Opinion ID: 24822
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The City of San Antonio's Towing Laws

Text: 2 This case involves the tow truck operations of Defendant-Counter Plaintiff-Appellee the City of San Antonio (the City). In 1963, the San Antonio City Council passed Ordinance No. 31977, which prohibited tow trucks from removing disabled vehicles from public streets and ways without being directed to do so by the Chief of Police or his authorized representative. Ordinance No. 31977 was enacted to combat the acknowledged practice of tow truck operators monitoring police radios for reports of accidents and then racing to the scene of those accidents to obtain the business of towing the wrecked vehicles. All parties apparently agree that the lively competition of the rival tow truck operators interfered with accident investigations and the provision of emergency care required at the scene. 1 3 Ordinance No. 31977 was subsequently amended to give the Manager of the Public Works Department the same authority as the Police Chief or his authorized representative and is now codified at § 19-391 in the San Antonio City Code. The current version of § 19-391 provides in relevant part: 4 It shall be unlawful for any person, in the operation of an automobile wrecker on the public streets and ways of the city and not having been directed to do so by the chief of police, the parking manager of the public works department or authorized representatives, knowingly to move, tow, haul or otherwise transport in, on or over the public streets and ways of the city any vehicle which has been abandoned or which has been involved in a collision and is on a public street, way or other public property. 5 San Antonio, Tex. Code ch. 19, art. XI, § 19-391(a) (1986). 6 Since 1977, the City has awarded its towing business to towing companies through an exclusive contract, whereby one company is the City's prime towing contractor for a certain period of time. 2 This contract provides that the designated city towing services company will perform all necessary work for the removal from public streets, ways or other public property in the City of San Antonio, vehicles which have been abandoned, which have been involved in collisions, parking violations, vehicles to be checked for evidence, and vehicles belonging to prisoners. See San Antonio Wrecker Service Contract ¶ II. 7 In 1993, after considering the bids of four towing companies, the City approved a five-year exclusive contract with Intervenor Defendant-Counter Plaintiff-Appellee Texas Towing Corporation (Texas Towing). On April 1, 1993, Texas Towing was awarded the Wrecker Service Contract (the Contract) by way of City Ordinance No. 77716. In 1995, Texas Towing requested an amendment to the Contract, which would grant the City the option to extend the Contract for an additional five years. 3 On August 31, 1995, the City passed Ordinance No. 82744, creating the option to extend the Contract. Pursuant to this option, on May 7, 1998, the Contract was extended for an additional five years (Ordinance No. 87775), without invitation to the towing industry to bid for the Contract. The City enforces this exclusive right, granted to the contractor, against any other towing company that attempts to contract with the operator of a disabled vehicle at the scene.