Sets maximum rates that may be charged for the towing and subsequent storage of passenger and large vehicles outside of New York city.
Summary
S07717 establishes statewide maximum charges for towing and storage of motor vehicles outside New York City, with separate fee schedules for passenger cars and larger vehicles. For passenger cars, the bill caps towing at $100 plus tolls, limits storage charges to $25 per day for the first three days and $27 per day thereafter, and restricts additional fees for unusual preparation. It also sets a special rate for disabled passenger vehicles towed from arterial roadways and bars extra towing charges when a booted vehicle in a private lot is subsequently towed.
For larger vehicles, the bill creates weight-based towing and storage caps that increase with vehicle size, including higher rates for hoist-and-tow services, additional mileage, under-lift use, and storage. In both sections, the bill prohibits towing companies from charging fees not specifically authorized by law or rule, requires that charges be imposed only by properly licensed and registered tow operators, and authorizes civil penalties of up to $500 per violation. The bill expressly excludes cities with populations of one million or more, which means New York City is not covered.
Impact
The bill would amend the General Business Law by adding new sections governing towing and storage rates for passenger cars and large vehicles, creating enforceable price ceilings and licensing-based restrictions on towing charges. It would also interact with Vehicle and Traffic Law licensing and tow-truck registration requirements by making compliance a condition for charging towing and storage fees. The measure would apply statewide outside New York City and would likely affect towing companies, vehicle owners, insurers, property owners, and operators of private lots and arterial tow services.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill received generally favorable support in the Senate, passing final passage 47-14 after a 20-1 Rules Committee vote. That margin indicates broad agreement with the bill’s consumer-protection goals, particularly its effort to curb excessive towing and storage charges. No committee transcript is available, so the record does not show detailed debate, but the vote pattern suggests the measure was viewed positively overall.
Contention
The main points of contention are likely the bill’s direct price regulation of towing and storage services and its exclusion of New York City, which creates a geographic carve-out for the state’s largest market. Towing operators may object to the fee caps, limits on ancillary charges, and the restriction that only licensed and registered tow providers may collect fees. On the other side, consumer advocates and vehicle owners are likely to support the bill as a response to high or unexpected towing bills, especially in private-lot, booting, accident-scene, and disabled-vehicle towing situations.
Enacts the towing protection enforcement act; updates laws that regulate the towing of vehicles, including adding provisions thereto to prevent predatory towing of vehicles within the City of New York.
Requires motor carriers that operate charter buses to have pre-trip safety briefings on the mandatory use of safety belts by passengers and fines for such violations.
Requires motor carriers that operate charter buses to have pre-trip safety briefings on the mandatory use of safety belts by passengers and fines for such violations.