THE KINGSTON and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) has raked in more than $22 million from car impoundment so far this year.
The gross figure was revealed in a report issued during yesterday's Commercial Services Committee meeting at the KSAC's Church Street office, downtown Kingston.
Averaging a little over $3.2 million per month, between January and July this year, the injection into the KSAC's coffers is almost twice that recorded last year. The report indicated that in the 10-month period between March and December of 2002, the KSAC had collected just under $19 million, or $1.89 million per month.
VEHICLE RELEASE FEES
The cost for release of motor vehicles towed to the KSAC lots is $200 per day for motor cars, $250 for vehicles registered as jeeps or trucks and $1,500 for overnight storage.
Last year, according to the report, in addition to the motor vehicles hauled in by KSAC-contracted tow-truck companies, there were relatively few vehicles taken to the lots by the police. However, since December 2002, when a high for that year of 52 vehicles were dropped off at the KSAC's lots, there has been a rise in police impoundments. By April 2003, there were 227 vehicles hauled into the KSAC lots by the police.
KSAC'S 24-HOUR SERVICE
Sitting in on the meeting, Town Clerk Errol Greene told the councillors that, as a result of the quality of service executed by the KSAC, parking offenders whose vehicles have been towed by the security forces have been known to ask that their motor cars be taken to the KSAC lots.
"We have a 24-hour service," Mr. Greene said. He indicated that motorists' vehicles may be released at any hour of the day, in notable contrast with the time it may take to have vehicles released from other lots.
Since 2002, the number of vehicles impounded by the KSAC itself has remained consistent, with 561 impounded each month in 2002 and 569 so far in 2003.
