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(a) A licensee or wrecker driver commits an offense if he fails to notify and provide all of the following information to the police department or an approved vehicle storage facility within two hours after removing a vehicle from a police scene with an emergency wrecker:
(1) The location from which the vehicle was removed and the date and time of removal.
(2) The reason for removal of the vehicle.
(3) A physical description of the removed vehicle, including the year, make, model, color, state license plate number, and vehicle identification number of the vehicle.
(4) The trade name of the emergency wrecker service.
(5) The name, address, and telephone number of the vehicle storage facility or other location to which the vehicle was taken.
(6) The fee paid to the licensee or wrecker driver for removal of the vehicle and a copy of the receipt given to the owner or operator of the towed vehicle, which receipt must be signed by, and list the telephone number of, the vehicle's owner or operator.
(7) The dispatch number assigned by the chief of police to authorize the removal of the vehicle.
(b) A licensee or wrecker driver shall obtain from the chief of police impounded vehicle receipt forms on which to record the information required in Subsection (a) and any other information determined necessary by the director or the chief of police. A licensee or wrecker driver shall complete a separate impounded vehicle receipt for each vehicle removed by the licensee or wrecker driver under this article. The licensee or wrecker driver shall return copies of all completed impounded vehicle receipts to the police department in a manner and on a schedule required by the chief of police. This subsection does not apply if a licensee or wrecker driver has provided the required information to the police department or an approved vehicle storage facility through an electronic database. (Ord. Nos. 24661; 27487; 32265)
Nothing in this article prevents the chief of police from dispatching a city-owned wrecker to a police scene to render emergency wrecker service in lieu of dispatching an emergency wrecker from the wrecker list or the rapid response list. (Ord. Nos. 13977; 14685; 24661; 27487; 32265)
(a) The following fees are authorized for providing emergency wrecker service to vehicles (except for vehicles owned by the city):
(1) $150 for towage of a vehicle with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of not more than 10,000 pounds, plus a fee of $73 for each hour over two hours that is required to complete the tow, with partial hours paid in quarter hour increments.
(2) $300 for towage of a vehicle with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds but not more than 26,000 pounds, plus a fee of $109 for each hour over two hours that is required to complete the tow, with partial hours paid in quarter hour increments.
(3) $550 for towage of a vehicle with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of more than 26,000 pounds, plus a fee of $182 for each hour over two hours that is required to complete the tow, with partial hours paid in quarter hour increments.
(4) $73 for any service a wrecker operator or driver performs that renders a vehicle operable, including, but not limited to, removing or straightening a bumper or fender, or another similar service.
(5) When dispatched by the chief of police to a location more than 100 yards outside the corporate limits of the city to tow a vehicle from the dispatched location to a location inside the corporate limits of the city, $4 for each loaded one-way mile that the wrecker travels, measured from the dispatched location to the nearest point of the corporate limits of the city using the most direct and expeditious route.
(6) When dispatched by the chief of police to a location inside the corporate limits of the city to tow a vehicle to a location more than 100 yards outside the corporate limits of the city, $4 for each loaded one-way mile that the wrecker travels, measured from the nearest point of the corporate limits of the city to the vehicle delivery location using the most direct and expeditious route.
(7) No additional fee may be charged for linkage of a vehicle prior to a tow or for the use of towing dollies, go-jacks, winching, or air bags.
(b) The charges allowed in Subsections (a)(1), (2), and (3) are calculated from the time a wrecker is dispatched by the chief of police to the time the vehicle to be towed is delivered to a location designated by the chief of police.
(c) A licensee or permittee commits an offense if he, either personally or through an employee or agent:
(1) charges more than the maximum towage fee allowed by this section for the particular vehicle towed;
(2) charges any fee in addition to those lawfully charged under this section; or
(3) requests payment of a fee for emergency wrecker service from a person or in a manner not authorized by this article or rules and regulations established by the director or the chief of police pursuant to this article. (Ord. Nos. 13977; 14685; 15612; 16403; 17673; 18566; 21175; 21311; 24661; 27487; 30993; 32362)
(a) An applicant or licensee shall submit each wrecker to be used in the emergency wrecker service for inspection in a manner determined by the director. Each wrecker must:
(1) if used for towing a vehicle with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating of not more than 10,000 pounds, meet the requirements for a light duty wrecker or a tilt bed/roll back carrier;
(2) if used for towing a vehicle with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds but not more than 26,000 pounds, meet the requirements for a medium duty wrecker;
(3) if used for towing a vehicle with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating of more than 26,000 pounds, meet the requirements for a heavy duty wrecker or a lowboy unit;
(4) carry, as standard equipment, a tow bar, towing dollies, safety chains, a fire extinguisher, a wrecking bar, a broom, a shovel, at least six flares or three reflective triangles, absorbent material for oil or fuel leakages, and a container to carry debris, except that:
(A) towing dollies are not required on medium duty or heavy duty wreckers; and
(B) towing dollies and tow bars are not required on tilt bed/roll back carriers or lowboy units;
(5) be maintained in a safe and good working condition, contain equipment that is maintained in a safe and good working condition, and comply with all minimum safety and equipment standards required for a wrecker by city ordinance or state or federal law;
(6) have permanently affixed to each side of the front doors of the wrecker legible letters and numbers, at least two inches high, in a color that contrasts with the front doors, stating the trade name and telephone number (including area code) of the emergency wrecker service and the motor carrier registration number of the wrecker; and
(7) be capable of providing two-way communication with the licensee’s base station at all times.
(b) An inspection fee of $226 must be paid for each wrecker that is used in the emergency wrecker service. Upon inspection and approval of each vehicle, the director shall issue a decal to the applicant or licensee. The decal must be affixed securely to the lower left corner of the front windshield of the inspected wrecker.
(c) The director, the chief of police, or a peace officer may, at any time, inspect a wrecker used by a licensee for emergency wrecker service to determine whether the vehicle complies with this section.
(d) A licensee or permittee commits an offense if he, either personally or through an employee or agent:
(1) uses a light duty wrecker, a tilt bed/roll back carrier, a medium duty wrecker, a heavy duty wrecker, or a lowboy unit to tow a vehicle that exceeds the manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating allowed to be towed by the particular type of wrecker under Subsection (a)(1), (2), or (3), whichever is applicable; or
(2) tows a vehicle using a wrecker that does not have a valid city of Dallas emergency wrecker decal affixed to the windshield as required by Subsection (b) of this section. (Ord. Nos. 24661; 25048; 27487; 27695; 30215)
(a) The director, the chief of police, or a peace officer may inspect any emergency wrecker service to determine whether a licensee or permittee complies with this article, rules and regulations established under this article, or other applicable law.
(b) A licensee or permittee, either personally or through an employee or agent, shall not attempt to interfere or refuse to cooperate with the director, the chief of police, or a peace officer in the conduct of any investigation or discharge of any duty pursuant to this article. (Ord. 24661)
Officers of the police department shall assist in the enforcement of this article. A police officer upon observing a violation of this article, or of any rule or regulation established by the director or the chief of police pursuant to this article, shall take necessary enforcement action to ensure effective regulation of emergency wrecker service. (Ord. 24661)
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