Bill to curb roadside towing solicitation and enforce rotation system draws proponent testimony

The House Transportation Committee on Friday took testimony on Senate Bill 455, sponsored by Sen. Barry Usher, a measure that would prohibit roadside solicitation by tow companies, add penalties for violations, and strengthen enforcement of Montana’s existing tow-rotation system.

Senator Barry Usher told the committee the bill responds to a rise in predatory towing and “wreck chasing,” where tow companies monitor dispatches or radio traffic and arrive at scenes without being the dispatched rotation company. “This is happening on both rotation and commercial tow calls, and it puts an undue burden on the responding tow companies,” Usher said. He described physical confrontations and cases where vehicles were taken before the dispatched company arrived.

Multiple proponents from the towing industry and small…