Canada_ (Commonwealth) _ The City of Winnipeg claims a towing business billed it for tows totaling more than a million dollars that never occurred. Now, the corporation is being asked to pay back less than half of what the city claims it is due as part of a settlement proposal from municipal authorities.
In December 2021, the city initiated an investigation of all bills from Tartan Towing, the business it had engaged to undertake what are described to as “courtesy tows” of automobiles during residential snow removal parking prohibitions, commencing in 2016. The city’s executive policy committee will analyze the findings next week. The assessment revealed that many invoices totaling $1.1 million were erroneous.
The story claims that the city has reached a settlement with Tartan to repay $446,000 over the following two years in order to avoid bringing the business to court. Why aren’t we requesting the whole amount, I question in frustration. remarked Public Works Committee Chair Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West).
“The towing firm and the city are under contract. We have no control over the way the towing business provides the service. Delivering the service is their responsibility. I wonder why the towing firm didn’t check with its contractors as well.” The report says since the overcharges were found, Tartan has fired some of the tow truck drivers implicated and given warnings to others, while some have left the firm.
The city has modified its tracking procedures as well. Before and after images of a car being towed must now be included by tow truck drivers. In the future, Tartan has warned all present and upcoming users of the app about the repercussions of any abuse or fraudulent reporting, according to the article. If the council does not approve the proposed settlement, the city may choose to sue Tartan.
Executive policy committee members asked for a number of additional modifications to the contract with Tartan at a briefing on January 20. To guarantee they are not employed again, they want the business to identify the subcontractors who were involved. They also want the public service to assess what actions Tartan is doing to make sure sub-contractors are not making fraudulent claims, as well as steps the city may take to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
