Alliance Towing

This company towed a vehicle that was parked on the street back in Dec 2014, they failed to file paper work with the Adot Motor vehicle for over monthsThey failed to notify me of the towChecking the paper work filed with [redacted] Abandoned Vehicle Notification, they claim that a business owner from a place called [redacted] called and asked them to remove the vehicle the name used as the authorizing person from the business is not anyone associated with the business, more so the business was not open when the tow was madeThe company would not have had the right to have the vehicle towed as it was on the city streetThe legal name of the Business in that area is [redacted] and there isn't anyone who works at this company by this nameAlliance Towing is in the practice of illegal towing and car theft from the street

I somehow did not see the no parking sign on a pole when I parked om 16th Street early Saturday morning (Not sure it was really there when I parked) About minutes befor the parade starts I see my car on the back of an Alliance Tow truckI go to where my car was an there was a sign on the pole facing more to the west when I hard driven in from the east, but there was one I called the police department number on the sign and then went ther to pay my fine ($112)I then walked to the towing company, Alliance Towing, to pay for towing and get my car No one was there so I called the number on the door A man answered and *** that he would be there in minutes to take me to my car minutes later he showed up and told me that it would be $to have my car releasedI was in shock that it ws so much He said that it was "$per hour"I then pointed out that he had only had the car for an hour although he tried to say that he had it for two He backed off of that when I told him that I had seen my vehicle get towed He then said that there was a one hour mimum and that there was a $gate fee He said that was to open the gate for where my car was towed to He sId that they are closed on Saturdays He then said that there was a $per day storage fee again a one day minimum The entire time, he was condescending and belligerentI asked him who sets the rates He was very well versed in the fact that the Chief of Police agreed to these rates I asked hi for a copy of the agreement that they hasq with the City of Paso Robles He said that he did not have it He told me that the city uses two towing companies and that I should be happy that they didn't call the other one as they charge $more He said that he wasn't suppose to know that so as to avoid "collusion" but that he knew it I asked him how much it would have cost me if I had called and wanted a tow He replied that it would have cost me about $ But since the city called it was $
Basically, I was charged over $for parking illegally on a city streetI really don't believe that the sign was there as neither my daughter nor I saw the sign two hours earlierThe towing company had my car for approximately one hour and twenty minutesThe majority of that time was either waiting on them or walking to their place of business After reading about all of the problems with King City and their towing scam that landed half of their entire Police Department and the chiefs' brother, who just so happened to own the towing company, facing prison time
I doubt that I will spend my time and money in Paso anymore
Regardless, this towing company was unprofessional, condescending, rude and just plain classless In reading the reviews on the internet, numerous people have complained about them and their corrupt practices; such as steeling contents out of the vehicles This company should be investigated and avoided at all costs

This company towed a vehicle that was parked on the street back in Dec 2014, they failed to file paper work with the Adot Motor vehicle for over 3 months. They failed to notify me of the tow. Checking the paper work filed with [redacted] Abandoned Vehicle Notification, they claim that a business owner from a place called [redacted] called and asked them to remove the vehicle the name used as the authorizing person from the business is not anyone associated with the business, more so the business was not open when the tow was made. The company would not have had the right to have the vehicle towed as it was on the city street. The legal name of the Business in that area is [redacted] and there isn't anyone who works at this company by this name. Alliance Towing is in the practice of illegal towing and car theft from the street.

Ms. [redacted]
was parked on a gravel driveway dedicated to deliveries to a local
business.  That business is CarQuest Auto
Parts. ...

CarQuest leases the driveway, but
I am not sure from whom they lease the driveway.  At the east edge of the driveway, without a
restraining curb, it drops approximately 7 feet to the railroad ballast.  It would seem ridiculous that the lease of
the driveway would not include the entire width of the driveway (approximately 22
feet).
 
Alliance
Towing was originally called to start towing several vehicle parked on CarQuest
leased property at 5:20 pm.  Upon our
driver’s arrival, Ms. [redacted]’s vehicle was already parked in the driveway,
approximately 40 minutes before CarQuest was to close for business.  Ms. [redacted]’s vehicle was parked approximately 20
feet from the nearest “No Parking” sign, however, there was no other location
that a sign could be logically placed. 
The nearest sign was on the southern most end of the building.
 
Three
vehicles were towed from the CarQuest location on the evening of August 8,
2014.  Ms. [redacted]’s vehicle was the last of
the three vehicles.  By the time that her
vehicle was towed, calls had been received from the owners of the other two vehicles.  There was still a BMW parked in front of Ms.
[redacted]’s vehicle, however, it could not be legally towed.  First of all it had not been parked there for
at least one hour as required by CVC 22953 (The BMW had parked in front of Ms.
[redacted]’s vehicle approximately 15 minutes prior to Ms. [redacted]’s vehicle being
towed).  Secondly, it had not been
specifically requested by the property's lessee as required by CVC 22658(l)(1). 
That was not the case for Ms. [redacted]. 
Her vehicle was observed parked in its location for longer than 1 hour
and the towing was specifically requested by CarQuest.
 
The
amounts charged for the release of Ms. [redacted]’s vehicle were posted “Law
Enforcement” rates.  Law Enforcement
rates are always used for Private Property Impounds.  Law Enforcement rates are specific to the
individual tow companies, not all companies charge the exact same rates.  The California Highway Patrol specifically
prohibits ‘collusion’ between the tow companies and requires that all tow
companies submit individual rates.  The
California Highway Patrol then accepts those rates, but requires that the rates
be within a certain percentage of each other so that one company is not
charging exorbitant rates while another is grossly undercharging.  These rates have also been reviewed by the
Paso Robles Police Department and approved.
 
The rates
charged by Alliance Towing, and posted in our lobby are $220.00 per hour (one
hour minimum) for Paso Robles Police tows and Private Property Impounds within the
City (California Highway Patrol tows are currently $240.00 per hour).  Our storage rate is $60.00 for each day.  Storage begins at the time that the vehicle
is placed in our storage yard and any portion of the day is considered a
complete day of storage.  The first
storage day is 24 hours; each additional day is a calendar day.  There is a gate fee for access to any vehicle
during a time when our business office is closed.  Those times include the hours after 5:00 pm
and prior to 8:00 am the following business day; all hours during weekends and
on observed holidays.  The gate fee is
limited to no more than one half of a normal hourly tow.
 
Ms. [redacted]
was charged $220.00 for a one hour minimum tow. 
She was charged $60.00 for one day’s storage and she was charged $110.00
for a vehicle release after business hours. 
The total of Ms. [redacted]’s charges were $390.00.
 
Even if
the property is owned by the railroad and leased to CarQuest, it is not public
property.  It is private property and
therefore not open to public parking just because Ms. [redacted] had previously
parked there without permission and had not been towed.  It is just as likely that her continued
parking on the property has caused CarQuest to start exercising their legal
right to have violators towed.  It is not
necessary for a person to block the entire driveway to violate private property
rights.  She left approximately 10 feet
between the side of her vehicle and the side of the building for delivery
trucks to negotiate.  For her to be aware
of the No Parking signs posting and location indicates that she knew the
property was private.
 
In
conclusion, Ms. [redacted] knowingly parked on private property, parking there prior
to the close of the business and leaving her vehicle there for more that one
hour.  Ms. [redacted]’s vehicle was legally towed
in adherence with the applicable California Vehicle Code sections and
requirements.  She was charged an amount
that was correct for the rates approved by both the Paso Robles Police
Department and the California Highway Patrol. 
Therefore, while we have empathy for her family’s financial
difficulties, the fact that Ms. [redacted] knowingly parked on private property in no
way obligates us to refund any of the money charged to her.

This company towed a vehicle that was parked on the street back in Dec 2014, they failed to file paper work with the Adot Motor vehicle for over 3 months. They failed to notify me of the tow. Checking the paper work filed with [redacted] Abandoned Vehicle Notification, they claim that a business owner from a place called [redacted] called and asked them to remove the vehicle the name used as the authorizing person from the business is not anyone associated with the business, more so the business was not open when the tow was made. The company would not have had the right to have the vehicle towed as it was on the city street. The legal name of the Business in that area is [redacted] and there isn't anyone who works at this company by this name. Alliance Towing is in the practice of illegal towing and car theft from the street.

Bad customer service. The employee that works there is so rude to everyone if you try talking to them nicely they talk back with an attitude. Most importantly he was cursing at me. when I called them to ask when can I pick up my car he kept hanging up on me. I wouldn't recommend anybody doing business with them.

Review: My car was towed by Alliance Towing at 6:40pm on a Friday night while we attended a city event that occurs every Friday night at the park. They claim the property owner of the business I was parked nearby requested it to be towed. The business closes at 6:00pm and shared a building with the vacant space I was parked near. I was parked in a dirt area between two poles near the railroad tracks (marked with yellow in attached picture) in front of and to the right of the building, leaving plenty of space for cars to drive through on the left hand side. I was advised that my car was towed due to the towing signs on the building, a few feet ahead of where I was parked. In reviewing the property lines for the city, my vehicle was actually parked on railroad property, not their business property. They also failed to tow the BMW sitting directly in front of the building with the Towing sign posted. I have parked in this space several times due to no Towing signs located where I parked. They charged me $390 to get my car and they had it for less than an hour and a half (6:40pm - approximately 8:15pm). $390 is a large amount of money and causes a hard ship for the family. If I was actually parked in a No Parking zone and blocking a driveway, I would understand my car being towed, but I will never understand how they can charge that much. However, I was not on their property and I was not blocking any driveways or areas that prevented cars from being able to drive through.Desired Settlement: I am requesting a refund in the amount of $390. This has caused a hardship for my family and I. My car was illegally requested to be towed by a property owner when I was not even on their property.

Business

Response:

Ms. [redacted]

was parked on a gravel driveway dedicated to deliveries to a local

business. That business is CarQuest Auto

Parts. CarQuest leases the driveway, but

I am not sure from whom they lease the driveway. At the east edge of the driveway, without a

restraining curb, it drops approximately 7 feet to the railroad ballast. It would seem ridiculous that the lease of

the driveway would not include the entire width of the driveway (approximately 22

feet).

Alliance

Towing was originally called to start towing several vehicle parked on CarQuest

leased property at 5:20 pm. Upon our

driver’s arrival, Ms. [redacted]’s vehicle was already parked in the driveway,

approximately 40 minutes before CarQuest was to close for business. Ms. [redacted]’s vehicle was parked approximately 20

feet from the nearest “No Parking” sign, however, there was no other location

that a sign could be logically placed.

The nearest sign was on the southern most end of the building.

Three

vehicles were towed from the CarQuest location on the evening of August 8,

2014. Ms. [redacted]’s vehicle was the last of

the three vehicles. By the time that her

vehicle was towed, calls had been received from the owners of the other two vehicles. There was still a BMW parked in front of Ms.

[redacted]’s vehicle, however, it could not be legally towed. First of all it had not been parked there for

at least one hour as required by CVC 22953 (The BMW had parked in front of Ms.

[redacted]’s vehicle approximately 15 minutes prior to Ms. [redacted]’s vehicle being

towed). Secondly, it had not been

specifically requested by the property's lessee as required by CVC 22658(l)(1).

That was not the case for Ms. [redacted].

Her vehicle was observed parked in its location for longer than 1 hour

and the towing was specifically requested by CarQuest.

The

amounts charged for the release of Ms. [redacted]’s vehicle were posted “Law

Enforcement” rates. Law Enforcement

rates are always used for Private Property Impounds. Law Enforcement rates are specific to the

individual tow companies, not all companies charge the exact same rates. The California Highway Patrol specifically

prohibits ‘collusion’ between the tow companies and requires that all tow

companies submit individual rates. The

California Highway Patrol then accepts those rates, but requires that the rates

be within a certain percentage of each other so that one company is not

charging exorbitant rates while another is grossly undercharging. These rates have also been reviewed by the

Paso Robles Police Department and approved.

The rates

charged by Alliance Towing, and posted in our lobby are $220.00 per hour (one

hour minimum) for Paso Robles Police tows and Private Property Impounds within the

City (California Highway Patrol tows are currently $240.00 per hour). Our storage rate is $60.00 for each day. Storage begins at the time that the vehicle

is placed in our storage yard and any portion of the day is considered a

complete day of storage. The first

storage day is 24 hours; each additional day is a calendar day. There is a gate fee for access to any vehicle

during a time when our business office is closed. Those times include the hours after 5:00 pm

and prior to 8:00 am the following business day; all hours during weekends and

on observed holidays. The gate fee is

limited to no more than one half of a normal hourly tow.

Ms. [redacted]

was charged $220.00 for a one hour minimum tow.

She was charged $60.00 for one day’s storage and she was charged $110.00

for a vehicle release after business hours.

The total of Ms. [redacted]’s charges were $390.00.

Even if

the property is owned by the railroad and leased to CarQuest, it is not public

property. It is private property and

therefore not open to public parking just because Ms. [redacted] had previously

parked there without permission and had not been towed. It is just as likely that her continued

parking on the property has caused CarQuest to start exercising their legal

right to have violators towed. It is not

necessary for a person to block the entire driveway to violate private property

rights. She left approximately 10 feet

between the side of her vehicle and the side of the building for delivery

trucks to negotiate. For her to be aware

of the No Parking signs posting and location indicates that she knew the

property was private.

In

conclusion, Ms. [redacted] knowingly parked on private property, parking there prior

to the close of the business and leaving her vehicle there for more that one

hour. Ms. [redacted]’s vehicle was legally towed

in adherence with the applicable California Vehicle Code sections and

requirements. She was charged an amount

that was correct for the rates approved by both the Paso Robles Police

Department and the California Highway Patrol.

Therefore, while we have empathy for her family’s financial

difficulties, the fact that Ms. [redacted] knowingly parked on private property in no

way obligates us to refund any of the money charged to her.

I somehow did not see the no parking sign on a pole when I parked om 16th Street early Saturday morning. (Not sure it was really there when I parked). About 20 minutes befor the parade starts I see my car on the back of an Alliance Tow truck. I go to where my car was an there was a sign on the pole facing more to the west when I hard driven in from the east, but there was one. I called the police department number on the sign and then went ther to pay my fine ($112). I then walked to the towing company, Alliance Towing, to pay for towing and get my car. No one was there so I called the number on the door. A man answered and [redacted] that he would be there in 15 minutes to take me to my car. 25 minutes later he showed up and told me that it would be $390 to have my car released. I was in shock that it ws so much. He said that it was "$220 per hour". I then pointed out that he had only had the car for an hour although he tried to say that he had it for two. He backed off of that when I told him that I had seen my vehicle get towed. He then said that there was a one hour mimum and that there was a $110 gate fee. He said that was to open the gate for where my car was towed to. He sId that they are closed on Saturdays. He then said that there was a $60 per day storage fee again a one day minimum. The entire time, he was condescending and belligerent. I asked him who sets the rates. He was very well versed in the fact that the Chief of Police agreed to these rates. I asked hi for a copy of the agreement that they hasq with the City of Paso Robles. He said that he did not have it. He told me that the city uses two towing companies and that I should be happy that they didn't call the other one as they charge $30 more. He said that he wasn't suppose to know that so as to avoid "collusion" but that he knew it. I asked him how much it would have cost me if I had called and wanted a tow. He replied that it would have cost me about $70. But since the city called it was $390.

Basically, I was charged over $500 for parking illegally on a city street. I really don't believe that the sign was there as neither my daughter nor I saw the sign two hours earlier. The towing company had my car for approximately one hour and twenty minutes. The majority of that time was either waiting on them or walking to their place of business. After reading about all of the problems with King City and their towing scam that landed half of their entire Police Department and the chiefs' brother, who just so happened to own the towing company, facing prison time.

I doubt that I will spend my time and money in Paso anymore.

Regardless, this towing company was unprofessional, condescending, rude and just plain classless. In reading the reviews on the internet, numerous people have complained about them and their corrupt practices; such as steeling contents out of the vehicles. This company should be investigated and avoided at all costs.