American Towman Magazine - May 2011 by dortiz-towman

Whether it’s recovering an overturned tractor-trailer or towing a truck across town, you’re in command with your Vulcan V-100. The Vulcan V-100 is the tool you need to accomplish any task – just ask loyal 0

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For versatility in light- and medium-duty towing and recovery, the Vulcan V-30 meets your demands. Available in an aluminum or composite modular body, this 16-ton powerhouse comes loaded with many features found on Vulcan’s heavy-duty units.

in command.

Vulcan has led the industry in heavy-duty integrated towing and recovery units for 25 years. Available in 25-, 35- and 50-ton capacities, the Vulcan heavy-duty integrated series easily tackles the toughest jobs.

y 71 Vulcan’s L.C.G. (Low Center of Gravity) car carriers features a deck height that’s 5- to 8-inches lower, offering more stability during transport, a lower load angle and greater ease in securing loads. For recovery, Vulcan offers the SP8000 Sidepuller, the ultimate in car carrier versatility.

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The Vulcan Intruder leads the light-duty line-up with an autoload crossbar capable of picking up vehicles at a 90-degree angle and your choice of steel, aluminum or composite modular bodies. Other popular Vulcan light-duty units feature Vulcan’s strapless wheel-lift system.

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Towers will see recovery demonstrations, sponsored by Miller Industries, at Tow Expo International in San Antonio May 13th.

FEATURE CONTENTS

Up and Over Summer's Towing in West Virginia performed a classic lift up and over a guardrail. by Nick Summer

When Disaster Strikes Is your business prepared to go mobile when a fire consumes your facility or a flood makes it impossible for your team to operate from headquarters... by Randall Resch

Departments Low Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 News Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Beacon’s On! . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Road Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 AD Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Tow Americana . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Tow Boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 My Baby. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Towman’s Market . . . . . . . . . .58 Adventures of A.T. . . . . . . . . . .61

The Boss Bill Johnson is no overnight success, and that's probably why he's knows the value of delegating. by Steve Calitri Recovery photo by Nick Summers of Summers Towing.

Photos by: Steve Calitri, PhotoXpress, Nick Summers, Jim “Buck” Sorrenti, Action Towing Cover Design by: Ann Marie Nitti

TOWMAN.COM - May 2011 • 5

Not Quite Dodge City by Steve Calitri

or thousands of tow business owners, the towing industry is associated with cities and towns where towers historically gather. Places like Wisconsin Dells in the upper reaches of Wisconsin, glorious Lake George in upstate New York, name destination sites like Orlando, Florida of Disney fame and San Antonio, Texas––known for its Riverwalk and the Alamo. The tow show and the place it is held has become a flame of hope for the tow bosses who make it there and even long after; a flame that continues to burn with what they have taken from it; some enlightenment from a seminar, a glimpse of the latest innovation, the colorful images on pageant wreckers… a new friendship with a fellow tower. I know this may seem to be a strange outcome for an event that many tow bosses approach with the anticipation of a gun slinger riding into a quick-draw convention. The tow show is not quite like Dodge City. The tow boss finds out that he can let his guard down. He’s surrounded not by the local towers trying to outdo him and his business, but by his peers from all over the state, the region, or even from around the nation (like at AT Expo). Towers, in fact, who are surprisingly friendly and helpful. Images of wrecker booms and barbecues come to mind with these tow shows and conventions. Towers are gathering in San Antonio, Texas for Tow Expo Int’l, May 12–14 to lay hands on new equipment and savor the best chili this side of the Rio Grande. California towers will hop over to Reno, Nevada for the Western States Tow Show in June and grab onto levers on wreckers and slot machines. Come November the largest gathering will take place in Baltimore, Maryland’s historic harbor for the AT Expo, known for its Festival Night, 6 • May 2011 - TOWMAN.COM

the Bull & Pig Roast, and dare I say, Calitri’s Cuba. Baltimore, to towers who have not been there, is probably the mystery city compared to the others mentioned, though those who attend their first AT Expo are enchanted by its magnificent harbor, and how all the hotels, restaurants, night clubs, and shops are right there along with the convention center. San Antonio has in common with Baltimore this charm and convenience. In San Antonio, the famous Alamo, the Convention Center, and hotels are all right there by the River Walk, called by many, “America’s Venice.” Here towers take modern gondolas along the canals lined with shops and eating places, just like they take water taxis across Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. In America today, it’s often been remarked that all streets look alike. For towers who are working upon asphalt, 24/7, this sensation of sameness is probably more pronounced. This changes when a tow boss gives into an urge to break away for one of the big shows. Once setting foot in tow show city, he becomes like a kid in a candy shop. Suddenly he’s exploring streets not calling him to ply his trade, but simply to enjoy for their discovery. For a tow business owner who has experienced the whirlwind of AT Expo in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, or the sensation of being in a foreign paradise (San Antonio’s River Walk), the place and the feeling are emblazoned in the tower’s psyche as indelibly as his own local streets are. The tow boss sees a perspective on his industry that he can’t get at home while immersed in the daily grind. He meets other professionals that want to and can help his business succeed. On the River Walk he’ll compare notes with his peers, swap recovery tales at the Chili Cookoff and will always savor that moment.

Publisher Dennie Ortiz Editor-In-Chief Steve Calitri Editor Brendan Dooley Operations Editors Terry Abejuela Randall Resch Chassis Editor David Kolman Safety Editor Bill Simmons Contributing Editors John Borowski Jim “Buck” Sorrenti Editorial Board Tommy Anderson, Dallas, Texas Roy Carlson; St. Paul, Minn. Gary Coe; Portland, Ore. Frank Child; Cody, Wyo. Belinda Harris; Greensboro, N.C. Amado Llorens; Hialeah, Fla. Ron Mislan; Warren, N.J. Chuck Swider; Chicopee, Mass. Frank Sanchez; Bridgewater, N.J. Page Layout Artist Ann Marie Nitti Graphic Manager William Burwell Advertising Sales Manager Dennie Ortiz Senior Account Executive Ellen Rosengart VP of Accounts Norma Calitri VP of Communications Neila Smith Subscription Manager Miriam Ortiz Internet Developer Henri Calitri President Steve Calitri Headquarters 7 West Street, Warwick NY 10990 800-732-3869 or 845-986-4546 Fax: 845-986-5181 E-mail: Publisher: dortiz@towman.com Editor-In-Chief: scalitri@towman.com Editor: bdooley@towman.com AT’S Digital Edition: itowman.com Weekly Industry News: towman.com Copyright ©2011 American Towman Magazine is published 12 times a year by American Towman Network, Inc. U.S. Subscription: $50–1 yr; $95–2 yrs • US $65 and $105 • International Editorial Policy: the act of mailing or delivering a letter or article to American Towman Magazine, shall constitute permission to publish that letter or article or any portion thereof. American Towman Magazine reserves the right to edit any and all material submitted.

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N.J. Muni Ponders Tow Fee Increase Amendments to the Paramus, N.J., towing ordinance that would increase the fees tow truck companies can charge was introduced in late March. The ordinance does not affect residents' private interactions with towers. The amendments were created by borough officials, professionals, police and representatives of three of the four municipal tow truck companies. Among the changes: A standard tow will cost $100 under the revised ordinance, compared to $75 previously. It will lower the duration before tow truck companies can charge additional cleanup fees, from after one hour to 30 minutes. Companies will be allowed to charge $15 for each additional bag of Speedy Dry. An administrative fee of $25 per tow has been added. The increases will bring towing, special recoveries, storage and additional mile rates more in line with what other municipalities charge, an improvement from the rate that remained flat since 1989, according to All Points Towing Service owner Tom Locicero. Source northjersey.com.

Texas Bill Would Regulate Towing, Storage Fees In the Texas capitol, a new bill would regulate the towing and storage of vehicles, including commercial trucks, and would require tow truck operators to present a schedule of fees to the vehicle’s owner or operator. A statement must be provided that contains information that includes the total amount charged for the tow, number of miles towed and the daily vehicle storage rate. Other recovery fees associated with the tow would be listed separately. Storage facilities would be required to release truck cargo free of charge within one hour of receipt of a written request. In addition, towers would be required to submit a monthly report to the state listing each tow that involved a large truck. The report must contain the number of miles towed for each tow, the amount charged and any amount charged for recovery. The bill, SB1321, was still in committee at press time. Source: landlinemag.com. 8 • May 2011 - TOWMAN.COM

Recovery Vehicle Debuts in War Zone The M1249 military recovery vehicle made its debut at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan in midMarch. The new vehicle will provide the U.S. military with the ability to recover any vehicle no matter what the damage. Navistar lead the creation of the M1249 following a military request for a vehicle that could recover all military vehicles currently used, including the MineResistant Ambush-Protected vehicles, some of the heaviest vehicles used by the military. “The MRV has two 25,000pound recovery winches, a 50,000-pound drag winch, a 30ton boom with 280-degree rotation, not to mention the V-hull

Navistar led the creation of the M1249.

under the cab to protect the operators,” said David Chapman, a field service instructor and mechanic for Navistar. “In other words, the MRV has expanded capabilities with some new tricks the current wrecker doesn’t have.” Source: www.cjtf101.com.

2011 Hall of Fame

Inductees Announced Five industry leaders have been selected for induction into the Class of 2011 of the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame in Chattanooga, Tenn. Heather A. Llewellyn of Nova Scotia, Canada; John D. “Doug” McLendon of Sanford, Fla., Donald J. Mesaros of Loveland, Ohio, Eilís M. Murray of Wicklow, Ireland, and Timothy J. Vibert of Unionville, Conn., were nominated by members of the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum for their contributions to the towing and recovery industry. Hall of Fame members will be inducted Sept. 17 in a ceremony at the DoubleTree Hotel of Chat-

Doug McLendon

tanooga as part of a weekend of activities. For more information or to order tickets, call Cheryl Mish at 423-267-3132.

. . . Goverment Officials head to Tow Expo . . . Houston to Stop Free Tow Plan The 6-year-old free towing service on local freeways in Houston, Texas, will start costing motorists $50 per car under a new proposal. Passing the cost of towing to motorists is expected to save the city about $3.3 million a year. “We can no longer afford to pay for this program,” said Councilwoman Sue Lovell, who helped work out the new arrangement with citycontracted towing companies. The SafeClear program’s operations will not change much beyond the pay-at-the-curb proposal. When a car breaks down in the emergency lane, a city-dispatched truck arrives within six minutes and tows it from the freeway, with or without the driver's consent. Currently, the city pays the towing company $50 per vehicle cleared from the freeway. Motorists with no insurance, cash or credit cards immediately available will have their cars towed to a city yard and 48 have hours to come up with the money before incurring storage fees. Source: www.chron.com.

N.J. Training Classes Set Somerset Hills Towing will host the complete series of WreckMaster Training at its facilities in Bridgewater, N.J. Instructor Randy Biichle will lead all the training classes. The scheduled training dates are: Level 2/3: May 21-22 Level 4/5: June 25-26 Level A/C: Aug. 6-7 Level 6/7: Sept. 23-25 For more information, call WreckMaster at 800-267-2266 or go online at www.wreckmaster.com; or contact Frank Sanchez at 888-235-2823 or by email at fsanchez@somersethillstowing.com. Source: Frank Sanchez.

Texas Officials Head to San Antonio Texas towers are networking big-time with state officials. The Officials Conference hosted by Southwest Tow Operators(STO) takes place May 13th and 14th in San Antonio during Tow Expo Int'l. This conference follows on the heels of of STO's Biannual Towers Legislative Day in Austin, Texas, which welcomed several state legislators, including Rep. Ryan Guillen who authored the Texas Move over Law for Towers to include tow trucks in the current Move Over Law. Other speakers included Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Chairman, Frank Denton; president of Southwest Tow Operators, Dan Messina; Chairman of Texas Towing and Tow Expo has brought in its Storage Association, Eric Golbow; and others. own lawmen in years past. After the conference portion, tow operators spread out throughout the Capitol, most wearing bright yellow safety vests; it was quite the sight to see the massive wave of yellow vests sprawl throughout the building. Source: STO.

Auto Club Adds Smart EVs’ Twenty smart fortwo electric drive cars, unveiled in March by the Automobile Club of Southern California and smart USA, will be part of a research project by the Auto Club to test the utility and benefits of electric cars in a variety of light duty roadside, insurance and consumer activities. The 20 vehicles are among an overall fleet of 250 smart fortwo electric drive vehicles that will be distributed by smart USA nationwide during 2011. Also as part of the program, AAA Missouri and AAA Texas will receive vehicles to use in light duty roadside service and insurance sales. The smart fortwo achieves an EPA estimated 41 mpg on the highway and is an ultra-low emissions vehicle, as certified by the State of California Air Resources Board. The smart fortwo is available in three

trim levels ranging in price from $12,490 to $17,690. The smart fortwo electric drive is the ultimate zeroemission visual statement on conservation and environmental awareness and is available for lease. Both vehicles measure 8.8 feet long, 5.1 feet tall and 5.1 feet wide and come equipped with many functional and safety features. Smart is currently sold in more than 40 other countries, and more than one million smart fortwos have been sold since 1998.

TOWMAN.COM - May 2011 • 9

Accident Cleanup: The Reason$ by John Borowski

fter reading Part One last month, are you asking yourself why should I jump into this new practice? Well, there are several reasons why. Firstly, if you leave any kind of a hazard behind, you could be held responsible for any liability resulting from the outcome. Antifreeze is one these hazards. Antifreeze or coolant has a sweet aroma and taste, which dogs find particularly appealing. Thirsty cats may also be attracted. As little as half a teaspoon of spilled antifreeze can kill an average-sized cat, and eight ounces can kill a 75-pound dog. Unless you catch it early, the damage to pets' kidneys can be irreversible. Spilled or leaked antifreeze also washes into rivers and lakes, harming fish and other wildlife. Antifreeze can pollute groundwater, surface water and drinking water supplies if dumped, spilled or leaked, and is a serious health hazard to humans. While in an engine, antifreeze can become contaminated with lead or benzene to the point where it must be managed as a hazardous waste. There are two types of antifreeze commonly in use today-ethylene glycol and propylene glycol. The most common is ethylene glycol antifreeze, which is odorless, sweet tasting, and usually greenish-yellow in color. Propylene glycol antifreeze, usually pink, is less toxic than ethylene glycol. Extended life antifreeze, usually orange, contains additional additives and is available in both ethylene and propylene bases. Antifreeze is also extremely slippery on impervious surfaces. Drivers braking or turning while driving over the lost fluids can lose control of their vehicle. Left standing on a paved roadway traffic will spread the coolant a long way creating a black ice condition. Motor oil, transmission fluid, 10 • May 2011 - TOWMAN.COM

Motor oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluids are extremely dangerous because of how slippery they make impervious surfaces. A very small amount can spread a very long way. Battery acid or ammonia is caustic.

With all of this exposure for liabilpower steering fluids are extremely ity and responsibility on the line, why dangerous because of how slippery would anyone want to pass on the they make impervious surfaces. A very opportunity to do the job right, the small amount can spread a very long first time, correctly way. Battery acid or ammoand profitably. I am nia is caustic. It can damage willing to bet that some materials as well, and mostly every contract can react violently with cerfor police ordered tain chemicals. towing has some sort Disposable gloves, of mention regarding hypodermic needles, clean up. Usually, it bloody bandages and other medical waste may be left John Borowski is a two-time recipient of will say you need to have ample equipat an accident scene. the American Towman Medal for Now, lets take and mix heroism, a past president of the ment to remove a reaall of this together and you Statewide Towing Association of sonable spill. Just Massachusetts, a veteran tower of 30 what is reasonable? have the scene of many years, and a former towing equipment motor vehicles accidents. sales specialist for two wrecker My answer is how Insurance companies will manufacturers. An inductee in the Int'l much equipment you try to complain about clean Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame, John is can carry in that up bills but have no choice a regular contributor to American truck. They want a Towman and the operations manager for shovel, but to pay them. These bills Amber Energy Services, specializing in broom, absorbents, debris go to the property damage accident cleanup. containers, gloves, coverage on their policy.

towels, etc. Of course now you have to carry back the debris and used up materials from the scene. There is just not enough room on your truck(s) to do this properly. Finally, I developed a no nonsense, easy to follow invoice that already lists the majority of products to be used. By reading the invoice you can fully understand what the circumstances were at the scene. Basically you can repeat what happened at the accident scene by painting the big picture. As far as pricing goes you need to develop all of your list prices for the products used. Then the only thing left is your technician per hour rate and the emergency response van and certified tech charge per hour. After reviewing services with similarities in a price reference catalog called the blue book, you can generalize what a fair hourly rate is. In an effort to simplify the process, I developed a 2 hour minimum every time we respond on week days and 4 hour minimum on nights, weekends and holidays. Mostly all cleanups fall into these categories. If more time or techs are needed they are added to the bill respectively. The most important thing to remember is to be consistent in pricing. A close study should be done to see if the service is profitable within reasonable ranges.

Federal Towing Requirements Simplified Auto Data Direct, Inc. (ADD), has launched a nationwide effort aimed at simplifying the process for federal reporting requirements as the towing industry works to comply with a recent policy clarification issued by the Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS). “We work with tow companies, wrecker operators, and tow truck services all over the nation and this clarification has many of them trying to catch up with the reporting requirement,” said Jim Taylor, ADD’s President. “Our goal is to provide them with the information

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and tools they need to meet the federal requirement as efficiently as possible.” ADD has tailored its NMVTIS data upload system to speak directly to the tow industry. “Different industries use terms specific to their business,” said Taylor. “We have modified our data entry format to use language common to the tow industry to assist them in better identifying vehicles that need to be reported.” In addition to data upload services,

ADD offers instant vehicle searches for the towing industry through contracts with 22 state agencies. “We know that one of the most time-consuming and potentially costly challenges for the towing industry is finding the owner and lien holders for vehicles that remain unclaimed,” says Taylor. For information on NMVTIS reporting and many other tow industry services provided through Auto Data Direct, Inc., visit their website at www.add123.com. TOWMAN.COM - May 2011 • 11

New Hydraulic Detachable Gooseneck from Trail King

Check Out What’s NEW and HOT! Jaguar Improves Self-Loader Durability Danco’s Jaguar self-loader improves durability through contained cylinder rods and hidden hoses that prolong service life and make for a much cleaner appearance. The Jaguar body and integrated wheel lift and boom wastes no space and provides ample storage. The 4,000-lbs. lift capacity enables multiple towing possibilities when combined with the full in-cab controls and self-loading feature.

www.dancoproducts.com Number 200 on Reader Card

Condor Cycle Loader B/A Products recently introduced the Condor Cycle Loader and SelfLoader to its product line. This equipment makes it easy for a single operator to securely transport motorcycles of any size quickly.

www.baprod.com Number 201 on Reader Card

Fleet-Start Ideal for Heavy-Duty Work Goodall Manufacturing introduces Fleet· Start for heavy-duty jumpstarting, ideal for semi-trucks, delivery trucks and fleets. The Fleet· Start unit uses patented technology to give more jumpstarting power than batteries alone, and is claimed to jumpstart up to 40 vehicles before needing a recharge. Goodall’s Safe-Start technology protects electronics under extreme conditions. The modular design allows for easy access and is iihassle free in field maintenance.

www.goodallmfg.com Number 202 on Reader Card

12 • May 2011 - TOWMAN.COM

rail King’s new Advantage Plus! Series Hydraulic Detachable Gooseneck trailer features a new gooseneck design, and new standard equipment.The trailers feature a new five-position gooseneck door adjustment that allows for a full 8 inch range of king-pin height settings, plus a notched setting control bar. The new arched design of the gooseneck provides truck frame clearance, even from the lowest king pin height. The Advantage Plus! HDG includes heavy-duty pull-out front outriggers that are built right into the frame. They provide extra strength at the pivot point, and there’s no need to lift them on and off, or store them elsewhere. Spring-loaded stainless steel latches can be turned and locked open, leaving both hands free to pull out or push in the outriggers.

Standard features include: •Close-set outriggers at mid-deck to prevent planks from tipping up. •Covered knuckle trough in the rear deck. •Covered boom trough in the wheel area. •Third lift axle. •Adjustable ride height control. •LED lights and a sealed “plug and play” electrical system. •Heavy-duty bent-style D-rings. •The Advantage Plus! Series HDG trailers are available in 35-, 51-, and 55-ton capacities.

www.trailking.com Number 203 on Reader Card

TOWMAN.COM - May 2011 • 13

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*NOTE: Describe the incident and include the name, company, phone number and address of the nominee. All accounts should be able to be corroborated by a third party source, i.e., police, victim, witness.

American Towman Exposition, Baltimore MD, Nov. 18-20, 2011 Nominee’s Name:

Phone:

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*The Incident:

Your Name: 14 • May 2011 - TOWMAN.COM

Phone:

Send to: Steve Calitri American Towman 7 West Street Warwick, NY, 10990 scalitri@towman.com

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Did you know American Towman Magazine is on Facebook? Check us out for posts on the latest industry news, tow show updates and more. Find us on Facebook to get the scoop, interact with us and share your stories and photos!

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Richard Puglia has accepted the position of International Sales Manager of Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia for Jerr-Dan Corporation. “Richard will assume responsibility in the area of market development, sales and product support, and work collaboratively with the leaders of the other functional areas at Jerr-Dan to develop and strengthen our global footprint,” comments Joel Amsley, Senior Vice President of Jerr-Dan Corporation. Prior to joining Jerr-Dan, Richard Puglia pursued an international career in JLG access equipment as managing director JLG Ibérica for ten years. Born and raised in New York City, he emigrated to Spain when he met his wife. He has been a resident of Spain since 1996 and is raising two children. Richard Puglia has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and is a certified Six Sigma green belt.

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Equipment Sales & Service 21 Equipment Sales & Service 60 FlowStop 46 Ford Commercial Truck 32, 33 Hino Motor Sales USA, Inc. 55 Intek Truck Eq. Finance & Lease 19 Jerr-Dan Corp. 64 16 • May 2011 - TOWMAN.COM

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This Truck Is Game

Somerset’s Event Management Unit

Jeff DiPane is the lead operator of the Event Management unit.

n New Jersey, Somerset Hills Towing president Michael Bessaparis is very much involved in his community; so the idea of adding a utility vehicle to his fleet of 30 tow trucks, and providing road service where the Somerset Patriots play baseball (TD Bank Ballpark) was an idea he liked. Always looking for ways to promote the company and better serve the public, Frank Sanchez, Somerset’s director of sales and marketing, had been toying with the concept of building a service unit that would be able to get in and out of the tight spots that a conventional tow truck cannot handle for lockouts, jumpstarts, flat tires, and to supply fuel without blocking traffic in the Patriots Park lot. “We would 18 • May 2011 - TOWMAN.COM

normally have a flatbed on duty, but in the process of helping one stranded motorist it would block the driveway and parking spaces of other patrons trying to leave,” explained Frank. This Somerset Hills Towing utility cart, referred to as the Event Management Unit was Frank’s project. It started as a 2005 Bobcat allwheel diesel and Elizabeth Truck Center in Elizabeth, New Jersey did all of the customization, including paint, and transformed it into the service vehicle it is today. The unit has a diamond plate roof set up with LED lights and is decked out with custom strobes front and rear. It has an electric dump body and a tow hitch for pulling a small wagon or trailer. In addition to

By Jim “Buck” Sorrenti the Somerset Hills Towing paint scheme it is hand lettered with some custom decals to make it stand out and an airhorn to get the attention of pedestrians and motorists in the parking lot when it is on its way to answer a distress call.

Onboard Equipment includes: •Diesel fuel •Gasoline •Air compressor and hose •Lockout kits •Tire change kit •Jack •Plug in jump-start kit •Generator •Fire extinguisher •First Aid Kit

Jeff DiPane is the lead operator in this unit. He is the man on-duty during every night and weekend home game of the Patriots. Jeff explained, “During day games, anyone in need of service calls into the shop and we dispatch a vehicle to assist. Whether it’s me on-duty in the Event Management Unit or a wrecker that is dispatched to the park, we offer this service free of charge on stadium property. Outside the park is a normal service fee. Being in the park has been great public relations for our company. It gets our name out there to the public.” You could say Jeff began as the operator of this unit because a baseball had his number. “Five seasons ago, on opening day, the driver that normally handled this job wasn’t available and I volunteered to go out to the park. At that time we were requested to be on the premises starting in the seventh

It started as a 2005 Bobcat all-wheel diesel and Elizabeth Truck Center in Elizabeth, N. J. did all of the customization including paint and transformed it into the service vehicle it is today.

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inning and staying until the lots were cleared out after the end of the game. I was standing in the upper level on the first base side when the Patriots second baseman Elliott Ayala smacked a long foul ball that hit me in the chest. I was hooked and from then on this became my gig. I get there for the first pitch and stay until the last car has left the lot.” Jeff designed the logo on the cart. He took the Patriots logo and reworked it by adding a tow chain and hook. Frank added, “There is no doubt that Jeff is the ambassador for our company at the ballpark and the cart has become a great promotional tool.” Originally designed for service at Patriot Park, the Event Management Unit is now also on-duty for other events such as: parades, town/county functions, and shows. It has been requested by Somerset County to be on sight for a variety of special venues. “They recently had a big event on a grass field where a tow truck would get stuck in the mud or tear up the grass,” said Frank. “The cart did its job and functioned without any damage to the area.” “This has been a great promo piece for our company. It has made the motoring public aware of our professionalism and has brought new and repeat business.” said Frank. “Publicity with functionality.”

TD Bank Ballpark, known as Patriot Park “ The Jewel of The Atlantic League,” opened its gates on June 7, 1999. The 6,100-seat ballpark is the home to 70 Somerset Patriots games during an Atlantic League season. The park also hosts other events such as concerts and circuses. Former New York Yankee star pitcher Sparky Lyle has been the manager for the Somerset Patriots since the team began.

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Title Reporting Revised

id you know that you need to report Vehicle Identification Numbers to the U.S. Department of Justice if you own, control, handle or acquire more than five junk or salvage vehicles a year? When an issue is in the dark its hard to know about it. The levels of bureaucracy regarding junk/salvage vehicles in the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System can be confounding (the DOJ is overseen by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, who appointed the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators to run the reporting program). The new rules are based in the Anti Theft Act of 1992, and followed by the 10-page Proposed Rules changes from September 2008. The document spells out the program that the towing companies must abide by … and towing companies are not mentioned once as an involved party. (A three-page Policy Clarification from the BJA in March 2009 does not mention towing companies either.) A Policy Clarification from the BJA from January 2011 finally mentions tow companies, though our industry was left out of the discussion. As such, we are two years behind on this law that includes us. Until we can change things, we are obligated to report vehicles that apply to the ruling.

What Do I Report? The intent of the regulation is to track junk and salvage vehicles. Vehi24 • May 2011 - TOWMAN.COM

cles that you transport or store do not count as reportable vehicles. Only vehicles that you decide the disposi-

Failure to report to NMVTIS as required is punishable by a civil penalty of $1,000 per violation. Accordingly, for example, a failure to report 100 junk or salvage automobiles could result in a civil penalty of up to $100,000. NMVTIS Reporting Entities are responsible for ensuring all required information has been reported to NMVTIS accurately and within the timelines required. tion of may be reportable, and not all vehicles that you decide the disposition of are reportable. This is a confusing statement, but I did not write the regulation. To understand what is reportable, you must first understand the difference between a junk and a salvage vehicle:

By Bill Johnson

A junk vehicle is incapable of operating on public streets, roads and highways, and has no value except as a source of parts and scrap. A salvage vehicle is a total loss or rebuildable and will apply to collision vehicles, fire loss, flood vehicles or a vehicle that sustained damage either mechanically or to the body or both. There is a formula that is used to determine this type of loss. The definition for a junk vehicle is somewhat confusing as a vehicle that only meets the first part is not necessarily reportable. For example, if the vehicle has a broken taillight, broken headlight and needs an exhaust system, that vehicle is not road worthy. But the question is, what is the buyer going to do with the vehicle? If their intent is to repair the vehicle and register it, that vehicle is not reportable. In fact you may be doing the customer a disservice if you did report it. Some states may brand the vehicle salvage and at a later date when the person wants to sell the car, the value could be diminished if it was reported. The intent of this regulation as it relates to junk vehicles is to report end-of-life vehicles that in all probability will not be registered again. The definition needs to be read in its entirety. For a salvage vehicle, the salvage value needs to be determined (current condition after loss) and the cost of repairing the vehicle to pre-accident condition. Add salvage value plus repair cost and if the sum is greater than

continue to page 26

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TITLE REPORTING REVISED continued from page 24 the value of the vehicle prior to the loss, it is considered salvage. Few tow companies deal with a great deal of salvage vehicles, because the insurance companies hopefully pick these up. A vehicle that has been in an accident may be a re-buildable, but is not necessarily a salvage vehicle by definition of the regulation. The intent of the regulation needs to be followed; to report totaled vehicles the formula needs to be applied. It’s all in the numbers for salvage vehicles, if they do not add up to exceed the value prior to the accident, it isn’t reportable. The obligation to report any vehicle is only when tow companies have the authority as to the vehicle’s disposition. If your customer leaves you the vehicle title in lieu of payment, you are responsible to make a determination if that vehicle is reportable. If the vehicle owner assigns the title to a salvage yard and asks you to deliver the vehicle and pick up payment from the salvage yard or the salvage yard picks it up from you, it is not a reportable vehicle on your part.

This policy does not include motorcycles or vehicles over 10,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight (which you can voluntarily report).

How Do I Report It? NMVTIS reporting is done through approved data consolidators who collect the required information, which includes reporting entity, VIN, the date authorization of disposition was obtained, who the vehicle was obtained from, to whom it was transferred and more. To register your business, go to www.vehiclehistory.gov to “For Reporting Entities Only.” Click on that link and follow the instructions. Depending on your volume of cars, you can choose a free option which only allows one car at time to be reported or there is a pay option which allows multiple vehicles to be reported. NMVTIS reporting is done through approved data consolidators. Consolidators collect the required information from towing companies, format it and insert it into the NMVTIS database.

Auto Data Direct, Inc. (ADD), Insurance Services Office (ISO) and Audatex are the AAMVA-approved data consolidators for NMVTIS reporting. New regulations can be frustrating and confusing, and consolidators have varied prices and different ways for recyclers to provide the required information, so it is a good idea to shop around to find the data consolidator and reporting process that works best for your business. For example, ADD offers both a paid and a no-cost reporting account, and provides live customer service six days a week. If you do not have the Internet, there is a service in Florida from Florida FastTitle that allows you to mail or fax the vehicle information to them for reporting. They can be reached at 813-2375805. One last thing (don’t shoot the messenger): The DOJ would like first time reporting entities to include all junk/salvage vehicles from March 1, 2009, on your first report. For more infor mation, email NMVTIS@USDOJ.gov or check out www.vehiclehistory.gov.

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By Nick Summers

OVER

he West Virginia State Police called Summers Towing and Repair on a Friday evening in July 2006 for a tractor/tanker that went off of I-79 near Morgantown. They requested a rotator tow truck and another heavy-duty unit for this recovery. Once on the scene, we found an empty tanker truck that was over the guardrails, down the hill and into the woods. The trailer received minimal damage, but the Volvo

tractor had significant damage. We conferred with members of the state police, fire department and the DOT’s Division of Highways. Once the fire department assessed the damage and gave us approval to start the recovery, we were asked by the DOT’s highway personnel to do the recovery without removing the guardrails, since there was little damage done to them. We accomplished that by hooking our 50ton truck to the rear of the tanker trailer and our rotator to the side of the trailer with straps to keep it from rolling over. We pinned the brakes on the trailer and cut some trees and limbs out of the way to limit further damage to the tanker. We winched the tractor and tanker trailer out of the woods and up to the side of the guardrail.

A 60 ton, NRC Sliding Rotator and a Century 50 ton wrecker performed the recovery.

Recovered Tanker Comes Up the Hill, Then Over the Guardrails.

28 • May 2011 - TOWMAN.COM

TOWMAN.COM - May 2011 • 29

Once this was completed, we used our rotator to lift the tanker trailer over the guardrail, while the other tow truck held the tractor secure. We then swung the tanker trailer over the guardrail and onto the roadway. It was hooked up to our road tractor and hauled back to our storage lot. Next we used our rotator to lift the tractor over the guardrail and loaded it onto our Landoll trailer and hauled it to our storage lot. Once there we also used our rotator to lift the tractor off of the Landoll and placed it in our storage lot.

Equipment used:

Our rotator lifted the tanker trailer over the guardrail, while the other tow truck held the tractor secure. We then swung the tanker trailer over the guardrail onto the roadway.

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Federal Requirement for Tow Companies Saluaga Vehicfe Reporting Required for Tow Companies. If you own, gossess, handfe, diratt or control five or mora funk or salvaga vehicies per year you must report to the National Motor Vehicie Title Information System (NMVTIS). Auto Data Direct offers simple reporting to the federal database. Mora information is available at

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S Recent Disasters Highlight the Need to Have an Emergency Action Plan

34 • May 2011 - TOWMAN.COM

ometimes it takes disasters, like the recent devastation in Japan of earthquakes and aftershocks, tsunami, flooding and nuclear meltdown, to stimulate our senses and force us to look at our own vulnerabilities. While Japan’s populace had no warning of pending disaster, their lives are adversely affected forever. Tow business owners, answer me this: If your business is interrupted by forced evacuation, are you prepared to take your operations mobile? When disaster strikes and your business faces mandatory evacuation due to wildfires, earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, terrorist acts or any other largescale incidents, how would you survive in the havoc?

Ready to Go Mobile? Get Out Now! Evacuation orders come unannounced and during times most inconvenient to those being evacuated. Some disaster scenarios move slowly, but when they actually happen, there’s usually no time to plan and execute a complex escape. If there’s no pre-planning on your company’s part, frenzied evacuations may produce panic, disorganization, and chaos where people are likely to be injured or killed. As tow business owners, safe and organized evacuations should be one of your company’s primary concerns. Every tow business, regardless of size and assets, must develop and maintain a formal Emergency Action Plan (EAP) specific to its location, facility, key personnel, outbuildings, escape areas, and most importantly, a pre-designated location where employees meet after evacuating. Obviously, the more rural your company is (away from first responder availability), your business is that much more vulnerable.

located 300 feet west of a huge commercial fueling station. It made perfect sense to evacuate. “Cary and I were in Hawaii, when our office manager, Kim Wilson, called us, telling of the Sheriff’s orders to evacuate,” said Nancy Shultz, Any-

time’s owner. “Kim put our emergency plan in place and took all 10 hard drives from the company’s computers. With help from our staff, they took the company’s financials, checkbooks, payroll records and insurance files by carrying out the entire stacking file cabinet.”

To-Go Box When orders are given to “Get out NOW,” your EAP should designate a To-Go Box that contains immediate grab-and-go items ready to take at a moment’s notice…especially truck keys. Pre-planning and practice with your EAP is important, as Anytime Towing of Poway, Calif., discovered. During Southern California’s Witch Creek wildfires that ravaged 197,990 acres in San Diego County in October 2007, Anytime Towing faced a “right now” decision. Fueled by wind-driven, turbulent flames, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department hurried door-todoor ordering immediate evacuations of all businesses throughout Poway’s industrial area; flames had advanced no less than two miles away and were coming fast. Anytime Towing was

Some disaster scenarios move slowly, but when they actually happen, there’s usually no time to plan and execute a complex escape. What would happen to your business if it was located at this bend in the road? TOWMAN.COM - May 2011 • 35

Sensing that an evacuation wasn’t far off, and prior to the actual departure, Wilson ordered all off-duty drivers to return to work where they moved 21 trucks from the facility to another location four miles away. “Kim forwarded the company’s phones to her personal cellphone and was the last one out of the business,” Shultz said. “She went to where the tow trucks were staged and used her own cellphone (for incoming business calls), and Nextels and tow truck radios to dispatch calls to drivers with no loss or delays in service. “She kept drivers staged at key locations to provide updates on the fire’s location. For five hours, Kim kept operations going until the Sheriff gave the all-clear to return to our company’s location.” Emergency Actions Plans are easy to write. For guidance on preparing your EAP visit: www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/evac uation/expertsystem/default.htm#

Fine-tuning Should employees not follow the exact evacuation plan regarding assigned tasks and/or responsibilities, something could get lost in its application placing lives at stake. Your 36 • May 2011 - TOWMAN.COM

company’s EAP must be refined and fine-tuned by asking Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How as it applies to your EAP. Consider these specifics:

The loss of company data means a gigantic hit on your business’ ability to recover quickly. Who: Who are the key personnel? Who is the company’s designated safety officer? Who is responsible for disseminating orders to evacuate? Who directs the evacuation plan if owners aren’t present? Who is the last one out of the facility? What: What are the specifics of the evacuation plan? What will take place when the evacuation is initiated? In what manner is an evacuation notice made? What changes are initiated if the evacuation becomes long term?

Where: Where are copies of the evacuation plan located? Where do employees meet when evacuation is ordered? Where (staging point) are company assets relocated? When: When does the plan go into effect? When should off-duty employees be called back to assist? When should a plan be initiated; sooner or later? When was the evacuation plan last updated? Why: Why is having a formal plan so important? Why is having one person in charge important? Why are callbacks important? How: How do employees evacuate the effected building/facility? How often are evacuation drills conducted?

Don’t Forget the Data The loss of company data means a gigantic hit on your business’ ability to recover quickly. Because most evacuations offer little to no-time for escape, the last thing you’ll have time for is downloading data to take along. It’s critical that your company’s operational and administrative data is ready to go before evacuations are ordered. In Anytime Towing’s scenario,

continue to page 38

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PREPARE TO GO MOBILE continued from page 36 bers within the file. If your company has employee 401(k) programs, maintain info for quick access. Include accounts receivable and billing in this category. Businesses identification: Include documents regarding your company’s identification, i.e., business licenses, sign-board permits, rates, administrative and required permits, emergency escape plans, state articles of incorporation, DBA, etc. Major contracts and accounts: Include copies of law enforcement and government contracts and customer accounts. Maintain master copies of contracts to ensure they’re available if an unfortunate incident displaces you and you cannot provide continued services for a period of time. Keep phone numbers and emails of key personnel, tow bosses, or other administrators. Tow trucks and maintenance: Include information regarding tow trucks, maintenance records and law enforcement inspections. Property/assets: Include everything owned, leased or rented by your company. Non-tow truck vehicle data goes here. If assets are destroyed in the wake of a disaster, itemized information to your insurance company requires VINs, description of lost or damaged items and approximate values. Include photos of The Important Stuff your facility, all buildings, company There are eight data categories that vehicles and associated should be stored onto your equipment. back-up device or laptop. An Employee files: If “Emergency Contact/Data you’ve ever lost driver File” should categorize the folor employee files, you’ll lowing information: agree that it’s a timeInsurance: Include agents’ consuming and frustratnames, addresses, phone ing process getting them numbers and emails for all back. Copy employee policy numbers. Scan policies files, including driver’s that include specific wording Randall C. Resch is a retired license numbers, hiring relating to your company’s California police officer whorecords, federal right to operation, property, assets, has been involved in the towwork forms (Immigratruck fleet, and, most imporing and recovery industry for tion Status), drug test tantly, coverage for loss during 40 years as a tow business records, training certifidisasters. owner, manager, consultant cates, law enforcement Financials: Include names, and light-duty towing and driver applications, addresses, phone numbers recovery trainer. He is a freeEmergency Family Conand email addresses of key lance writer/photographer tact information, etc. banking personnel. For secuand is American Towman’s Employee callback rity reasons, you decide if you Operations Editor. Email list: Include a current want your personal and busiRandy at rreschran@aol.com. callback list with both ness checking account numthere was little time for Wilson to grab company hard drives and pack them up. One option would be to maintain a laptop computer for backup files that’s available for immediate grab-and-go evacuations. For smaller companies with fewer computers, a laptop computer should be readily available as the main component of “mobile” backup. Today’s personal computers are lightweight, state-of-the-art, inexpensive, and most importantly, portable. You could also consider backing up your data on a password-protected USB flash-drive. Flash-drives are inexpensive, compact and capable of storing lots of information. Although some prefer to store company information on discs, discs are easily damaged and don’t have the storage capacity of flash drives. By installing a password, your information can’t be easily accessed if your computer or flash drive is stolen or lost. Most tow companies dispatch via the Internet; the other essential storage location for your data can be saving data online. Storing data on the Internet allows information access from elsewhere if you don’t have your laptop or you’re not able to lay hands on your computer during right-now evacuations.

38 • May 2011 - TOWMAN.COM

home phone and cellphone numbers for all employees.

All Accounted For Every successful evacuation plan requires early preparation. Property and assets can be replaced by insurance, and businesses can rebuild. It was through pre-planning and solid management that Anytime Towing initiated a ready evacuation; their plan was the result of key personnel remaining calm and directing employees from a prepared plan. Where pre-planning hasn’t been done, the safety to you, your company’s personnel and the company itself are at extreme risk. Although Anytime Towing survived the region’s wildfires, some of their employees weren’t so fortunate and lost their homes to the fires. Going beyond the call-of-duty, Anytime Towing turned business offices into temporary housing for families displaced by the fires. “Kim did an outstanding job directing and evacuating the company in our absence. We’re extremely proud of her and all of our employees,” Shultz said. “We’re extremely thankful that no one was hurt during the evacuation. The key to our company’s survival was organization, keeping calm, and providing clear communications to our employees.”

Practice Makes Perfect If you’ve never experienced any disaster where you evacuated immediately, know that the psychological impact can include fear, anxiety, displacement, bewilderment and general disorder. Practicing for the extreme and unknown builds muscle memory and readiness. If there ever comes an evacuation, getting out safe won’t be completely foreign and you can deal with the worry and jitters when you’re a safe distance away looking back. For more information: www.osha.gov www.ready.gov www.evacuationhelp.com

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Getting Paid By The Clubs Either through towers’ negligence or stringent motor club requirements, a high percentage of towing fees hang in limbo, never paid, never collected. Todd Althouse of Beacon Software gives tow bosses a reality check on how they can best keep Clubs current in their payments. Automating and using the internet play a key role in the discussion. Turning Clean-up Into A Revenue Source Option one is to start up a separate company that operates to cleanup after a roadway incident. Option two is setting up a protocol that bills out separately for clean-up work. Either option must take the right approach with the insurance companies. Seminar presenter John Borowski operates a stand-alone clean-up service.

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Bill Johnson and His Growing Empire By Steve Calitri 42 • May 2011 - TOWMAN.COM

n industry giant doesn’t resemble the kind written about in fairy tales. The earth doesn’t tremble when you see one walking your way, be it at a recovery scene or a towing convention. Bill Johnson is as unassuming and unimposing as a man can be. The strides he has taken as a tow boss, however, have registered across a broad towing landscape. As president of the Statewide Towing Association of Massachusetts for eight years, Johnson has overseen many significant changes in his state: a rate increase in ’04, a fuel adjustment increase in’06, and a storage rate increase in ’10 ($20 up to $35 a day). Johnson attributes STA’s effectiveness to its proactive approach on critical issues. “It involves setting goals and cultivating relationships with the people involved with the regulatory agencies, not reacting to bills that are about to be passed,” said Johnson. He was instrumental in setting up TRAC PAC in 2008 (Towing, Repair, And Collision Political Action Committee) that networks with state officials and politicians and contributes to political fundraisers. Johnson earned national recognition seven years ago co-authoring the National Standard for Rotation Systems, a document that has guided sev-

eral municipalities around the nation in their towing rotation policies, while giving towers a tool with which to work with such authorities. He also is active sharing ideas and proven management practices through articles contributed to American Towman. Johnson also runs a towing business. Unlike many dedicated towing association leaders who eventually find their own businesses compromised by the demands of association leadership, Johnson owns and operates a thriving mini-conglomerate of towing, repair, auto body, accident cleanup and fuel delivery businesses. These businesses recently joined each other under one roof.

From a 1953 Chevy with Homemade Boom to a 16-truck Fleet Starting Out Johnson purchased Hampshire Towing in 1995 from Robert Ahearn, whom he had worked for as a collision repair specialist. Johnson’s motorhead days go back to his sophomore year in high school when he rented a garage and went into business doing mechanical repair on cars, then later doing body repair. In 1981, he opened Pleasant Street AutoBody & Repair.

“My first tow truck (acquired in 1982) was a ’53 Chevy with a homemade boom and a sling. We mostly towed for our repair customers,” he said. His towing business has grown to a fleet of 16 wreckers and carriers. With this growth, and his continued entrepreneurship, Bill has been re-energized as a towing business owner. Part of his personal renewal has to do with the family aspect of his business. His wife, Tracy, has always been involved in the administration of the companies. His two sons have grown into lead roles. Robby, 32, is the towing manager and heavy duty specialist. David, 28, is the comptroller, with a primary focus on Amber Energy, the company with a dual role in fuel delivery and accident cleanup. While the towing and repair businesses had a natural synergy, Amber Energy was started out of good old entrepreneurial “stupidity,” Johnson said, “not knowing any better.” The company started with one fuel delivery truck in 1989 as a partnership, with Johnson buying out his two partners in ’93. Eventually, synergy with the other businesses surfaced. Wreckers are sometimes called on to help install boilers and furnaces into basement hatches and flatbeds to winch up the old equipment. Amber also supplies diesel fuel for the towing fleet.

Accident Cleanup Today, Amber operates two fuel delivery trucks, one service truck, one support vehicle and one accident cleanup van. Amber Energy Services will service a leaking oil tank spill at a house, but more often is involved with roadside cleanup at an accident spill. Industry veteran, aka “Mr. Industry,”

Consolidating the businesses into one building has paid dividends in several areas.

John Borowski was brought onboard recently to manage Amber’s accident cleanup services. “John’s years of experience running his own towing business has been valuable to Hampshire Towing in many ways,” said Johnson. “John enabled Amber to move into the accident cleanup arena with a focused approach to creating a new revenue center. John took the initiative on all fronts, from the dirty work of the cleanup to the detailed follow-through with billing and collecting from insurance companies. “We see an opportunity over time to work directly with various municipalities and also service other towing companies with accident cleanup.” The biggest challenge in the accident cleanup venture is dealing with the insurance companies. There have been a couple of occasions where Amber had to utilize a lawyer. In each case, Amber prevailed in the collection. “A lot of it has to do with educating the insurance companies about the necessity and liability that surrounds the issue of cleanup,” said Johnson. “For example, if debris from an accident encroaches on someone’s lawn, then a lawn mower kicks it into the air and a kid gets injured … or oil is left in an intersection after an accident and a 44 • May 2011 - TOWMAN.COM

motorcyclist goes down on it into traffic … the insurance company has liability in this. So the reality is they want the cleanup.”

Consolidating Efforts For Johnson and his companies, everything came together when he sold the property where his towing and

"Hampshire’s new digs ... showcase a modern, comfortable, high-tech environment." body repair held shop, and put the net from the sale toward a four-acre property with 35,000-square-feet of usable industrial and office space. Having towing, auto repair and auto body at the same location increased the crossover business from the customer base, as well as facilitating

management challenges. The consolidation brought savings from the big to the little things: the one mortgage is now less than the previous two mortgages together. There’s one dumpster to pay for instead of two, and, where time is money, there’s no more running back and forth between shops. Hampshire’s new digs in South Hadley, Mass., showcase a modern, comfortable, high-tech environment for dispatch, administration and customers. The public who enter see the GPS maps on a large LCD screen on the wall, tracking the tow trucks out on the road. There’s also a big screen with a grid of video images of the yard. Across the lobby is a plush waiting room with sofa, arm chairs, computer and Internet access, widescreen TV on the wall and a children’s play room supplied with toys. On another side of the spacious lobby is the conference room with a boardroom table and chairs and collectible tow trucks on the wall. GPS tracks all Hampshire Tow vehicles which Johnson said is indispensable with billing and reporting functions … and customer complaints. When an invoice is questioned on a job charged by the hour, Hampshire can go into a GPS tracking report and show

proof of how long a tow truck was at the scene. When complying with the International Fuel Tax Agreement, GPS reports can track how many miles a truck has logged out of state. When someone calls in complaining they observed a company wrecker moving well beyond the speed limit, GPS can show the history of the truck’s speed for any given day or moment.

“One caller had egg on her face when we told her our GPS tracking system showed the truck she said was going 65 was going only 35 mph,” said Johnson, proud of his high-tech investment. Johnson said his security camera system also pays off. “There have been many instances where the camera has proven us not liable for damage the car owner claims Accident cleanup and oil delivery offered new synergies for Johnson's companies.

was our fault. The system records our trucks leaving and entering with the victim vehicles.” In his automotive services career, Johnson has been able to grow his enterprise into a $4 million business and parlay that success into real estate holdings that include five properties with 19 rental units. They all bring in income, including a 5,000 square foot portion of his new building that is leased to a marketing company. Six years ago I was struggling to pay bills and was forced to find ways I could control costs better,” Johnson said. “Today, the recession gave me the ability to pick up this facility and invest Dispatcher Travis Richer points to the GPS tracking map. The system is visible in real time and records pathway, mileage, vehicle speed, and has proven to be of great value in assisting the dispatch, billing and customer service functions.

John Borowski, Operations Manager for Amber Energy Service, checks the Laser Thermometer he uses to record weather conditions, air and ground temperatures. These details are stated in the cleanup bill. Weather conditions effect how much time a cleanup crew spends on the scene. TOWMAN.COM - May 2011 • 45

Johnson's first business was a service garage he started as a sophomore in high school. Auto repair and body work are still part of the business today.

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the money from the sale of my former property into what we now have. And business is good.” Johnson attributes the success of his towing business to his approach on rates. “Our rates are generally higher than most competitors. But we set our rates to be profitable and we sell value. I had a car dealership tell me recently how another tower approached him with rates $20 less per tow, and he turned him away to stay with us.” Johnson said that Hampshire is not a primary tower for any motor club, but is a secondary tower for several. “This allows Hampshire Towing to get a rate it can work with. Several clubs are willing to pay a fair rate when they can’t find someone else at the moment to take the call.”

What’s next? Johnson said that continued growth is the goal, and he credits his family and staff with making that possible.

continue to page 48 Number 195 on Reader Card

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THE BOSS continued from page 46 “We’re in a position to grow with all our businesses. It’s exciting to foresee how each operation’s growth will fuel more growth for all.“ “In towing, it’s always a challenge to maintain a high level of professionalism. But we have had most of our people here for a long time. Keeping good people and delegating responsibility is a key to it all.” “One of our goals is to be rated by the American Towman Standards Authority. We were rated four stars with its first rating program years ago. Now we are shooting for five stars. Shooting higher is good for company spirit, and good for business.” Johnson understands he did not bring Hampshire Towing to where it is today by himself. He said the company’s survival and success would not have happened without his wife, Tracy, and her “tremendous” dedication to the business, and the upbringing of their sons. Bill and Tracy have been together for 35 years. Like most tow business owners, Johnson is consumed by his work. “He loves work,” said Tracy. “When he was younger he wanted to be a farmer. As a boy he worked on a dairy farm milking cows and he loved it.”

Hampshire’s waiting room for customers is first class; comfortable seating, computer with internet, an LCD TV on the wall, books, magazines and a kiddie alcove complete with toys.

Outside of work, Tracy said her husband is a busy man. “He loves the town politics, operating behind the scenes,” she said. Johnson was a selectman for 15 years for the town of Granby and is now on a school committee. “He rarely watches TV. He has no time for it. When he’s not out and about and he’s finally home for the night, he’s reading newspapers.” Tracy said her husband is committed to delegating authority regarding the challenges of running several Tracy Johnson operations. “If someone who runs one of the divisions is having a problem, Billy tells him to solve it on his own, and only if he can’t, to come back to him for advice or direction,” she said. His forte as a business owner, she said, is that he listens.

Family and staff are important parts of Hampshire's success.

Robby Johnson next to one of Hampshire’s Hino trucks.

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TOWMAN.COM - May 2011 • 49

TomTom and Beacon Software Team Up TomTom, a leading provider of location and navigation solutions, and Beacon Software, a comprehensive towing management solutions supplier, have partnered to help towing fleet operators improve efficiency, reduce costs and increase control of drivers and equipment. The integration of TomTom WORKsmart™ fleet management solutions and Beacon Software towing applications enables live driver location updates and more accurate arrival time estimates. “TomTom and Beacon Software are solving the perennial problem for towing companies of matching customers to the closest drivers and getting those trucks routed quickly and efficiently to the right locations,” said Michael Geffroy, vice president of sales, North America, TomTom Business Solutions. WORKsmart™ is TomTom’s ready to use fleet management solution and

an innovative way for improving the management of all types of commercial fleets. It offers customers a choice of industry leading solutions combined with a high quality professional service. Beacon Software enables towing companies to view and dispatch all jobs and trucks on a map in real-time with color-coded icons that show the status and required truck for each call. “The combination of TomTom and Beacon Software takes the guesswork out of arrival times for towing companies,” said Todd Althouse, president, Beacon Software. By leveraging WORKsmart, Beacon Software Solutions directly dispatches calls to the TomTom device in an operator’s truck and automatically calculates the most efficient routes based on historical traffic patterns and real-time traffic information. Operators receive turn-by-turn directions to customer locations, while the device automatically provides continuous arrival time and job completion

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updates to their dispatch control center.

Henry’s Wrecker Service in Washington, DC integrated the TomTom fleet management system and Beacon mapping software to reduce costs and increase productivity. “Our dispatchers are just like air traffic controllers now,” said Fred Scheler, president and CEO, Henry’s Wrecker Service. “With two 46-inch flat-screen TVs in dispatch, we can very easily see the location of customers and drivers, so our dispatchers can assign the closest truck and give the customer an accurate estimate for arrival. By travelling fewer miles to each call, we have saved $40,000 per month in fuel costs and our drivers can get to more calls every day.”

Navistar TerraStar 4X4 For Class 4/5 Navistar has unveiled the International® TerraStar™ 4x4 commercial truck. Launched last year with a 4x2 powertrain standard, the International TerraStar gave work truck buyers an exciting new product with a wide range of commercial duty features. Now, with a 4x4 option, the TerraStar is poised for the Class 4/5 market. The TerraStar 4x4 variant will deliver additional commercial duty capability for a wide range of customer needs, including construction, utility, landscape, and other off-highway applications. At the heart of the new International TerraStar is its 300 horsepower, 6.4-liter MaxxForce 7 V-8 engine, delivering 660 lb.-ft. torque. This engine features a compacted graphite iron (CGI) block which offers high strength without added weight. The TerraStar features MaxxForce Advanced EGR emissions technology, the only no-hassle emissions technology in its class. With MaxxForce Advanced EGR, customers won’t have the worry or

continue to page 53

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Editor-In-Chief American Towman 7 West Steet

Warwick, NY 10990 800-732-3869 x201

NAVISTAR continued from page 50 inconvenience of finding or filling liquid urea. And, with no added after treatment equipment, the TerraStar provides a clean and clear chassis for easy body and equipment mounting, not to mention less added weight. While built on a strong and durable commercial-duty platform, the TerraStar is also easy to operate. The TerraStar features best-in-class visibility—38 percent more than the market leader. And, with an industry-best 107inch BBC (bumper to back-of-cab) length, it offers outstanding maneuverability in even the tightest work environments. The TerraStar features a true commercial-duty truck cab with 30 percent more cab interior space than the market leader, allowing plenty of room for three adults to fit comfortably in the front seat. The TerraStar is also available with optional extended cab or crew cab configurations. An appearance package is also available with chrome grille and headlight bezel, as well as painted modesty panel and fender extension. The TerraStar also delivers unmatched serviceability with a commercial style tilt-away hood that offers unobstructed access to the engine compartment, making routine and scheduled maintenance quick and easy.

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845-357-0829 9 WWW.AXLECAP.NET Number 217 on Reader Card

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TOWMAN.COM - May 2011 • 53

Meet Jerr-Dan's New Marketing Team

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Jerr-Dan Corporation has hired two new marketing professionals to oversee their marketing department. Marketing Manager Tracy O’Dowd and Assistant Marketing Manager Ashley Soverns have over 25 years of combined experience in the marketing field. Their expertise ranges from the political and legislative realm to mechanical and technical operations, as well as event planning of all sizes. “I am excited to have these two dynamic ladies as a part of the Jerr-Dan team. Their expertise and enthusiasm will serve Jerr-Dan well for many years to come,” says Joel Amsley, senior vice president of Jerr-Dan Corporation. O’Dowd expressed to AT she will use her marketing skills, including her social networking experience (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) to keep Jerr-Dan and the end users of its products connected like never before. One of the areas that Soverns will assist her will be in event management, such as how Jerr-Dan gets its message across to the attendees at tow shows. Their first tow event was the recent PWOF show in Orlando. Jerr-Dan products will next be displayed in San Antonio, Texas.

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Number 121 on Reader Card

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Transformers Inspired Rig

By Brendan Dooley

or folks who call AAA for towing in Monroe County, who thought the medium-duty truck should look like a N.Y., it may come as a surprise when a Transformers- Transformer. Camp and the folks at Signs Now worked on style truck shows up to move their car from the side this design to come as close as they could to the request. The truck was a standout among the vehicles at the American of the road. Founded about a decade ago in Henrietta, Action Towing Wrecker Pageant in Baltimore in 2010. The rig is mostly run by driver Dave Ciefert, who said and Service is now the largest AAA facility in the county, said Jack Ahrens, shop manager. Action does all major auto it’s done very few recoveries and is mostly used for towing. It did rescue a Cadillac Escalade repairs, he said, and anything that was about 400 feet off the mechanical for light duty vehicles Tech Highlights road in a farm field trough. This and some medium duty. truck is the only medium-duty The business recently moved to Chassis: International 4400 unit at Action, and the only one a new facility that is big enough to Wrecker Body: Jerr-Dan MDL280 outfitted like this. house the service center and keep Engine: DT466 Watch for Action’s next Signs all of the fleet’s 22 tow trucks Trans: 13-Speed Now decorated truck at the 2011 parked indoors. Winches: 10-speed Eaton Fuller American Wrecker Pageant in As for this International Built by: Regional International Baltimore this November. No 4400/Jerr-Dan 14-ton wrecker, the Design By: Vinyl graphics from Signs Now word yet on the new design. graphics scheme comes from owner Craig Camp’s young son

56 • May 2011 - TOWMAN.COM

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A veideselektionof LCG carriersalways in stock on the Industrie lmost p opular chassis ';Hino, Freight liner, Ford, Intemational, and Kenworth. 2011Frelgh6lne M2 RegularCab 260HP,6.7LGummins Diesel w lC~12Series LCG 21'SST Sieel Genier;Allisor2100 ROS Auto Trans,Standard Intsrlo 12,000lb Caparily102" Wide Deck wV

Diamord Smal Floodng,11Key Sots inDeck,Clutch IHot Shiit PTO,Miller LegendLED3~ _

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Number 194 on Reader Card

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To Advertise In Towman’s Market Call 800-732-3869 Ellen Rosengart x 203 erosengart@towman.com Dennie Ortiz x 213 dortiz@towman.com TOWMAN.COM - May 2011 • 59

PowerSafe™ Jumper Cable Line Expands

Energy Safe Technologies, Inc. has expanded its line of computer-controlled PowerSafe™ Jumper Cable Systems to include a suite of 25-foot professionalgrade cables that fit the connectors used on many tow and service trucks. The PowerSafe Jump Start Systems offer tow and service operators unprecedented protection – the jumper cables are the world’s first to incorporate a computerized control module that pre-

vents the surges, short circuits, and spark-induced explosions that can occur when a vehicle is jump-started. AAA Oregon/Idaho was the first to outfit its battery service fleet, in Portland, with the PowerSafe Jump Start System. “By adding cable configurations with SB175 connectors in red or grey, as well as a red Associated connector, to our line of revolutionary PowerSafe Jumper Cables, the many commercial vehicles that have connectors from different manufacturers can also now benefit from surge protection that’s not available with conventional cables,” says Glenn Spacht, Energy Safe’s Vice President of Sales. The revolutionary PowerSafe Jump Start System carefully increases or decreases the current flowing through the cables during a jump-start, preventing surges that can cause extensive damage to on-board electronics. With conventional jumper cables, these surges can occur even if the cables have been

hooked up properly. In addition to controlling surges, the computer built into the PowerSafe Jump Start System prevents power from flowing through the jumper cables until it has confirmed that they’ve been connected correctly. The cables can be connected backwards, the leads can touch each other or another metal object, and electricity will not flow until the error has been corrected. Indicators on the computer module provide operators with guidance as to the error, speeding up the overall jump-start process. In addition to the three 25-foot jumper cables with connector ends, the line of PowerSafe Jump Start Systems includes jumper cables in 16-foot and 20foot lengths that are configured with clamps at both ends. Energy Safe Technologies, Inc., the company behind the PowerSafe Jumper Cables, is currently working to develop a PowerSafe Battery Booster Box. Check out www.PowerSafeJumperCables.com and www.EnergySafeTech.com.

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60 • May 2011 - TOWMAN.COM

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Number 165 on Reader Card

The Low Down on

LOW PROFILE.

Introducing the Jerr-Dan® XLP-6 Low Profile Car Carrier The new XLP-6 low profile car carrier from Jerr-Dan features low deck height, a better 10.5° load angle and comes with a 3-year warranty. A dual-angle deck is available to handle super low load angles. And, with 6-ton capacity and 3,500 lb wheel lift, you’ve got performance without compromise.

AN. r7ERRR WHATEVER IT TAKES

www.jerrdan.com

Number 124 on Reader Card