Auto Pound Management Firm Awarded New Contract

Some say it's Parking Purgatory.

Others just call it Hell.

Either name seems a fitting description after experiencing any of Chicago's four auto pounds first hand.

Any time a vehicle gets towed by the city, the auto pound is where it will eventually end up. And this is where you will show up with $160 or more in cash or credit card to get your beloved vehicle returned.

Between the long lines, the often rude people who impossibly are given the title of  "customer service representative," and the irate and frustrated vehicle owners on the verge of nervous breakdown or violent outburst, it is hard to think of a more dark and evil place in all of Chicago.

But despite the terrible alleged "customer service," and a slew of controversy which has surrounded the auto pounds for the past 20 years, United Road Towing has just been awarded this $31.5 million dollar management contract again according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Only one other company bid for the business. But, according to the Department of Procurement Services, it didn't have the same number of tow trucks available (United has 97) or the personnel in place to handle the contract.

The Sun-Times article says the contract calls for:

"...the company to manage and secure four Streets and Sanitation auto pounds, release Denver boots, tow abandoned vehicles within 24 hours of written notification and tow illegally parked vehicles within 90 minutes of city requests."

Read Fran Spielman's full story, "City awards clout-heavy firm towing contract, again"