The owner of a London towing and auto collision shop is upset that a decades-long business relationship he had with the police is about to end.
The London Police Services Board has put out a request for tenders for towing services when a vehicle gets stranded or in a crash.
Charterhouse Towing is usually kept busy by calls from police when a civilian vehicle is in need of a tow.
“I would say we are doing about five to seven a day,” says owner Frank Rondinell.
He says he has been working hand in hand with London police for almost 40 years and that’s why he is shocked that the police board is looking for a new towing contract.
But the criteria for applicants excludes him now.
The application criteria states: "The contractor represents and warrants that it does not own, operate or have any financial interest in a body shop."
“It hurts because this is my city. This is my life. This is what I've built and because I’ve put everything into what I am doing and this is a slap in the face," he says.
The problem for Rondinelli is he also owns Charterhouse Auto Body & Collision, which is an auto body shop.
Once this contract takes effect in January, Rondinelli says he will have to get rid of at least 80 per cent of his fleet.
Currently there are 13 towing companies that are contracted out by police and there is a chance once this new contract is approved, all calls would exclusively go to one place.
“I don't want the City of London and police officers to be agents for a specific towing company. By saying, ‘Here's a card for the company that does our towing and they can do yours,’ I think that's absolutely wrong and they shouldn't allow that kind of monopoly,” says Ward 1 Coun. Bud Polhill.
Rondinelli says the process should have been more transparent.
“We should’ve been called to a meeting of some sort where we were all put together and they said, ‘This is what we are thinking.’ This is what should be done.”
The application deadline for the tender is Oct. 31.
