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TLC will tie local towing-storage fees to Tennessee Highway Patrol maximum after public hearing
Summary
Following a public hearing, the commission directed staff to change TLC rules so local maximum storage fees mirror Tennessee Highway Patrol maximums; industry representatives asked for a delay to negotiate with THP, but commissioners voted to proceed with language tying the local cap to the THP maximum.
The Metropolitan Transportation Licensing Commission voted to update its rule on towing-storage fees so the local maximum automatically mirrors the maximum fee approved by the Tennessee Highway Patrol for the Nashville district.
Why it matters: storage fees affect vehicle owners and towing operators; a legislative change at the state level required TLC to ensure local rules do not authorize charges higher than state maximums.
At the public hearing, counsel James Weaver said he represents a majority of emergency towing companies and asked the commission either to delay action for 30 days so the industry could consult the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), or to adopt more flexible language referencing the THP maximum. He warned that lots face increased costs for property taxes, insurance and operations and said a sudden $15-per-day reduction could materially affect some operators.
NDOT staff advised that THP had notified Metro that the commission was out of compliance with state law and recommended mirroring the state maximum. Several tower lot operators testified that lowering the local cap would reduce revenue and suggested alternative cost offsets such as raising other fees; one operator asked that TLC consider increasing the lien-order processing fee to offset storage reductions.
After discussion, commissioners voted to direct staff to draft rule language making TLC’s storage fee cap automatically adjust to mirror the THP maximum in the Nashville district, and to publish the current fee and the linkage in the rule language for transparency. The commission asked staff and legal to prepare a precise regulatory amendment for the next meeting.
Next steps: staff will draft the specific rule text, publish the current fee and the new linkage language, and return the amendment for formal adoption at a subsequent meeting. Industry representatives were told they could follow up with THP and Metro Legal on the state maximum and process.
