The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is supporting a push for stronger trucker protections against predatory towing fees.
The agency filed a comment with the Federal Trade Commission last week outlining concerns about predatory junk fee practices that significantly increase costs for truck owners and drivers.
“When a truck driver’s vehicle is towed, they can’t earn a living until they get it back — leaving them vulnerable to predatory junk fees from towing companies,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in the announcement. “We support FTC’s efforts to stand up for truckers by acting to ban junk fees and prevent predatory towing fees that can cause significant financial harm.”
Predatory towing, a perennial problem for the trucking industry, was the subject of an American Transportation Research Institute survey this year, and the nonprofit issued tips for drivers and carriers for handling the issue when it arises.
The FTC proposed a ban on junk fees in October that would prohibit towing companies from charging hidden and “bogus” junk fees by requiring all mandatory fees to be included when quoting a price. The proposed rule received more than 60,000 comments during a public comment period, according to the Federal Register.
FMCSA offered suggestions in its filing, including banning fees for unnecessary goods or services; prohibiting or restricting excessive fee practices; and prohibiting hidden fees and treating each illegal fee as a separate violation.
“Predatory towing negatively impacts consumers, including commercial motor vehicle drivers and trucking companies,” acting FMCSA Administrator Sue Lawless said in a statement. “It is detrimental to the overall health of the trucking industry, and it's time to end excessive rates, surcharges and other unfair fees associated with predatory towing.”
