Harris County tows disabled cars free of charge

10:25 AM CST on Tuesday, January 4, 2005

By Janice Williamson / 11 News

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Many Houston drivers are furious about a new law that means disabled cars are towed immediately at $75 a pop. Harris County has a kindler, gentler policy.

KHOU

Like city freeways, disabled cars which can take a toll on Harris County toll roads -- especially when the shoulder becomes a resting place for a motorist in trouble.

"For no good reason, people will crash into a stranded vehicle," said Randy Johnson with the Harris County Toll Road Authority.

For three years, the Harris County Toll Road Authority has used a GPS system to quickly dispatch help.

"Since this program was started we have not had anyone killed or injured out changing a tire or working on their vehicle," explained Johnson.

Helping stranded motorists is Steve Rucker's job. He patrols the tollways in a tow truck keeping an eye out for debris in the road, or a vehicle on the side of the road.

"The stranded vehicles are usually either a flat tire, overheated or out of gas," said Rucker who works for the Toll Road Authority.

They often need a tow to safety. The Patron Emergency Assistance Team, or P.E.A.T, provides it for free.

The Toll Road Authority tells us they tow about 100 cars a month. The cost is covered by tolls motorists pay to use the road -- unlike the city's new initiative that costs motorists $75 a tow.

Turning Houston's entire freeway system into a tow-away zone has launched plenty of complaints.

The county's plan is covered up with compliments.

"A lot of times they say there were in a really scary place and this guy saved their life," said Johnson.

On the tollway, unlike the freeway, a tow truck driver in the rearview mirror could be a motorist's guardian angel.

Footnote: Houston's brand new tow law t has made an immediate impact on local roadways and city coffers. In the first three days, more than 300 vehicles were removed at about $75 a tow, according to city records.