The official contract establishing the University’s new towing company is completed. After accepting the bid from Brown’s Salvage about a week ago, Gary Graham, director of the Office of Parking, Traffic and Transportation, said the contract was signed by both parties Tuesday. The new contract is directly based on Brown’s accepted bid.
After the bid was accepted, University officials made a mandatory inspection of Brown’s Salvage to make sure they met all specifications required in the contract. Once specifications were met, the contract was completed and signed.
The contract establishes a $98.50 fee for non-University owned vehicles towed to the University impound lot on campus. University-owned vehicles will be charged $75 when needed to be towed to repair shops on or off campus.
In the previous contract between the University and Guy’s Towing Service Inc., non-University vehicles were charged a $48 fee per tow and University-owned vehicles were not charged for towing.
In addition to providing wrecking service for the campus, Russell Brown, owner of Brown’s Salvage, said he hopes to offer free roadside assistance for students, although the contract does not specify this.
“We bought some brand new jump boxes to put on all the trucks and if a student is held up with a bad battery or something like that, they can call [LSU Parking Office (225-578-5000)] and request us, and we can come help out,” Brown said. “We have some new lock-opening kits in case students lock their keys in their car too.”
Graham said any free roadside assistance is fine with the University as long as Brown’s takes responsibilty.
The contract makes Brown’s Salvage the University’s towing company until June 30, 2009. Brown’s will then have the option of renewing the same contract for an additional two years after June. However, the total contract cannot exceed three years before having to be publicly re-bid.
“We operated today and learned the campus, so we are looking forward to doing a good job,” Brown said.
—-Contact Tyler Harvey at [email protected]