MTA votes to reduce fees for vehicles towed in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Towing fees are a step closer to becoming cheaper in San Francisco. Currently it costs close to $500 and more than half of that is the administrative fee.

On Tuesday evening, the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Agency voted unanimously to reduce the towing fees in the city. That plan goes to the board of supervisors for a final vote next week.

David Bnazeraf's work truck was towed two months ago. He was physically unable to get to the tow yard until now. The total bill so far is $5,600.

"I had to buy another truck because the fees were so much it was cheaper to buy another vehicle than to get my truck out," he said.

The daily storage fees for towed vehicles may be steep, but the towing charges in San Francisco are said to be the highest in the country.

The minimum cost is currently $491and change. That's not even counting the parking ticket.

"Six to $700 for a single mistake is just punitive," said Supervisor Jane Kim.

The deal reached between Kim, other supervisors, and the MTA would reduce towing fees by about a $100. And it'll include an amnesty program for low income families.

"For those households, we'll reduce tow fees by almost 50 percent," said Kim.

Most of the reduction of the towing charge will come from an administrative fee which the city attaches, a fee that has exploded in recent years.

"In the last seven years, it has grown by over 430 percent to $266. That's just unconscionable," said Supervisor Aaron Peskin.

There is one catch -- don't get towed twice. You won't get the reduced fee the second time around.