(A) License required. No person shall be called by the township or the Township Police Department as a tower for the purpose of removal of disabled, wrecked or abandoned vehicles unless that person is granted a duty tow license by the Township Board of Supervisors.
(B) License application.
(1) Applications for a duty tow license shall be made to the Township Manager or his or her designee, upon a form available from his or her office and shall require the following information:
(a) The name, address, telephone number and email of the business for which the license is sought;
(b) The name, home and business address, telephone number and email addresses of all the owner(s) or, in the case of a corporation, stockholder(s) of the business for which the license is sought, together with a designation of the business organization (e.g., sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation and the like);
(c) A list of tow trucks, vehicle wreckers, car carriers or other vehicles available for service to the township. A description of each vehicle (including the make, model, type, year and vehicle identification number), copies of current registrations, inspections and insurance cards, the name and address of the owner/lessee of each vehicle or piece of equipment and the location where regularly parked or stored shall be included;
(d) A certificate of insurance or other proof acceptable to the township showing that the applicant has obtained a minimum of $1,000,000 automobile liability and garage liability insurance required for the issuance of a duty tow license; and
(e) Photocopy of every employee’s operator license number (OLN) and certificates designated to the operation of tow vehicles.
(2) Applications shall be completed and signed by the owner(s) of the business for which a duty tow license is sought or, in the case of a corporation, the president of the corporation.
(3) Applicants must execute an agreement to indemnify the township for any and all losses or expenses incurred by virtue of any acts performed in the course of service.
(4) Applications for duty tow licenses must be accompanied by a fee in an amount set from time to time by separate resolution of the Township Board of Supervisors.
(5) The application shall be reviewed by the Township Police Department within 60 days of receipt of the completed application and application fee. Incomplete applications shall be promptly returned to the applicant. An incomplete application, if not corrected within the open registration period, will be denied.
(6) Any person or entity interested in becoming a towing contractor shall submit an application to the Township Manager on or before November 15 for consideration and inclusion on the following year’s towing contractor list.
(7) Applicants for duty tow licenses must possess a current and valid salvor’s license from the commonwealth of the state, have a minimum five years’ experience as a tower and carry a minimum of $1,000,000 automobile liability and garage liability insurance.
(8) Applicants must own or lease a storage yard located within the township boundaries from which the required tow vehicles are dispatched and where towed vehicles are stored, in order that the response time to a call for tow service is within 15 minutes and so towed vehicles are stored within the township.
(C) Open registration period of licenses. Applications for duty tow licenses will be available on the township website or through the Township Police Department, and shall be available from October 1 through November 15 annually. All licenses for that calendar year shall be mailed out from the township during or before the third week of January. During the calendar year, a tower may be issued a license if a complete application is provided and approved and the license fee is paid, but such a license is not effective until the following calendar year.
(D) Vehicles required.
(1) The following vehicles shall be owned or leased exclusively by the applicant and immediately available and on call for service on a 24-hour basis at the request of the township or the Township Police Department:
(a) Two light/medium flatbed or two wheel-lift trucks; and
(b) Heavy-duty equipment, including a heavy-duty wrecker.
(2) All of the aforesaid required vehicles shall bear a sign indicating the name and telephone number of the applicant’s towing business and must be made available for inspection by the township.
(Ord. 242, passed 12-9-2020)