(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)