Tows

We do not like towing your car just as much as you do not like having your car towed!  The simple fact is, whether or not your car is towed is completely in your hands.  Except under certain circumstances, towing is the last resort we turn to in order to enforce the P & T Ordinances.  Our office does reserve the right to tow without prior warning.  Individuals who are towed will receive a tow notification via email if an email is on file  In addition to the citation fee, there is a separate administrative cost associated with being towed.  Unlike the citation fees, this fee can only be paid in our office or over the phone with a credit card.

How to Get Your Car Back

Towing company charges are separate from university parking charges and are paid directly to the towing company at the time you pick up your vehicle.  The towing company’s cost can vary, depending if special equipment had to be used.  If you are towed, then you will need to stop by the Parking and Transportation office first in order to sign and pick up the release form. The office is at 305 E. 10th Street, beside McDonald’s restaurant. The office is open Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

An administrative tow fee must be paid before you will be given the vehicle release form.  You will need to provide identification, i.e. your ECU 1 Card or a valid Driver’s License. If it is after regular business hours, release forms may be picked up at the ECU Police Department located in the Blount House at 609 East 10th Street.  The ECU Police Department will not accept payment for the administrative tow fee.  In these cases the debt must be paid or will be subject to formal collection procedures.

Questions? Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., call the Parking Office, (252) 328-6294; all other times, call the ECU Police, (252) 328-6787.

Criteria for Towing:

  1. Reserved Parking Space Violation: Vehicles parked in any reserved parking space on campus without a valid reserved parking permit may be towed after confirming that the driver is a student or staff/faculty member, or at the request of the reserved space customer.
  2. A- Zone Parking Violation: Current faculty, staff, and student vehicles illegally parked in the A1, A3, A5, or A7 zone parking lots may be towed if the following conditions are met:
    1. The vehicle is not displaying the appropriate zone permit.
    2. The vehicle or vehicle owner/operator has one or more prior “unauthorized zone” violations for parking in the A zone.
    3. The vehicle is parked during the time when only “A” permits are authorized to park.
    4. NOTE: Vehicles with A3, A5, and A7 permits are not to be towed for an “A-zone” parking violation.
    5. NOTE: The citation date should be checked in the system to confirm the date of previous A1 zone violation. The previous violation must have been issued on a day prior to the current violation in order for the vehicle to the towed.
  3. Tow List: The vehicles placed on the tow list may be towed even if parked legally at the time of towing. PCOs should confirm that a vehicle meets one of these criteria with the telecommunications officer before a tow list vehicle is towed.  Vehicles/permits will be placed on the tow list for the following reasons:
    1. The vehicle has accumulated three or more outstanding citations that are 10 or more business days old and has accumulated $30 or more in outstanding citation fines.
    2. An individual has had their parking privileges suspended.
    3. A permit has been reported to PTS as being lost or stolen is being used.
  4. Obstruction of Traffic or Other Vehicles: Vehicles may be towed if it is determined that they are blocking the flow of traffic, blocking garbage dumpster access, blocking another parked vehicle, or blocking an ADA accessible route.  Before towing, an attempt should be made to contact the owner of the vehicle to see if it could be moved.
  5. Handicap Parking Violation: Vehicles illegally parked in the ADA accessible parking spaces if one of the following conditions are met
    1. The vehicle does not display a valid state issued ADA parking placard or distinguishing license plate and does not display an ECU ADA parking permit.
    2. The vehicle is parked in the designated access isle and is impeding access to other vehicles legally parked in ADA spaces.
  6. Fire Zone Violation: Vehicles parked in a marked fire zone may be towed.
  7. Suspension of Parking Privileges: Vehicles with suspended parking privileges may be towed, even if parked in a legal space.  The Parking & Transportation Services Parking Control Officer on the scene should first confirm with Parking & Transportation Services that the privileges have been suspended, or if the individual has received permission to load or unload on campus.
  8. Violation of Football Game Day parking relocation announcements. Emails are sent to students with D Zone permits to move their vehicle to an alternate location due to football game parking. Students should watch their ECU email for these and other important announcements. If towed, the vehicle will be relocated to either an area of the D Zone lot adjacent to the intramural fields, or a lot on 14th Street beside the ECU Steam Plant. (See map for locations)
  9. Other Criteria:
    1. Any illegally parked vehicle in a zone marked “Towing Enforced” may be towed at management’s discretion.
    2. Vehicles displaying an illegal or fictitious permit.
      1. Exception: Towing of faculty, staff, or student vehicles for Illegal use of a Departmental Guest Pass.
    3. Vehicles displaying an illegally altered permit.
    4. Repeated citations for same violation; regardless if citations have been paid

 

Did you get towed for football game parking?

D Zone students must move their vehicles before a home football game in order to make room for game day parking.  Emails are sent to students ahead of time, notifying them of the date and time their vehicle needs to be moved, and where alternate parking can be found.   

If your car has been towed because you didn’t relocate, it will be in a space beside the Intramural Fields adjacent to the D Zone parking lots. If not there, it will be in a lot on 14th Street, by the ECU Steam Plant. (See map for locations)