High towing fees reflect need to end monopolies

LAST WEEK, the Hengyang highway rescue station in Hunan province, Central China, charged a driver 40,000 yuan ($5,970) for towing his truck from where it broke down on the Xiangtan-Leiyang Expressway to the nearest automobile repair station. Beijing Youth Daily commented on Tuesday.

In April, this rescue station hit headlines nationwide because it charged a truck driver 36,000 yuan for a tow, and the persons in charge of the rescue station received administrative punishment from the provincial pricing and business administration authorities.

Monopolies are why such exorbitant fees exist. To end the monopolies in the towing industry is the fundamental way to bring down the fees. In China, only roadside rescue companies designated by the government can enter the huge expressway automobile towing market. Drivers who require towing services have no other choice but these companies.