American Towman Magazine - March 2013 by dortiz-towman

Number 195 on Reader Card

For Ewing Brothers Towing in Las Vegas, getting this loaded mixer back to the roadway was complicated by an ongoing law-enforcement investigation.

FEATURE CONTENTS

Mixer Recovery Operators used their time wisely during a police investigation to assess and prep a complicated scene. by Patrick Zozaya

Departments The Walkaround . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 News Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Road Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Tow Boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Building a Training Library Creating a library, at home or in the office, is a great way to keep learning and growing in the industry. by Randall Resch

Beacons On! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Tow Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Repo Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

AD Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

A Call to Arms

Tow Americana . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

AT talks with John Borowski about the the new Police Towers of America and learning more about it in Las Vegas. by Steve Calitri

On Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Towman’s Market . . . . . . . . . . . .56 My Baby. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Low Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Adventures of A.T. . . . . . . . . . . . .61

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Here’s Looking at You You may have turned to this page expecting to see what you’ve seen here for years, “The Lowdown” by Editor-inChief Steve Calitri. First off, I want to assure you that Steve will continue to offer his opinion on everything towing; we are simply moving his column to the latter portion of the magazine (page 60 this month). The “Walkaround” now will lead each issue so that American Towman’s publisher and editor (myself and Brendan Dooley) can connect with you—our readers. Just as you do a walkaround inspection of your tow truck before a shift or in assessing a scene, we will provide insights into each issue and highlight industry happenings. I’ve been involved in the towing industry for more than 16 years and been privileged to attend training programs and industry events where I’ve met many of you face-to-face. I hope to meet more of you soon at the American Towman ShowPlace in Las Vegas, May 16-19,

by Dennie Ortiz

with its many educational opportunities and a showcase of the latest in towing equipment. Through the years, I have come to greatly appreciate the hard work and dedication towers give to their profession. We work hard every day at AT as well, to provide you with the information you need to run a successful business. We always welcome your help and feedback. We want to hear your opinions, thoughts and suggestions on what you like or how we can continue to improve the magazine, whether its editorial ideas, product coverage suggestions and more. On March 22, I will be a panel member at TRAA’s Legislative & Leadership conference in Washington, D.C., on how towing associations and industry publications can help one another. There are other important presentations scheduled; if you can make the time, it would be great to see you there. As Winston Churchill said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” Be safe and keep up the good work!

First On The Scene! Dennie Ortiz Steve Calitri Brendan Dooley

Operations Editor

Terry Abejuela

Field Editor, West

Jim “Buck” Sorrenti David Kolman Bill Simmons Emily Oz Mark Lacek

After two years as editor of American Towman, some of you know me personally from WreckMaster 6/7A training a couple years ago, some of us met at industry shows, and most of you know me just from the stories I’ve written in AT and online at TowIndustryWeek.com. Regardless of where we’ve met, welcome to our new Walkaround space. This month, a must-read is the Q&A on page 42 with someone most of you know as well, John “Mr. Industry” Borowski. John discusses the threat of municipalities trying to get every last dollar they can from towers “to look good in the eyes of taxpayers,” and how the new Police Towers of America association can help. Towers should be in Las Vegas, May 16-19, to learn more about PTA. Also in Vegas during Tow Industry Week, industry trainer and rotator expert Patrick Zozaya will be leading a multi-part training session on heavy-duty recoveries. In January, his company was called to a complicated cement-mixer recovery. A loaded mixer went off a bridge after striking a law enforcement vehicle and involved a fatality. Find the details on that one on page 28. Beyond those stories, you can also find the best coverage of industry news, new products and best business practices right here with Repo Run, Zoom In, Tow Americana, Tow Engineer, Road Tools, My Baby and more. It’s good to see you here; I hope to meet you in-person soon in Vegas.

Field Editor, Northeast Chassis Editor Safety Editor On Screen Editor Repo Run Editor

Editorial Board Tommy Anderson

Dallas, Texas

Roy Carlson

St. Paul, Minn.

Gary Coe

Portland, Ore.

Belinda Harris Amado Llorens Ron Mislan Chuck Swider Frank Sanchez

Greensboro, N.C. Hialeah, Fla. Warren, N.J. Chicopee, Mass. Bridgewater, N.J.

American Towman Staff Ann Marie Nitti Dennie Ortiz Ellen Rosengart Norma Calitri

Page Layout Artist Advertising Sales Mgr. Senior Account Exec. VP of Accounts

Neila Smith

VP Communications

Miriam Ortiz

Subscription Manager

Henri Calitri

Customer Service

William Burwell

by Brendan Dooley

Editor-In-Chief Editor

Randall Resch

Toni Vanderhorst

We Need to Talk

Publisher

Emily Oz Steve Calitri

Publisher’s Assistant TIW Media Director ATTV Producer President

American Towman Media Headquarters 7 West Street, Warwick, NY 10990 800-732-3869 or 845-986-4546 E-mail: Publisher: dortiz@towman.com Editor-In-Chief: scalitri@towman.com Editor: bdooley@towman.com AT’S Digital Edition: itowman.com AT’S Website: towman.com AT’S Weekly: towindustryweek.com ATTV: americantowmantv.com Copyright ©2013 American Towman Magazine is published 12 times a year by American Towman Media, Inc. 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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FBI Investigates Towing Complaints The FBI served a subpoena to the Wilkes-Barre (Pa.) mayor’s office seeking police records related to the city’s towing contractor, sources said. A city official said the subpoena is part of an FBI and state police review of complaints against LAG Towing regarding “price gouging” and improper billing. The city council recently advised the mayor to sever its ties with the company. The mayor said he wants to personally review the evidence against LAG before making a decision, and the FBI’s subpoena didn’t change that. A release from the mayor’s office said, “The city administration continues to review complaints regarding the conduct and performance of LAG Towing under the city towing contract. We will continue to do so.” Source: www.thetimes-tribune.com.

Second Crash Pins Tower to Vehicle A Greenburgh, N.Y., police paramedic and a tower were injured recently while responding to a twocar crash on the New York State Thruway. While working to treat the crash victims, the paramedic’s vehicle was sideswiped by a passing vehicle. The paramedic vehicle then pinned the tow operator against one of the cars involved in the initial crash. The tower was eventually freed and, along with the paramedic, was taken from the scene with non-lifethreatening injuries. The Move Over Law in New York includes towers; no one was criminally charged in connection with either of the crashes at press time. Source: www.lohud.com.

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Reality Show Stiffs Tow Co. California’s Nyack Towing owner Craig Sutton answered the call from a Los Angeles production company to star in the reality show, “Hell on the Highway,” for the National Geographic Channel. He liked the idea, until his company and drivers didn’t get paid. “I kind of feel like I got my drivers into this,” Sutton said. “They didn’t really want to do it. They didn’t like signing the contract, and then I got them to sign them, and then they didn’t really care about being followed with cameras all the time.” After a season (eight reality episodes), Sutton says his company

hasn’t received one dime. Sutton said the company was due $1,000 an episode and more for individual employees who appeared in the show. Source: www.sacramento.cbslocal.com

Star Trainers in Vegas Legendary Trainer Tom Luciano of Miller Industries will be conducting his “At the Movies” seminar during Tow Industry Week, May 16. During the two-hour seminar, which is part of TIW's Recovery Conference, Luciano details critiques of recoveries captured on video. “‘At the Movies’ has been a mainstay of the American Towman Academy in Baltimore,” said AT's Steve Calitri, “so we're thrilled that Miller Industries is bringing Tom in for our Recovery Conference.” The Recovery Conference also features a three-hour Friday morning session led by WreckMaster instructors, and industry veteran John Borowski. This session break ground on Incident Classification, Billing Strategies, and Case Recovery Breakdowns. The Conference fee is $75, which allows an attendee into all seminars of all conferences.

Tow Industry Week Conferences, sponsored by the online publication of the same name and American Towman, take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center during the American Towman ShowPlace–Las Vegas, May 16-19, with exhibit hours May 17-18, Friday and Saturday. For more information, go to www.atshowplace.com.

... 'I kind of feel like I got my drivers into this.' ... ‘Towing War’ Coming in Massachusetts?

Tower Named Small Biz Leader

In Clinton, Mass., one selectman said a new police rotation arrangement would create a “towing war” in town; the board still voted unanimously to work out an arrangement between police and towing companies for an equal rotation. Police Chief Mark Laverdures said the former system—using two area companies exclusively—was working fine. Creating a rotation was raised when the owner of Paul’s Collision and Repair asked to be included and was turned down. “We should not be doing town business on a wink and a nod,” one selectman said. “It’s in the public interest of the town to find the most competitive and reasonable towing companies to use.” Source: www.telegram.com.

The JAX Chamber in Jacksonville, Fla., named Vanice Serrano, owner of ASAP Towing and Storage Co., its Small Business Leader of the Year. The chamber has some 3,000 members. There were 10 finalists for the award and Serrano was named the overall winner. Serrano and her Vanice Serrano partner started ASAP Towing in 1995 with an investment of $20,000, three employees, a used 1988 Ford tow truck and a modular office unit on a leased five-acre parcel. Today, ASAP has 30 full-time and two part-time employees; a fleet of more than 30 tow trucks; multiple operating divisions and five locations in Northeast Florida. “I truly believe that to follow your heart and use your intuition will lead to long-term satisfaction in all of your matters,” Serrano wrote in her nomination. “I find that leadership is a true quality which is inspired and shared among the team we have built at ASAP Towing. The diversification between ASAP Towing, ASAP Wheels and ASAP Heavy Haul have compensated and built the company in a stronger playing field than usual.” “Vanice is an intelligent woman who holds the towing industry to the highest standard and has earned the respect of fellow towers in Jacksonville,” said Doug Dixon, of DeeWay Towing. Source: http://advantagebizmag.com.

Tower Killed in Hit-and-Run A woman is facing felony hitand-run charges, accused of fatally hitting a tow-truck driver in Malibu, Calif. The early February incident occurred when tower Ronald Carver was hooking up a disabled car and was struck by an Audi driven by Jill Rose. Rose reportedly hit the bed of the car carrier at an angle and went airborne. The car landed on its wheels; it may have struck Carver while in midair. Rose fled the scene and continued driving south before crashing into a parked car about two miles away. She is now facing felony hitand-run and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol charges. Carver was pronounced dead at the scene. He is survived by a wife and three children. Source: abclocal.go.com/kabc.

Court Considers Tow Co. Part of AAA An Automobile Club of Southern California member requested roadside assistance for a flat tire. A flatbed carrier arrived around 11 p.m.; the tower told the member to get into the tow truck. When he was done loading the car, he looked up to see the member next to the tow truck in the slow lane of the freeway, having been struck by a hit-and-run motorist. The member suffered serious brain injuries; his family sued the

tow operator, his company and AAA. The trial court accepted AAA’s argument that it was not liable because the tow company was an independent contractor. A Court of Appeal said that the tow company’s majority business comes from AAA, AAA trains the drivers, drivers are required to “talk the talk” of AAA, trucks have AAA radios and AAA logos, drivers wear AAA uniforms, and so on and determined the tow operators may be considered actual agents or ostensible agents of AAA. Source: www.sierrasun.com.

TOWMAN.COM - March 2013 • 9

Safety Upgrades from TowMate

Check Out What’s NEW and HOT! Pacbrake LoadLeash Engine Brakes Pacbrake’s new P-67 LoadLeash engine brakes provide quick, controlled braking for heavy duty Dodge trucks. The P-67 works with the OEM Variable Geometry Turbo exhaust brake in the 6.7L ISB Cummins diesel engine to roughly double braking power. The LoadLeash can extend brake life service intervals by up to 300 percent. Straightforward bolt-in installation.

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Twist Lock Shackles B/A Products’ new Twist Lock Shackles are patentpending and made from forged alloy steel with quick locking and unlocking action, which means less time in the “danger zone.” They are available in 3/4”, 1” and 1-1/4”; the pin is permanently attached to the shackle and open cross pin becomes a stable handle.

Variety in Long-Reach Tools Access Tools manufactures three different lengths of standard long-reach tools with various unique features. The Big Kahuna is nearly 5’ long and great for large SUVs and sedans. The 4’ Shielded Quick Max works well on most vehicles. The Little Max at 3’ works best on small vehicles where a longer tool doesn’t. The Triple Reach Set includes all three tools.

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Pro Series Tool Boxes

The new Pro Series Tool Boxes and Accessories from In The Ditch were designed to make towers more efficient. The boxes are pre-drilled to accept most In The Ditch accessories. The door has a 400-lbs. load rating; pre-drilled oval light cutouts make for easy interior light installation. A single latch lets you open the tool box door with one hand. Pro Series line includes aerodynamic custom storage fenders, slide-in floor jack brackets, full shelves and half shelves.

www.intheditch.com

owMate’s Power-Link lighting series is essentially wireless; the light bar, work lights, marker/flasher combo units, and other LED modules just tap into existing power and ground wires. All are operated from a control that is also a twowire install. The PLC56U light bar that features work lights and stop/tail/turn modules also works with a TowMate wireless tow light, and includes a wireless transmitter with the standard package. The Power-Link control will operate any Power-Link light system and can be expanded with other products at any time.

The PLC-TCC6 sequencing traffic cone light system is a new add-on. Six traffic cone lights will arrow in unison—to the left or right—with an overhead Power-Link light bar. They can be purchased separately as an independent system. The default mode for the cone lights is a highly visible strobe. The new Safety Alert System lets you know when the perimeter of your work site is breached, alerting you to get out of the way. When the air hose is run over, it sends a wireless signal that locks the truck’s horn on for 15 seconds and provides a moment’s notice that a vehicle could be coming right at you.

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Ready Ready to to expand expand your your business? business? Need Need more more capability capability in in your your recoveries? recoveries? ® ® CENTURY CENTURY has has the the power power you you need need with with the the industry’s industry’s number number ONE ONE selling 60- 75-ton and 75-ton capacities. selling line line of of rotators rotators in in 30-, 40-, 40-, 60- and capacities. ® ® But CENTURY knows knows you you need need more more versatility versatility in in your your But CENTURY rotator rotator beyond beyond tough tough recoveries, recoveries, so so we we design design and and build build our our rotators rotators using using components components fabricated fabricated with with high-tensile high-tensile steel steel for for maximum maximum strength strength without without excess excess weight weight that that decreases decreases your your towing towing capabilities. capabilities. Our Our lightweight lightweight aluminum aluminum body body design design provides provides ample ample storage storage for for both both your your towing towing and and recovery recovery equipment. equipment.

The Century 1130 (30-ton) rotator provides the versatility of a rotator for recovery applications with a weight-conscience design for increased towing payload.

The Century 1140 (40-ton) rotator fits most applications, with options such as a 2- or 3-stage recovery boom, dual 35,000-lb. 2-speed winches, LDU underlift and a combination of auxiliary winch and outrigger systems.

The Century 1060S (60-ton) provides 360-degree continuous boom rotation, a 3-stage recovery boom, optional turretmounted and deck-mounted winches, your choice of outrigger package, and the proven SDU-4 underlift.

8503 Hilltop Drive • Ooltewah, Tennessee 37363

www.millerind.com • 800-292-0330 Call your local Miller Industries distributor for more information.

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To tackle your most difficult recovery jobs for heavy loads, rely on the brute strength of the Century 1075S (75-ton), equipped with a 3-stage recovery boom and available with up to 6 winches for a combined winching capacity of 234,000 lbs.

Exit Planning for Your Business by Ralph Weber

owers start businesses with the intent of winning battles on the road, rescuing people and vehicles from dangerous situations. In every battle—on the road, in business and in life—an eventual exit must be made. In many cases, we determine the timing and terms of our exit, but there are some when we can’t. One battle you can plan for (and need to) is exiting the business altogether. Proper planning will help you maximize the value of your business and minimize the tax liabilities of your exit. These steps will help you in the process.

“In real estate, it’s location, location, location. In business, it’s management, management, management.” - Joe Durnford

Determine Value Exit planning is a process, not an event. The process begins with an accurate and constantly updated business valuation. From the value of your business, starts the plan. If a value can be determined, then you own a business; if it cannot, then you own a job. A business you sell; a job you simply quit. Much can be done to enhance the value of your business. While being tax-effective is an important operational goal, it can work at cross-purposes to increasing your business value. You may want to hire a business broker. Many charge a percentage of the sale. You may think you can avoid this cost by doing it alone, but a good business broker offers many benefits. For example, since they are paid a percentage, they have a financial interest in helping you increase the value of your business. Just as 14 • March 2013 - TOWMAN.COM

TowLot.com helps you to get more for salvaged vehicles, a good broker can help you get more for your tow business.

Identify a Buyer Picking your buyer is an important step. Your buyer might be a partner, manager, employee or even a competitor. Each one may have a different tax ramification, so ensure that the buyer will have funding ready at the time you exit, be it at the time of your choosing or not. Bringing on a partner can make for a smoother transition and is often the best strategy. Passing the business to a family member: Only 30 percent of small businesses survive to the second generation. One of the biggest reasons for this is not planning for the taxes. An innocent mistake in transferring your business to a rel-

ative could trigger a huge tax liability. Planning for the orderly succession of that business can save much.

Protect Your Investment Once you have determined the value of your investment, you need to take steps to protect it. What happens if a sudden unplanned exit is required? In that event, will you have a buyer of your choosing lined up and ready to pay you what you want? Are they bound by contract to do that? Will the transaction occur with minimal tax erosion? Does the buyer have guaranteed funding lined up when it is needed? Unprotected assets can quickly become liabilities. Insurance and contractual triggers should be included in buy/sell agreements with your buyer. Your business asset should become a large part of your retirement income, whether your exit is planned or unplanned. Exit planning is not necessarily about selling your business; it’s about getting return on your investment. Elements of unplanned exit: If you should become disabled due to sickness or accident, or die prematurely, your chosen buyer must have the funds immediately available. If not, the business will need to be sold in a fire sale, but may still be taxed at fair market value. Funding may be available through cash on hand, future income, business loan, or insurance. Make sure there’s also enough to pay taxes. Remember, that’s the patriotic thing to do!

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“The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations

ing price at the time of the sale. • The deal structure, which determines how much you keep. • The obligations of buyer and seller. • Contingencies for unplanned events. • Duties of each party after the sale. There are many experts involved in business sales, and each plays an important role. Make sure you pick your team carefully and that they work together for your benefit. Prepare yourself mentally for the sale, and prepare your business. Most businesses spend 80 hours cre-

ating a business plan but just six hours on an exit plan. Whether you make an outright sale, transfer to friends or relatives, a sale to a competitor, a buyout by a partner, management, or employees, the same principles apply. Ralph F. Weber has spent 28 years in the towing and recovery business. His company, Route Three Benefits, insures hundreds of towing companies, and he has helped many of them plan for business succession. Ralph is an Accredited Estate Planner, specializing in succession planning. Check out www.TowBizExitPlan.com.

beforehand.” - Sun Tzu

Determine the Deal Remember, it’s not what you get; it’s what you keep that’s important. You tell me the price, I’ll tell you the terms. There are many deal structures to business sales, and each has different tax implications. Are you getting money for goodwill? If not, you may be simply selling assets. Selling the shares in your business is treated differently. Your sale could be an asset sale, share sale or leveraged buyout. You may receive funds on installment or in lump sums. Your deal may include an earn-out, balloon payment. Each must be carefully considered in advance.

Ensure Funding Will you sell your towing operation on installments out of future income or for cash? Usually there is a down payment, unless it is a sale to a relative. Selling via an Employee Stock Ownership Plan can be tax advantageous, but it may take years to get your money. If you are selling to a partner and the deal structure has been agreed upon, you need to ensure that the money is there when needed, even if that is at an unanticipated time.

Binding Agreements Creating a binding agreement with your buyer is where everything comes together; a good lawyer is worth his weight in gold. Items should include: • The price or formula for determin-

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Consider Outside Help with Safety, Accountability by Angela Roper

s a safety consultant for several companies in Texas and elsewhere, I commend those companies that take initiative to abide by all Commercial Motor Vehicle regulations. They are creating employee policies and procedures, implementing safety inspections of their vehicles and conducting safety meetings. I’ve expanded my work to include towing companies, as the owners of many commercial motor vehicles. Coming into a company and accepting the change that your business may need is not always easy. However, it can be worth the results—especially if you have a U.S. Department of Transportation audit in the near future or, heaven forbid, a lawsuit. Every company needs to be familiar with CSA 2010 (ComplianceSafety-Accountability) guidelines from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and what it means for the business. Recently, I consulted on a lawsuit against a towing company. Without getting into specifics, the charges named in court included: • Failure to operate their vehicle in a safe manner. • Failure to maneuver their vehicle in a reasonable and safe manner. • Failure to keep a proper lookout and take necessary actions to ensure safe travel. • Failure to adhere to the CDL handbook. • Failure to have necessary training, knowledge and experience to operate the vehicle. • Failure to perform and document proper pre-trip and posttrip inspections. • Negligent Hiring: not properly following up on information in the interview/application, fail18 • March 2013 - TOWMAN.COM

ure to investigate training, criminal record and past. • Failure to create and maintain a driver qualification file. • Failure to require and maintain records of violations. • Failure to conduct regular and required reviews. • Negligent training. • Negligent supervision, retention and monitoring: failure to require attendance to safety meetings or instruction, failure to document safety meetings and attendance, failure to implement proper policies and procedures. • Negligent entrustment. • General negligence. This is just a brief overview of what you can expect in a lawsuit. An attorney can name anything and everything negligent in a case, especially when a death is involved. You need to prepare your business for what can happen, whether through a consultant or other means. You also need to consider the obligation you have with incident traffic

control in your business. Many towing associations and municipal entities are establishing policies and procedures of their own. The Towing and Recovery Association of America incorporates Incident Management in their guide for tow truck operations on all levels. The National Fire Protection Association developed a standard for responders, including towers, on incident traffic control. Many police departments also incorporate incident management and traffic control regarding towers in their policies for rotation lists and contracts. Be prepared. Know what is expected of you and your business on all levels. If you think it won’t happen to you, you are sadly mistaken—the next lawsuit I witness on may be yours.

Angela Roper owns Nationwide Safety Consulting in Texas. She’s been involved in the towing industry since 1997, and owned two towing companies in Texas. Contact her at Tiptow04@yahoo.com.

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Recovery Conference features Miller Industries’ “Tom Luciano At the Movies” & WreckMaster Instruction

Two day rotator training with Pactrick Zozaya

Recovery Billing w/Bob Fouquette

Week features Towman Balladeer Mike Corbin & Towman Monument

Impound Conference

Police Towers Initiative

Accident Remediation Conference

Desert Smoke

Ribs Fest

American Towman S howPlace Las Vegas Tee Off at Tow Industry Week for Six Conferences, Two Training Courses, and Seven Special Events!

300 Exhibit Booths

Tour the World During Tow Industry Week The $89 Room - Book by March 18th! Book your room now at the Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, AT's headquarters located adjacent to the American Towman ShowPlace at the LV Convention Center. $89 a night when booked by March 18th.

AT Open -18 holes The Las Vegas Hotel & Casino and Las Vegas Convention Center are located right off "the Strip" close to all attractions and destination sites.

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AT OPEN–18 HOLES • THE DESERT SMOKE • TOWMAN MONUMENT RECEPTION • SATURDAY RIBS FEST •

, MIKE CORBIN LIVE • 20TH ACE ANNIVERSARY BLOWOUT • POLICE TOWERS INITIATIVE • AMERICAN TOWMAN CUP

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Never Break Your Chain by Terry Abejuela

hain is an essential piece of equipment to a recovery operator to perform on a daily basis. Understanding how to identify, use and maintain chain is critical for safety and efficiency. As with any type of equipment, it is important to choose chain that is specifically designed for your intended use. When purchasing chains, request the manufacturer’s literature so that you are well informed—responsibility for the proper use, application and inspection of the chain falls to the user. Tow operators are responsible for conducting a visual inspection of the chain prior to each use. A monthly inspection of the chain should be performed where each link is inspected, including the inner link surface. Any chain that has links that are deformed, cracked or excessively worn should not be used and should be taken out of service immediately.

off of the ground with a straight chain applies 5,000 lbs. of tension to the chain. Dynamic Load is the initial lifting of the 5,000 lbs. It requires more than 5,000 lbs. to start the load moving and that is the dynamic load. A dynamic load occurs when there is a rapid application of force; it’s also called the shock load. Dynamic or shock loads should be avoided whenever possible.

Making the Grade

5/16 Grade 7 chain in a choker hitch. The markings on the chain and hook are clearly visible.

Setting Terms Tow operators should know and understand some basic terms relating to chains and their use. Minimum Breaking Force, also known as Breaking Strength and Minimum Ultimate Load, refers to the minimum load at which a new chain will fail. This is tested when a straight length of new chain has load applied at a gradual and uniform speed until it fails. Working Load Limit is the maximum load the chain is authorized by the manufacturer to support when the load is applied—in a straight line. Overloading, wear, alteration, damage or improper use, as well as some other conditions may affect ratings. The WLL applies to chain that is new or in “as new” condition. Design Factor is the theoretical reserve capacity of the chain, and is 24 • March 2013 - TOWMAN.COM

expressed as a ratio. A chain that has a 4,000-lbs. WLL with a 4:1 design factor has a MBF of 16,000 lbs. (Just because there is a theoretical reserve capacity does not mean that it is safe to exceed the Working Load Limit. Never exceed the WLL!) Static Load is a load that remains constant. Suspending a 5,000-lbs. load

The most common grades of chain in towing and recovery are High Test (Grade 4), Transport (Grade 7) and Alloy (Grade 8). Good quality chain should be marked with its grade as well as manufacturer identification code on a link usually about every foot. I recommend that you only use chain that is clearly marked. Grade 4 5/16-diameter chain has a WLL of 3,900 lbs. Grade 4 chain may also be marked 40 or 43. High Test chain used to be standard equipment on most light-duty tow trucks, but has been replaced by Transport chain. High Test chain should not be used for overhead lifting. Grade 7 5/16-diameter chain has a WLL of 4.700 lbs. Grade 7 may also be marked 70 and is probably the most common grade found on tow trucks. It has a yellow chromate finish which makes it easy to identify, but I recom-

Chain broken from overloading on test bed at B/A Products. Photo courtesy of B/A Products.

5/16 Grade 4 High Test chains (primary attachment or tow chains) with J-hook at one end and T- and Grab-hooks at the other end. The larger diameter welded link connects the hooks to the chain to match or exceed the Working Load Limit of the chain.

mend that tow operators verify the grade by locating the stamped marking. Transport chain should not be used for overhead lifting. Grade 8 5/16-chain has a WLL of 5,300 lbs. Grade 8 may also be

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A monthly inspection of the chain should be performed where each link is inspected, including the inner link surface. Number 155 on Reader Card

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5/16 Grade 7 Transport chain attached in a choker hitch with a grab hook.

Number 100 on Reader Card

marked 80. Alloy chain is designed for overhead lifting; it is not commonly found on light-duty tow trucks. If overhead lifting is anticipated, you must use Grade 8. Hooks and connecting links attached to a chain should have a WLL equal to or exceeding that of the chain. (Remember that a chain really is only as strong as it’s weakest link.) I recommend the use of a Lok-A-Loy, often referred to as a hammer lock, to connect a hook to a chain or two chains together. They have a high WLL and are very secure. A double clevis link uses cotter pins so I wouldn’t consider them as secure. Different hitch applications may reduce the WLL of the chain because the limit was determined with a straight piece of chain. Using the chain in a choker hitch will reduce the WLL, as will twisting of the chain. A doubleleg bridle will be affected by the angle of the chain to the load—the smaller the angle between the chain legs and the load, the lower the WLL becomes. The three basic uses for chain in towing and recovery are primary attachment chains, secondary attachment chains and rollover or recovery chains. I recommend that tow operators use specific chains for each use: Use primary attachment chains only to attach to a disabled vehicle for a conventional sling tow or as tie downs on a car carrier. Use secondary attachment chains (safety chains) only as secondary attachment. Use rollover Terry Abejuela has 30+ years of or recovery light-duty towing-and-recovery chains only for experience. He is also a lightrollover or recovduty level 1 instructor for the California Tow Truck Association ery operations. since 1998.

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Number 114 on Reader Card

Mixer Recovery Delayed by Investigation Operators Use Time to Assess, Stage Rotator by Patrick Zozaya

n Jan. 16 at about 1:45 p.m., I received a call from our customer that they had an overturned 10-yard mixer that collided with an undercover police vehicle. At the time, it was unclear what the direction of travel was, if it was empty or loaded or what the driver’s condition was. All they knew was that the mixer was “one of theirs.” I immediately went en route with my 1060S Century rotator; once on scene, Las Vegas (Nev.) Heavy Rescue already was there and trying to perform an extraction on the driver (who didn’t survive the crash). The Nevada Highway Patrol told me they had investigators on the way and

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that I needed to standby until they finished. I asked to assess the situation so that once the scene was released, I would have all the proper equipment on scene and ready. I called for our Century 1040 to be operated by Richard White and Tom Wallace since both are certified riggers in overhead lifting; I also called in mediumduty driver Hardy Segler, who is also a certified rigger, to assist in the lift.

Rigging the Scene After the investigators released the scene to us, Segler and White rigged the

mixer while I moved the rotator into position and a proper rotator stance. I worked with Wallace to place the 1040 in a spot where it would perform a vertical lift using one winch.

Operators used the time while police were investigating to assess the scene and stage equipment.

The 1040 was rigged using the passenger-side winch connected by a master link to the driver-side winch. This allows even tension on the boom, as well as both winches. We then connected a 10’ long, 3/4 cable sling in two spots near the center of the front decking hook of the mixer, which was run through a 12-ton floating snatch block. This allows the front to

rotate freely and keep even tension on the lifting lines. The rotator was used to lift the rear and perform the actual upright of the unit. Once it was uprighted, we continued to lift the mixer vertically. As it was clear of the guardrail, the rotator swung the rear over far enough that we could set it down. Then we chained the right front wheel to the left rear D-ring on the 1040

and pulled the tow truck forward enough to clear the mixer away from the guardrail. When the mixer was completely back on the bridge, the highway patrol resumed their inspection of the mixer. After 30 minutes, we re-lifted the mixer and placed it on a transport trailer to be delivered to the customer’s holding yard.

The Century 1060S rotator lifted the rear of the mixer and performed the actual upright.

TOWMAN.COM - March 2013 • 29

Our total time on scene was 5-1/2 hours; the total recovery time was under two hours. The techniques used to perform this recovery are very challenging and any attempt at duplicating them without proper training could result in injury or worse. This type of critical lift should be done only by a trained and certified operator.

Rotator Training in Las Vegas

Thanks to efficient staging during the investigation, actual recovery time was less than two hours.

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Number 136 on Reader Card

Patrick Zozaya is one of the nation’s most experienced trainers of Rotator application and is conducting the “360 Conference” during Tow Industry Week, May 16-19. The training will cover rotators and usage, applications, economics, and the politics of road clearance; OSHA Qualified Rigger Certification is included. Find out more about the 360 Conference, and everything else going on at Tow Industry Week, at www.atshowplace.com.

Number 126 on Reader Card

Number 208 on Reader Card

Are You Adding Repo to Towing, or Towing to Repo?

Repossession is a regulated industry and there are consumer-protection acts prohibiting "abusive practices." If the Lizard Lick folks weren't performing for a reality show on cable TV, how many of their antics would be viewed critically by the court? by Mark Lacek

afe and damage-free repossessions are at the top of the list to be a professional recovery agency. Today’s repossessor has advantages only dreamed of in the past. No longer is the repossessor just some tough guy with a tattoo and a slim-jim. There are plenty of procedures, products and services now that make a safe and profitable workday. Today’s recovery offices are equipped with computers, software programs and telephone systems. Agents have access to online search tools and information databases. As more and more states are modernizing their offices, information is provided online for easier access. Searches of 34 • March 2013 - TOWMAN.COM

property records, court appearances, and marriage licenses are now simply a click away. With the recent introduction of satellite imagery and mapping, it is now possible to view aerial photos of almost every square foot of the country. Tow trucks have been improved to make repossessing the auto much quicker. With today’s modern equipment, an agent can “hook and book” in seconds without exiting the tow truck. Today’s trucks are equipped with mapping and navigation devices, back-up cameras and onboard computers. Agents have the ability to search online for license plate information or property records from inside the truck.

Today there are state and national repossession associations available for membership. These associations hold yearly conventions and training seminars for their members. Agents and agency owners can gather to discuss industry topics and procedures. Never before has the recovery agent had the opportunity to get training on issues of safety and laws concerning this industry. The first thing you need to figure out is whether you are a recovery agent or a tow-truck driver. A recovery agent opens the assignment and reviews the information on the vehicle description and also studies the information obtained on the

debtor. A recovery agent proceeds to the given address with caution. There is no radio playing in the background, and attention is given to each and every automobile they pass along the way. If the collateral is not at the given address, the agent checks the name and number on the mailbox and notes the file as to its relative location to the entrance to the residence. The agent also writes down the tag numbers of all other vehicles at the subject’s address. A tow-truck driver receives the address and vehicle information from his dispatch and proceeds to the address (usually listening to his favorite radio station). At the given address, if the tower doesn’t see the vehicle in the driveway or in front of the residence, he proceeds to the next call.

Inspections A professional towing or repossession company will have procedures set in place for daily truck inspections. Section 396.13 of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Motor Safety Regulation requires an inspection before each use. A daily inspection will keep the cost of overhead down while creating a safer working environment. This inexpensive procedure will definitely add more credibility to your operation while helping to keep costly trucks and equipment well-maintained. The tow truck operator simply fills out a truck condition report before or after his shift and turns the form in with his other daily paperwork. Having a tool and equipment checklist attached to the condition report is common with many companies. Remember that your personal safety and the safety of other people is an important part of our daily procedures.

Procedures Skips. Do you have the correct description of what constitutes a debtor falling into the category of a skip? Simply put, a skip is when the client provides you with incorrect information of the residence for the

debtor. Does your billing department have a procedure for adding a skip fee to the invoice? Personal property. Do you have a procedure in place for the removal of personal items from the repossessed vehicle? An easy and organized procedure is to place items into a large trash bag with a tag with customer information and place the bag on a shelf. The debtor is less likely to be upset if you have taken the effort to safely store the items. I always charge a fee to the debtor for returning this property. Bankruptcy. When a debtor informs the recovery agent that they filed bankruptcy, you should obtain their attorney’s name, telephone number, and type of bankruptcy filed. The moment the debtor informs you of a bankruptcy, all contact and recovery action must cease immediately. Contact the attorney to confirm the bankruptcy and ask for the filing number. You might ask the attorney if the debtor wishes to return the collateral. Advise the client of the bankruptcy and send a close invoice; there is nothing more you can do.

Consumer Protection Place a copy of the Gramm-LeachBliley Act and the Fair Debt Collection Act in your company procedure manual. Has your entire recovery department signed a form stating they have been trained or have been explained the rules and laws of both acts? The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act is protection to the consumer from having nonpublic information disclosed to third parties. The Fair Debt Collection Act is to prohibit abusive practices by debt collectors. Part of prohibiting abusive practices is being wary of “breach of the peace.” This topic can never be oversold to the repossession industry. Breach of peace is very broad and subject to the interpretation of the courts. In past lawsuits, the courts have ruled that each of the following constitutes a breach of the peace during the act of repossession: • Threats to take possession of collateral. • Damage to property.

• Contact of any kind to the debtor. • Cutting or breaking of locks or fences to gain entry. • Verbal objections by the debtor. • Deceptive practices. • Presence of law enforcement. • Trying to tow an occupied vehicle. • Notifying local police of a repossession. In states with strict laws governing repossessions, it is common to notify law enforcement within two hours of repossession. Some states or local areas do not have written procedures. Calling the county sheriff or local police is common to find out procedure for reporting a repossession. In some situations the local police prefer to be notified prior to the repossession; this may be against the national consumer protection laws covering the third-party disclosure. Speaking to your state’s attorney general’s office and getting a copy of the law in writing or an official opinion would help you in any potential future actions. The soldiers and sailors civil relief act of 1940 is still in effect today. If the military personnel entered into the contract before they entered into active duty, you will not be able to repossess the collateral without judicial involvement. More and more towing companies are getting involved in the repossession industry; in the past, the repossession industry looked at the towing industry as intrusive. Times have changed and more and more repossession agencies are entering the towing side of the business, too. It’s important, no matter which side of the business is your primary focus, to have training and policies in place to guide your employees on best procedures. Thank you and be safe.

Author Mark Lacek is a 30-year recovery industry veteran and former editor of Professional Repossessor magazine. Mark@commercialassetsolutions.com

TOWMAN.COM - March 2013 • 35

TomTom Fleet Tools Win

Towers Help Nab Robbers Two suspects are in custody after quick-thinking wrecker drivers helped after a robbery at a McDonalds in Harris County, Texas. Deputies say a wrecker driver heard the dispatch after a 9-1-1 call and saw the suspect running from the McDonalds. He followed him, watching him get into a car with another suspect.

Both suspects got out and ran away. One of them was caught nearby; the second suspect was caught about 30 minutes later after he was spotted by a second wrecker driver who recognized the man by his description. Source: www.abcgolocal.com/ktrk

TomTom Business Solutions’ ecoPLUS and WORKsmart offerings were named Frost & Sullivan’s 2012 Customer Value Enhancement winners in Commercial Vehicle Telematics. The award recognized the impact of the ecoPLUS fuel measurement module, and WORKsmart’s fleet management offerings, as an innovative and easy way to reduce fuel consumption. TomTom Business Solutions also joined forces with LoJack, who will market, sell and support TomTom’s range of fleet-management solutions through its dealership network. www.business.tomtom.com

GPS Insight for Android GPS Insight’s mobile app is now available for Android, in addition to its existing iPhone app. The Android app allows managers to quickly view vehicle location, status, driver, odometer and more. Current customers can download the app from the Google Play Store. www.gpsinsight.com

Hino195h ‘Truck of Year’ Number 147 on Reader Card

Hino Trucks Class 5 diesel-electric hybrid model 195h was named the 2013 Medium Duty Commercial Truck of the Year by the American Truck Dealers Association. Hino 195h was selected for the medium-duty category for its comfort, visibility, maneuverability, high-tech equipment and fuel savings. www.hino.com

Side Fuel Tanks for Fuso

Number 128 on Reader Card

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Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America’s 2013 Canter FE Series trucks now have the option of a factoryinstalled 33-gal. fuel tank mounted on the outside of the frame rail on the left side of the cab-chassis. The option is an alternative suited especially for rollback wreckers and wheel-lift stingers. The replacement side fuel tank is a no-cost option available on all FUSO Canter FE125, FE160 and FE180 models except those with the wshortest 110.2” wheelbase. www.mitfuso.com

Number 143 on Reader Card

Build a Training Library Cover All Your Bases with Online, Text and Video References by Randall C. Resch

o you have a towing and recovery reference library that’s available for periodic reading and as a quick reference? When an unfortunate situation happens, your credibility and level of training will be attacked. It’s usually the first place the plaintiff’s attorney goes to discredit you. One way to help (hopefully) lessen the impact of your liability is to be trained, have documentation of such training, and keep learning and training throughout your towing career. For tow bosses, your accountability is huge based on vicarious liability. Every action by your employees is your company’s responsibility. It’s imperative that all of your operators are trained from the basics on up. Any formal training or in-house training is good training when conducted by approved training entities that use industry standards. When training is attended and successfully completed by your employees, certificates and driver attendance sheets are your company’s best evidence that training was acquired. The judge and jury don’t care about how much training you say you have ... it’s

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what you can prove in court that matters. There is a huge benefit for a trained tow truck operator who has certificates of completion in their file from the training courses they’ve done. For the tower with no formal training—even an experienced tower—the lack of a formal training certificate may plant the seed of incompetence in the minds of the jury members. Beyond industry-standard training and certificates, a big step to prove your competence is an investment in a training library. Tow bosses: This can be part of the office setting in a break room or driver area. Drivers: Nothing says you can’t have your own personal training library at home. Whether a company library or one developed by a driver, the benefits are multi-fold: • It shows initiative regarding the industry. • The materials are hard evidence you have some interest in the field. • By taking the time to read and ingest the material, you increase your industry knowledge. • You have an ongoing reference location to refresh your knowledge.

At Home What works for a training library (should be) every driver’s need to selfeducate and gain the understanding, knowledge and awareness on the tools and techniques of the industry. Industry-related reading material (like trade magazines and association newsletters) is beneficial. Training manuals and videos are a huge value and demonstrate dedication and a desire to keep learning. At home, you can build a training library somewhere on a spare shelf or in a home filing cabinet. Everything tow related can be located in one place for quick and easy reference. Building the library is only half the process. You have to use it, too. Take advantage of the time you’re staged somewhere to read industry material. If you work graveyard, use quiet nights as valuable learning time. Consider taking an online tow course. If ever there comes a time that you’re asked in court what the safe working load limit on a standard J-hook is, you’ll have the right answer. The moment you testify out of ignorance or unpreparedness, the jury will recognize that.

Number 141 on Reader Card

In the Office For your company—somewhere within the company’s business office—I recommend building a reference library of any and all tow-related reading, videos and detailed material in any niche you serve (or hope to serve). It makes for additional reference and training to new and current personnel, but is direct proof of credibility if your company is attacked in a lawsuit. Employees should be able to access and sign-out reference material where they’re welcome to take material home, but be accountable to return it in a few days so anyone else can have access to it. Your training library needn’t be extensive, yet primary publications should be included as your basis of learning. The Internet if full of articles and media sources that will provide you with topic specific material.

Video Training Training videos can be costly up 40 • March 2013 - TOWMAN.COM

front. But all it takes is one trial where you defend your training and safety procedures to head off a long-term trial. And because they are costly, a safety manager or other designated employee should monitor them in the training library. Training videos are especially good for presentation during monthly safety meetings where the topic of training is viewed and then discussed. Manufacturers are a good source for training videos, too, with their new truck/new product videos.

Online Training When it comes to training and training topics, the Internet is full of sites that allow you to wander and self-educate on the topics that interest you. I’m always researching on the Internet looking for subject matter that fits my story topics. A few good places to start include: • www.towindustryweek.com. • www.tdlr.state.tx.us/towing.

• www.towman.com. • www.wreckmaster.com. • www.itowman.com. • www.tow411.yuku.com. • www.iitronline.org. Acquiring a training library for your company or yourself is simple to build, and it’s tax deductible, filed under training costs. When it comes to the towing and recovery industry, one should never stop learning and advancing their skills. Education is the foundation of professionalism and competency. It often takes a lifetime of learning to get there. Creating a library is just one way to help advance your own industry knowledge. Randall C. Resch is a retired California police officer and has been in the towing and recovery industry for 40 years as a tow business owner, manager, consultant and lightduty trainer. Email Randy at rreschran@aol.com.

A Call to Arms How the Police Towers of America Will Change Towing by Steve Calitri

recently caught up with John “Mr. Industry” Borowski to ask him about the new Police Towers of America association. I asked John why he is calling all police towers to Las Vegas, and how he thinks PTA can help our industry fight the battles now being waged on the municipal towing front.

American Towman: You’re calling all municipal towers to Las Vegas. Why? John Borowski: I believe the time has come for towers to stand up and defend themselves. They have several entities reaching into their pockets; it’s worse than it’s ever been in this industry. AT: What are the issues that need to be addressed? JB: Right now, there are three serious threats I see in the industry. There’s the issue of insurance companies not letting towers make the fair rate they deserve. Municipalities, through their contracts, are playing it on their end any way they want to streamline their process and create profit centers. And there are two national companies that are trying to intercept current contracts being held by towers to become a player at the table.

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cept began of charging administrative fees (or kickbacks) to towers. It’s now more prevalent than it’s ever been; [politicians] don’t care if the towers stay viable, they are just looking for the money.

AT: Give me some examples of cities dumping on the towers. JB: Municipalities, as we all know, are in some hard economic times right now. So you have elected officials running cities and looking for profit centers. While this industry is the only first-responding private sector, for whatever reason municipalities seem to believe towers are making enormous amounts of money. They’re looking to hit [towers] with kickbacks or fees that will come directly out of the tower’s fee and not at a charge to the public. At the same time, the elected officials try to suppress the actual retail price of that municipal tow so they look good in the eyes of the motorists. Around 15 or 20 years ago, the con-

AT: How can Police Towers of America help towers with these local issues? Give me an example of how PTA would act and be involved with towers in any given municipality. JB: I believe that through strength in numbers and knowledge, we can provide the tools for these towers to be able to combat these situations … or at the very least to become aware of what’s going on around them so they aren’t sitting there with their eyes closed in the high-speed lane. For example, I’m currently analyzing the situation in Detroit where there is an outside company coming in and taking over the contract for storage. Unfortunately, in this industry, we don’t really talk too much with each other. PTA is going to provide information to towers and show them that it’s imperative that they work together and to stop these kind of interceptions to their contracts. AT: Is the average tower proactive enough to support this cause? JB: For the most part, I don’t

Number 102 on Reader Card

believe that they are. But given the tools, they will be. AT: Will towers in a town unite through PTA? JB: I believe that they will, once they realize what they are up against and that they can’t fight this battle alone. The risk of going out of business will help create for them the same vision that I have. AT: Usually towers are blindsided by a town or city changing course in towing or impound matters because they are not united and have no central voice. Is it realistic to think Police Towers of American can unite towers in a given town, towers who are dogeat-dog competitors? JB: Absolutely. There’s no question that there is power in numbers and that knowledge is power, and that’s exactly what we’re going to provide these guys.

I think we all realize when someone enters into our business/contractual relationships, they are there for one thing—to make a profit. Where does that profit come from? Out of the fee. This is exactly the type of thing that needs to be combated and looked at very seriously, because they are a large company working on the West Coast, on the East Coast and now right smack-dab in the middle of the country in Kansas City. They are working this thing from all angles, and they are working hard on it. Towers have to be prepared for this, ready to roll up their sleeves and do battle.

"Around 15 or 20 years ago, the concept began of charging

AT: Detroit just took the impound business away from the rotation towers. How would you help combat that? JB: It’s still early to give an answer on that as I’m still looking into the situation. I will have strategies available that I will make public in Las Vegas. AT: There are some cities now using AutoReturn or some other middleman to manage dispatch and rotation. Kansas City, for example, contracted with AutoReturn; the tow fee is $200 and the tower receives less that $100 of that. Seems that a middleman can go in and offer to help fill the city’s coffers, make what they need to make, and find the towers to do the work. JB: Unfortunately, AutoReturn is preying on the weakness of towers. They are giving the municipalities the answers they want to hear; they’re providing a profit center and making the subject of tow problems go away. Hey, let’s face it—these appointed bodies do not want to get complaints, phone calls or issues with rotation (somebody stole my call) and they’re just funneling everything through one agency who has become a partner at the table. 44 • March 2013 - TOWMAN.COM

administrative fees (or kickbacks) to towers. It’s now more prevalent than it’s ever been." AT: How would PTA help keep middlemen out of the game in any given city? JB: Believe me when I tell you that a lot of towers are unaware of this national situation. We will educate the towers on what the issues are and help them be able to defend themselves and provide the quality of service that their city or town deserves. AT: Many towns suppress nonconsensual tow rates. How can PTA help towers get a fair rate increase in their town? JB:: Being a recognized, national body of Police Towers, I think will provide an informational center for cities and towns as to what’s going on. Currently, an elected official looking to satisfy the problems of the city and create a profit center doesn’t invite the tower to the table. We’re going to give

(elected officials) facts and figures on what it takes to run a towing company and why it’s important for the tower to stay viable—especially for the taxpayers in that community. They are doing a wrong to the taxpayers by trying to suppress that price. AT: You have been pioneering accident remediation (cleanup) in Massachusetts. How can PTA help towers in this arena? JB: The PTA will be able to educate towers on how to deal with the insurance companies when it comes to trying to collect bills and charges on accident cleanup. I will go into length on this in Las Vegas, but there has been so much wrongdoing by insurance companies—and they really don’t care. I just recently had another victory in this battle that we’ve been fighting now for about 2-1/2 years in Massachusetts … with insurance companies that say the services provided in these cleanups should not be charged separately. There’s nothing further from the truth. I have no problem digging into matters … we are right, we’ve been proven right and we are collecting our bills. We will prevail. We have the information, we have the facts and we have the evidence. AT: What about the tower who agrees with the spirit of PTA and its goals, but thinks to himself, “Well, I’m interested. But I’ll be damned if they’re going to get the other towers in this town interested. We can’t get together for anything.” What do you say to that? JB: The PTA provides a neutral body to give the facts and speak about the topics. [Towers] need to learn that they are going to have to fight these battles together, not apart. They’ll never do it alone. The agencies, insurance companies and national corporations that are intercepting contracts have money on their side; to fight back, towers need numbers and knowledge. I hope to see everybody that is a police tower in this country be concerned about their industry and be in Las Vegas.

Number 171 on Reader Card

Number 108 on Reader Card

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“These guys were there all the way along. They were with me on all the little things – from how to do the listings to taking the pictures and uploading them– you name it.

They put the time into it with me, but more than that, I truly felt they were sincere in wanting to help us in our business.” James Graham

“We sold 19 cars our first auction. I was extremely happy with it. We improved on our sales price per car by 50% to 80%. Almost all the cars we sold we then got a secondary tow to take the vehicle to somewhere – sometimes out of town.” Number 159 on Reader Card

©Towlot.com

James Graham and his son, Nicholas Graham’s Towing, Portage, Michigan

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Porter-Ferguson at the Races by John Gunnell

bought this 1975 Ford F-350 with a Porter Ready-Built Wrecker in July 2011 on eBay from Nicolasse Stephens of Republic, Mo. I bought it to use primarily as an advertisement for my restoration shop, Gunner’s Great Garage, in Manawa, Wis. When the truck arrived, I found a note from the seller that said the truck was the first demo unit made by Porter’s Ready-Built of Kansas City. He said that the maker drove the truck to various shops in Springfield to display it. Lee Robinson, who owned Lee’s Service center in Springfield, said if they wanted to sell him a truck, he wanted the demo truck in front of him. Robinson owned the truck from 1975 until 2008. The Ford had 39,160 miles on it when I bought it.

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The seller included two scans of old photos showing the truck in use at race tracks in 1979. One showed it at Bolivar Speedway and the other showed the Ford pushing a race car at a Springfield dirt track (possibly the Fairgrounds Speedway). After getting the truck, I discovered that Calvin R. Porter held U.S. Patent 4573857 for a “Vehicle towing mechanism,” which was a vehicle lifting device. He died in May 2011; I found the funeral parlor that handled his burial and they had a slide show of his life that included photos of him with my truck. The truck had different lights back then and a two-tone paint job, but it matched my truck perfectly in all other ways. I spoke to Porter’s son, who told me that Porter Ready-Built was not

very well-known nationally, but was once the largest maker of recovery equipment in the Midwest. I also contacted a former driver who raced at the Bolivar and Fairgrounds Speedways in the ’70s and ’80s, who shared some period race programs with me. There was one from Bolivar and one from Fairgrounds; both had an identical advertisement for Lee’s Service Center.

The Truck This Ford F-350 is a Custom Cab model with a big-block 390-cid V-8 and a four-speed manual transmission. The truck was in pretty nice shape when it arrived; it even had an Edelbrock carburetor and chrome valve covers. The hoist is a mechanical design and the truck has Calvin’s vehicle lift-

Number 177 on Reader Card

Number 214 on Reader Card

TOWMAN.COM - March 2013 • 51

ing system, a wheel dolly and all of its other equipment. The truck came with a light bar that did not match its age and had red, white and blue lenses. That combination is not legal to drive within Wisconsin. I found correct lighting (based on one of the period photos I had) at Hyper-Lites in Milwaukee that sells both new and vintage emergency lights. One night I drove the truck to our local cruise night and coming home the headlights flickered on and off. Eventually I discovered the truck had some rust in it that kept the headlight wires from grounding properly. There were also broken parts holding the grille in place and the floor was rusty and had been crudely patched with sheet metal. The cab also had rust in some hidden areas. John’s Custom Auto of Manawa rebuilt the floor and the entire lower section of the cab from one door to the other. They painted the bottom section of the cab that they repaired, but since the truck had already been lettered, we didn’t repaint the whole vehicle. This resulted in a “just right” look. The interior of the cab looks nice now too, because we purchased new upholstery from National Parts Depot, as well as new camel-colored carpeting to replace the old ripped-up rubber floor mat. Editor’s Note John Gunnell is a long-time auto enthusiast, restorer and author. Find him online at www.gunnersgreatgarage.com.

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The 1975 Ford pushing a race car at a Springfield, Mo., dirt track (possibly the Fairgrounds Speedway).

Vintage Tow Truck Show

The seller included two scans of old photos showing the truck in use at race tracks in 1979.

“The Milwaukee Masterpiece of Style & Speed” is a concours d’elegance held each August in Veteran’s Park on the Lake Michigan shoreline in Milwaukee, Wis. For the first time in 2013, The Milwaukee Masterpiece is offering a class for collectible tow trucks from 1972 or earlier; about eight classic wreckers will be invited to participate. If you are interested in entering your original or restored vintage tow truck in the Masterpiece (Aug. 25, 2013), visit www.milwaukeemasterpiece.com and download an application. John Gunnell will chair the tow truck class. Show chairman Leon Flagg will contact owners regarding acceptance; email him at leonflagg@aol.com.

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TOWMAN.COM - March 2013 • 53

Cities Can Make or Break a Tower’s Bottom Line by Emily Oz

n covering the towing news headlines every week, I’ve noticed a lot of cities across the country making big changes that greatly impact the bottom line of the towers in those communities. We’ve covered several of those stories recently on American Towman TV. In Detroit, Mich., it’s the city’s decision to get into the impound business that has towers and the Detroit Authorized Towing Association upset. DATA is fighting back after the city made the move to seize control of all police impound and storage business. How will Detroit store 30,000 vehicles annually in one small lot? Nobody is really sure. What is for sure is that’s money taken out of the pockets of the 26 companies currently on the police rotation. Those companies offer 3 million square feet of infrastructure to effectively store those vehicles for Detroit. In fact, DATA says it’s 18 member companies on the rotation recently spent $36,000,000 (yep that’s $36 million) to bring their tow yards up to code at the city’s request. And this is how Detroit pays them back? We can sympathize with the tough budget times in the Motor City, but is this the way to fill a budget gap? See the story now on ATTV at www.AmericanTowmanTV.com. Just outside San Antonio, Texas, in New Braunfels, 13 companies were slashed from the police rotation. Several tow bosses are not going down without a fight. They showed up to city hall to voice their opinion about the process city officials used to select the handful of companies who will now handle all police business. Complaints with the bid process included favoritism, as they say one of the companies remaining on rotation has an operator who is also a local police officer. Two cities are imposing fee caps, but with very different approaches: In Seattle, Wash., city officials 54 • March 2013 - TOWMAN.COM

Armando Hernandez, of Hernandez Wrecker Service in New Braunfels, Texas, feels he was wronged. “I feel like my mouth was taped shut,” he said, after his city cut him from the police rotation.

Charles Gill, of Gill’s Towing in Terre Haute, Ind., was invited to give his input on rate caps for his city.

capped private-property tows without any input from towers on what it costs to run their businesses. The Towing & Recovery Association of Washington has filed a lawsuit challenging the fee caps of $183 (for the first hour of a job). It’s a much different story in Terre Haute, Ind., where city officials actually reached out to a handful of towers for their input before capping fees. It was refreshing to talk to a tower who was part of that process. Terre Haute set their non-consent tows at $100. Watch these stories and much more on American Towman TV: www.AmericanTowmanTV.com.

If your city is making or breaking your bottom line, we’d like to hear about it. You may always email me at Oz@AmericanTowmanTV.com.

Emily Oz is the anchor and producer for American Towman TV. You can email her at oz@AmericanTowmanTV.com

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TOWMAN.COM - March 2013 • 57

Shredder ‘Goes Where the Money Is’ by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti

reg Godley founded Always Towing & Road Service of Spokane, Wash., on April 1, 1991. Greg and son Blaine operate this family business and run all of the calls themselves. “I was born into towing,” Blaine said. “It’s all I know. … I’m self-taught and have learned with hands-on onthe-job experience working alongside my father.” The father and son team have a fleet of six trucks that handle any and all light- to medium-duty jobs. One of their two medium-duty wreckers is “Shredder,” a 2006 International 4300 with a Jerr-Dan HPL-60 12-ton unit. The HPL-60 series is a standard-duty independent wrecker engineered for strength and mobility, which is just what Greg and Blaine were looking for. “This was a parts truck before we bought it in May of 2010,” said Blaine. “We rebuilt it in-house, from the motor to what was left of the transmission, the rear end, the under lift,

58 • March 2013 - TOWMAN.COM

and from front bumper to tailboard to where it’s like a new truck now.” The recovery boom on this rig has dual 10,000-lbs. Ramsey winches setup with 150’ x 7/16” wire rope and an 8,500lbs. under lift with seven hydraulic functions. “We equipped this truck with anything we would need to do towing and recovery work in pretty much any terrain,” said Blaine. “It has everything from a fifth-wheel plate to five sets of recovery straps, G80 chains, and chainsaws.” Mike at Maaco Auto Body in Spokane painted Shredder in the company’s green color scheme. It took about a month.

“The most important attribute this unit brings to our business is its versatility. It goes anywhere and everywhere we need it to go to get the job done,” Blaine said. “This truck can do it all. It has towed everything from a 38-foot RV to a 40-foot fifth-wheel camper.” Always Towing will go anywhere they are called to go. One call they answered was to recover a fire department vehicle that was working just past the border. They went into Canada to tow it back. “We go where the money is,” said Blaine.

Tech Highlights Chassis: 2006 International 4300. Engine: 210hp DT466E. Wrecker Body: Jerr-Dan HPL60 12-ton. Trans: Allison 2500 RDS six-speed. Winches: Twin Ramsey 10,000-lbs. on boom. Extras: Spring suspension 20,000-lbs. rear axle. Builder: Always Towing & Road Service. Paint/graphics: Mike at Maaco Auto Body; Spokane, Wash.

Number 152 on Reader Card

TOWMAN.COM - March 2013 • 59

An ACE Up the Sleeve by Steve Calitri

owman ACES throughout And the buckle? One of our best, if North America will soon be fly- not the best, ACE buckle designs. ing to that desert town in There is nothing like them in the Nevada made famous by Bugsy world. You only wear a towing buckle Siegel, Frank Sinatra and Robert if you’re an ACE. DiNiro, to name but a few illustrious This will not be an awards cerecharacters. On May 17 at the Las Vegas mony but a celebration of what makes Convention Center during the Ameri- a Towman ACE. ACEs will pick up can Towman ShowPlace, towing pro- the 20th Anniversary buckle at the fessionals who have received an ACE door so that the luncheon is all about award in past years are good food, camabeing invited for the raderie and ballads 20th Anniversary in their honor. “ACE Blowout” and All towers who the granddaddy of all do motor-club work ACE buckles. will have reason to be It will be quite the in Vegas. Motor club celebration. The ACEs reps will be at the will be serenaded by American Towman American Towman ShowPlace inside the Balladeer Mike convention center for Corbin, singing the the sole purpose of Towman Ballad (The speaking to tow busiRoad Calls) and other ness owners at their A 20th Anniversary ACE Buckle original, tow-related exhibit booths. Dan is being created for the songs. American TowMessina, that blusBlowout in Las Vegas. man magazine is also tery, ebullient indushonoring ACES by buying their lunch try leader, will be conducting a seminar for this anniversary celebration. on “How to Make It Doing Motor Club Why would towers trek to a desert Calls.” to receive a belt buckle, one may ask? Making club work profitable is a To that, I have a simple answer: Why tough proposition. Motor clubs demand does anyone join the French Foreign a lot for what they pay. Yet there are Legion in Africa? towers all across the country who have ACE honorees are a rare breed ply- made that game work for them. You ing their trade with motor-club calls might say these towers have an ACE up and all the demands that come with their sleeve. It’s as if there is more to it that territory. ACEs who show in than just the hand being dealt. I suspect Vegas will be those who have made it many of the ACEs in Vegas, and despite all the odds, not the fly-by- Messina, will be able to clue others in. night towers who don’t last five years. Note: ACEs should stay at the And the ones who make it, these are American Towman Headquarters, the the ones who have stories to tell. They LVH–Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, will enjoy the camaraderie of the lun- located right next to the convention cheon celebration. center.

60 • March 2013 - TOWMAN.COM

The Recovery Conference in Las Vegas on May 1617 is pushing the proverbial envelope. Read how John Borowski WreckMaster and WreckMaster President Justin Cruse team up to dissect recovery work like never before in AT's April issue. Also featured in April is The Buyers Report, the annual word-of-mouth testimonials of tow bosses who use the products and services on the market.

Westways Towing in Fort Lauderdale was caught on video recovering a truck hung out over a bridge. Emily Oz reported and got great comments from Westways on the challenges that were faced. There are over 100 original stories now up at AmericanTowmanTV.com.

Tides and equipment made all the difference when Maryland tower Will Cain recovered this submerged Chevy in Little Elk Creek. Just one of the great recovery articles found last month in Tow Industry Week. This one featured 10 pictures to illustrate how the recovery was accomplished. Recovery stories are featured on the Road & Track page of TowIndustryWeek.com.

Send your thoughts/suggestions on the Adventures to scalitri@towman.com or American Towman, 7 West St, Warwick NY 10990

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