1. (1) (a) Each troop commander shall divide the geographic area within his or her troop into one or more zones with clearly defined boundaries for the purpose of establishing a list of authorized wrecker operators for each separate zone. The division director, or his or her designee, on behalf of the division shall review, may revise, and shall approve in writing, the zone or zones established by each troop commander. Upon approval of the zone or zones for a troop by the division, a list of authorized wrecker operators for each such zone shall be established pursuant to this rule chapter.

2. (b) The boundaries for each zone shall be established based on:

   1. Clearly defined geographic features such as county boundaries, highways, roads, or bodies of water;

   2. Distances that wreckers operated by authorized wrecker operators must travel to various geographic locations within the zone to handle wrecked, disabled, or abandoned vehicles;

   3. Travel times typically experienced by wreckers operated by authorized wrecker operators from the authorized wrecker operators’ places of business to crash scenes within the geographic boundaries of the zone;

   4. The need to provide adequate and timely service by authorized wrecker operators in the zone to protect highway users and first responders at the scene of wrecked, disabled or abandoned vehicles;

   5. The volume of wrecked, disabled, or abandoned vehicles requiring wrecker services within each zone;

   6. Changes over time to the items specified in sub-paragraphs (1)(b)3., 4., and 5.

3. (c) A troop commander, subject to the written approval of the division director, or his or her designee, on behalf of the division may revise the boundaries of one or more zones within the geographic boundaries of a troop.
4. (d) When the establishment of a new zone or a change in the boundaries of a zone or zones necessitates an increase in the number of authorized wrecker operators for a zone or zones and the applicable troop has not previously received an application from a wrecker operator to be an authorized wrecker operator which satisfies the need in a zone or zones, a notice shall be published on the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles’ website indicating the deadline for a wrecker operator to submit an application pursuant to Rule 15B-9.0031, F.A.C., to be considered to be an authorized wrecker operator in the affected zone or zones.
5. (2) (a) Each troop commander, with the approval of the division director, or his or her designee, shall determine the number of authorized wrecker operators which will be approved for each zone within his or her troop and shall re-evaluate the number of authorized wrecker operators which will be approved within each zone of her or his Troop not less than every three years beginning not later than 2028.

6. (b) The number of authorized wrecker operators which may be approved by each troop commander for a zone shall be based on the:

   1. Need for authorized wrecker operators in each zone to deal with wrecked, disabled, or abandoned vehicles within the zone;

   2. Distances that wreckers operated by authorized wrecker operators must travel to various geographic locations within the zone to handle wrecked, disabled, or abandoned vehicles;

   3. Travel times typically experienced by wreckers operated by authorized wrecker operators from the authorized wrecker operators’ places of business to crash scenes within the geographic boundaries of the zone;

   4. Need to provide adequate and timely service by authorized wrecker operators in the zone to protect highway users and first responders at the scene of wrecked, disabled or abandoned vehicles;

   5. Volume of wrecked, disabled, or abandoned vehicles requiring wrecker services within each zone;

   6. Changes over time to the items specified in sub-paragraphs (2)(b)1., 3., 4., and 5.

7. (c) At any time, the troop commander, subject to the written approval of the division director, or his or her designee, on behalf of the division, may propose an increase in the number of authorized wrecker operators for a zone if the troop commander determines that a zone does not have an adequate number of authorized wrecker operators.
8. (d) The division director, or his or her designee, on behalf of the division, shall review any change proposed by a troop commander in the number of authorized wrecker operators for a zone, including any proposed increases or decreases thereto, may revise, and shall approve in writing, the number of authorized wrecker operators for each affected zone.
9. (e) Upon the approval of any change in the number of authorized wrecker operators for a zone by the division, a determination that a sufficient number of authorized wrecker operators does not exist in an zone or zones, or a determination by the division that a zone needs a wrecker of a class or type that the zone does not have available and the applicable troop has not previously received an application from a wrecker operator to be an authorized wrecker operator which satisfies the need in a zone, the division will publish a notice of the change on the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles’ website. If the number of authorized wrecker operators for a zone is increased, or a zone does not have a wrecker of a class or type needed, such notice shall indicate the deadline for wrecker operators to submit an application pursuant to Rule 15B-9.0031, F.A.C., to be considered to be an authorized wrecker operator for that zone.
10. (f) Any reduction in the number of authorized wrecker operators for a zone proposed by a troop commander and approved on behalf of the division by the division director, or his or her designee, because the number of authorized wrecker operators for a zone is excessive may only be implemented through attrition in the number of authorized wrecker operators in a zone.

Rulemaking Authority 321.051 FS. Law Implemented 321.051, 321.05(1) FS. History–New 1-22-86, Formerly 15B-9.03, Amended 10-15-92, 1-6-26.