[G.O. No. 1576, § I]
The purpose of this chapter is to provide standards, regulations
and rates for police requested and non-preference vehicle towing and
storage services. The said services shall be provided under the supervision
of the Police Department of the Town of Westfield.
[G.O. No. 1576, § I; G.O. No. 1818, § II]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated.
(a) AUTHORIZED TOWING OPERATOR — A towing operator who has applied
to the Chief of Police and is authorized to do police required towing
for the Westfield Police Department.
(b) AUTOMOBILE/VEHICLE — A passenger or station wagon type automobile
owned or hired, and a motor vehicle with a pickup body, or delivery
sedan, a van, or a panel truck or a camper type vehicle used for recreational
purposes owned or hired.
(c) 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 any other services
normally incident 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. Basic towing
service shall include vehicles involved in a motor vehicle accident,
recovered stolen vehicles, impounded vehicles, abandoned vehicles,
disabled vehicles and any other vehicle the police request be towed.
(d) CRUISING — The operation of an unengaged tow truck along the
public streets in any fashion intended likely or calculated to solicit
business.
(e) DAY RATE — Hours from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
(f) INSIDE BUILDING — A vehicle storage facility that is completely
indoors, having one or more openings in the walls for storage and
removal of vehicles that is secured by a locking device on each opening.
(g) LABOR — The 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. Unreasonable delays at the scene
(waiting time) caused by the owner, driver or police shall also be
considered labor.
(h) MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT — An occurrence in which an automobile
comes in contact with any other object for which the automobile must
be towed or removed for placement in a storage facility. This includes
all situations which are accidental as to the owner or operator even
if they were caused by the intentional acts of a perpetrator such
as vandalism or fire.
(i) OUTSIDE SECURED — An automobile storage facility that is not
indoors and is secured by a fence, wall or other man-made barrier
that is at least six feet high and is equipped with a passive alarm
system or a similar on-site security measure. The facility is to be
lighted at night.
(j) OUTSIDE UNSECURED — An automobile storage facility that is
not indoors and is not secured by a fence, wall or other manmade barrier,
and all other storage facilities not defined above as "inside building"
or "outside secured".
(k) OWNER — A person, firm, corporation or other entity who owns,
leases and/or operates, parks or abandons a vehicle on the roads and
highways within the Town of Westfield, which vehicle by reason of
being disabled or being unlawfully upon said roads requires towing
services.
(l) STORAGE CHARGE — The maximum allowable amount to be charged
by a storage facility for a twenty-four-hour period or fraction thereof.
A new twenty-four-hour period begins at 12:01 a.m. Storage charges
shall commence 24 hours after the vehicle was towed.
(m) TOWING OPERATOR — A person, firm, corporation or other entity
engaged in the business of providing tow truck services and storage
services for vehicles towed, which services are made available to
the general public.
(n) TOW VEHICLE (TOW TRUCK) — Those vehicles equipped with a boom
or booms, winches, slings, tilt beds, wheel lifts or underreach equipment
specifically designed by its manufacturer for the removal or transport
of automobiles.
(o) TOW VEHICLES BASE OF SERVICE — Towing operator's principal
place of business where the tow vehicle is stationed when not in use.
(p) Authorized Tow Operators must accept all forms of payment including
credit cards, checks and any other legal form of payment.
(q) Upon the request of the Chief of Police or his designee, Authorized
Tow Operators shall produce copies of towing invoices for any and/or
all Authorized Police Tows.
[G.O. No. 1576, § I]
In order to assure provision of safe and efficient towing service
which shall constitute licensing by the Westfield Police Department,
all qualified operators pursuant to this Chapter, with the approval
of the Chief of Police, shall be allowed to tow for the Westfield
Police Department as follows:
(a) Each towing operator shall be placed on a rotational list as complied
by the Chief of Police of the Town of Westfield. Such towing operators
shall be called upon to respond to the needs of the Police Department
of the Town of Westfield on a daily rotational basis, except as provided
herein.
[G.O. No. 1576, § I]
The Chief of Police shall have the right to suspend any towing
operator authorized to do police towing under this chapter for good
cause upon written complaint of the Administrative Captain of the
Town of Westfield Police Department following his determination that
there is probable cause for suspension based upon violation of this
chapter. Written notice of such complaint and the basis of the complaint
shall be given to the towing operator, and said towing operator shall
be entitled to a hearing before the Chief of Police decides there
shall have been violations he may then suspend said towing operator.
In addition to any suspensions, if a violation of N.J.A.C. 11:3-38
et seq. has occurred, the Westfield Police Department will notify
the New Jersey Department of Insurance of Violation.
[G.O. No. 1576, § I; G.O. No. 1706, § I;
G.O. No. 1818, § I; 5-10-2022 by G.O. No. 2022-13]
The rates charged for basic towing services, storage and labor
shall be in accordance with the schedule established herein and shall
be kept on file in the Police Department and shall be available for
inspection by the public.
Towing:
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Class I vehicles, passenger and commercial up to 6,999 lbs.
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Weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. using a conventional wrecker
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$100
|
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Weekends and holidays 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. using a conventional
wrecker
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$110
|
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Flatbed truck, all hours
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$125
|
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No mileage charge for Class I or II vehicles if the vehicle
is towed to a location within the Town of Westfield or back to the
duty tow's yard, regardless of location
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|
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Vehicles towed to locations other than above
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$6 per mile or fraction thereof from pickup point
|
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Fees for towing Police Department vehicles shall not exceed
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$50
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Commercial vehicles Class II, 7,000 to 14,999 lbs.
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$200
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Commercial vehicles Class III, 15,000 lbs. and up
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$350 per hour
$450 with trailer
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Trucks and trailers
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No mileage charge
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Vehicle classification will be determined by the registered
gross weight
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Road Service Charge: (All hours)
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Out of fuel (plus charge for fuel)
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$75
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Battery jump
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$75
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Changing of flat tire
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$75
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Separation charge
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$75
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Drop drive shaft
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$75
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Release air brake
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$75
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Storage: (Commencing 24 hours after the vehicle was towed)
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Class I vehicles per day
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$45
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Class II vehicles per day
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$50
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Class III vehicles per day
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$100
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Inside storage
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Add $10 per day
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Miscellaneous:
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Waiting time at scene (per minute) commencing 15 minutes after
arrival on scene
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$1
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Winching service, up to 50 feet
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$75
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In excess of 50 feet (per foot)
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$2.50
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Rollover charges (to bring a vehicle back onto its wheels)
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$100
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Administration fees for "paper work" or "yard charges" relating
to the retrieval of a motor vehicle in storage are prohibited
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—
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No towing operators shall charge an additional fee when a towed
vehicle is being picked up by an owner/driver or other tow operator
or for services such as moving motor vehicles to get to the vehicle
in question, towing from the operators property to the street and
other such towing operations.
|
[G.O. No. 1576, § I]
These requirements shall not apply to the towing of heavy vehicles
which require special equipment. The police shall use the tow service
of those operators who have the equipment to handle a heavy tow when
there is a requirement for such tow.