Nampa Residents Furious Over Ludicrous Towing Fees
Having your vehicle towed is never a fun experience, and you know that it isn't going to be cheap. But residents in Nampa are fed up with "predatory towing" taking place at a downtown Nampa parking lot.
KBOI first wrote the store that really started at a City Council meeting, that's when everyone found out that 26 cars had been towed from a certain private lot located at First Street South and 13th Avenue South. While most drivers understood they broke some sort of rule but the fees they had to pay to retrieve their vehicle was outrageous.
Total costs of $365 just to get their car back from AATCO Transmissions and Towing. This consists of a $285 towing fee, $35 per night storage fee, and $45 gate fee. Plus AATCO only accepts cash, and some customers can't retrieve that amount out of their normal ATM.
Boise has a non-consent towing service ordinance that states the maximum rate is $125 for the initial towing, $25 for daily storage and $50 for the gate fee. This ordinance also requires companies to accept credit card payment.
At the conclusion of the meeting the Nampa City Council is asking their legal council to draft an ordinance to stipulate for Nampa towing companies to accept payment other than cash, although it didn't regulate pricing. The council will look over the proposal once completed by legal council, and we will let you know if it get closer to being put into action.