CALGARY – A local man is outraged after receiving a hefty bill to tow his vehicle after it crashed outside Calgary.
Peter Curran’s son and daughter were driving to school in Springbank when they lost control and rolled into a ditch.
While Curran and his wife went to the hospital to be with their children, RCMP had the vehicle towed to Cochrane and the family was billed $620. He was charged a further $400 to get the vehicle back from the towing company’s storage yard.
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While he’s relieved his two children survived the crash he’s upset with the hefty price tag.
“I don’t think anyone should have to pay that rate to have a vehicle towed such a short distance and get charged so much to let them take it out of their compound. It just seems like a cash cow to me.”
The owner of United Towing says the rates are accepted by insurance companies and the RCMP.
Rates inside and outside the city are very different because city rates are regulated while rural rates are not. Towing costs and less volume for rural companies also leads to higher rates.
Curran says it’s most upset because no one told him he could have had his vehicle towed anywhere he wanted.
“I’m looking at $618 to two it 24 kilometres when I wasn’t even told I could have had it towed to my house.”
Curran has complained to the RCMP but Cochrane RCMP say they don’t approve or dictate what towing companies can charge.
United Towing says they have never received a similar complaint in the past.
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