Contact: Colleen Roche or Dwight Williams (212) 788-2958
The final bill before me this afternoon, Introductory Number 729-A, sponsored by Speaker Vallone, Council Members Koslowitz, Leffler, Clarke, Malave-Dilan, Eisland, Lasher, Pagan, Dear, Abel, Eristoff and Stabile, amends the Administrative Code of the City of New York, in relation to the acceptance of major credit cards for the payment of towing charges in cases of compulsory towing.
This legislation requires the Commissioner of Finance, in conjunction with any other City agency, to enter into at least one agreement with a financing company to provide acceptance of a major credit card at the City's tow facilities as an alternate means of payment of fines, civil penalties, charges and fees incurred due to parking violations, or the standing, stopping or trespassing of a motor vehicle.
This requirement has major benefits for an owner of a vehicle that has been towed. The use and acceptance of credit cards by towing facilities will make the retrieval of the vehicle by an owner quicker, safer, and less burdensome. By offering the option of paying for the towing fees by credit card, vehicle owners are afforded the safety of not having to carry large sums of cash to the City towing facilities. It will also alleviate the need to search for cash in order to retrieve the vehicles, thereby saving time and possible additional fees that must be charged for additional days of storage.
Secondly, the bill requires any private tow companies that participate in City towing programs such as the Directed or Accident Response Programs, the Rotation Tow Program, or the Highway Towing Program, to accept at least two major credit cards as an alternative means of payment. Additionally, the bill requires towing companies to inform the administering agencies as to which cards they accept as well as display decals identifying the credit cards accepted on all tow trucks so consumers are aware of the alternative types of payments that can be made upon their agreeing to the terms of the towing process.
Once again the vehicle owners are provided with increased benefits, especially those who are in desperate need of a tow as a result of an accident or breakdown. It provides the vehicle owner with the ability to pay at once for the towing service, and eliminates the time consuming effort of locating cash to pay the fees and eliminates the risk of losing the opportunity to utilize the towing service for lack of ability to make immediate payment.
To ensure that the intent of this legislation is carried out, any private tow company that refuses to accept at least two major credit cards shall be subject to a fine and if they are found to be in further violation, they risk being removed from participation in any such City towing program.
I will first turn to the bill's sponsors and then to any other elected official wishing to be heard.
There being no one else to be heard, and for the reasons stated previously, I will now sign this bill.