Province seeks more regulation of tow truck industry
Posted April 15, 2014 8:50 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The government of Ontario wants more stringent regulation of the tow truck industry, introducing legislation Tuesday that would allow the province to better track operators.
Consumer Services Minister Tracy MacCharles said having tow trucks registered with the Ministry of Transportation is the “first step” in bolstering “consumer protection.”
Under the proposed legislation, tow truck operators would have to seek permission from a consumer or someone acting on behalf of the consumer before charging for towing and storage services.
Operators would also have to publicly post prices, along with the operator’s name and contact information, and accept credit card payments from consumers.
In a release, the Ministry of Consumer Services said having operators registered would “contribute to lower costs in Ontario’s auto insurance system.”
According to the Ministry, there are around 1,200 tow truck operators and 3,000 tow truck drivers in Ontario.
