The Ford Government today released details of its plan to establish a Tow Zone pilot program on highways in the Greater Toronto Area as well as other reforms in the towing industry as a result of findings from Ontario’s Towing Task Force.
“OTA commends Premier Doug Ford, Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney, Solicitor General Sylvia Jones and the multitude of other officials at the political and staff level in government who have shown resilient leadership in addressing an intricate and complex issue. This effort will improve road safety, reduce congestion, and end gross billing abuse by a small contingent of the recovery industry,” said Geoff Wood, Senior VP Policy, Ontario Trucking Association.
Included in the Towing Task Force’s Recommended Actions are:
- Form a Joint Forces Operation team led by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and municipal police forces to investigate criminal activity in the towing sector;
- Launch a pilot to introduce restricted tow zones on sections of provincial highways to help clear them faster and safer;
- Establish a comprehensive oversight model and licensing for tow truck drivers;
- Introduce clearer equipment standards for tow trucks;
- Form a technical advisory group to inform future actions;
- Update consumer protection materials to provide clear information on customer rights.
For complete details of today’s announcement, please click here.
OTA will continue update its membership as further information becomes available on the Tow Zone Pilot and work side-by-side with government on the rollout. While the tow zones in the GTHA are established and the province moves towards broader reforms in the towing industry, OTA members can share their experiences with towing in the province by providing details to operations_safety@ontruck.org .
