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TRAA Advocates for Towers on ATA’s Towing Task Force
The Towing and Recovery Association of America (TRAA) has secured a seat to represent towers on a Towing Task Force that was formed by the American Trucking Association (ATA).
The Towing Task Force plans to release resources for truckers on how to prevent becoming a victim of what they believe is billing fraud. Second, they plan to introduce two pieces of model legislation in conjunction with the American Property and Casualty Insurance Association and the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud.
According to Jennifer Wieroniey, Executive Director of ATA’s National Accounting & Finance Council, “The first bill would provide more protections for consumers against towing companies through tools such as regulating when a tow can occur and mandating more transparent billing practices, like the use of a rate sheet and itemized invoices... The second bill would outlaw ‘runners’ who solicit their tow services at the scene of an accident without being requested by law enforcement or any parties involved in the accident.As the national towing association, TRAA will be the tower’s advocate on ATA’s Towing Task Force.
Source: traaonline.com
Kansas City tow truck operator Allen “Jay” Bloodworth sued the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners over an illegal search, alleging that officers violated his civil rights in March of 2019. While executing the search, officers killed his dog.
His attorney, Ed Stump, said officers who showed up to locate a red 1995 Ford Ranger made their way into Bloodworth’s residence without knocking, which the warrant didn’t allow.
Bloodworth filed the suit 3 months after a suit against him was dropped, which alleged that he had improperly towed dozens of vehicles from private property and forged required paperwork. At issue was the discovery of a recording in which a police union official appears to issue a threat while trying to retrieve a towed relative’s car.
Source:joplinglobe.com/region/kansascity-tow-truck-operator-sues-over-2019search/article_722562fe-6fe3-5b5abd05-b990755dcc53.html
Friends & Family Gather for Nevada Tower Ryan Billotte
Vigil held for Ryan to bring awarness for Slow Down Move Over law.
On Friday, April 9, family and friends gathered to remember Ryan Billotte by holding a candlelight vigil for him and raising awareness of the move-over law.
Billette was killed by a hit-and-run driver working on the shoulder of the 215 beltway just outside of Las Vegas.
Outside of a church, Billotte’s wife, Becca Billotte said, “We want to push the ‘slow down and move over’ movement. People just need to be more aware this can’t keep happening, they need to come home to their families - we need them home.”
Ryan Billotte leaves behind four stepchildren, all he helped raise and six grandchildren.
Source: fox5vegas.com
Tow Truck Driver Fights Back to Defend Turf
Tow truck driver Terry Devers
Tow truck driver Terry Devers was assaulted in Fort Worth, Texas on March 15 by four people when he attempted to tow a vehicle that was illegally parked. The 4 suspects, who were purportedly part of a moblike crowd following the YouTube Canadian prankster group Nelk Boys, are currently sought after by police.
Speaking about one of the persons involved, Devers said, “He wanted me to drop his car. I told him it would be $125. Or if he didn’t want to pay the $125 to drop, he could come pick it up from the yard.”
As a result of that confrontation, Devers was bloodied and beaten. “They busted my eye open. I had a bruise on my left shoulder, and they busted my forehead open,” he said. “They came over, they surrounded me, I guess they figured, ‘Oh, well he’s outnumbered. He’s going to drop the car.’ Well they had a different story coming to them, I wasn’t dropping the car.”
Source: fox4news.com/news/fortworth-tow-truck-driver-assaulted
Tow Owner Protesting
Non-Payment of Abandoned Tows
In Egg Harbor Township, NJ, tow owner Lou Altobelli has been protesting to the township over non-payment for towing abandoned vehicles. He says the township owes him at least $8000.
Altobelli, owner of Court House Towing in Rio Grande, has been in conflict with the township for four years. Some of the cars Altobelli has towed have been sold by the township, and the profits from the sales have been added to the township’s general fund, but he has not been paid for his towing services, he said.
At a township committee meeting, he warned that treating the towing of disabled cars as a free service opens the door to corruption.
Source:pressofatlanticcity.com
Lou Altobelli of Court House Towing.
New Television Tow Series
New tow series, Hustle & Tow, premiered on A&E in April.
A&E has launched Hustle & Tow, a brand new series that focuses on the lives of tow truck drivers. The new episodes began airing on the cable channel on April 20th.
Hustle & Towpops the hood to take a close-up look at America’s unsung essential workers who perform daily under extremely dangerous conditions, despite every imaginable encounter with unexpected terrain, wildlife and weather: tow truck drivers. These hard-working men and women respond to a massive array of calls from recovering stolen cars, to handling contentious impounds, clearing behemoth big rig wrecks, rescuing families who have veered off the highway and much more.
Embedded with diverse shops and drivers in both rural and urban communities across the country, “Hustle & Tow” offers viewers a rugged “day-inthe-life” perspective on tow truck drivers, where, depending on the call, drivers can be hailed as heroes or labeled as villains. These drivers – part-mechanics and part-first responders – endeavor to keep the country mobile while moving from one call to the next to get the job done.
Source: tvseriesfinale.com
Roadside Safety Commission Names Founding Members
Seven tow industry stalwarts have been named to American Towman’s Roadside Safety Commission, Publisher Dennie Ortiz announced, as AT begins to build the brain trust that will proactively address the current state of roadside safety, what is and what isn’t being done to protect tow operators working the white line.
The Commission will consist of industry veterans. Justin Cruse is president of WreckMaster, the world’s foremost towing and recovery training organization. John Borowski, a tow business owner and operator for over thirty years is VP of Towing Programs for AutoReturn, the leading national dispatcher of police tows; he is also AT’s Safety Editor. Tommy Anderson, a tow business owner for thirty years, is the founding, executive director of the Southwest Tow Operators, one of the nation’s largest tow associations. Brian Riker, a tow operator for twenty-six years, is president of Fleet Compliance Solutions and a field editor for American Towman.
Veteran tow-business owner, Ron Meyer, and Spirit Rider, Mike Corbin, have also signed on to the American Towman Roadside Safety Commission. Meyer is president of Pine Tree Towing, running out of three Ohio cities: Cambridge, Caldwell, and Marietta. Meyer is a member of the Governor’s Ohio Traffic Safety Council and sits on the executive board of the Association of Professional Towers of Ohio. Meyer is also the lead-author of the industry’s first Quick-Clearance Certification program.
Mike Corbin led the legendary Spirit Ride through 310 cities across America, where he met with first responders and conducted ceremonies honoring their fallen. Corbin suffered serious injuries as a teenager when he was struck by a passing vehicle on the roadside, having stopped to help a motorist who was broken down. He is also known for recording the songs, The Road Calls and Booms in the Sky, which pay tribute to the tower’s heroism, dedication, and sacrifice.
Lastly, AT’s Operations Editor Randall Resch has been named to the Commission. A former police officer, Resch has been writing and conducting seminars about roadside safety issues for over four decades.
Today the problem of distracted drivers on phones has added to the dangers towers face, joining alcohol and drugs as primary culprits. About 100 towers and other first responders are killed annually working the roadside, struck by passing vehicles. “Individual tow business owners have been innovative with their practices, and progress on enforcing move-over laws has been slowly improving,” said Dennie Ortiz. She added that the progress has been ”too slow” while deaths and injuries keep mounting. “Our industry needs to be focused, all pulling on the same rope, toward actions that will reduce the risk for towers.”
American Towman will continue to name members to its Roadside Safety Commission. Ortiz will chair the Commission’s first in-person meeting in San Antonio, August 6th.
