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Towing Service Vendor Application and Permit

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  2. Must be the owner of and have full control over all towing equipment. No Subcontracting Allowed.
  13. Vehicles: List each truck by Year, Make, Weight, Capacity, License Plate #
  67. Special Vehicle Equipment
  81. Attach insurance company declaration page, business certificate (DBA) or corporate certificate, tow vehicle titles, registrations, and licenses of all tow vehicle operators.
  85. TOW SERVICE VENDOR CONDITIONS OF PERMIT:
    1. The vendor will render-prompt and efficient service when called upon by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. 2. To hold harmless the Madison County Sheriff, Madison County Sheriff's Office employees, agents or subsidiaries, and the County of Madison against any and all liability or claims of any type, or from any person which stem or relate to towing storage, impoundment, or repair services provided by the towing service. 3. Towing equipment must be sufficient to meet the classification of vehicle to be towed. All vehicles responding to a request for service must have dollies, unless it is a flat-bed. 4. The vendor must have equipment for cleaning road debris on any truck responding to a request for service (such as a broom, shovel, etc.). The NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law, Section 1219(C), requires that any person removing a wrecked or damaged vehicle from the highway remove any glass or other injurious substance on the highway from that vehicle. With the exception of extenuating circumstances, the vendor may not charge extra for this. 5. The vendor must maintain 24-hour towing service, 7 days per week with active telephone ability. The vendor must be able to respond to the scene of an incident within a 30-minute period, road conditions permitting. 6. The NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law contains specific provisions for the registration of tow trucks and licensing of tow truck drivers. The vendor must ensure that their trucks and drivers meet the current regulations under that Law. The vendors must attach copies of all Tow Vehicle Titles, Registrations, and the Licenses of all Tow Vehicle Operators. The vendor must also ensure that each of their drivers possess and maintain a valid NYS (or other) License of the class and endorsement required for the type of vehicle(s) used and type of towing they will be performing for the business. It is the vendor's responsibility to maintain driver qualification files for each of their licensed operators / drivers, as required by NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law Article 19-B. 7. The vendor's tow vehicles must display a valid NYS inspection, and all necessary warning lighting, reflective markings, and other equipment used for towing purposes, (as may be required by NYS Vehicle and Traffic laws), must be maintained in a safe and working condition at all times. 8. The vendor may not use or equip any tow vehicles with a "scanner" or "radio" or electronic devices capable of transmitting or receiving any radio frequencies designated for police use. 9. The vendor must be fully insured against theft, damage, and be covered by liability insurance for your business, towing, garage and any storage areas. The vendor must provide a minimum of $1,000,000 liability insurance for each occurrence for bodily injury and property damage or its equivalent. The vendors must attach a copy of their insurance company's declaration page, showing the limits of coverage, to this permit. Insurance certification cards must indicate the tow truck designation, adjacent to the year and model information. Insurance shall be kept current at all times. 10. The vendor must attach a copy of their business certificate (DBA) or corporation certificate to this permit. 11. The vendor must provide the operator / owner of the towed vehicle with a printed 3X5 card (or other business card or document) that contains the vendor's name, address and phone number(s). The card / document must be provided to the operator I owner at the scene of the incident. If that is not possible, then the card I document must be attached to the itemized bill, 12. The operator / owner (or other person paying the bill) must be provided with an itemized bill. Itemization must include the basic towing charge, any additional charges for dollies, additional services provided (i.e. winching, etc.), mileage charge, service call charge and any storage charges. The vendor's bills must also include the name of the operator / owner (or person paying the bill), the date the bill was paid and a description of the vehicle. (Plate. # or VIN #, or Make and Model, etc.). 13. The vendor must be available to release towed vehicles from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, seven days a week: The vendor may not charge any additional fee for the release of a vehicle during that time period. The vendor must also allow for interested parties to examine the towed vehicle, or retrieve any personal property from the vehicle, during normal business hours (Monday Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM) at no additional charge. 14. The vendor may not withhold any personal property that is in a towed vehicle, from the owner of that property. The vendor also may not withhold the release of the vehicles license plates to anyone who has a lawful right to take or possess them. *This section does not apply to vehicles placed on "hold" or "Impounded" by order of the Madison County Sheriff's Office; as such the removal of any personal property will only be done so upon release of the vehicle from "hold" or "impounded" status (with a signed Vehicle Impound Release Approval Form), or when specific written permission from the Sheriff’s Office to remove any personal property has been given to the owner. 15. Each towing service vendor on the tow rotation list shall maintain a secure impoundment facility that Precludes access to the vehicles by the general public. All vehicles requested to be impounded by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office will be retained and impounded the secure facility and will not be displayed to any other persons, or permitted to be removed from the impound area without prior written authorization (1.e. Vehicle Impound Release Approval Form), from the Sheriff’s Office. 16. Neither the Madison County Sheriff's Office, nor the County of Madison, assume any, liability for any additional damage, or theft of or from, a towed vehicle once it is under the control of, or in possession of, the vendor. 17. Re-Towing: On occasion, during a time of extreme hazardous conditions, the vendor may be directed by the Officer / Deputy on the scene to remove a vehicle from a highway and drop it nearby in order to return to the scene as quickly as possible to remove another vehicle(s). This requires the vendor to re-hook the vehicle later to tow it to their facility. Although these situations are extremely rare, if the vendor should be directed to do so, they cannot charge double or for two tows on the same vehicle. The vendor may however, add a surcharge to the bill not to exceed 30% of the basic tow charge applicable. This applies only if the vendor is directed by the Officer / Deputy to do this. 18. The vendor is authorized to respond only to those requests made to them from the 911 Center. Vendors are also not authorized to respond "on your own" without a specific request having been made from the 911 Center. This is necessary to maintain the equality of the tow rotations system for all tow service vendors on the tow rotation list, 19. The vendor understands that the placement of their business name on the towing rotation list for the Madison County Sheriff's Office in no way obligates the Sheriff's Office to provide towing referrals or any other related services to their business, on any regularly scheduled basis, and that such service to their business is at the convenience of the Madison County Sheriff's Office. 20. In order to maintain our records and keep accountability to the citizen's we serve, the vendor agrees to notify the Madison County Sheriff's Office within 48 hours of any change in their towing service. Notification may be made to the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Division Captain during normal business hours at 366-2317. 21. The provisions of the Madison County Sheriff's Office Towing Policy covering towing services are, applicable to vendors as it affects this towing service vendor permit and the tow rotation list. The vendor will be provided with a copy of the Towing Policy. 22. The vendor's tow vehicles or equipment will not display any markings that would indicate or suggest that such is affiliated with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. 23. The vendors understand and agree that they and their employees will not hold themselves out as, nor claim to be, an officer or employee of Madison County by reason of this permit. The vendor further agrees and understands that they will not make against Madison County any claim, demand or application to or for any right or privilege applicable to an officer or employee of the County, including by not limited to worker's compensation coverage, unemployment insurance benefits, social security coverage or retirement membership or credit. 24. Madison County Sheriff's personnel shall be prohibited from operating, or being affiliated with, a towing service vendor, which may result in a conflict of interest. 25. When the vendor is dealing with the public as a result of a Madison County Sheriff’s Office request for service, they and their employees shall conduct themselves in a. professional manner. 26. The procedures to follow to satisfy an outstanding lien are outlined in NYS Department of Motor Vehicles Form MV-50A entitled "Information about Garageman’s Lien, Repossession and Unclaimed Vehicles." 27. If the vendor wishes to preserve rights for a lien against towing and storage charges, they must follow the procedures as described under Section 184-2 of the NYS Lien Law (other Laws may also be applicable). In order to assist the vendor in their obligations under that Law, the Sheriff’s Office will help to Identify the name and address of the owner, as follows: On the fourth day following the initial tow of a vehicle, if the vehicle has not been removed from the vendor's facility and they do not know the name and address of the owner, call the Criminal Division Captain's Office at 366-2317 or Records Office at 366-2475 (During normal business hours). Provide the vehicle plate #, VIN # etc., and we will conduct a search of the Department of Motor Vehicles records and give the vendor any information found regarding the registered owner's name and address. 28. Complaints regarding the Implementation of the tow rotation list must be made in writing, on business letterhead and mailed to ATTN; Madison County Sheriffs Criminal Division Captain, PO Box 16, Wampsville, NY 13163. The vendor will be contacted upon receipt of the complaint and the complaint will be investigated. If the complaint falls with another agency or division, it will be turned over to that agency or division for investigation. The complaint should have dates and times and as many details as possible. If the vendor has a question, they may call the Criminal Division Captain at 366-2317. The vendor is not to call any Dispatcher or Deputy Sheriff regarding any complaint above, or they may be removed / suspended from the tow rotation list for a period of six (6) months. Complaints regarding Madison County will be responded to in writing within 30 days. In the event it is determined the complaint involved an agency other than Madison County, you will be notified in writing as to who the complaint has been turned over to. 29. The vendor may request to withdraw or cancel the permit as a towing services vendor to the Madison County Sheriff's. Office, in writing with no less than thirty (30) days advance notice. 30. The terms of this permit shall remain in effect unless or until modification is made in writing from the Madison County Sheriff's Office to the vendor. By your signature below, you have read and fully understand and agree to all the conditions of this Madison County Sheriff's Office Towing Service Vendor Permit, and Affirm that the information you have entered herein and provided along with this permit is accurate and correct, (Punishable under penalty of NYS Penal Law Section 175.35; Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a Class E Felony).
  87. Electronic Signature Agreement
    By checking the "I agree" box below, you agree and acknowledge that 1) your application will not be signed in the sense of a traditional paper document, 2) by signing in this alternate manner, you authorize your electronic signature to be valid and binding upon you to the same force and effect as a handwritten signature, and 3) you may still be required to provide a traditional signature at a later date. 4) You have read and fully understand and agree to all the conditions of this Madison County Sheriff's Office Towing Service Vendor Permit, and Affirm that the information you have entered herein and provided along with this permit is accurate and correct, (Punishable under penalty of NYS Penal Law Section 175.35; Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a Class E Felony).
    90. Leave This Blank:

  92. This field is not part of the form submission.