumulative effects of inhaling second-hand cigarette smoke.

Some scientists dispute those findings, however, saying that the data does not account for several variables, including a person's job and eating habits.

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PENNSYLVANIA -- An effort in the state Pennsylvania Senate to ban the use of handheld mobile phones while driving has died after a state report concluded that doing so would not prevent a significant number of accidents.

The report on driver distractions by a bipartisan legislative research group found that 3.5% of crashes reported to police statewide during 1999 and 2000 were at least partially attributed to distractions. Only 0.4% were specifically tied to cell phone use.

"The report does not show a preponderance of evidence to suggest that cell phones are a major cause of accidents," said Chad Davis, chief of staff for Sen. Joe Conti, who had been the lead backer of the bill.

New York is the only state to ban cell phones behind the wheel, though many others are considering it. The prohibition, which went into effect Nov. 1, carries fines of $100 for the first offense, up to $500 for repeated violations.

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NEW JERSEY -- A measure before the New Jersey Senate would require tow trucks to inform motorists in advance of the range of fees they could be charged for service, according to a published report in the Home News Tribune.

According to the Home News Tribune, The bill, sponsored by Sen. Joseph Suliga, D-Union, Middlesex, Somerset, would apply to towing contractors on the the Garden State Parkway, New Jersey Turnpike and Atlantic City Expressway.

The legislation also would require tow trucks to display decals indicating they have valid contracts with the authority that operates the particular toll road.

Towing contractors who fail to provide motorists with their fee schedules up front would face penalties between $300 and $600, under the bill. Multiple offenders would face termination of their contracts.

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WASHINGTON -- Citing motorist concerns over aggressive driving among commercial truck drivers, the Washington State Patrol has added 31 troopers to its Commercial Vehicle Division.

The troopers will patrol the entire state looking for violations among commercial drivers such as speeding, following too closely, aggressive driving and left-lane use on freeways of three or more lanes, and failure to use safety chains. The Commercial Vehicle Division has also increased inspections of hazmat trucks and licenses of hazmat truckers.

Each trooper will have about $25,000 dollars worth of specialized equipment at their disposal, so they may inspect and weigh trucks when necessary. One fundamental piece of equipment they will use is a set of six portable scales, allowing troopers to weigh trucks along the roadside.

To carry all this equipment, each of these troopers will drive a large SUV such as a Ford Expedition or Chevrolet Tahoe. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration purchased 25 of the SUVs through its Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program; FMCSA funded 50 percent of the six additional vehicles.

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MAINE -- A proposal that would allow Portland police to impound vehicles driven by people with suspended or revoked licenses won preliminary approval Wednesday from the City Council's public safety committee.

The ordinance proposed by Police Chief Michael Chitwood is based on a successful California law that is meant to keep repeat drunken drivers and habitual offenders off the road. Advocates hope it will lead to a statewide law in Maine.

The proposal would allow police to impound a vehicle for 30 days if the driver is found to have a suspended license. The law would apply all drivers in Portland, no matter where they live. And it would apply regardless of who owns the vehicle.

Some councilors and the Maine Civil Liberties Union have concerns about the fairness of Chitwood's proposal. Still, the three-member panel agreed to forward it to the full council after hearing heart-rending testimony from family members of victims killed in crashes that involved drivers who had been operating after suspension.

Among them were the family of John Gerry Jr., the 69-year-old Alfred retiree who was killed in a Route 111 car crash on Dec. 31, 2001, when he was driving home from his last day at work.

The driver of the other car, Christopher Lyons, pleaded innocent on Feb. 19 to manslaughter, criminal operating under the influence and operating after license revocation, among other charges. Police say Lyons had twice the legal limit of alcohol in his bloodstream at the time of the crash, a long history motor vehicle and criminal convictions and his driver's license had been suspended 13 times. He is being held in the York County Jail on $100,000 cash bail.

Two weeks ago - and two days after Lyons' arraignment - Gerry's 98-year-old mother, Bertha, died. Family members told councilors Wednesday that she died broken-hearted.

"Never will I forget the look on my grandmother's face when she learned that her son had died," said John Gerry's niece, Darlene Gerry of Portland, her voice wavering with emotion. "There is no more vivid picture of a broken heart."

Chitwood told the council that Portland police handle 700 operating-after-suspension arrests and 600 OUI arrests in the city each year. In California, impounding vehicles of drivers found to be operating after suspension has led to a 63 percent reduction of alcohol-related fatalities, said Beth Poliquin, the police department's attorney.

Poliquin said the proposed ordinance would affect about 60 drivers per year in Portland. If the council adopts the ordinance as proposed, the owner of an impounded car would be granted a hearing at the police department within 24 hours and the right to appeal through City Hall within 48 hours. Owners would have to pay towing and storage fees.

The law wouldn't apply if a car was stolen. Owners would be given the opportunity to prove they didn't know a driver was unlicensed or that impoundment would cause serious financial or personal hardship.

The Maine Civil Liberties Union objects to the law. In a letter to the council, the group questioned the proposal's impact on non-resident owners and co-owners of impounded vehicles.

"The proposal adopts a 'one size fits all' approach, by treating all (operating after suspension) situations and OUI violations the same. . .and by treating all vehicles and their owners the same, regardless of their circumstances."

Councilors Philip "Jack" Dawson and Peter O'Donnell offered overwhelming support for the ordinance after stipulating that the law wouldn't apply to drivers who have had their license suspended for failure to pay child support.

Councilor Jay Hibbard supported most of the proposal, but questioned whether the ordinance should apply to license suspensions that don't have to do with drunken driving or being a habitual offender.

Family members testifying in support of the ordinance asked the committee to more concerned with the rights of victims than the rights of offenders.

"We're talking about criminals who repeatedly break the law," said Michelle Warneke of Saco, whose 26-year-old sister, Stacy, was killed in a crash involving a drunken driver in 1995. (Kelley Bouchard - Press Herald)

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KENTUCKY -- The city of Lexington towed dozens of cars near downtown yesterday as part of a weeklong street-sweeping project, prompting outrage from some residents and at least one Urban County Council member.

Councilman Dick DeCamp was so upset at the large-scale towing that he intervened late yesterday and secured a promise from the city's public works and police departments that no one else would be towed.

City workers will just have to clean around the cars parked on the road, DeCamp said.

The reprieve was little consolation for those who were towed yesterday. Tara Steinbach, who lives on Short Street, said there aren't many places to park nearby and residents didn't get enough notice of the towing. She paid $60 to get her car back.

"My whole neighborhood was just wiped out I'm sure," Steinbach said.

On Monday, the city began a five-day effort to clean streets around Rupp Arena, the downtown area and neighborhoods around the University of Kentucky.

Residents were asked, through signs posted on streets and placed on parked cars, to move vehicles the day before a street would be cleaned. The signs warned that cars not moved would be towed.

Because of the ice and snow, police didn't tow any cars Monday. But about 60 vehicles were towed yesterday, said Lexington police Sgt. Richard Curtis.

Instead of towing vehicles, the police will now use a public address system to ask residents to move cars before a street is swept.

City workers will have to sweep in between the vehicles left on the street, said Jeff Wilson, commissioner of public works. "Street sweeping uses big pieces of equipment," he said. "It's very difficult to do when cars are parked next to the curbs."

DeCamp was upset that the city intended to clean streets around UK while classes were still in session.

"I have recommended time and time again that street cleaning around the university should be done during school breaks," DeCamp said.

The street cleaning was originally scheduled to be done next week during UK's spring break.

But the cleaning effort was moved up a week because of conflicts with next week's Sweet 16 high school basketball tournament at Rupp Arena. Because of the tournament, the police would not have been able to help with the cleaning effort, Wilson said.

Also, public works officials feared that some students would leave for spring break without moving their cars. If vehicles were towed, they "would be in the impoundment lot all week," said Leo McMil-len, director of streets and roads.

The street cleaning is the Division of Streets and Roads' contribution to the 2002 Great American Cleanup, which tries to get neighbors to help clean up the city.

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MASSACHUSETTS -- Motorists who get towed in Boston may soon be on the hook for even more cash as Mayor Thomas M. Menino proposes new fees for cars hauled off to city lots.

Menino's plan, if approved by both the City Council and the state, would raise the towing fee six-fold from its current $12 to $75.

One of several measures Menino proposed yesterday to close the city's $100 million budget gap, the towing plan drew howls from drivers who can basically park illegally anywhere for $12.

"Seventy-five dollars is a big whack if someone parked their car to run in the house for a minute,'' said Max Trager, a Back Bay resident and treasurer of the Alliance of Boston Neighborhoods. ``That's just mean, that's what it is.''

Trager, 81, said he could understand raising, even doubling, the $12 fee which has been fixed since 1968. But Trager called Menino's plan for a $75 tow outrageous.

Every time a car is towed the owner has to pay for the hook-up and storage on top of the fine for whatever parking offense drew the Boston Transportation Department's notice.

A car parked in front of a fire hydrant would be charged $75 for the violation, $75 for the tow truck and $4 an hour - up to $15 a day - for storage. Minimum fine: $154.

Menino called for the massive tow hike in his annual speech to the Boston Municipal Research Bureau.

State law already allows for fees up to $75 for a five-mile tow in other cities, but Boston needs state permission to increase the fee to that maximum amount.

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WASHINGTON D.C. -- Petroleum refiners suing to stop a rule requiring a sharply reduced level of sulfur in diesel fuel warned the U.S. Court of Appeals here Feb. 26 that fuel shortages would result if the Environmental Protection Agency goes ahead with its plan.

Diesel engine makers attacked the plan from another side, saying the EPA’s ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel requirement, slated to take effect in 2006, does not go far enough. They said it would not guarantee their lower-emissions engines, due in 2007, could run cleanly enough to hit the new targets unless the sulfur in the fuel is completely removed by the refiners.

The Court of Appeals – which has authority to block a federal agency action — could issue a decision this spring or by early summer to halt the EPA rule or allow it to go forward.

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Cell phone manufacturer Sony Ericsson said that it would debut a new mobile phone with a color screen, Reuters reported Thursday.

Cell phones and other wireless technologies have become popular amongst towers who use them for dispatching and to contact their customers.

Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications was established in 2001 by telecommunications leader Ericsson and consumer electronics powerhouse Sony Corp. The company is equally owned by Ericsson and Sony.

The company will hold a news conference Tuesday to debut the phone, Reuters reported.

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OPEC's secretary general Ali Rodriguez negotiated with top Russian officials today in a bid to convince the world's second-biggest oil producer to keep exports down so world prices can go up to the target $25 a barrel that OPEC calls a stabilized price.

However, Rodriguez said that the cartel is unlikely to change its oil export limits at a March 15 meeting in Vienna, according to news reports.

Because of dropping oil prices, OPEC nations cut output by 1.5 million barrels a day starting in January. Under heavy OPEC pressure, Russia agreed to cut exports in the first quarter by 150,000 barrels a day, or about 5%.

After meeting with the OPEC delegation Monday, energy minister Igor Yusufov said Russia would work together with OPEC on stabilizing prices, but gave no sign of whether the nation would keep its exports down in the second quarter.

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The dormant diesel average that had hovered around $1.15 nationally for the past seven weeks surged almost two cents last week to $1.173 from $1.154, according to government figures.

The price is now the highest average since Dec. 10. For the week ending March 4, diesel prices rose in nearly every region where the Department of Energy tracks prices. Averages increased the most on the West Coast and in the Midwest.

The price increase may be related to higher oil prices in general. The DOE said last week that U.S. crude oil imports, which averaged above 9 million barrels a day as late as November, have fallen to 8.1 million.

The cut in imports is largely due to lower production in OPEC countries. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries cut oil production in December, and other non-OPEC member countries followed suit. The cuts had little effect on the price of diesel, analysts say, because the supply of diesel was at historic high levels.

Oil traded above $21 a barrel last week, following a government report detailing the cut in oil imports. But that’s well below OPEC’s target price of $25 a barrel – at that price, retail diesel sells for between $1.50 and $2 a gallon, depending on regional supplies. Fuel analysts don’t see prices reaching those levels anytime soon.

The mild North American winter and the slumping economy have kept prices low for the last three months. Any significant increase in diesel prices will probably be preceded by an increase in demand, analysts say.

To check the prices in your area, go to www.itow.org/fuel.htm.

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PENNSYLVANIA -- Motorists better get their driver's license and registration in order, because come June 1, Philadelphia's Mayor Street is taking the Live Stop program citywide.

Live Stop empowers police to impound vehicles of drivers lacking a license and registration.

Street hopes the crackdown on these scofflaws who often don't have car insurance will make the highways safer and maybe even lower insurance costs in the long run.

And the mayor stressed that the program won't degenerate into improper profiling.

"Live Stop is not a random check-and-stop program. It will not single out individuals on the basis of race, economic status or geographic residence," Street said. "It will continue to be a good-faith effort to remove unsafe drivers in vehicles from our streets."

Interim Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson said the city "won't break the law to enforce the law." Officers must have "probable cause. They just can't randomly stop anybody."

When the Rendell administration started a pilot program in four police districts and a handful of major highways back in 1998, the state law had already been on the books for several years.

Faced with political resistance from some city pols who argued that the seizure law would harm the poor, then-Mayor Ed Rendell and Traffic Court officials never resolved administrative concerns such as who would oversee towing operations and storage lots.

Street said his biggest concern was how long a police officer would be out of service waiting for a tow truck to arrive to remove the vehicle.

Then-Police Commissioner John Timoney said the delay could last up to an hour, but Street has now been assured that an officer will be back in service in no more than 20 minutes.

Johnson said if a tow truck hasn't arrived in 20 minutes, the motorist may be left with the car. "If the guy up and drives away, so be it," he said.

If the car is towed away, motorists won't be abandoned in potentially dangerous areas. Police will take the driver to public transportation or a telephone. If children are in the car, the officer will take the driver and minors home.

Towing will be handled by the Philadelphia Parking Authority and the city's private towing contractors.

In the next 90 days, the city will offer motorists an amnesty program regarding the impoundment, though seizures will continue on some major highways.

The city has hired Crawley, Haskins & Rodgers to conduct an education campaign to help motorists understand what they face. Bruce Crawley, the company president, is a political confidant of Street.

The mayor also handed out kudos to other pols who made the program a reality: "First and foremost" Councilman Rick Mariano, who held hearings on the issue, and state Sen. Vincent Fumo, who pressed hard to expand Live Stop from a pilot program to citywide enforcement.

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ILLINOIS -- International Truck and Engine Corporation and Ford Motor Company now offer increased torque in the Power Stroke^® Diesel engine.

The engine, available in Ford’s Super Duty F-Series pickups, Econoline vans and Excursion sport utility vehicles, provides best-in-class, 525 lb.-ft. of torque at just 1,600 rpm on automatic transmission-equipped models. The updated powertrain is rated at 250 horsepower.

The Power Stroke Diesel is the best-selling engine, gas or diesel, in the over 8,500-pound GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) market and has been the last five years. Its proven reliability and towing power suits a variety of business applications, most notably, towing services.

The engine has also proven ideal for towing companies who consider towing power and fuel economy a top priority when choosing a diesel engine.

International has produced more than a million and a half Power Stroke Diesel engines since the engine’s introduction in 1994, primarily due to the power, fuel economy and durability benefits of diesel over gasoline. Since then, 98.9 percent of all Power Stroke Diesel trucks are still on the road; proof the engine is a durable work horse. 

International Truck and Engine Corporation is the operating company of Navistar International Corporation (NYSE: NAV). International Truck and Engine is a leading producer of mid-range diesel engines, medium trucks, school buses, heavy trucks, severe service vehicles, and parts and service sold under the International^® brand.

The company also is a private label designer and manufacturer of diesel engines for the pickup truck, van and SUV markets and through a joint venture with Ford Motor Company, builds medium commercial trucks and sells and services truck and diesel engine parts.

International Truck and Engine has the broadest distribution network in the industry. Financing for customers and dealers is provided through a wholly owned subsidiary of Navistar. Additional information can be found on the company’s Web site at www.InternationalDelivers.com.

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International Truck and Engine Corp. is now offering extended cabs on its International 4200, 4300 and 4400 model trucks and on all its 7000 Series and 8500 tractors.

The International 4200, 4300 and 4400 and International 7000 Series model 26-inch extended cab trucks will add extra space for drivers and passengers, the company said. The models feature additional passenger seating and optional cloth or vinyl rear bench seats. The extensions also have rear cab swing-out windows.

The extended cab version of the 8500 tractor will feature a sleeper with a 26-inch bunk and available storage compartments.

International 4000 and International 7000 Series trucks with extended cabs are designed for vocations such as expedited freight, emergency, fire apparatus, state/local highway maintenance, construction dump, government, utility, and of course towing. The International 7000 Series can also perform as a wrecker and on/off highway tractor.

“These vehicles improve driver productivity, which ultimately results in strong financial performance that strengthens the customer’s bottom line,” said Steve Keate, president of International’s truck group.

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Cummins unveiled a new venture Feb. 28 that will focus on retrofitting existing diesel engines with emissions control devices and developing new clean air solutions for its engines and those of other engine makers.

The venture, Fleetguard Emission Solutions, will tackle tough new emission standards going into effect in October and beyond. The venture will be part of Cummins’ filtration business unit.

Cummins said Fleetguard Emission Solutions technology will enable reciprocating engines to cost-effectively meet or exceed future Environmental Protection Agency standards, in addition to those implemented by governments around the globe. The unit will develop systems for use in both mobile and stationary applications.

Cummins veteran Mike Cross will head the venture as vice president for Fleetguard Emission Solutions. “The worldwide Cummins distribution system provides a unique opportunity to take advantage of currently available retrofit opportunities,'' said Cross. "In addition, we are increasing our investment in product development for the next round of emission regulations. In the long run, our goal is to be the leading supplier of integrated first-fit emission solutions to both internal customers … as well as non-Cummins OEMs.''

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CALIFORNIA -- The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors has approved 12 contracts that will keep the Metro Freeway Service Patrol in operation assisting stranded motorists along various Southland freeways.

MTA's Metro Freeway Service Patrol program consists of 40 different designated freeway segments or "beats" served by 145 tow trucks that patrol over 400 miles of congested freeways during the weekday peak hours and on selected freeway segments during the mid-day and weekends. The program is provided free of charge to those motorists needing assistance.

Eighteen different private contractors perform this service for the Metro Freeway Service Patrol program. The action taken by the MTA Board of Directors approved 12 contracts that were set to expire, at a cost of $15.8 million.

Statistics show that on more than 70 percent of the assists made, the wait time for Metro Freeway Service Patrol service is less than five minutes. Additionally, according to a UC Berkeley study conducted in October 2000, the Metro Freeway Service Patrol has a benefit cost ratio of almost 15 to 1, the highest benefit cost ratio of any of the other 10 Freeway Service Patrol programs in the state.

The Metro Freeway Service Patrol program was started in 1991. To date, it has assisted over 2.6 million motorists. The program is a jointly managed program involving the MTA, CHP and Caltrans. MTA funds the program through local Proposition C sales tax and state highway funds.

The Metro Freeway Service patrol in 2001 provided an average of nearly 30,000 assists per month.

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WASHINGTON -- Spokane police plan would make tow operators collect $50 from car owners pay to cover the city's costs.

A Spokane Police Department proposal to implement a new $50 charge for all vehicles impounded in the city has towing operators riled up because the plan would force them to collect it.

The Police Department could raise about $100,000 per year with the new fee.

“The ordinance is a good ordinance in the fact that it does help the city recoup the costs of all the personnel involved in towing these vehicles," Spokane Police Officer Colin Conway said.

Handling impoundments after traffic stops or when vehicles are abandoned takes officers away from other duties, Conway said.

Tow truck operators don't dispute the merits of the charge itself. It's the potential impact of being required to collect it that concerns the businesses.

Customers are already upset about the charges they have to pay to get their cars back, a group of towing company representatives said on Monday at a meeting with city legal and police representatives.

Before they arrive at the towing company's yard, vehicle owners may have already paid the court fines levied for driving with a suspended license, driving while intoxicated or another infraction.

Then towing companies charge almost $29 for each day an impounded car is stored. Add the towing cost itself and the total bill can easily reach hundreds of dollars, said John Jackson, manager of Inland Towing.

Tacking on another fee is just going to make customers angrier, he said.

“It's almost like collecting the city's parking ticket. It isn't our responsibility," Jackson said. “I wouldn't care if it's $500 a car as long as they collect it."

It's a sentiment shared by Spokane City Councilman Steve Corker, who attended the meeting. “I think they're making a good point. They shouldn't be a collection agent for the city of Spokane," Corker said after the conference.

Spokane charges towing companies $350 a year to be placed on the city's list of businesses to call when an impoundment is necessary.

Under the Washington Administrative Code governing tow truck licensing, towing operators aren't allowed to collect third-party fees. That would include any municipal towing fee, said Chuck Coach, the Washington Department of Licensing manager overseeing towing operators.

Coach said the code could be changed to include such fees, but that it would involve working with all the affected stakeholders, including towing companies and the city of Spokane.

The City Council was scheduled to vote on the proposed towing fee ordinance Monday, but all of the controversy will likely delay any decision until both the City Attorney's Office and the Police Department have time to find a solution that's acceptable to the city and the towing companies.

Several issues raised by the towing companies are already being addressed, Assistant City Attorney Tim Szambelan said. For instance, the $50 fee would not be applied to cars that aren't redeemed by their owners.

Towing operators sometimes tow cars that have been abandoned on Spokane streets to their yards, only to get stuck with them because the vehicles' owners decide it isn't worth it to collect cars that are worth less than the towing and storage fees. Often the towing companies lose money in the process.

“The city gives you garbage," Jackson said.

Whether a police tow call involves an abandoned junker or a Lexus depends on the luck of the draw, but when its name comes up, a towing company on Spokane's approved list must collect the vehicle, no matter what condition it is in.

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WASHINGTON D.C. -- Mayor Anthony A. Williams yesterday said he has little concern for angry tow operators who say newly proposed towing regulations will destroy their businesses.

"To make progress with these things, sometimes a few eggs are broken and waves are created," the mayor said during his weekly news briefing. "There's been a widespread push from citizens across the city to get these new regulations in place and that's what we're trying to do."

Three dozen D.C. tow operators who met privately on Tuesday complained that Mr. Williams' proposed regulations would put too many restrictions on them and not enough on the Metropolitan Police Department or the D.C. Department of Public Works (DPW).

The drivers said they are tired of taking the blame when car owners are not notified that their cars have been towed, a problem they say is largely caused by D.C. police officers who request cars to be towed and then leave as soon as tow-truck drivers arrive.

D.C. law say that police officers are responsible for notifying the owners of impounded cars.

An official in the mayor's office said yesterday the issue of notifying the owners of towed cars has been unnecessarily "ballyhooed" by recent newspaper reports.

"There's way to much emphasis here on notification," said Tony Bullock, a spokesman for Mr. Williams. "Ultimately, it's the owner's responsibility to find out where their car is. ... Ideally, we'll have a central number where car owners can call to get information from the city."

Currently, 57 companies tow cars at the request of city police. A few share impound lots, but there are 40 different private lots to which a car may be towed, said Terrance Ross of R&R Towing and Recovery.

The new regulations call for all vehicles towed at the request of police to be "promptly taken to a storage lot operated by DPW ... . If there is no space at a DPW storage lot, DPW may provide written authorization for towing the vehicle to a private towing-service storage lot."

The mayor vowed to draft the towing regulations in August after a report issued by the office of Inspector General Charles C. Maddox uncovered illegal towing schemes involving corrupt police officers.

The FBI recently concluded a four-year undercover investigation of corruption in the city that resulted in 60 arrests — 29 of which ended in convictions of persons involved in the towing schemes. FBI officials have declined to comment on how many of those convicted were tow-truck drivers or corrupt police officers, even though the inspector general's report outlined the direct involvement of both.

The report noted that some police officers and civilian employees used their positions of authority to further their own companies. For example, one civilian police employee towed cars to a police building during his shift, then used his private tow truck to impound the vehicles after work.

The proposed regulations do not address parts of the inspector general's report that detail police involvement in towing scams and do not clearly identify who is responsible for notifying the owners of towed cars — the towing company, the police or DPW workers.

"It's not spelled out in the regulations exactly who will be doing the notification of the owner because the regulations don't need to get into every gory detail about how a program is going to be implemented. They need to provide a backbone," said Mr. Bullock.

Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey on Monday said that his department is recommending the regulations be amended to give the responsibility of notifying owners to police officers who request the cars be towed.

The regulations — 16 pages of new rules that are open for public comment until March 20 — would set limits on fees that can be charged by towing operators and require all towing companies in the city to become licensed. Additionally, towing companies would be required to have a city-issued control number prior to towing a vehicle so city officials can track the car. (Thanks Greg)

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WEST VIRGINIA -- The City of Bluefield plans to get tough on residents who have neglected to get current licenses and inspection stickers on their vehicles.

Effective March 11, city police officers will start ticketing vehicles parked on city streets that do not bear valid license plates and/or current inspection stickers. After tickets are issued, residents will have five days to correct the situation before the city contacts a wrecker service to tow and impound illegal vehicles.

"As of March 11, we are going to make a concerted effort to get all abandoned vehicles removed from property in the city," City Manager Ron Crabtree said. "We will give them a five-day notice, then we'll have them towed."

Crabtree took an inspection tour of the city last year and was "appalled" about illegal dumps that were active inside city limits. The street and public works departments redoubled their efforts to clean up the illegal dumps, but on a subsequent tour this week, Crabtree said people continue to dump illegally in the city.

"It looks worse than it did last year," Crabtree said. "Abandoned vehicles are everywhere."

Crabtree said his preliminary examination revealed about 200 abandoned vehicles at 58 different residences in the city. Crabtree said the police department will assign an officer to cite the violating vehicles. He said owners of abandoned vehicles can remove them before the March 11 deadline, or retrieve them from Lambert's impoundment lot.

"If they go to Lambert's, they'll have to pay the towing bill as well as any storage charge they might have run up," Crabtree said.

"This sets the tone for our over all effort to clean up the city and improve conditions," Bluefield Mayor R.E. "Bob" Perkinson Jr., said.

Mercer County Surveyor Richard Dillon said during Tuesday's meeting of the city board of directors that he had "dropped the tags" on two pickup trucks that have blown engines. "I'm having a hard time cleaning up," Dillon said.

Perkinson recommended to Dillon that he talk with Crabtree, "Before March 11," he said. (Bill Archer - Daily Telegraph)

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