SECTIONS 23270-23273

23270.  (a) No person shall commence to tow any vehicle or otherobject on any vehicular crossing unless authorized to do so by theDepartment of Transportation and unless the towing is done by meansof a tow truck as defined in Section 615. No person, other than amember of the California Highway Patrol or an employee of theDepartment of Transportation, shall, by means of pushing with anothervehicle, propel any vehicle or object on a vehicular crossing. Noperson, other than an employee of the Department of Transportation,shall, on any vehicular crossing, tow any vehicle or other objectexcept a vehicle or object constructed and designed to be towed by avehicle of a type similar to that being used for this purpose. (b) The California Transportation Commission shall, by regulation,establish the maximum towing fee which may be charged by any personauthorized to tow a vehicle pursuant to subdivision (a). Noauthorized person shall charge a fee for towing a vehicle which is inexcess of the maximum fee established by the CaliforniaTransportation Commission. (c) The Director of Transportation may grant a special permit toany person to tow any vehicle or object over and completely acrossany vehicular crossing when in his or her judgment the towing vehicleis so constructed and equipped that the vehicle or object can betowed across the vehicular crossing without endangering persons orproperty and without interrupting the orderly traffic across thevehicular crossing. (d) The prohibitions of this section shall apply only on thosevehicular crossings upon which a towing service is maintained by theDepartment of Transportation.23271.  A towing service may be maintained on each vehicularcrossing by the Department of Transportation, and the department mayfurnish such service as is necessary to permit the orderly flow oftraffic upon such crossing. The Department of Transportation mayprescribe and collect reasonable rates for towing services furnished.23272.  When any vehicle or object on any vehicular crossing, uponwhich towing service is maintained, is stopped for any reason and isobstructing or may obstruct traffic, the vehicle or object shall betowed by the towing service either to the nearest property of theDepartment of Transportation designated for the parking or storing ofvehicles, or to a suitable parking location on a public street orhighway and thereupon left in the custody of the owner or operator ofthe vehicle or object, or his agent, or, if no owner, operator, oragent is present, or if an owner, operator, or agent so requests, toa public garage or off-street parking facility. The department mayprescribe the limits within which the towing service shall beoperated. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the department mayfurnish and deliver fuel to vehicles, the supply of which isexhausted, or change tires, and may charge a reasonable sum for theservices and materials furnished or, if the department deems it safeand advisable, and the owner or operator of the vehicle or object sorequests, it may be towed from the vehicular crossing.23273.  Sections 24605, 25253, 27700, and 27907 do not apply tovehicles operated by the Department of Transportation pursuant tothis article.