CITY OF BRENHAM CONSIDERING GOING TO ONE NON-CONSENT TOWING VENDOR

  

The City of Brenham is evaluating the possibility of reducing to a single vendor for non-consent towing.

In a letter sent this month to Brenham’s non-consent towing vendors, City of Brenham Public Works Director Dane Rau said the city will be looking at issuing requests for proposals to potentially move to a single user for the non-consent tow program in 2024. 

The city is currently on rotation with five towing companies to serve the city on non-consent tows, which include situations like when a vehicle is left behind in public right-of-way after an accident where the owner is transported to the hospital, or when the owner is detained after a traffic stop.  The rotation involves the Brenham Police Department and emergency dispatchers, depending on the size of the vehicle needing to be towed.

Rau said the city is considering going this route in order to be “more efficient on the roadway as well as with all coordination.”  He elaborated that this would allow the city and dispatch to monitor and work with one provider, rather than have to keep up with reports from five different companies.  He added that the change would prevent confusion on rotation and assist in avoiding conflicts with multiple parties.

Rau told KWHI that, should the city choose to pursue this method, one vendor would conduct light duty (gross vehicle weight less than 10,000 pounds), medium duty (between 10,000 and 25,000 pounds) and heavy duty (over 25,000 pounds) non-consent tows inside Brenham city limits.  For all other tows, the owner would choose the provider at their own discretion. 

The letter stated that several cities in Texas have gone to a single user for non-consent towing, specifically mentioning College Station, Austin, Round Rock, Forney, Helotes, Leon Valley, Lubbock, Euless and Arlington. 

Rau said in the letter that it is “not a guarantee” the city decides to move in this direction.