GENERAL POLICE REGULATIONS
5-16 Towing & Storage of Vehicles

5-16.1 
Purpose. It is the purpose of this section to regulate towing and storage of private motor vehicles which are the result of police department calls for assistance within the Township of East Windsor in accordance with N.J.S.A 40:48-2.49 and N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5(1)(u).

5-16.2 
Definitions. The following words and terms, when used in this section, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

Automobile shall mean a private passenger automobile of private passenger or station wagon type that is owned or hired and is neither used as a public or livery conveyance for passengers, nor rented to others with a driver; and a motor vehicle with pick-up body, or delivery sedan, a van, or a panel truck or a camper type vehicle used for recreational purposes owned by an individual or by husband or wife who are residents of the same household, not customarily used in the occupation, profession or business of the insured, other than farming.

Basic towing service shall mean the removal and transportation of an automobile from a highway, street or other public or private road, or a parking area, or from a storage facility, and other services normally incident thereto but does not include recovery of an automobile from a position beyond the right-of-way or berm, or from being impaled upon any other object within the right-of-way or berm.

Cruising shall mean the operation of an unengaged wrecker along public streets in any fashion intended, likely or calculated to solicit business.

Owner shall mean a person, firm or corporation who owns and/or operates a vehicle on the roads or highways within the Township of East Windsor, which vehicle, by reason of being disabled or being unlawfully upon said roads requires towing services.

Tow sheet shall mean a list of towing and storage contractors maintained by the police department containing the names and addresses of towing and storage contractors who will be called on a rotating basis when the police department determines that the assistance of such services are required within the township.

Tow vehicle shall mean only those vehicles equipped with a broom or brooms, winches, slings, tilt bed, wheel lifts or under-reach equipment specifically designed by its manufacturer for the removal or transport of private passenger automobiles. Tow vehicles shall include wreckers.

Towing operator shall mean a person, firm or corporation engaged in the business of providing wrecker services which are made available to the general public upon such rates, charges, fees as are determined by this section and applied for and are listed on the “tow sheet” of the township. Wrecker or vehicle by mechanical power employed for the purpose of towing, transferring, conveying or removing any and all kinds of vehicles or parts of vehicles which are unable to be operated under their own power for which a service charge or fee is exact.

5-16.7 
Towing & Storage Fees.

a.  The following rates for cars, vans, pickups and four wheel vehicles up to 6,000 pounds and motorcycles will apply for the first half hour of service except for crane service. After the first half hour of service, all time will be charged at seventy-five ($75.00) dollars per hour. If dolly wheels are used, there will be an additional charge of fifteen ($15.00) dollars.

1.  Cars, vans pickups and four wheel vehicles up to 6,000 pounds

            Normal tow within township limits - $175
            Winch job, pole, roll over - $150minimum
            Car carrier - $100

2.  Motorcycles and bikes

            Pick-up of motorcycles - $175
            Pick-up of trail bikes or minibikes - $175
            Use of flatbed - $175

3.  Tows outside the township limits will be charged at three ($3.00) dollars per mile plus tolls.

4.  Crane service shall be five hundred ($500) dollars per hour with a minimum of two hours to be charged.

5.  A basic environmental or crash scene clean-up includes removing of debris, sweeping of glass and vehicle fluids using an absorbent material. The rate shall be charged at seventy-five ($75) dollars for the first 30 minutes which includes the service and one bag of absorbent. Additional bags shall be charged at a rate of $30 for each.

b.  The following rates for trucks, tractor trailers, buses and other vehicles over 6,000 pounds will apply for the first half hour of service. After the first half hour of service, all time will be charged at two hundred ($250) per hour except for crane service. Additional wreckers called out will be charged at two hundred ($200) dollars per hour. An extra person, if needed, will be charged at an additional fifty ($50) dollars per hour.

1.  Trucks and vehicles over 6,000 pounds

            Normal tow within township limits
            6,000 pounds to 15,000 pound - $250
            Over 15,000 pounds - $400

2.  School buses

            Normal tow within township limits - $200

3.  Buses (private or charter)

            Normal tow within township limits - $500

4.  Tractor trailers

Normal tow within township - $500

5.  Tows outside the township limits will be charged at five ($5.00) dollars per mile. (Trailers will be dropped at nearest possible location)

6.  Crane service shall be five-hundred ($500) dollars per hour with a minimum of two hours to be charged.

7.  Specialized equipment rates

Heavy duty under lift - $325
48 foot tilt trailer service - $325

c.  Double Tow. When any vehicle is brought from the original location to police headquarters for investigative purposes and, upon completion, is moved from police headquarters to a final destination, the charge will be one and one-half times the actual rate for one tow.

d.  Roadside Assistance Calls

1.  Basic roadside assistance such as tire changing, up to two gallons of fuel, or jump starting. Due to roadway design, traffic patterns, and the inability to conduct quick roadside assistance, the Township of East Windsor does not recognize roadside assistance for vehicle in excess of 16,001 lbs. Disabled vehicles over 16,001 lbs. must be towed from the roadway or any other vehicle deemed to be unsafe on the roadway. If the roadside assistance call for service results in a tow, then the vehicle operator will only be charged for the towing.

The rates charged for roadside assistance for the first 20 minutes will be:

Cars, vans, pickups, and four wheel vehicles up to 6,000 pounds

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. - $55
5:01 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. - $65

Trucks and Buses

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. - $85
5:01 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. - $95

2.  After the first 20 minutes, all time will be charged at seventy five ($75) dollars per hour.

e.  Storage

1.  Storage begins at date and time vehicle is placed on property of towing service. Storage will be charged for each 24 hour period (or any portion thereof) as set forth below. Any vehicle released prior to 12 hours storage will be charged at only half of the 24 hour rate, except as set forth below.

Cars:
Impounds and disabled - $45/each 24 hours
Accidents - $45/each 24 hours
Inside storage - $60/each 24 hours
Vehicles kept over 12 hours, but under 24 hours - $20/each

Motorcycles, minibikes, trail bikes (must be locked in secure enclosure)

$30/each 24 hours

Trucks:
Tractor - $75/each 24 hours
Trailer - $75/each 24 hours
Both tractor and trailer - $150/each 24 hours
Buses - $150/each 24 hours

2.  The towing service will have someone available daily torelease vehicles after normal business hours of :00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and will charge as follows:

5:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. - $50 administrative release cost
12:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. - $75 administrative release cost

5-16.8 
Arrangements by Person Responsible for Automobile. Nothing contained in this section shall prevent a person responsible for an automobile disabled upon the public streets or highways within East Windsor Township to arrange for the prompt removal of the vehicle from the scene of an accident or disablement by wrecking or towing services of his/her own selection. The person responsible will be advised of the ability to select such towing service at the required time of removal, providing such person is present, fully conscious and capable of taking prompt action.

5-16.11
Responsibility for Payment. Except for those vehicles owned by the township, no payment for services under this section may be demanded of the township. All fees and expenses shall be collected by the towing service from the owner of the vehicle, truck, bus or motorcycle.