Submit this application to provide wrecker services to the Police Department.

Need to know

All wreckers must provide wrecker services on a continuous 24-hours per day basis
Any member of the provider list who does not answer their phone 4 times in a 12-month period, will be dropped from the wrecker list.
Each phone will be allowed to ring ten (10) times.
Wrecker operators must inform the Police Department when they are absent for more than 1 week and out of service.
If a wrecker is deleted from the list, a recommendation from the Chief of Police is necessary with approval by the Borough Council, after an informal hearing.
Response time to the scene of an auto accident must be within 20 minutes.
There is a limit of 2 night-weekend numbers that are to be called.
All operators must have business cards in the wrecker with the phone number and address of where the accident vehicle will be stored.
The fees for storage of automobiles are $40 a day for inside storage and $20 a day for outside storage.
The towing fee limit on normal automobile tow is $95 for all tows.
The wrecker owner shall indemnify and hold the Borough of Somerville harmless from any and all claims arising as a result of this service.
Wreckers shall be open for customer pick-up between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm daily, except Sundays and holidays.

Clean up requirements

All wrecker operators must clean up the roadway at the scene of an accident.

The responding wrecker should be equipped with: a large street broom, shovel, sand or grits, and a container large enough to hold glass and small debris picked up from the roadway.
Wreckers are responsible for cleaning up oil slicks.
All responding wreckers must carry auto dollies.

Insurance requirements

The owner must place these policies in effect upon license approval.

Garage keeper

A garage keeper’s policy is a legal liability policy covering fire, theft, windstorm, vandalism and explosion in the amount of $50,000 with each vehicle suffering damage being deemed a separate claim.

Garage liability

A garage liability policy covering the operation of the owner’s business, equipment or other vehicles for any bodily injury or property damage. This policy shall be in the minimum amount of $250,000 for any 1 person injured or killed and a minimum of $500,000 for more than 1 person killed or injured in any accident, and an additional $50,000 for property damage.

Endorsement

Each policy required under this section must contain an endorsement by the carrier providing 90 days notice to both the Borough and the insured in the event of any change in coverage under the policy.

A listing of all of the vehicles to be used as wreckers, together with their capacity to remove and tow vehicles, and their size.

Wrecker owners must verify that they will not release any vehicle directly impounded by the Borough without authorization by the Police Department. Wrecker owners must notify the Chief of Police, in writing, of any changes that may occur in their licensed premises or in their insurance coverage.

Apply for a wrecker service license