AMERICAN TOWMAN EXPOSITION - ATLANTIC CITY BROCHURE INSIDE
JULY 2019 / $10
THE ROAD CALLS
Towing’s
SUMMER BREAK TowExpo-Dallas August 15-18, 2019
AmericanTowman.com
11-Page Repo Special! Equipment Shopping Going Digital a Must Enjoy your coffee at TowIndustryWeek.com
Volume: 43 Issue: 7 2019 On the cover: Parker Towing & Storage of Parker, Arizona, won first place in the Rotator category at the American Towman Cup during the 2019 American Towman ShowPlace-Las Vegas Expo in May. Check out all the winners on p. 84.
july
FEATURE CONTENTS
35
2019 AT Expo The brochure is here with 20 pages of everything you need to know for the 31st AT Expo in its 2019 location in Atlantic City, New Jersey, including the registration information for all the events.
Departments The Walkaround . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
58
News Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Rolled, Loaded Propane Tanker
Road Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Tow Boss. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
This recovery from the northern reaches of Wisconsin in winter was one of the 2018 Donnie Cruse Recovery Award winners.
Tow Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Tow Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Ad Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Seminar Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
by Joe Meyer
Repo Run. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Towman’s Market . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 My Baby.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Low Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Adventures of A.T. . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
4 • July 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
Illustrator Don Lomax captures in pen and ink a true story of the repo man (p. 80).
70
Repo Times Comprising several stories across nearly a dozen pages, this special section gives advice for new and old repo owners and agents alike to be safer and more informed in the field.
Getting Excited for Atlantic City By Dennie Ortiz
OK! I admit it; I’m a Jersey girl. In fact, not only do I admit it, I am proud to be one … even though I now live in New York. Having grown up in Jersey, once old enough … the go-to place was Atlantic City. As many well know, AC is located “down the shore,” which is Jersey speak for “the beach.” Known for its gambling and nightlife, it always was—and still is—the most popular place to visit in the state at any time of the year. Change is exciting and allows you to be adventurous. So, I am excited for the change in venue this year for celebrating the 31st year of
the American Towman Exposition. The historic AC offers towers from across the country and around the world the opportunity to transact business on the exhibit floor with more than 270 suppliers, network at events and raise their credentials by attending their choice of more than 30 seminars, while experiencing anew the AT Expo in 2019 at this famed spot. Maybe now you’re more than just a little curious? Preview our special AT Expo Brochure on page 35. Come to AC and enjoy a new view while experiencing just what you always expect from the AT Expo … a great time mixing business with pleasure.
Repossessions and You
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Publisher Editor-In-Chief Editor Senior Editor Operations Editor Field Editor, West Field Editor, Northeast Chassis Editor Safety Editor On Screen Editor Repo Run Editor
Editorial Board Tommy Anderson Roy Carlson Debbie Collins Belinda Harris Bill Johnson Ron Mislan Kurt Wilson
Dallas, Texas Saint Paul, Minn. Las Vegas, Nev. Greensboro, N.C. South Hadley, Mass. Warren, N.J. Creve Coeur, Ill.
American Towman Staff Gina Johnson Dennie Ortiz Ellen Rosengart Norma Calitri Jimmy Santos Toni Vanderhorst Henri Calitri Patrice Gesner William Burwell Peggy Calabrese Ryan Oser Emily Oz Steve Calitri
Page Layout Artist Advertising Sales Mgr. Senior Account Exec. VP of Accounts General Manager Publisher’s Assistant Customer Service Subscription Manager TIW Media Director Regional Advertising Sales iMarketing Manager ATTV Producer President
American Towman Media Headquarters 2 Overlook Drive, Suite 5, Warwick, NY 10990 800-732-3869 or 845-986-4546
By Brendan Dooley
In addition to this month’s brochure for AT Expo XXXI, don’t miss the Repo Times section of stories starting on page 70. Whether repossession is already your whole business, a small part of your company, or an area you’re considering, there are tips you can use from experts in the field in the 11 pages of stories and advice. The importance of proper training, increasing influence of License Plate Readers, following Breach of Peace regulations and more are in there, along with more guidance in the main issue: Paul Stephens
Dennie Ortiz Steve Calitri Brendan Dooley Charles Duke Randall Resch Terry Abejuela Jim “Buck” Sorrenti David Kolman Bill Simmons Emily Oz Mark Lacek
touches on light-duty equipment and self-loader tips (p. 28), Terry Abejuela discusses towing without keys (p. 20) and Randall Resch offers some repo and PPI advice when shopping for trucks (p. 12). The Repo Times section itself finishes with another great Repo Run column (p. 80) from monthly columnist and Repo Editor Mark Lacek, and is illustrated by “Adventures of the American Towman” artist Don Lomax. I’d like to give special thanks to Mark, who was instrumental in getting this section together, from planning phase to print.
E-mail: Publisher: dortiz@towman.com Editor-In-Chief: scalitri@towman.com Editor: bdooley@towman.com AT’S Digital Edition: itowman.com AT’S Website: americantowman.com AT’S Weekly: towindustryweek.com ATTV: americantowmantv.com Copyright ©2019 American Towman Magazine is published 12 times a year by American Towman Media, Inc. Subscription: Single Copy: $10 1 yr: $60 – 2 yrs: $110 International: $75 & $135 All material published through American Towman Media (AT), to include American Towman Magazine, iTowman.com and TowIndustryWeek. com, including advertisements, editorials, articles and all other content is published in good faith. However, AT accepts no liability for any errors or omissions, and does not endorse any companies, products or services that appear. AT does not test or review products submitted for inclusion in its publications. AT does not accept responsibility for the accuracy of content, warranties or claims made or implied by its advertisers. The views expressed are the authors’ alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of AT. The act of mailing or delivering a letter, email or article to AT shall constitute permission to publish that letter or article or any portion thereof. AT reserves the right to edit any and all material submitted. No part of the magazine or websites may be reproduced without prior written consent of AT.
66 Drivers Cited During Enforcement Campaign Sixty-six drivers received citations, 16 received warnings, three drivers were driving while suspended, two received possession of drug charges, and two commercial vehicles were inspected during a four-hour law enforcement campaign enforcing Iowa’s Move Over law recently. The project included six law enforcement agencies. In 2019, 28 tow or maintenance vehicles have already been hit, according to an employee who works with the Iowa DOT. Trooper Bob Conrad was pleased to see that many of the drivers were obeying the law. “This is probably the number one thing that I worry about dying from is getting hit along the side of the road while doing my job,” Conrad said. Source: kwwl.com.
Bill Would Ban Some Tows
The California Assembly recently approved Assembly Bill 516 which would bar California cities and counties from towing or booting vehicles that have five or more tickets or towing a vehicle whose registration is six months out of date—current standards for towing. The bill would also bar cities from towing cars and RVs parked for more than 72 hours unless the city passes a local ordinance. The bill is backed by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, but is opposed by the League of California Cities. A League representative said that while banning towing may provide some financial relief, “it would come at a cost to the greater good and character of all.” Source: sfchronicle.com.
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Towman Fatally Struck on California Freeway
A big rig driver fled the scene after striking and killing a towman who was working alongside I-5 near Castaic, California, on May 31, officials said. As of press time, a suspect was still being sought. Towman Erwin Geremillo, 47, was in the process of towing a broken-down vehicle when his truck was struck by the big rig, police logs show. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene, CHP Officer Stephan Brandt said. According to Geremillo’s sister Loida Geremillo-Gutierrez, he often said his job came with the danger of possibly getting hit by motorists. Knowing someone hit her brother and left him on the road to die is simply too much to bear. Geremillo-Gutierrez said her family was set to celebrate the birth of her brother’s first grandson in September.
Towman Erwin Geremillo was fatally struck by a big rig on I-5 near Castaic, California. abc7.com image.
The big rig involved was initially described by witnesses as red and black, hauling a double trailer filled with some sort of rocks, possibly fitted with Arizona license plates, officials said. Anyone with information can reach the CHP’s Newhall-area office at 661-294-5540. Source: ktla.com.
Alabama Highway Section
Named for Struck Towman
Gene Schofield Jr.
A section of I-65 south of Greenville, Alabama, was officially named in honor of Gene Schofield Jr., a towman who was hit and killed by a drunk driver there three years ago. The naming is the latest in a series of safety bills introduced by Rep. Chris Sells and Anna Findley, Schofield’s sister, who
has campaigned for safety laws since his death. “Since the accident, we have been raising awareness for the Alabama Move Over law,” said Findley. “Last year, Chris Sells and I put together a bill, which would revise the Move Over law, adding ALDOT and stranded motorists to the law. Thankfully, it passed in 2018 and took effect on June 1, 2018.” “I’m humbled to be able to honor his memory with this resolution, and I look forward to continuing to strengthen the Alabama Move Over law to raise awareness and prevent tragedies like this in the future,” Sells said. Findley is raising money to pay for the signs naming the highway, which could cost up to $5,000, and has a Go Fund Me page for it. Source: greenvilleadvocate.com.
...they were in the “right place at the right time”... Tow Fees Set to Consumer Price Index The Austin (Texas) City Council responded recently to a request from local towing companies and the Austin Police Department to raise the fee for non-consent tows taking place in the city. The vote sets the fee at $185 for tows initiated by the police in non-consent tows. It does not apply to non-consent tows taking place on privately owned property. The fee for non-consent tows had been set at $150 since June 2006. Assistant Police Chief Justin Newsom told the council that “if you apply the consumer price index and the cost-of-living increase, in today’s dollars that would be $185.” After discussion, the council voted for the fees to keep track with increases to the CPI rather than jump ahead of it. Setting the fee according to increases in CPI, a councilmember said, will give a stable method for future adjustments. Tasha Mora, co-owner of A&A Wrecker and Recovery, said the exclusion of private property tows makes little sense considering that companies performing those tows played a major part in initiating a tow fee study last fall. Mora said the group of stakeholders she was representing supports either adopting the ordinance without the exclusion of non-consent private property tows or postponing the item to provide an opportunity to explain the situation from their perspective. Casar motioned to pass the ordinance with his amendment and additional direction to APD to return as soon as possible to consider an increase to private property tow fees, likely in August or September. Source: austinmonitor.com.
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
Towmen Rescue Driver Stranded in Floodwaters Two towmen, one of them a retired firefighter, say they were in the “right place at the right time” when they rescued a man trapped on top of his car in floodwaters recently in Greensboro, North Carolina. Danny Ward and Phillip Alston were driving back to their shop when they suddenly encountered the emergency situation. The pair said it was clear the man was in life-threatening danger and jumped into action. The man in danger was closer to them than the first responders on the other side of the water, said Ward and Alston. The pair backed their tow truck as close to the water’s edge as they safely could. Then, they prepared
Towmen Danny Ward and Phillip Alston risked chilled floodwaters to rescue a stranded motorist. wfmynews2. com image.
their winch cable as a method to pull the man to dry land, swam out to him and reeled him back in. Source: wfmynews2.com.
Arizona Towman
Killed in Hit-and-Run A hit-and-run driver killed two men in a parking lot in Tucson, Arizona, including towman Richard Struble. Tucson.com image.
Authorities were still searching for a driver as of press time who fatally struck two men and then fled the scene in Tucson, Arizona, recently. One of the men, Richard “Rick” Struble, 57, worked for Luna’s Towing for more than 20 years. Owner Jesse Luna said Struble managed the business when he was on vacation. “He was great,” a tearful Luna said. “He was reliable and honest and he was so conscientious about safety. He always put his vest on and he kept on the opposite side of traffic.”
According to Tucson police, a white or Hispanic man between 25 and 35 years old was traveling in a BMW at a high rate of speed across six lanes and drove directly into a parking lot of Discount Tire. The vehicle, a 2001 BMW 740 iL, struck a tow truck, Struble and Ramon Murillo III, 32, as they were standing in the parking lot. Struble was helping Murillo with his vehicle when the collision occurred, police said. Source: tuscon.com.
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Check Out What’s NEW and HOT! 37” Wireless Tow, Strobe, Work Light TowMate’s new MO37 unit is a lithium-powered wireless tow light, strobe and work light. The 37” wireless truck bar system provides stop, tail and turn lights with side marker lights on each end and three DOT lights in the center of the bar. Further direct traffic with its sequential traffic control arrows or strobe modes. The unit also features a powerful work light mode.
towmate.com
Crankenstein 12V/24V Jump Pack Weego recently launched its Crankenstein jump-starting 12V/24V Power Pack designed for towing professionals. Crankenstein includes industry-first features built into a compact power pack that is just 9 lbs. It provides 1,200 cranking amps and 5,000 peak amps for 12-volt systems and 600 cranking amps and 5,000 peak amps for 24-volt systems; it will jump start 0-volt batteries safely and automatically. An OLED screen clearly walks the tower through the jump and communicates warning messages, light brightness level and connection quality.
myweegopro.com
All-Weather Commercial Tires Toyo Tires’ new M655 all-weather tire is built for local and regional service applications as a tough, mixed-service commercial tire suitable for both drive and steer applications. Capable both on and off the road, the wide tread of the M655 features aggressive blocks with multi-wave sipes to optimize traction. A special cut- and chip-resistant tread compound and built-in sidewall protector add durability. The tire is available in two sizes: 225/70R19.5 14-ply and 245/70R19.5 16-ply.
toyotires.com/commercial
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Truck Bed Covers Protect Cargo
Truck Covers USA’s American Roll Cover is a tough, retractable aluminum bed cover to protect cargo, tools and equipment from weather and theft. The company said it’s built on 17-years’ experience and easy to operate. The American Roll Cover is available in the original textured powdercoat finish or a new matte finish. Features a two-year warranty.
truckcoversusa.com
Portable EV Ultrafast Charger SparkCharge recently launched its portable, ultrafast charging unit for electric vehicles. The company said its new technology allows any service provider to deliver range to an electric vehicle owner anytime, anywhere. The unit is a level 3 charger, which can charge up to 1 mile every 60 seconds—six times faster than the average charging station.
sparkcharge.io
20V Wireless Work Lights WORX now offers two new cordless solutions to tackle a wide variety of situations with its 20V Multi-Function LED Light and the 20V MAX Lithium LED Worksite Light. The Multi-Function LED Light features five functions including a flashlight, lantern, desk lamp with high/low settings and flashing emergency light. The Worksite Light generates 1,500 lumens; the cord-free, go-anywhere Worksite Light can be mounted to a conventional tripod. When using a WORX 1.5 Ah MAX Lithium battery, run time is approximately 90 minutes; with a 2 Ah battery, it’s two hours; and with the WORX 4.0 Ah battery, the light will operate up to four hours continuously.
worx.com
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - July 2019 • 11
Shopping for your next truck at a TowExpo-Dallas is a great way to see all the specs and equipment that are available for your next addition.
It’s Time to Go Shopping
W
By Randall C. Resch
hile tow industry manufacturers offer many tow trucks for today’s discriminating tow owners, it’s hard to find that single truck that’s suitable to each business niche. Towing and recovery categories are many; the smaller mom-and-pop companies aren’t all able to be full-service companies. Figure out your towing and/or recovery niche, then shop accordingly. Staying busy is the key ingredient to generating income. The ability for your tow truck or carrier to access the towing or recovery event is a prime consideration for the business niche you serve. If your truck’s too big to get there, you’ll have
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a tough time serving your customer; “Wasted time is wasted money.” If it takes time to get your customer’s car into a towable position, you lose valuable time in which another call or two could have been conducted. Perhaps one of the greatest features of today’s modern tow trucks is their ability to extract parked vehicles from really tight spaces. When a tow truck’s wheel lift is capable of turning in radical angles to back up under a vehicle’s front or rear end, less time and rigging is required. The combination of a short wheelbase and nimble steering helps to access the tightest spots.
Repo, PPI
Companies that serve private property owners or asset recovery require stealth. If your company is involved in either of these ventures, ease, speed, and access are as important as stealth and directly related to operator or agent safety. When it comes to vehicle repossessions and private property impounds, part of the operational strategy and success to a quick impound or asset grab is the ability to slip-in quickly and quietly. Many of today’s builders offer auto-loaders and add-ons or units that are hidden under the rear bumpers of a tow truck’s rear dock.
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Also important is the tow truck’s features that are quick and easy to use. In both private property impounds and asset recovery, many towers prefer quieter gas-driven wreckers vs. diesel units.
‘‘
If your truck’s too big to get there,
you’ll have a tough time serving your customer.
Interior controls that operate the wrecker’s functions while seated in the tow truck’s cab save precious seconds in use. If you’ve ever watched a really good wrecker operator or repo agent do their thing (from inside the tow truck’s cab), you know how quickly they can “hook and book.” (However, not getting out of the tow truck to check if the vehicle is lowered or other problems are present can result in driver-inflicted damages.)
If you’re new to the industry and interested in purchasing new—or you’re that business owner looking to replace or upgrade to another wrecker—the best way to consider all that’s available to you is to visit a Tow Expo. Remember, it all starts with you having your wish list of specs pertaining to the truck you want. Next month is your perfect opportunity with the American Towman TowExpo-Dallas in Grapevine, Texas (towexpodfw.com).
Law Enforcement
The phrase, “Work smarter, not harder,” should come to mind when considering what type of tow truck to buy. Smaller tow units on smaller chassis aren’t necessarily compatible with towing or recovering heavier SUVs and pickup trucks. If your company does a lot of calls for law enforcement, I recommend a chassis in the 25,000-lbs. to 26,000-lbs. GVWR range to remain in the lightduty class without a special driver’s license for operations and remain suitable to today’s heavier vehicles driven by suburban moms, construction workers and big-car enthusiasts. When heavier vehicles land beyond the guardrail, in a ditch, roll over or lose their wheels, their size oftentimes is problematic. Longer, extendable booms offer an advantage in these common scenarios on police calls. Twin-winch wreckers offer great
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DALLAS/FORT WORTH
recovery capability and, when recoveries are problematic, having that extra winch line allows operators many more rigging possibilities. Not all police towing is heavyduty. Where there is volume city-based activity, smaller GVWR tow trucks gain advantage due to their ability to fit into tight parking lots and garages. Because smaller tow trucks are simply faster to operate, when tow volume is a greater factor than recovery, smaller trucks are ideal. Tow trucks and flatbed carriers require that specialty towing and recovery equipment is on-board, including dollies, specific-length cables, gas cans, emergency lighting,
etc. The California Highway Patrol, for instance, requires specific equipment so tow operators can handle a plethora of towing and recovery scenarios without waiting for/leaving to get other equipment.
Other Considerations
Smaller tow trucks with GVWRs in lower ranges are also suitable to tow company fleets, especially when recovery isn’t a primary niche. When volume is high, a fuel-efficient chassis will best suit towing services. For city towing, tow trucks with flat noses have a tighter turning radius, making U-turns a snap.
Another consideration is which cab size (better yet, seating capability) best suits your niche? Allowing motorists to ride in a towed vehicle is a dangerous practice not considered safe by the industry or insurance providers. For companies in rural locations and those serving interstate highways, providing adequate seating/seatbelts to customers is a consideration. Through years of tough lessons, operator fatalities have a hand in showing what products lend an extra level of safety on roadside calls. When working the white line, every consideration must be given to outfitting a tow truck or carrier with products, accessories and equipment that help to keep towers away from dangerous traffic. When spec’ing your tow truck, consider the following items to foster increased operator safety: • Free-spool handles for flatbed carriers located on either side of the deck. • Wireless controls. • Wireless extension lights. • Optional extension lights that are wired at the truck’s nontraffic side. • Dolly bars mounted or stowed on the non-traffic side.
Operations Editor Randall C. Resch is a retired California police officer and veteran tow business owner, manager, consultant and trainer. He writes for TowIndustryWeek.com and American Towman, is a member of the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame and recipient of the Dave Jones Leadership Award. Email Randy at rreschran@gmail.com.
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - July 2019 • 15
Towing Vehicles Without Keys
I
By Terry Abejuela
n many tow or transport situations, the keys for the vehicle to be moved are available and allow the tow operator to easily unlock the steering wheel, straighten the wheels if needed, shift the transmission into neutral, release the parking brake and secure the wheels in a straight-ahead position. However, when the keys to the vehicle are not available, it presents several challenges in towing or transporting the vehicle safely and without damage. The frequency of having to tow or transport vehicles without keys, of course, depends on the type of niche your tow company serves. When it comes to private property impounds and repossession work, it is much more likely that you may not have the keys to the vehicle. Vehicles often are in a position that makes it more difficult to tow or load and need to be re-positioned by hand. Front-wheel-drive vehicles parked forward in a parking stall is one example where having the keys makes it easier for the tower to move the vehicle out of the stall to reposition. Without keys, vehicle-positioning dollies may be required. If you do not have the assistance of another tow company employee, make sure you can control the vehicle once it is loaded on the dollies. If there is any slope, the vehicle will move where gravity takes it, so you must be able to provide resistance to prevent this movement. On a private property or repossession tow, some tow companies prefer to not unlock the vehicle to reduce the time at scene and minimize operator exposure or possible damages or claims of personal property missing. However, this may require operators to forgo some of the standard safety practices like securing the steering wheel. The vehicle manufacturer’s steering column lock should not be trusted to perform this task; it was
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Transmission Shifter Linkage
Transmission Shifter
Shown (above) is the rear-wheel-drive 2015 Chevrolet Silverado’s transmission shifter linkage. Disconnecting the shifter linkage allows the shifter to be moved by hand to place the transmission into neutral for towing or transport. Here (below) is the rear-wheel-drive 2017 Ford Fusion’s transmission shifter linkage. Disconnecting the transmission linkage allows the shifter to be moved by hand to shift the transmission into neutral to tow or transport.
Transmission Shifter Linkage
Transmission Shifter
→
never intended to function this way and does not have sufficient strength for this task.
Get Straight
When towing or loading a vehicle onto a car carrier deck and the vehicle has its steer wheels turned, you may need to straighten the wheels or employ a technique to center the vehicle on the deck during the load and unload process. On some older models, you may be able to turn the steering wheel by using one hand to pull the steering wheel in the direction you want it to turn and hitting the opposite side of the steering wheel with a rubber mallet. The steering wheel will pop over the locking pin and turn a short distance. This process can be repeated until the wheels are in the desired position. Take precautions to avoid damaging the steering wheel: place a
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Left: Prying the cover off the shifter override button located at the top left of the shifter lever.
When it comes to private property impounds and
repossession work,
it is much more likely that you may not
have the keys to the vehicle.
clean rag or towel where the rubber mallet will hit the steering wheel. If you are unable to safely straighten the wheels to load the vehicle on a car carrier deck, you can employ a centering technique using lumber or skates. Placing lumber on
the deck in front of the steer wheels will help center the vehicle on the deck as it is being loaded. Once the vehicle’s steer wheels ride onto the lumber enough to reduce the friction between the rubber of the tire and the deck, the lumber will slide up the deck and allow the vehicle to move sideways to be centered on the deck. This works best on smooth painted decks but will usually work on diamond plate also. This technique works best when loading vehicles because you can overcome the friction between the lumber and the deck with the force of the winch. When unloading the vehicle the force of gravity may not be enough so I prefer to use skates to load and unload vehicles with turned steering wheels. Skates work almost as well when unloading as they do when loading because they are so effective at reducing friction.
Left: After prying the plastic cover off, you can look in and see the white Shift Override button.
→ Right: Using a screwdriver, push down on the white Shift Override button as you shift the transmission into neutral.
Find Neutral
When you need to place an automatic transmission in neutral and you don’t have keys, there are a couple of options to choose from. On any option you choose make sure to set the parking brake first. Some vehicles have a Shift Interlock Override procedure to allow the automatic transmission to be shifted out of park and into neutral without having the keys or battery power. Some procedures are as simple as inserting a small screwdriver into a slot on the gear shifter console or moving a gear shifter boot out of the way to gain access to a solenoid lever. Another option to shift the automatic transmission into neutral without the keys is to disconnect the transmission linkage and manually shift the transmission into neutral. On most rear-wheel-drive vehicles, this
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
is a simple task that requires minimal tools but may require you to be under a vehicle. (If you are going to go under a vehicle make sure you are wearing safety glasses, the parking brake is set and you chock a minimum of one wheel.) On front-wheel-drive vehicles, you may be able to perform this task under the hood, but it may require special tools. Another option for car carriers is a dolly that is designed to allow you to raise the tires on one axle of the vehicle on the dolly and the wheels of the vehicle do not have to turn during the loading and unloading process. A bar that connects the two dollies together and allows the tow operator to attach the winch’s wire rope to this bar so the only attachment contact point on the vehicle is the tires. On newer model vehicles, you
might encounter a vehicle that had its electric parking brake applied. Manually releasing an electric parking brake is a time-consuming and difficult task that would not normally be attempted for tow or transport. The use of tow dollies or skating on to a deck would be more appropriate. It’s best, when possible, to have the keys to avoid a lot of issues and make it safer for us to tow and transport vehicles, but unfortunately this is not always going to be the case. That makes it important to stay up to date on the latest techniques.
Field Editor Terry Abejuela has 40-plus years of light-duty towing and recovery experience. He is also a light-duty Level 1 instructor for the California Tow Truck Association.
AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - July 2019 • 23
Volvo Offers Tows for Life Volvo owners now benefit from a free towing plan valid for the entire life of their vehicle that applies to every Volvo on the road regardless of age, mileage, or how many owners it has been through. Previously, Volvo owners benefited from free towing for the duration of their car’s warranty. The Tow for Life program extends the service for the life of the vehicle, and loops in owners of older vehicles. Even someone driving a nine-owner 1991 240 station wagon with half a million miles on a broken odometer can commission a tow truck for free if it breaks down. The catch is that motorists can’t decide where their car gets towed. It will automatically be taken to a local dealership that has chosen to participate in the program. Source: leftlanenews.com.
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AT’s Abejuela Honored as Industry Leader
Booth #702
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DALLAS/FORT WORTH
American To w m a n Field Editor and California Tow Truck Association Light-Duty Instructor Terry Abejuela was honored as the 32nd recipient of the association’s Rich Chappel Industry Leader Award, along with six other honorees. He received the award recently during CTTA’s Industry Leaders & Awards Night, which concluded the American Towman ShowPlace-Las Vegas trade show and convention. Terry writes monthly articles for American Towman and is a regular seminar speaker at AT Expo Conferences. He began his towing career after graduating from high school in San Marino, California. He worked as a tow operator from 1977 to 1982 before becoming the Tow & Service Instructor for AAA SoCal in 1982. Terry has been supervising tow service support for the New Year’s Day Tournament of Roses Parade since 1989, is a technical contributor for AAA Tow Service manual, Los Angeles County Office of Education instructor, and the towing expert for the Forensis Group.
There are many options to consider when choosing the right unit for your shop, whether wrecker or rollback.
Equipment Trade Offs By Paul Stephens
Often when deciding to purchase a piece of equipment, the decision is based either on our wallets or on the particular looks of an item. What might work well for someone else might not work as well for you. What is the right choice for you? There are many models out there but understanding them can be complex to say the least. The important thing to remember is the exact intended purpose of the truck. I know many people who have made a truck purchase only to find it unsuited to do a particular task, due to the angle of the wheel lift, the arms are too large or small, or the crossbar attachment is too large. Deciding on the best unit for your buck is about knowing what your most common problems are that will need to be overcome. Despite every effort, the odds are that you will need to sacrifice at least one requirement for another to get the most use possible out of the equipment. Defining what your main obstacles
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are can go a long way in your decision by focusing on some of the smallest details. When you’re looking for the right unit, there are things that you should consider even before looking at the towing body itself.
New or Used?
One of the earliest things to consider in your purchase is buying new or used. If you are choosing used, does the unit have any maintenance records that can be verified? Have there been any major problems with overloading? How do you spot previous problems after the unit has been detailed for a sale? Identifying things such as overloading can be as simple as checking the welds to see if there are any previous failures that required repairs and have been painted over, or checking the density of the weld to make sure it is not ready to fail. Going into the purchase with a plan can help identify concerning areas or previous repairs. Take the time
to walk through the unit and not just a quick glance right before you hand over the money to buy it. Manufacturers and distributors often offer incentives when purchasing from them, such as added discounts or fully stocked trucks, so pay attention to what items come with the unit.
Clearance
Do you need to go into low clearances? Odds are a rollback would be out for those. If the right cab and chassis is a higher profile unit for more tow capacity, then you will be sacrificing the clearance needed in many parking garages. Will the unit have the right weight distribution for your requirements? Lower-profile units often result in lighter front-end capacities which can definitely reduce the lifting and braking on the unit. Trying to maintain a 50:50 weight ratio on the front end can be difficult due to the usual short length on a smaller chassis unit.
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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - July 2019 • 29
Will you want to maneuver in tight parking lots or will you want more toolbox space? Length plays a big factor in the unit’s capacity. The added toolbox space will usually require a longer chassis length to help distribute weight better for towing. If going for the shortest length possible, you might want to consider a four-wheel-drive unit
‘‘
Manufacturers and distributors often offer incentives
when purchasing
from them such as
added discounts or fully stocked trucks so pay attention to what items come
Clearance can be a big trade-off when looking at a flatbed for your business.
with the unit. … possibly just for the added front-end weight. Weight distribution can be a big deciding factor and a major difference between different chassis.
Self-loader
Do you want a self-loader? If so, will it have the capacity needed? Most basic self-loaders are rated at 3,500 lbs. to 4,000 lbs. of lift capacity and 7,500 lbs. to 8,000 lbs. in tow capacity. Will you need an extendable recovery boom, or just the basic up-and-down function of the traditional self-loader? The usual basic package is a winch, and a set of self-loading arms situated on a base up-and-down assembly. Options are available to take that unit and beef it up with another winch, extendable boom, etc. depending on your chassis. Decisions on the right piece can become more complex as you add needs—like as a larger tow capacity— as the boom, stinger and crossbar will need to be more robust. That can cause
30 • July 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
If a self-loader is key to your business, be aware of towing capacity trade-offs.
a problem with low-clearance vehicles using the self-loading features. However, the increase in capacity can assist with other functions moving larger and/or heavier vehicles, like with the increased weight of electric vehicles that are increasingly on the road. Using a more traditional tow truck can usually get you more lifting and tow capacity—more recovery options—however speed and ease can be compromised.
Capacity
Moving forward in understanding your needs is tow capacity for your customer base. What exactly will you be towing: regular cars, luxury cars, anything possible? The capacity of the wheel-lift needs to be considered because everything travels down to the weakest point and that can be the chassis, and/or the components such as the L-arms. How often do these items wear out or are prematurely worn out by abuse? These are areas that need to be
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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - July 2019 • 31
checked out prior to your purchase. Although you may only have $25,000 to spend and the unit may be close to that, unless you have a cash reserve, unforeseen repairs could send you well above and beyond the number you were expecting to spend on the unit itself. Going into a purchase, new or used, with open eyes can really save you some money on hidden maintenance. Keep in mind where you can get your parts and/or service, as we never really consider where our parts will come from until the unit is down and not making money. There are many dealers, distributors and private shops that can assist when needed, but performing your due diligence prior to experiencing a failure can minimize down time. Understanding where you will get the unit repaired whether chassis or tow unit can be a big help. Considering all of the above prior to a final purchase or upgrade can make for a smooth transition or entry into the business, as there are many options to consider including truck type, tow capacity, GVWR ratings of the chassis, height, ease of use, ease of maintenance, storage space, life expectancy and more.
Paul Stephens is a towing industry trainer with more than 34 years of towing experience. He has served as a consultant for many automobile manufacturers, equipment manufacturers, and companies for service provider education, towability and road service procedures.
32 • July 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
AD INDEX July 2019
Page #
AAA 55-57 Access Tools 63 Akins Body & Carrier Sales 65 Atlanta Wrecker Sales 34 Atlantic Emergency Solutions N 87 Austin Insurance S 92, W 89 AutoReturn 32 B/A Products 2 Beacon Software 26 Captain Recovery M, N 91, S 87, W 92 Casanova Towing Equipment W 92 Chevron Commercial 67 Crouch’s Wrecker Equip. & Sales 33 Cummins 7 Deep South Wrecker Sales 29 Dual-Tech Wreckers & Carriers 69 Dynamic Towing & Equipment Mfg. 75 Elizabeth Truck Center 67 Environmental Chemical Solutions 68 Ford Commercial Truck 21 G. Stone Commercial N 90 Ginn Carrier & Wrecker Sales 68 34 • July 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
To receive free information on products and services from our advertisers go to www.TowExtra.com
Page #
IDI 73 Insurancehub M 89, N, W 90, S 91 Intek Truck Equip. Finance & Lease 31 Jerr-Dan Corporation 5 Kenworth of South Florida 62 Legacy Plus Insurance 62 Mach 1 Services 26 Matjack Jumbo Safelift 95 McMahon Truck Center M 87 Midwest Regional Tow Show 79 Midwest Wrecker M 88 Miller Industries 13 Mobile Create 69 New England Truckmaster N 88, S 87 New England Wrecker Sales N 89 North American BanCard 19 Northeast Wrecker Sales N 89 NRC Industries 25 NXGEN W 90 OMG National M, N, W 91, S 89 Pacific General Insurance Agency M 90 Progressive Commercial Insurance 29
Page #
Quest Towing Services N 89 Sanderson Truck Equipment 66 Santander Bank 96 Sea Crest Insurance Agency W 87 Select Truck & Equipment M 90 Sterling National Bank 15 TLC Truck & Equip. 72 Towbook Management Software 3 TowExpo-Dallas 16-18 Tow Industries W 88 Towman Medal M, N 92, S 90 TowMate 24, 77 TowTrax 32 TowTruckLocator.com W 89 TruckMax 24 Urgent.ly 31 Utility Trailer Sales S.E. TX W 87 WorldClass Insurance Serv. M 88, W 91 Worldwide Equipment Sales 27 XINSURANCE W 88 Zendex 66
American Towman’s 270 exhibitors and 1000 booth spaces are accommodated inside the world class Atlantic City Convention Center, located across the street from AT’s headquarters hotel, the Sheraton and just four blocks from the Boardwalk. A manufacturer’s show since 1989, the industry’s wrecker, carrier, trailer and chassis builders all exhibit. Today there are many satellitedistributor booths adding many more tow trucks for sale on the floor.
The suppliers exhibiting cover an amazing spectrum of products and services, everything you could possibly need to run a successful towing business, plus revolutionary products and services new to the market. Tow business owners have come to rely on AT Expo for staying on top of their game and becoming first-class towing operations. Some twenty motor clubs and call providers exhibit with American Towman, bringing executives and field reps to engage with tow bosses. Towers wishing to shore up their motor club relationships or scout for new ones make it to the American Towman Exposition.
360 Payments AAA AASP-PA Access Tools Agero Alliance Funding Group Allstate Roadside Services Amdor American Safety & Supply American Towman Magazine American Towman TV Anchor Graphics ARI-Hetra Arkon Mounts Ascentium Capital AT&T - The Wireless Experience Atlanta Wrecker Sales Atlantic Emergency Solutions Austin Insurance Auto Data Direct Automotive Training Institute AutoReturn Bad Dog Tools Battelini Wrecker Sales Bay Street BBSI Beacon Funding Beacon Software Best Tools Capital One Services Century Car-Part.com Chelsea Products Div. of Parker Hannifin Chevron Chevron Commercial Command Light Copart Auto Auctions Crawford Truck Sales Crouch’s Wrecker & Equipment Sales Custer Products Custom Radio DewEze Mfg. DK2 Warrior Winches DOT Tie Down Dual-Tech Wreckers & Carriers Dynamic Towing Equipment & Mfg. East Coast Truck & Trailer Sales East Penn Truck Equipment
ECCO Eemerg.com Electric Guard Dog Environmental Chemical Solutions Equalizer Excel Sportswear Eye3Data FCar Tech USA FCar Tech USA Federal Signal Firmhorn Sweeping System First Business FleetNet America Force America Ford Commercial Vehicles GEICO Hale Trailer Brake & Wheel Hino Trucks Homles Honk Technologies Hooks Towing & Equipment IAA Integrated Vehicle Equipment Leasing Intek Truck & Equipment Leasing/ Financing International Key Supply International Towing & Recovery Museum International Trucks Jerr-Dan Corp. Kalyn-Siebert Landoll Corporation Legacy Plus Insurance Lift And Tow Lift Marketing Group Lodar USA Lucky’s Trailer Sales Lynch Truck Centers Magnetworks / Stamp Works Manufacturer Express Marathon Business Card Program Marlow Ropes Maryland Carrier & Wrecker Sales Matheny Motors Matjack Jumbo Safelift Metro Tow Trucks Midwest Wrecker Miller Industries
Millner-Haufen Tool Miracle System & Airopower by Equipment Gateway Muncie Power Products Myers Benner Corp. Mytee Products Nation Safe Drivers (NSD) National Automobile Club Nite Beam NJDOT/Transportation Mobility Noco Jump Packs NRC Industries Olson & Company Omadi OMG Tow Marketing OnlineParkingPass.com OnTrak Solutions Optotraffic OnTrak Solutions Optotraffic Penny Pockets Penske Truck Leasing People’s United Equipment Finance PGM Recovery Systems Phoenix USA Planet Halo Pop - A - Lock Power Tac Lights Inc. Powerhouse Industries Pro-Vision Video Systems Purpose Wrecker Quest Towing Services Quick Cash for Remotes R & A Insurance Ram Trucks Ramsey Winch Ranger SST RC Industries Rear View Safety Recovery Billing Unlimited Ricky’s Sales & Service Road America Robert Young’s NRC Sales & Service RP Recovery Consulting Samsara Santander Bank Shanghai Tough Industrial Co. Specialty Vehicle Equipment Funding Spill Tackle
Spirit Ride Steck Mfg. Co. Sterling National Bank Stertil-Koni, USA Talbert Mfg. TCF Equipment Finance TFR Fabrication & Mfg. The Will-Burt Company Time-Out Seated Massage Corner TOMAR TomTom Tow Canada Tow Life Towbook Management Software Tow Industry Week Towing & Recovery Assoc. of America Towing.com TowingWebsites.com TowMate Towsurance TowToolz TowTrax TowTruckLocator.com towXchange TowZing Tracker Management Sys. Tri-State Trailer Sales Trux Accessories TTN Fleet Solutions Tulsa Winch Urgent.ly US Bank Corp. US Fleet Tracking Verdant Commercial Capital Verizon Connect Vulcan Warn Industries We Buy Key Fobs Weego West End Service Whelen Engineering Co. Whiterail Reviews Witzco Trailers Worldwide Equipment Sales WreckMaster Xpress Pay Xtreme Air Wedge Zip’s AW Direct
Call Providers & Motor Clubs AAA Agero Allstate Roadside Services AutoReturn Copart Auto Auctions FleetNet America GEICO Honk Technologies National Automobile Club - NAC Nation Safe Drivers - NSD Penske Truck Leasing Quest Towing Services Road America TowZing TTN Fleet Solutions Urgent.ly
Wrecker & Carrier Manufacturers Dangelo’s Custom Built Dual-Tech Wreckers & Carriers Dynamic Towing Equipment & Mfg. Jerr-Dan Corp. Metro Tow Trucks Miller Industries (Century, Chevron, Holmes, Vulcan) NRC Industries
Trailer Manufacturers Kalyn-Siebert Landoll Corp. Talbert Mfg. Witzco
Chassis Manufacturers Ford Commercial Vehicles Hino Trucks International Truck Ram Trucks
Official AT Expo Beer Stein Custom Made in Germany Purchasers will claim stein in Atlantic City at AT Merchandise Booth
Known as the networking mecca of the towing world, AT Expo corrals towing professionals at many signature events, like Miller Rocks (Bull & Pig Roast) at the new Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Friday Night; Calitri’s Cuba (Cigar Smoker) where it is allgeged the industry’s empire builders congregate, the American Towman Academy, AT’s Skeet Shoot; the Donnie Recovery Luncheon, Festival Night, Saturday Pie and other venues. The ultimate networking experience of course is right on the show floor among all the tow bosses and exhibitors, the product and service experts, and inside the seminar rooms with all the tow industry educators. Many tow business owners travel to AT Expo just to meet up with a professional trainer, or a field rep with one of the twenty motor clubs on the show floor, or one of the American Towman editors to show off pictures of their prized recovery job. Others relish the time spent with the men who build their tow trucks.
Pageantry is part of Atlantic City and American Towman legacy, from AC’s bathing beauty and Miss America contests to towmen vying for the legendary Silver Trophies at the American Wrecker Pageant, the world’s preeminent truck beauty competition. The most amazing wreckers and carriers and artistic paint jobs will wow attendees inside the AC Convention Center. Attendees will vote on Best of Show and national judges will choose the first, second, and third place finalists of all categories. Best Carrier Presentation will also be voted on by attendees. Open your eyes to a worldof Michelangelo, Looney Tunes, Pastoral landscapes and animals, cityscapes, superheroes, dragons and dinosaurs, as the American Towman Wrecker Pageant is the show stopper.
American Towman’s Great Events feature traditional and groundbreaking, from Festival Night to the new Trust Awards, The Towman Hunt (Skeet) to the Towman Catch (fishing outing), Calitri’s Cuba, Miller Rocks (Bull & Pig Roast) to Saturday Pie, and more! The Towman Medal Ceremony at Festival Night features the March of the Heroes, bequeathing the Medal for heroic acts, Mike Corbin and his Band singing select Towman Ballads and surprise AC entertainers. Dinner $75 per person on a first come first served basis. Buy your tickets through advance registration–experience towing’s most glorious night!
Die-hard recovery specialists will want to be part of The Donnie Recovery Luncheon. Co-sponsored by B/A Products & Zip’s AW Direct
GREAT EVENTS: • Captains Of Industry • Towman Order • AT Wrecker Pageant & Winners Ceremony • Donnie Recovery Luncheon • Miller Rocks! • Festival Night • Calitri’s Cuba (Smoker) • The Towman Catch • ACE Awards • Skeet Shooting • Luxury Vehicle Education • Exhibit Hall Floor Entertainment • American Towman Academy • Towman 100 Reception • American Towman Cafe Blue Grass Band
• The Main Event - 270 Exhibits • Rotator Recovery Training • AT Mini Clinics • Saturday Pie
American Towman always treats its readers like royalty, high rollers in Casino parlance. Add in the hospitality of AT’s casino hotels and you’re a king in Paradise. • American Towman Academy Breakfasts Thursday–Saturday • Calitri’s Cuba Thursday Night • Miller Rocks–Bull & Pig Roast Friday night at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino • Saturday Pie! On the show floor
AC’s Boardwalk is the favorite playground on the eastern seaboard. A bit of Vegas, a bit of New York’s Broadway and a lot of PT Barnum best describes the mix of acts that headlines at AC’s Casino Hotels. The greats all played there: Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Barbra Streisand, and today’s Divas and Bosses continue to headline on the Boardwalk, like Celine Dion and Bruce Springsteen, plus acts that are sexy, circuslike, and magical!
A storied American Resort town, going back to the days of bootlegging and prohibition and made nationally famous by the likes of Merv Griffin (Resorts Hotel and Casino), Donald Trump, the Cinema and recently Netflix’s Boardwalk Empire, the Monopoly board game, Diving Horses, the Steel Pier, and the Miss America Beauty Pageant, not to mention countless songs like Under the Boardwalk… Atlantic City is rich in character in both yesteryear and present day. AC has gone through a renaissance the last twenty years on and off the Boardwalk. The Tanger Outlet shopping center a block from the Boardwalk plus malls in the Boardwalk hotels like the Tropicana have made AC the premier Christmas shopping experience in the region. Today’s Boardwalk is a mix of honky tonk and world class stores, restaurants, nightclubs and theater. Storefronts have gone through a facelift and the southern end has been rebuilt since Superstorm Sandy visited six years ago. New hotel & casino properties have opened in the past year, including the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, an American Towman hotel and home of Friday night’s Bull and Pig Roast (Miller Rocks!) When you stay in Atlantic City you’ll feel yourself at the center of fabled Americana.
2018
Donnie Cruse
Recovery Awards
Presented by American Towman Magazine and WreckMaster
R EI
Why They Received the Donnie Cruse Recovery Award:
RY
O ST
‘‘
TH
AD
Choose the most challenging recovery your company has performed with excellence. Send in your photos or video of the recovery along with your name, company, address, phone # and email, and we may contact you for the details. Recovery must have been performed between 2001 and 2019.
RE
ALL Recovery Specialists Qualify:
WreckMaster said this recovery was selected because of its unique circumstances and out-of-the-box thinking.
2018
Winner:
Day & Nite Towing Donnie Cruse Recovery Award
Co-Sponsored by:
&
58 • July 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
By Joe Meyer Day & Nite Towing; Baldwin, Wisconsin
O
n Jan. 14, 2018, we were called to recover a rolled over semi tractor hauling a propane tanker. Our 2015 Freightliner 114SD/Vulcan V-100 850XP and 2001 Sterling/2007 Century 4024 w/home-built sidepuller were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, we performed a scene survey and contacted the incident commander on scene. The tractor had severe frontend damage and the front axle was pushed back to the battery and fuel tanks. The fifth-wheel plate was no longer attached to the tractor and all air and electrical lines were ripped from the trailer.
Rolled, Loaded Propane Tanker
With the fifth-wheel plate being torn from the tractor frame and the trailer rolled onto its right side, we decided to recover the units separately. The driver of the semi advised that the tanker was carrying more than 41,000 lbs. of propane. We discussed offloading the product, but since the trailer was over center, we estimated that only 1/3 of the propane could be offloaded. The trailer appeared to be intact with no obvious leaks. As a result, we gained authorization to upright the propane tanker loaded. After discussing a recovery plan with law enforcement and fire personnel, we removed the tractor and began to work on uprighting the propane tanker. We positioned a 2015 Peterbilt/NRC 50/65 rotator from
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Day & Nite Towing was assisted by Siewert’s Garage for a rolled propane tanker in Baldwin, Wisconsin. (above)
The tractor was removed first to get equipment in place for the loaded tanker. AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - July 2019 • 59
The tractor had severe front-end damge (above). The trailer was in tact with no serious leaks. (below).
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Siewert’s Garage on the top side of the tanker and rigged two lines to perform the upright. The Century 4024 rigged two lines to the tractor. The first line was a twopart line that terminated in a chain wrapped around the front spring and a second two-part line terminated at the first drive wheel with a recovery round sling. We placed four straps under the trailer from the NRC rotator to lift the trailer while the Century and Vulcan units would be used at either end. With the four recovery straps under the trailer, the rotator was rigged. An eight-part line was rigged using seven snatch blocks, four screw-pin shackles and one master link. The Vulcan was rigged to the left rear axle wheels and the Century used one line to the dolly wheels for a low pull.
Since the trailer was over center, not all the propane could be pumped out and thus was left full.
‘‘
We placed four straps under the trailer from the NRC rotator to lift the trailer while the Century and Vulcan units would be used at either end.
The fifth-wheel plate was town away, separating the trailer and tractor.
Once rigging was in place, the tanker was uprighted by lifting from the top side.
With all rigging in place, we began uprighting the propane tanker by lifting from the topside while the trucks on the bottom side assisted the uprighting process. The tanker was controlled through the balance point by our 2005 Volvo tri-axle tractor, and set back onto its wheels. After the unit was upright, we winched the unit to a level surface and secured it for transport. We would like to give special recognition to Siewert’s Garage for their assistance with this recovery. WreckMaster said this recovery was selected because of its unique circumstances and out-of-the-box thinking.
Submit Your Recovery for the 2019 Donnie Cruse Award: Email: bdooley@towman.com or Mail to: 2 Overlook Drive, Suite 5, Warwick, NY 10990
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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - July 2019 • 61
Miller Expands in Chattanooga Miller Industries has bought nearby property in Ooltewah, Tennessee, that for decades held the T.J. Snow Co. as the growing tow-equipment manufacturer expands its footprint. Miller has bought about a 2-acre site that holds a facility the business will use as a parts warehouse, said Todd Harless, the company’s marketing manager. Late last year, Miller Industries announced it had completed a $20 million expansion of its Ooltewah production facility, which added 175 jobs in Chattanooga over the past two years, and other major expansions at its plants in Greeneville, Tennessee, and Hermitage, Pennsylvania. “I’m pleased to see the property go to Miller Industries, a thriving local manufacturer, and I hope the new facility will contribute to their continued success,” said Tom Snow, chairman of the local welding company T.J. Snow that had operated at the location for 39 years before moving. According to Simply Wall St., Miller Industries’ share price is up 69 percent in the last five years. In the first quarter of this year, Miller’s net income rose 29.8 percent compared to the same period a year ago. Source: timesfreepress.com.
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Going Digital is a Must By Charles Duke
I
n today’s digital world, the customer is more demanding; they want to be able to have constant contact with their providers in order to gain the reassurance that they are a priority to you. Tom Bacon, Towbook Management Software’s Director of Sales & Marketing, drove this point home in his recent seminar, “Why Are More Towing Companies Using Software?” Bacon’s seminar, given during American Towman’s Tow Industry Week in Las Vegas, explored how using software impacts motor club work and what towing management software is and its advantages. “Things have changed dramatically in the last five to 10 years; and we all know they’re going to change even more dramatically in the next five to 10 years for sure,” he said. Bacon said that jobs now come to towing companies via five sources: • Email Processing—where information needed for a job can be extracted from an email that comes into the tow business’ system. • D igital Dispatching (prime, broadcast)—companies can view and dispatch calls from anywhere on the Internet, from various locations. • Web Forms (links, websites, social media)—where jobs can come in online through a company’s website, Facebook page or direct links. • Customer Login (user accounts)— where tow companies can grant customers permission to log into the tow company’s system and request jobs and quotes. • Mobile App Requests—we’re starting to see the ability to have customers (particularly cash customers) save direct contact information straight to their phone. It’s as simple as clicking on the company’s icon.
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‘‘
Having the right digital software for your business provides many benefits, such as risk management.
The day of the ticket
book, as we know it, is flat-out gone.
The point is that more ways are being invented for jobs to come into the tow company’s system. “If we think about where we’re headed as an industry, it’s all going to be digital; in particular, how those calls will come into your system,” said Bacon. “Essentially, in every nook and cranny of our industry, we’re starting to see people request jobs, process jobs and automate their business.” In discussing customer expectations, Bacon suggested that tow company owners experience a ride-share service like Uber. He feels that it is a great indicator as to where the tow industry is headed. “Taxi companies have long been a place that some of the bigger organizations in our industry have looked for technology trends. You can see in Uber where we’re headed. We all have smart phones, we’re all checking our email, we’re all checking the jobs back at the
office,” Bacon said. “As consumers, we expect to know what is going on with a service that is being provided for us. We expect to be connected; we expect to know what’s going on with our work. “Uber is a company that has rapidly accelerated that in the consciousness of our clients,” he continued. “They’ve changed expectations in a relatively short period of time.” Another major reason for the use of software is because customers expect you to find them. Customers, Bacon said, want to be tuned in to the fact that you know where they are, what time you’ll be there and many customers now are expecting to receive that plus billing information via email or text on their smart phones. Software also allows a quick rating of your company’s service; something Bacon said all tow company’s need to know. “The day of the ticket book, as we know it, is flat-out gone,” said Bacon.
Cutting Costs
Towing is an industry “where companies cannot leave money on the table,” he said, so tow companies need a system at their disposal that’s going to calculate mileage and make sure
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jobs are being priced correctly. It’s what gives the tow owner “peace of mind” at the end of the day. Bacon stated there are five key ways that software greatly assists tow owners: • Automates the job acceptance process. • Calculates pricing and mileage. • Decreases or completely eliminates “disappearing” invoices. • Finds the customer’s location. • Allows for automated and electronic billing. “With software, you should have the ability to largely automate—at the very least—generating your statements every month,” Bacon said.
Managing Risk
Having the right software also makes risk management a much easier task. It saves the owner time and energy by facilitating resolving customer satisfaction issues, scheduling and performing pre-trip inspections,
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compliance issues, damage claims and replay driver location. Related to digital legislative compliance, Bacon said that things have come into play in the last couple of years, such as the current electronic logging devices issue. “There’s legislation in Florida right now that’s driving some of the state letters and state forms. And we’re going to see more,” he said. “There are some in Illinois with respect to consumer rights. We’re going to see more and more as it relates to digital legislative compliance. “There’s no more handwritten stuff,” Bacon said, “whether they’re driver logs, consumer rights or notification letters. We know it’s coming; and that’s how you protect yourself.” He also paid particular attention to the issue of damage claims. “At the very least, if you’re using a software system, the very first thing your driver should be doing when they pull up on a scene is taking
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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - July 2019 • 67
photos,” Bacon said. “Those photos protect you, whether you’re doing a full-on damage report or just taking photos. Those photos will protect your business. “If a consumer sees your guys taking photographs of the damage on their vehicle before they touch it, the likelihood that they’re going to file a claim plummets.”
More Revenue
There are so many tools via software at a business owner’s disposal that one should be able to demonstrate some advanced capabilities to clients and prospects that will help win contracts. Bacon said that having the right software also shows how your business is performing with specific clients, putting your business in a strong position to negotiate rates. It helps to quickly identify who are your most profitable accounts, as well as who are, what Bacon called, “filler accounts”—those that provide a low margin of return. “You’ve got to know where your money is coming from,” he said. Bacon also said that if companies have the right software and utilize technology correctly, entering into new business segments to grow the bottom line and land new contracts is made easier.
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Bacon said there are five attributes that will ultimately make a tow company committed to deploying software successful: • Being committed to change. • Expecting challenges to meet them head-on. • Having a responsible and dependable point person. • Having a team of drivers and dispatchers that “believe” in the company’s vision and direction. • Having a plan. “You better be committed to change,” he said, “because it’s hard. It’s very common for (companies) to deploy software on their third, fourth or fifth attempt, because you’re busy. While it’s incredibly important for your business, it takes time and it takes commitment. You get sidetracked— you get a snowstorm, you get a heat wave—and you don’t get the chance to fully deploy (the software). “But, third or fourth time around,” Bacon said, “it ‘catches.’ You get far enough through the process, and you say, ‘Why didn’t I ever do this before?’ But, you’ve got to be committed to the change, first and foremost.”
American Towman Magazine Senior Editor Charles Duke has written and served as editor for trade, music and nonprofit publications. He also serves as the editor for AT’s online sister publications Tow Industry Week and Tow Industry Today.
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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - July 2019 • 69
The Repo Times REPO
Like other professions the recovery agent professional needs to continue education to operate at an acceptable level. Seminars and conferences, like at association events and the AT Expos (above), should be a key component of continuing education. Stamatis Ferarolis authored the Field Recovery Specialist Manual and co-authored the Certified Asset Recovery Specialist Program; he has owned and operated several businesses in the towing and repossession industries since graduating from the University of South Florida in 1991. He currently is president/ founder of Asset Investigations Recovery Inc. and CEO/founder of Recovery Industry Services Co.
The Price of Education vs. Ignorance By Stamatis Ferarolis
T
his is a true story relayed to me by a national lender who was seeking advice on a recovery that went wrong in the worst way possible. Names have been changed to protect the parties involved. It was a typical Tuesday morning, truck engines running, adjusters checking their lists of repo assignments to plan the most efficient routes to find their pay day. The banter in the yard consisted of playful bets on who would find the most vehicles. Ron was the newest driver at the company and was eager to make his mark with his boss and best friend as well as his fellow adjusters. Although Ron had only been in the
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business for a short period of time, he felt privileged to be driving the fancy white truck with the cameras and go-jacks and longed for the adrenaline rush of finding and hooking a car others had struggled to find. A few weeks ago, Ron’s boss had followed-up with him on several tasks that he was supposed to complete prior to driving on his own. Outside of the typical newhire paperwork, Ron was supposed to read and test about laws covering the selfhelp repossession process. Unfortunately, Ron simply had not gotten it done after long days training with a fellow employee. His boss, looking at the lists of assignments,
felt getting that knowledge on-the-job would be ‘good enough’ for his good buddy and former military man right now. “He can take care of education in December when we slow down around the holidays,” he thought. Ron was known at his former job as one of the “smart ones.” Ron could always count on his creative thinking and problem-solving skills to get out of tricky situations. He could think on his feet and along with his investigative skills knew he would become an amazing repossessor. Today, he needed Ron to drive on his own. It was just after 9 a.m. when he finally passed the
address of his first assignment. He saw the new 2018 truck sitting in the driveway. This was going to be an easy snatch and book. He backed his snatcher up, hooked the truck in less than 15 seconds and was just about to head out when the owner flung the house door open and bolted for “his” truck in the driveway. The owner opened the door of his vehicle—that was now sitting on Ron’s snatcher— and refused to get out. “This just got interesting,” Ron thought. Ron’s instinct was to call the police and they responded to the customer’s address in no time. Upon arrival, the police intervened and asked the customer to get out of the truck. “I’m not getting out of my truck!” Ron and the police officer were stumped. They could not actually force him from the vehicle as he had not broken a law, so they hatched a bright idea. “Let’s take this guy for a ride by towing him and the truck to the auction lot then deal with him there.” Thirty minutes later, Ron and the police officer pull into the auction lot ready to deliver the truck. As the agent unloaded the truck from his lift,
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the officer then forced the vehicle’s door open, pulled out the owner and arrested him for trespassing on the auction lot. Genius, right?!
Consequences
The lender who sought my guidance on how to manage the fallout of this incident knew how many mistakes were made during the entire repossession. There were so many problems that I broke them down one by one to see what remedies there might be for all parties. Unfortunately, the biggest mistake Ron made started with him breaching the peace, which means he lost the right to repossess the vehicle. As soon as the truck owner came out of his house, got into his truck and refused to allow the repossession to take place, Ron was required by law to release the vehicle back into the owner’s possession. Although at times not perfectly defined, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act states, “a vehicle cannot be repossessed lawfully unless it can be done without a breach of peace.” In Ron’s case, once the truck owner refused to allow the repossession, Ron lost the legal right to repossess the
vehicle. At this point, Ron should have left the scene and come back another time. Without the proper knowledge of the laws and regulations affecting the self-help repossession process, Ron put his company, the lender and the police officer in the crosshairs of the legal system. The financial institution now had to defend a legal case and lost money above and beyond losing the vehicle. The recovery company Ron worked for and his boss and best friend lost the financial institution as a client who provided about 40 percent of his annual business. Ron was fired immediately. Additionally, due to the fact that this was an intentional act, the company’s insurance carrier refused to defend the claim. One repossession will not make your business, but it sure could break your business. Although Ron was a smart and upstanding guy, he lacked the important knowledge that was needed to work self-help repossession assignments. He believed he could apply prior knowledge and experience and an ability to “think on his feet” to make the right decisions that would keep him out of trouble. His boss did
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not value education as a way to ensure his drivers would make the right decisions out in the field. Some may argue that the job is not that skilled, but anyone in the business knows that is not the case. It’s a very dynamic job that can become dangerous in an instant. Recovery agents need to be armed with the knowledge specific to laws, regulations, best practices and more that allow them to make decisions that abide by state and federal statutes. When things go sideways, they need to have the confidence to make a split-second decision that keeps everyone safe and reduces liability. I would argue that this is a highly skilled profession due to the fact that so many lines between the laws of right and wrong can be blurred. Let’s not forget actual lives can be on the line when things go awry. Agent and public safety should always be the primary consideration while performing this job. Agents need to be prepared … always.
Training
Education is one of the basic necessities in life just beyond food, water and shelter. Education gives us the competence as professionals through skills and knowledge to do our job in the most efficient and successful manner. Being certified and educated elevates a person’s standing in their line of work. We would not have any confidence in an electrician to wire our house safely without proper technical training and certification. We would not pay our accountant to file our taxes
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with the IRS without significant training in tax accounting. Education builds confidence across the board. It is at the core of ensuring a successful business and supporting clients.
‘‘
One repossession will not make
your business,
but it sure could
break your business.
Self-help repossession is a vital service within the financial lending spectrum of business. It is the frontline of keeping the public honest about their debts and deserves a high level of respect. Recovery agents problem-solve and stare danger in the eye on a daily basis. The job requires a high level of patience and determination to be successful. These things are pretty obvious. What many people do not realize is how intricate the act of repossessing really is. It’s important to know where they can blur the line and where they cannot. They need to know about technology and techniques that are ever changing. They gather information through these techniques and its crucial to know if they are doing it within the law.
Like other professions the recovery agent professional needs to continue education to operate at an acceptable level. From State and Federal laws to the Uniform Commercial Code, to Privacy Protection, to skip tracing techniques, and defensive driving, the requirement to understand important information is significant. Repossession agencies owe it to their agents and recovery agents owe it to themselves to be up to speed with all facets of the business. Education and continuing education on the laws that protect the recovery agent and the consumer is imperative to keep everyone safe and free from the tangles of a lawsuit. There are currently only a couple of options for educating recovery agents: Certified Asset Recovery Specialist, Vendor Transparency Solutions, and Recovery Standard. At the top of the list of education opportunities for Agents, Lenders and Forwarders is the CARS certification program and their Continuing Education courses. The CARS program is accepted in all 50 states and required by many large lenders in the United States. It has been established since early 2000 and is the most comprehensive training program on the market. “Being educated through a quality program ensures the repossession agent understands the laws to protect himself, his employer, the creditor, and the consumer,” said Eric Johnson, a partner in the national law firm Hudson Cook, LLP. “Any violation by an agent is ultimately paid for by the business owner and the creditor. Therefore, it behooves the creditor to ensure that all of their agents are educated to follow the law.” Ignorance is no excuse for not knowing the law. Ignorance can and has destroyed businesses and lives. Knowledge is power in the repossession industry and education is the key to running a professional business, keeping drivers safe and reducing everyone’s liability.
The Repo Times
Reducing Your Lawsuit Risks
REPO
By Nathan DeLadurantey
V Nathan DeLadurantey is a lawyer in Brookfield, Wisconsin, who focuses on consumer law litigation, representing individuals. He is a frequent lecturer on consumer law topics and has received several awards for his work in the legal community.
ehicle repossession is a high-risk activity: one wrong word or action and you can wind up in a lawsuit. Avoiding this situation requires a combination of clear policies, robust training, and continued monitoring of employees. As a lawyer, I look at several factors when reviewing the risk exposure of the repossession agents.
Clear Policies
Every company must have a clear, written policy on vehicle repossessions. Again, this policy must be in writing. It should address both the general standards expected by the repossession agents, along with specific scenarios. For example, what should your employees do if someone threatens them? What happens if the police arrive on scene? Should attempts be made to talk a protesting debtor into turning over the car? What if the debtor tries to pay them money to stop the repossession? Your policies should also address the law; what are the relevant laws that your agents must follow? No policy manual would be complete without addressing things like the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Uniform Commercial Code, and any state-specific policies (like the Wisconsin Consumer Act, in my home state).
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The absence of any policies addressing these areas of law is bad for your business; it can be construed as an indication you don’t care about compliance.
‘‘
Properly trained and supervised agents know that there
will always be another
opportunity to
come back for the vehicle. Robust Training
Some repossession companies feel that “on-the-job training” or “shadowing a senior employee” is sufficient. If you’re in that group of companies, you have a glaring gap and massive liability exposure in your training program. The training of repossession agents is a hotbed of liability if you get sued for a wrongful repossession. Lawyers (and judges) want to see that you have a clear training program that involves testing. The training materials should come from a credentialed
and reputable third-party; so no, don’t just print off a few articles from the Internet and throw them to your agents. A good practice is to create a checklist of materials you use to train your agents, and have them sign and date the various parts they complete. You can even create a test for each portion, and grade them on their results.
Employee Supervision
So you have clear repossession policies and a great training program. What next? Every employer should have regular (often annual) review sessions with employees. Do you ever do a ride-along with established repossession employees? I have seen seasoned repossession agents forget their training over the years, and engage in activities that no employer should tolerate. Knowing that “the boss” regularly rides with even the most veteran employees can be a great reminder that someone is watching them. And who knows, maybe you’ll learn some new ideas from the field that can help improve your bottom line.
Breaching the Peace
What types of things can go wrong in a repossession? The most common problems include:
• Debtor objects. • Debtor becomes violent. • Debtor changes their mind. • Police arrive and become involved. A seasoned repossession agent will know how to handle each one of these situations: stop the repossession and come back another day. The reason is that repossession agents cannot “breach the peace” during the taking of the collateral. Properly trained and supervised agents know that there will always be another opportunity to come back for the vehicle—and that proceeding in the face of these facts is the basis for a lawsuit. When does a breach of peace occur? Many states have enacted specific statutes related to vehicle repossessions, or rely on a more general body of law called the Uniform Commercial Code. In Wisconsin, we have a specific body of law (the “Wisconsin Consumer Act”) that governs most vehicle repossessions. In 1993, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals rendered its deci-
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
sion in Hollibush v. Ford Motor Credit Co., interpreting and applying the “breach of peace” provisions of the Wisconsin Consumer Act. The holding of Hollibush is simple: a repossession after a verbal protest is a “breach of peace” and violates the law. (Different states have different laws and interpretations of their laws, so you should understand the specific laws for every state you operate in.) The purpose behind p ro h i b i t i o n s a g a i n s t breaching the peace in “self-help” repossessions is to prevent civil unrest. Prohibiting a breach of peace prevents creditors and repossession companies from taking the law into their own hands, because when a “debtor unsuccessfully demands that a repossessing creditor desist, the only way to enforce that demand is with a breach of the
peace, something the common law, the UCC and the WCA prohibit,” as stated in the Hollibush ruling.
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The Repo Times
The Evolution of LPR
REPO
By Andy Cameron
I
Andy Cameron is Senior Vice President for FinTech with Digital Recognition Network.
t’s not every day that two industries become so inextricably intertwined that you can’t imagine them existing without each other. Yet that is exactly what has happened as the recovery industry and licenseplate recognition industry grew into two branches of one tree that continues to grow and thrive. There has always been a need for vehicle repossession—ever since the first vehicle owner skipped out on paying his auto lender. All good repossessors know the challenge the first recovery agent likely faced was finding
the vehicle to pick it up. That is a challenge for recovery agents to this day, but now we have LPR. That wasn’t always the case. Todd Hodnett founded the Digital Recognition Network 12 years ago. He grew up in the repossession industry. It was the family business. “For every account that we received from a bank, my dad’s office would run the VIN against the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles database to get the license plate and verify that the lender who sent the order had a valid lien on the vehicle, and therefore, that the vehicle could be repossessed for the bank,” said Todd. Once they ran the license
plate, an agent would go out and visit last known addresses—either a place of employment, residence or both. If the vehicle wasn’t there, the recovery agent would update the office. If they saw any other vehicles at the location (e.g., in the driveway, on the side of the road), agents would always write down the license plates they saw and include that in the update. “At 10 years old, my job was to write all the license plates and addresses down on cards and file them,” said Hodnett. The thinking was if the family had one vehicle out for repossession, they might have another one available for
Automated License Plate Readers have become a dominant force driving renewed success in the repossession industry.
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recovery now or in the future. It was a manually intensive form of LPR. “If you think about a world before LPR cameras, about 50 percent of the orders that went over to a repo company, the addresses provided by the lender were bad. If a recovery agent goes to an address, and the vehicle is there, 99 percent of the time the repo agent is going to acquire the vehicle. The other 50 percent of the time, you engage a skip-tracer,” said Hodnett. It was the skip-tracer’s job to find the vehicle when it couldn’t be found. “When I started as a skip-tracer in the mid-’80s, all we had was a telephone book and a credit application,” said Alex “Skip Guru” Price, Director of Client Services for DRN. “There wasn’t a computer at the bank, and there were no such thing as databases. Everything was done over the phone or in the field.” When the bank sent the vehicle to repo, the skip-tracer would take the original loan application where the customer had to provide three to five references on a personal level and then three to five relatives with their addresses and phone numbers. He would go down the list and start calling the relatives to try and track down the vehicle. “It was very time-intensive,” said Hodnett. As the public records industry began to develop, these databases (e.g., real property ownership, vehicle registration info, etc.) became useful tools for skip-tracers. But they came with an inherent flaw. The data aggregated into those databases is all self-reported. “You run into problems when you are trying to locate someone who does not want to be found and you are relying on public records data that is 100-percent dependent upon the veracity of the individual you are looking for. LPR, on the other hand, does not have that problem,” said Hodnett. The recovery industry needed LPR.
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
‘‘
As much as the
recovery industry
needs LPR to thrive, the LPR industry
needs the recovery industry for its very existence.
“The cameras don’t lie,” said Hodnett. “If we saw the vehicle at a location at a date and time, it was there. And, if we see it more than once at the same location, we will likely find it there again.” LPR has redefined the recovery industry. The focus is no longer on skip-tracing and working the phones to track down the vehicle owner. Instead, LPR is the dominant force driving the success of the industry.
Recovery agents can make better, more informed decisions about which locations they will check to pick up a vehicle. For example, a forwarder may provide five possible addresses to search for a vehicle, but they may be located throughout a major metropolitan area. The recovery agent can rely on the LPR scans, saving gas, time and money. As much as the recovery industry needs LPR to thrive, the LPR industry needs the recovery industry for its very existence. The LPR industry depends on the scans generated by the recovery industry to serve its customers. As a result, there is increased competition in the LPR industry as the recovery industry continues to demand more efficiencies. New cameras will see more and capture more, including the ability to read the state of issuance on the license plate and better determine the make and model based on the image. “Recovery rates will increase even further because we will just see more,” said Hodnett.
AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - July 2019 • 77
REPO
KAR, IAA Officially Split
Insurance Auto Auctions was projected officially to be an independent, publicly traded company as of June 28. Former parent company KAR Auction Services said once the distribution was complete, IAA would begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the “IAA” ticker, and KAR will have no ownership in the salvage auction company. “It is with great pleasure that we announce this important step toward completing the separation of IAA from KAR Auction Services and launch the future of two companies,” KAR chairman/CEO Jim Hallett said in a news release. “Following the separation, KAR will concentrate its focus on its whole car auction marketplaces and technology solutions serving OEMs, captive financing companies, vehicle lending institutions, fleets, and franchise and independent car dealers,” he said. “As part of KAR, we have been a leading provider of auction solutions for total loss, damaged and low-value vehicles, and we look forward to building upon that legacy,” said IAA CEO John Kett. The spin-off was first announced in late February 2018. Both KAR and IAA had “grown to levels that will allow them to succeed independently,” Hallett said. Source: autoremarketing.com.
Repo Agents Honored by PAR North America PAR North America, a division of KAR Auction Services, handed out its Agent of the Year and LPR Agent of the Year, Resolution Champion and Compliance Champion, Regional Choice and other award winners recently during its 2019 PAR Agent Event in Indianapolis, Indiana. According to a news release, a total
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of 17 award winners received honors. Agent of the Year honors went to SCAR, while Associates Asset Recovery was recognized as LPR Agent of the Year. Skip Agent of the Year honors went to Specialized Towing and Absolute Recovery Services ran off with the Rookie of the Year award. PAR and its recovery agent partners raised more than $42,000 for the Recovery Agents Benefit Fund, which grants funds to member agents in times of tragedy. Source: autoremarketing.com.
ALS Adds New COO ALS Resolvion recently named a new chief operating officer. Joining ALS with more than 20 years of experience in loss mitigation, collections and back office operations is Scott Darling, previously a SVP at Wells Fargo. “Adding an executive with Scott’s talent underscores our commitment to our brand promise of delivering our clients better results at lower risk,” said ALS CEO Michael Levison in a news release. “In his role, Scott will oversee our case management, post repossession operations, compliance operations and corporate development activities,” Levison said. Source: autoremarketing.com.
More Settlement Money from Wells Fargo Wells Fargo has agreed to a second round of payments to more than 400 members of the military whose personal vehicles the banking giant repossessed while they were on active duty. Each service member victimized by the bank will receive $12,300 from a $5 million-plus settlement fund Wells Fargo has agreed to set up. The settlement resolves a federal class action lawsuit filed in Topeka, Kansas, in 2017 by Jin Nakamura, a soldier stationed at Fort Riley. In agreeing to resolve the case, Wells Fargo denied the allegations and said in a statement that it settled “to avoid the distraction of burdensome and protracted litigation.” Julie Fogerson, a spokeswoman
for Wells Fargo, said the agreement “is a step forward in making things right for customers and we remain deeply focused on caring for our neighbors, family members and team members who serve our country.” An attorney for Nakamura did not respond to comment. Wells Fargo had previously agreed to pay the same individuals $10,000 each. Those payments came under an order by the U.S. Department of Justice and federal banking regulators to which Wells Fargo consented in 2016. Wells Fargo, the country’s fourth largest bank, has been stained by a series of consumer scandals. The bank has agreed to more than $2 billion in settlements and government orders stemming from various complaints, including claims it opened millions of unauthorized accounts, added customers to its online banking service without their knowledge, required customers to buy unneeded car insurance and charged them excessive fees to lock in mortgage loan rates. In the Nakamura case, Wells Fargo repossessed his car even though Nakamura had set up automatic payments for the vehicle, according to his lawsuit. By the time he figured out what was happening, the car had been sold along with some military gear he’d stowed in the vehicle. As the lead plaintiff, Nakamura will receive a bigger payment than the other members of the class. The case required him to make two trips from his duty station in South Korea. Court documents make it clear that payments under the settlement will be in addition to money service members were eligible to receive under the earlier government case. Federal investigators had responded to a North Carolina man’s complaint after Wells Fargo repossessed his used car just as he was deploying to Afghanistan in 2015. Investigators were able to corroborate the Army National Guardsman’s complaint and found “a pattern of unlawful repossessions spanning over more than seven years,” according to a Department of Justice statement. Source: kcur.org.
Conning the Con Man By Mark Lacek
M
ost people who get repossessed aren’t bad people … they are mostly good people who have either made poor choices or suffered bad luck. It can be difficult to repossess from these folks who work their butts off, but lose their vehicle through unexpected or extenuating circumstances. On the other hand, repossessing cars, trucks or equipment from bad people is a gratifying experience. Just like having a “gold card,” if you’re a member of the repossession industry, membership has its rewards. Gypsy asphalt pavers are infamous for traveling the country and ripping off unsuspecting homeowners. They can be easy to identify, if you have a heads up on their M.O. One well-used scam begins with a door knock. The man begins his con by telling you his crew has just finished a big job down the street and they have some left over asphalt. “I can have the crew here in less than an hour to re-pave your driveway at half the cost,” they’ll say. The customer ends up with nothing more than a coating of oil or very thin layer of asphalt on his driveway. Another indicator is the Sometimes, working in repo can be a pleasure and a privilege. trucks. Written on the door equipment. The working crew parks several occasions I worked locally proudly is a standard nondescript name like “Asphalt Paving” at nearby cheap motels, while the here in Florida with the Gypsy task with a phone number minus an area advance con team drives around in force, instituted by the state attorney code. Almost always the trucks and late model pickup trucks hunting for general years prior, to protect the Florida elderly from traveling con men. trailers will have out-of-state plates. unsuspecting victims. Over the years, I have repossessed Eventually I became friends with the The trucks are often both tandemor single-axle dumps with pull-be- all types of trucks and equipment supervising task force detective in my hind trailers carrying LeeBoy paving from these traveling scoundrels. On county, “Detective Dan.”
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Sometimes, opportunity just drops right in your lap, like this one from a few years ago. I’ll call the scoundrel in this story “Slick Sammy.” “There are a couple of guys up front who want to talk to someone about re-paving the parking lot out front,” my secretary said. Curiosity aroused, I went out to talk to them. In the reception area were two guys in their mid-20s and casually dressed. “Hello sir, my name is Sam with ABC asphalt,” Sam said. He explained to me he had just finished a big paving job nearby and he could re-pave my parking lot for a really good price. In astonishment, I let Sam finish his sales pitch. “I’m in the middle of a phone call,” I said. “Give me five minutes; I’ll be right with you.” I tried my best not to be too obvious as I slowly walked back to my office and closed the door behind me. I then placed a phone call to Detective Dan. “Dan, you’re not going to believe this!” I shared with Dan what was going on and that the guy said his name was Sam. Detective Dan explained this might be the guy he’d been trying to nail down for a few years. “If this is Slick Sammy, he is wanted in four states including Florida for a list of crimes as long as my arm, including crimes against the elderly,” he said. Detective Dan said members of his crew also were wanted. The task force detective asked me to set the job up for the following morning. Then I called Craig, my No. 1 ace repossessor, into my office. I told him to follow Sam when he left our yard, hoping Sam would lead Craig to some of the parked dump trucks. It wasn’t more than a few minutes until I was back in the reception area, shaking hands with Sam and agreeing to let him and his crew put down a new layer of asphalt on my parking area. “Nine a.m. good for you?” asked Sam.
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
“You bet!” I said. As Sam left my parking lot, I saw Craig trailing close behind. Yes, I was smiling. Detective Dan was thrilled. It turns out after providing Detective Dan with the license plate info on Sam’s pickup truck, it was in fact the con man he had been hunting.
‘‘
Opportunity
sometimes knocks on your front door.
In about an hour, Craig reported back. The motel where the crew was parked was about 10 miles south; Craig was able to get the license plate numbers of three dump trucks, two trailers and a full-size motor home. After a couple of hours of research and phone calls, I learned all of the equipment was very delinquent. In fact, not a single payment was ever made for any of the assets. I had the repossession assignments for everything within a couple of hours. Detective Dan and I met for coffee that night as he set up our plan. Dan advised me to have my staff take the morning off and that he would provide me with a new staff consisting of his gypsy task force undercover team. Dan said he would act as the operations manager of my company. I would meet the con man Sam at the front door. Dan advised me to make sure the gate to the yard was wide open before Sam was set to arrive. The next morning I was standing in my office looking out my window. I looked up at the wall clock as 9:30 rolled by. I turned to Dan and was about to apologize for wasting his time when I heard the roar of a big diesel pulling into the yard, and then another … both pulling loaded trailers. The first dump truck had a LeeBoy paver on the trailer; the second dump truck pulled a trailer with the roller. Sam followed behind in his new Ford
F-250. All three trucks drove past the two guys working under the hood of a car in the front lot, through the front gates and into the yard. After entering the yard, all the trucks stopped almost right next to the two guys who were “unloading” a delivery van. At about the same time as Sam and his crew all stepped out of the trucks and walked towards the office, the two delivery guys in the yard stepped in behind them and the two guys working under the hood of the car proceeded towards them as well. Detective Dan and I walked out the front door where we all met. You guessed it; the four guys were the undercover lawmen. The next series of events was the fun part. It seemed like things were moving in slow motion, as Sam’s and Dan’s eyes met and then the paving crew became surrounded by undercover agents. “I’ll need to see your IDs, please,” Detective Dan said, as the four undercover officers drew their weapons and, I swear, the Florida sun glinted off Dan’s badge when he flashed it. Meanwhile, Craig had closed the yard gate and was verifying all of the VINs for their equipment were on our list. Detective Dan was waiting for verification of the paving crew IDs. As it turned out, all three of the crew was wanted on multiple crimes, including forgery, grand theft, and multiple counts of crimes against the elderly. All were handcuffed and arrested on the spot. Detective Dan has long since retired and the gypsy task force was disbanded for budget reasons. Every once in a while, Dan and I get together for a cup of coffee and laugh about how opportunity sometimes knocks on your front door. You just have to pay attention when it does. Be safe.
Repo Editor Mark Lacek authored the Certified Commercial Recovery Agent certification program and has more than 30 years of recovery experience. He is the former editor of “Professional Repossessor” magazine. Email him at Mark@commercialassetsolutions. com.
AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - July 2019 • 81
410-784-7029 To Advertise In Towman’s Market
800-732-3869
Ellen Rosengart x203 erosengart@towman.com
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Work the non-traffic Side–Stay Safe!
AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - July 2019 • 83
Winning Wreckers in Vegas Here are the winners of the American Towman Cup pageant from the seventh American Towman ShowPlace-Las Vegas Expo. The world-class wreckers on display in the arena at the South Point Hotel & Casino drew lots of eyes from the record-breaking crowds at the 2019 show. Don’t miss next year’s Expo, May 14-15, at its new location in the Westgate Hotel & Events Center.
Best of Show
2018 Ford F-750/Jerr-Dan Carrier Prendergast Towing Florence, Arizona
First Place: Light Duty, 2018-’19
First Place: Service/Support Vehicles
2018 Ford F-550/Jerr-Dan MPL-40 4-Wheel Towing Salt Lake City, Utah
2014 Chevy Silverado 1500 4x4 Jett Emergency Response Team Flagstaff, Arizona
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First Place: Car Carrier
2019 International/2019 Century LCG Right Approach Jan’s Towing Azusa, California
First Place: Rotator
2017 Kenworth T880/2017 Century 1075 Parker Towing & Storage Parker, Arizona
First Place: Medium Duty
2012 Freightliner/2008 Vulcan V-30 Timbo’s Towing Glendale, California
First Place: Heavy Duty, Single
2018 Freightliner M2/2018 Holmes DTU Today’s Towing North Hollywood, California
First Place: Heavy Duty, Tandem
2017 Peterbilt/2017 Vulcan V-100 Baker & Baker Towing Woodburn, Oregon
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - July 2019 • 85
Half-Mast By Steve Calitri
An American Flag and an American Towman flag is drawn to half-mast in the hearts of towers across the nation for their brothers and sisters who have been struck and killed working the white line the first half of this year; this list was compiled by Linda Unruh. Linda lost her son, Bobby, when he was struck down in 2017 by a passing 18-wheeler. So it seems we all have our work cut out for us still to make the public aware of the Move Over law, why it’s critical it be followed and why police need to enforce it. This list does not take into account other first responders who have been struck down in 2019. • January 2: Patrick “Big Poppa” Cisneros, 50. Madrid Towing; Albuquerque, New Mexico. • January 4: Keith Jermaine Holt, 41. Keith’s Automotive; Grand Prairie, Texas. • January 11: Jesse “Bil” Hettmann, 31. Glenn’s Towing; Green Bay, Wisconsin. • February 9: Eugene Eldridge, 69. C-21 Motors; Yadkinville, North Carolina. • February 23: Gary Wayne DuBose, 59. All American Towing; Galveston, Texas. • February 26: James Robert Morris, 38. Wiler’s Towing; Vallejo, California. • March 11: Adam Taulbee, 28. Plainview, Texas. • March 29: Colin Jacob Schaefer, 24. VPR Motors; Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania. • April 7: Kevin Brioady Raasch, 53. Transmasters Towing and Roadside Recovery; Lawrence, Kansas.
• April 11: Shalvinesh Sharma, 40. Justin’s Towing; Sacramento, California. • April 14: Roseylen Sharma, 38. Justin’s Towing; Sacramento, California. • April 23: Tommy Ray McKee Sr., 40. Aball Wrecker Service; Pope, Mississippi. • April 25: Michael Charles Buffington, 37. Ward’s Wrecker Service; Pearl, Mississippi. • April 30: Morris Henry Welch Jr., 56. M&M Tire and Mechanical Services; Marion County, Alabama. • M ay 6: Dominic Christopher Cook, 46. Tow Jam; Dallas, Texas. • May 9: Clinton Simmons, 30. Lebanon, Indiana. • May 31: Erwin Mendoza Geremillo, 47. AAA Service Provider, Castaic, California. • June 10: Richard “Rick” Struble, 57. Luna’s Towing; Tucson, Arizona. International Towers • April 8: Lum Wai Kit, 22. Selangor, Malaysia. • April 8: Muhammad Asrue Yatim, 22. Selangor, Malaysia. Most towers learn of these fatalities through news sources like TowIndustryWeek.com and bulletin boards like Towforce.net. By the time you are reading this, more will have been struck down, injured and killed. When Bobby Unruh was killed, Linda immediately went to work lobbying the New Mexico state legislature to pass a bill that would include towers among first responders protected by the Move Over law there. She got it passed within three weeks. She currently is campaigning to raise money in Bobby’s name for our industry’s Survivor Fund.
The top of the Spirit Ride casket, honoring fallen first responders, designed by Ryan Oser. 86 • July 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
Gruesome Discovery in Towed Van When Jay Senior pulled his tow truck back into the yard at Early’s in Worcester, Massachusetts, recently to unload an abandoned blue Chevy van he was moving from a few blocks down the road, he got out to see something unusual. “I got out and about 300 flies came out” of the van, Senior said, explaining there was a hand-sized vent on the roof of the van. “The amount of flies in the van was unbelievable. The front windshield was covered.” As the flies cleared the van, Senior smelled something rancid. He called Worcester police, who discovered there was a body inside the van. Sources say the body was male and was stuffed inside a plastic container. When the first officer got to the scene, he could tell there was something wrong, Senior said. There were two plastic containers inside the van, according to Senior.
NORTH 88 • July 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
One was sealed and the other contained tools, he said, adding that there were other items, including gas cans, in the vehicle. Worcester police have described the death as suspicious. Marlborough police confirmed that the van was reported stolen in that city on May 7. The couple who owns the van told a TV reporter they lent the van to a friend who then “disappeared.” “I just hope it’s not him,” the owner said. Source masslive.com.
Tow Owners Arrested for Fraud The former owners of a Mahopac, New York, firm called Top Notch Towing were arrested by state police recently and charged with fraud. Frank Inzano, 47, and Shannon Inzano, 42, were charged with four felonies: attempted criminal possession of a weapon, grand larceny, filing a
false statement and tax fraud. The state police, working with the state Department of Taxation, the Putnam County district attorney and the state Department of Transportation, investigated the couple following a complaint that they billed exorbitant charges. The police say the Inzanos stole more than $50,000 through fraudulent billing practices, possessed five illegal handguns, and committed tax fraud. Source: highlandscurrent.org.
No Charges in Tower Battle Authorities in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will not press charges against the tower who shot a rival operator as they responded to the same crash in February. Jerald Robinson, of C&R Collision, acted in self-defense when he shot and paralyzed Jason Stotlemeyer, of Halbleib’s Auto Body, according to the
Allegheny County district attorney’s office. Stotlemeyer, 27, was holding a baseball bat when Robinson shot him. The bullet traveled through his right hand, into his shoulder and through his spinal cord, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. The shooting escalated from a verbal dispute about which tower was going to tow a vehicle involved in a crash. A week after Stotlemeyer was shot, the city made public plans to assign particular companies to handle the bulk of calls in particular areas of the city in an effort to cut down on towers racing each other to accidents and fighting about who gets the tow. Source: post-gazette.com.
Data: Violations Are a National Crisis Rekor Recognition Systems of Hanover, Maryland, recently conducted field studies in conjunction
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with multiple law enforcement agencies and tow operators in Ohio, Maryland and New York related to Move Over law violations. The numbers were startling: 1,879 violations during 134 traffic stops. With an average stop time of 11 minutes, Rekor recorded approximately 14 violations per stop during the test period. “That’s 14 times per stop that a roadside worker’s life was in danger because of a violation of the Move Over law,” the report said. “This is just a small sample size, imagine the numbers when extrapolated on a national scale.” Rekor’s Move Over field studies were conducted using the company’s proprietary technology that captures violations in real-time using multiple high-resolution video cameras, digital tracking radar and AI-based license plate recognition software. Source: officer.com.
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Beach Towing Gets Tougher Mark Stewart, owner of ABC Towing, has seen plenty of changes over the last three decades towing in St. Augustine Beach, Florida. One thing that has always remained the same: drivers getting stuck on the beach. “It’s every year like this. I have been doing this for 30 years and nothing is changing,” Stewart said recently. But lately the number of calls he’s been getting from drivers spinning their wheels in the sand has been higher than usual. Michael Golubovich, beach services superintendent for St. Johns County, said the increased number of people getting stuck has a lot to do with the weather. “The weather and the extreme sun and heat played into the soft sand conditions,” Golubovich said. “We haven’t seen significant swell events or significant rain, so the sand is extremely loose.” The county took special precautions during Memorial Day weekend due to the soft sand, but Golubovich said beach driving conditions are expected to improve following rain at the beach. Ray Paytas, owner of Beachside Towing, said he’s stopped responding to calls from the beach all together. “I don’t even go to the beach anymore,” Paytas said. “By the time I get out there, most of the time, they have been pulled out by some Good Samaritan with a big truck and they don’t even call to let me know.” Stewart said he’s stopped responding to calls at the beach, too. “It was more of a headache than anything,” Stewart said. Source: staugustine.com.
Tower Tries to Ram Car A tower was arrested recently in Cypress, Texas, after deputies say he repeatedly tried to ram his truck into another driver’s vehicle. Clinton Hudnall, 36, is accused of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
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Investigators said that Hundall threatened the driver ’s safety by aggressively following him up the street. The driver told investigators that he was forced to pull into a parking lot and call for help. Hudnall claims he thought the driver of the Toyota was drunk and decided to follow the car. He also claimed to have dash-cam footage of the incident. Deputies say they never found any video to back up Hudnall’s story, and that he never tried to call police; no injuries were reported. Hundall’s bond was set at $30,000. Source: abc13.com.
Casper Police Target Tow Fees The Casper (Wyoming) Police Department could soon have the ability to prevent towing companies from charging “extraneous” fees and up-charges. Police Chief Keith McPheeters said recently that under the municipal code, the city council needs to pass a resolution clarifying its policy when it comes to towing conducted by the police department or the city. McPheeters pointed to cases in which towing companies have charged people $100 fees to access items in their cars while stored on the towing lot. “The system right now can be abusive to our citizens,” he said. McPheeters reiterated that the resolution would apply to towing mandated by the police department or city and not towing services when sought out by private individuals. Source: oilcitynews.com.
Data: Violations Are a National Crisis Rekor Recognition Systems of Hanover, Maryland, recently conducted field studies in conjunction with multiple law enforcement agencies and tow operators in Ohio, Mary-
land and New York related to Move Over law violations. The numbers were startling: 1,879 violations during 134 traffic stops. With an average stop time of 11 minutes, Rekor recorded approximately 14 violations per stop during the test period. “That’s 14 times per stop that a roadside worker’s life was in danger because of a violation of the Move Over law,” the report said. “This is just a small sample size, imagine the numbers when extrapolated on a national scale.” Rekor’s Move Over field studies were conducted using the company’s proprietary technology that captures violations in real-time using multiple high-resolution video cameras, digital tracking radar and AI-based license plate recognition software. Source: officer.com.
Impound Sweep Surrounds Stadium It was a parade of tow trucks recently in Denver, Colorado, through residential neighborhoods near Mile High Stadium. Around 60 drivers were ticketed and towed during a Garth Brooks concert. The towed vehicles didn’t all belong to Garth Brooks fans parking illegally. Signs warn neighborhood parking is only for those with the proper identification. One man claimed to be a resident, but complained he hadn’t received a sticker yet. But others in the neighborhood would like to see the towing more often. Matthew Lee says he only sees the tows during big events. “During Broncos games and concerts, other than that nine of 10 cars are parked illegally, and they won’t do anything about it.” Penalties are $50 for the ticket and $125 for the tow. That’s doubled if your car makes it to the city impound lot. Source: denver.cbslocal.com.
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Tower Tips Police to Thief A man from Shoreline, Washington, was arrested in Oregon recently after he disabled his car by putting in the wrong fuel. The car was his, it was the diesel that he stole. Jeremy Hotha Thomas got into a fight with his stepfather in Crooked River Ranch, Oregon, who called the cops on him. The victim told the police that Thomas had threatened and pointed a gun at him, and then fired the weapon when the victim went inside to dial 911, KomoNews reports. By the time police arrived at the house, Thomas, his girlfriend and their child had fled in Thomas’ car. Police put out the description of the suspect and the car he was driving, and multiple units were sent out to search for them. “Three hours later, a tow truck driver responding to a dead battery call from a woman and tipped off an Oregon state trooper. The woman told the tow truck driver the make, model
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and location of the car, and the tow truck driver relayed the information to the trooper. It was the car authorities were looking for,” the report said. Apparently, when Thomas went running from the cops, his tank was on empty. At one point, he broke into someone’s barn and stole a can of diesel fuel, which he poured into his car. His Chevy Cruze runs on gas, so he disabled the car immediately as he tried to get it started. Source: autoevolution.com.
Tow Owners Arrested for Fraud The former owners of a Mahopac, New York, firm called Top Notch Towing were arrested by state police recently and charged with fraud. Frank Inzano, 47, and Shannon Inzano, 42, were charged with four felonies: attempted criminal possession of a weapon, grand larceny, filing a false statement and tax fraud. The state police, working with the
state Department of Taxation, the Putnam County district attorney and the state Department of Transportation, investigated the couple following a complaint that they billed exorbitant charges. The police say the Inzanos stole more than $50,000 through fraudulent billing practices, possessed five illegal handguns, and committed tax fraud. Source: highlandscurrent.org.
Towman’s Lead Helps Find Lost Puppy Thanks to a towman’s information, a puppy was found after surviving a serious crash on I-40 near Flagstaff, Arizona, and going missing for nearly two weeks. According to Cheryl Naumann of Arizona’s Humane Animal Rescue, Bella went missing recently after she and her owner were involved in a car crash. Naumann says Bella’s owner, a young man, was airlifted to Phoenix
for treatment and then transferred to a hospital in California with serious but not life-threatening injuries. Naumann said she was granted permission by the towing company to inspect the vehicle involved in the crash. There was no sign of the dog, but a tower gave them a lead—the actual spot on the stretch of highway where the crash happened. Naumann said once she got to spot where the tower had pointed her to, she heard a bark. It was Bella, hooked by her leash in a bush. Once free, Naumann said she rushed Bella to her car and contacted a local veterinarian. She’s expected to be reunited with her family once she’s healed. Source: 12news.com.
Towmen Honor Driver Killed Last May Exactly one year after Michigan towman Nader Chehadi was killed in a crash, fellow towers from across the state came out en masse to raise awareness recently. Chehadi was among two people killed and several others who were injured in a crash involving a school bus on eastbound I-94 at US-23 in Pittsfield Township last May. Chehadi was assisting the stranded school bus at the time of the crash. He was at the rear of the bus when an SUV driven by a woman without a valid driver’s license slammed into the rear of the school bus, according to police. A towman has been killed each year for the last four years in Michigan by drivers not paying attention, or not moving over to give them enough room. Chehadi’s twin brother, Samer, led a long line of tow trucks with their lights and horns on to commemorate his brother ’s death. The memorial event was also intended to remind drivers to pay attention to the road. “Hopefully we don’t have to do this for anybody else. We can only hope this will be the last time,” Samer said. Source: clickondetroit.com.
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Community Comes Together for Towman The community in North Royalton, Ohio, came together recently to raise money towards paying medical bills for towman Ronald Urbansky, who lost part of his leg on the job in March. The benefit was hosted by his colleagues at Amici Restaurant and Lounge. Urbansky, of Patton’s Five Star Towing, was loading a car onto his tow truck in Fairview Park when a 2017 Acura struck the front of his truck, which caused his leg to be crushed. “It was definitely the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced,” Urbanksy said. “I remember it minute by minute.” He had to have the lower half of his leg amputated and 14 surgeries. “I’m glad he’s still alive. I hope he gets back to work, and I hope I get to see him more often,” said friend Nicole Bunch.
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According to Cleveland Court of Common Pleas records, 35-yearold Roy E. Hollingsworth has been charged with two counts of aggravated vehicular assault, four counts of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and two counts of drug possession. Source: news5cleveland.com.
Gruesome Discovery in Towed Van When Jay Senior pulled his tow truck back into the yard at Early’s in Worcester, Massachusetts, recently to unload an abandoned blue Chevy van he was moving from a few blocks down the road, he got out to see something unusual. “I got out and about 300 flies came out” of the van, Senior said, explaining there was a hand-sized vent on the roof of the van. “The amount of flies in the van was unbelievable. The front wind-
shield was covered.” As the flies cleared the van, Senior smelled something rancid. He called Worcester police, who discovered there was a body inside the van. Sources say the body was male and was stuffed inside a plastic container. When the first officer got to the scene, he could tell there was something wrong, Senior said. There were two plastic containers inside the van, according to Senior. One was sealed and the other contained tools, he said, adding that there were other items, including gas cans, in the vehicle. Worcester police have described the death as suspicious. Marlborough police confirmed that the van was reported stolen in that city on May 7. The couple who owns the van told a TV reporter they lent the van to a friend who then “disappeared.” “I just hope it’s not him,” the owner said. Source masslive.com.
Towmen Honor Driver Killed Last May Exactly one year after Michigan towman Nader Chehadi was killed in a crash, fellow towers from across the state came out en masse to raise awareness recently. Chehadi was among two people killed and several others who were injured in a crash involving a school bus on eastbound I-94 at US-23 in Pittsfield Township last May. Chehadi was assisting the stranded school bus at the time of the crash. He was at the rear of the bus when an SUV driven by a woman without a valid driver’s license slammed into the rear of the school bus, according to police. A towman has been killed each year for the last four years in Michigan by drivers not paying attention, or not moving over to give them enough room. Chehadi’s twin brother, Samer, led a long line of tow trucks with their lights and horns on to commemorate
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his brother’s death. The memorial event was also intended to remind drivers to pay attention to the road. “Hopefully we don’t have to do this for anybody else. We can only hope this will be the last time,” Samer said. Source: clickondetroit.com.
Community Comes Together for Towman The community in North Royalton, Ohio, came together recently to raise money towards paying medical bills for towman Ronald Urbansky, who lost part of his leg on the job in March. The benefit was hosted by his colleagues at Amici Restaurant and Lounge. Urbansky, of Patton’s Five Star Towing, was loading a car onto his tow truck in Fairview Park when a 2017 Acura struck the front of his truck, which caused his leg to be crushed. “It was definitely the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced,” Urbanksy said. “I remember it minute by minute.” He had to have the lower half of his leg amputated and 14 surgeries. “I’m glad he’s still alive. I hope he gets back to work, and I hope I get to see him more often,” said friend Nicole Bunch. According to Cleveland Court of Common Pleas records, 35-yearold Roy E. Hollingsworth has been charged with two counts of aggravated vehicular assault, four counts of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and two counts of drug possession. Source: news5cleveland.com.
Data: Violations Are a National Crisis Rekor Recognition Systems of Hanover, Maryland, recently conducted field studies in conjunction with multiple law enforcement agencies and tow operators in Ohio, Maryland and New York related to Move Over law violations.
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The numbers were startling: 1,879 violations during 134 traffic stops. With an average stop time of 11 minutes, Rekor recorded approximately 14 violations per stop during the test period. “That’s 14 times per stop that a roadside worker’s life was in danger because of a violation of the Move Over law,” the report said. “This is just a small sample size, imagine the numbers when extrapolated on a national scale.” Rekor’s Move Over field studies were conducted using the company’s proprietary technology that captures violations in real-time using multiple high-resolution video cameras, digital tracking radar and AI-based license plate recognition software. Source: officer.com.
No Charges in Tower Battle Authorities in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will not press charges against the tower who shot a rival operator as they responded to the same crash in February. Jerald Robinson, of C&R Collision, acted in self-defense when he shot and paralyzed Jason Stotlemeyer, of Halbleib’s Auto Body, according to the Allegheny County district attorney’s office. Stotlemeyer, 27, was holding a baseball bat when Robinson shot him. The bullet traveled through his right hand, into his shoulder and through his spinal cord, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. The shooting escalated from a verbal dispute about which tower was going to tow a vehicle involved in a crash. A week after Stotlemeyer was shot, the city made public plans to assign particular companies to handle the bulk of calls in particular areas of the city in an effort to cut down on towers racing each other to accidents and fighting about who gets the tow. Source: post-gazette.com.
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Impound Sweep Surrounds Stadium It was a parade of tow trucks recently in Denver, Colorado, through residential neighborhoods near Mile High Stadium. Around 60 drivers were ticketed and towed during a Garth Brooks concert. The towed vehicles didn’t all belong to Garth Brooks fans parking illegally. Signs warn neighborhood parking is only for those with the proper identification. One man claimed to be a resident, but complained he hadn’t received a sticker yet. But others in the neighborhood would like to see the towing more often. Matthew Lee says he only sees the tows during big events. “During Broncos games and concerts, other than that nine of 10 cars are parked illegally, and they won’t do anything about it.” Penalties are $50 for the ticket and $125 for the tow. That’s doubled if your car makes it to the city impound lot. Source: denver.cbslocal.com.
Tower Tips Police to Thief A man from Shoreline, Washington, was arrested in Oregon recently after he disabled his car by putting in the wrong fuel. The car was his, it was the diesel that he stole. Jeremy Hotha Thomas got into a fight with his stepfather in Crooked River Ranch, Oregon, who called the cops on him. The victim told the police that Thomas had threatened and pointed a gun at him, and then fired the weapon when the victim went inside to dial 911, KomoNews reports. By the time police arrived at the house, Thomas, his girlfriend and their child had fled in Thomas’ car. Police put out the description of the suspect and the car he was driving, and multiple units were sent out to search for them. “Three hours later, a tow truck driver responding to a dead battery call from a woman and tipped off an Oregon state trooper. The woman WEST 88 • July 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
told the tow truck driver the make, model and location of the car, and the tow truck driver relayed the information to the trooper. It was the car authorities were looking for,” the report said. Apparently, when Thomas went running from the cops, his tank was on empty. At one point, he broke into someone’s barn and stole a can of diesel fuel, which he poured into his car. His Chevy Cruze runs on gas, so he disabled the car immediately as he tried to get it started. Source: autoevolution.com.
Towman’s Lead Helps Find Lost Puppy Thanks to a towman’s information, a puppy was found after surviving a serious crash on I-40 near Flagstaff, Arizona, and going missing for nearly two weeks. According to Cheryl Naumann of Arizona’s Humane Animal Rescue, Bella went missing recently after
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she and her owner were involved in a car crash. Naumann says Bella’s owner, a young man, was airlifted to Phoenix for treatment and then transferred to a hospital in California with serious but not life-threatening injuries. Naumann said she was granted permission by the towing company to inspect the vehicle involved in the crash. There was no sign of the dog, but a tower gave them a lead—the actual spot on the stretch of highway where the crash happened. Naumann said once she got to spot where the tower had pointed her to, she heard a bark. It was Bella, hooked by her leash in a bush. Once free, Naumann said she rushed Bella to her car and contacted a local veterinarian. She’s expected to be reunited with her family once she’s healed. Source: 12news.com.
No Charges in Tower Battle Authorities in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will not press charges against the tower who shot a rival operator as they responded to the same crash in February. Jerald Robinson, of C&R Collision, acted in self-defense when he shot and paralyzed Jason Stotlemeyer, of Halbleib’s Auto Body, according to the Allegheny County district attorney’s office. Stotlemeyer, 27, was holding a baseball bat when Robinson shot him. The bullet traveled through his right hand, into his shoulder and through his spinal cord, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. The shooting escalated from a verbal dispute about which tower was going to tow a vehicle involved in a crash. A week after Stotlemeyer was shot, the city made public plans to assign particular companies to handle the bulk of calls in particular areas of the city in an effort to cut down on towers racing each other to accidents and fighting about who gets the tow. Source: post-gazette.com. WEST 90 • July 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
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CopyrightŠ2019 American Towman Magazine. Characters and stories are fictitious; no resemblance to real life characters is intended.
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