Abrams Towing is one of three companies in line for part of a lucrative Toronto Police towing budget.
Three long-established Toronto towing companies are in the running to share a lucrative more than $2 million Toronto Police vehicle towing contract.
A Toronto City Bid Award Panel will consider the awarding of the police contract to Abrams Towing, J.P. Towing Service & Storage and Classic Towing and storage for a three year period, according to documents filed to Council, whose members will make the ultimate decision.
The contracts includes the towing of vehicles for the Environment, Climate and Forestry; Transportation Services; Solid Waste Management Services and Toronto Water Divisions to the end of May 2028.
The City agencies will have an option to renew for two separate one-year periods.
JP Towing has been in business for decades and is competing for a share of the police towing budget.
The total amount for all contracts including both option years is $1,844,433, including all applicable taxes and charges, $2,084,209.
The TPS had to issue a new request in January last year as the Ontario government passed new legislation that affected the way towing providers interact with their customers and identified allowable towing rates.
The measure was required to decrease a tow truck war in Toronto in which more than dozen trucks were torched or drivers shot due to stiff competition. A special police task force has been established to halt the violence.
Abrams is probable the largest of the tow companies with more than 160 trucks of varying sizes to service the Toronto area.
Classic Towing is well known and their trucks can be seen across the City.
The family-owned J.P. Towing has been around for more than 30 years and has a range of light and heavy tow trucks for all Toronto towing needs.
Classic Towing and Storage has also been around for decades and has a fleet of about 150 vehicles of all sizes.
Thousands of vehicles are towed away yearly to pounds from City streets due to traffic infractions or for snow removal or other reasons. The average towing fee is $160 and the storage fee is $70 daily.