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AUGUST 2019 / $10
OVER
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Tri-State Towing lifts and separates a semi
Treacherous Impounds! AT Expo: Atlantic City Brochure Inside!
Care with Evidence Tows
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Volume: 43 Issue: 8 2019 Cover, this page: Tri-State Towing in Evansville, Indiana, recruited help from nearby Sully’s Towing to recover a tractor-trailer combo that went over an embankment and wound up smashed nose-first into an abutment while the trailer was still hanging from the retaining wall.
august Departments The Walkaround . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 News Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
FEATURE CONTENTS
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Turning Safety into Money The Towing and Recovery Incentive Program’s main goal is to increase safety for towmen and motorists alike. By Rita Brohman & Scott Kapton
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2019 AT Expo The brochure is here with 20 pages of everything you need to know, including registration, for the 31st AT Expo in its 2019 location in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Road Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Zoom In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Tow Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Tow Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Tow Boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Ad Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Seminar Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
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Treacherous Impounds Be aware of your surroundings when prepping an abandoned vehicle for tow, both inside and outside of the vehicle. By Terry Abejuela
Work Horse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Beacons On!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Repo Run. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Repo Times. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Towman’s Market . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 My Baby.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Low Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Adventures of A.T. . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
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2018 Donnie Cruse Recovery Award The crew at Indiana’s Tri-State Towing had their hands full when a semitrailer nosedived off a retaining wall into a bridge and was hung up over a county road. By Frank Hammond
For the ‘Simple Act of Bravery’ By Dennie Ortiz
Just recently I was having a conversation with a fairly new industry supplier who will be exhibiting products for the first time at the American Towman Exposition Dec. 5-7 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. This individual also happens to be a firefighter, and as a first responder he had some knowledge about what towers do. We talked about how the towing industry is a very niche marketplace with many unique personalities. He seemed to understand the many challenges towers face day-to-day in the workplace and the inherent dangers of the job. Our conversation began to take another shape when we discussed how many towers go without recognition for the high-risk jobs that they do and some of the extraordinary feats of bravery they perform. As a firefighter and working alongside other first responders, he acknowledged that this type of “behavior” is what is expected of their profession, and when they do risk life and limb they are then so honored by their peers and communities. As other emergency responders are recognized in their respective fields for these feats of valor, the American Towman Medal, created 31 years ago, began to officially honor and recognize the tower for these deeds that go far above and beyond what professional services they are required to provide … far beyond their call of duty. The Towman medal is awarded every year during Festival Night at the American Towman Exposition to
6 • August 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
Dennie Ortiz Steve Calitri Brendan Dooley Charles Duke Randall Resch Terry Abejuela Jim “Buck” Sorrenti David Kolman Bill Simmons Mark Lacek
Publisher Editor-In-Chief Editor Senior Editor Operations Editor Field Editor, West Field Editor, Northeast Chassis Editor Safety 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
American Towman Medal
towers for the “Simple Act of Bravery,” in risking their lives to save the life of another. Honoring these unsung heroes of the road is a night filled with courageous stories of grit and daring that stirs the emotions beyond compare. Towers, for all their pride and swagger, can be unassuming at times and would excuse themselves from the spotlight or brush off accolades … as a tower told me one year of a harrowing rescue of a small child in a burning car saying, “Anyone would have done the same.” Well, that is not entirely true for many people, but a very humble statement nonetheless. If you know of any tower in your life that while working, what many times is a thankless job, was placed in a scene where they saved or attempted to save a life, please let us know and let the industry honor them. For more information on how to nominate someone for the Towman Medal please email editor Brendan Dooley at bdooley@towman.com or call 800-732-3869, Ext. 209.
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 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.
Officer Busted for Tow Fee Thefts
A New York City Port Authority police officer allegedly stole more than $70,000 from the agency in fees charged for towing cars from LaGuardia Airport, officials said. Jeffrey McCabe, a 17-year veteran assigned to the impound unit at LaGuardia, was responsible for collecting the tow fees and handling the release of towed vehicles. From April 2016 through November 2018, McCabe collected money orders submitted by drivers to retrieve their cars, allegedly wrote his own name on them and deposited them in his bank accounts. According to prosecutors, McCabe would tell car owners to bring in two blank money orders. He would then make one payable to the Port Authority, and put his own name on the second, which would be deposited in one of two bank accounts he controlled. McCabe was charged with grand larceny, scheme to defraud, falsifying records and official misconduct. Source: nydailynews.com.
Idaho’s ‘Move Over’ Adds Towmen
Idaho’s “Move Over” law is extending to protect emergency responders to traffic incidents like Idaho Transportation Department workers and tow truck operators using flashing lights. The existing law, from 2006, already gives protections to police by requiring motorists to move over for law-enforcement personnel operating with flashing lights. “The expansion of the ‘Move Over’ law to include highway workers makes an inherently risky job safer for our staff,” said Jerry Wilson, an ITD operations engineer. “At highway speeds, it only takes a split second for an accident to happen, so making some space to allow our crews to maintain the roads makes the highways safer, both for us and the traveling public.” The law went into effect July 1. Source: idahonews.com.
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Virginia Towmen Talk About ‘Move Over’
Towman George Clarke discusses working on the roadside in Virginia. nbc12.com image.
Every day, towers respond to highways and interstates for stranded motorists, but they say too often drivers speed past them, putting their lives in danger. Towing companies in Virginia hope a tougher “Move Over” law will cause drivers to think twice. There are tougher penalties if you don’t move over for a police officer or first responder that’s on the side of the highway. Now tow companies want to remind drivers that it applies to them too.
“We’re out there alone and there’s nobody else there. It’s just you,” said George Clarke, of Broyles Wrecker Service. “You’re there to help them and provide a service and get people out of harm’s way. … “When you’re laying underneath a tractor-trailer and you’re hooking up to it. All you can see is underneath the tractor-trailer and you don’t know what’s going by you. You just hear stuff and the ground moving beside you, people whizzing by. You have no way of knowing what’s coming. You can’t see. All you can do is hear,” Clarke said. No longer will a driver just get a ticket if he or she fails to move over. Now, it’s a misdemeanor crime of reckless driving. That can come with up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine. Source: nbc12.com.
Chicago Impound
Practices Under Fire The city of Chicago, Illinois, was accused recently of “towing without telling;” towing and impounding thousands of vehicles without sending motorists the state-required notice by mail that their vehicles may be sold for scrap if not reclaimed. “Thousands of cars are, in effect, stolen from citizens of Chicago and sold without proper notice and due process,” says a lawsuit filed on behalf of Andrea Santiago, a Chicago motorist with multiple sclerosis whose van was taken off the street and sold for scrap. “While the city allegedly sends a notice of impoundment to the owner after it has already been impounded, it fails to send the required additional notice when the city intends on disposing of the vehicle. … “While in some cases the city
Chicago City Hall.
places a warning sticker on a vehicle that it considers abandoned, no such notice is mailed or otherwise actually delivered to the owner.” Santiago’s 1998 GMC Savana 1500 van was towed and impounded in June 2018—and subsequently sold for scrap without prior notice— while parked outside Santiago’s home with a valid city sticker and a disability placard in the windshield, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit seeks class-action status for motorists in the same boat as Santiago. Source: chicago.suntimes.com.
… there’s nobody else there. It’s just you … AT Trust Awards in A.C.
American Towman Magazine is creating a new awards program designed to reward towing operations for demonstrations of trust to their customers and towing industry partners. Tow business owners will be honored with the Trust Award, sponsored by OMG Tow Marketing and AutoReturn, in Atlantic City during the 31st annual American Towman Exposition, Dec. 5-7, 2019. “We have industry partners who track performance traits of trust and reliability, and we have our own experiences with towing companies in this regard,” said AT Expo founder, Steve Calitri. He estimated as many as 1,000 companies likely could qualify for the Trust award this year. The American Towman Trust award is expected to have business value for towing companies that receive it. Atlantic City, says Calitri, will provide a great venue for kicking off this new and exclusive recognition program.
Wisconsin Rally Targets ‘Move Over’ Law
First responders and their families gathered at Traxler Park in Janesville, Wisconsin, recently to bring awareness to the ‘Move Over’ law. According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the failure to move over is one of the reasons motor vehicle crashes kill more law enforcement on duty than any other cause. One of the organizers, Gary Walsh, said his son, a tow truck driver, was killed on the interstate after someone hit him while he worked on the side of the road. Walsh said that since then, he has been advocating for the law and bringing awareness to the issue. “The speed limit sign that you just went by is not a wish book. There is a lot of engineering that has gone into determining how fast you can go on an interstate road or any other road, and if you violate that you will pay the price,” Walsh said. Source: nbc15.com.
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
AT Medal Honoree Named Carnegie Hero
AT Operations Editor Randall Resch presented the American Towman Medal to Andre Harris during festival night of the 2018 AT Expo.
Towman André L. Harris Sr., 33, who last November received the American Towman Medal for saving an infant from a burning car, has now been awarded the Carnegie Hero Medal as well. Harris works for Bambarger Wrecker Service in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and was one of 18 recipients of the Carnegie medal, given to civilians who risk their lives while saving or attempting to save the lives of others. On the night of July 27, 2018, Harris was returning to the shop when he was stopped by a woman standing in the middle of state highway 171. “I noticed a pair of headlights and as I got closer, I saw a flame coming up from between the engine compartment and the firewall,” Harris said. “I noticed a lady running up, so I popped on the beacons and asked if anyone was in the car.” The woman was pleading for help to get her baby out of the car.
“Next thing I knew, I was down the hill trying to bust the glass with my hand,” Harris said. “I got it broken and was reaching in the car, literally fumbling around. I couldn’t see because of the smoke. I felt a tiny leg and just started pulling.” Harris was worried the car could burst into flames, so he held the baby in his left arm and pulled the mother up the hill with his right. By the time they made their way back up to the roadway, the vehicle compartment was fully engulfed. “I thank God for allowing me to be in that position and not allowing me time to think—to just jump on it,” Harris said. “I just did what any other American would have done, especially somebody who has kids themselves.” A total of 10,099 Carnegie medals have been awarded since its inception in 1904. Source: tuscaloosanews.com; AT staff.
AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - August 2019 • 9
Check Out What’s NEW and HOT! Flashing Safety Arrow LEDs from ITRHFM The International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum recently announced it will be selling portable, lighted safety arrows to complement its Survivor Fund. The safety arrows are designed to alert approaching motorists as to which direction they should take to safely maneuver around a roadside incident or breakdown scene. The arrows can be mounted on the rear of a vehicle with embedded magnets, or on a window that is rolled down slightly. Each arrow has a reflective tape border and LED lights that can be set to steady or flashing. The arrows can be folded down to fit inside a glovebox or console.
towingmuseum.com
Forklift Attachment for Yard Use Dynamic Towing Equipment & Manufacturing’s 88” crossbar forklift attachment is a self-loading wheel lift that moves cars and trucks and easily lifts pickups and extra-wide vehicles. It is ideal for impound yards, auctions and anywhere a vehicle needs to be relocated. Features a 3” kingpin with 1” upper and lower tongue plates; bronze kingpin and jaw-pin bushings. It quickly attaches to forklifts and helps eliminate damage.
dynamicmfg.com
Easy-to-Find Skates I Tow In’s classic Control Arm/Ball Joint Skates and All-Purpose Skates are now available in yellow to more quickly identify and use the original skates invented by Rodney Poynter in 1996 to save time and wear and tear. The ITI CAS6 is a patented one-piece Control Arm Skate that allows the operator to protect the rotor and backing plate from further damage without stacking multiple skates or wood blocks while maintaining a near ride-height clearance.
skatesiti.com
10 • August 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
Century’s ‘The Right Approach’ for Low-Clearance Vehicles
More and more, car manufacturers are producing vehicles with lower ground clearances, whether for increased aerodynamics and fuel efficiency, better road handling or just aesthetics. Century’s The Right Approach allows operators to gain additional load angle when towing hardto-access lower ground clearance vehicles. “It’s the right tool for the job. You don’t need ramps, you don’t need wood,” said Jason Cartledge of Prestige Imports in Miami, Florida. “It’s a good-looking bed: It’s reliable, it’s low, it’s damage-free. It’s a perfect tool for my job,” delivering high-end luxury and exotic vehicles, he said. The Right Approach allows the operator to lower the approach angle to 6 degrees, without making use of ramps or wood planks. Available on Century 10 and 12 Series steel carriers, The Right Approach has a release hanWork the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
dle that lowers the rear hinged deck section. A cable guide is inserted in the deck to keep the cable low while winching the vehicle onto the rear deck. After the vehicle’s front wheels are on the carrier, the deck can be leveled out and the cable guide removed allowing the vehicle to overcome the second clearance problem with the forward section of the deck. With the front wheels on the front section of the deck the process can be repeated again to eliminate clearance problems such as low exhaust or extended rear over-
hang. “I think it’s timing too,” Cartledge said. “With a lot of these cars, I can have them loaded up in under two minutes. It makes you more confident as a driver because you know you’re not going to hit the bumpers with this bed. “The customer’s happy, you’re happy, the car’s happy.” The Right Approach provides the versatility of having a straight carrier deck with the added benefit of an angled approach plate only when you need it for exotic or low-clearance vehicles. The Right Approach option is available on Century Series carriers with solid side rails and the removable aluminum blade rails.
millerind.com
AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - August 2019 • 11
Investing a little bit of time in the better vehicles in your lot will increase buyers’ desire.
Abandoned Vehicle Disposal By Brian J. Riker
F
or the larger towers, or those that specialize in private property impound, abandoned vehicle disposal is a routine part of business operations, even second nature. The smaller towers may not deal with this issue as often, especially if they don’t routinely respond to police requests for service or otherwise store vehicles. The laws vary from state to state, even from city to city, but there are some universal prohibitions or cautions to address. Perhaps the one universal truth, documentation is everything. Without properly completed paperwork that documents the entire process from the initial pickup through the disposal: if it is not written down, it didn’t happen. These vehicles may be low- or
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no-value scrap to the storage facility, however to the owner it may be all they have in this entire world. Without proper paperwork that proves you followed the applicable regulations—including notices to the last known owner and/or lien holder—you may face civil penalties should the owner appear after you have disposed of the vehicle.
Auctions
As for the actual process of disposing of abandoned vehicles that have accumulated in your storage yard, there are several viable options available today. The process does not need to be complicated, and if you do not want to have an on-site auction you may be able to contract the disposal work out to one of the many auto
auctions that specialize in this type of work. Key items to consider when selecting a disposal method include the legal requirements in your city or state, and the sources for the vehicles you are selling. Vehicles from different sources may have different legal or contractual requirements for final disposal by the tow yard. Many of the larger towing or storage facilities conduct their own in-house auction programs. This is an effective method when you have a large number of vehicles to sell and they keep coming available on a regular basis. These auctions are typically open to the public and as such attract a wide range of buyers; some are professional salvage buyers and used car dealers, but mostly local folks
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other revenue streams with delivery or loading fees to support the sale of the vehicles. You don’t have to allow large numbers of people into your yard on inspection and sale days, they bid based upon images and your condition reports as seen online.
‘‘
Vehicles from
different sources
may have different
legal or contractual requirements for
final disposal by the tow yard.
No Auction?
Is there a market for used tires, batteries and other parts in your area?
looking for a deal on a fixer-upper set of wheels. Public sales tend to bring in the highest revenue per unit for the low end or no value vehicles, but they can be costly and time-consuming to operate. Using a professional auction service, even if they come to your site, may be worth the cost since they know how to market your inventory to the best mix of professional and amateur buyers. This is especially true when you have several items that may have better than average value in the lot.
Away Game
Off-site sales are another viable option, especially if you only have a few units each month or don’t want to have the liability of allowing the gen-
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eral public into your lot to inspect the vehicles or while you are conducting the auction. There are security concerns with on-site auctions, especially if you do not have the room or facility design that allows for confining the auction attendees to the sale area only. Keep in mind, with off-site sales there may be more processing fees such as transportation, storage or even clean-up/detailing fees, although often these are offset by the better visibility the professional auction houses provide. The off-site units may be exposed to buyers around the world, not just local community members. Another option is a hybrid version of the two above options. Virtual bidding, also known as online auctions, allow for the best of both worlds. You save transportation costs, plus open
If you are in an area that does not require public auctions, or the source of your abandoned vehicles is not one that requires public auctions, you may be able to strike a deal with a local salvage processor to buy most, if not all, of your abandoned vehicles without an auction. Local salvage facilities are always looking for vehicles, and they may pay a premium to you for a consistent supply rather than pay the fees to the auction houses. Some states will allow you to fix up and resell an abandoned vehicle, however the vast majority require a tower to dispose of vehicles in a public manner. Some states do not allow the tower to recover costs above the actual invoice and related sale expenses, meaning even if the vehicle has a higher value, you cannot keep the excess sale proceeds in many cases. Again, check your local and state laws as well as your contract stipulations.
Vehicle Prep
Disposing of abandoned vehicles from your storage operations need not be a costly or time-consuming process, although I do recommend investing
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a little bit of time onto the better vehicles to increase buyer’s desire to attend your auctions, and therefore increase your overall sale revenue, especially if you are in a situation that allows you to keep the excess revenues that are generated. Simply washing and detailing vehicles that may have a second life will increase the bid price more than the cost of the wash. These would be the five- to eight-year-old units that are in good physical shape, not wrecked and easily repairable. These vehicles will usually sell to a private buyer looking to fix it up for resale, or even drive themselves. A start and rate also will significantly increase value on some units. If you have a key, a quick attempt at starting the vehicle and noting the condition of the engine and transmission usually adds 25 percent or more to the value of the vehicle. All you need to do is note that it runs, if there are any noises, and if it moves under it’s own power (lot drives). If you are a high-volume location you may even want to consider investing in a key machine, and offering to make keys for the sold units for a reasonable fee. Many repo facilities have turned this formerly outsourced service into a revenue stream, even a business unit. These services could even become part of your mainstream service offerings for the general public, adding income to your company. Doing your best to not damage highly desirable vehicle components such as front bumper covers, and all other front-end parts, will increase your bids from salvage buyers. Often the salvage buyers attend abandoned vehicle auctions looking specifically for PPI units, as they are not usually wrecked in the front … meaning they will have good collision repair parts. The “front clip” of a vehicle holds the highest value for collision repair facilities, so do your best to protect these components from damage when moving or delivering auction vehicles. As to salvage parts, many states require a salvor license to disassemble vehicles. Since this varies greatly,
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check with your local authorities to see if any special permits are required before you begin removing parts from vehicles in your storage yard. There may be a market for used tires, batteries and other parts in your area. In some neighborhoods, used tires and secondhand parts are a way of life for many folks. Used tires sell as-is, no guarantee, for $15-$30 each retail, and wholesale to other used tire dealers for $3-$5. Take them off the rims and you can sell the rims for scrap metal. You may be able to recover more money for the individual components than the whole vehicle, especially if you have a scrap processor that buys individual metals separately. Catalytic converters, radiators, aluminum wheels, batteries and other parts have great value to these metal processors. They are not traditional vehicle dismantlers, so they don’t care about the physical condition, rather only the metal type and content. A major concern with dismantling operations is fluid recovery and fire safety. You need to safely recover all the fluids from each vehicle, including gas, oil, antifreeze and refrigerant. To prevent environmental contamination,
special machines may be needed, so again, this may only be a viable option for high-volume vehicle disposal. Under no circumstances should you attempt to recover flammable liquids such as gasoline from a vehicle inside your building unless the workspace is specially designed for this purpose. Unfortunately, a one-size-fits-all approach to abandoned vehicle processing and disposal is not available. Your company may benefit from combining several options, selecting specific vehicles based upon their projected market value and source. Professional auction houses usually will increase your revenue more than they cost; however, you need to continuously pay attention to the scrap metal and used vehicle markets to be sure you are getting the best revenue possible.
Brian J. Riker is a third-generation towman, with 25 years of experience in the ditch as a tow operator, and president of Fleet Compliance Solutions. He specializes in helping navigate the complex world of federal and state transportation regulatory compliance. He can be reached at brian.riker@fleetcompliancesolutions.net
There are several options available to dispose of abandoned vehicles accumulating in your lot.
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - August 2019 • 17
Light-Duty Problem Solving By Paul Stephens
O
ften times, we are dispatched out to a tow or incident without getting the full story or an accurate description of what we will be facing. The customer usually supplies the least amount of info possible; sometimes intentionally, but often because they do not know what we are actually looking for when it comes to descriptions. There are many ways to problem solve in the field by using the equipment available; the trick is to have the equipment and actually know how to use it to its full potential. We tend to learn how to use an item from either watching others or seeing the description on the package. There are a lot of tools to assist us, some better than others, but all have some purpose in being on the truck. As we perform
difficult jobs more often, we become more experienced and comfortable in utilizing all the tools. The list could go on forever in trying to prepare for odd incidents, but mostly we will need extra tools or equipment to help with situations like broken ball joints, tie-rod issues, locked in park, locked-up wheels, lowered or altered suspensions, missing wheels, failed electronic parking brakes and locked steering. We are all somewhat familiar with the standard set of pop-up dollies, several manufacturers are making them now and they work great to solve a lot of problems. There are situations where these dollies cannot fit into a tight area or are not available. With the many problems that arise, there needs to be some comfort zone when using
‘‘
A common mistake is to put the skate
only halfway under the wheel, which
allows for the friction from the tire to grip as the vehicle is being winched
items such as skates, Go-jaks, ready jacks, ball-joint skates, etc. The skates seem to be the right answer for a lot of these odd or very tight positions, as they are usually easy to install and can work in very
Skates (left) seem to be the right answer for many cases where you are towing from odd and/or tight positions; ready jacks (right) are an essential piece of equipment to have for repositioning vehicles. 18 • August 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
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limited space. The proper way to use a skate is to insert it all the way under the tire so the wheel is sitting completely on top of the skate and resting against the backstop. A common mistake is to put the skate only halfway under the wheel, which allows for the friction from the tire to grip as the vehicle is being winched; this allows for the skate to slip out and the entire process becomes a battle. If you are lucky enough to have a set of Go-jaks or ready jacks available to reposition a vehicle, proper care must be taken to keep the vehicle in complete control especially on any incline or rough terrain. These can be a simple solution for a quick reposition but cannot be used in tow or to load the vehicle onto a flatbed without using great care and caution. These basically use a pump-jack function and slide around the tire base. They are fairly easy to use and work in all directions but not paying close attention can result in possible damage to a vehicle.
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So these previous items can assist with a vehicle locked in park or one that has an engaged parking brake, but what about the occasional broken ball joint? What would be a good practice for loading one of these onto a flatbed? To start with, the best solution is to come equipped to do the job. You’ll need at least a jack, lug wrench or sockets, and a ball-joint skate. Regular skates work well, however they tend to allow the front end to sit too low which can cause a problem trying to transition onto a carrier deck. A ball-joint skate can solve some of this problem but taking a step by step approach can help make this easy also. Step one: Use a jack to raise the vehicle back up so the wheel will hang instead of being trapped in the fender well or against the fender and door opening seam. Once you have the vehicle raised and the wheel off the ground, remove the tire and wheel from the vehicle. The tire and wheel are what can cause the most
damage, so removing that from the situation allows for a better chance of a damage-free loading and unloading process. Step two: Place a ball-joint skate or container skate under the arm where it attaches to and meets the subframe of the engine. There is usually a bolt hanging down or area cut into the skate for the area to rest in, and then the vehicles weight will allow it to sit while loading. Sometimes the container skate will have too much friction to slide easily; if this is the case, then you can add a regular skate to the front lip area of the ball-joint skate to keep it sliding freely. This can also work with a vehicle that is missing a wheel; if you have four skates or ball-joint skates, you can load any vehicle missing as many tires as you have skates. What about a broken tie rod where the wheel will continue to travel in an opposite direction as you try to load or secure onto your wheel lift? There
is a quick connector you can make for a few dollars that is basically a small piece of pipe, metal or plastic with a few eyebolts. Slide the piece of pipe over the broken ends of the tie rods and use the eyebolts to screw them down onto the tie-rod arms. This should keep the tie rod straight while you load it or if using a wheel lift you can now move the unit backwards to load it onto the wheel lift if it is frontwheel drive. It’s a fairly simple solution to remedy the wheel alignment problem. All of this is great if the vehicle is accessible; when you have a job with multiple issues it seems best to work through each issue step by step thereby not overlooking something that can bite you halfway through the job. There are lots of questions about newer vehicles with shift-lock overrides, and electronic parking brake releases. As more technology is built into a vehicle, it consumes the space required to run shift-lock override cables, EPB release cables, etc. The best friend to a service operator today is the jump box as it seems to remedy a lot of these problems; however, you must leave the jump booster on the vehicle for several minutes. Don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s a jump start, as most will apply power and wait a minute or two and then try to start it or shift it. It will usually take up to 10 minutes for power to trickle into the control units and modules to be able to shift or release the EPB. These are simple suggestions to assist with getting that hard to load or relocate vehicle done a little bit easier or a little more relaxed vs. your operator over-stressing about a situation he is unfamiliar with. There are many ways of doing a job and helping get your operator off the roadway a little faster is key.
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. Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - August 2019 • 21
Evidence Protocols for Law Enforcement Tows By Randall C. Resch
T
he law enforcement community has specific protocols for handling evidence tows. The collection of evidence varies between agencies; however, the manner in how it is collected is critical to a case’s outcome. When dealing with fingerprints, blood samples, debris particles, DNA and more, there may be critical information and answers that point to particular suspects related to the crime. A defense strategy may hinge on the proper handling, collection, sampling, preservation, and presentation of evidence—not limited to police contact but also towers’ handling of the vehicle; you want to add credibility to the prosecution’s case beyond a reasonable doubt. Every accident or incident (that
demands collection) requires an investigation critical to prosecution in wrongful, negligent or intentional acts resulting in injury or death. An error in tow operator judgment—accidental or intentional—may lead to disciplinary actions or removal from contract. Depending on an agency’s procedures, evidence impounds must be handled differently than load-and-go procedures, though not every accident will require a hold for evidence. Accordingly, send only your most competent operators experienced in evidence scenarios. The agency’s Department of Investigations may be heading a homicide, human trafficking, or sex crime investigation. For vehicle-related evidence, traffic division may be the investigating unit.
‘‘
Evidence impounds must be handled
differently than loadand-go procedures, though not every
accident will require a hold for evidence.
Drivers should change their arrival greeting to include asking, “Is this an evidence tow?” or, “Does this vehicle have a hold for evidence?” You need to know this before taking custody. Depending on the incident, determine the needs for an evidence tow: • What’s the reason for the hold? (Accident? Hit-and-run? Pedestrian fatal? Prints? Arson? Homicide? Other?) • Will the vehicle go to the city’s evidence location or our tow yard? • Which areas (of the vehicle) need to be protected? • Is there a hold for fingerprints? • By officer’s request, is the vehicle to be stored inside or out? • Are there special needs? (Set atop jack stands, under a tarp, etc.)
Arrival Considerations
Don’t throw scene debris into a vehicle’s interior with a crime-scene impound, as you may compromise evidence like drugs, drug paraphernalia or alcoholic beverage containers in the vehicle. 22 • August 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
When arriving, don’t drive through a scene and start hooking or cleaning up. Chances are you may have arrived on-scene before transport services are needed. A rotation tower may be called to scene on rotation only to be sent away. Drivers, if sent away, don’t argue; leave immediately. Not all tow companies are evidence contractors.
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Don’t drive through a crime scene and start hooking or cleaning up; wait for on-scene instructions from the incident commander.
(There typically aren’t hurry-up requirements for evidence scenarios.)
Custody, Control
Tow companies are responsible to protect evidentiary value by preventing access to vehicles or items. Refer all inquiries to the lead agency, investigating officer or detectives. Evidence impounds must be handled with law enforcement’s best interests. As the result of impound, tow operators may be called to testify in court regarding how they handled the evidence vehicle, what precautions they took during the tow, how the vehicle was transported and stored, who gained access to see the vehicle and how the vehicle was disposed of after the investigative hold was released.
Don’t Expedite
Tow operators shall not respond in expedite mode. Typically, in nearly all fatal investigations, tow trucks are the last element of response called to the scene. This could be hours after the coroner has conducted their work. Once the coroner has conducted a
24 • August 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
Before loading
burned vehicles,
take a careful look
into burned spaces … knowing that
burned corpses are difficult to detect.
fatality declaration, the incident commander requests a rotation tow company or evidence provider. Serving as evidence contractor comes with no special privileges. Responding tow operators will do so in a safe and legal manner.
High-Profile Cases
Never remove items from evidence vehicles, especially high-profile celebrity vehicles. If weapons, ammunition or contraband is observed, notify the impounding officer or agency imme-
diately. Don’t touch anything on or within the vehicle. Avoid urges to take souvenirs from towed vehicles or you could be charged with tampering and/ or possession of stolen property. Tow operators tend to take “trophy” photographs and videos of accident scenes they work. There are right to privacy issues where unauthorized likenesses of faces and license plates may result in civil action against the person taking them (whether high-profile celebrities or everyday Joes).
Sex Crimes/Trafficking
The illegal trafficking of humans may involve hundreds, if not thousands, of multi-agency and jurisdictional investigative hours. These cases are complicated. When cities and states are in close proximity to international borders, evidence impounds demands specific handling, care, transport and storage. When false handling by tow operators is determined, the entire case could be thrown out where a menacing criminal is set free and thousands of hours of investigation are lost.
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Arson, Homicide
Vehicles sometimes are intentionally set on fire to cover evidence of other crimes, especially in robbery, rape, burglary, drug and homicide scenarios. Before loading burned vehicles, take a careful look into burned spaces … knowing that burned corpses are difficult to detect. If a body is found inside an evidence vehicle and you’re asked to move the vehicle with a body inside, this is a special request. Special requests require, “Yes”, responses. Our intent is to serve at the highest possible level.
Corpses
Don’t cover a body by attempting to shield others from viewing the corpse. Covering a body may alter and/or contaminate evidence. If a body is covered by police investigators, that’s part of their investigation and not a tow-related task.
Fingerprints, DNA
In criminal investigations, fingerprints are crucial in linking a suspect to a crime. Experts can determine if prints are fresh vs. old; however, improper loading could destroy print evidence. Wear gloves and don’t touch vehicle surfaces. If drivers touch a surface, the investigating agency may require them to be fingerprinted for process of elimination. Important: Don’t roll windows up or down to avoid destroying fresh latent prints. Don’t use seat belts for recovery or for tying steering wheels when rear-towing. Don’t touch or use door handles/door areas to protect print damage or contamination of potential DNA in these areas.
Loading Techniques
Law enforcement prefers carriers as the tow truck of choice. Wheel-lift wreckers with dollies are acceptable when flatbeds aren’t available. Use other techniques to secure the vehicle without using emergency brakes and transmission shifters.
26 • August 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
Vehicles sometimes are intentionally set on fire to cover evidence of other crimes; before loading burned vehicles, take a careful look into burned spaces.
Based on the location of the vehicle and whichever end the crash evidence is located, free-spool the carrier ’s winch and run cable under the suspect vehicle to its far end, back hook the V-bridle, and winch in the usual manner. Underside evidence typically suggests evidence is located near or at T-slots or tie-down locations. Don’t apply tie-downs in a usual manner if attachment is near evidence locations; however, advise the impounding officer that four-point tie-down should not be used to protect collection of evidence in these rare cases. Evidence vehicles should NOT be transported upside down for obvious safety reasons. A solid transport plan should be discussed prior to load actions.
Outside Storage
Don’t wrap vehicles with plastic wrap unless instructed. This may result in the defense claiming the evidence was tampered or compromised. If stored outside, seek authorization from the investigating officer. In areas prone to humidity, wrapping with plastic causes moisture that promotes mold that scientifically compromises samples. When approved by the investigating agency, tarps may be used to cover
stored vehicles. Because rain, snow, high humidity and sunlight are factors that can potentially damage bits of evidence, agency protocol may require using tarps to protect vital evidence.
Common Scenarios
Towers should know the nature of the investigation (type of crime) to best hook up or transport evidence vehicles without touching relevant surface locations. • H i t - a n d - r u n ( p e d e s t r i a n under): The victim’s body goes under the suspect’s vehicle and transfers bits of clothing, clothing fibers, hair follicles, skin/bone fragments, blood, etc. Typical evidence is often fabric abrasions that are caught and torn materials in underside locations of hit-and-run vehicles. • Hit-and-run (pedestrian over): The victim’s body goes over the suspect’s vehicle, leaving evidence on the vehicle’s bumper, grille, hood, windshield, windshield frame, etc. Trace evidence includes bits of clothing, fibers, skin and bone fragments, blood, and/or transferred paint chips, etc. Evidence found is fabric abrasions or caught and torn materials.
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• Hit-and-run (lights out): Witnesses describe a suspect’s vehicle driving with its lights out. Don’t reach inside to turn on the vehicle’s headlights. Close examination can determine if headlights or taillights were illuminated at the moment of pedestrian strike. • Brakes out: Avoid touching brake pedals. Don’t apply emergency brakes when loading.
The Dirt
Where a suspect’s vehicle travels to a crime scene on dirt roads, soil samples may be gathered as evidence. Large chunks of soil in wheel wells and the undercarriage can be analyzed to determine where the vehicle has
been. Utilize dollies or flatbed carriers to preserve soil evidence.
Clean-up
Never begin recovery, sweeping or collecting debris until authorized. Vehicle debris— like paint chips, headlights, license plates, bumpers and grille pieces—are specific to pedestrian accidents and should be preserved and brought with the evidence vehicle. Do not throw scene debris into a vehicle’s interior. Contraband like drugs or drug paraphernalia and alcoholic beverage containers may be located in the vehicle. For the safety of persons involved in evidence collection, wait until on-scene collection of evidence is completed. Police officers and evidence technicians
may slip and fall if they’re trying to walk on a carrier’s tilted deck.
Contents
Technicians spend considerable efforts employing various forensic techniques like photographing, fluorescent lighting, vacuuming, dusting, special sprays, swabbing, etc., looking for trace evidence. Vehicles used in robberies, homicides and sex crimes may contain traces of gun powder, hair, fibers, semen, body fluids, etc. Consider a vehicle’s interior like a sealed container with particulates of DNA that’s easily contaminated by anyone entering or touching (opening) the protected environment.
Black Box
Today’s vehicles are equipped with Event Data Recorders, automotive Black Boxes, that record crash-related information like speed, timed brake activation, airbag deployment, etc. Because of EDR inconsistencies in vehicles, operators should not use the impounded vehicle’s on-board systems. At no time should a vehicle’s ignition be activated. Do not use or touch a vehicle’s foot brake, or emergency brake. Don’t shift a vehicle’s transmission lever for any reason.
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Chain of Custody
To maintain chain of custody, the impounding agency must preserve and account for evidence from the time it is collected to the time it is presented in court. To prove chain of custody exists and that evidence remained intact, tow operators may be called to testify to three criteria: • Evidence offered in court was the same evidence collected or received. • Time and date evidence was received or transferred to another provider. • Nothing was tampered with while evidence was in custody. To protect a chain-of-custody transport, police officers, evidence techs or official designees may follow your tow vehicle to place of storage. Prior to departing the impound location, ascertain where the evidence is going. If others follow you, remember, you are the lead vehicle within a convoy so adjust your speed to ensure they’re able to safely follow in traffic.
Invoices
If the evidence was towed as a result of an accident, the Traffic Collision Report typically identifies who ordered the tow. Evidence-hold tows are a bad time for poorly prepared and incomplete reports. Towing sheets must include the vehicle’s description, location and work conducted. Drivers are reminded to not make written comments or speculations as to how the accident occurred. Don’t make comments about the investigation, especially as it relates to sobriety, intoxication or distracted driving. The objective behind crime scene evidence is to establish that a crime was committed and those who committed that crime; anything unusual and unnatural may be considered evidence. The tow company’s professionalism and skill are key components in serving as an evidence contractor. You will be held to a higher standard, so be up to the task.
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 - August 2019 • 29
Turning Safety into Money
Big rig fire in south Atlanta, Georgia. Georgia DOT HERO program image.
By Rita Brohman and Scott Kapton
Virginia is the most recent state to implement TRIP, an innovative program designed to help clear heavy commercial vehicle incidents more quickly while improving communication among all highway first responders. The program provides a substantial financial incentive to the towing community, while saving lives of all incident responders, and clearing congestion faster.
T
he Towing and Recovery Incentive Program, developed by Ted Smith, and staff at Parsons, originated more than 10 years ago in Atlanta, Georgia, and has been used to safely and quickly clear more than 1,000 incidents on Atlanta’s heavytruck corridor. A conservative analysis of the program performed by an outside agency demonstrated an 11:1 benefit ratio in Atlanta alone.
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Large-scale incidents can significantly affect traffic, cause long motorist delays, pollute the air, and create life-threatening safety hazards for all agencies responding to the incident. TRIP uses safe quick-clearance strategies that reduce congestion, fuel usage, and harmful emissions, and, ultimately, decreases the likelihood of injury or death by reducing time of exposure for all stakeholders to
secondary incidents. Every minute a crash and debris remain on the highway, there is a 2.8 percent likelihood of a secondary crash. One in five secondary crashes result in a fatality. The TRIP program involves stakeholders from across the incident management spectrum, including: • DOT field and Traffic Management Center personnel. • State and local police officers and dispatchers. • Tow operators. • Safety Service Patrol operators. • Fire and rescue. • Motoring public. Each of these stakeholders has a different—but equally crucial—role when a TRIP crash is declared. The TRIP program is activated by
TRIP standardizes communication, care at major incidents law enforcement or Unified Command when a scene meets certain criteria. The TRIP program standardizes heavy-towing response to commercial crashes and ensures that all TRIP towing companies provide a standardized care when TRIP is activated, regardless of tow company or location of the crash. Standard care is accomplished by identifying potential TRIP towing company participants, establishing appropriate wrecker specifications, mandating a suitable level of training and certification that affords the towing community the ability to perform at a high level and teaches wrecker operators how to interact effectively with incident commanders at commercial vehicle crashes on the interstate.
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
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The overall goal is to strike a balance that satisfies the operational needs of the DOT, reassures law enforcement and emergency responders that tow company staff are highly trained, knowledgeable, and provides a substantial financial incentive to the towing community for safe, quick clearance.
The overall goal is to strike a balance that satisfies the operational needs of the DOT, reassures law enforcement and emergency responders that tow company staff are highly trained, knowledgeable, and pro-
vides a substantial financial incentive to the towing community for safe, quick clearance. These goals can only be achieved by enforcing minimum expectations, and clear roles and responsibilities.
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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - August 2019 • 31
Training, education, and equipment requirements for tow companies are all benefits to not only these companies but to all stakeholders. As there will be an investment in time and money initially and periodically throughout the life of the program, tow companies are incentivized for rapid response and safe, quick scene clearance. To ensure complete transparency, joint monthly meetings are conducted by the administrator of the program to review all crashes from the preceding month, discuss issues, concerns and lessons learned, and approve or deny incentive payments. These monthly meetings are open to all TRIP stakeholders. The Towing and Recovery Incentive Program implementation offers tremendous benefits across multiple stakeholder populations with the universal understanding and ultimate goal of: everyone goes home safe. This goal is most achievable at a commercial crash scene on highways when incident command runs smoothly; the overall safety of all stakeholders is enhanced by training and the proper use of
32 • August 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
Virginia Truck Corridor practicing safe, quick clearance.
wrecker equipment is conducted by towing professionals. For the DOT, program cost-benefit ratios have been independently estimated as low as 11:1, and as high as 33:1, congestion reductions improve customer satisfaction. For the towing community, heavy commercial vehicle responses are standardized, and the level of professionalism is raised, all while earning a financial incentive. Most importantly: Everyone goes home safe.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS Rita Brohman is a project manager at Parsons (parsons. com); Scott Kapton is a senior field project manager at Parsons. Contact him at scott. kapton@parsons.com or 804-840-7414.
AD INDEX August 2019
Page #
Access Tools 77 Akins Body & Carrier Sales 35 Allstate Roadside Services 75 Atlanta Wrecker Sales 69 Atlantic Emergency Solutions N 91 Austin Insurance W 92 AutoReturn 83 B/A Products 2 B & Z Sales S 93 Beacon Software 75 Captain Recovery M, N 94, S 92 Casanova Towing Equipment W 96 Chevron Commercial 76 Crouch’s Wrecker Equipment & Sales 59 Deep South Wrecker Sales 74 Donnie Cruse Recovery Award M, N, S 96 Dual-Tech Wreckers & Carriers 20 Dynamic Towing & Equipment Mfg. 37 Elizabeth Truck Center 83 Environmental Chemical Solutions 29 G. Stone Commercial N 94 Hino Trucks 100 In the Ditch 33
34 • August 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
To receive free information on products and services from our advertisers go to www.TowExtra.com
Page #
Insurancehub 21 Intek Leasing 85 Jerr-Dan Corp. 5 Kenworth of South Florida 78 Legacy Plus Insurance 17 Len Zermenos 63 Lynch Truck Centers 25 Mach 1 Services 3 Matheny Motors 27 Matjack Jumbo Safelift 82 McMahon Truck Center M 91 Midwest Regional Tow Show 79 Miller Industries 15 Mobile Create 37 New England Truckmaster N 92 North American Bancard 19 Northeast Wrecker Sales N 93 NXGEN W 92 OMG National M, N 95, S 91, W 97 Pacific General Insurance M 93 Peak Wrecker Sales W 93 Quest Towing Services N 93 Ranger SST 13
Page #
Sanderson Truck Equipment 29 Santander Bank 99 Sea Crest Insurance Agency W 91 Select Truck & Equipment M 93 Specialty Vehicle Equipment Funding 23 Steck Mfg. Co. 28 Sterling National Bank 71 TLC Truck & Equipment 28 Towbook Management Software 38 TowExpo-Dallas S 94–95, W 98–99 Tow Industries 85 Towman Medal 84 TowMate 21, 71 TowTrax 76 TruckMax 32 Urgent.ly 34 Utility Trailer Sales S.E. TX W 91 Warn Industries 7 We Buy Key Fobs 17 WorldClass Insurance M 95, W 93 Worldwide Equipment Sales 73 XINSURANCE M 92
Protecting Your Business Larry Oxenham has authored and co-authored several articles and books on asset protection. He will lead special two-hour seminars on “How Tow Owners Can Protect their Business” at both the Tow Expo-Dallas this month and the American Towman Exposition in Atlantic City this December. Protect your assets for your heirs. Up to 10 percent of your estate can be lost to probate costs alone. Costs may include court fees, legal fees (to the executor of the estate, or to resolve disputes), appraisals and accounting services.
Protecting Your Assets By Larry Oxenham
I
f you were to die this week, do you know what would happen to your assets? The vast majority of Americans can’t answer this question. Creating an effective estate plan ensures you can really answer this question. Without an effective estate plan, a portion of your estate will be lost to probate costs and taxes. Probate is the legal process by which a court distributes the assets of a deceased person according to their last will and/or state law. The court first determines the validity of the will and then resolves all claims from creditors and competing claims from heirs. If you have not named an executor to oversee the distribution of your assets, an executor is appointed by the court.
Why Avoid Probate?
• Probate is expensive. Up to 10 percent of your estate can be lost to probate costs alone. Costs may include court fees, legal fees
36 • August 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
(to the executor of the estate, or to resolve disputes), appraisals and accounting services. • Probate is a lengthy process. While it is possible for an estate to be “probated” in six to 12 months, it is also common for the process to take years. • Probate is an invasion of privacy. Your entire estate will become a matter of public record during the probate process. Anyone can go to the courthouse and learn what assets are in the estate, their value and to whom the assets are to be distributed. There are instances of dishonest people searching probate records to find assets they can take.
Estate Planning
The key document to an effective estate plan is a revocable living trust. A revocable living trust enables you to
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A revocable
living trust enables you to avoid
probate, keep your estate private and
reduce or eliminate estate taxes.
avoid probate, keep your estate private and reduce or eliminate estate taxes. It also ensures your assets quickly transfer according to your wishes upon your death. With a revocable living trust, no court action is involved, and the property is distributed privately. Other documents frequently used in conjunction with a revocable living trust include a living will, medical power of attorney, durable power of attorney and irrevocable life insurance trust.
Many attorneys recommend their clients create a will without a living trust. This ensures the estate will go through probate. Why? Because attorneys do not always have their clients’ best interest in mind. The attorney wants to collect the legal fees associated with probate and, in some states, the attorney receives a percentage of all the assets that go through probate. The only person that benefits from your estate going through probate is the attorney. A living trust provides no income tax savings, and for income tax purposes, it is as if it does not exist. However, if the size of your estate is above the amount exempted from estate taxes, the trust can be structured to reduce or eliminate estate taxes. The vast majority of Americans do not have an effective estate plan in place when they die and, by default, subject their heirs to the frustrations and costs of probate. Setting up a revocable living trust enables you to pass assets to your heirs efficiently, and is one of the most loving things you can do for your family.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Larry Oxenham is a senior advisor with the American Society for Asset Protection and is one of America’s top asset protection experts.
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - August 2019 • 37
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.
I
Tr
h e c r a o e MPOUND us S By Terry Abejuela
T
owing or transporting salvage, abandoned, or law enforcement stored vehicles may expose you to hazards other than those most-often posed by traffic incidents and equipment failure. Professional tow operators are always on their guard against the most common hazards, but often overlook other more unusual hazards that might be present with some work they do. Hazards from wild animals and drugs are two of those unusual hazards that may catch you off guard. Vehicles that haven’t been moved for a long period of time or are recovered from a rural area or a waterway may contain venomous wildlife such as snakes or spiders.
Spiders The vast majority of spiders found in the United States are not hazardous to humans but there are a few you should definitely avoid; most are not fatal if treated quickly after a bite. The most deadly or dangerous spiders found in the United States include the Black Widow, Brown Recluse and Hobo Spider. First aid for a spider bite is to keep the patient calm, apply ice to decrease pain and swelling, use anti-inflammatories for pain relief and contact a doctor. Black Widows: Only the female of
60 • August 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
the species of widow spiders is considered dangerous; the smaller male widow is considered harmless. Black widows are easily identified by a red hourglass marking. The Western Black Widow is found throughout the west and southwest. The Southern Black Widow is most common in the southeast. The Northern Black Widow spider is found in much of the southeast, as well as in the northern U.S. and Canada. Also found in the United States are the Brown and Red Widow spiders, primarily in Florida and the southeast.
Recluse Spiders: The Arizona Recluse can be found in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas. Recluse spiders are sometimes called Violin Spiders, because of their marking that looks like a violin. The Arizona Recluse spider’s bite causes severe damage to the skin and surrounding tissue. The Brown Recluse Spider can be found in the south and Midwest; its bite has been known to cause kidney failure. The Desert Recluse is found in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah. The Texas Recluse spider is
Beware your surroundings when prepping an abandoned vehicle to tow found in Texas. The Chilean Recluse is an introduced spider found in California that has a necrotic bite causing severe damage to the skin and surrounding tissue. Of all the recluse spiders, the Chilean Recluse reportedly has one of the most venomous bites.
‘‘
Vehicles that haven’t
been moved for a long period of time or are
recovered from a rural
area or a waterway may
contain venomous wildlife. Snakes
There are more than 20 venomous snakes in North America. Venomous snakes rarely attack humans, but will strike when they feel threatened. There are approximately 8,000 people bitten every year, but there are relatively few fatalities thanks to modern anti-venoms available. Copperhead: The Copperhead is responsible for the most bites on humans. Fortunately, the Copperhead is believed to have the weakest venom potency of all pit vipers. Most snakes will flee when met by an approaching human, but the Copperhead tends to freeze instead and will bite when
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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - August 2019 • 61
‘‘
No longer
must towers be wary
just of used needles or
broken glass
pipes littering impound vehicles.
stepped on. Copperheads can be found in northern Georgia, Alabama, north to Massachusetts and west to Illinois. Rattlesnake: Seven of the top 10 most venomous snakes in North America are rattlesnakes. They include the Mojave, Western Diamondback, Eastern Diamondback, Tiger, Prairie, Timber and Black Diamond snakes. The Eastern rattlesnake is the largest and probably most deadly of all the rattlesnakes. A bite from this snake has a mortality rate as high as 30 percent. It has large fangs and is able to inject a large amount of powerful venom. The venom can induce bleeding from the mouth and around the wound site. This snake can be found in the southeast, including Florida, North Carolina, southern Mississippi and eastern Louisiana. The Mojave rattlesnake is considered to have the most potent venom of all rattlesnakes. Bite victims eventually experience blurred vision and respiratory failure. An untreated bite from this snake is often fatal. This snake can be found in California, Nevada, southwestern Utah and parts of New Mexico and Texas. The Western Diamondback rattlesnake has a relatively weak venom, but is able to inject a large quantity
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that makes it incredibly deadly. The venom causes necrosis, internal bleeding, swelling and pain. This snake can be found in the southwestern United States. Cottonmouth: The Cottonmouth snake, also known as the water moccasin, is commonly found across the southeast. This snake is a strong swimmer and has a powerful venom that can eat away flesh and result in amputations. Bites from these snakes are relatively frequent, but modern anti-venoms keep fatalities low. This snake can be found in the southeastern states including Florida, Texas and southern Virginia. They are often found in swamps, marshes, ponds, drainage ditches, streams and lakes.
Drugs, Needles
When towing vehicles for law enforcement, you may be exposed to hazards present from illegal drugs. One recent story of note comes from Ohio where Officer Chris Green, with the East Liverpool Police Department, was arresting two men in a drug bust in 2017. When Green was at the department completing paperwork later, a fellow officer noticed a white powdery substance on Green’s uniform that Green
wiped away with his bare hand. An hour later, Green passed out from an overdose of Fentanyl. Fortunately, paramedics responded quickly and administered multiple doses of Narcan, or it could have been fatal. Fentanyl is an opioid that is 50-times stronger than heroin, 100times stronger than morphine, and can be absorbed into the body by simple contact with the skin. No longer must towers be wary just of used needles or broken glass pipes littering impound vehicles. You don’t need to be an expert and be able to identify whether a spider or snake is hazardous to you or be able to identify a hazardous substance. Just be on the lookout for it and avoid contact. Wearing protective equipment such as work gloves, latex gloves or puncture-resistant gloves and safety glasses will provide some protection. Carry long-sleeved coveralls to wear when working in an area or with a vehicle where contact with these types of creatures and/or materials is more likely.
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.
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 difficult nature, extreme circumstances and precision required to successfully complete the job.
2018
Winner:
Tri-State Towing Donnie Cruse Recovery Award
Submit Your Recovery: Email: bdooley@towman.com or Mail to: 2 Overlook Drive, Suite 5, Warwick, NY 10990
Co-Sponsored by:
&
64 • August 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
By Frank Hammond Tri-State Towing; Evansville, Indiana
O
n Feb. 8, 2017, at approximately 3:30 p.m., the Indiana State Police requested a response team to the scene of a tractor-trailer accident in Fort Branch. The casualty was a loaded tractor and trailer carrying approximately 44,000 lbs. of miscellaneous food product that had traveled 200 yards through the median before crashing over a bridge embankment. The tractor landed 35 feet below, crashing into the retaining wall for the opposite bridge. Due to the distance between the two walls, the entire truck and trailer couldn’t come to rest on the county road
OVER the Wall
below. The left rear of the loaded trailer was suspended above. Due to the overall length of the tractor-trailer combination, our recovery team decided to separate the truck from the trailer to allow enough room to bring the rear of the trailer down along the bridge wall. Our rotators on scene were an NRC 50/65 CSR and NRC 9240 SR; we also utilized another one of our 35-ton sliders in the median above to stabilize the rear of the trailer. An NRC 35-ton slider from Sully’s Towing assisted at the casualty as well. The 9240 SR was used to hold the passenger side front of the trailer, while the 50/65 CSR was used to hold the driver side front of the trailer. Once the trailer was lifted from the tractor, we disconnected the supply lines to the trailer. We
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Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
Tri-State Towing in Evansville, Indiana, responded for this semitrailer casualty that needed to be separated and removed.
The tractor-trailer went off the side of an overpass and smacked solidly into an abutment, leaving the trailer rear up on the retaining wall. AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - August 2019 • 65
In addition to two rotators and two other heavies, the recovery required a custom-built dolly for the front of the trailer.
The NRC 50/65 CSR had to work at the rear of the trailer under a tight ceiling. 66 • August 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
then winched the tractor out from under the trailer and onto the county road to be transported from the scene. A custom-built dolly was placed under the nose of the trailer. The final step was to lower the trailer onto the county road and rotate it between the retaining walls. Spreader bars were used to secure to the front of the trailer and the recovery team installed a converter dolly so that they could begin rigging the rear of the trailer. With 11 cross members in front of the rear trailer axles, we had to use extreme caution while using both rotators to lower the trailer to the ground. In order to rotate the trailer into a position to be transported, we had to position a truck below the bridge deck and connect to the lower side frame rails of the trailer. Both trucks continued winching the trailer around until it was in a position to be hooked up to for transport.
‘‘
Our recovery team decided to separate the truck from the trailer to allow enough room to bring the rear of the trailer down along the bridge wall.
(Above) The trucks separate the trailer from the tractor so the cab can be winched out. (Below) The rotators work to set the trailer and dolly on the road for towing.
The final step in the recovery process was to disconnect the rigging and transport both vehicles from the scene. We would like to give special recognition to Sully’s Towing for their assistance with this recovery. WreckMaster said this recovery was selected because of its difficult nature, extreme circumstances and precision required to successfully complete the job.
Submit Your Recovery for the 2019 Donnie Cruse Award: Email: bdooley@towman.com or Mail to: 2 Overlook Drive, Suite 5, Warwick, NY 10990
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - August 2019 • 67
Total Vehicle Alignment
O
By David A. Kolman
Improper alignment can negatively impact vehicle safety, driver comfort, fuel economy and shorten tire life.
ften overlooked in preventive maintenance programs is total vehicle alignment. Nevertheless, total vehicle alignment plays a central role in both vehicle performance and in lowering operating costs. Improper alignment can negatively impact vehicle safety, driver comfort and fuel economy. In addition, improper alignment can shorten tire life expectancy Total vehicle alignment is when a vehicle and all its tires are traveling in a straight line. It doesn’t take much to knock a vehicle out of alignment. There are numerous ways for this to happen, including hitting curbs, running over potholes and vehicle wear and tear.
Geometry
A vehicle that is not in proper alignment can cause numerous problems because misalignment affects every aspect of costs per mile. Alignment refers to the various angles of steer-axle geometry and to the tracking of all axles on a vehicle, including trailers. The objective of proper alignment is to minimize tire wear and maximize predictable vehicle handling and control. Vehicle alignment settings serve a variety of functions in vehicle operation and affect such things as handling, steerability, stability, performance and safety. Basically, a vehicle is a composite with the chassis as the foundation. This foundation must be square and solid to support the dynamics of the complete structure. The chassis includes every wheel, axle, suspension component and frame member. All should be aligned in relation to one another as a whole, instead of only one wheel or one axle independently. Total alignment is a correction of the entire vehicle geometry instead of only one wheel or one axle independently. Out-of-alignment conditions occur when the suspension and steering systems are not operating at their desired angles. When a vehicle is in total alignment, all wheels “agree” on one direction so there are no lateral forces to counteract.
Tires, Fuel
With improper vehicle alignment, tires and fuel expense are impacted the most. With misaligned
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Centerline Direction of Thrust Against Centerline
▶
axles and tires, tires will scrub across the pavement, increasing rolling resistance. Because of the lateral forces, more horsepower is required to move the same load—directly impacting fuel consumption. Plus, tire life is reduced, resulting in more frequent tire replacement. Performing frequent alignments provides better control over vehicle condition and extends the life of the tires. Vibrations are typically caused by out-of-round tires, driveline issues, loose bearings, balance issues or toe or drive-axle misalignment. Other leading causes of irregular tire wear are tracking, camber and caster: • Tracking: All axles need to be aligned with the vehicle’s front axles. If not, the steer tires are forced to counter-steer against the direction of thrust of the rear axles. On a tractor-trailer combination, while the tractor alignment may be correct, if the trailer is tracking to the right or
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
left (what is referred to as dog tracking), it leads to trailer tire irregular wear issues, as well as irregular wear on steer and/or drive tires.
‘‘
It doesn’t take
much to knock
a vehicle out of
alignment … hitting
curbs, running over
potholes and vehicle wear and tear.
• Camber: This is the tilt of the tires as seen in a front view of a vehicle. Positive camber exists when the tires are closer together at the bottom (point of
road contact). Negative camber exists when the tires are closer together at the top. Positive camber causes premature treadwear along the tire’s outside shoulder. Negative camber wears away at the inside shoulder of the tire. In a tractor-trailer combination, the drive tires traditionally experience positive camber; trailer tires, negative camber. • Caster: This is the forward or backward slope of a line drawn through the upper and lower steering pivot points when viewed directly from the side of a vehicle. Positive caster is when the line slopes towards the rear of the vehicle at the top. Negative caster is when the line slopes towards the front. Caster is normally associated with handling problems and driveability of the vehicle, and not tire wear. Negative caster will produce unstable steering, require constant steering corrections and
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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - August 2019 • 69
cause the failure of the vehicle to return to straight ahead out of a turn. Positive caster causes hard steering, shimmy and road shock.
Impact on the Driver
Improper vehicle alignment has an effect on the driver as well. When a vehicle is not in alignment, the driver will be constantly correcting the steering, usually in one direction all the time. Moreover, a vehicle that is rattling, shuddering and vibrating along the road can cause an uncomfortable ride. That contributes to driver discomfort, muscular fatigue and stress. Eventually, drivers get tired and frustrated and will be less effective and productive.
‘‘
Total alignment is a
correction of the entire
vehicle geometry instead of only one wheel or one axle independently.
Driver fatigue caused by continuously correcting for poor alignment can become a factor that will impact safety, as well as the driver’s attitude. Poor handling vehicles are a reason for a driver to start looking for another company to work for. Properly aligned vehicles are not only safer to drive, they make driving easier and enjoyable. A poorly aligned vehicle can reduce the driver’s level of control, which then adversely affects vehicle stability, plus has negative consequences for operating costs. Many benefits can be gained with a good total vehicle alignment maintenance and inspection programs. These include improving vehicle handling for less driver fatigue, decreasing component wear, extending tire wear for increased tire mileage, increasing fuel efficiency, reducing downtime and making vehicles safer.
AT Chassis Editor David Kolman is a multi-faceted trucking trade journalist with experience in print, online and broadcasting. He has hosted trucker television and radio programs and helped write trucking industry documentaries and video programs.
70 • August 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
Tire Tread Wear Good inspection of tires for early stage irregular wear—an indicator of alignment problems—should to be a part of any regular preventative maintenance program. The depth of a tire’s tread is one of the most obvious indications of its performance. Some specific types of unnecessary tread wear attributable to misalignment are: Feathering:
A condition where tread ribs or blocks are worn smooth/lower on one side and higher/sharper on the other.
Toe:
This is the difference in distance apart, at the front and at the rear, of the steering axle tires when viewed from directly above the vehicle. An out-of-spec toe-in condition—fast outside shoulder wear on both steer tires—exists when the tires are closer together in the front than in the rear. An out-of-spec toe-out condition— fast inside shoulder wear on both steer tires—exists when the tires are closer together in the rear than in the front. Toe settings generally have the greatest effect on truck tire tread wear.
Cupping:
Also known as tire scalloping, this is a condition where there are inconsistent, distinct high and low “cuplike” wear spots, usually around the edge of the tread on one side or the other.
IAA Opens Third Branch in Houston
Insurance Auto Auctions Inc. (iaai. com) recently announced the opening of its third location in the Houston, Texas, metro area and the 17th branch in the state to accommodate increased customer needs. The new location, IAA Houston South, is approximately 35 miles from Houston and will enhance IAA’s ability to serve the growing metropolitan area as well as the hurricane-prone coastal Texas areas. “This new branch offers more than 125 acres of capacity and will help us serve the growing volume from our customers, as well as provide support for potential catastrophic weather events,” said John Kett, CEO/president of IAA. IAA Houston South will include a vehicle check-in area designed for IAA 360 View imaging and IAA Inspection Services. The branch will also include a vehicle inspection center space for insurance clients.
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - August 2019 • 71
Campaign to ‘Stop On Red’
T
By Richard Del Campo
he week of August 4-10 is nationally dedicated as National Stop on Red Week, organized by the National Coalition for Safer Roads. While many in the general public may be unaware of the dangers of red-light running, all of us in the transportation, towing and recovery industries are painfully aware of the issue and its devastating costs. Yes, there are financial costs, but they pale in comparison to the human toll. According to the NCSR’s most recent statistics (taken from 2017), here are the facts: • Nearly 3.9 million drivers ran red lights.
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• More people ran red lights in October than any other month. • More than 620,000 people ran red lights on Fridays, making it the deadliest day for red-light running. • More than 1.1 million red-light running violations occurred between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. • Memorial Day weekend was the highest-ranked holiday travel period with red-light violations at nearly 41,000. And the unfortunate results: • 800 people were killed in redlight running crashes. • 137,000 people were injured.
‘‘
Saving time is simply not as important as saving lives.
As of 2018, only 421 communities have red-light camera programs in place. With more than 39,000 communities in the United States according to the most recent data available from the U.S. Census Bureau, that translates to just over 1 percent of communities utilizing a red-light camera program. There is work to do.
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While there are legal challenges to red-light programs throughout the country, it is undeniable that these initiatives save and protect people. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: 1. Red-light cameras are an effective way to discourage red-light running. Enforcement is the best way to get people to comply with any law, but it’s impossible for police to be at every intersection. Cameras can fill the void. An IIHS study found that cameras reduced the fatal red-light running crash rate of large cities by 21 percent and the rate of all types of fatal crashes at signalized intersections by 14 percent. 2. Cameras don’t violate privacy. Driving is a regulated activity, and people who obtain licenses are agreeing to abide by certain rules. Red-light cameras are a way to catch people who break those rules, just like traditional enforcement.
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3. Proper signal timing makes intersections safer. Adequate yellow time reduces red-light running and leads to fewer crashes. This is a clarion call to local municipalities to consistently test and affirm that signal timing is as precise as possible. In the towing and recovery sector, our drivers and technicians are always called upon in emergency and time-sensitive situations. Saving time is simply not as important as saving lives. As we face increasing road congestion, especially in large population centers where commercial vehicles carry the most goods and services,
Learn More
it’s important to re-double our efforts to ensure that our respective towers, commercial trucking and delivery drivers are keenly aware of the facts about red-light running. If you have not made this information available to your professional drivers, now is the time to remind them because they spend most of their work time on our country’s roads. Our attention to red-light running is critical to public safety.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Richard Del Campo is the VP and general manager at Jerr-Dan Corp. (jerrdan.com).
Information for this article is from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Coalition for Safer Roads, a Texas nonprofit organization established to advance road and traffic safety and to support the road safety technology industry. • To learn more about Stop on Red Week, visit ncsrsafety.org. • For details on red-light running, visit iihs.org.
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - August 2019 • 75
Talbert Expands NC Facility
Talbert Manufacturing (talbertmfg.com) officially opened a 58,000-sq.-ft. expansion of its Liberty, North Carolina, facility. The 120,000-sq.-ft. Liberty Trailers LLC will manufacture Talbert’s Tag-A-Long Series, Traveling Axle Series and Hydraulic Tail Series trailers. The Liberty facility was originally home to Ferree Trailers, which Talbert purchased in 2014. In 2018, Talbert began expansion of the building and staff as part of its overall growth plan. With the expansion, the manufacturer looks to increase dealer and customer support throughout North America with increased production capabilities and a support staff of 60 associates.
Stertil-Koni Adds a Service Manager Heavy-duty vehicle lifts manufacturer Stertil-Koni (stertil-koni.com) recently announced that Kevin Boyer has joined the company as Service Manager. In his new post, Boyer provides technical support, troubleshooting assistance, vehicle lift installation supervision and vehicle lift use training to the company’s distributors and their customers across North America. Prior to joining Stertil-Koni, Boyer served as a sales manager and technician at BOE Marine and RV in Maryland.
76 • August 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
Miller Takes Delivery of ‘Milestone’ T270
A Kenworth T270 (kenworth.com) was recognized as the milestone 200,000th medium-duty truck produced at the PACCAR plant in Ste-Thérèse, Quebec, Canada. Miller Industries (millerind.com) took delivery of the special T270 during a recent ceremony at the plant. The T270 is equipped with PACCAR PX-7 engine rated at 300 hp and an Allison automatic transmission, and was purchased from MHC Kenworth-Chattanooga in Tennessee. “We’re very grateful to receive this milestone Kenworth T270 from the employees at the PACCAR Ste-Thérèse plant,” said Kipp Felice of Miller. “Miller Industries has a long history with Kenworth and MHC Kenworth-Chattanooga, and our end-user customers have always seen the value of Kenworth medium- and heavy-duty trucks in their tow fleets. “Quality is what Miller Industries is all about, and this T270 will mean another satisfied customer for us.”
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Miller Industries recently took delivery of a Kenworth T270, the 200,000th medium-duty truck manufactured at the PACCAR plant in Ste-Thérèse, Quebec, Canada. From left are PACCAR plant manager Chakib Toubal-Seghir, and Miller’s Billy Drane, Will Miller and Kipp Felice.
Steaking a Claim
S
By Mark Lacek
alvage yard? We called it a “junkyard” back in the day; places like the Corvair Ranch in Pennsylvania, Desert Valley Auto Parts in Arizona and Old Car City in Georgia are some of the oldest junkyards in the nation. I’m sure many of you have read about, or done business with, at least one of these historic junkyards. For many of us—far too many—the term junkyard conjures images of that hound from hell … the junkyard dog! Some years back, there was a junkyard not too many people had heard about … and those who knew about it didn’t talk about it publicly. In the
eventual newspaper coverage they didn’t call it a junkyard, but rather a chop shop … as the official police report did. The Baker brothers, Lester and younger brother Clyde, owned property in the mountains outside of Nashville, Tennessee, that they inherited from their father. The land, about 30 acres, was at the end of a long, winding dirt road; a sign out front read Baker Brothers Junkyard. The Bakers also ran a small trucking company delivering auto parts to body shops all across the Midwest. I was hired to repossess a Kenworth T300 rollback. Two other repossessors
‘‘
As I crept up on the Kenworth, I
was at first unaware of the eyes peering out at me from
behind a group of Tennessee pines.
tried their luck to repossess the collateral previously but failed; a story of a junkyard dog guarding the land circulated.
Whether you call it a salvage yard or junkyard, each one around the country share a lot of similar traits. Photo courtesy of Old Cars Weekly. 80 • August 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
In August 2001, I found myself standing at the end of a country dirt road just outside of Nashville. A week earlier I had spotted the red Kenworth and followed it until it turned onto the dirt road, just past the Baker Brothers Junkyard sign. I recalled seeing the dust behind the Kenworth disappear as it trekked deeper into the Tennessee woods. A few days later, I parked my faithful Ford F-250 about a quarter mile down on the main road. Wearing my trusty camouflage gear and my desert-style snake boots, I headed down the dirt road. I passed a “Beware of Dog” sign and was a good 50 yards on, slowly walking forward with the keys to the Kenworth in my right pocket and a secret weapon in my left pocket. As I crept up on the Kenworth, I was at first unaware of the eyes peering out at me from behind a group of Tennessee pines. Had I noticed (were they actually glowing red, or is that just in the dreams that haunt me still?), I’d have known earlier the nastiest junkyard dog ever was waiting to foil me! Near the end of the dirt road was the rusted shell of a 1956 Cadillac Fleetwood. There was just a small amount of blue paint left on the hood and the trunk, rusty brown was now the predominant color. The driver ’s side of the Caddy was up against an old oak tree, while a smaller oak tree was growing up through where the brake pedal used to be. Half of it came out through the driv-
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
“I passed a ‘Beware of Dog’ sign and was a good 50 yards on, slowly walking …” Don Lomax illustration.
er ’s side vent window and the other half through the empty engine compartment. The rear passenger door was missing; this is where “Axe” the Rottweiler lived. When Axe was a puppy, he was simply called “Dog” and lived in a 1963 Ford
Falcon parked about 50 feet from the single-wide trailer used as the office. Dog was chained to the axle of that Ford Falcon until one day Lester saw the puppy running full speed down the dirt road pulling the Falcon’s axle behind him.
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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - August 2019 • 81
As the story goes, this is when they named the Rottweiler pup Axle, but called him Axe. After he was spotted dragging that 30-lbs. chunk of steel down the dirt road, Axe graduated to “Junkyard Dog.” They moved Axe into that rusty 1956 Caddy. Car thieves called that junkyard the “Bakery.” There was a telephone code when delivering stolen cars to the yard. “Is the Bakery open?” One of the brothers would say yes or no. The car thief would be instructed to drive down the dirt road and make a right turn at the 1956 Caddy, park the stolen car and walk to the trailer to get paid. Lester and Clyde reportedly had a laugh when car thieves would pound on the door of the trailer with a torn pant leg or bloody arm after a run-in with Axe. With more road behind me, and inching closer to the red Kenworth, a vicious noise caused me to look towards that old rusted Caddy. Axe looked like a torpedo launched from
82 • August 2019 - TOWMAN.COM
a sub as he leaped from the rear door of the Fleetwood. As quickly as I thought the words, “junkyard d--,” I felt Axe’s jaws clamp around my left ankle. As he began to try and pull my leg off, I reached without hesitation into my left pocket and tore off the paper from around a 1-lbs. T-bone steak I bought earlier that morning. With one quick roundhouse swing, I slapped the crazed beast across the head as hard as I could with the raw meat. He let go of my foot as quickly as he had bit it. It was only seconds later that I was inside the cab of the Kenworth and getting the diesel engine to roar. As I turned the steering wheel of the T300 and released the brakes, there was Axe standing right in the middle of the dirt road. I think he was smiling at me while the T-bone hung from his mouth. As I drove around the brute, we made eye contact in what I know was mutual respect. Axe had
his bounty and so did I. About a month after my repossession of the Kenworth, I watched a news report about a couple of brothers who were arrested and charged with multiple counts of auto theft and running a chop shop. The story went into detail about how the thieves called it the Bakery and how the stolen parts were delivered. The report also talked about a junkyard dog named Axe who was adopted by a nearby salvage yard. It seems Axe’s new employer also bought the 1956 Caddy and moved it to their yard. I was happy to hear Axe didn’t lose his job; he was one mean-as-hell junkyard dog. 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.
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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - August 2019 • 83
Repo Agent Claims ‘Wrongful’ Arrest
A New York man claims he was just trying to do his job when he was wrongfully arrested late last month. According to NY1, Jose Rodriguez says he approached a car that had been marked for repossession due to missed payments. A short time later, he was confronted by an off-duty NYPD sergeant who informed him the Nissan Maxima belonged to a fellow officer. The car ’s owner subsequently emerged and attempted to pay what was due on the auto loan, Rodriguez said, adding that he told the man he could not reverse a repossession once it had started. In response, he said he was arrested on suspicion of a felony auto theft count. The officers then allegedly removed the sedan from the tow truck and drove it away. After spending nearly an entire day behind bars, reports indicate the felony was downgraded to misdemeanor counts of falsifying documents and possessing police scanners.
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Nevertheless, Rodriguez maintains he is innocent of all the charges and was only arrested because he attempted to take a police officer’s vehicle. His supervisor agrees that he was wrongfully arrested and the respossession was legal, through the bank with a court order. Rodriguez is reportedly considering a lawsuit against the New York Police Department. Source: crimeonline.com.
Man Stole His Repossessed Vehicle
The Electra (Texas) Police Department recently arrested Rex Cameron Maylor for “repossessing” his already repossessed car. Maylor, 52, was arrested and charged for allegedly removing a repossessed vehicle from a bank. According to the police affidavit, someone from Waggoner National Bank called to report a repossessed vehicle was missing. He added that he received a text message from the suspect saying that he had removed
the vehicle from the parking lot. The reporting party then said he told the suspect that he needed to return the vehicle, to which the suspect agreed. The next morning, the bank employee called police to report the vehicle as still missing. The bank employee provided police with a copy of multiple messages between him and the suspect that corroborated the report given by the caller. Maylor was arrested and charged with hindering secured creditor over $2,500, under $30,000 Source: timesrecordnews.com.
Man Admits to Attacking Repo Agents
A Maryland man has pleaded guilty in the assault of three repo men who were attacked while they were trying to collect his tow truck, police said. Derrell Brown, 31, of Upper Marlboro, faces up to 10 years in prison for the incident. Brown and another person attacked a 26-year-old man who was trying to repossess Brown’s tow truck,
police said. “Without provocation, Brown launched an attack, punching and kicking the victim in his face and torso area,” police said. Brown hit the man in the head with a metal pipe and held him down while a second person took the victim’s wallet and keys, police said. During the attack, two other repo men arrived and found their colleague bleeding, police said. Brown assaulted the two men who tried to help their co-worker before the repo men escaped and found help. Police spokesman Marcus Jones said investigators arrested Brown after linking him to information from his tow truck and the repossession company. The second man involved in the attack was arrested but not prosecuted, Jones said. Source: washingtonpost.com.
Maryland Leads in 60-Day Delinquencies
Findings from Experian’s Q1 “2019 State of the Automotive Finance Market” report showed that while Louisiana and Mississippi still have some of the highest rates, analysts indicated that leading the country continues to be Maryland with a 60-day delinquency rate of 1.49 percent. Those Gulf Coast states weren’t far off that leading pace as Experian pegged Mississippi’s rate at 1.19 percent and Louisiana’s reading at 1.13 percent. Maryland tied with Mississippi for the highest rate to close 2018 as Experian noted each state’s 60-day delinquency rate stood at 1.68 percent. All told, Experian said the overall 60-day delinquency rate remained flat at 0.68 percent after the first quarter. At the state-level data, the top 10 rates for delinquency were: Maryland, 1.49 percent; Mississippi, 1.19 percent; Louisiana, 1.13 percent; South Carolina, 0.95 percent; Georgia, 0.93 percent; Alabama, 0.89 percent; Nevada, 0.78 percent; Texas, 0.78 percent; Arkansas, 0.77 percent; North Carolina, 0.77 percent. Source: autoremarketing.com.
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To Advertise In Towman’s Market CALL
800-732-3869 Ellen Rosengart x 203 erosengart@towman.com
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Daddy’s Little Monster by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti
Michael Risoldi, his wife, Victoria, and his brother Angelo started Risoldi’s Automotive on July 11, 2000, when they opened a Mobil gas station in Allentown, New Jersey. They handle automotive, major and minor truck repair work as well as towing and recovery. They bought their first tow truck, a 1999 International 4700 with a Jerr-Dan Cougar wrecker body, in September of 2000. In 2003, the Risoldis purchased seven acres and moved their repair shop and towing business to Easthampton and in 2009 opened a second tow yard in Trenton to service the Trenton Police Department. They now have 20 employees and 24 units in their varied fleet. Risoldi’s currently has five heavies, four light-duties, six carriers, a tri-axle heavy-duty carrier, a 60-ton Jerr-Dan wrecker, a 25-ton Miller wrecker, four 4x4 Jerr-Dan MPL40s, two tractors, a Landoll 440 trailer, a 55-ton Talbert drop-side trailer, an excavator with grapple, skid-loader, wheel-loader and “Daddy’s Little Monster,” the impressive rotator featured here. Daddy’s Little Monster is an NRC 60/80 HIM rotator mounted on 2016 Kenworth T800 twin-steer. This unit is powered by a 550-hp Cummins ISX 15L engine rated at 2,050 ft./lbs. of torque, mated to an Eaton 2291 18-speed transmission with a Fabco FAT 30 auxiliary trans. It has dual DP two-speed planetary 60,000-lbs. main winches and dual DP two-speed 20,000-lbs. auxiliary winches.
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Tech Highlights Chassis: 2016 Kenworth T800 W twin-steer. Wrecker: 2016 NRC 60/80 HIM. Engine: Cummins ISX 15L. Trans: Eaton 2291 18-speed with Fabco FAT 30 auxiliary. Winches: Dual DP two-speed planetary 60,000-lbs. mains; dual DP two-speed 20,000 auxiliaries. Builder: Andy Ferreira of Ferreira Wrecker Sales. Paint: Michael and Angelo Risoldi.
Mike and Angelo spec’d and ordered the chassis body through Andy Ferreira of Ferreira Wrecker Sales in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, who built it and did the factory installation. Mike and Angelo did the paint in house. “It was still under construction, so the total paint is not completed yet,” Mike said. Daddy’s Little Monster took second place in the Rotator Class at the 2016 American Towman Expo, but there is no doubt that this beauty is a beast of a workhorse. “One job that stands out is that we were called to remove huge tanks from the Tropicana plant,” Mike said. “They had been looking for a company to remove them for over a year. This unit can get any job done. It has the ability to handle any task with precision and ease.” Risoldi’s celebrated its 19th year in business this past July 11. Here’s to many more years.
Jim “Buck” Sorrenti, a longtime editor of American Towman, has been our field editor for the past 10 years. He is a freelance writer and photographer with more than 40 years of experience covering motorcycle, hot rod, truck and towing culture. He writes weekly for TowIndustryWeek.com. Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
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The Towman Trust By Brendan Dooley
Who puts their trust in the towman? How about the motorist? Or the long-haul truck drivers, whether independent or company man? Certainly the police, state troopers, EMS and firefighters do. Think first of the everyday Joes and Janes, commuting to work every day in a five- or 10-year-old sedan. They rely on that old Ford or Toyota as they work to provide for their family; it may not look like much anymore, but if the car breaks down they are trusting the towman to treat it with the respect it deserves … as is their family. In a similar fashion, the folks driving the newer, shinier cars are trusting the towman with their “babies;” they’ve worked hard to afford that $70,000 or more ride and expect the best when the towman arrives. They want to see a towman who works with care and precision to protect the paint, the undercarriage and everything else. What about the stranded motorist, in the middle of they-don’t-knowwhere? They’ve put their trust in a company, in its dispatch staff especially, to get a towman to their location as quick as possible. They are anxious in unfamiliar surroundings and worried about themselves and their car; they want to trust the towman to be there expediently and know what to do to help them get home safely. The truckers must trust the towman with their trucks and trailers (often well in excess of $375,000 in worth), often contending with full or partial loads as well. They need the towman to expertly extricate their equipment, as well as save or recover their cargo, and clean up the scene. The relationship with police and fire—all first responders—is based in a mutual need to quickly resolve
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‘‘
The Trust Award, from American Towman Magazine, debuts in Atlantic City this December.
It is mutual trust, even more
than mutual interest, that holds human associations together.”
—H.L. Mencken, American author
any potential conflicts so they can get along and work together and build respect and understanding, key tenets in creating and continuing a mutual trust. Police and troopers trust the towman to show up quickly and know what to do. Whether it’s a “simple” vehicle impound, or a more complicated scenario for a vehicle that will need an evidence hold. Law enforcement trusts the tower to be on-scene within ETA, with the right equipment and the knowledge to get things loaded so they can get to their next call. Perhaps even more so than the police, the firefighters and paramedics truly must trust the towman with their lives. At accident scenes with
entrapment, as they are trying to extricate trapped motorists, how often are they trusting the towman to rig a vehicle quickly and correctly, and operate his equipment to gain enough access to remove the patient—all while trusting the towman’s work not to move or fail? American Towman recognizes you for all that you do to gain and keep trust on the road. This year at the AT Exposition XXXI in Atlantic City (Dec. 5-7), American Towman Magazine will debut the Trust Award, sponsored by OMG Tow Marketing and AutoReturn, to be given to towmen and companies who have consistently and reliably proven themselves as trustworthy by the parties that rely on them.
Interstate Towing Celebrates 20 Years
Interstate Towing of Chicopee, Massachusetts, recently celebrated its 20th anniversary of changing tires, jumping dead batteries and towing vehicles out of jams big and small. More than 200 people gathered to congratulate owner Jeremy Procon and his 71 employees at the business’ new garage. “I always try to do it the right way,” Procon said. That means following state regulations, ensuring employees have needed training and permits to operate the equipment, paying taxes and fees and focusing on “safety, safety, safety,” he said. Source: masslive.com.
Tow Company Donates Van to WWII Veteran
Sofio “Fuzzy” Failla is a 92-yearold Navy veteran who suffered a stroke last year and has been bound to a wheelchair ever since. However,
thanks to local groups in Berlin, Connecticut, Fuzzy gained his independence again on the Fourth of July. D&L Autobody and Towing donated a wheelchair-accessible van to the veteran. “It’s very appropriate that it’d fall on this day,” said family member Lynn Higgins. “He’ll be able to get around now and have some semblance of his old life back.” Higgins mentioned that she and Fuzzy were stranded sometimes for an hour and a half to two hours, waiting for his wheelchair transport service to come pick him up from a doctor’s appointment. Fuzzy, originally from Newington, served in World War II. Up until last year, he was active, playing racquetball, golfing and fishing. Last year, Fuzzy suffered a stroke, paralyzing the left side of his body. The tow company decided to give him a new set of wheels to pursue his life joys again. “Definitely made my Fourth of July. Better than any picnic for sure,”
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said John Meucci of D&L Autobody and Towing. Source: wfsb.com.
Truck, Trailer Brake Issues in Three Recalls
Recalls from Daimler Trucks North America, Trail King and Autocar were announced recently by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, affecting a small number of trucks and trailers. Daimler issued a recall for approximately 253 of its 2019 Freightliner 108SD, 114SD, Business Class M2, Cascadia, Western Star 5700 and Freightliner Custom Chassis XC vehicles for an issue with air disk brakes. DTNA says the brake caliper mounting bolts on the affected trucks may not be tightened sufficiently, which could reduce the effectiveness of the brakes. Daimler will notify owners of affected trucks, and dealers will inspect and repair them for free. Owners can contact DTNA customer
service at 800-547-0712 with recall number FL-816. NHTSA’s recall number 19V-367. Trail King is recalling approximately 43 2016-’19 custom TKT50 tilt trailers. The company said the air control line to the front anti-lock braking system electronic control unit for the trailer brakes may be missing. Trail King will notify owners and will add a front control line for free. Owners can contact Trail King customer service at 800-843-3324 with recall number TK201902. NHTSA’s recall number is 19V-361. Autocar is recalling approximately 23 2019-’20 Xpeditor severe-duty trucks. The company said the rear axle brake may have a delayed release, causing the truck to fall out of compliance with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard. Owners can contact Autocar customer service at 888-218-3611 or 877973-3486 with recall number ACX-1905. NHTSA’s recall number is 19V-354. Source: ccjdigital.com.
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Civil Suit Accuses Couple Of ‘Predatory Towing’
The Mobile County (Alabama) district attorney’s office filed a civil lawsuit recently against a husband and wife, owners of two tow truck companies that the office claimed engages in “predatory towing.” The suit accuses Mike and Heather Sellers of Anytime Towing and Rapid Towing of being behind a “predatory towing ring” in the county and of engaging in deceptive trade practices, including forcing vehicle owners to sign waivers freeing the companies from legal liability in the presence of employees who openly carried firearms. “What started with towing vehicles from apartment complexes without authorization, charging excessive recovery fees, imposing vehicle ‘access fees,’ and utilizing purposeful measures to artificially inflate storage fees (e.g. not answering phone calls and unreasonably short windows of retrieval time) has escalated into attempting to parlay a known stolen vehicle into illegal payday against the consumer, recklessly damaging towed vehicles, lying to investigators, suborning forgery, and falsely imprisoning a law enforcement officer,” Assistant Mobile County District Attorney Clay Rossi writes in the suit filed on behalf of District Attorney Ashley Rich. The DA’s office is seeking to have the couple’s business licenses revoked and have the couple compensate one victim whose car was damaged by one of the towing companies, among other relief. The suit did not specify a dollar amount for total damages. Source: al.com.
least slow down to 20 mph under the speed limit. The operation from about 8:45 a.m. until about 2:30 p.m. as APD partnered with TXDOT to put a warning on electronic message boards before motorists approached the scene. Educational materials were handed out on each traffic stop. A&A Wrecker & Recovery assisted in the efforts by donating a tow truck and an out of service vehicle for the operation. Only warnings were issued to driver’s violating this law, according to APD. Other citations were issued for other infractions, including two speeding citations for vehicles traveling in excess of 90 mph as they passed the tow truck. An amendment to the Transportation Code in 2013 added tow trucks to a list of emergency vehicles. Austin police said this operation is the first in a series to educate the public on the law, specifically the inclusion of tow trucks. Source: kxan.com, APD.
Tow Truck Procession Honors Slain Driver
Arizona towers recently honored the life and memory of towman Richard Struble. He was one of the victims killed in a hit-and-run in June. The procession of nearly 40 tow trucks ended at the place where his life was taken at Discount Tire. Struble worked for Luna’s Towing for 20 years and was considered family to the generations who own the company. The Luna’s put out a call to fellow tow truck drivers to give Struble a proper sendoff filled with love and brotherhood. “He put his life on the line everyday to help people out on the side of the road. He was just a generous guy. Warmhearted, caring and hard-working man,” said Jesse Luna III, the Luna’s Towing owner’s son. Struble’s ashes rode along the procession with his loved ones and were carried by his fiancée, Mary Breijak. Source: kgun9.com.
APD Targets ‘Move Over’ Enforcement
The Highway Enforcement Command of the Austin, Texas, police conducted an operation recently to enforce the state’s Move Over law. APD said 18 officers were conducting the operation within city limits to focus on drivers not moving over for tow trucks on the side of the highway. The law in Texas states that drivers must move out of the lane closest to the emergency vehicle or at Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
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County Sheriff Sued Over Alleged Favoritism
A Mid-Michigan towing company recently sued the Shiawassee County sheriff, claiming he unfairly favors a competitor that’s owned by his friend. Lepley & Sons Towing, located in Owosso, filed the lawsuit. Owners say Sheriff Brian Begole was calling All-Star Towing more often than other companies in the county. According to court documents, between January and November of last year, All-Star Towing received 168 calls from the sheriff’s office while Lepley & Sons received 46 calls. The company is seeking at least $25,000 in damages. Source: abc12.com.
Truck, Trailer Brake Issues in Three Recalls
Recalls from Daimler Trucks North America, Trail King and Autocar were announced recently by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administra-
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tion, affecting a small number of trucks and trailers. Daimler issued a recall for approximately 253 of its 2019 Freightliner 108SD, 114SD, Business Class M2, Cascadia, Western Star 5700 and Freightliner Custom Chassis XC vehicles for an issue with air disk brakes. DTNA says the brake caliper mounting bolts on the affected trucks may not be tightened sufficiently, which could reduce the effectiveness of the brakes. Daimler will notify owners of affected trucks, and dealers will inspect and repair them for free. Owners can contact DTNA customer service at 800-547-0712 with recall number FL-816. NHTSA’s recall number 19V-367. Trail King is recalling approximately 43 2016-’19 custom TKT50 tilt trailers. The company said the air control line to the front anti-lock braking system electronic control unit for the trailer brakes may be missing. Trail King will notify owners and will add a front control line for free. Owners can contact Trail King customer service at 800-843-3324 with recall number TK201902. NHTSA’s recall number is 19V-361. Autocar is recalling approximately 23 2019-’20 Xpeditor severe-duty trucks. The company said the rear axle brake may have a delayed release, causing the truck to fall out of compliance with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard. Owners can contact Autocar customer service at 888-218-3611 or 877-973-3486 with recall number ACX1905. NHTSA’s recall number is 19V354. Source: ccjdigital.com.
Tow Company Donates Van to WWII Veteran
Sofio “Fuzzy” Failla is a 92-yearold Navy veteran who suffered a stroke last year and has been bound to a wheelchair ever since. However, thanks to local groups in Berlin, Connecticut, Fuzzy gained his independence again on the Fourth of July. D&L Autobody and Towing
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donated a wheelchair-accessible van to the veteran. “It’s very appropriate that it’d fall on this day,” said family member Lynn Higgins. “He’ll be able to get around now and have some semblance of his old life back.” Higgins mentioned that she and Fuzzy were stranded sometimes for an hour and a half to two hours, waiting for his wheelchair transport service to come pick him up from a doctor’s appointment. Fuzzy, originally from Newington, served in World War II. Up until last year, he was active, playing racquetball, golfing and fishing. Last year, Fuzzy suffered a stroke, paralyzing the left side of his body. The tow company decided to give him a new set of wheels to pursue his life joys again. “Definitely made my Fourth of July. Better than any picnic for sure,” said John Meucci of D&L Autobody and Towing. Source: wfsb.com.
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Tow Truck Procession Honors Slain Driver
Arizona towers recently honored the life and memory of towman Richard Struble. He was one of the victims killed in a hit-and-run in June. The procession of nearly 40 tow trucks ended at the place where his life was taken at Discount Tire. Struble worked for Luna’s Towing for 20 years and was considered family to the generations who own the company. The Luna’s put out a call to fellow tow truck drivers to give Struble a proper sendoff filled with love and brotherhood. “He put his life on the line everyday to help people out on the side of the road. He was just a generous guy. Warmhearted, caring and hard-working man,” said Jesse Luna III, the Luna’s Towing owner’s son. Struble’s ashes rode along the procession with his loved ones and were carried by his fiancée, Mary Breijak. Source: kgun9.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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