The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has urged for increased safeguards to shield truckers from exploitative towing charges, which often lead to substantial financial burdens.
In a recent submission to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding the proposed prohibition of unfair fees, USDOT highlighted the detrimental impact of predatory towing on the trucking industry and emphasized the need for corrective measures.
USDOT highlighted several deceptive tactics employed by predatory towing companies, such as concealing fees until after the tow, billing for unnecessary or valueless services, and imposing numerous excessive charges.
“Towing can occur at the request of the trucker after a breakdown, or at the request of law enforcement or a property owner if the vehicle has been parked illegally. In either case, towing causes substantial distress for truckers who are unable to earn a livelihood until they can regain access to their vehicle. Once their vehicle has been towed, truckers are in a very vulnerable position and highly susceptible to predation,” USDOT said in a news release.
USDOT has urged the FTC to implement further regulations targeting the unnecessary and excessive mandatory fees that burden truckers.
Recent news stories have highlighted instances where truckers have had to pay exorbitant amounts, sometimes reaching hundreds or thousands of dollars, to reclaim their booted or towed trucks. If approved, the FTC’s proposed rule on junk fees could provide federal-level protection for truckers against these predatory towing practices.
“When a truck driver’s vehicle is towed, they can’t earn a living until they get it back — leaving them vulnerable to predatory junk fees from towing companies,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “We support FTC’s efforts to stand up for truckers by acting to ban junk fees and prevent predatory towing fees that can cause significant financial harm.”
“Predatory towing negatively impacts consumers, including commercial motor vehicle drivers and trucking companies. It is detrimental to the overall health of the trucking industry, and it’s time to end excessive rates, surcharges and other unfair fees associated with predatory towing,” noted FMCSA Acting Deputy Administrator Sue Lawless.
