ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY
Brian D. Lowe
Policy Statement
Parking Services department has been assigned as the authorized representative and tasked with ensuring vehicles on the uptown campus and inside the downtown parking garages have an active parking permit and are in compliance with the Parking Services Rules & Regulations. Vehicles not in compliance are subject to a citation and/or immobilization/towing.
Purpose and Scope
This policy focuses on vehicle towing. To ensure vehicles are not abandoned on Tulane campuses, impeding traffic by parking illegally, or parking in restricted areas, Parking Services has the authority as approved through the University Senate to tow vehicles following the guidelines outlined in this policy.
Applicability of this Policy
All members of the Tulane community and guests parking on the Tulane uptown campus and downtown garages are subject to this towing policy. Parking Services will attempt to contact owner of vehicle before having towed.
Definitions
Authorized representative - An individual a property owner has delegated or inferred managerial responsibilities to regarding a particular property or premise. An authorized representative shall not be a tow truck owner or operator.
Citation – official notification of a parking offense. Ticket and citation can be used interchangeably.
Tag the Vehicle for Removal - The placement of a highly visible sticker or other similar tag, which contains the date, time, name of the tow company authorized to remove the vehicle, and the printed name and signature of the property owner or his authorized representative, in a conspicuous place on the motor vehicle by the property owner or his authorized representative. Such stickers or tags shall be clearly visible to drivers of passing vehicles and shall not damage, harm, or otherwise alter the appearance of the motor vehicle.
Policy and Procedures
Tulane Parking Services, in conjunction with the Office of General Counsel and Office of Enterprise Risk Services, has created a towing policy for multiple scenarios. This policy is in effect for the uptown campus and Tulane owned downtown garages. Students will have the citation amounts affiliated with the vehicle tow charged to their accounts receivable. Staff and faculty will have the citation amounts affiliated with the vehicle tow taken out via payroll deduction. All citations listed in this policy are eligible for appeal via the adjudication process.
8.1 Tow Scenario 1 | Home Football Games
Scope: Relocating vehicles parked in restricted areas on the uptown campus unless the vehicle has the proper parking permit/placards in preparation of the upcoming home football game. These vehicles are considered an on-campus tow and taken to University Square/200 Broadway and not to the tow company impound lot. The vehicle is not immobilized so the owner can retrieve the vehicle at any point unless it was immobilized prior to being towed.
Vehicles still parked on campus after the communicated time campus closes are ticketed (Failure to move vehicle for all home game-Citation) and towed (Game Day Towing-Citation) to University Square/200 Broadway. TUPD is notified of all vehicles towed.
8.2 Scenario 2 | Abandoned/Illegally Parked Vehicle Towing
Scope: Towing abandoned/ illegally parked vehicles from the uptown campus and downtown garages. Tow company is responsible for the following:
- Placing vehicle into State approved RSS storage
- Notifying law enforcement
- Notifying the State OMV, vehicle owners & lienholders
Louisiana statutes in Appendix I are strictly governed by State law & PSC tariffs.
A tow ticket will be issued along with the reason the tow is initiated which will vary. Parking Services has the discretion as to whether the tow will be a on campus tow to University Square/200 Broadway or an off-campus tow to the tow companies impound lot.
It is the discretion of Parking Services as to whether to tag the vehicle for removal for “X” number of days before having towed to impound lot or for an on-campus tow or to have the vehicle towed immediately. TUPD is notified of all vehicles towed.
Consequence of Violating the Policy
Vehicle will be towed as outlined under section 8.0. Vehicle owner is responsible for all Tulane Parking Services citations issued along with any fees issued by Rudy Smith Towing when towed to the impound lot. TUPD is notified of all vehicles towed.
Louisiana Statute RS 32:1718
Louisiana Statute RS 32:1736
