Have you ever been the victim of predatory towing? If so, here’s your chance to help shed light on the impact of predatory towing practices in the trucking industry, via a survey being conducted by American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI).
ATRI defines “predatory towing” as any incident in which a tow truck operator blatantly overcharges for services, illegally seizes a carrier’s truck or cargo, damages the vehicle or the cargo by use of improper equipment, or withholds release of a truck and/or cargo.
ICSA members who have experienced predatory towing are encouraged to complete the survey by clicking here.
The short survey asks fleets to share which types of predatory towing they have dealt with most frequently, what fees or delays they consider predatory, and in which states they have encountered predatory tows. ATRI also seeks participants for a second round of more detailed data collection that will allow researchers to quantify the frequency and operational impact of each type of predatory event. All data collected will be kept completely confidential.
“ICSA members can help build the case for stronger enforcement of towing regulations by participating in this survey,” said Karen Rasmussen, ICSA’s Executive Director and former chair of ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee. “By sharing their experiences, ICSA members can help answer these questions and outline potential solutions,” she said.
Every year, TAT (formerly called Truckers Against Trafficking) honors a member of the trucking, bus or energy industry, whose direct actions help save or improve the lives of those exploited or prevent human trafficking from taking place, with the Harriet Tubman Award
Bob Costello has indicated that the freight market has improved – but very slowly – since January. It must be said that ATA’s indices are dominated by contract freight as opposed to spot rates.
Now, however, with Republican control of both houses of Congress and the White House (and, some say, the Supreme Court) I am optimistic that trucking will get a fairer shake than it has during Biden’s term in office.