National City's council voted 4-1 to postpone awarding new towing and impound contracts while questions remain about the vetting of two recommended bidders. One, Cortes Towing, had been suspended by the City of San Diego a year earlier over unpaid fees. The council extended the current agreements with RoadOne Towing and Angelo's Towing, which have served the city for more than a decade, and will revisit the decision on November 17.
The recommendation that triggered the delay would have awarded contracts to Cortes Towing and Tony's Auto Center, based in El Cajon, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. City staff ranked the two companies first and second among five bidders that met requirements, out of seven total applications submitted.
A central concern is Cortes Towing's record with San Diego. The city suspended the company in September 2025 after it fell behind on impound fees collected from vehicle owners and owed to the city, according to Voice of San Diego. The fees are collected by towing operators on behalf of local governments. The City of San Diego identified roughly $279,000 in unpaid Cortes invoices in a letter dated September 19, 2025, the Union-Tribune reported.
Local Rules Shape Towing Contracts
A November 2022 report by the City of San Diego Office of the City Auditor notes that state law allows cities to adopt additional local towing policies. Rules and practices can therefore vary by jurisdiction.
Conflicting Accounts of the Suspension
Mayor Ron Morrison called the suspension a yellow flag. City Manager Doug Schulze explained the payment issue.
Tony's Auto Center was the other recommended firm.
Incumbents Cry Foul Over Scoring
RoadOne Towing and Angelo's Towing have provided municipal towing services to National City for more than a decade, according to Voice of San Diego. Morrison said he was unaware of complaints against the incumbents. The city's evaluation report cited a gap in RoadOne's tow yard fencing and higher prices for certain customer services as reasons for penalizing the company, the Union-Tribune reported.
RoadOne owner Brad Ramsay criticized the evaluation process, saying the company was disappointed by the city's recommendation of a vendor with a problematic work history with San Diego police, the Union-Tribune reported. Angelo's Towing was disqualified over paperwork.
Angelo's Towing and Quality Towing, both unsuccessful bidders, filed formal written protests alleging that city staff overlooked compliance issues with Cortes and Tony's.
How the Council Reached Its Delay
The council voted 4-1 to delay the contract decision.
Contracts with RoadOne and Angelo's were due to expire September 30, according to the Union-Tribune.
Municipal towing contracts are a lucrative prize for private operators because companies collect revenue directly from vehicle owners' tow and storage fees rather than being paid by the city itself; one industry operator estimated National City's contract value at hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, according to Voice of San Diego. That financial stake helps explain the intensity of the bidding war and the protests now shadowing National City's decision, one the council won't revisit until November 17.
