Connecticut DMV Task Force Deadlocked Over Towing Reforms

Connecticut’s overhaul of its towing laws has hit a tense stage. A state task force is scrambling to bridge deep divides between towing companies and consumer advocates before a Feb. 1 deadline.

The outcome could change how quickly drivers in cities and towns from Hartford to New Haven, and from Bridgeport to Norwich, get their cars back. It also stands to impact what people pay and how the state tracks profits from sold vehicles.

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How a DMV Task Force Landed in the Middle of Connecticut’s Towing Debate

This whole debate at the Capitol kicked off after CT Mirror and ProPublica dug into towing practices that always seemed to tilt in favor of the companies, not the car owners. Lawmakers in Hartford jumped in last spring, setting up a special Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) task force to sharpen new towing laws and, ideally, make them a bit fairer for drivers.

The group’s a mixed bag—towing company folks, consumer advocates, and state officials all at the same table. Their main goal? Find ways to help low-income and working-class drivers in places like Waterbury, New Britain, and New London recover towed vehicles and make the whole process of selling those cars more transparent.

Four Meetings, Few Agreements, and a Firm Deadline

Since September, the task force has met four times. They haven’t found much common ground.

With the Feb. 1 deadline looming, time’s about up. DMV Commissioner Tony Guerrera told everyone that, agreement or not, they’ll submit a report so lawmakers in Hartford have something real to work with this session.

What Changed in October: New Protections for Connecticut Drivers

While the task force keeps wrestling with its next steps, a batch of new reforms quietly took effect in October. These changes already touch people across the state, whether they’re in a crowded city like Bridgeport or a smaller spot like Danbury or Middletown.

The law now requires:

Advance warnings at apartment complexes before vehicles can be towed.

Acceptance of credit cards so owners aren’t forced to pay in cash.

Access to personal belongings inside a towed vehicle.

Longer waiting periods before a towed car can be sold.

Why Low-Income Drivers Are at the Center of the Debate

Consumer advocates say past practices hit low-income residents the hardest, especially in cities like New Haven and Bridgeport where street and apartment parking is the norm. When notification is poor or late, owners can rack up hundreds in storage fees before they even realize their car’s gone.

Where the Task Force Is Stuck: Fees, Sales, and Notifications

One of the trickiest issues is what happens after a car is towed but before it’s sold. Lawmakers also asked the task force to look at how companies get rid of vehicles and where the profits end up.

Right now, a chunk of those sale proceeds is supposed to go to the state. That almost never happens, mostly because the DMV doesn’t have a real system to collect it.

Some proposals on the table include:

Stopping storage fees from piling up once an owner asks for their car back.

Revising how vehicles are valued to decide when a car can be sold.

Improving notification so owners actually hear about a tow in time to do something.

The 30-Day Proposal and Pushback from Both Sides

Commissioner Guerrera floated a big change: get rid of the current valuation system and let all towed vehicles be sold after 30 days, no matter what they’re worth. Towing companies can’t agree—some like the clear rule, others worry they’ll get blamed for selling cars too fast.

Consumer advocates aren’t sure 30 days is enough for drivers juggling work, kids, and tight budgets to track down and reclaim their cars.

Notification Battles: Letters, Addresses, and a DMV Portal

Everyone admits notification is a weak spot. No one agrees on the fix.

Advocates point out that bad notice strips low-income residents of their cars—often their only way to get to work in places like New Britain or Waterbury—before they even know what’s happening.

Towers fire back that any letter-based system is doomed by outdated addresses on registrations. They say it’s not fair to blame them when notices sent to an old address never make it to the owner.

Certified Letters and a Public Towing Portal Under Scrutiny

Two ideas have stirred up plenty of debate:

Requiring extra certified letters before a vehicle can be sold.

Creating a public DMV portal listing all towed vehicles statewide.

Consumer advocates think those steps could save families from losing crucial transportation. Towers argue that more mailings and new tech systems will just drive up their costs, and they’ll probably pass those on to drivers anyway.

What Happens Next for Drivers Across Connecticut

Guerrera says he’ll submit a report, even if everyone can’t agree. He admits that towers and advocates probably won’t get everything they want.

Lawmakers from Hartford, New London, and other towns still have to find a solution this session. It’s a tall order, honestly.

Right now, Connecticut drivers do have some protections. More changes are probably on the way.

The legislature’s next moves will decide how towing works for years, whether you’re in downtown New Haven or a quiet Norwich street.

Here is the source article for this story: CT DMV Task Force Struggles to Agree on Towing Reforms

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