a. Operator(s) shall respond to Public Works calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays within 45 minutes after Public Works has notified the operator(s) dispatcher to respond to a call. b. Operator's place of business shall be sufficiently staffed to allow Public Works staff to speak directly with the tow company's owner, manager, or employee during normal business hours. o "Normal business hours" shall not be less than 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday, except for the following state recognized holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President's Day, Cesar Chavez Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. c. Operator(s) shall respond with a tow truck of the fleet classification required to tow the vehicle specified by Public Works. This work includes towing city-owned vehicles such as passenger cars, trucks, industrial equipment trucks, waste collection vehicles and other fleet vehicles. The operator(s) shall advise Public Works dispatch at the time of notification, if they are either unable to respond or unable to meet the maximum response time. d. Operator(s) agrees to tow inoperable City of Berkeley fleet vehicles as needed. Vehicles filled with debris or in other unusual circumstances must be approved by Public Works prior to tow. e. All tow operator(s) will tow inoperable fleet vehicles to either the City’s Corporation Yard, located at 1326 Allston Way, the City’s Transfer Station, located at 1201 Second Street, or a third-party repair vendor. Public Works staff will direct tow operator(s) where to tow fleet vehicles. Public Works Staff will provide drop off instructions. f. Before towing, tow operator(s) shall check the following items: o Verify license number, ID number, year, make and body style of vehicle if possible; f. If after accepting the call, the operator(s) is unable to respond or will be delayed in responding, the operator(s) shall immediately notify Public Works. Public Works’ staff will assign the tow an alternate operator. The operator(s) shall not assign initial calls to other tow operator(s). g.The operator(s), or employee(s) responding to a call shall perform the towing or service required for which they were called. The on-scene Public Works staffer may waive this requirement if the requested equipment is inadequate for the service to be performed. h. Only the tow truck personnel and equipment requested shall respond to a Public Works call. i. An operator shall not respond to a City call assigned to other operator(s) unless requested to do so by Public Works staff. j. When a tow truck has been dispatched to the scene of a collision, operator(s) shall cooperate with Public Works in removing any hazards. It shall be the responsibility of Public Works to request the necessary action with which operator(s) shall comply.
