There have been more than a dozen complaints from truckers who feel like they’ve been unfairly targeted by towing companies across the Queen City.
The complaints keep rolling in.
“That’s straight highway robbery,” said Timothy Williams, who owns and operates his own truck and hauls for ELE Logistics out of Charlotte. “I don’t think that should be allowed by no one.”
Williams says he didn’t see the warning sign when he pulled his tractor into 7-Eleven on Statesville Road in Charlotte to eat dinner. He says he was there for two hours.
“He snuck up on me,” he said of Carolina’s Towing.
He says he was inside the truck on April 9 when the tower put a chain around his tire and demanded $1,500 to take it off.
“Plus they charged me a $72 fee for even using my charge card,” he said.
Another trucker, who didn’t want to go on camera, says he was told he would have to pay $10,000 if his tractor-trailer was towed from the same lot unless he paid $5,000 to remove the boot. He says Carolina’s Towing offered him a “deal” to settle for $3,000.
“These guys were taking advantage of an opportunity to rob me for $1,500,” he said. “That’s a bill I don’t know when I’m going to finish paying for.”
Charlotte TV station FOX 46 has been working to get results and asking the towing companies if they would consider issuing refunds since many truckers are transporting critical supplies.
We gave the company Williams’ complaint along with three others last week. Carolina’s Towing agreed to look into each one.
The company won’t say if it actually did look into the complaints. Instead, Carolina’s Towing insists it, like the truckers, are an “essential” service at this time. A company spokesperson tells FOX 46 they will not issue any refunds.
“If we come across a truck that contains essential goods we will take the necessary steps not to impede once provided proof,” the company said in an emailed statement. “This, however, does not allow any truck or vehicle to be parked where notice posted states otherwise [sic].”
Williams says it’s hard enough to find places to park in Charlotte without the added worry of having to pay thousands of dollars.
“I’m out here trying my best to make an honest living,” Williams said. “No one at 7-Eleven couldn’t come out and say, ‘Sir, you can’t park here?’ That’s all they had to tell me. I had no idea.”
He’s hoping his story will continue to serve as a warning to other truckers to watch out.
