CITY lawmakers have revoked a towing company’s business license for 30 days while a hearing takes place.
The company has had its license revoked in the past after customers complained about illegal towing and holding semi-trucks hostage for thousands of dollars.
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A1 Towing & Hauling, also known as A1’s Xclusive Auto, has had its towing licenses temporarily revoked for a second time after semi-truck drivers complained to lawmakers about the company illegally towing trucks.
The first time they were taken was in November 2023, when complaints began arriving at the Transportation Committee in Memphis, Tennessee.
“In this situation, I’m having a hard time embracing this because of the plethora of complaints that seem to be occurring again,” president Kevin Kane told A1 owner Colton Cathey, as quoted by the CBC affiliate. WREG.
“There’s something wrong here.”
Several other complaints were forwarded by truck drivers to the state licensing department and presented during the meeting.
Most of the complaints revolved around violations of city and state laws, inflated towing and storage fees, and questionable payment methods.
During the meeting, Cathey told Kane he was working with license administrator Yolanda Fullilove but had not contacted any truck drivers who had made complaints.
Over the phone, a previous customer, Tabrianna Foster of Mississippi, recalled a time when she and her husband parked their 18-wheeler at a truck stop, but it still got towed by the A1 trailer.
She said she was forced to pay $3,000 to have the truck returned.
Foster said he decided to come forward with his experience after other companies admitted to airing their complaints.
“I heard them talking about all these big companies in addition to my complaint, and if I didn’t speak up in the end, nothing would get done,” she said.
Foster’s testimony convinced the commissioners to suspend Cathey’s licenses while an investigation was launched to determine whether or not the incident actually violated city ordinances.
“[Cathey] he had every excuse in the book about how he helps people, and if he gets a complaint, he responds, and that’s not true,” she continued.
“We’re a small business. Our charges are terrible. We’re barely getting paid. That $2,900 I had to take out of my 401k just to pay them off.”
The company was investigated by the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Memphis Police Department in late October of last year.
An out-of-state company went to WREG to comment on your negotiations with the company.
I called A1 Towing and talked to a dispatcher and said, ‘Greg, there’s no need to tow the truck. Just tell me what you want and we will be happy to pay your ransom. Just tell me what you want’
Fenn Church
“I’ve been in business 23 years and I’ve never seen a towing operation like this,” said Fenn Church, owner of Church Transportation.
“It’s horrible what they’re doing to the industry.”
Church told the outlet that A1 employees started one of his driver’s trucks while he was still in the cab.
They then demanded a $272 fee to remove the trunk, and after the driver tried to pay with a credit card, the A1 employee decided it was taking too long and towed the truck anyway.
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To retrieve the 18-wheeler from the A1 tow truck cost the Church $4,500.
“I called A1 Towing and talked to a guy from dispatch and said, ‘Greg, there’s no need to tow the truck. Just tell me what you want and we’ll be happy to pay your ransom. Just tell me whatever you want. ‘” he recalled.
“No, it doesn’t work like that.”
Meanwhile, councilors asked permit officers to create rules for towing companies to help curb bad behavior from the start.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
