Bureaucracy within TDLR means Motorists in Texas Screwed

The last straw has been pulled by a Texas state agency, the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation, by forcing consumers, should they file complaint, wait for as long as year, before any action taken on their behalf. It is a terrible situation for motorists who are scammed by towing companies, wrecker drivers and vehicle storage facilities. Of course, the towing industry, depending who you talk to, are upset their regulatory agency (TDLR) is forcing huge fines upon them, some deserve it, while others are scratching their heads, wondering how they are to compete/survive, when their competitors are giving the house away for free, a violation of State Law and TDLR does nothing.

According to Adam Fellows, a TDLR prosecutor, who before served as a felony prosecutor in East Texas, their agency can't enforce the criminal aspects of the Texas Towing Law, nor regulate what a licensee advertises, even if it's a crime.

Consumers once again, are being snubbed by the bureaucracy within the Texas Department of License & Regulations who guarantees job security for agency employees, while consumers are being raked across the coals for their hard earned money or lose their vehicle, because of a long drawn out process. It's total bullshit!

Thinking back to when the towing and vehicle storage facility industries were regulated by TxDOT, if a consumer called about an issue, such as refusal by the vehicle storage facility, to provide required information or release a vehicle with required documents, someone from TxDOT would call the licensee, but not with TDLR, according to Mike Yuhr at 512-463-3097, those TDLR employees who answer the complaint line at 800-803-9202 can do nothing for you, other than tell you to file a complaint.  

This really sucks, for Texas consumers, who have nobody to turn to being raped by a TDLR licensee!

In the near future, I will redesign my website, texastowingcompliance.com, to focus on Austin, at least motorists can be assured, illegal towing will not be tolerated by the Austin Police Department. It is not uncommon for wrecker drivers to be arrested in Austin for scamming motorists on a daily basis, unlike most cities where law enforcement agencies won't allow their officers or deputies to arrest a wrecker driver for committing a class b misdemeanor.

I have never understood why a property manager hasn't been charged with an offense for accepting financial benefits, since their towing company, striped their parking lot, spaces narrower, installed signage, provided parking permits, resident letters, provided employees to walk parking lot to sticker vehicles and towing for management employees, for free.

Towing towing companies and parking facilities who engage in criminal conduct and payoff their Judges thru campaign donations who preside over tow hearing, seriously needs to stop. Motorists have been burned enough, especially the trucking industry, being targeted by TDLR advisory board members.

I don't expect much to change, matter of fact, things will worsen for some, but the private property impound business is lucrative, when the law is followed.

We will know what the new regulated fee for private property impounds this year, until then, motorists will be overcharged in areas not regulated.

2010 - Corrupt Judges Violate Victim's Civil Rights

Consumers in 2010 will have to deal with the same towing companies, vehicle storage facilities, parking facilities, and the corrupt Judges who issue rulings based on campaign contribution. I don't see any relief for consumers who are taken advantage of by the bad towing companies, as the state agency (TDLR) that regulates them progresses so slowly, most consumers just give up. This is not what anyone expected when TDLR was given the regulatory power by the Texas Legislature, to allow corrupt licensees (tow truck operator, towing company, vehicle storage facility, vehicle storage facility employee) to repeatedly harm consumers with little or no resistance.

Making things worse for consumers, is select law enforcement agencies across the state, like San Antonio, Dallas, Kingsville, Beaumont, Houston, Conroe, Fort Worth and list goes on, who do absolutely nothing in allowing potential victims the opportunity to file a report, give statement, so an investigation, could determine what criminal offenses, if any occurred. These towing companies, who are documented as corrupt are going to operate in these cities, who's law enforcement looks the other was when I crime been committed.

It's a shame a property manager can't just so no, to a towing company, when bribed with free signage, stripe your parking lot for free, etc, etc. I firmly believe a property manager who accepts bribes should be jailed and lose his/her job, as I would not want an employee who is dishonest.

Still, vehicle storage facilities are failing to provide the required information on the documentation that is be provided to the consumer at the time of payment. But, no they give excuses, that won't hold water. But the consumer leaves the storage lot fuming after being verbally abused an intoxication storage lot employee, while be escorted to their vehicle. It's conduct like this that must be stopped. But again, consumers, already pissed off, blow off the idea of filing complaint.

I learned last night, our good friend Rich Robbins, the towing victims attorney, beat Jonathan Bruce, the attorney for the towing company for case in Stafford, Texas. Mr. Bruce courtroom antics would lead one to believe Mr Bruce is constantly constipated, with his grunts and moans. Win a few, lose a few, but at the end day, we are all gentlemen.

So, as we move forward, people will get bad their vehicle was towed, some wrecker drivers will get bad their licensee has been suspended, some vehicle storage facility owner will be fined, and yes some victims of illegal towing will get their money back.