23 minute read
On the Net
Atower ’ s life is filled with the relationships of local community: police and fire, town council, local businesses and motorists. It’ s not surprising that tow business owners who chance to break away from it all to attend Tow Expo Int’l in San Antonio, Texas, talk about their experience on the River Walk as a revelation.
“I know the towers from my town and market area, ” said Bill Johnson, owner of Hampshire Towing in South Hadley, Mass. “But when I went to San Antonio, I found myself really opening up to other attendees because they were not my competitors. We shared ideas, talked issues facing our companies and how we got into this business in the first place. Just had a great time. ”
Tow Expo Int’l is engineered to feed the business owner ’ s need to network with one ’ s peers, be it on the exhibit floor packed with industry suppliers, or inside the Jerr-Dan Diner, or during one of the special events on the River Walk. The towers themselves are as great a resource as the exhibits and the seminars. That’ s why certain events tend to take on a life and character of their own. The Southwest Chili Cook-off, hosted by the Southwest Tow Operators and sponsored by Miller Industries, is a good example.
The Southwest Chili Cook-off is perhaps the only food event in the towing industry catered by towing professionals themselves. They bring their cooking trucks, wagons and carts, smokers, grills and pots, not to mention their secret recipes, and everyone gets to sample the outcome. It’ s food with personality. And while they eat they get to talk shop, swap recovery stories, share tips on collection practices and you name it, as well as plenty of good jokes.
Towers are gathering at many different spots on San Antonio ’ s enchanting River Walk. The Big Smoke, taking place at the historic Menger Hotel across from the famed Alamo, is as much big Pow Wow as a moment of glory for cigar aficionados. The Casino hospitality at the Convention Center, also on the River Walk, is a great opportunity to meet new friends around the Lone Star State, from across the nation and from south of the Rio Grande.
Whether barbecue, Mexican, or cosmopolitan, there ’ s great food on the River Walk. But the best nourishment a tower can find is the kind that fills mind and spirit. There ’ s tremendous value in the trade show on the exhibit floor and in the seminar rooms of the Municipal Towing Conference, but the most memorable times will be shared among fellow towing professionals.
Route19
by Brendan Dooley
Photos by Matthew Oson
Route 19 Promotes Image with 5-Star ATSA Rating
For information on ATSA Rating, go to www.atstandards.com
David Bigusiak has created business symmetry in Cochranton, Pa., with his trucking and repair businesses. It started “ way back” with his father’s trucking business, Bigusiak Trucking, and continued growth led them to start a repair and wrecker service, Route 19 Heavy Truck Repair, nine years ago.
Route 19’ s showcase heavy is this 2008 50-ton Custom Built rotator on a 1999 Kenworth T-800 chassis.
While Route 19 began as a repair shop for the OTR trucking business, it developed to where in-house jobs and new outside business necessitated getting a wrecker.
“One thing leads to another, you get one wrecker and see there’s opportunity to grow, so you start escalating, ” Bigusiak said. The 24/7 wrecker business now has four full-time operators for its three heavies (one rotator) and a mediumduty rollback.
The recovery business focuses on heavy and medium work for itself and other commercial accounts, which is about 75 percent of the calls. The other 25 percent is rotation calls for the state police, which can include light-duty vehicles if the rotator is needed for tricky scenarios.
“And if Route 19 needs more road tractors or trailers or anything like that, Bigusiak Trucking steps in and helps out, ” he said, describing how the two businesses help each other.
As important as synergy is to what they are doing, Bigusiak wants professionalism to be at the forefront of everything his companies do. That’s why his curiosity was piqued when he discovered the American Towman Standards Authority in 2010 at the American Towman Exposition in Baltimore, Md.
Showing Pro
For Bigusiak, deciding to apply for an ATSArating came down to Route 19’s professional image in his community and in the industry.
To gain that edge, Bigusiak looked at how theATSArates towers and how his shop compared. He found that Route 19 was pretty compatible with the ATSA’s criteria in areas like training, uniforms, association memberships and more. “We try to achieve everything, ” he said.
In the office, Bigusiak’s daughter, Sara Hamilton, did the heavy lifting with the application materials for ATSA. In fact, Route 19’s application package was about three inches thick when it hit the mailbox.
ATSA Criteria
To apply for a rating, contact ATSAfor your Rating Kit and instructions on what documentation should be included for review by ATSA. The rating criteria cover: • Uniformed Tow Operators/Drivers. • Minimum Liability Insurance. • Proof of “Passed” Vehicle Inspection. • Satisfactory Truck Fleet. • DMV Reports. • Proof of Background Checks. • Company Policy Handbook. • Membership in a Towing Association. • Membership in a National Towing Association. •Paid Subscriber to Towing Industry Trade
Publication. • Computerized Cost Management. • On-time Service Performance. • Commendations for Service Performance. • Professionally Trained Operators. • Tow Operator Certification. • Drug-free Workplace. • Safety Training Program. • Tow Operators Procedures Handbook. • Handbook on Professional Dispatch Procedures. • Computerized/GPS Dispatch. • Passed DOT Audit. • Recipient of Service Performance Award. • 24/7 service.
The workers that keep Route 19 Heavy Repair professional include, from left, driver Anthony Clemente, driver Thomas Harvey Jr., office manager Sara Hamilton, owner David Bigusiak, and logistics manager Irene Lucas.
“It was pretty straightforward; it was a lengthy process, but not difficult, ” Bigusiak said. “There was a lot of documentation we needed to get the five stars, and the instructions were good.
He said it took about six months to put all of the company ’s materials together to mail to ATSA. Their application showed Route 19’s commitment to professionalism in their uniform standards, DMV checks on drivers, customer surveys, 24/7 service and more.
For training, drivers do Wes Wilburn recovery work and in-house safety training as well as cross-training with area emergency responders.
Promo Help
Bigusiak said another big draw of the ATSA program was the extra validation his company could receive.
One of the benefits of an ATSArating is as a marketing tool to help a towing company stand out among its competitors. Upon being rated, ATSA sends an official letter of notification of a company ’s rating to local police chiefs and the local newspaper. The ATSA’s promotional campaign also includes insurance companies, motor clubs, and the motoring public.
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In addition to the rotator, Route 19’ s main trucks are a 1989 T-800 with Custom Built 25-ton Zacklift wrecker, a 2004 T-800 with 2012 Jerr-Dan 25-ton HDL 500/280 integrated wrecker and a 1999 International 4900 with Chevron rollback.
Going forward, Bigusiak wants to use his company and its ATSA fivestar rating to showcase a professional image of towing wherever he can.
“I want to promote a better image for the towing industry, and do anything that. I can to help that, ” he said. “It’s got to change someplace; I don’t think that towers have a good reputation.
“The programs on TV, except for ‘Wrecked, ’ are not good for towers. Most of us, especially those that concentrate on the heavy recoveries, we’re nothing like the current TV shows.
“We’re out there to do a job, do it safely, charge what we’re worth and get on with life.
Get More with ATTV!
Look for video coverage from this event on American Towman TV at AmericanTowmanTV.com.
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Zip ’ s Opens Detroit Location
Zip’s Truck Equipment opened a new branch in Taylor, Mich., in late March. The new location only steps away from Detroit Metro Airport features a state-of-the-art parts store, indoor truck showroom and 12-bay service facility.
Zip’s is headquartered in New Hampton, Iowa, and specializesinthesaleandfinancingofautomotivetowingequipment, including a wide variety of tow trucks, wreckers, rollbackcarcarriers,multi-carhaulers,andrelatedequipment.
The metro Detroit location offers a complete body upfit service department with experienced wrecker mechanics, a full sales and service staff, a large parts and accessory store within-stockavailabilityonmostproducts,morethan30new andusedin-stockwreckers,carriersandtrailers,andfinancing for trucks and other equipment. For more, visit www.zips.com.
Isuzu Commercial Truck of America enhanced its Isuzu Gold Star coverage pre-owned truck program to offer powertrain component coverage for 24 months/50,000 miles (whichever comes first) on qualified vehicles. That is in addition to existing 3month/10,000-mile, 6-month/20,000-mile and 12-month/30,000-mile coverage for major powertrain components.
A new Gold Star Plus Program covers fuel injectors, fuel injection pump, turbocharger, turbo control module, alternator, starter and water pump for 12 months or 20,000 miles.
Gold Star and Gold Star Plus limited warranty coverage will be available on select inspected and qualified 2005 model year and newer Isuzu-built N-Series and WSeries diesel-engine vehicles with less than 170,000 miles and gasoline-engine vehicles with less than 100,000 miles.
All Isuzu Gold Star limited warranties include roadside assistance for the time/mileage duration of the selected warranty, along with a coupon for a free oil change at a participating Isuzu dealer.
Find more at www.isuzucv.com.
Rush Hour Wrecker Fight
Police in Cleveland, Ohio, responded to a morning rush hour accident on May 2 and ended up breaking up a fight between a passing motorist and a tow-truck driver.
While trying to get around the accident scene, a driver clipped another passing car and blamed the tower, who had left his truck door open. When the man pulled over, he got out and kicked the tow-truck door shut, prompting the tower to respond verbally.
Punches then were briefly exchanged when police interceded and issued citations to both.
Source: Cleveland.com
Firestone Lightens Suspension Systems
Firestone Industrial Products recently showcased its next-generation air-spring technologies, including lighter components and Airide Integrative Air-Damping System.
TheAiride IntegrativeAir-Damping System offers an effective, lighter alternative to cab-mount suspension applications, providing the functionality of an air spring and shock absorber in a single part. The system is comprised of an exterior bellow made of natural rubber that encompasses a proprietary, shock-absorbing module.
Firestone Industrial Products is also taking steps to help reduce overall vehicle weight through lighter primary air-spring options. These next-generation air springs offer weight reductions of up to 3 lbs. per spring.
For more, visit www.firestoneip.com.
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Box Truck
In a Ravine
The damaged box truck was in a ravine surrounded by, and on top of, many trees. The truck was rigged in an X-pattern to the rear frame rails.
by Frank Sanchez Somerset Hills Towing; Bernardsville, N.J
2011 Donnie Cruse Memorial Recovery Award for Medium Duty
The Donnie* is co-sponsored by Miller Industries and B/A Products
*The Donnie Cruse Memorial Recovery Award is presented by American Towman Magazine and WreckMaster. In the early morning hours of June 16, 2011, N.J. State Police called Somerset Hills Towing for a box truck that had gone off the roadway on I-287 in Basking Ridge. I arrived on-scene at 5 a.m. in our 2000 Kenworth with a Century 9055; owner Michael Bessasparis arrived at the same time in a supervisor’s Ford Expedition.
A 24’ van-bodied truck was off of the roadway in the median dividing the northbound and southbound lanes. It had done severe damage to approximately 45’ of guardrail and was 75’ from the roadway down an embankment in a heavily wooded area.
The front of the truck was against a large tree, several other trees were
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Many trees in the recovery path were cut low.
Extra guardrail was removed to create a path for the recovery.
bent, broken and wedged under the truck and more trees were on both sides of the truck. It was clear the path to recover the truck was not going to be the same path it took into the woods. After a quick assessment and a tentative recovery plan, we requested another operator, Danny Sagastume, come to the scene with SHT’s recovery truck and trailer, which is equipped with air cushions, lighting, chainsaws, chop saws and fuel-transfer equipment.
The box truck had a relatively light load of U.S. Mail. There appeared to be no fuel leak, however, there were a number of trees wedged up and under the truck’s frame and fuel tank, and the truck’s front axle was severely damaged. We needed to be cautious to ensure that there would be no additional damage to the truck’s fuel tank and fuel lines.
After conferring with the state police and the fire chief on scene, we were told that we would not be granted any additional time or space for a second wrecker to be dispatched to the scene. They said the most they would do is close one lane of the threelane highway. After a complete explanation of our recovery plan, we again requested two lanes be closed for not more than 30 minutes. We were
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granted the closure of two lanes, for a maximum of 20 minutes, and the recovery had to be completed with the one wrecker before 8 a.m.
Law enforcement and fire officials were not happy with us taking time to remove an additional 30’of guardrail, they understood our need to create a new path for the recovery of the box truck. This was to use a recovery method we learned in a WreckMaster 6/7 class. While the guardrail was being removed, the trees that needed to be cut or removed were also cleared—cut as low to the ground as possible—to create a new path for the recovery.
At 6:15 a.m., with two lanes of I-287 closed, I rigged the 9055 with both main winch lines attached to the rear of the frame on the casualty. With the boom elevated, I crossed both winch lines in an X-pattern to allow the casualty to be “ walked” up by winching it from side to side. Crossing the winch lines allowed me to also lift the box truck up and over the tree stumps caught underneath. Bessasparis coordinated the winch out, watching the casualty with Sagastume, and advising me at the controls when to lift to avoid tree stumps and boulders during the recovery.
Once the box truck was at the top of the ravine, as close as possible to the inside shoulder of the road, the rigging was broken down and the 9055 repositioned to make the final pull placing the casualty at the rear of the wrecker and ready for the hook-up.
Sagastume hooked up to the box truck, while Bessasparis and I removed the remaining rigging and gear from the woods and ravine. After the truck was properly secured while the driveshaft was being removed, the fuel from the casualty was transferred to 55-gal. drums as a safety precaution.
Therecoverywascompletedby7a.m.,injustlessthantwo hours, thanks to our teamwork and WreckMaster training.
The truck’ s front axle was severely damaged in the crash.
Got a recovery for AT? Email the details and high-resolution photos to the editor at bdooley@towman.com to be considered for a recovery feature in AT. Your submissions may also be considered for AT' s online use and/or a Donnie Cruse Memorial award.
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Auto Data Direct Expands Records Access
Auto Data Direct recently added Wisconsin motor vehicle records, and now offers real-time access to 25 state databases for qualified companies. ADD’s web-based system offers a single platform for access to more real-time records.
Companies who need access to accurate, real-time motor vehicle records to complete business transactions use ADD’s secure web-based system to pull individual records when they need them, 24 hours a day. Records are made available through a secure Internet connection, based on a company ’s qualifications under the Federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act.
For more information on ADD’s services for tow operators, visit www.add123.com.
Peterbilt Names Dealer of the Year
Peterbilt Motors Co. named Stahl Peterbilt in Edmonton, Canada, the 2011 Peterbilt North American Dealer of the Year at the annual Peterbilt Dealer Meeting held in Frisco, Texas.
Stahl Peterbilt won the award based upon superior performance in all aspects of their business including truck sales, service performance, parts sales growth and finance operations including PacLease representation.
The company awarded the 2011 PACCAR MX Engine Dealer of the Year to theAllstate Peterbilt Group of South St. Paul, Minn. The award is for best sales and support of MX engines. The Rush Peterbilt Truck Center in Houston, Texas, received the 2011 Peterbilt Medium Duty Dealer of the Year award. www.peterbilt.com
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Deep Thoughts on Towing
I attended a funeral for a tower the other day and as I drove the 79 miles to the church, I reflected on several things about us as a people.
They call us “towers. ” But we are more than that. In 1977, I called us the “American Towman, ” the last cowboy on the range of independent hard-working people, who work 24/7/365 watching over the herd that travel through our life. I asked you to join me.
Where did this decision to work hard come from? When did we decide to go into the night, when no one else would go out, and help others, not knowing if we would be paid or robbed? Towers have complete disregard for personal safety—because someone calls—and we immediately respond. Where do you find this kind of person? How did we become this person?
We find this person in our industry more than any other service business that I have known. The outreached hand goes to someone who needs help but does not always have payment for service.
More than the public might expect, towers support local sports, charities, school and community events. Somehow they find time for family and friends, while working harder than any other group I can name. To gain and maintain the honor and respect of the public, your guard is never down … the game is always on. The judgment of your work is quick and sometimes harsh and unrewarding. But we go out full force, again, with the next ring of the phone. Every day our work affects the life of someone. How we handle that situation is what separates us, in the eyes of the public, and as a human being. How did that person leave your office? What did he think of you? Did you treat them with respect and understanding? The job requires sainthood.
The man I was paying my respects to was a very uncommon man, a big man in stature, yet shy and gentle. He was a loyal man to his family, friends, workers, business associates and customers … a prince among men. He was a man of unspoken and unheralded generosity; a renaissance man caught up in a time when honesty, hard work, caring for others, being neighborly, loyalty and trust ruled his life.
I arrived at 5:30 the night of the viewing. He lived in a small town, far from any big city; there was not a funeral home in the town, so his church was used both for viewing and services in a celebration of life. I did not expect a large crowd. My mistake. I stood outside and watched as up to 1,000 people of all kinds, the humble and the mighty, came to pay honor and respect. I finally entered the church at 9:30 p.m. The sign-in book had over 600 names. The outpouring of support for the family and respect paid to this quiet man overwhelmed me.
The next day the towers took over; his friends from
all the surrounding towns came with a large number of big and small trucks. Some towers started at 5 a.m. to be on time for services at 11 a.m., and queued in line for the procession. After the services, I followed in line as we traveled through the small towns. At the intersections, people stood in line along with firemen and police officers in uniform with their equipment lighted in full glory. Town after small town, they stood. Small trucks, big rigs all stopped on both sides of the road, some were out of the cab standing in salute to this tower—this man. At the end, seven white doves were released by the family and, don’t you know, one was the leader who flew higher and faster, away from the pack and led them home.
The man was my loyal friend, Donald Moss, loving father, devout husband and towman.
Arnold Polizzi AT's Founding Publisher, 1977-1980
Donald Moss of Pahokee, Fla., a long-time PWOF member, died suddenly April 23. He was 59. Donald was in the towing industry for more than 40 years. He leaves behind a wife and three children who are in the business with him, Moss Towing and Transportation of South Bay, Fla.
Thanks, Steve
The first thing [Editor-in-Chief Steve Calitri] taught me is that educated operators will succeed. … When he writes an article, it almost seems as if he’s talking to me. He’s taught me so much over the past nine years all from just simply reading American Towman.
I’ ve made a lot of mistakes in my 15 years of marriage to this industry, and when it breaks its’ vows I intend to ask myself this:
Mirror on the wall here we are again.
Through my rise and falls, you’ ve been my only friend.
You told me that they can’t
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Number 168 on Reader Card understand the man I am, so why are we here talking to each other again?
Just because it is a question doesn’t mean you have to answer, as long as you’re looking at me, they will have their answer.
Looking at me now I can see my past, I become a product of positive influence in this industry cause I know life goes by so fast.
Your friends and competition will always paint the perfect picture.
This industry couldn’t make the message any clearer, so I’m going to start with the man in the mirror!
My name is Joe, I was adopted in this industry at the age of 16 by my foster father “Lenny. ” He gave me a chance in life and I didn’t want to let him down. I knew reading was learning and because of your magazines and the dedication of WreckMaster and my passion for the industry, I am now a proud owner of a company that once only had four trucks and five employees and now has 23 trucks and 22 employees.
It doesn’t stop there. Because of these wonderful employees trusting my leadership and their passion about providing quality service, we at Canton Towing created another company in Akron called, Team Towing. It has 14 trucks and employs 14. I never thought at the age of 32 I would own 37 trucks and employ 36 people. Wow, what a blessing.
So I wanted to take this time to thank Steve for simply teaching me that life isn’t about finding yourself, it’s about creating yourself.
We at Canton Towing don’t have the best of everything, but we do make the best out of everything. I’ll always remember this before I try to change others. I’ll remember how hard it was to change myself.
I believe imagination is more important than knowledge, because knowledge is limited but imagination encircles the world. After all, hard work will always outweigh knowledge if knowledge doesn’t work hard.
I’d like to say this to my competition “Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday and you know what? All is well!”
Joe Coram President, Canton Towing Inc. Canton, Ohio
P.S. I love you guys!
Move Over PSAs
On April 17, we had the honor of being included in a special Public Service Announcement for New Jersey ’s Move Over Law. The radio and commercial ads were spearheaded by the N.J. State Police and the Division of Highway Traffic Safety to bring awareness to this very important life-saving law. Drivers approaching stationary emergency vehicles, tow trucks and
