Towing companies want off the hook.

• Author: Richter, Chris
• Position: TAR HEEL TATTLER

When a vehicle gets towed, you expect to hear complaints--just not from the people doing the towing. That's what is happening in Durham, where tow-truck operators say the city is sticking them with junk cars.

Durham has a list of 25 companies it calls when it needs a tow, whether the vehicle is illegally parked, damaged in a wreck or just abandoned on a roadside. Being on the list has meant guaranteed income, says Lisa Mangum, owner of American Eagle Towing and Recovery LLC in Durham. Her company has been on it since August 1994. The maximum charge on a standard tow is $125 plus a $25-per-day storage fee. Companies on the list pay the city a $10 administrative fee per tow. It was $3 until July. Charlotte charges $3 per tow. Raleigh charges nothing.

Even with the fee, it seems like a good deal--unless no one claims the towed vehicle. "We're paying the city and getting stuck with the junk," says Lee Gardner, owner of Lee's 24 Hour Towing Inc. in Durham. He had about 150 unclaimed vehicles on his lot in mid-October.

After towing companies have held a vehicle 10 days, they send a notice of intent to sell to satisfy a lien and $10 to the state Department of Motor Vehicles. Then, if the vehicle is worth less than $4,000, it's on to small-claims court. There...