Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, July 16, 2025:
New Indiana predatory towing laws take effect
New laws aimed at cutting down on predatory towing in Indiana took effect July 1. The bill, House Bill 1390, was signed into law by Gov. Mike Braun in May.
The bill came to pass after a 2023 report from the American Transportation Research Institute that found the Hoosier State had the most reported predatory towing incidents relative to mileage in the U.S.
The move follows legislation either introduced or codified in several states around the country aimed at preventing abuse of truck owners by bad actors among towing companies, including in Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, Colorado, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina.
The bill addresses:
- Police towing rotations
- Fees charged to inspect or retrieve items from a towed vehicle
- Requirements for the release of property to its owner
- Invoice requirements
- When towing companies can charge fees
[Related: Predatory towing: How can fleets avoid becoming victims?]
According to the new law, law enforcement agencies are required to establish a written policy or enter into a contract for a towing company rotation that includes specific information, such as rates for all services, rates for storage, a provision that allows law enforcement to suspend or remove a towing company from the rotation, a prohibition on charging fees not listed under the written policy or contract, and more.
Law enforcement is not allowed to use a towing company that charges “unreasonable fees” in its towing rotation.
The new law also bars a towing service or storage yard from charging an inspection fee to a vehicle owner, a lienholder or an insurance company representative to inspect a vehicle or retrieve items from the vehicle.
The law also allows commercial carriers to file complaints with the Indiana Attorney General if they believe towing charges are “unreasonable.” A towing company or storage facility is required to release the impounded vehicle and its cargo within 24 hours of receiving payment of 75% of the invoice, proof of bond for the remaining 25% and a copy of the complaint.
Indiana law already required an itemized invoice of actual towing charges that included the origin and destination of the tow; name, address and phone number of the towing company; a description of the towed vehicle; and more. Under the new law, fees listed on the invoice now must also include a full description of the services that were provided. Towing companies must also now include on the invoice an attestation that all items invoiced were used and necessary in the ordinary course of business, a good faith estimate of the time that each invoiced item was used and the location, and the number of miles the vehicle was towed.
[Related: Trucking's best defense against predatory towing: A step-by-step guide]
North Carolina guv signs predatory towing bill into law
In other predatory towing news, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has signed Senate Bill 311 into law.
The bill, as reported recently, bans the use of boots on commercial trucks for the purposes of parking enforcement. It also aims to prevent companies from holding cargo hostage in efforts to extract outsize fees.
The law is set to take effect on Dec. 1.
[Related: North Carolina bill addresses predatory towing issues]
New York-based trucking company achieves ISO certification for warehousing, distribution operations
On Time Trucking, a provider of final mile trucking and logistics services based in Farmingdale, New York, has completed an independent audit and assessment of its quality management practices and procedures and has been confirmed as meeting the requirements for ISO 9001:2015 certification for warehousing and distribution operations.
A subsidiary of Fremont, California-based RK Logistics Group Holdings, On Time Trucking has more than 40 years of experience in the Tri-State area providing transportation services for high-value goods.
The certification was issued by Amtivo USA Inc., an independent agency accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board. Amtivo employs expert ISO auditors to conduct a comprehensive multi-stage audit and assessment of company quality management systems to determine if they meet global standards requirements.
"This multi-site certification is especially valuable for complex supply chains where precision, timeliness, reliability and security are essential," said Joe MacLean, Chairman and CEO of RK Logistics Group. "We are very proud of the On Time Trucking team for their diligence and consistent performance in achieving and maintaining the highest standards of quality management processes."
The ISO 9001 standards provide a framework for ensuring key performance factors – such as first-time delivery rates and customer shipments arriving accurately on time – are achieved, noted James Bryant, RK's chief operating officer.
