Small trucking company was charged $16K for a tow, report says

A small trucking company was hit with a massive bill for the tow of a broken down box truck, according to a recent report out of Georgia.

News outlet 11Alive reported that on December 20, a box truck belonging to Elshaddai Truckers and Logistics broke down on southbound I-75 at mile marker 227 in Henry County, Georgia.

The breakdown was caused by a broken brake line.

Because the box truck was blocking traffic, police arrived on the scene and called for a tow truck.

Through Georgia’s Towing and Recovery Incentive Program (TRIP), Wrecker 1 out of McDonough was dispatched to respond to the box truck.

TRIP has been in place since 2008. It attempts to reduce traffic congestion by providing financial incentives to tow companies for clearing commercial vehicle crashes in a timely fashion. TRIP is activated for all commercial vehicle crashes that impede traffic, and dispatch is managed by law enforcement or transportation officials. The program sends out vetted tow companies to respond to commercial vehicle crashes on a rotating basis. The TRIP tow companies must respond with two heavy duty recovery trucks and a support truck as part of the program.

The box truck was towed for about 8 miles off of I-75, according to the report.

When the tow bill came to Elshaddai Truckers and Logistics later that day, it totaled $12,345, which included a 25% discount if the paid by 4:30 p.m. that day.

A second bill for $16,515 was issued Thursday morning.

The company says that they do not have the money to pay the tow bill and that there is still freight to be delivered on the box truck

According to 11Alive, Georgia officials say that there is no set rate that tow companies must adhere to if the tow was initiated by law enforcement.