IN THE HEADLIGHTS
EAGLE TOWING SHAKES UP THE INDUSTRY Much like any industry, tow truck drivers often face backlash for their line of work. From a distrust of the system to an accusatory approach that some take towards the person who just rescued their car off the side of the road, people in the towing industry don’t have it easy. But companies like Eagle Towing are working to make things better. Jack Poladian, operations manager at Eagle Towing combats misconceptions created by “a few bad apples” by holding himself and his staff to a higher standard from what they know. “Many people have misconceptions about the towing industry due to a few bad apples that are ruining things for the good ones,” Jack Poladian, Operations Manager at Eagle Towing told Collision Repair. “But we hold ourselves to a higher standard from what we know.” Poladian and his family’s history in the industry represents a side of towing that many choose not to see. Launching in 1978, Eagle Towing - a tow truck distributing company - housed only one truck and one gas station. Now in 2019, the company operates out of 15,000 sq. ft. facility, keeping their growing crowd of customers happy and drivers safe on the roads. It is the Poladian’s passion for their work that keeps them afloat. “It all comes back to true dedication.
My family has put their heart, soul, and every waking minute into this company.” Poladian said. “Eagle Towing isn’t treated as a business, it’s treated as a lifeline and every moment Simon and Victor [co-owners] are thinking about their next move and how to support their customers.” Not only is Eagle Towing changing the way people see tow truck operators as business professionals, but as emergency services. Poladian reminded Collision Repair that civilians must pull over when they see a tow truck operator heading towards a wreck,
considering the high-risk of car crash victims waiting on the side of the road for help. “At the end of the day, everyone has a family and people risk their lives to help others in a jam,” said Poladian. “There’s nowhere in the rule books that says “you have to operate a tow truck,” these guys choose to come out and help no matter rain, sleet, hail, snow, or cars on fire. We are on-site doing whatever they can to help. “ When it comes to Eagle Towing’s future as a business and as a key asset to the industry in Ontario, Poladian says Eagle Towing is only going up. Eagle Towing is in Cambridge, Ontario.
CAA CALLS ON ONTARIO To commemorate the province’s fourth annual Tow Safety Week, CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) issued a call for the Ontario
government to prioritize towing industry regulations. CAA SCO issued an online statement calling for provincial regulations in the towing industry. The company CAA SCO is calling for towing regulation. calls the towing industry “problematic” due to long wait times, impolite interactions between towing operators and clients, and high towing bills. CAA SCO maintains that provincial regulation
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remains an essential step in protecting the province’s drivers. It hopes the regulations would ensure Ontario’s motorists have certainty when it comes to towing services, regardless of when or where the province’s drivers require support. The company’s call-to-action echoes London, Ontario’s decision to craft a bylaw regulating the local tow truck industry, specifically “chaser” tow trucks. CAA SCO also recognizes that new regulations would likely improve any strained relationships between consumers and tow truck operators. The company said it hopes regulations will help the public gain “respect for the men and women who work hard to provide an important service on our roads.”
