As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
BASIC TOWING SERVICE
The removal and transportation of an automobile from a highway,
street or other public or private road or a parking area or from a
storage facility and other services normally incidental thereto, but
does not include recovery of an automobile from a position beyond
the right-of-way or berm or from being impaled upon any other object
within the right-of-way or berm.
MOTOR VEHICLE
Includes all vehicles propelled otherwise than by muscular
power, except such vehicles as run only upon rails or tracts or motorized
bicycles.
TOW OPERATOR
A person engaged in the business of towing and storing motor
vehicles or offering the services of a tow vehicle or tow truck and
storage services.
TOW VEHICLE or TOW TRUCK
Those vehicles equipped with a boom or booms, winches, slings,
tilt beds, wheel lifts or under-reach equipment specifically designed
by their manufacturer for the removal or transport of motor vehicles,
including flatbed vehicles, employed for the purpose of towing, transporting,
conveying and/or removing motor vehicles which are unable to be operated
under their own power from one place to another for which a charge
or fee is extracted.
No person shall engage in the business of towing or storing
motor vehicles at the direction of the Borough of Riverton Police
Department without first obtaining a tow operator's license therefor.
Nothing herein shall require licensing for the rendering of road service
or for the provision of towing and storage services within the Borough
other than at the request of the Borough Police Department.
Any person aggrieved by the action of the Borough Police Department
or the Borough Clerk in the denial of an application for a license
or in revocation thereof or in the suspension from the Borough's
on-call towing list may appeal to the Borough Council Public Safety
Committee by filing with the Municipal Clerk, within 14 days after
notice of the action complained of has been mailed to such person's
last known address, a written request for a hearing, setting forth
fully the grounds for the appeal. The Clerk will set a time and place
for a hearing on such appeal, and notice shall be served on or mailed
to the applicant or licensee at least five days prior to the hearing.
The Public Safety Committee will forward its recommendation to Borough
Council, who will make the final decision.
The Borough Police Department shall promulgate such rules, regulations
and procedures, not inconsistent with this chapter, as may be reasonable
and necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter. Copies
thereof shall be provided to all licensed tow operators and shall
be made available to the public, along with copies of current fee
schedules, during normal business hours. Failure to comply with applicable
rules, regulations and procedures may be cause for revocation of a
tow operator's license.
The Borough Police Department is hereby designated to enforce
the provisions of this chapter and any applicable rules and regulations.