American Towman Magazine - November 2019

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THE ROAD CALLS

NOVEMBER 2019 / $10

Mining Atlantic City AT Expo XXXI • December 4-7 Towers Make Money at Tow Shows

Enjoy your coffee at TowIndustryWeek.com

Breakthrough 100-Ton Rotator Unveiling

AmericanTowman.com

Volume: 43 Issue: 11 2019

november FEATURE CONTENTS

Departments The Walkaround . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 News Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Zoom In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Tow Boss. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Tow Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Ad Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Beacons On!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Tow Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Seminar Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

24

Mining the Tow Show: Scouting Report You need a scouting report to make your best use of time in scouring the AT Expo for ideas and equipment to improve your business.

by Steve Calitri and Brendan Dooley

36

Sunken Dredge

Repo Run. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

After four decades sunk and mired in muck, three Michigan tow companies work together to recover a dredge from a gravel pit.

Repo Times. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

by Brendan Dooley

Letters to the Editor. . . . . . . . . . . 68

Towman’s Market . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 My Baby.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Low Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Adventures of A.T. . . . N93, M,S,W89

This page: Three companies in Michigan teamed up to do a 1 million-lbs. pull to recover a sunken dredge in a man-made lake.

4 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

56

Diversifying the Bottom Line Consider trailers in your fleet equipment when seeking to add new revenue through transport and heavy hauling.

by Brian J. Riker

Common Courtesy on the Job

By Dennie Ortiz

In a business that is rife with stress, do your employees still maintain basic professional etiquette with one another? Many towing operations are family-run businesses. Even those non-family entities are relatively smaller businesses that, after awhile, become like extended family.

The ideal operation encourages a healthy professional environment that in turn creates a positive atmosphere where people can thrive and the business can succeed.

Obviously, working long hours for many days and years with the same people can cause tensions to rise and anger to flare at times. The occasional instance of these altercations could be deemed normal … what the owner needs to be aware of is when negative behavior by employees is noticed yet unaddressed.

To achieve harmony in the workplace, respect for others must be emphasized. A recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) listed respectful treatment of employees as the

main ingredient in contributing to employee job satisfaction.

While it is important for any business to promote respectful behavior and simple common courtesy ... this fundamental characteristic is often associated as having good manners.

Here is a list of some basic behavior that should be encouraged and demonstrated by all staff members: • Saying “good morning or hello”, “please” and “thank you”, “goodbye” or “good night” • Demonstrate appreciation for the time and efforts of others • Listen to what others are saying, not just in order to react or respond adversely • S how genuine kindness and concern • Be mindful of criticizing another’s work without recognizing and vocalizing positive contributions As I finish this list I realized that these are practices that I should be more aware of in my own home. In closing, sometimes we just need to be reminded of how powerful simple common courtesy can be communicated in any relationship.

Teamwork

By Brendan Dooley

It’s always nice to see when towing companies can work together instead of knifing each other in the back with cut-rate promises to steal clients.

In this month’s issue (p 36), three teams in Michigan worked together on one recovery that required quite a bit of force: nearly 1 million lbs. of pull.

The combo of Corrigan Towing, Adler’s Towing and A&M Towing and some heavy, heavy equipment 6 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

ensured a sunken dredge would emerge from the depths of a former quarry after some four decades submerged.

Nice work by all the operators, and divers, who rigged and removed this equipment from the water.

What interesting recoveries have you done lately, whether light-, medium- or heavy-duty in nature?

Share a few pics and details with me (bdooley@towman.com) for a shot at getting featured in American Towman Magazine and/or on TowIndustryWeek.com.

Dennie Ortiz Steve Calitri Brendan Dooley Charles Duke Randall Resch Terry Abejuela Jim “Buck” Sorrenti David Kolman Bill Simmons Mark Lacek Brian Riker

Publisher Editor-In-Chief Editor Senior Editor Operations Editor Field Editor, West Field Editor, Northeast Chassis Editor Safety Editor Repo Run Editor Contributing 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 Media Staff Gina Johnson Dennie Ortiz Ellen Rosengart Norma Calitri 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 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.

‘Move Over’ Message Lost in Maryland

Maryland’s Move Over law was officially expanded to motorists when approaching a stopped service vehicle on a state road in 2018.

The 12-month result is mixed, at best, and somewhat discouraging, according to the Baltimore (Maryland) Sun editorial board.

Maryland State Police report that troopers have issued 1,347 citations and 4,979 warnings so far this year for Move Over violations, which is essentially the same as all of 2018 (1,349 citations and 5,677 warnings).

More than 3,400 people have been hurt and 46 killed in “work zone” crashes in Maryland from 2014 to 2018, according to Maryland’s State Highway Administration.

“These accidents are entirely preventable—if people would move over when they have the ability,” said Greg Slater, head of the SHA. “It’s like people think the safety issue isn’t real.”

Source: baltimoresun.com.

Towman Helps Elderly Man in Flood

A towman in Niles, Ohio, recently saved an elderly man on a flooded street after he attempted to drive through it and got stuck.

The tower said he saw a cane waving out of the car’s window.

“I helped him out of the car and I held his hand until I got him to safety, and then I helped him in my truck and then I gave him a ride home,” said James Barns of Allen Towing.

Barns said the elderly gentleman was grateful and did not need taken to the hospital.

Source: wkbn.com.

Towman Jesse Martinez Slain in California Loved ones remembered a young father the day after he was killed on the job after an argument with a customer who had called him for help.

Police in Riverside, California, say 32-year-old Javier Martinez called for a tow truck last month, got into an argument with towman Jesse Martinez and shot him multiple times.

The victim’s older sister, Laura Ludington, says her 27-year-old brother was just doing his job and supporting his three young children.

Dispatchers on the phone with the victim at the time said the suspect climbed up on the back of the tow truck to get his belongings, which was against company policy. Investigators say things turned physical after that.

Police found Javier a half-mile away in another neighborhood, where they say he tossed evidence.

At a vigil, Martinez was remembered as a charismatic, self-motivated family man.

“His kids just kept pushing him to become better and move forward and work harder. And that’s exactly what he was doing,” Ludington said.

Source: losangeles.cbslocal.com.

Jamie Davis:

Looks to Golden Future AT Expo Gallery, Crane Recovery Wins Donnie, Cable Barrier Dangers

Jamie Davis

Behind the Stardom of

‘Highway Thru Hell’ towman.com

towmantv.com

towweek.com

Towman Jamie Davis on the February 2015 American Towman cover.

8 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

Towman Jesse Martinez. cbslocal.com image.

People in the city of Golden, British Columbia, Canada, may have seen a friendly new face on its roads, and big red towing trucks clearing wreckage out of the canyon and helping people out of sticky situations along the roadsides.

Jamie Davis Towing has purchased Columbia Towing and his operation is already in full swing. With a wife and family back in their home base of Hope, Davis will spend part of his time in Golden.

One of the reasons Davis decided on Golden as the next move was thanks to the local Royal Canadian Mounted Police. In Golden, the RCMP function off a rotation basis. The system works really well for Davis, and he says it keeps his crew busy, without too much downtime.

Source: thegoldenstar.net.

… These accidents are entirely preventable …

WTA Raises $4,300 for Survivor Fund

The Wisconsin Towing Association recently donated $4,300 to the Survivor Fund at the International Towing and Recovery Museum. The monies were raised at the annual Wisconsin Tow Show and Convention through a silent auction.

Many valuable items were donated by a number of WTA members and available for bids throughout the convention. The association holds the auction annually and donates all proceeds directly to the Survivors Fund.

Source: WTA.

Arson Threats to Tow Business

Deputies responded to Mel’s Towing in Monroe, Louisiana, in response to an irate customer recently.

Authorities arrested Patrick Anderson III for resisting arrest and threatening to burn down a business.

According to the arrest report, witness statements said Anderson threatened harm to the owner because of the towing bill for his vehicle. Officials say when they responded to the scene, Anderson refused to cooperate with law enforcement.

Deputies say they had to forcibly move Anderson to the back of his truck and he attempted to resist arrest.

Source: myarklamiss.com.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Classroom sessions as well as demonstrations and hands-on training will be part of The Towman Games.

Quick Clearance is Focus of Towman Games Expediting road clearance, or “Quick Clearance,” is the focus of a new training and certification program for tow bosses that headlines the upcoming Towman Games—American Towman Magazine and Expositions’ version of military exercises, taking place at the Huntington Convention Center in Cleveland, Ohio, June 17-20, 2020.

Towman Games will delve into instruction in Quick Clearance protocol and maneuvers, “Xtreme” recovery training and advance training in rotator and carrier operations, as well as towing and recovery skills competitions over the four-day event. Exhibits will take place Friday and Saturday, June 19-20.

In-depth classroom courses will also be offered on two critically important management topics: Recovery Business Boot Camp and Making More Money; discussing potential revenue streams that many towers are overlooking, including Quick-Clearance-related acci-

dent remediation and traffic flow management.

Additional Xtreme recovery demonstrations will be free to all trade show attendees on the convention center floor.

The Association of Professional Towers-Ohio will hold its 2020 annual convention, picnic and training activities in conjunction with the new American Towman Games June 17-20, 2020, in Cleveland, Ohio.

“APTO is excited to be a part of American Towman’s innovative inaugural event that will introduce a new level of training experiences for tow business owners. Promoting training and compliance is part of the core mission of APTO,” the association said in a press release.

For Towman Games information, contact Doc Calitri at dcalitri@towman.com or 800-732-3869, Ext. 220; or, Tommy Anderson at tom@towman.com or 214202-4936.

Trade exhibits will also be featured at The Towman Games

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - November 2019 • 9

Rolling Thunder: Century M100 Rotator Miller Industries Towing Equipment recently pulled out all the stops to unveil its new Century M100—the first ever 100-ton Rolling Rotator—to a crowd of more than 1,000 towmen and other industry reps in towing’s birthplace of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

According to Miller, the M100 rolling rotator offers “a true 200,000 lbs. of lifting capacity that was engineered, tested and documented to the highest SAE standards” that was secretly in development for two years accounting for more than 10,000 engineering hours.

The Century M100’s rolling turret platform allows it to move up to 147” under load, moving “forward and backward helping position heavy loads where they are needed 10 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

while giving operators maximum flexibility during tough recovery situations.” The M100’s specs include: • 48.5’ of recovery boom reach.

• 25’ of outrigger stance.

• 53.4’ maximum elevated hook height.

• Working area of more than 8,300-sq./ft. with recovery boom fully extended.

• 360-degrees continuous rotation.

• Dual 65,000-lbs. main recovery winches.

• Dual 30,000-lbs auxiliary turret winches.

• Two 30,000-lbs. drag winches (optional).

millerind.com

The Century M100 is lifting a Century 1075S rotator (77,400 lbs.) that is already lifting a Century 5130 (33,880 lbs.) during the M100’s debut gala in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Miller Industries’ new Century M100 100-ton rolling rotator.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - November 2019 • 11

Starting Strong: Arrival Assessments

By Randall C. Resch

A

rrival assessment, or “scene size-up,” doesn’t happen by reading a book or taking a class—it’s the combination of experiences and learned techniques that develop the responder’s senses to a recovery scenario at hand.

Arrival assessment is typically part of the practice of law enforcement and firefighters to pre-determine the nuts and bolts of a scene. Police recruits learn the importance of how-to immediately assess a potentially violent individual and react with techniques necessary to prevent loss of life or de-escalate a d a n g e ro u s situation.

‘‘

Always survey

areas above and

surrounding where the casualty is

situated and include looking for hanging debris, broken

poles, utilities and, most importantly, energized wires.

When towers arrive on-scene, the manner in which we attack must be directly related to safety and survival. Learning to recognize on-scene dangers is one primary component of arrival assessment; however, other components exist. For instance, when dealing with potentially dangerous and risky incidents involving dangerous chemicals and spills, your work response must be exact, careful and calculated.

Scope It Out

All recovery scenes vary based on factors of location, climate, ambient lighting, the presence of fire, spills, hazmat, explosions, access to the casu-

12 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

alty, type of vehicle, its load and workability. As learned in Traffic Incident Management training, size-up begins by determining if the casualty will be moved or worked in-place? A recovery plan also determines if your company will work a lengthy site remediation.

Much of a plan’s determination begins with visual assessment and a systematic walk-around of the incident’s footprint. Other on-scene components may question: • Are additional assets required for remediation?

• What direction to sweep?

• Is there a known escape route?

• A re cones, flares and signs positioned to provide advanced emergency notice to approaching traffic?

• H ave we pre-determined all noticeable hazards?

A significant component of arrival assessment, GOAL, is a means to urge tow operators to Get Out And Look to preview what equipment and techniques are vital to the recovery plan. Always survey areas above and surrounding where the casualty is situated and include looking for hanging debris, broken poles, utilities and, most importantly, energized wires.

It takes time in grade to learn the ropes of arrival assessment; it’s an acquired skill. The more accidents and situations you’re exposed to, the more experienced you become as you work towards proficiency. Soon, with individual experience and confidence moving forward, arrival assessment becomes second nature. The more we are exposed to varying conditions, the better skilled we become to any number of scenarios.

Arrival assessment is one’s ability to first visualize what’s necessary to

➢

get the job done, and be able to ascertain a plan in a moment’s notice. The basics of arrival assessment include positioning of the wrecker, situational awareness and having pre-determined escape routes.

Truck Positioning

Arrival assessment demands that tow trucks or carriers be positioned in the best location that offers mechanical advantage and potential impact protection without having to make adjustments to the tow truck, or move to another vantage point to complete the recovery or load the casualty.

Situational Awareness

Arrival assessment demands that towers take into account immediate and present dangers. Will you work the accident with the tow truck positioned within traffic lanes with traffic flowing around? Are you standing at traffic-side controls? Are you working from a vantage point that offers you the most individual protection from dangerous elements? Are you aware that a vehicle into a pole may have caused downed wires? Have you immediately determined what could potentially cause an accidental injury or death?

Escape Routes

The ability to visualize traffic patterns relating to operator safety is paramount. Once you’ve exited the tow truck’s cab, you’re standing smack in the middle of a world filled with distracted and intoxicated motorists.

A wayward vehicle could wander into your recovery zone at any moment and swipe your life from you.

The No. 1 contributor to tower strikes and fatalities are unsuspecting towers working outside their tow truck as pedestrians. (Since 1934, as many as 316 tow operators have been struck and killed while walking, standing and working highway and shoulder related incidents as pedestrian workers. This number does not reflect mortality rates of other first-responder categories.)

If a vehicle is headed your direction, have you predetermined a safety

14 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

exit; somewhere you may be able to take evasive actions to keep from being struck? Do you sweep towards traffic and always set flares while watching approaching traffic? If you’re working on a bridge or overpass, would dodging a speeding car result in a deadly fall?

‘‘

Learning to recognize

on-scene dangers is one primary

component of arrival assessment

Proper Equipment

The decision to request mutual aid assistance may be necessary at some scenes. For law enforcement calls, mutual aid or use of sub-contractors may be restricted by contract. Mutual aid relationships should be developed prior to need. If you’ve determined that specialty equipment is necessary to get the job done, communicate your recovery plan to Incident Command or the officer-in-charge.

Arriving tow operators shall preplan what actions will be taken based on the scenario and the positioning where the casualty vehicle’s rest. If crashed vehicles have blocked traffic lanes, traffic may still be flowing around you while you work outside and beyond the tow truck.

Arrival assessment includes the process of situating and parking a tow vehicle strategically so as not to add to the confusion of the accident scene. Do not drive through a crash scene as you may be driving through critical evidence. Position your tow vehicle away from emergency vehicles to allow their emergency lights to identify the incident scene, not impede the other responder vehicles entry and exit. Park your tow vehicle

and activate four-way flashers, or, activate over-head emergency amber lighting in-accordance to move-over laws unless directed differently by the officer on-scene.

Exit your tow vehicle quickly and safely to ensure there’s a sufficient gap in approaching traffic. When working highway or shoulder incidents, it’s recommended that you work, walk and stand in locations that strategically position the wrecker between you and moving traffic. Once safely parked, locate the Incident Commander to first determine if a hold for evidence is required.

While looking for the officer-incharge, make visual notes as to what plan of recovery you’ll take. If the recovery appears to be a difficult one, discuss your recovery plan with the IC knowing you may not be allowed to close additional lanes. So, what’s your Plan B? Arrival assessment is the tower’s ability to basically look, see and do; nothing less. Talking about arrival assessment is easy, yet it takes years of on-scene experience to develop a solid grasp of what the recovery spectrum entails. The goal of a successful recovery determines, the best way to arrive, work the scene front to back and then tow or transport the casualty back to your facility without further incident.

The demands and expectations by law enforcement are extremely high.

Arrival assessment (at its least) is a personal undertaking to take seriously while on the path of competency and professionalism.

Those who play on the varsity team are the professional tow operators who demonstrate recognized on-scene proficiencies, aptitudes and abilities.

Arrival assessment is among those that should become a built-in trait of “look, see, do.”

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.

A hand-crank winch does the same job as a modern hydraulic one: it lets line in and out and sets tension.

Proper Winch Operations and Maintenance

By Terry Abejuela

T

he winch can be dated back to at least 480 B.C. in written accounts of wooden winches used to tighten cables used for a pontoon bridge. There are many industries that utilize different types of winches. In the towing and recovery industry we use hydraulic winches to move loads.

A winch, in its simplest form, is a mechanical device that consists of a drum and a power source to turn the drum and wind in a rope, strap or chain. Of course, the evolution of the winch has resulted in the more complex winches we use today. Whether powered by a hand crank or hydraulically, the winch allows us to wind in or let out a line and otherwise adjust tension on it.

It is important that a tow operator be knowledgeable about the proper

18 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

operation, inspection and maintenance of the winch for their own safety as well as the safety of others at the scene. The winch manufacturer’s operation manual must be reviewed and understood prior to operating the winch. Read all information and warning labels. Consult the manufacturer for any questions pertaining to their equipment.

It is common for the towing and recovery equipment manufacturer to utilize a specific winch manufacturer for winches installed on their towing and recovery equipment. When replacement of a winch is necessary on a tow unit, using the original equipment manufacturer’s product is preferred. To ensure the proper match, consult with the OEM truck manufacturer and/or winch manufacturer.

‘‘

A winch rated at

8,000 lbs. on the first layer will be reduced to a rating of 6,700 lbs. on the second

layer and 5,700 lbs. on the third layer.

The two most common types of hydraulic winches used in our industry are driven by either worm or planetary gears.

• Worm-gear winches have relatively few moving parts, are very robust and are reliable. The primary parts of the winch are the worm gear and the worm wheel. One of the advantages

➢

Worm-gear winch.

of this design is they already have a brake built in the design.

You must have a way to stop the drum from reeling out once you stop winching. When the worm gear stops turning, the worm wheel cannot turn; it is considered self-braking. Wormgear winches create a lot of heat due to friction, which makes them less efficient (generally between 35 percent to 40 percent efficient).

• P lanetary-gear winches have more moving parts, including the internal gear, sun gear, carrier and planetary gears. Planetary-gear winches are about 65 percent efficient, but require an additional braking mechanism.

These winches generally have a higher line speed than wormgear winches; however wormgear technology has advanced to the point where line speeds are more comparable to planetary gears.

information on the rating label for the towing equipment. This rating is normally the maximum rating for the winch and only applies on the first layer of rope on the drum. The rating for the winch will be reduced as the rope winds on to the second and third layers on the drum.

A winch rated at 8,000 lbs. on the first layer will be reduced to a rating of 6,700 lbs. on the second layer and 5,700 lbs. on the third layer. The ratings for

Load Limits

Never exceed the working load limit of the winch. The winch should have a ratings label from the winch manufacturer. It is common for the towing and recovery equipment manufacturer to provide winch rating

20 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

Maintenance items to check.

the second, third and fourth layer are not normally found on the rating plate from the towing manufacturer. This information should be on the winch manufacturer’s rating plate attached to the winch. You must also maintain a minimum of five wraps of wire rope around the drum to achieve the 8,000lbs. rating.

On most winches the rope is attached to the drum by inserting the rope through a hole at one end of the drum and tightening a set screw. This set screw is only designed to keep the rope attached to the drum to start winding; it was not intended to support any load. With a minimum of five wraps of wire rope on the drum, the wraps of rope on the drum will tighten on the drum before tension is placed on the set screw, allowing the rope to remain secured to the drum up to the rating. (If you are utilizing synthetic rope, it is recommended that you maintain a minimum of seven wraps on the drum before winching.)

Winches used on tow trucks include a free-spool mechanism. Never disengage the winch when it has tension on it. When re-engaging the winch, make sure there is no tension on the rope. Once the drum is engaged, winch out to allow the

➢

Cutaway of a planetarygear winch.

locking mechanism to fully engage before placing a load on the winch. Failure to follow this procedure may result in the winch not fully engaging and slipping back into free spool.

Winches should be inspected at intervals recommended by the winch manufacturer. Most manufacturers

22 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

recommend a regimen of weekly, monthly and annual inspections. A quick visual inspection should be performed prior to each use. Inspections should include checking oil levels, checking mounting bolts for any signs of damage or loosening and checking the pressure-relief plug.

The pressure relief plug allows hot oil gases to escape.

Follow all winch manufacturer recommendation for maintenance.

The initial oil in the winch should be changed after the break-in period

recommended by the winch manufacturer (usually around 10 hours).

It is normal, at this initial oil change, for the contaminated oil to contain minuscule black and bronze particles. After the initial oil change, most winch manufacturers recommend changing the oil at least annually, depending on how frequently the winch is used.

To ensure the safe operation and maximize the service life of the winch you must be familiar with and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for installation, maintenance and operation.

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.

Stertil-Koni Helps Refurbish Rare Vehicles Lift manufacturer Stertil-Koni (stertil-koni.com) announced that Idaho-based Legacy Classic Trucks selected and is currently using the company’s heavy-duty lifting systems to give new life to historic vehicles.

Legacy Classic Trucks recently landed a contract for a multi-year restoration project upgrading 33 1937 White Motor Co. Model 706 tour buses into environmentally friendly hybrids.

“This was a unique opportunity to leverage our tremendous expertise in reliable hydraulic lifting technology to a whole new arena—the rebuilding of vintage vehicles,” said Stertil-Koni’s Ron Reazer, West Coast sales manager. Legacy CEO Winslow Bent said the company “discovered significant time and cost savings” with the new Earthlift systems and would be ordering more.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - November 2019 • 23

Mining

Atlantic City

By Steve Calitri

S

ome towers who rarely go to tow shows are under the impression that only the exhibitors make money. But the perennial show attendees keep returning to the industry’s most dynamic show because they too are making money by being there, in a myriad of ways.

For example, Tow Bosses attending the American Towman Exposition in Atlantic City next month will make lucrative stops at the booths of motor clubs and call providers. There are 20 of them exhibiting, their booth space set up for in-depth conversations between their reps and tow business owners. Towers walk away picking up new call providers to work with and shoring up relationships with current club partners. There are many towing networks for car and truck towers on the floor.

Today, doing business with many of these clubs and call providers involve tie-ins with apps that level the playing field for large- and smallfleet tow companies alike. Some of these exhibiting companies also help the tower create his or her own app so their customers have a quick connection to them through their smartphones.

However, motor clubs are not the only avenue where tow bosses can profit at a show. With some 250 tow industry suppliers exhibiting at the world’s largest tow show, tow bosses will have a wide array of choices in equipment financing and insurance providers. Then there are many equipment options on the floor that will translate into the ability to tow more efficiently or enter a new niche towing

24 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

market. Self-loading wheel-lifts, rotating flatbeds, double-decker carriers, knuckle-booms cranes, heavy-duty rotators and transport trailers on the floor promise new revenue.

Among those 250 exhibitors at the Atlantic City Convention Center, Dec. 5-7, there are many new potential allies for the tow boss operating the business that can increase one’s capability to do more business and lower costs. More money!

Knowing one’s costs can be solved using today’s computer software for towing operations on the market; the companies and programs will be present on the show floor, ready to demo for the tow boss looking to upgrade the business operation.

Having qualified operators for the tow fleet is more challenging today than ever before and there are exhibitors that can help with recruitment and training.

One need not venture far off the exhibit floor to discover new allies for business success. Through the past three decades, some 30,000 tow business owners have profited from their take-aways at the Academy seminars.

These towers will American Towman seminars for their increased success.

As an example of how a tow business can grow through the American Towman Academy, one of the 30-plus seminars is on Diversification that will be conducted by Bill Johnson, owner of Hampshire Towing in Massachusetts. Johnson is one of several tow business owners across the nation who has grown his business through savvy diversification into Accident Remediation/Cleanup, Equipment Transport,

Auto Repair, Car Rentals and Shipping/Brokerage.

Driving new business through online market services and techniques has never been more exciting for tow bosses. Exhibitors in Atlantic City will help with the tow company’s online presence and reputation, whether by creating a new website, search optimization or cultivating and monitoring online customer reviews. Academy seminars also cover these topics.

Achieving greater success is what tow shows are all about. Hundreds go to American Towman shows to receive American Towman awards that boost their business profile and reputation.

They get local publicity from these awards, even front-page newspaper coverage and TV interviews. The Towman Medal, Order of Towman, Towman ACE and Trust are among these stellar achievements.

This year all tow bosses who show and participate at the American Towman Exposition in Atlantic City will receive recognition of their participation they can parlay into their business profile manner to boost business; a new benefit for AT Expo attendees.

Spending money or investing further into one’s business operation is but one aspect of the show game. The smart tow boss goes to a tow show to make money. The success of several tow shows around the nation and the storied growth of the American Towman Exposition attest to this fact.

The following Scouting Report may whet your appetite for the exciting possibilities that await towers making the trip to Atlantic City.

AC Scouting Report

By Brendan Dooley

Suppliers mentioned in Report are those who responded to the editor’s query by print deadline.

It’s time to get down to business, making the important calls on which companies, tools and products are going to help your business thrive and expand. That’s why you’ve come to the American Towman Exposition, whether you’re here every year or this is your first time.

As you walk the rows of hundreds of vendors vying for your attention, you know you need to prioritize which booth

stops are necessary to keep your trucks moving and/or move your shop to the next level.

So, where do you start? By using our pre-show scouting report to get some advance word on what is coming down the aisle. Of note are a few debuts and unveilings that are so fresh, full details weren’t even available as of press time.

Brand New! Jerr-Dan is promising to unveil “several” new tow trucks and equipment in Atlantic City alongside its core products; you definitely don’t want to miss that. As of press time, they couldn’t share any specifics however.

Hino Trucks, too, is set to debut a new commercial chassis, but couldn’t share any details yet.

Debuts aren’t just for wreckers and chassis, though. MatJack will be introducing its new 3M Peltor headsets and PMI Advantage Helmets in the protective gear and communications categories.

In other reports coming out about the show:

Communications Goosetown Communications will be in AC showing off its new TeamConnect network, a nationwide push-to-talk setup utilizing LTE. It allows businesses to utilize PTT capabilities over mobile networks to communicate over great distances via mobile phone or LTE radios.

HCI will be showcasing its TLK 100 two-way radio that combines push-to-talk two-way radio comms over a cellular network.

Distributors West End Service will have a 2020 Peterbilt 389 twin-steer/Century 1075 tri-axle 75-ton rotator.

In addition to tools and equipment, Zip’s AW Direct will have its new “High Riser” on display, a 2020 Freightliner/Century 9055XL with max boom reach of 276”.

Equipment EZ Spare will show its universal spare wheel solution for roadside service providers when confronted with arrival at a flat tire-no spare situation.

Force America, a leader in mobile hydraulic solutions and national source for Chelsea PTOs, will be showing its new Chelsea Model 210 PTO for the Ford 10-speed transmission and specially designed interface module for Ford chassis.

In the Ditch will be showing its XL X-Series self-loading dollies with industry-first eXtended Life automotive sealed hubs that are maintenance-free and never need grease. The X-Series comin SD and larger XD sizeswith bolt-on spindles and high-wear bushings.

Sepson USA will show its military-grade winches that have been field-tested in the “harshest winter conditions” and feature true free-spooling drums, auto two-speed on high-capacity models and

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - November 2019 • 25

Weego will do demos of its Crankenstein compact smart tool for roadside assistance that replaces traditional jumpstart packs. It can jumpstart 12V and 24V gas and disesl engines and recharges in six hours, and Crankenstein’s “intuitive operation requires zero training.”

Witzco Trailers will be showing its RN 50 Paver “perfect for the towing and recovery industry” with lower deck height, numerous chain hold-downs, bi-fold hydraulic ramps and an optional 20,000-lbs. remote-operated winch.

Bring your shopping list to Zip’s AW Direct to load up on values in cold-weather gear, the latest towing accessories and a wide selection of products. They will also have live demos covering new products and custom apparel options to help promote your business.

Finance To get that truck home you were eyeing a couple booths over, First Business Equipment Finance is a direct lender that will be on hand to provide customized and flexible financing options for new and used trucks to operations of all sizes. The one-page credit app allows approvals to happen in just minutes.

Insurers Check in with Austin Insurance to find reasonable rates from specialists in the towing and recovery realm for nearly 30 years. Maybe grab a pen or some gloves too.

Nottingham Insurance is offering a chance to “win a great prize” alongside its competitive programs covering the auto industry, including tow programs, body shops, dealers, gas stations and auto transporters.

Mobile video The Menzel Mobile Vehicle Surveillance System is a high-resolution mobile recorder that offers GPS updates every five seconds, cellular service, text messaging, live cam views and up to 12 cameras per system to monitor 360 degrees, with audio, 24/7/365.

OnTrak Solutions is introducing its SafteyCam cutting edge connected dash cam that includes distracted driver detection.

Planet Halo is looking to increase your efficiency and peace of mind in fleet management; its video/internet tech is optimized to monitor fleets.

A six-channel dash cam provides live video feeds monitored via a cloudbased management platform.

Pro-Vision Video Systems’ 900 Series hybrid HD DVR will be on display. It simultaneously records video and provides camera views on in-cab monitor—including backup rear view and blind spots when turning. It’s available with up to six cameras for 360-degree coverage, GPS tracking and automated wireless transfer.

OEMs Miller Industries will showcase a Century 12-Series LCG with Right Approach option, featuring Hendrick Motorsports graphics, alongside a variety of Miller’s most popular products, including the Vulcan 812 Intruder II auto-loader, Vulcan V-30 16-ton medium-duty integrated and Century 1150 rotator with a RXP side-puller and knee-boom underlift.

26 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

Are you curious what all the hype is about with the new DD8 engine?

Stop by the Dual-Tech booth where a DD8 will be on display with detailed information and get up close with it to leanr more about its long mainetenance intervals, OBD, fuel efficiency and more.

Ford will be showing its F-600 Super Duty chassis cab that debuted earlier in 2019. It is a medium-duty truck that “delivers the capability of a Class 6 truck in the a Class 5 Super Duty package.” It’s available with 7.3L gas or 6.7L diesel engine plus a 10-speed transmission with available live-drive PTO provision.

In the Dynamic Equipment and Manufacturing booth, its light-duty Python—available as a wheel lift, drag winch or with recovery boom— will be a highlight.

Roadside services Allstate Roadside Services is launching a new dispatch volume opportunity that towers can learn about at its booth in AC. Honk would like every tow professional attending the Expo to stop by its booth and grab a “Slow Down-Move Over” bumper sticker. The on-demand mobility and roadside assistance platform is aiming to continue raising awareness of Move Over laws nationwide thorugh its app and interactions with towers and motorists. “We want to do everything we can to keep [towers] safe,” said Honk CEO Corey Brundage.

Services CarBrain will be showing tow companies how to generate extra revenue through its online marketplace that connects with vehicle buyers seeking out “less-than-perfect cars.”

TowTruckLocator.com is an online marketplace connecting used tow truck buyers and sellers that promises to help you find exactly what you’re looking for—if it exists—in seconds.

We Buy Key Fobs is supporting TRAA by making a donation to the association for every key fob it buys from a TRAA member. The key fob recycler pays for unwanted key remotes.

Software Ranger SST will be showing its integrated tow management system that covers digital dispatch, GPS tracking and mapping (with optional fixed in-vehicle GPS), accounting linked to QuickBooks, lot management, commercial and heavy haul and private property enforcement.

Tracker Management Systems will introduce a whole new interface for its software, which is now available on the web in new apps, a web login and it’s optimized for mobile proficiency. Tracker on the web is for operations of any size or focus.

Wearables No American Towman Expo would be complete without a stop at the AT Store to get this year’s Expo T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats and more.

On the show floor, the Tow Life booth will help out all those towmen and their families looking for the perfect shirt and graphic clothing to underscore they are living the “Tow Life.”

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - November 2019 • 27

Exhibitor Roster

American Towman

Exposition XXXI December 5-7, 2019

Thurs., Dec. 5: 2-5pm, Fri., Dec. 6: 11am-5pm, Sat., Dec. 7: 11am-6pm

Atlantic City Convention Center *Supplier names in bold are display advertisers in this issue with their ad page number cross-referenced

360 Payments AAA, p. 41 AASP-PA Access Tools, p. 77 Agero Alliance Funding Group Allstate Roadside Services, p. 72 Amdor American Safety & Supply, p. 44 American Towman Magazine Anchor Graphics ARI-Hetra Arkon Mounts Ascentium Capital AT&T - The Wireless Experience Atlanta Wrecker Sales, p. 61 Atlantic Emergency Solutions, p. N 89 Aussie Rimshine Austin Insurance, p. 55 Auto Data Direct Automotive Training Institute AutoReturn, p. 15, 55 B/A Products, p. 67 Bad Dog Tools Battelini Wrecker Sales Bay Street inc.

BBSI Beacon Funding, p. 62 Beacon Software, p. 61 Benchmark Payment Best Tools Breg Environmental Brown & Brown Insurance C3LS, Inc. Capital One Services Car-Part.com CarBrain CDL Life Century Chelsea Products Div. of Parker, p. 53 Chevron Chevron Commercial, p. 65 Clean Diesel Specialists Inc. Command Light Copart Auto Auctions 28 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

Crawford Truck Sales, p. N 83 Crouch’s Wrecker & Equip. Sales, p. 59 Custer Products Custom Radio Dangelo’s Custom Built Mfg. Deal Credit Corp.

Dedicated Funding NY DewEze Mfg. DK2 Warrior Winches Dom’s Wrap-A-Wreck DOT Tie Down DP Winch Dual-Tech Wreckers & Carriers, p. 62 Dynamic Towing Equip. & Mfg., p. 23 Eagle Wireless GPS East Coast Truck & Trailer Sales East Penn Truck Equipment ECCO Eemerg.com Electric Guard Dog Enviromotive Environmental Chemical Solutions, p. 69 Equalizer Equipment Gateway Miracle System & Airopower Excel Sportswear Eye3Data EZ Spare Wheel FCar Tech USA Federal Signal Firmhorn Sweeping System First Business, p. 74 FleetNet America Force America Ford Commercial Vehicles Fred Bean Parts GEICO Global Gadgets Goosetown Communications GPS Pro Guniwheel Distributed by LKQ Corp.

Hale Trailer Brake & Wheel, p. N 87 HCI/HCIXConnects.com Hino Trucks

Holmes Honk Technologies Hooks Towing & Equipment I Tow In IAA Illusions Wraps In The Ditch Towing Products INA / Wreaths Across America Int’l Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame & Museum, p. 34 Integrated Veh. Equip. Leasing, p. 68 Intek Truck & Equip. Leasing/Finance, p. 76 International Key Supply International Trucks Jerr-Dan Corp., p. 2,3 Jouvalle Kalyn Siebert Landoll Corporation, p. 53 Legacy Plus Insurance, p. 74 Lift And Tow Lift Marketing Group Lodar USA Lucky’s Trailer Sales Lynch Truck Centers Mach 1 Services Magnetworks / Stamp Works Manufacturer Express Marathon Business Card Program Marlow Ropes Maryland Carrier & Wrecker Sales, p. N 84 Matheny Motor Truck Co. Matheny Towing Equipment Matjack Jumbo Safelift, Inside Back Cover Menzel Technologies Metro Tow Trucks Metrocom Midwest Wrecker Miller Industries, p. 16, 17 Millner-Haufen Tool Mobile Video Computing Solutions Muncie Power Products Myers Benner Corp.

Mytee Products Nation Safe Drivers (NSD)

Exhibitor Roster as of October 21st *Supplier names in bold are display advertisers in this issue with their ad page number cross-referenced

National Automobile Club Nite Beam NJDOT/Transportation Mobility Noco Jump Packs Nottingham Insurance NRC Industries, p. 43 Olson & Company Omadi OMG Tow Marketing, p. M, N 88, S 84, W 87 OnlineParkingPass.com OnSpot Automatic Tire Chains OnTrak Solutions Optotraffic Pardo’s Sales & Service Penny Pockets Penske Truck Leasing People’s United Equipment Finance PGM Recovery Systems Phoenix USA, p. 63 Planet Halo Pop - A - Lock Power Tac Lights Inc. Powerhouse Industries Priority Capital Pro-Vision Video Systems Purpose Wrecker QuakeLED Quest Towing Services Quick Cash for Remotes R & A Insurance Ram Trucks Ramsey Winch, p. 47

Ranger SST, p. 21 RC Industries Rear View Safety Recovery Billing Unlimited, p. 64 Ricky’s Sales & Service, p. N 91 Road America Robert Young’s NRC Sales & Service RP Recovery Consulting Rydin Decal Samsara Santander Bank, Back Cover Santander Merchant Services, p. 57 SBA Loan Group Sepson US, p. 35 Shanghai Tough Industrial Co. Specialty Vehicle Equip. Funding Spill Tackle, p. N 88 Steck Mfg. Co., p. 40 Sterling National Bank, p. 35 Stertil-Koni, USA Talbert Mfg., p. 76 TCF Capital Solutions Teufelberger Fiber Rope, p. 51 TFR Fabrication & Mfg., p. N 86 Time-Out Seated Massage Corner TJR Equipment TLC Truck & Equip, p. 76 Tow Buddy Tow Canada Tow Life Towbook Management Software, p. 13 Towing & Recovery Assoc. of America

2019 Sponsors Registration Counters

Towing.com TowingWebsites.com TowMate, p. 32, 75 TowToolz TowTrax TowTruckLocator.com, p. N 84 towXchange Tracker Management Sys. Tri-State Trailer Sales Truck Crane Solutions Trux Accessories TTN Fleet Solutions Urgent.ly, p. 32 US Fleet Tracking Verdant Commercial Capital Verizon Connect Vulcan Warn Industries, p. 5 We Buy Key Fobs, p. 63 Webfleet Solutions Weego West End Service, p. 50 Whelen Engineering Co. Whiterail Reviews Will-Burt Company, p. 74 Witzco Trailers, p. M 85 Worldwide Equipment Sales, p. 49 WreckMaster Xpress Pay Xtreme Air Wedge Zellner Insurance Zip’s AW Direct, p. 19

Events and Specialty Items

Lanyards

Show Bags

Outdoor Truck Spaces

Donnie Awards

Hotel Room Keys Information Booth Badge Inserts

Luxury Vehicle Education

Wrecker Pageant Voting Booth Bull & Pig Roast “Miller Rocks”

Trust Awards Diamond

Welcome Letters

Expo Info Card

Platinum

Calitri’s Cuba

ACE Awards

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Captains of Industry AT Academy Festival Night Saturday Pie

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - November 2019 • 29

TRAA Seeks Halt to “Burdensome” Bills

The Towing and Recovery Association of America (traaonline.com), along with a coalition of 30 other trucking and trade groups, is urging Congress to halt four bills it claims would cost the industry billions of dollars in “burdensome” unfunded mandates.

Among the four bills are: the Cullum Owings Large Truck Safe Operating Speed Act of 2019, which would mandate commercial motor vehicles over 26,000 lbs. to be equipped with speed limiters set to 65 mph; and the Insurance Act, which would increase the minimum liability coverage for motor carriers from $750,000 to over $4.9 million. This increase would apply to all businesses transporting property, not just long-haul trucking operations.

Other bills the coalition is looking to halt are the Stop Underrides Act and the Safe Roads Act, both of which would add additional costs to business owners.

32 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

AD INDEX November 2019

Page #

AAA 41 Access Tools 77 Akins Body & Carrier Sales 45 All American Auto Group N 85 Allstate Roadside Services 72 American Safety & Supply 44 American Towman Exposition 30, 31 AmeriDeck West 44 Atlanta Wrecker Sales 61 Atlantic Emergency Solutions N 89 Austin Insurance 55 AutoReturn 15, 55 B/A Products 67 Beacon Funding 62 Beacon Software 61 Bressler’s 65 Captain Recovery M, S 87 Chelsea Products Div. of Parker 53 Chevron Commercial 65 Crawford Truck Sales N 83 Crouch’s Wrecker & Equip. Sales 59 Cummins 7 Deep South Wrecker Sales 69 Driveline Buddy 75 Dual-Tech Wreckers & Carriers 62 Durabilt by Durbin 22 Dynamic Towing Equipment & Mfg. 23 Elizabeth Truck Center M,N86,S85,W87 Environmental Chemical Solutions 69 EZ Spare Wheel N 90 First Business 74 G. Stone Commercial N 92 Ginn Carrier & Wrecker Sales 51 34 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

To receive free information on products and services from our advertisers go to www.TowExtra.com

Page #

Hale Trailer Brake & Wheel N 87 Insurancehub 72 Int’l Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame 34 Integrated Veh. Equip. Leasing 68 Intek Truck & Equipment Leasing 76 Jerr-Dan Corporation 2, 3 Kenworth of South Florida N 85 Lanair Waste Oil Heaters 64 Landoll Corp.

53 Legacy Plus Insurance 74 Len Zermenos 73 Maryland Carrier & Wrecker N 84 Matjack Jumbo Safelift Inside Back Cover McMahon Truck Center M 83 Metro Tow Trucks 23, 74 Miller Industries 16, 17 Mobile Create USA 64 New England Truckmaster N 90, S 87 North American Bancard 37 Northeast Wrecker Sales N 91 NRC Industries 43 OMG National M, N 88, S 84, W 87 Pacific General Insurance M 86 Peak Wrecker Sales W 85 Phoenix USA 63 Progressive Commerical Insurance 39 PWOF 33 Ramsey Winch 47 Ranger SST 21 Recovery Billing Unlimited 64 Rick’s Truck & Equipment M 87 Ricky’s Sales & Service N 91

Page #

Sanderson Truck Equip. M87,N92, S83, W88 Santander Bank Back Cover Santander Merchant Services 57 Sea Crest Insurance Agency W 83 Select Truck & Equipment M 84 Sepson US 35 Sierra Pacific Insurance W 86 Spill Tackle N 88 Steck Mfg. Co. 40 Sterling National Bank 35 Talbert Mfg. 76 Teufelberger Fiber Rope 51 TFR Fabrication & Mfg. N 86 TLC Truck & Equip.

76 Towbook Management Software 13 Tow Industries W 84 TowMate 32, 75 TowTruckLocator.com N 84 Travis Barlow Insurance S 83 TruckMax 39 Urgent.ly 32 Utility Trailer Sales S.E. TX W 83 Warn Industries 5 We Buy Key Fobs 63 West End Service 50 Will-Burt Company 74 Witzco Trailers M 85 WorldClass Insurance M, W 85 Worldwide Equipment Sales 49 Zendex Tools 23 Zips/AW Direct 19

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - November 2019 • 35

Corrigan Towing, Adler’s Towing and A&M Towing all teamed up with their Jerr-Dan heavies to recover a dredge from a flooded gravel pit.

Sunken Dredge

By Brendan Dooley

Fourth recovery attempt is successful, after nearly 40 years mired and submerged 36 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

T

his year over Labor Day weekend, three Michigan companies worked together on a tremendous pull to remove a sunken dredge from an old gravel pit in Springfield Township.

Better Built Homes recently acquired property that included the man-made lake; the owner contacted Mark Benjamin at Worldwide Equipment Sales for advice in getting the dredge out of the water so the property could be developed. Mark reached out to Corrigan Towing, Adler’s Towing and A&M Towing to get the job done.

The dredge in the lake had been sunk there since 1980, and, little did they know at the outset of operations, but this would be the fourth attempt over the years to get it out of the water.

➢

The dredge was 120’ long, 30’ wide and 30’ tall at its peak; it was lying in 40’ of water and nearly a third of it was mired in mud and sediment up to 6’ deep at some points. An inspection by divers found: • Both pontoons were bent in an upward direction.

• All but two hatch lids were either missing or loose, so the equipment was weighed down by water and four decades of sediment.

• The control house and engine/ pump house were almost completely covered in mud and sediment.

• The exact size and weight of the dredge remained unknown.

Two Jerr-Dan 50/60 JFB rotators and a 50-ton heavy combined on the pull.

‘‘

The dredge …

was lying in 40’

of water and nearly a third of it was

mired in mud and sediment up to 6’

deep at some points.

After dive inspection a plan was put together and calculations were made for safe recovery. The rough estimates put the pull somewhere between 700,000 lbs. and 800,000 lbs.

When a safe recovery plan was established and agreed upon, air bags were first rigged to the rear of the structure with approximately 100,000 lbs. of lift force. Then they rigged three Jerr-Dan heavies for nearly 1 million lbs. of pull, using a Caterpillar D9 dozer as a deadman.

Additional equipment included a second D6 Cat dozer, skid-steer, John Deere 160 excavator, dive boat with pumps and compressors, 800’ of 3/4” winch line, 800’ of 1-1/8” winch line, 5/8” through 1” chains, large clevises and 12 snatch blocks.

➢

38 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

Getting the dredge out of the water required nearly 1 million pounds of force. After four decades sunk in the man-made lake, the dredge was weighed down by water and muck in and around open compartments.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - November 2019 • 39

The first truck, a Jerr-Dan 50-ton composite body was rigged to pull 400,000 lbs. through a four-part line on 1-1/8” winch line, with 300,000 lbs. offloaded to the deadman.

The second truck, a Jerr-Dan 50/60 JFB 60-ton rotator, was rigged to pull 400,000 lbs. with 50,000 lbs. pull from

winch one going through seven snatch blocks with 800’ of 3/4” winch line, and another 100,000 lbs. off the second winch.

The third truck, also a Jerr-Dan 50/60 JFB 60-ton rotator, was rigged to pull 150,000 lbs. with 100,000 lbs. offloaded to the deadman.

Bill Woods with Corrigan Towing spearheaded the recovery; three divers on scene contracted through Corrigans were in the water for inspections and rigging.

Now, the property development can begin.

Unbeknownst to the recovery crews before operations began, this was the fourth attempt to recover the dredge. Success at last!

40 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

It’s not just additional drivers on the road at the holidays, but also the weather that often accompanies them.

Tips for the Coming Holidays

By Richard Del Campo

T

hough there are busier months on America’s roadways (August is the busiest), there may be no more distracted driving time than the holiday period from Thanksgiving to New Year. During the holiday season, the number of travelers on our nation’s roads peaks as friends and family get together to celebrate.

The holiday season can be a very busy time for both drivers on the road and for tow truck operators who are called upon as towing and recovery needs arise. Therefore, make sure your tow trucks are ready to handle any road incident that may come your way.

Here are five useful tips for towers to keep in mind as we go into the peak holiday season:

42 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

• C lear visibility is important.

Make sure your truck’s windows and mirrors are regularly cleaned to avoid obstruction of visibility. Often, windows and mirrors get cloudy due to accumulation of dust and water spots.

• Check your tires to make sure you have proper tire pressure.

During the cold season, the air contracts and your truck tires can be below the proper tire pressure. Therefore, make sure your truck tires have the correct manufacturer ’s recommended tire pressure that is indicated on the sidewall of the tire. Be sure to watch tire wear and replace as necessary.

‘‘

Make sure your tow trucks are ready

to handle any road incident that may come your way.

• P reventative maintenance is a must. To avoid unexpected breakdowns, schedule a thorough preventative maintenance, according to your manufacturer’s operations manual, prior to going into the busy season. This should include a hydraulic

➢

system check to make sure the system is functioning properly. In addition, if your truck provides tire inflation services, make sure your air compressor system is working correctly. For those trucks that have an extended cab for seating additional passengers, make sure the safety belts are functioning.

For example, check the functionality of the retractor, look for fraying and other damage to the belt webbing and test the buckle and tongue for proper operation.

• Keep your tools organized. Make sure all the road service tools you’ll need are accessible so that you can deploy the tools more effectively. From rotators to carriers, there are different size toolboxes available that can help you stay organized. An organized truck also enhances productivity as you will not waste time looking for tools.

• Don’t forget to take care of yourself. During the holiday season, towing and recovery incidents can spike, and demand for towing needs increase. Make sure you get adequate rest to avoid fatigue. Maintaining your own health as you are maintaining your truck is just as important. Self-care should be part of your maintenance as well.

Keep these reminders handy and be aware that as the holiday season goes into full swing, there will be more people on the roads facing towing and recovery needs.

Be prepared, be sensible and be helpful. Happy holidays!

Truck maintenance is more important than ever before heading out during busy holiday rush periods.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Richard Del Campo is the VP and general manager at Jerr-Dan Corp. (jerrdan. com).

44 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

Preventing Slips,Trips and Falls

Increase safety by exercising caution around vehicles and equipment

By David A. Kolman

S

lips, trips and falls commonly happen in the towing and recovery industry, especially when working on and around trucks and equipment in wet and winter weather conditions.

STF accidents may result in such injuries as sprains or strains, bruises, broken bones, back injuries, contusions, concussions, abrasions and lacerations.

Often, the consequence is a disabling injury that impacts an employee’s ability to do his/her job. This results in lost workdays, reduced productivity and business, medical indemnity payments and increased insurance premiums.

According to industry research: • Slips, trips and falls account for one of the leading workers’ compensation and general liability exposures.

• The average disabling claims cost of a slip, trip, and fall accident is $22,000.

While STF are common incidents, they – and their resulting

46 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

injuries – are also among the most avoidable. The key is for towing and recovery vehicle and equipment operators to work carefully and remain alert and conscious of slip, trip and fall hazards.

Causes

Slips: Slips typically occur when there is too little friction or traction between the footwear and the walking or working surface. The

result is a loss of balance.

Slips can be caused by wet and/ or greasy surfaces, as well as weather hazards like ice and snow.

Trips: Trips happen when an individual’s foot or lower leg contacts a low object in their path that is not easily visible or noticed. The upper body momentum continues, causing a loss of balance. Trips can also happen when stepping down to a lower surface and losing one’s balance.

Both slips and falls are more likely to occur when a person is in a hurry or is not paying attention to where they are going.

➢

NO JUMPING Never jump off a vehicle or piece of equipment because it is dangerous. Jumping down can cause a slip and fall injury after the landing. What’s more, the body must absorb the impact, and that frequently results in injuries to the lower back, knees and/or ankles. Such injuries can continue to cause discomfort long after they’ve healed.

As would be expected, the higher the jump down, the greater the impact force. Industry research has found that jumping from the bottom step of a truck results in a compression force of one to 1.5-times body weight; from floor level, five- to six-times body weight; and from seat level, seven or more times body weight.

The impact force increases if the landing area contains a hard surface rather than one that is soft soil, which helps dissipate the impact force.

Another risk from jumping off a vehicle or piece of equipment is a slip and fall injury after the landing. The possibility of injury can also increase if an individual lands on a slippery surface. such as snow, ice, mud and loose gravel, or on potholes; uneven surface; debris, etc.

Falls: Falls may be related to tripping or slipping, but falls can occur when a person becomes too far off center of balance. They can also happen when a person unexpectedly steps down to a lower surface. For example, when an individual thinks he/she is on the last vehicle step but has one more step to go before reaching the landing.

Dangerous Areas

Towing and recovery industry research shows that the areas most associated with vehicle and equipment STF are:

48 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

SAFE VEHICLE/EQUIPMENT ENTRY/EXIT • Don’t use parts of a vehicle/ piece of equipment that are not designed as handholds or footholds.

• Use the ball of the foot on step surfaces, not just the tips of the shoes.

• While entering/exiting, movement should be slow and steady.

• U se extra caution in wet, muddy, icy, snowy or other dangerous weather conditions.

• Look for obstacles and observe ground conditions below you before exiting.

• Don’t carry things when entering/exiting. Place them out of the way where they can be safely retrieved after entry/exit.

• E ntering/climbing onto and exiting/climbing off vehicles and equipment.

• Vehicle and equipment steps, ladders and grab bars.

• Poor vehicle, equipment and platform design and materials.

• Inadequate vehicle maintenance, including poorly maintained steps, grab handles/rails, deck plates, ladders, surfaces, slip-resistant protective coatings, etc.

• Unsuitable, damaged or missing steps and grab bars.

• Unsecured/improperly secured tools and equipment.

• Insufficient and/or poorly placed work lighting.

• Human factors, such as failure to follow safe entry/egress procedures, tiredness, lack of attention and focus, etc.

• Environmental conditions, such as icy or wet conditions and strong winds.

• Inappropriate footwear for the weather and the work.

APPROPRIATE FOOTWEAR Wearing the right footwear makes a huge difference in averting slips, trips and falls.

A key to preventing STF is to have adequate traction between the foot and the walking/working surface, say safety professionals.

The less friction between the shoe and the surface, the more difficult it is to keep from slipping.

The harder a shoe’s sole, the slipperier it tends to be. Leather soles tend to be very slippery; soft rubber soles generally provide more traction.

Safety professionals advise using footwear with non-slip soles, fully enclosed and well “coupled” to the foot using laces.

Loose and ill-fitting shoes provide little stability and support. Properly fitting footwear increases comfort and prevents fatigue, improving safety for the wearer.

But even the best work shoes cannot prevent a STF if not properly worn and maintained, they add. Keep footwear free of excessive dirt, mud and debris.

Shoes don’t last forever. Even the best footwear needs to be replaced from time to time.

Prevention

Slip, trip and fall accidents and their resulting injuries are easily preventable, says the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Among the measures to take: • Design vehicles and equipment and work processes to prevent potential exposures to STF hazards.

• Move carefully when entering/ climbing onto and exiting/ climbing off vehicles and equipment.

• Always have three points of contact—a triangle of anchor points—when entering/climb-

➢

ing onto and exiting/climbing off vehicles and equipment. This provides maximum stability and support. Otherwise, an individual is unstable and easily imbalanced, so any misstep or faulty grip could result in a fall.

• In addition, moving one limb at a time reduces the risk if one of the other limbs slips. This provides a better likelihood of catching a slip before a fall.

• Loose, torn, baggy or bulky clothing should be worn with caution as it may become entangled in a vehicle and equipment, particularly with access points used for entering/exiting.

• Wear footwear appropriate for the job.

• Get into the habit of looking carefully for hazards before exiting/climbing off vehicles and equipment. Slips due to unexpected ground surface conditions cause many injuries.

50 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

‘‘

The key is for towing and

recovery vehicle and equipment

operators to work carefully and

remain alert and conscious of slip, trip and fall hazards.

• Remain alert and conscious of possible fall hazards.

• Concentrate and take your time.

Rushing to complete a task, poor procedures, complacency,

fatigue, horseplay and/or loss of situational awareness can lead to slips, trips and falls.

• Assure proper workplace lighting.

• Be diligent about preforming routine vehicle and equipment maintenance.

• Clean steps, grab bars, deck plates, etc., if covered with mud, grease, oil, diesel fuel or other contaminants. These are the kinds of conditions that can cause STF and lead to injuries.

• E stablish good vehicle and equipment housekeeping practices to maintain tidy work and tool and equipment storage areas that are free of clutter.

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.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - November 2019 • 51

Who Cares if You Cut Corners?

By Paul Stephens

M

axim Let’s face it, there are a lot of employees who would much rather be at home playing video games, hanging out or pursuing hobbies. The age-old hypothetical—“What would you do if you won $1 million?”—is usually answered by “Quit my job!” The reality is that most people would not work if they didn’t need the money. How many people have you come across that actually want to be at work every day and have a passion for it?

‘‘

Take away

one, two, or even

three of those straps and you have a

projectile on your

bed with only one wheel tied down.

We all strive to be the best we can be at something, some want to be the best at several things and a few want to be the best at everything. Being the best means that you have a goal, desire and/or the will to perform that task using your abilities to succeed.

Our industry does have a problem with some operators and owners who choose to take the path of least resistance via the quickest or easiest route to accomplish a task. That approach, however, can ultimately cost a large sum of money (maybe even a company) due to damages, accidents and injuries.

We live in a world where instant solutions are sought, but those fixes

52 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

Example of a proper tie-down without cutting corners.

will often backfire. If we all just took the time to complete the task in front of us and not cut corners, we would see fewer damage complaints, improve the industry’s image, and limit the soaring costs of liability insurance.

Whenever I travel to train and teach, I spend some time exploring the local companies. I ride around and look at the businesses and watch for the trucks driving around throughout the area. I am looking for who is performing the tasks, using which products and how they secure the vehicles.

This may sound foolish to some, but it’s how I build my seminars and educational classes.

There seems to be a growing trend in the industry to do things our own way, which can result in a negative impact on the public’s perception of our trade. The one thing that stands out to me is the trend of half-securing a vehicle to a wheel-lift or flatbed.

There are a lot of operators in the field today that love to use a combi-

nation of securements on their carrier beds … basically just a hodgepodge with the intent on the vehicle being secure. The tie-down methods may look the same as the correct method, but don’t accomplish the same level of securement.

The method that stands out the most is the eight-point tie-down strap system where only a portion of the system is used and/or combined with chains or J-hooks. The reason this is not safe is you have an eight-point contact system with the bed, that’s four over-the-wheel straps and a center strap or bone in the middle. This system was designed to put direct down pressure on all four wheels without allowing movement. Take away one, two, or even three of those straps and you have a projectile on your bed with only one wheel tied down. This can allow the vehicle to shock load the single strap and come through the cab or off the bed in an accident.

This is just one of many com-

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - November 2019 • 53

Examples of improper tie-down procedures.

mon mistakes I see operators make to save time.

While it may be valid when you’re trying to move off a busy roadway quickly, it’s not right to make it a regular habit—then it becomes an accident just waiting to happen.

The National Transportation Safety Board states that accidents aren’t usually caused by one mistake, but rather a series or combination of errors or failures. This can be said of a fatal accident where a fellow tower lost his life when he was never taught the proper tie-down procedures. He used a J-hook on the rear of a vehicle and two overthe-wheel portions of an eight-point tie-down. A J-hook secured to the back of the vehicle can bend straight from the forces in an accident. The hook or securement is to keep the vehicle from moving forward, however without any additional support, the shock load overloads the hook and it will fail.

The tower was loaded and descending down a grade where a vehicle pulled out in front of him that caused him to slam on the brakes. When that wasn’t enough to avoid a collision, he swerved to the right to the shoulder lane where his tire grabbed the dirt and he struck a tree. The accident was not a major one; however, the combination of using multiple methods of securement caused the loaded vehicle to crash through the light pylon and into the cab. (I

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wouldn’t normally write about this, but it’s been many years since this incident. Unfortunately, I see the industry starting to use the same methods more commonly again.)

We all can do the job correctly. Too many of us tend to get complacent in our daily routines and forget the little things—like two straps over the wheels on a wheel-lift or a strap over the dolly wheels—can keep us from having an incident or at least take one of the controllable factors out of the equation in a series of events.

The ultimate goal of every operator should be to get the job done as safely as possible, including personal protection.

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.

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - November 2019 • 55

DIVERSIFYING the Bottom

ine

Trailers offer new revenue; make sure you pick the right ones

T

railers are an excellent way to expand income streams for any towing business. They open up options to transport much more than disabled vehicles as well as make difficult to tow vehicles simpler and safer to move. Choosing the right trailer (or trailers) for your operation requires careful consideration of several factors.

Before buying any trailer you must have an idea of what you are trying to transport. You must also understand the size and weight laws for your state as well as any other states you plan to operate in or through. Vertical (overhead) clearance is a common issue with trailer transport as is overall length and weight capacity. These issues can usually be overcome with the purchase of annual blanket hauling permits, or single-trip permits for very unusual loads.

Several states restrict kingpinto-axle length with California being the most unique by requiring a 40’ kingpin to center of the rear axle on trailers over 48’ in length. Most of the other states with restrictions limit the length to 41’ from kingpin to the center of the trailer axles which allows for a

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By Brian J. Riker

greater axle spread and better weight carrying capacity while maintaining compliance with the federal bridge law formula.

‘‘

The longer the

well, the larger the machines you can fit, however there is a trade off

in maneuverability as well as

empty weight.

Sliding Axle

Once you’ve determined what you want to haul and what rules you must comply with, the next step is choosing a trailer. The typical entry-level trailer is the sliding-axle trailer, often referred to as a “Landoll” … although there are several manufacturers that make slid-

ing-axle trailers.

This trailer is popular because the learning curve for operations is slim; they work very similar to a rollback.

These trailers come in a variety of lengths and axle configurations with 48’ and 53’ tandem-axle units being the most popular.

The typical sliding-axle trailer is used for moving construction equipment, containers, wheeled vehicles and other loads that are of smaller dimensions and lower weights. In the western portion of the U.S., it is even possible to use these trailers for motorhomes and coach bus transport due to the greater vertical clearances allowed.

With a typical deck height of 38”-42” overhead clearance becomes an issue quickly.

RGN

Moving up to the next level of capacity requires a look at more specialized trailers. Detachable or removable gooseneck trailers, known as RGN trailers, allow for a lower loaded deck height as well as a greater ability to handle tracked machines with booms, like excavators.

When selecting an RGN, the well

Though sliding- or traveling-axle trailers tend to all be referred to as “Landolls,” other companies do make them as well. Landoll 440B traveling axle trailer pictured.

length is important, as this is where the cargo will be carried. The longer the well, the larger the machines you can fit, however there is a trade off in maneuverability as well as empty weight.

A nice feature of RGN-type trailers is the ability to add a removable auxiliary axle. These “flipper” axles can be

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

pinned on the rear of the trailer when a little extra weight capacity is required and easily removed after.

RGN trailers are the first step in hauling over-dimensional loads on a regular basis.

Expandable Decks As

your

transport

division

expands, there are many other specialized trailers to consider. Expandable deck trailers have a well that is adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of loads.

Others have extendable sides to support wider loads or special wheel cutouts to accommodate tractors and other agricultural equipment.

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - November 2019 • 57

‘‘

The longer the well, the larger the machines you can fit with detachable gooseneck trailers. Kalyn Siebert VersaMAXX HRG trailer pictured.

Freight

Another route a tower should consider when deciding to expand into the transport business is the variety of general freight trailers on the market.

Perhaps you could add a few dry van or reefer trailers to your fleet and use them daily instead of just when clearing highway accidents? Many local shippers will use a local company at a premium price for overflow work or when they simply need reliable service.

Vacuums

Vacuum trailers are a great asset to any company that offers full-service environmental remediation. These trailers are easy to operate and provide many opportunities for additional revenue supporting construction firms, other environmental companies and even your local municipality. In areas that have an active energy exploration business, there may be opportunity to shuttle fresh water, drill mud or other oil filed supplies at reasonable hourly rates.

Dumps

End-dump and roll-off trailers allow you to enter the construction and demolition disposal business or even transport contaminated soil or other debris from accident scenes to disposal sites.

In many areas construction work is seasonal, which allows you to have

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drivers work these trailers during the summer months and then those same drivers can work overflow on the towing side during the busy winter months, or even haul other freight types during the off season.

Auto Transport

High-mount auto-transport trailers are a great fit for towing companies as well. They can be pulled with a typical road tractor and allow you to transport five to eight cars in one trip.

In my own business, I had a mix of tow trucks and car trailers, using the tow trucks to pick up vehicles local to my yard (as backhauls from tow calls), then loading these units onto the trailer for the trip to the auction. This supported my tow drivers by giving them additional revenue—albeit at wholesale rates—and made my auto transport drivers more efficient by allowing them to minimize the time spent going stop to stop to collect vehicles.

DTU

Another benefit of having a diverse mix of tractor-trailer units is the ability to back a tractor under a detachable tow unit for long-distance tows. It is no secret that a road tractor with a DTU is more cost-effective than a traditional wrecker for long hauls. Additionally, you will not be sending a recovery-capable truck out of town where it will be unavailable to service the more

Where we enjoy

many regulatory

exceptions when

providing emergency towing and recovery services, those

same exceptions do not apply to other

transport operations. complex jobs.

Even without using a DTU, often a long-distance tow is still more cost effective with a tractor-trailer combination and, as an added bonus, you will be able to more easily find and complete a backhaul to make the round trip even more profitable. Backhauls for wreckers are difficult to find, whereas finding a piece of machinery or other open-deck type of load is a simple matter of visiting one of the hundreds of trucking industry load boards.

Permits

As with everything else you do to increase your business opportunities make sure you have the proper business licenses, qualifications

➢

Expandable deck trailers accommodate a wide variety of loads.

Talbert 35SRG Extendable trailer pictured.

and training before adding any of this equipment to your fleet. Where we enjoy many regulatory exceptions when providing emergency towing and recovery services, those same exceptions do not apply to other transport operations. Fines for not having the required permits or authority can far outweigh the increased revenue.

When expanding into general transportation work, a few of the more commonly overlooked compliance areas include hours of service, hazardous materials registration, waste hauling permits and size/weight limits.

Hours of service is the most problematic of these because we often expand into supplemental transportation work as a means to keep our staff occupied and paid until we need them for the “big one.” While I understand that line of reasoning, it still poses a legal challenge. I am not saying that your tow operators should be fully separate from your transport drivers, just be aware of the hours they are scheduled and their availability before accepting emergency tow calls for them.

Training

Last, but certainly not least, are training requirements. Do not assume that just because your driver is an excellent tow operator that they will know how to load a piece of equipment onto a trailer.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires training on each piece of equipment that your employees operate—this includes machines that they load or unload for transport.

Further, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has specific securement regulations for different types of cargo that your drivers must be aware of and comply with.

Fatigue management and recognition training is equally as important.

Transport work can be very different than towing. In towing we change task focus often with frequent breaks as we climb in and out of the truck or perform other tasks. In transport work however, once loaded we may be driving for long periods of time.

This requires a different mindset and approach to remain alert. Proper meal and rest breaks, including frequent stops to walk around, are important to keep circulation flowing, maintain alertness, reduce the risk of blood clots and other health issues common in truck drivers.

Trailers are an integral part of expanding your offerings as a towing company. They are excellent front line pieces of equipment not just support units.

For less than the cost of a new light-duty rollback, you can purchase a brand new entry-level sliding-axle trailer and used road tractor to enter into the transport market. That could be a great investment for future growth.

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

Removable auxiliary axles help when a little extra weight capacity is required, easily removed after. Trail-Eze Stinger axle booster pictured.

60 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - November 2019 • 61

Bressler’s Sells Tow Division to V&M Towing

For more than 30 years, Bressler’s Inc. (bresslersinc. com) in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, has served its towing customers with 24/7 towing, recovery and roadside assistance. Bressler’s expanded into towing equipment sales and service, upfitting, trucking and transport in the 1980s.

“As we look ahead to the future of Bressler’s, our family recognized a shared desire to refocus our efforts within specific areas of the business, so that we can continue to grow and serve our employees and customers at the highest levels,” the company said in a release announcing a partial sale.

“After much prayerful thought and consideration, earlier this year we entered into an agreement with V&M Towing of Reading … to acquire our full-scale towing operation,” according to the release, and that the move “guaran-

62 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

tees that our customers and employees servicing the towing operation, will continue to be in very capable hands.”

V&M has been in business for more than 50 years and is third-generation owned and operated by Vince and Cherie James, and their son Matt.

“The acquisition of the Bressler’s Towing operation, combined with V&M’s already well-established reputation and fleet, will make V&M the largest, most mature towing, recovery and roadside assistance operation in Lancaster and Berks counties, with an unparalleled combination of talent and equipment,” the release said.

The release said that V&M will add on Bresslers’ dispatchers, operators, processes and technology and that the company fleet will grow to four rotators, 10 heavy-duty wreckers, 12 rollbacks, three light-duty wreckers, four road-service units and other specialty equipment.

Bressler’s is a Miller Industries towing equipment distributor of Century, Vulcan and Holmes product lines.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - November 2019 • 63

Hino Partners with L.A. Rams

Hino Trucks (hino.com) is stepping into the NFL arena again to announce

an additional partnership with the Los Angeles Rams.

As the Official Commercial Truck of the Rams, Hino will have an in-stadium presence during games as well

as across Rams media platforms throughout the year.

Eleven local Hino Trucks dealers representing the Southern California Dealer Association are participating in and supporting the partnership.

Navistar to Build Facility in Texas

Navistar (navistar.com) recently

announced a capital investment of

more than $250 million set to build a new manufacturing facility in San Antonio, Texas. The investment, which is contingent on finalization of various incentive packages, will bring approximately 600 jobs to the area.

The new manufacturing plant will have the flexibility to build Class 6-8 vehicles. Navistar planned to break ground in 2019 with production to begin within approximately 24 months.

64 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

Fuso Begins FE180 Production

Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America (mitfuso.com) recently began production of the industry’s first Class 5 cabover gasoline-powered work truck at the Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. plant in Gaffney, South Carolina. The Fuso FE180 Gas truck was unveiled in March.

Full production of the Class 5 work truck will share the production line with the lighter Class 4 versions. FCCC is a sister company within Daimler Trucks.

He will provide support for Canadian customers.

Nasato will be the first dedicated rental representative in the Canadian region. Nasato brings more than 30

years of experience to his new role, with previous positions in rental equipment sales and general construction equipment sales.

Western Global Adds RSM in Canada

Portable tanks and dispensing equipment manufacturer Western Global (western-global.com) recently named Dean Nasato as its regional sales manager of the rental and equipment division in Canada.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - November 2019 • 65

Great Knowledge at Your Fingertips

By Charles Duke

M

ore than 30 seminars covering topics related to towing and recovery, business operations, building revenue, insurance, repossession, safety and law enforcement towing will all be a part of December’s seminar program at the American Towman Exposition in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

In addition, American Towman will be offering a two-day auto body and repair shop conference and free Traffic Incident Management training during the course of three days of education. What follows is a brief scouting report of just some of what to expect in AC. For the first time, the AT seminar program will address the needs of auto body and repair shops through its educational lineup. The two-day ARC District Conference (Dec. 6-7, 8-11 a.m.) will take a comprehensive look at how to improve cash flow and profitability, increase and stabilize store traffic, create consistent SOPs, build effective staffing strategies and plan for succession and retirement. Auto body and repair shop owners will want to join Automobile Training Institute’s Senior Instructor Matt Winslow for this informative conference.

Towing’s history and its evolution through technology will be the focus of Wreckers Past to Present (Dec. 5, 11 a.m.) Jerr-Dan’s Shane Coleman will discuss how technological advancements have developed through identifying jobs to be done in the industry.

The session will peek at what services the industry might offer in the future.

Just like self-driving cars, dispatch software can auto accept and dispatch jobs to drivers. In Dispatch and Artificial Intelligence (Dec. 5, 10 a.m.), Todd Althouse of Beacon Software will discuss evolving technology along with its impact on your business.

Towing companies have a huge role to play in helping to maintain the

66 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

environment. Vehicle storage is a huge potential source of contamination of local lakes and streams with fluids that runoff into sewer systems during rainfall, and fines to the companies deemed responsible. The Uncontaminated Vehicle Storage Facility (Dec. 5, 11 a.m.) presented by Jim Figueira and Ed Grubbs of Environmental Chemical Solutions will address the best management procedures at VSF’s from the damaged vehicles.

In today’s world, demanding customers want to be able to have constant contact with their providers for the reassurance they are a priority.

Tom Bacon of Towbook will explore how using software impacts motor club work and what towing management software can help. He’ll shed light on Why Are More Towing Companies Using Software? (Dec. 6, 9 a.m.)

Larry Oxenham is a senior advisor with the American Society for Asset Protection and is one of America’s top asset protection experts. In his special two-hour session, How Tow Owners Can Protect their Business (Dec. 6, 9-11 a.m.), tow business owners will discover the tools that can be used to protect 100 percent of their assets from lawsuits and save thousands in taxes and avoid probate.

American Towman Repo Run Editor Mark Lacek will give a comprehensive look at how tow company owners can add to their bottom line by repossessing special assets: commercial trucks, farm equipment, manufacturing equipment, construction and heavy equipment. His two-part, 90-minute seminar Repossessing Special Assets (Dec. 6, 9-10:30 a.m.) will include the ins and outs of repossessing boats, RVs, motorcycles and even retail store fixtures. Part Two will discuss how to locate those types of assets with commercial and special asset skip-tracing. Attendees will receive a 25-percent discount from the online

course as well as a contact list of commercial lenders. Completion of both sessions will earn attendees a certificate of attendance that can be used as a $100 discount if you want to sign on to the Riscus.com portal and take the CCRA online course within 30 days of the seminar.

Managing invoice integration of multi-truck recoveries with charge details and related driver commissions is the thrust behind Improving Recovery and Heavy Hauling Management (Dec. 7, 8 a.m.), presented by Jim Shellhaas of Ranger SST. Shellhaas will also take a look at heavy hauling flexible scheduling, advance notifications to drivers and automated dispatch to driver’s mobile app.

Do you know where you need to be on pricing? John Borowski of AutoReturn shows you things many tow businesses overlook in considering their margins in his Pricing: Are You Leaving Money on the Table? (Dec. 7, 10 a.m.) session that was popular in Las Vegas and Dallas earlier this year.

Technology and Roadside Assistance (Dec. 7, 10 a.m.), presented by Rick Narpaul of Mach 1 Services, will discuss how technology is changing roadside assistance and its benefits to the service providers and customers.

Narpaul will give an overview of how it can help the tow owners to better manage drivers, books and overall running of their business.

In addition to these sessions, American Towman editors Terry Abejuela, Randall Resch and Brian Riker will be on-hand to impart their knowledge and experience. Be sure to see the complete schedule at atexposition. com. Register today!

American Towman Magazine Senior Editor Charles Duke has written and served as editor for trade, music and nonprofit publications.

He also serves as the editor for AT’s online sister publications Tow Industry Week and Tow Industry Today.

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - November 2019 • 67

Greetings from Germany I practiced this profession for over 20 years, as a tow-mountain master. I live in Obrigheim with my wife and daughter.

I do not work as a towman anymore. Ten years ago I had to stop for health reasons, but today I’m still passionate for towing, that’s in the blood. It’s like a virus. Unfortunately, there is no longer any respect for the tow trucks and they risk their lives everyday for other people.

We were the kings in our day, since we already had the latest technology. My model is a Mercedes SK from the ’90s, it is complete, self-designed and scratch-built and is fully hydraulic as in the original. (Check out “RCV Truck modell Abschleppwagen on YouTube.) This model is unique and I won second place with it in September at the German model truck championship.

Right now, I have seven projects in the works, including an Aeromax, rotator and others. My plan is to build a towing service with about 30 vehicles and then go on tour, even to America, but that still might not be until maybe 2021?

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Oliver’s shirt says, “Tower: Someone who fixes a problem you didn’t know existed in a way you don’t understand.

My nickname used to be Öli, because I always worked with hydraulic oil. Many thanks and greetings to America.

— Oliver Kurt Ganter Obrigheim, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany

Oliver on the job.

Some of Oliver’s other projects in his workshop.

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - November 2019 • 69

Taking Down ‘Big Doom’

By Mark Lacek

T

he first Peterbilt, a Model 260, was manufactured by lumberman and businessman T.A. Peterman in 1939. There is one on display—the oldest known survivor—at the Peterbilt facility in Denton, Texas.

I was standing right next to the 100-percent restored relic only last year just after my client called me in despair one day.

“Mark, I need you in Texas right away,” he said. “We financed a Pete 379X to a guy three months ago and he has not made his first payment.”

“I’m on my way,” I answered.

“Send me the details.”

(In 2004, Peterbilt produced a special edition Model 379X, loaded with many special features. Looking out over the polished brushed aluminum dash was a 127” hood, the longest hood ever produced by any big truck manufacturer. Under that hood was a 550-hp CAT engine. There were fewer than 2,000 Model 379X’s built.)

A couple of days later I was in Denton, which coincidently is the home of Peterbilt trucks. Born in Denton, the debtor’s real name doesn’t matter; but his friends … and enemies … called him “Big Doom.”

Big Doom got his nickname earlier in life when he was about 25. He was a big guy, standing about 6’6” and weighing in at about 300 lbs.

As the story goes, he was in a Denton pool hall finishing up a game of nine-ball when a local gang member bumped his cue stick during a crucial shot. What happened

next is a legendary bar-fight story and the area newspapers reportedly called the event “Doom and Destruction,” as it was told how one guy put eight gang members in the hospital.

On the 379X, Big Doom called the finance company and told them to keep away and just send him the title.

“I’m not sending any payments,” he said, “and don’t send any repo guys.”

One of the lessons I’ve learned over the years on trying to find someone is that finding some-

The 2004 Peterbilt Model 379X was a limited-production special edition.

70 • November 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

one who loves them will usually provide helpful info. Finding someone who hates them? Even better.

Every bad guy has an ex-girlfriend and Big Doom was no exception.

When Big Doom filled out the credit application to buy the Peterbilt 379X, he wrote the names of his friends and relatives. Luciana was listed as his girlfriend and I was on my way to her address. Little did I know the hellscape I was about to encounter.

Luciana lived in a low-income part of town, the rental house was halfwrecked by a storm that hit a year earlier, the grass was knee-high and there were beer cans everywhere.

Before I was able to knock on the door, it swung open and I was looking down the barrel of a shotgun!

“You better have good reason to be here,” the woman said.

I was shaking inside—I knew better than to show any fear—as I stood still and smiled.

“Pardon me, Miss. I mean no harm,” I said. “I’m from the finance company, looking for a Peterbilt 379X.” She lowered the shotgun. Slowly.

“You are not right in the head if you’re chasing Big Doom,” she said.

“That SOB owes me child support and when he left the last time he took all my cash I was saving to leave this crap shack.”

Luciana went on to tell me that the DEA and the local cops also were looking for him, something about drugs, guns and money.

“I don’t like cops so I didn’t tell them anything,” she said.

“I’m not a cop,” I explained, “We’re just trying to find our truck.”

Luciana began to tell me every-

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

thing about Big Doom: where he works, where he drinks and, most importantly, where he parks the truck when he’s in town. I left promising Luciana I would keep our conversation a secret. Driving away, I was overjoyed to have the new information the ex-girlfriend provided.

‘‘

Every bad guy has an ex-girlfriend

and Big Doom was no exception.

I was about a mile from her front door when a black SUV pulled in front of me and slammed on its brakes and another stopped at my rear bumper.

Now I was looking down the barrel of a Glock 45.

“DEA … get out of the car!” they shouted.

I get along with cops; I have for years. Usually after showing my paperwork and a few minutes of conversation, we form a mutually beneficial relationship. This time it took almost two hours of questions back at the DEA field operational center located just outside of Dallas. The DEA had Luciana’s place under surveillance; it took awhile to make it through the introductions and everything I knew before we became best friends.

It seemed I knew more than they did about Big Doom who they were investigating for taking guns south of the border and bringing cocaine north.

The DEA wanted to seize the Peterbilt and add it to their list of confiscated assets. I told them the Peterbilt 379X would be mine if they wanted me to share the info I had. The deal was made and we formulated a plan.

Luciana told me the name of the bar where Big Doom delivered his product on the third Tuesday of every month. The DEA, local police and the FBI were working a joint task force and were rather excited about catching Big Doom in the act of delivering the drugs

and picking up a new load of illegal guns.

The deal I made with the DEA allowed me to watch as everything happened from safely sitting inside a van parked just across the street of the bar.

It was about four in the afternoon when the Peterbilt 379X pulled into the parking lot of the bar; without a trailer it was easy to park next to the building. Being a Tuesday, the place wasn’t very busy. Half of the patrons inside were undercover. There was a tow truck in the parking lot jumpstarting a car—you guessed it—undercover cops, as well as the drunkard halfpassed out on the nearby bus bench.

The door of the Peterbilt swung open and a large man stepped out of the truck. Looking around and walking toward the front door of the bar, he stopped. Big Doom must have felt something wasn’t right as he turned and started back towards the Peterbilt.

It took the DEA, the FBI and the local cops just a second to jump into action. As I watched, about a half dozen lawmen stormed into the bar, and there were another five officers trying to wrestle Big Doom to the ground.

At the end of the day, the bar owner and a couple of its managers were arrested. The bar was filled with illegal guns and drugs. There was more than $500,000 in cash. The Peterbilt was loaded with about 500 lbs. of cocaine as well as $250,000 in cash.

Big Doom was arrested and charged with every crime imaginable.

The next day I paid a visit to Luciana and gave her $1,000 cash for her help.

A few days later, I was driving the Peterbilt 379X back to my client’s storage yard to prep for sale. The client was happy, a bad guy was in jail and I made some new friends in Texas.

Repo Editor Mark Lacek authored the Certified Commercial Recovery Agent certification program and has more than 30 years of recovery experience. He is the former editor of “Professional Repossessor” magazine. Email him at Mark@commercialassetsolutions. com.

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - November 2019 • 71

ALS Resolvion Launches Impound Pro

Skip-trace and repossession management firm ALS Resolvion recently released a new impound management service called Impound Pro. The “end-to-end” service is designed to address the major “pain points” in the current process of handling vehicles that have been impounded. The firm explained these can include operational inefficiencies, excessive expense, exposure to lien loss and issues remarketing the vehicle.

Impound Pro includes VIN monitoring, impound yard negotiation, legal services support, value assessment support, speedy recovery, remarketing for total loss and end of life vehicles, and insurance claim services.

The company highlighted the service is available on an “ala carte” basis, giving companies the ability to pick and choose certain components or utilize the service as an end-to-end solution.

Source: autoremarketing.com.

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ARA Sets Theme for 2020 Summit

The American Recovery Association unveiled the theme for one of its largest annual events. Along with headline sponsor Harding Brooks Insurance, ARA announced that the theme for the 12th annual North American Repossessors Summit is “Impact 2020: One Voice—Strong & United.” The summit is set to take place May 7-8 at the Omni Mandalay Hotel in Irving, Texas.

“This year will be the beginning of a new chapter for NARS, and for the repossession industry as a whole,” said ARA president Dave Kennedy in a news release.

“We are going to reestablish trust and competency, provide tangible support to our business owners, deliver on educational development and create a voice of leadership for the repossession industry,” he added.

With the goals of establishing industry standards and addressing the state of the repossession industry, organizers added that NARS 2020 will include

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sessions that focus on managing risk, improving cash flow, building industry synergy and growing a successful business. Source: autoremarketing.com.

Officer, Attorney Arrested on Grand Theft Charges

Riviera Beach (Florida) police officer Marvin Williams and his wife, attorney Gloria Floyd-Williams, were arrested Sept. 25 on grand theft auto and burglary charges after deputies said they took Floyd-Williams’ car illegally from a repossession lot.

According to the arrest report, surveillance video shows Floyd-Williams entering the lot, getting into her car and then driving back through the gate, hitting a parked car in the process; the video shows her husband letting her through the gate, closing it and then fleeing.

“Floyd-Williams did not have the authority nor permission to enter the fenced compound of ATR, had not signed the proper paperwork or paid any fees due for the vehicle to be redeemed,” the report said.

Floyd-Williams and Williams came back later and told deputies they had gotten a release from the bank and the manager refused to release her car so she took it, but deputies said there was probable cause for the charges.

Floyd-Williams said the tow company was trying to hold her car illegally after she provided documentation showing it was supposed to be released.

Her lawyer said the tow company was in the wrong. Source: wpbf.com.

Repo Excuse Only Gets Worse

A driver recently pulled over in Modesto, California, told police officers that he’d swapped out the plates on his vehicle because he was behind on his payments and was afraid to use the true tags.

He made his situation only worse, though, because the plates he put on came from a stolen GMC pickup truck, Modesto Police Department spokeswoman Sharon Bear said.

Officers saw what they believed to be a stolen vehicle, occupied and being driven, Bear said. The officers conducted what’s called a high-risk or

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felony traffic stop.

The driver, Antonio Rubio, offered the explanation of the late payments and said he took the plates from the GMC, which was at his business, Bear said. He told the officers that someone else does business at the shop and brought the GMC in, she said.

Rubio agreed to go to the shop with the officers so they could investigate, she said. The man he identified as also doing business in the shop, Ceres resident Roel Zaya, was called.

Zaya told the officers that he bought the GMC, ended up being suspicious about it but couldn’t get anyone to take it off his hands, Bear said. The pickup was in the process of being dismantled, she said.

No other vehicles in the body shop were determined to be stolen, Bear said, and neither was the vehicle Rubio was driving when pulled over.

Rubio faces charges of owning and operating a chop shop and receiving stolen property, she said. Zaya faces charges of owning and operating a chop shop. Source: modbee.com.

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410-784-7029 410-784-7029

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To To Advertise Advertise In In Towman’s Towman’s Market Market CALL CALL

800-732-3869

Ellen Ellen Rosengart Rosengart xx 203 203 erosengart@towman.com erosengart@towman.com

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - November 2019 • 79

‘We Got This’

by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti

F

arrington Towing & Recovery is a family-owned and operated business in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, that was originally founded by International Towing Museum Hall of Famer Dewey Farrington in 1972. Thomas Wayne Hall and his wife, Karen, purchased the company from Dewey in 2006.

This is more than just a traditional towing and recovery business, though.

“All equipment is readily available to be used for not only towing and recovery jobs, but during load transfers or accidents,” said Randy Seright, director of operations. “We also have a full line truck shop and road service

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mechanics that are available at any time of the day or night.”

They have 22 trained and experienced employees and their extensive fleet includes three tractors, multiple trailers including tilt decks, a removable gooseneck trailer, dry box, reefers, 16 heavies, three medium-duties, two carriers, two service trucks, an air-cushion recovery trailer and the 50-ton rotator featured here.

In October 2018, Farrington added this 2019 Peterbilt 389 sleeper/2019 Vulcan 950 50-ton rotator with five winches. It has dual planetary twospeed 50,000-lbs. main boom winches, dual 25,000-lbs. auxiliary boom

winches and a 50,000-lbs. drag winch to handle the pull and lift chores. It is powered by a 600-hp Cummins X-15 engine mated to an Eaton Fuller 18-speed transmission.

When Farrington custom-ordered this new rotator from Miller Industries, owners Tom and Karen decided to name it “We Got This” to exemplify their can-do attitude of being able to take care of anything, no matter how large or difficult the job.

“An article of a wreck we had worked was in the December 2018 issue of ‘American Towman,’ ” said Seright. “We had to call another wrecker service with a rotator to help.

I had told the owners if we had a rotator we could just say “We Got This” no matter what it was. This unit is equipped with everything for heavy recovery and it has onboard scales.”

Dendyhill Graphics in LaFayette, Georgia, did the classic clean paint job matching it to the rest of the fleet.

“This unit has performed numerous rollovers, wrecks and many memorable unique jobs since we first put it to work,” Seright said. (In fact, a few have been featured recently on TowIndustryWeek.com.) “I love this rotator. The most important attribute this unit brings to our business is the added versatility to take care of our broad customer base. We got this!”

There is indeed no doubt about it.

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.

We Got This

Chassis: 2019 Peterbilt 389 sleeper.

Wrecker: 2019 Vulcan 950 50-ton rotator Engine: Cummins X-15.

Trans: Eaton Fuller 18-speed.

Winches: Dual 50,000-lbs. main boom,

dual 25,000-lbs. auxiliary boom, 50,000-lbs. drag.

Builder: Miller Industries.

Extras: Onboard scale.

Paint: Dendyhill Graphics.

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MIPs Descend on Atlantic City

by Steve Calitri

T

here are many professions in the U.S. critical to the well-being of the nation. There are many VIPs that help keep us all on our feet. But there is one indispensable profession, without it, our world as we know it would come to a standstill.

Neither people or goods would be able to transport. Yes, the Most Important Persons in America are tow operators and the tow bosses striving for profitability and the ability to keep their tow trucks rolling and the roads cleared.

This first week of December the nation’s MIPs are descending on the playful seaside town made famous by a board game, beautiful women and folkloric bootleggers.

Towmen and tow-women and tow trucks will transform Atlantic City with their energy and ingenuity, their ability to right mishaps with problem solving savvy and the right tools, which will all

be on display inside AC’s state-of-theart convention center.

Atlantic City knows pageantry but the last time it saw the likes of the American Towman Wrecker pageant was thirty years ago when AT Expo III and IV was last held right there on the Boardwalk in the old convention center. Towers will showcase their amazing trucks and put a spin on “beauty” that would astonish Miss America Pageant fans.

People will be in Atlantic City to celebrate life and have a great time at live shows featuring headliner comics and singers, trying their luck on the floors of the casinos, and strolling along one of the world’s longest and most eclectic promenades that runs alongside the Atlantic Ocean. Towers will be enjoying AC as many partake in Expo events taking place on the Boardwalk and at the Convention

Center. I suspect even some will take advantage of the moment and do some Christmas shopping at the Tropicana’s Quarter, or other casino hotel shopping venues, or the Tanger outlet center one block from the Boardwalk. But for the most part, towers will be captivated by the action on the show floor, filled with product and expertise from 250 industry suppliers in a festival atmosphere replete with dance and song.

Tow bosses will be breaking bread and networking at a variety of exclusive events only found at AT Expo in AC. The American Towman Academy, Festival Night, Captains of Industry dinner, Miller Rocks, and Calitri’s Cuba…

The world’s largest tow show rocks! The nation’s MIPs are there.

Inside The Quarter (shopping mall) at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino

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Towman Helps Mother after Tragedy

A Rochester, New York, towman was hailed as a good Samaritan after helping out a woman who recently suffered a terrible loss.

Tenitia Cullum, the mother of a 3-year-old boy who died after falling into a grease trap, had her car towed for free on Oct. 3. Cullum did not have the money to get her car repaired but a local auto shop heard about what happened on the radio and offered to repair the car for free.

Cullum had no way to get the car to the shop and that’s when Alvin Colon and his family business offered to help out.

“This car was given to me and it just needed some repairs, so I’m shocked and overwhelmed,” Cullum said. “This is awesome, so I truly, truly thank everybody.”

Reinaldo Colon still works at the shop he opened 50 years ago, now

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run by his sons, Alvin and Emilialo.

Generosity is not something new to them.

“Make a difference as much as we can because any helping hand is a helping hand you know, you do today for others you never know what somebody can do for you tomorrow when you least expect it,” said Emilialo.

Source: spectrumlocalnews.com.

Lawsuit for Removal from Rotation

A towing company was challenging a Southold Town (New York) Police Department decision to remove it from the rotation of approved towing companies.

According to a recently filed lawsuit in Suffolk County Court, Phil Wilkinson, who owns Wilk’s 24 Hour Towing & Recovery, alleges that the police department acted “arbitrarily and capriciously” when his company was removed from the town rota-

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tion list in May. Wilkinson claims he was advised the company was being removed from the list, but wasn’t given a reason why.

He argues his company never refused a towing assignment and was never unavailable.

Town attorney Bill Duffy said the town received “several complaints” about the company. The court filing sought only that Wilk’s be reinstated on the list.

Source: suffolktimes.timesreview. com.

Safety Award for Tow Program Cpl.

Charles County (Maryland) Sheriff’s Office’s Cpl. Brad Saunders of the Traffic Operations Unit received the Traffic Safety Award from the Maryland Sheriff’s Association at the organization’s recent annual conference, according to a sheriff’s office press release.

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Saunders was recognized for his work in establishing and monitoring the agency’s new Tow Program that went into effect in 2018.

Sheriff Troy D. Berry, who was in attendance at the conference, said, “Cpl. Saunders took charge of building the Tow Program and has created a well-regulated and effectively monitored system. He maintains excellent records and consistently looks for ways to improve traffic safety and accountability in this area.”

The Tow Program was created to combat predatory towing after the team conducted a six-month investigation of a tow company employing predatory practices, according to the press release. Saunders created the sheriff office’s Tow Program by creating policy and procedure for the implementation of the newly passed law and the registration of tow companies.

Source: somdnews.com.

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Police, DA Criticized by Judge

A judge told the District Attorney’s office and the Mobile (Alabama) Police Department in October that their decision to seize four tow trucks as part of an investigation into insurance fraud seemed unreasonable and was effectively destroying a company.

“I really can’t imagine any good reason for holding onto the trucks,” said District Court Judge Joe Basenberg. “The lifeblood of a company, which is a towing company, has been drained.”

Basenberg offered the criticism as part of an early morning hearing that would have allowed the owners of SOS Towing to have their trucks returned and continue working while an insurance fraud case moved through the courts.

However, Basenburg was unable to grant the request because the DA’s office filed a civil action forfeiture that seemingly moved jurisdiction of the

case from his court and placed it in Mobile Circuit Court, a further setback on the return of the trucks and one that defense attorney Chase Dearman said was a cynical delay tactic and one that could possibly put the company out of business. “[SOS Towing] will be bankrupt by the end of the week,” said Dearman, who added that the seizure was illegal and contravened Alabama law. ”The state doesn’t care. That’s what the goal is your honor, to put him out of business. …

“They filed that (civil) forfeiture last night (Oct. 2) to keep this court from ruling on something that is just inappropriate.”

Basenberg said he would look into questions around jurisdiction.

Assistant District Attorney Clay Rossi said the benefit of a civil asset forfeiture suit meant the suspects could pay a bond and have their trucks returned. Dearman said this was something that should have been done the day after the trucks were first seized

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back in mid-September.

He also said that he wouldn’t be able to get the bond on the trucks because no suit had been served to his client. That suit was served in open court.

The two suspects, Gary Smith Jr. and Gary Smith Sr., were arrested after spending more than two months under investigation for alleged price gouging and overcharging customers. Their company was one of five being formally investigated by MPD. Source: al.com.

Houston Company Adds Drones

360 Towing Solutions in Houston, Texas, recently announced its intent of using unmanned aerial vehicles or drones to inspect car breakdown situations within the Houston area. The owners said that this is going to be a revolutionary step for increasing the efficiency of their towing professionals

who operate throughout the Houston area.

One of the senior executives of 360 Towing Solutions said, “Drones will be sent to the stranded vehicles first and the drone will be used for capturing photos and videos of the stranded vehicles. The drone will send the photos and videos to our control room and the roadside assistance Houston professionals heading for towing the vehicle would be able to know what kind of tools they need to carry or what kind of tow truck is needed for towing the vehicle. This will increase our efficiency by a few notches.”

Source: aftermarketnews.com.

Towman Awarded for Doing Job

Stockton, California, Assemblywoman Susan Talamantes Eggman honored towman Sal Rodriguez of Mike and Daughters Towing in Stockton with her AD13 Strong award on

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Sept. 30. The award was given to Rodriguez for coming to her aid after her disabled car got stuck on the freeway.

On Sept. 18, Eggman was returning from an event in Modesto in her Chevrolet Volt. On the connecting ramp from northbound Highway 99 onto the westbound Crosstown Freeway, Eggman came across a tire in her lane.

Unable to swerve out of the way or stop in time, she hit the tire, causing damage to her car and disabling it. Her car came to rest in the center lanes of the freeway.

Eggman called 911, and a dispatcher instructed her to stay in the car and called the towing company.

Within 15 minutes, Rodriguez showed up on scene.

Rodriguez carefully guided Eggman into the safety of the cab of his truck, then hooked up the damaged car and towed it off of the freeway.

“The work Sal does on a daily basis helps people get home to their loved ones,” Eggman said in an online state-

ment. “For keeping stranded motorists safe and calm, Sal Rodriguez is this month’s recipient of the AD13 Strong Certificate of Recognition. Let’s all be mindful of our emergency vehicles on the sides of roads and highways and slow down or move over to give them space.”

Source: recordnet.com

Towman Faces 31 Forgery Counts

A Kansas City, Missouri, towman faces multiple forgery charges for allegedly illegally towing vehicles from Kansas City parking lots.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced that Allen T. Bloodworth faces 31 counts of forgery for illegally towing vehicles between April 7, 2017, and Nov. 19, 2017.

According to court records, Bloodworth operates Private Party Impound LLC. Peters Baker alleged Bloodworth and his employees were illegally

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towing abandoned vehicles from private property.

Bloodworth or his employees completed a state-required Department of Revenue form that requires the name of a property or security manager who is authoring and witnessing the tow. The investigation found those forms were used 280 times to tow vehicles. They were signed with two names of area apartment or property managers, who told police they had not given permission to Bloodworth to use their names for the tows.

Source: kshb.com.

Abandoned Vehicle Legislation Introduced

Ohio State Rep. Don Jones introduced HB345 that will enable Ohio towing companies and storage facilities that work with law enforcement and public safety entities to acquire titles to abandoned vehicles for proper disposal. The bill was sponsored by the Association of Professional Towers of Ohio.

The intent of the legislation is to deem vehicles abandoned 60 days after the vehicle owner and/or lienholder are notified by law enforcement. The time period is designed to provide law enforcement enough time to decide if they would like to acquire the vehicle title for disposal or any other purpose.

APTO said there is no intention to modify the current process used by law enforcement to acquire the vehicle’s title, and they may continue using that process. APTO said it will be working closely with Rep. Jones and law enforcement and public safety entities to ensure the legislation is agreeable to all interested parties.

The association also put out a call to members that would like to help fight for this legislation.

“We are looking for facilities with large numbers of abandoned vehicles,” the association said, “companies that experience hardships because they cannot get rid of vehicles that are littering their lots, and all towing companies and storage facilities that want to be involved.”

Source: APTO.

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Abandoned Vehicle Legislation Introduced

Ohio State Rep. Don Jones introduced HB345 that will enable Ohio towing companies and storage facilities that work with law enforcement and public safety entities to acquire titles to abandoned vehicles for proper disposal. The bill was sponsored by the Association of Professional Towers of Ohio.

The intent of the legislation is to deem vehicles abandoned 60 days after the vehicle owner and/or lienholder are notified by law enforcement. The time period is designed to provide law enforcement enough time to decide if they would like to acquire the vehicle title for disposal or any other purpose.

APTO said there is no intention to modify the current process used by law enforcement to acquire the vehicle’s title, and they may continue using that process. APTO said it will be working closely with Rep. Jones and law enforcement and public safety entities to ensure the legislation is agreeable to all interested parties.

The association also put out a call to members that would like to help fight for this legislation.

“We are looking for facilities with large numbers of abandoned vehicles,” the association said, “companies that experience hardships because they cannot get rid of vehicles that are littering their lots, and all towing companies and storage facilities that want to be involved.”

Source: APTO.

Towman Helps Mother after Tragedy

A Rochester, New York, towman was hailed as a good Samaritan after helping out a woman who recently suffered a terrible loss.

Tenitia Cullum, the mother of a 3-year-old boy who died after falling into a grease trap, had her car towed for free on Oct. 3. Cullum did not have the money to get her car

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repaired but a local auto shop heard about what happened on the radio and offered to repair the car for free.

Cullum had no way to get the car to the shop and that’s when Alvin Colon and his family business offered to help out.

“This car was given to me and it just needed some repairs, so I’m shocked and overwhelmed,” Cullum said. “This is awesome, so I truly, truly thank everybody.”

Reinaldo Colon still works at the shop he opened 50 years ago, now run by his sons, Alvin and Emilialo.

Generosity is not something new to them.

“Make a difference as much as we can because any helping hand is a helping hand you know, you do today for others you never know what somebody can do for you tomorrow when you least expect it,” said Emilialo.

Source: spectrumlocalnews.com.

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Houston Company Adds Drones

360 Towing Solutions in Houston, Texas, recently announced its intent of using unmanned aerial vehicles or drones to inspect car breakdown situations within the Houston area.

The owners said that this is going to be a revolutionary step for increasing the efficiency of their towing professionals who operate throughout the Houston area.

One of the senior executives of 360 Towing Solutions said, “Drones will be sent to the stranded vehicles first and the drone will be used for capturing photos and videos of the stranded vehicles. The drone will send the photos and videos to our control room and the roadside assistance Houston professionals heading for towing the vehicle would be able to know what kind of tools they need to carry or what kind of tow truck is needed for towing the vehicle. This will increase our efficiency by a few notches.”

Source: aftermarketnews.com.

Towman Awarded for Doing Job

Stockton, California, Assemblywoman Susan Talamantes Eggman honored towman Sal Rodriguez of Mike and Daughters Towing in Stockton with her AD13 Strong award on Sept. 30. The award was given to Rodriguez for coming to her aid after her disabled car got stuck on the freeway.

On Sept. 18, Eggman was returning from an event in Modesto in her Chevrolet Volt. On the connecting ramp from northbound Highway 99 onto the westbound Crosstown Freeway, Eggman came across a tire in her lane.

Unable to swerve out of the way or stop in time, she hit the tire, causing damage to her car and disabling it. Her car came to rest in the center lanes of the freeway.

Eggman called 911, and a

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dispatcher instructed her to stay in the car and called the towing company. Within 15 minutes, Rodriguez showed up on scene.

Rodriguez carefully guided Eggman into the safety of the cab of his truck, then hooked up the damaged car and towed it off of the freeway.

“The work Sal does on a daily basis helps people get home to their loved ones,” Eggman said in an online statement. “For keeping stranded motorists safe and calm, Sal Rodriguez is this month’s recipient of the AD13 Strong Certificate of Recognition. Let’s all be mindful of our emergency vehicles on the sides of roads and highways and slow down or move over to give them space.”

Source: recordnet.com

Towman Faces 31 Forgery Counts

A Kansas City, Missouri, towman faces multiple forgery charges for allegedly illegally towing vehicles from Kansas City parking lots.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced that Allen T. Bloodworth faces 31 counts of forgery for illegally towing vehicles between April 7, 2017, and Nov. 19, 2017.

According to court records, Bloodworth operates Private Party Impound LLC. Peters Baker alleged Bloodworth and his employees were illegally towing abandoned vehicles from private property.

Bloodworth or his employees completed a state-required Department of Revenue form that requires the name of a property or security manager who is authoring and witnessing the tow. The investigation found those forms were used 280 times to tow vehicles. They were signed with two names of area apartment or property managers, who told police they had not given permission to Bloodworth to use their names for the tows.

Source: kshb.com.

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CopyrightŠ2019 American Towman Magazine. Characters and stories are fictitious; no resemblance to real life characters is intended.

Send your thoughts/suggestions on the Adventures to scalitri@towman.com or American Towman, 2 Overlook Dr #5, Warwick NY 10990