Urge Ohio legislators to pass laws that protect innocent victims from towing abuse, more closely regulate the towing industry's safety standards and cap the fees that they can charge. Contact your state legislator urging action on the following:
- Provide the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) with more authority to shut down abusive towing operations.
- Provide minimum safety standards for the operation of towing services.
- Regulate the towing and storage fees.
- Require towing operations to accept credit cards.
- Establish a toll-free hotline at the PUCO where consumers can report abuses.
- State the main purpose for the letter or email right at the beginning to get your point across quickly and clearly.
- Keep your message simple and concise.
- If you decide to call your legislator, prepare an outline of your message so that you stay on point.
- If you talk to the legislator's aide, don't be disappointed. Just ask that your message be delivered to the elected official. Consider an email or letter follow-up.
- If you choose to write a letter, try to keep your letter to one page.
- Invite the legislator to contact you for additional information. Be sure to include your return address and phone number.
- Ask others to send a letter or email or make a phone call - family, friends, fellow students and business associates.
- Click here for a sample letter.
Improved laws will go a long way in preventing towing abuse. Help these organizations by sharing your experiences.
Better Business Bureau
http://www.bbb.org/
Ohio Attorney General, Consumer Complaint Section
http://www2.ag.state.oh.us/sections/consumer/ccapsplus/welcome.asp
Legal Aid Society of Columbus
http://www.columbuslegalaid.org/
Current regulations at Public Utilities Commission of Ohio
http://www.puco.ohio.gov/Puco/IndustryTopics/Topic.cfm?doc_id=418
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