[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council
of the Borough of Morrisville 2-20-1996 by Ord. No. 879. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
Under the authority granted the Borough pursuant
to 53 P.S. § 46202(51), this chapter is enacted to standardize
qualifications, requirements, regulations, procedures and provide
for maximum fees for approved towing service operators in the Borough
of Morrisville.
A.
The principal business office of a towing service
must be located in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, within a five-mile
radius of the Morrisville Borough Municipal Building.
[Amended 12-19-2016 by Ord. No. 1013]
B.
Twenty-four-hour service must be provided and maintained.
C.
The service must provide ample storage space for vehicles
towed. All vehicles towed can only be stored on the property of the
approved towing service. Vehicles must not be placed on the streets
of Morrisville Borough.
D.
The service must provide a fenced in area where vehicles
impounded by the Police Department may be secured.
E.
The service must have at least three tow trucks with
winches able to handle commercial and pleasure vehicles. The requirements
are:
F.
The service must respond to the scene of an accident
within 15 minutes of receiving a call for service. Failure to respond
within 15 minutes will result in the next towing service on the list
being called to perform the service. No fee or charges will be assessed
to any party by a tow service operator whose services are not utilized
due to the failure of the towing service to respond within the aforementioned
time limitations.
G.
The service shall charge no more than the maximum
towing and storage fees set by the Borough of Morrisville.
H.
The service must provide proof of liability insurance
in an amount of at least $500,000 per occurrence. A certificate of
insurance must be submitted to the Borough Manager and same must be
kept current. Insurance coverage may not be canceled or permitted
to lapse. The towing service provider must provide immediate notice
to the Borough if there is any change in carrier or policy limits
along with proof of insurance.
I.
The towing service shall be responsible for the vehicle
contents and the condition for all vehicles stored on private property
by the towing service. The towing service shall hold the Borough harmless,
defend and indemnify the Borough for any and all claims, demands or
causes of action arising out of any personal injury or any property
damage that occurs as a result of vehicles being towed or stored on
private property by the towing service.
A.
A schedule of designated towing services will be prepared
by the Chief of Police and a copy of the schedule will be distributed
to towing services and police dispatchers.
B.
Towing vehicles must have approved equipment with
which to tow vehicles from the area as quickly and safely as possible.
C.
The towing services shall respond to all calls received
as quickly and safely as possible.
D.
The towing services shall be responsible for the protection
of vehicles when being towed from further damage and shall be responsible
for the safe storage of any vehicle towed.
E.
It shall be the responsibility of the towing services to remove all glass and debris from the tow-away area (where motor vehicle collision is involved) for which the towing service may charge additional fees over and above the maximum established under § 412-6.
[Amended 12-15-2008 by Ord. No. 974]
F.
An accurate record shall be kept by the towing service
that shall contain the following information:
G.
These rules, regulations and procedures may be changed
from time to time as may be deemed necessary by the Borough Council.
H.
Any towing service which violates this chapter and/or
schedule of fees for towing or storage shall be subject to removal
of its name from the list of designated towing services.
The Borough Council may authorize the Chief
of Police to approve and establish a list of designated towing service
providers for the Borough of Morrisville.
[Amended 12-15-2008 by Ord. No. 974; 1-20-2015 by Res. No. 946]
A maximum towing fee is established at $100/per vehicle with two or more wheels on the highway; a tow with use of a flatbed/dolly is $15 additional. The fee for large trucks, tractors, trailers or other oversized vehicles is that approved by the insurance company of the vehicle owner, but, if none, then as agreed between the service provider and the vehicle owner. Further, as referenced in § 412-3E, the towing service may charge $45 in additional fees over and above the maximum established in this section for cleanup of the tow-away area. This fee schedule may be amended from time to time at the discretion of the Council of the Borough of Morrisville, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, by resolution.
[Amended 12-15-2008 by Ord. No. 974; 1-20-2015 by Res. No. 946]
Storage fees shall commence 24 hours after the
tow and shall continue to accrue for each twenty-four-hour period
thereafter at a rate of $60/per twenty-four-hour period. This section
of the chapter for storage fees may be amended from time to time at
the discretion of the Council of the Borough of Morrisville, Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, by resolution.
