Prairie Land Towing

I'm 64 yrs old, I'm as honest as they come. Don't use Prairie land towing for anything. I contracted them during a blizzard in January of 2024 winter storm warnings and blizzard warning. I drove into a snow bank when I swerved to avoid and oncoming car that was sliding out of
control. I was stuck a few feet off the road in snow. I looked on the internet for towing service saw Prairie Land towing, they said affordable rates. I contacted them tow truck driver showed up about 20 minutes later got out I helped him hook the winch up to my bumper and then he got back in his truck and set for 20 minutes he got out and it took about 5 minutes to pull my truck out of the snow that was it then he came up to my window and he said that'll be $415 with the grin on his face. I'm not new to tow truck so you tow trucks probably four or five times in your pool equipment out of motor snow and various other things I thought maximum I should be charged $150 no more than that maybe maximum $200 I voiced my dismay with him and said that is ridiculous let me see it itemized. The driver said we don't do that and I asked how did you come up with that figure $415 , he said that what it is. This was premeditated theft. There's price gouging laws in the state of Wisconsin, one specifically states in any state of emergency any business determined to be price gouging shall be fined $10,000. I've decided to maila complaint to the state attorneys office next week about this, a winter storm warning is considered a state of emergency, I was charged more then double what market price dictates, the grin I witnessed really disgusts me, I believe in always being fair and doing the right thing, it's called having integrity. PLT lacks this . Stay away

Revdex.com: I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] , and have determined that it would resolve my complaintIn doing so I met with Todd [redacted] to look at the damage and view the videoTodd came out and assessed the damage and denied any wrongdoingWhen I asked to review the video he decided to do a demo of how they pick up the carsI appreciate the demo but now let's review the video and again was not allowed to view the video! If the original agreement was to as the damage as well as view the actual video, why not show the video! That tells the whole story and I stand by my complaint! As of now I will pay to have the damage repaired and write negative reviews about a company that I believe is not honest and ethical in the way the do business Regards, [redacted]

This vehicle was towed because the parking pass was not displayed properlyParking passes are mirror hanging and must be in plain sight for monitoringUnfortunately the mirror tag was somewhere on the floor and was towedWithin the apartment rules and our monitoring letter that was distributed to all tenants it clearly states "must be visible and in plain sight"I apologize for your experienceYour vehicle will not be towed if the permit is displayed correctly

First of all I would like to apologize for any and all inconvenience that has occurred Unfortunately I ( [redacted] ) underwent surgery during this situation and was out of the office for several days after I have made contact with everyone involved within my Company and have verified many of the facts The vehicle was towed as the driver did not identify the sticker The vehicle should have been released or returned at no charge in which it looks like it was released at no cost Unfortunately, it sounds like a few people got involved here and did muddy the water a bit I sincerely apologize for the lack of quick resolve and I think everyone involved were trying to give some sort of resolve although it would have been much easier to return the vehicle and provide you with a release receipt for your records All options that have been offered still stand from [redacted] and *** Prairie Land has been built on great service and a reputable name within the Industry Again, I understand all the frustrations that occurred here and I assure you that I have made adjustments within our core procedures to ensure this doesn't happen again I appreciate your understanding and patience as I know this was a trying time to go through Please accept our most sincere apologies and contact me directly if you would like to discuss anything further [redacted]

The safest way to transport the vehicle is on a flatbed with this type of suspension damage A wheel lift is a 'last resort' as there is very little to secure the vehicle to our truck when components are broken Think of hauling a trailer with no coupling device Clearly this is not safe practice The operator after attempting to safely tow the vehicle on the flatbed then had to resort to a wheel lift We cannot be held responsible for damages that a vehicle incurs due to a mechanical failure Industry standard tools and techniques were used to transport the vehicle The waiver was signed which does outline the process These types of issues can result from any type of loading whether it be a wheel lift or a flatbed This is why we have a wavier releasing the vehicle with perimeters that are outlined The operator has no authority to suggest we repair a vehicle Management contacted the owner of the vehicle and explained the situation The transport was completed in a safe and efficient manner

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 11831848, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear belowMy bill was $for an administrative feenfor two day storage and $for being parked thereWe are asking for backHalf of the parking fee without including your office feesIf we are not recieving this amount back then we are prepared to go to small claims court.
[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]
Regards,
Emily T***

Prairie Land Towing works very diligently to perform services so that damage does not occur Unfortunately in circumstances where the suspension components are already damaged and that is the reason for the towing it is very difficult to guarantee damage not to occur When a ball joint
breaks the entire car is typically sitting on the fender or other suspension components The CV axle slides out, since the car was moving when the breakage happened, and the vehicle now comes to rest in a very tricky position We maintain synthetic ball joint skates on every towing unit to aid our operators in loading these vehicles onto a flatbed unit Loading onto a flatbed is the #safest way to tow a vehicle with this type of damage Our operator did use industry standard tools and techniques to ensure a quality job He also used our synthetic ball joint skate and spent minutes working to ensure the best possible outcome Still damage can result by transporting a vehicle in some situations In this situation your vehicle had many components that were not intact therefore causing more damage in the towing process Knowing this type of situation can arise with this type of broken components we go above and beyond and explain that in the waiver that you sign when the towing occurs I have attached the towing and service released which was signed for review Please look carefully at line This clearly outlines the fact the we cannot be held responsible for damages due to broken ball joints The manufacturers do not have a specific tool or recommendation when this type of breakage occurs It is up to the towing professionals to do the best job they can to load without incident In 95% of all loading of these types of breakage there is no issue Unfortunately in the 5% that do this is what can occur We clearly outline that within our documents Whomever signed for the vehicle agrees to the conditions of the document and the procedure that takes place There is no way to guarantee a 100% damage free transport when the vehicle is not in the original condition of the manufacturer; meaning it has all components in working order as specified by the original manufacturer I apologize for the inconvenience and hope you understand there is nothing more that could have been done to prevent this

The vehicle was towed by the *** ***: *** *** *** ** *** The maintenance department contacted our company to remove the vehicle under their statutory right to do so We were told the vehicle had two flat tires and was parked in the Visitor's stalls more than
hours The lot is clearly posted and displays the statute and information to whom tows the vehicles
Wisconsin State Statute: It also goes on to read:
"(c) Subject to par. (dr) 1., if private property is properly posted and a vehicle is parked on the private property and is not authorized to be parked there, the vehicle may be removed immediately, at the vehicle owner's expense, without the permission of the vehicle owner, regardless of whether a citation is issued for illegal parking."
"3. Subject to par. (dr) 2., if a vehicle is removed under par. (b) or (c) by a towing service, the vehicle owner shall pay the reasonable charges for removal and, if applicable, storage of the vehicle, as well as any service fee imposed under par. (dm)Subject to par. (dr) 2., if the vehicle was removed at the request of the *** *** or *** ***'s agent, these reasonable charges shall be paid directly to the towing service, and the towing service may impound the vehicle until these charges are paidIf these charges have not been paid in full within days of the vehicle's removal and the vehicle owner has not entered into a written agreement with the towing service to pay these reasonable charges in installment payments, the vehicle shall be deemed abandoned and may be disposed of as are other abandoned vehicles."
The vehicle was stored for days which the customer paid $additional because it was not retrieved within the first impounded day Our Company did nothing wrong as we were directed by the *** *** The Statute is very clear Please accept this as our formal response

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Regards,
*** ***

This vehicle was towed because the parking pass was not displayed properly. Parking passes are mirror hanging and must be in plain sight for monitoring. Unfortunately the mirror tag was somewhere on the floor and was towed. Within the apartment rules and our monitoring letter that was distributed to...

all tenants it clearly states "must be visible and in plain sight". I apologize for your experience. Your vehicle will not be towed if the permit is displayed correctly.

First let me apologize for this miscommunication.  I have researched this claim and have found information that will assist in closing this case.  We at Prairie Land hold ourselves to a high standard of service and unfortunately a situation arose with your vehicle and a repair is...

necessary.  I have communicated with [redacted] and they have deducted $500 from our account on Monday December 7, 2015 and have sent a check to you.  In efforts to close this case and ensure a positive outcome we have agreed $500 is the correct response to your claim.  This is the actual costs that you incurred by trading your vehicle.  I feel this is a fair and equitable settlement as its the actual loss that was incurred. Please let me know if you have received the funds.  My office number is ###-###-#### and ask for [redacted] or [redacted].  Thank you for your time and again I'd like to apologize for the inconvenience.

I have made contact with Mr. [redacted].  We are in the process of reviewing and investigating this matter.  Our company maintains video footage and digital photos that we will share with Mr. [redacted].Todd M[redacted]Menzel Enterprises, Inc.[redacted]

First of all I would like to apologize for any and all inconvenience that has occurred.  Unfortunately I ([redacted]) underwent surgery during this situation and was out of the office for several days after.  I have made contact with everyone involved within my Company and have verified...

many of the facts.  The vehicle was towed as the driver did not identify the sticker.  The vehicle should have been released or returned at no charge in which it looks like it was released at no cost.  Unfortunately, it sounds like a few people got involved here and did muddy the water a bit.  I sincerely apologize for the lack of quick resolve and I think everyone involved were trying to give some sort of resolve although it would have been much easier to return the vehicle and provide you with a release receipt for your records.  All options that have been offered still stand from [redacted] and [redacted].  Prairie Land has been built on great service and a reputable name within the Industry.  Again, I understand all the frustrations that occurred here and I assure you that I have made adjustments within our core procedures to ensure this doesn't happen again.  I appreciate your understanding and patience as I know this was a trying time to go through.  Please accept our most sincere apologies and contact me directly if you would like to discuss anything further.  [redacted]

In response to your complaint:If a vehicle is parked illegally and the lot is not posted per statute the vehicle may be towed once a citation has been issued.  See the following:"Wisconsin Statute:  349.13 (3m)(b)(b) Subject to par. (dr) 1., if private property is not...

properly posted and a vehicle is parked on the private property and is not authorized to be parked there, the vehicle may be removed immediately, at the vehicle owner's expense, without the permission of the vehicle owner upon the issuance of a repossession judgment or upon the issuance of a citation for illegal parking."The Police department has a responsibility to ensure that the vehicles does not belong there.  This is why the Statute is in place.  The Landlord or representative must contact the Police and have it ticketed.  In your complaint it verifies there in fact was a ticket.  Once the ticket is placed on the vehicle it can be towed immediately per Statute as it was.  Regardless of who called us they were a clear representative or the Police would not have issued the citation.  Beyond this fact, the rest of the complaint does not apply to our Company.  The Police would never have issued the ticket if the representative did not show ample proof of representation. Furthermore, Madison Parking law does not trump State Statute.  The Ordinance in place within Madison is out of date.Also online at Madison's website it states:  https://www.cityofmadison.com/police/traffic/parking/privateparking.cfm"Parkin...⇄ on Private PropertyThe Madison Police Department may only ticket vehicles on private property on complaint of the property owner/manager. If the property owner/manager had given you permission to park there and is willing to send a letter on their letterhead requesting the withdrawal of the parking ticket, the Property Owner/ Manager may submit a letter on their letterhead to request the ticket be withdrawn."This verifies the fact the representative had to have some sort of right to remove the vehicle.  I hope this helps clarify your complaint and also clears up any wrong doing on our end.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response...

made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that it would resolve my complaint. In doing so I met with Todd [redacted] to look at the damage and view the video. Todd came out and assessed the damage and denied any wrongdoing. When I asked to review the video he decided to do a demo of how they pick up the cars. I appreciate the demo but now let's review the video and again was not allowed to view the video! If the original agreement was to as the damage as well as view the actual video, why not show the video! That tells the whole story and I stand by my complaint! As of now I will pay to have the damage repaired and write negative reviews about a company that I believe is not honest and ethical in the way the do business.
 
Regards,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.The Prairie Land Towing driver did not have my partner read any sort of waiver, he was given a tablet with a blank screen to sign to allow the service to occur. The tow truck driver did not say that the company is not liable for damage nor did he say that fender damage could occur from the broken ball joint. In fact, he told my partner that the company would pay for the damage, after it happened, and said that the company would call us, to work out the details, within 24-hours.New information that I did not know about when first contacting the Revdex.com came up when talking to my partner. He told me that the Prairie Land driver ended up doing a wheel-lift tow after attempting to pull our car onto the flatbed and causing the damage. If he knew damage could occur from attempting to pull the car onto the flatbed; why didn't he just do a wheel-lift tow from the beginning?
Regards,
Vanessa Laessig

I am sorry that the customer isn't satisfied with our offer, however, the offer is what she asked for in the original complaint.  She asked for either a full refund or at least 1 day of storage at $25.00.  I offered the $25.00 because she admitted she was in the wrong for parking without a permit, and I wanted to work with her in the effort of good customer service.  I understand the situation is frustrating but the customer did make the mistake.  I'm still happy to refund the $25.00, but the fees are the fees.

The safest way to transport the vehicle is on a flatbed with this type of suspension damage.  A wheel lift is a 'last resort' as there is very little to secure the vehicle to our truck when components are broken.  Think of hauling a trailer with no coupling device.  Clearly this is not safe practice.  The operator after attempting to safely tow the vehicle on the flatbed then had to resort to a wheel lift.  We cannot be held responsible for damages that a vehicle incurs due to a mechanical failure.  Industry standard tools and techniques were used to transport the vehicle.  The waiver was signed which does outline the process.  These types of issues can result from any type of loading whether it be a wheel lift or a flatbed.  This is why we have a wavier releasing the vehicle with perimeters that are outlined.  The operator has no authority to suggest we repair a vehicle.  Management contacted the owner of the vehicle and explained the situation.  The transport was completed in a safe and efficient manner.

We did tow Ms. T[redacted]'s vehicle on the night of 11/14/16. Ms. T[redacted] indicates there is no way we could have towed it at 10:30pm because her husband was awake.  As you can see on the attachment "Call Details," the time we picked up the car is marked "Arrived" at 10:29pm.  ("Cleared"...

indicates the time our dispatcher closed the call.) The property that we towed the car from has a contract with our company to remove ANY vehicle that is parked there without a permit. Their tenants were notified of the arrangement ahead of time, and there are also signs posted indicating vehicles will be towed if they don't have a permit.  Ms. T[redacted] indicates she is aware she parked a rental car there with no permit.  It is the tenant's responsibility to notify the landlord of any changes or to obtain additional permits.  Regarding the storage fees, any increment of a day can be charged the daily storage rate, so technically Ms. T[redacted]'s vehicle can accrue two days of storage.  I am willing to make an exception and refund one day of storage, $25.00, to Ms. T[redacted].  I understand the situation is frustrating and upsetting, however, we are providing a service requested by HER property owner.  Please advise where I can send the $25.00 refund check to.

Review: My car was towed from in from of my house due to them not seeing the display sticker... When car was picked up

Business

Response:

This vehicle was towed because the parking pass was not displayed properly. Parking passes are mirror hanging and must be in plain sight for monitoring. Unfortunately the mirror tag was somewhere on the floor and was towed. Within the apartment rules and our monitoring letter that was distributed to all tenants it clearly states "must be visible and in plain sight". I apologize for your experience. Your vehicle will not be towed if the permit is displayed correctly.