The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has decided to prolong the deadline for submitting comments on towing fee practices in the trucking industry until August 1. The original closing date for comments was July 1.
FMCSA encourages industry participants to provide their input on the current methods related to the transparency of towing fees for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) owners. The focus is on whether owners are adequately informed about the associated costs and fees before their vehicle is towed.
On February 7, the FMCSA conveyed robust support for protections for truckers against steep towing fees in their comments on the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) proposed rule aimed at eliminating junk fees.
In correspondence, the FMCSA underscored that predatory towing fees significantly inflate expenses for CMV owners and operators. They backed the proposed prohibition on concealed and deceptive fees and urged the FTC to take further action to limit unnecessary and excessive mandatory fees that burden truckers.
“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,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “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.”
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Source: The Trucker
