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Tow company asks New Bedford council to pause enforcement of old parking ordinance, seek permit solution
Summary
Christopher Maderas of South Coast Towing told the Committee on Appointments and Briefings that a decades-old New Bedford ordinance banning tow-truck parking on public ways is causing repeated citations and slowing emergency response. The committee referred his letter to the Ordinance Committee.
Christopher Maderas, owner and CEO of South Coast Towing Incorporated, asked the New Bedford City Council Committee on Appointments and Briefings on May 20 to pause enforcement of a long-standing city ordinance that he said prohibits tow trucks from parking on public ways and is harming emergency response.
Maderas told councilors his company, which provides 24/7 emergency towing in New Bedford, has received repeated citations for street parking while responding to police calls. He said one truck received "3 separate tickets in 3 consecutive nights," and that the ordinance could increase tow response times "from 20 minutes to 60 to 90 minutes." He urged the committee to modify the ordinance and create a permit classification for police-authorized towing companies.
Why it matters: Maderas framed his request as a public-safety issue, saying that delays in tow response can leave roadways partially or fully blocked and force officers to remain on scene. He proposed short-term relief (a pause in enforcement for police-authorized companies), a permit system tied to police authorization and insurance compliance, designated parking areas, and a formal partnership with the New Bedford Police Department to set parking rules for contracted tow operators.
During the meeting Naomi Carney, chair of the Committee on Appointments and Briefings and an at-large city councilor, oversaw a voice vote to place Maderas's letter on file. Councilor Joseph Lopes made the first motion and Councilor Leo Choquette seconded it. The committee then voted to refer Maderas's letter to the Ordinance Committee for further consideration; that referral passed on a voice vote.
Maderas also referenced the Department of Telecommunications and Energy (DTE) as the regulator for involuntary towing and told the committee that the ordinance was implemented "over 20 years ago" and is now "outdated." He described inconsistent enforcement, saying other large vehicles are sometimes parked nearby without citations and that current practice imposes an "unfair burden" on authorized towing providers. He said operators sometimes must warm vehicles or are off-site, making return trips to a central yard impractical during emergencies or hazardous weather.
The committee did not change or adopt any ordinance at the meeting; it referred Maderas's letter and the issue to the Ordinance Committee for review. Maderas explicitly requested that enforcement be paused for police-authorized tow companies while the city considers revisions.
The committee recorded no roll-call vote breakdown; motions passed on voice votes. The clerk read Maderas's letter into the record at the meeting and it will be considered by the Ordinance Committee per the referral.
The committee's next formal action on the matter will depend on the Ordinance Committee's review and any draft changes it sends back to the council.
