Cambridge Launches Pilot Program to Stop Towing Cars for Street Cleaning

Vehicles that are not moved for street cleaning in Cambridge, Massachusetts, will not be towed as part of a pilot program launched this month.

The vehicles will still be ticketed $50, up from $30.

Cambridge City Councilor Burhan Azeem said the goal of the policy change is to reduce the financial burden on residents.

"We found that was a little bit harsh in that it was very expensive, especially for low-income residents," said Azeem. "It would take a lot of time. You would have to pay the fine and also go pick up your car and everything like that. We do try to give ample warnings and things like that, but it definitely was a punitive measure."

Excluding the data from 2019 and 2020, which the city says was impacted by COVID, the average number of vehicles towed per year for street cleaning since 2015 has been 7,890, according to a report compiled by the city manager for the city council in January.

City of Cambridge

Tickets for street cleaning were $30, the towing charge was $100 plus a daily fee of $40 for vehicles not claimed by 12:01 a.m. the next calendar day after the vehicle has been towed. Now, vehicles that are not moved for street cleaning will receive a $50 ticket.

"We're doing a one-year pilot, and so we'll get the results back. And if they're positive, if the streets aren't dirty, I think we're hoping to continue it," said Azeem.

John Fitzgerald, environmental services manager for Cambridge Public Works, said in the first week of street cleaning this year, 711 vehicles were ticketed. In comparison, he said last year, 400 vehicles were towed in the same time period.

"We have seen an increase in cars that we've had to sweep around this year when compared to cars that have been towed in the past," he said. "So I think we need to do we need to continue our efforts to get the word out there and stress the importance of moving your car on street cleaning day."

Fitzgerald said the two main goals of their work are keeping streets clean and keeping material out of the catch basin system, which ultimately drains to the Charles River. Approximately 1,500 to 2,000 tons of material (including litter, debris, leaves and sediment) are removed from Cambridge streets during a typical year.

"Crews have been successful in blowing out debris from underneath parked cars. That's a lot of extra work. And let's see how it goes over the remainder of the season," Fitzgerald said.

Mike Sorrentino said the change is impacting his business, B&B Towing.

"The company's been doing it since 1982," he said. "I've been doing this since 1988 for the city of Cambridge, towing all their cars, their street cleaning, their accidents and all that.”"

He said towing for street cleaning was a big part of their business.

"We're losing 3,000-5,000 cars a year now, and it's going to hurt us drastically," Sorrentino said.

City of Cambridge

The owner of Phil's Towing in Cambridge said it would be closing its business as a result of the pilot program.

Sorrentino said relocation is not likely an option.

"If I want to keep [towing for] Cambridge police, I have to be within a mile of the city," he said. "And that's the majority of my work right now. So I think if anything, I'll probably retire, to be honest. If the numbers don't work, then I have a big decision to make."

Approximately 50% of vehicles towed for street cleaning in Cambridge have residential parking stickers, and 88% of tickets were issued to unique vehicles, which only received one street cleaning ticket in 2021, according to the city manager's report. The number of tickets and tows varies by district, but the highest numbers are seen in East Cambridge and the Port.

City of Cambridge

Public Works sweeps each street in Cambridge once per month, April through December.

To find your neighborhood's schedule, click here.