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Tow operators tell Passenger Vehicle board dispatch, rotation and owner‑request practices are leaving some companies out of calls
Summary
Local tow operators told the Passenger Vehicle and For‑Hire Board Sept. 4 that dispatch and on‑scene owner‑request practices are causing rotation companies to be skipped, and the inspector agreed to request dispatch reports to investigate.
Local tow operators told the Passenger Vehicle and For‑Hire Board on Sept. 4 that dispatch and on‑scene owner‑request practices are causing some rotation companies to be consistently skipped or to have calls canceled after they arrive.
Jamie Parker, who identified herself as a long‑time Chattanooga tow operator, said her company is certified (she described minority/WBE certifications) but is not receiving the number of city or heavy‑duty calls she expects. “They call us and we go out there to get it. … They give it to some other towing company,” Parker said, describing a pattern she wants the board to investigate. Parker said several long‑established local companies are struggling and that new entrants without brick‑and‑mortar operations appear to be taking higher‑paying work.
Board members and the inspector described how calls are dispatched. The inspector and a police officer explained the city uses Hamilton County 911’s computer‑aided dispatch (CAD) system for much of the call rotation. A patrol officer described standard on‑scene practice: officers ask vehicle owners whether they have a preferred tow company; if no preference is given the officer will request a rotation wrecker. When owners call their own tow company after a rotation call has been placed, the original rotation company can be canceled. The officer and inspector said training and supervisory reminders can reduce instances where officers fail to ask owners their preference.
Board participants said the dispatch and officer practices—not the board’s rotation rules—appear to be the immediate cause. The inspector agreed to follow up by requesting dispatch reports from Hamilton County 911 to check which companies received which calls and which calls were canceled. One board member noted the rotation includes 28 companies and that heavy‑duty (class C/recovery) scheduling differs from regular district rotation.
Speakers urged operational fixes rather than regulatory changes. The inspector said he would coordinate with dispatch and police supervisors and attempt to supply the requestor with monthly or weekly reports showing who was dispatched and when. The board did not take formal enforcement action at the meeting; members encouraged staff to investigate and report back.
