(1) Compliance: Each emergency tow company shall comply with all safety provisions, rules and regulations required to be observed by motor carriers by Idaho law, and in addition thereto, shall comply with the requirements of this article.
(2) Equipment: Each tow truck shall be equipped with only those winches and booms that have been produced and constructed by a manufacturer of such equipment that regularly produces winches and tow equipment of guaranteed quality and be used with the size tow truck for the class for which the equipment is designed. All related equipment shall be commensurate with the total rating of booms or other towing devices. A winch or boom will not be prohibited by this article if the owner submits to the Canyon County sheriff a verified statement from a reputable testing laboratory regularly engaged in the testing of such equipment or similar equipment certifying that the capacity of the winch or boom is not less than that mandated for the class for which the equipment will be used. All costs of such testing and certification shall be at the expense of the emergency tow company.
(3) Classes Of Tow Trucks: Commercial tow trucks are divided into the following classes based on the manufacturer's rating:
A. Class A tow truck equipment must have a minimum manufacturer's boom or combined boom rating of four (4) tons and must be mounted on a truck chassis with a minimum manufacturer's rating of ten thousand (10,000) pounds' gross vehicle weight. Class A trucks may only be used for specialty off road tows.
B. Class B tow truck equipment must have a minimum manufacturer's boom or combined boom rating of eight (8) tons and must be mounted on a truck chassis with a minimum manufacturer's rating of eighteen thousand (18,000) pounds' gross vehicle weight.
C. Class C tow truck equipment must have a minimum manufacturer's boom or combined boom rating of sixteen (16) tons and must be mounted on a chassis that has a minimum manufacturer's rating of thirty two thousand (32,000) pounds' gross vehicle weight.
D. Class D tow truck equipment includes manufactured rollbacks and car carriers with manufacturer's gross vehicle ratings of ten thousand (10,000) pounds and over. The rollbacks and car carriers must be mounted on a truck-trailer chassis that, at a minimum, is equal to the minimum gross weight of the rollback or car carrier. Class D also includes any piece of towing equipment without a boom.
E. Class E includes two (2) or more tow trucks working together with a combined manufacturer's rating of a minimum of eighty thousand (80,000) pounds with access to supportive equipment, such as forklifts, banders, and air bags, for the recovery of rollovers and wrecked, disabled, and abandoned vehicles whose cargo requires special handling. Class E refers to tow truck companies and not to tow truck equipment.
(4) Specifications:
A. An operator of any noncommercially manufactured or modified tow truck equipment must have its equipment independently certified before participating in the law enforcement rotation system. Once the equipment is classified, further modifications to the equipment must be recertified.
B. Each tow truck and all of its equipment shall be maintained in a safe and good working order at all times. Tow truck operators on the rotation, must receive all state and nationally recognized operator's certification training required by industry standards within the profession or required by law.
C. Each tow truck shall be permanently painted and lettered with company colors and company names, address, city and telephone number, on both sides of the tow truck, before use for law enforcement towing services. Said company colors shall be provided to the Canyon County sheriff. No magnetic stripping and/or signs may be used.
D. Tow companies wishing to be placed upon the rotation, must provide proof that their equipment meets all applicable safety and statutory standards. The inspection officer, by approving an application for placement on the tow rotation, will rely upon the tow company's representations. Placement on the tow rotation is in no way a warranty or endorsement that the tow company's equipment meets industry or statutory standards.
Canyon County, its employees and inspection officer, while acting within the course and scope of their employment, shall not be liable for any claim as specified under Idaho Code section 6-904B. (Ord. 15-003, 2-27-2015)