To participate in the city’s on-call wrecker service rotation, the business must comply with the following conditions.
(A) The wrecker service must have its primary business operations within the corporate city limits.
(B) The storage of towed vehicles must be within the corporate city limits.
(C) The office must be located with the storage lot within the corporate city limits.
(D) The wrecker service must have a current business permit, and/or any additional documents issued by the city, state or other governing body that is required to operate a wrecker service within the state.
(E) Each wrecker must be clearly marked with company name, phone number and DOT number on each side of the vehicle.
(F) At no time will a wrecker be used for the recovery of any vehicle that will violate any state regulations and procedures concerning wrecker limitations, weight, size, equipment specifications and the like.
(G) Towing operators that respond to the city’s Police Department calls shall not have a felony conviction; or a misdemeanor conviction within the past five years.
(H) Each wrecker service which stores a vehicle towed by request of the city’s Police Department shall continue to store the vehicle on a storage site within the corporate limits of the city until the owner of the vehicle retrieves the vehicle from the wrecker service or until the wrecker service acquires title to the vehicle or disposes of the vehicle according to the rules of KRS 376.275.
(I) The storage lot must be able to store at least seven vehicles. Such storage area must be well-lighted, enclosed by a six-foot chain link fence or more with three strands of barbed wire at the top of the fence and a locked gate. This storage area must be suitable for properly accommodating and protecting all motor vehicles and their contents against damage or theft.
(J) All operators of wrecker services on the rotation list shall reasonably permit, during normal business hours, without charge, the owner or owner’s designated representative of any vehicle stored upon or within the operator’s facilities, to inspect the same, remove items of personal belongings there from. In addition, the operator shall also reasonably permit and allow, during normal business hours, without charge, insurance agents, adjustors and/or law enforcement officers to enter, inspect and photograph any such vehicle.
(K) No operator shall solicit business at the scene of an accident.
(L) All operators and drivers shall at all times conduct themselves and wrecker services in a reasonable and safe manner.
(M) Each wrecker driver shall at all times obey all traffic laws when responding to a dispatch for wrecker service.
(N) All wrecker services must be a 24-hour service, seven days a week.
(O) Participation in the rotation list system shall be considered personal to the operator thereof and shall constitute authorization only to that definite entity operating a bona fide wrecker service and shall not be subject to transfer, nor shall the operator sublet, assign or permit the participation by another in any manner of operator’s equipment, wreckers or name on the rotation list. Participation on the rotation list shall not constitute a property interest, but rather is a mere license.
(P) Upon written request, the Code Enforcement Officer will furnish an operator with a monthly report of the Department’s rotation call list.
(Q) The wrecker service shall maintain garage keeper’s liability insurance. Minimum amount of coverage will be $50,000 or as mandated by state law, whichever is greater.
(R) The wrecker service shall maintain worker’s compensation insurance for all drivers, and other employees engaged in the performance of their duties.
(S) The wrecker service shall maintain a policy of liability insurance covering the operation of the business, equipment and vehicles, protecting against bodily injury and property damage, including property that comes under the control of the wrecker service by reason of towing operation. The minimum amount of liability insurance shall be as mandated by state law. On-hook and cargo insurance shall be sufficient to cover towed vehicle.
(T) The wrecker service shall furnish the Chief of Police with insurance certificates upon renewal, change of coverage or at the request of the Chief of Police.
(U) Signs must be highly visible at the entrance to the wrecker lot showing phone numbers, hours of operations and after hour’s phone numbers.
(V) The wrecker service must post conspicuously in its office a sign no smaller than two feet by three feet, indicating the charges set out herein and containing the words “(Wrecker Service’s Name) is a contract wrecker service for the city’s Police Department. If any problems arise or if any person is charged rates in excess of these posted, please call the Shepherdsville Police Department at 502-921-1000”. Letters shall be no smaller than one inch in height.
(W) For vehicles with “holds”, the wrecker service must receive written permission from the police officer who placed the hold on the vehicle or from his or her supervisor. This permission can be in person, by mail or by fax.
(X) All tow slips on released vehicles will be delivered to the Police Department no later than the fifth of each month.
(Ord. 010-780, passed 6-28-2010) Penalty, see § 10.99