Number 176 on Reader Card
BUYERS REPORT 2013 pages 35-44
FEATURE CONTENTS A tight spot and leaking propane made for an interesting recovery in Texas for Delgado’s Wrecker Service.
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Stuck Between a Bridge and a Hard Place With their rotator down, Delgado’s used teamwork and three wreckers for a propane-truck recovery. by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti
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What’s in a Number? Departments Walkaround . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 News Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Road Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Tow Boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Tow Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Repo Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Impound Money . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 AD Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 My Baby. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Towman’s Market . . . . . . . . . . . .70 On Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 Low Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 Adventures of A.T. . . . . . . . . . . . .77 4 • April 2013 - TOWMAN.COM
You need to know, and understand, the weights and ratings for your cab/chassis. by Terry Abejuela
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What is a Medal? American Towman takes a different tack on award criteria with the new Towman Monument Medal.
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Pushing the Envelope Las Vegas classes will focus on whole business of recovery, methods to billing. by Steve Calitri
Number 109 on Reader Card
Too Many Tower Tragedies We in the towing community understand too well the inherent risks and hazards of working on the side of the highways. The main challenge seems to be educating the rest of the drivers that fill our nation’s roadways. A moving story—born from tragedy—is brewing in Malibu, Calif. Katherine Cimorelli, a regular motorist, is going beyond the norm to help the family of Ronald Carver, 45. Carver was assisting Cimorelli on the side of the highway in February when he was fatally struck by a hit-and-run driver. After experiencing first-hand the deadly danger of the towing profession, Cimorelli reached out to Carver’s family, attended the funeral and wrote a poem about the experience which she read at his service (see page 8). Not only does the poem describe the accident in vivid tones, it recognizes that the tower is the unsung hero of the road. This young woman, a signed recording artist, has enlisted the help of her sis-
by Dennie Ortiz
ter-bandmates to perform two concerts. 100 percent of the proceeds benefitting Carver’s widow and three children. With each passing year, we lose many in the towing industry to tragedies like this one. Each loss of life underscores the critical importance of raising awareness of not only the various state Slow Down/Move Over laws, but also the importance of operator safety while working the white line. Our deepest condolences go out to Carver’s family, and to all the towing families who have lost loved ones in this often unheralded profession. I hope we can decrease the fatality numbers in this industry. First, continuing to stress operator safety. Second, by gaining recognition outside the industry of the perils towers face helping others. Last, by pushing our legislators to enact more laws to protect towers and gain stricter enforcement of existing ones. Please share with us what you’re doing to promote awareness of the Move Over laws in your community and what measures you find work best, so that we can share that information with readers across the country.
Word-of-Mouth Counts
by Brendan Dooley
This magazine, the April “Buyers Report” issue, has grown into one of my favorite issues to do each year. It’s also one of the most intense issues to create. Each year, starting in February, I start making calls to different readers for their input on various industry suppliers. It takes weeks of calls (and emails) to reach you and talk for a few minutes about your business and how a given supplier is helping your bottom line, whether through their growing product offering, great customer service, etc. The fun part of the issue for me is talking with so many of you directly about your business and the products you use to thrive. It truly is enlightening for me, and I love to hear your stories. (And it far outweighs the “bad,” of the difficulties of getting in touch with most of you – if only towing were a 9-to-5 job, right?) Now here, on pages 35-44, is the culmination of those efforts. You get the benefit of seeing real comments (not anonymous Internet postings) from other industry professionals about the products you need. Finally, you don’t need to wait for me to call you. You can share your stories, feedback on the magazine or anything else anytime. Bend my ear at a show (Las Vegas is coming up), call 800-732-3869, Ext. 5 or email bdooley@towman.com.
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First On The Scene! Dennie Ortiz Steve Calitri Brendan Dooley
Publisher Editor-In-Chief Editor
Randall Resch
Operations Editor
Terry Abejuela
Field Editor, West
Jim “Buck” Sorrenti David Kolman Bill Simmons
Field Editor, Northeast Chassis Editor Safety Editor
Emily Oz
On Screen Editor
Mark Lacek
Repo Run Editor
Editorial Board Tommy Anderson Roy Carlson Gary Coe Belinda Harris Amado Llorens Ron Mislan Chuck Swider Frank Sanchez
Dallas, Texas St. Paul, Minn. Portland, Ore. 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 Neila Smith Miriam Ortiz Henri Calitri Toni Vanderhorst William Burwell Emily Oz Steve Calitri
Page Layout Artist Advertising Sales Mgr. Senior Account Exed.. VP of Accounts VP Communications Subscription Manager Customer Service 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.
Number 218 on Reader Card
Washington Tow Bill Endorsed by Towers When Washington state lawmakers held a hearing last month on a bill to limit towing fees, the towtruck industry turned out in force to support it. The key is the rate. In House Bill 1625, towers negotiated $244 per hour, plus $62 a day for storage. The rates set in the bill are higher than what’s currently charged in some parts of the state. Rep. Gerry Pollet, the bill’s prime sponsor, said the bill will end some “truly rapacious gouging;” he started out pushing for a $250 flat rate for tows. “If we went for the perfect, we wouldn’t have a bill at all,” Pollet said. Source: www.seattletimes.com.
Utah Tow Bill Advances to Gov. The Utah Senate gave final passage to a bill touted as “consumer protection” against tow truck companies; it passed the House with no opposition, and was sent to Gov. Gary Herbert for his signature. Its sponsor said it is a “watered-down compromise” that will require tow companies to accept credit or debit cards and distribute a bill of rights to people whose cars were towed. It will also require a state study of what fees are reasonable. The bill was sparked by Provo Mayor John Curtis’ blog post about towing. Curtis told a committee ear-
lier that when cars are towed for illegal parking, it often costs owners $250, while a city parking ticket costs only $15. (Of course a key difference is illegal parking on private property vs. public property. —Ed.) Source: www.sltrib.com.
Singers Raise Money for Tower’s Family The singing group Cimorelli are hosting concerts to raise funds for the family of a tow truck driver Ronald Carver, 45, who was killed in a hit-and-run crash in Malibu, Calif.,while he was assisting Katherine. Katherine Cimorelli, the second oldest of the six sisters in the group, was on the side of Pacific Coast Highway when Carver was struck and killed by a silver Audi, whose driver kept going. One benefit concert is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on April 12 at The Lighthouse in Newbury Park, Calif. They also are looking for another venue to hold a concert where 100 percent of the funds will go to Carver's surviving wife and children.
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Those wishing to help can email info@cimorellimusic.com. Katherine also wrote a poem about witnessing the tragedy. Some excerpts from the poem: “I watched you die tonight. … Just helping out a frightened girl On the side of a dangerous highway. I heard the noise I did not see the car … Rest now, sir, In the arms of the One who loves you most. I asked Him to give you His deepest place of Love I asked Him to care for Your grieving family” The singing group Cimorelli: (from left) Lauren, Katherine, Dani, Amy, Christina and Lisa. Photo courtesy of Cimorelli.
The whole poem is on Katherine’s blog at http://kathcim.blogspot.com.
... I heard the noise; I did not see the car ... Free Tows Ignored by Spring Breakers Despite the large crowds on Corpus Christi, Texas, beaches during spring break, towing companies said they were actually light on business. That news was a surprise, because Apollo Towing was offering free tows home for those who felt they had too much to drink. An early spring break weekend business was “light at best.” Source: www.kiiitv.com.
Two Arrested Breaking into Tow Lot Two men were arrested in Baltimore, Md., after trying to steal a vehicle from a tow lot that had been seized. The men were arrested on charges of burglary; police said one of the men pulled his vehicle into the lot, striking a gate and causing damage to it. The other man then allegedly exited the vehicle, hopped over a fence and got into his vehicle, which was towed for illegal parking. When police arrived, the man in the impounded vehicle reversed quickly and hit the nearby shop and destroyed an air conditioning unit. Both men were arrested at the scene. Source:wwwtowson.patch.com.
Tow Truck Stolen, Crashed Police say they located a man suspected of causing a series of crashes involving stolen vehicles in Aurora and Denver, Colo. Police said the man stole a car at a gas station and then was involved in a head-on crash. He stole another car and crashed it; then police think he fled on foot until he stole a tow truck. That tow truck was involved in a series of crashes before it came to a stop, too. The driver then fled in a Nissan SUV. The suspect was in custody after being treated at a hospital. Source: www.denver.cbslocal.com.
Towing Story Goes Viral Melissa Wolf’s towing story in Anchorage, Alaska, hit Facebook and “kinda went viral,” she said. The post connected her to witnesses who say she was a victim of “predatory towing.” She was towed from an alley spot on a Saturday night she says was not posted as a tow-away zone. She saw the tow truck hooking up her car, but didn’t have $400 cash to have the driver drop the car when she showed up. She said she saw a passenger in the tow truck “holding the red No Parking signs… in his lap.” she said. Since then, witnesses started coming forward to say they saw the tower hanging the signs in place that night after cars were parked. “We saw the [towing company] … put the boot on and everything, then hung a sign, took a picture of the sign, and then towed the car,” a witness said. Wolf had to pay to get her car back. But she said the social media momentum is pushing her to seek recompense in small-claims court. Source: www.ktva.com.
Bill Would Impound Food Trucks in N.Y. A bill recently introduced in the N.Y. city council would make it harder for food trucks to find a spot to sell their wares. The law would prohibit mobile food vendors from operating within 15’ of a fire hydrant, fining them $250 for a first offense and $500 for a second offense within a six-month period—at which point the vehicle would be impounded by the NYPD. “Every year, when the weather gets warm, I receive complaints about ice cream trucks and other mobile food vendors that park at fire hydrants for hours on end,” one councilmember said. Finding a lucrative location to park is already one of the biggest challenges facing food trucks, so
street vendors are pretty worried about this. “Before it starts impounding food trucks, the city should focus on creating parking spaces where vendors can vend legally,” said Sean Basinski, executive director of the Street Vendor Project Source: http://gothamist.com.
TOWMAN.COM - April 2013 • 9
Hawk Hook ‘Bridges the Gap’
Check Out What’s NEW and HOT! Talbert 40-ton Lightweight Trailer
Talbert Manufacturing’s new 40-Ton Lightweight Trailer can be customized for customers who need to remain below the superload weight limit in states with 120,000-lbs. gross vehicle weight rating restrictions. The trailer weighs just over 18,000 lbs.; when paired with a truck, the unit can transport equipment at full capacity—up to 80,000 lbs.— while remaining under the superload limit. The three-axle, 26’ trailer features a four-beam deck design, auxiliary cross members for extra floor support, and a new ratchet neck design.
www.talbertmfg.com Number 200 on Reader Card
Emergi-Safe 2020 LED Beacons The Emergi-Safe 2020 LED beacon combines the functions of a high-power traffic warning beacon and flashlight into one product. The 16 LEDs provide 360 degrees of high-intensity warning, as well as a 3-watt LED for the flashlight. Features include multiple flash patterns, field-replaceable lens, field-replaceable LED module, four integral body loops for the attachment of an optional shoulder strap, two integral body clips, easy-grip base plate, and a universal-fit traffic cone ring.
www.emergisafe.com Number 201 on Reader Card
Hand-E-Glove Protective Barrier Hand-E-Glove is a protective barrier hand lotion that forms an invisible shield from lube grease, gunk, grime and oil. Apply before starting a job, simply wash with plain soap and water and watch the grime and grease wash away when done. Ready for your next task? Apply more Hand-EGlove and you are good to go. At day’s end, your clothes may show what you’ve worked on, but not your hands.
www.earthEproducts.com Number 202 on Reader Card
COMSTAR ‘All-in-One’ Wireless COMSTAR is a full-duplex wireless intercom featuring self-contained wireless headsets that operate without belt-packs or external antennas. The capacity of each COMSTAR system is up to eight “All-in-One” wireless headsets with simultaneous talk communication within 400 yards in any direction of the Com-Center base. The system is dual channel and includes a conference switch so that two separate groups can either talk privately or combine their signals.
www.eartec.com Number 203 on Reader Card
T
he Hawk Hook bridges the gap between tow driver and rescue diver, according to the company. It can grab hold of a submerged vehicle before anyone gets there. The Hawk Hook is self-locking, so there is no chance of losing a chain or having to re-hook a vehicle. It can recover submerged vehicles from any angle by easily shattering automobile glass and hooking up to the A or B posts, or by any axle of an overturned vehicle. Interchangeable screw-pin shackles offer a quick and easy hookup without losing strength or endurance.
The Hawk Hook is made in the U.S.A., using 70-75 aircraft-grade aluminum. The 13-lbs. tool passed a stress test of more than 10,000 lbs. without fatigue or fail. Features include: • Easy hook-up. • Self-locking. • Easily maneuvered. • Remove vehicle barricades quickly and easily. • Comes with a 12’ hardwood pole for extended-reach recoveries. • Replaceable window punch. • Easily replaceable hardware in case of damage.
www.facebook.com/hawk.hook.9 Number 204 on Reader Card
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TOWMAN.COM - April 2009 • 11
Fight that Contested Invoice with Details by Richard Wolfe
W
hen it comes to the insurance companies denying parts of heavy-duty towing and recovery bills, it seems to be getting worse … even epidemic. Regardless of why they do it, how can you counter their attempt to reduce your invoices? How do you prep to fight this invoice battle, whether in court or on the phone? That is the Million Dollar Question. First off, you must have documentation and pictures. You need to pay attention to details and keep great notes about what you do, times and complete vehicle descriptions. Descriptions should include cargo info, how it is treated and any risks, as well as recovery details like if the vehicle is overturned, in the ditch or just jack-knifed. A good base for your recovery report is spelled out in the T.R.A.A. guidelines that were presented during the 2002 Legislative conference; that guideline is what I use to do my own recovery reports. Photos help in conveying the degree of complexity with the recovery. Remember that the adjuster or auditor was not there. The only person there from their insured company might have been the truck driver. His version of events may differ slightly from reality if he’s covering for himself. So the tower has to paint a picture of the scene for the insurance company in words and pictures, almost like your favorite magazine. In most cases, the adjuster isn’t familiar with recoveries and towing equipment—this makes it difficult for them to really understand what we are trying to tell them, unless it is a very complete write-up. (Don’t blame them; most went to college to learn transportation management or accounting.) 12 • April 2013 - TOWMAN.COM
Hazardous materials recoveries and respective hazmat surcharges seem to be contested regularly on towing invoices. AT file photo.
Photos of the scene are needed from a distance and close-up, covering all the vehicles and damages to show what you had to work with, what damage was done during the accident, and general scene-setting. Color pictures are great off your cellphone, but a lot of them do not have great flash
capabilities for night photos; at times even those cheap throw-away cameras can help with photos. Photos of any work you do cleaning up the scene or restoring it to pre-crash conditions are also a help—especially if you are billing for that service.
The Complaint Let’s say you did the recovery two days ago and now the insurance company or trucking company is complaining about the bill. For the sake of argument, we will say that you did a Price Per Pound bill (www.priceperpound.info) and recovered a fully loaded propane semi-trailer. Hazardous materials recoveries and hazmat surcharges seem to be contested regularly. On the phone call you received from the adjuster, he questioned the bill (let’s set it at $20,000) for the total invoice and the hazmat surcharge. I’ve heard many insurance companies refuse to pay a “surcharge,” in this case for hazmat. That’s plain hogwash. We all know that any insurance company doing it’s due diligence will charge it’s customers more if they haul hazmat, because they know their risk and exposure is greater in the event of an accident and possible release of the chemicals. Since they charge more to their customers who
haul hazmat, why is it wrong for us? After all, we are required to have coverage in our insurance policies and other fees and licensing to operate our business when we deal with hazmat. This is federal law for this insurance coverage, and it is over and above your average/normal coverage. So, how do you counter the insurance company on hazmat? It’s really easy—provide them with a copy of your insurance statement that shows the extra charges to you for “Hazardous Materials” coverage. It’s simple, and it’s something they understand … their own language. If we have to pay extra for the “risk of dealing with hazardous materials” in their game, then we should be able to pass the cost along to the customers. Use caution in how you define hazmat when working wrecks. Diesel fuel in a large quantity is hazmat, but a small spill or fuel leak shouldn’t get a surcharge. The same goes for other normal fluids that tend to leak at truck wrecks. The hazmat surcharge was
designed and intended for hazmat that was the cargo being transported.
Neatness Counts Make sure the tow invoice is written legibly; it also looks good if you type an explanation or breakdown of the charges as line items. Computers are great and even the most unskilled person can type up a decent invoice in a short time. Gone are the days of handwritten bills. Document the cargo with a copy of the bill of lading, even if you have to take a photo of it with your cellphone or camera. This helps establish that you knew what you were dealing with and how much it weighed. If the cargo is hazmat, make sure you get the Emergency Response Guidebook out and make a copy of the guides for that chemical (if you can get it, include the Material Safety Data Sheet, (MSDS) as well). There are online sources to help get access to an MSDS for any cargo.
continue to page 18
Number 105 on Reader Card
TOWMAN.COM - April 2013 • 13
Dollies for Flatbed Carriers
by Randall C. Resch
T
he key to operational productivity is sending trucks and drivers out and to have them successfully work each tow scenario without having to call back to the shop for help. Running as many calls as possible per-truck per-day should be your company’s main goal. Although there’s a definite difference between working capabilities of wheel lift tow trucks vs. flatbed carriers, equipping your carrier with Go-Jaks and dollies means few jobs have to be turned down or require a request for a second truck. If you’re a driver who doesn’t like to use tow dollies … this article isn’t for you. I understand that most towers have competent skills that don’t require dollies, mainly because they have other tricks up their sleeves. But what about the untrained driver who responds to calls in your company’s carriers? Dollies for carriers make sense when difficult jobs come along. I prefer working a flatbed carrier, and I’m not one who likes to call for help. When faced with difficult load-and-go scenarios, a set of dollies add great value and widen the scope of your drivers’ abilities—if they are motivated and trained in using dollies. A few scenarios where dollies shine: Scenario 1: A new tower takes on a cherry ’66 Mustang with a broken ball joint. First, he backed the carrier into loading position, free-spooled his winch line, and readied the V-bridle at the vehicle’s front end. Next, using his floor jack under the Mustang’s front (suspension) center support, he jacked up the car to where he could straighten the tire within the wheel well and attached the V-bridle. With the damaged side off the ground, he reset free-spool and began winching the vehicle to the carrier’s deck. The jack’s front wheels caught the lip of the deck and the Mustang jerked off the jack, damaging the oil pan, front valance, and fender (and the driver’s confidence). Final repair costs were in the 14 • April 2013 - TOWMAN.COM
Carrier’s equipped with dollies can handle difficult loads without having another tow truck respond.
$2,300 range. If the carrier were equipped with the proper tool for the job, the damages might have been prevented. Some towers would have towed the Mustang on a wheel lift; however, on some calls—especially by law enforcement—they don’t always provide you with clear information as to the problem or nature of the tow. So a carrier may have been sent regardless. Equipping your carrier with dollies saves time and fuel by having the proper equipment to get the job done. Scenario 2: A lowered 1968 Corvette has a right-rear axle problem—the axle came out and the tire now rubs inside the car’s wheel well. The owner heard the noise and immediately stopped to inspect. The police dispatcher advised the tow company that the officer had a lowered ’Vette blocking a lane and to send a carrier, and that the owner was finicky and freaked out knowing that his prized car was about to be towed. The company’s dispatcher, a tower himself, sent two trucks—a wheel lift with dollies and a carrier. Together, both
towers carefully jacked the Corvette up to take pressure off the damaged right rear, pushed the axle back in, and then loaded it atop the dollies. The Corvette was transported to the customer’s residence where he was pleased with both drivers’ professionalism and skills. It turns out the vehicle’s owner was a well-known car collector and the tow resulted in repeat business. Score. Scenario 3: Your driver is dispatched to a farmer’s market where all street parking spaces are nosed straight in. Making it worse, an AWD vehicle is parked faced into the curb and is locked up. With dollies, the driver can load a first vehicle, and then get a second one on dollies without having to drag it out. In many cases, officers aren’t looking to take time to initially unlock vehicles at the impound scene, so loading onto dollies and taking the vehicle to a staging area a block away means making friends with the cops. Scenario 4: Perhaps the most difficult of all scenarios is you arrive and
Number 194 on Reader Card
find the vehicle missing a tire and wheel, or the front ball joint is completely broken off. Vehicles experiencing these scenarios can be easily loaded onto dollies (in the usual manner) and then winched onto the carrier’s deck vs. dragging them on chunks of wood. More importantly, dragging a vehicle onto a carrier’s deck is the easy part … dollies make off-loading safety a cinch. If the vehicle is missing its tire and wheel, a 48” length of 4x4 can be added atop the dollies so the vehicle doesn’t sag or fall through the dolly’s crossbars. If the ball joint is only broken top or bottom, the vehicle is jacked to a sufficient height that takes the vehicle’s weight off the ball joint, and the tire is turned straight within the wheel well. With a little maneuvering and finesse, the broken ball joint can be relocated (ball and socket) into the place where it broke and the vehicle is lowered back to the pavement. This allows the tire to roll straight and at the same time is capable of riding atop the dollies. While for some, it may seem like this is too much work … not for me. By outfitting a carrier with dollies, a talented and motivated driver can handle all of these scenarios without having to call back for a second truck. Sure it takes a bit more time, but for overall productivity dollies make perfect sense.
Gain an Edge When bidding law enforcement contracts, gaining an edge is something that sets your company apart. It should be your primary concern when applying to become a rotation tower. Let’s say your company is called for an accident in town. Upon your driver’s arrival, an officer asks if you can take a second vehicle. When equipped with dollies, your appropriate answer is, “Yes.” “One city’s purchasing agent told me he gave my company the winning edge because our carriers are equipped with dollies,” said Johnny Cortes of San Diego’s Cortes Towing. “He liked that our carriers could handle two vehicles from one accident scene regardless of their condition and with only one truck.”
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Location Most modern carriers come equipped with dual-side equipment boxes. Some owners choose to store dollies here, but getting them out is very difficult to the point that drivers won’t use them. Storing dolly racks in side boxes cuts down on available storage and drivers tend to toss stuff on top of them making for a disorganized box. The key to using dollies is ease of access—if they’re not readily available, they won’t get used. Dolly bars are another challenge for storage. When adding dollies to your carrier, specially designed brackets for dolly bars can be added between the carrier’s headache rack and the truck’s cab with room to spare. Another option is to store dolly bars on top of the non-traffic-side box. Keeping dolly racks on your carrier is much more secure when mounted under the carrier’s deck. Unlike dollies mounted atop a wheel lift’s upper deck, if dolly bars are mounted atop side boxes and tire racks onto the carrier’s frame rails, when the deck is stowed in the travel position the dollies can’t be removed by the bad guys. Operator safety should always be an important consideration as to the placement too. It’s recommended that dolly bars stowed on top of side boxes be on the non-traffic side. (It’s also recommended that dollies not be used on the highway, though unusual circumstances may require their use.) Dolly bars should never be situated where they cause the operator to stand on the white-line side. To confirm ease of operator access, I’ve tested access to underside dolly mounts located on the non-traffic-side and can say with user certainty that they are easily accessed even when parked close to guardrails or Jersey walls. Brackets are easily fabricated by any competent welding shop and require little-to-no changes to the carrier’s frame, specifically, they don’t require welding. But brackets aren’t necessarily an item that can be bought off the shelf. The brackets are available in the $575 range, but may cost slightly
higher if base plate configuration or custom features are added. There’s not much to adding dollies to your carrier’s underside frame other than purchasing brackets from your favorite supplier and installing them. If designed correctly, dolly brackets are attached simply by bolting the brackets and plates through factorydrilled frame holes so welding or cutting of rails isn’t necessary. If there was one drawback to adding dollies to your truck’s rails, it might be out of sight, out of mind. When dollies are mounted to side rails, and because dollies spend much of their time under the carrier’s deck, they’re subject to weather-related muck, road wash, snow and salt. These demand increased inspections and maintenance. (A full-size over-tire fender can add some protection while adding functional bling to the carrier.) Dollies can be added to your truck’s accessories without breaking the bank. For more information regarding the brackets send an email to TEAM Tow Equipment and Manufacturing at teamtowingequipment@gmail.com. Dollies on carriers are a great addition to flatbed companies that serve the custom and exotic car niche. When vehicle clearance is a problem, dollies are great tools to gain space. “Having dollies on our carriers makes our drivers’ self-contained because they have more options to load those difficult cars or scenarios,” said Cortes. “It’s an important addition to our fleet.” Author’s note: Neither American Towman nor I suggest or recommend using dollies on the highway. Dollies on carriers are best suited to inner-city operations. … Special thanks to Johnny Cortes of Cortes Towing and Henry Echeverria of TEAM Tow Equipment and Manufacturing for their assistance with this article. 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.
Number 110 on Reader Card
Number 143 on Reader Card
TOWMAN.COM - April 2013 • 17
TOW BOSS continued from page 13 Again, photos are going to be your best friend in your report. Keep them all, and include as many as you think the insurance adjuster will need to understand the scene. Always keep backup copies of the photos and any reports you write, especially on the computer. I keep a file and hard copy, along with monthly burned copies of all related wreck reports and pictures on DVDs. Keep notes of when you talk to someone on the phone—get and record their name and phone number, their company and the gist of the conversation. This will help enormously when and if, you go to court. Dates and times are important here. If someone tells you to do something concerning the load, make sure it’s well-documented (especially with reefer loads that have a short timen frame before they are ruined or rejected by the consignee). Get in the practice of collecting business cards from anyone who is onscene in an official capacity, or at least
"Get in the practice of collecting business cards from anyone who is on-scene ... fire departments, police, and any trucking company personnel." write down who is there. Ensure you get fire departments, police, and any trucking company personnel there. Is there an adjuster on scene? Many times you will find the trucking company has called their insurance company who sent out an independent adjuster to document the acci-
Number 127 on Reader Card
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dent. (This can be good and bad for you; while they may deny items they miss or if you pad the bill, they should recognize what risks were present and what you did for safety reasons.) An on-scene adjuster can also approve some actions and help with some issues right off the bat. Hopefully all this will be contained in a file folder in the office so that you can keep track of everything and update as needed. One important thing to add to the file at the end of the total process: the check. Make a copy of it and put it in the file folder. Why? It will help establish that you bill this way, and that you have received payment for the services rendered. In legal terms, you have set your billing/payment precedent, which means it works. Editor’s note: Richard Wolfe is the heavy-duty towing operations manager for Goodyear Towing in Enterprise, Ala., and has been towing for 33 years. He presents seminars on Price Per Pound Billing, and can be reached by email at ibflat2@gmail.com.
Number 198 on Reader Card
Bendix TPMS for Trailers The SmarTire Tire Pressure Monitoring System by Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems now offers trailer wheel-end monitoring and integration with Bendix’s SafetyDirect system, allowing fleets and drivers to improve fuel economy, extend tire life and enhance vehicle safety. SmarTire TPMS allows drivers to view real-time tire alerts, pressure or temperature data via an in-vehicle display or integrated OEM dashboard. In addition, fleet operators can now view the same alert, pressure and temperature information remotely using the secure SafetyDirect portal. SmarTire technology continuously monitors the pressure and temperature of each tire on a commercial vehicle to provide real-time tire status information to the driver or maintenance technician. If the tractor is not equipped with a SmarTire TPMS system, the SmarTire Trailer-Link TPMS
system can use a lamp mounted to the nose of the trailer that will blink to notify the driver there is a problem. The same SmarTire TPMS data can be relayed wirelessly to fleet operators and accessible via SafetyDirect. The SmarTire TPMS in-vehicle technology warns a driver of tirerelated problems, including alerts for low tire pressure, extreme low tire pressure, and extreme high temperature, before they pose a safety hazard. www.bendix.com
Chart Improves LNG Fuel System Chart Industries recently released a high-capacity, fully integrated LNG truck fuel system. For the 2013 model year, Chart’s LNG truck fuel system has been integrated into a self-contained unit for simplified and expedited installation, as required by high-volume assembly lines. The maximum single tank capacity has been increased to greater than 100 diesel gallon equivalent, enabling extended driving range without the cost of an additional tank. Chart’s LNG technologies enable the use of natural gas in place of diesel fuel for a wide range of applications within the transportation industry, including heavy-duty trucks. http://ir.chartindustries.com/
Advantage Funding Adds AA Credit Program Advantage Funding’s new AA Credit Tier commercial vehicle financing and leasing program is designed to offer bank rate financing to new and existing well-qualified customers. Advantage Funding hopes this new program will supplement its existing business lines and increase funding volume in 2013. “We understand that unique markets require special lending and this program is another product offering for our most qualified customers,” said Donald J. Coolbaugh, VP of sales. www.advantagefund.com. Number 100 on Reader Card
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Two lines off of each truck were set as they slid the tanker backwards from where it was wedged against the bridge pylons.
The fire department hosing down the belly of the leaking propane tanker.
D
elgado’s Wrecker Service in Eagle Lake, Texas, was established in 1988. Since that time, company owner Albert Delgado has built his business and reputation on handling difficult
recoveries. One such recovery came in late November 2012 from the Texas Department of Public Safety for a wrecked propane tanker. “This wreck … [was] 40 miles from our terminal, but they called us
by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti
because of our reputation for having the equipment and experience to handle the tough jobs,” Delgado said. The fire department was on the scene hosing down the belly of the tanker when Albert and his crew
arrived. The tanker was on its side, and the front end was ripped out and it was lying up against the bridge pylons. “The propane company was sending out a few trucks to off-load the
propane before we could do the recovery,” Delgado said. “When we did our walk-around, a few things stood out. Not only was the tanker leaking, but we would be working in a very tight
space. We would have to use our equipment working off of both sides to first slide it back and then do a controlled lift to get it off of its side and back on its wheels.
Stuck Between a Bri dge and a Hard Place Delgado Likes the Tough Recoveries 22 • April 2013 - TOWMAN.COM
TOWMAN.COM - April 2013 • 23
All three of Delgado’s heavies working together to upright the tanker.
“We would have to pull it out backwards through a narrow space without dragging the belly on the concrete slab, which could cause further damage and maybe even sparks that could ignite the volatile propane. All of the lines and hoses are underneath. It had a two-foot icicle hanging from where it was leaking.” The propane company was only able to remove about 30 percent of the propane because of the way it was leaning. “We first had to winch it back out from where it was wedged against the pylons before we could upright it,” Delgado said. Albert was in his 2003 Peterbilt with a Century 9055. The 9055 has a 50-ton recovery boom and dual 50,000-lbs. winches. It has a 136” 24 • April 2013 - TOWMAN.COM
underlift reach ideal for heavy recovery work along with the ability to tow a wide variety of heavy-duty vehicles. The two heavy recovery operators on-scene with him were Jimmy Galvan in a 1991 Peterbilt with a Century 7035 and Robert Cantu in a 1998 Peterbilt with a Century 5230. The 7035 is a 35-ton heavy-duty unit with dual 35,000-lbs. winches. The 5230 has a 30-ton recovery boom and 25,000lbs. winches. “I would have taken my Century 1075S rotator on this job, but it was down for servicing and the 9055 along with my other two units can handle anything,” Delgado said. “We used all three trucks to distribute the weight for a more-even lift because we were working off of a bridge. Safety first,” Delgado said.
“To get the bogeys of the trailer on the concrete pad, we had to reposition the whole unit to have a straight pull to roll it out. Jimmy and I were working off of one side and Robert was on the other. We hooked one truck to the trailer, one to the tractor and one holding the tank steady.” Galvan was positioned in the middle with the Century 7035. He had the front line moving the tractor and trailer away from the bridge. Cantu had the second line around the belly with a 12” strap moving the back end towards the bridge with the blue Century 5230. Delgado, on the end with his Century 9055, had the third line sliding the tanker back onto the cement pad and did the main pull.
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T
Measuring overhang on a tow sling.
Measuring wheelbase. by Terry Abejuela
What’s in a
Number? Understanding Cab/Chassis Ratings 26 • April 2013 - TOWMAN.COM
ow trucks and car carriers are made up of two major components: the cab/chassis and the tow/carrier unit. It is important to understand the ratings of the cab and chassis to avoid overloading. Exceeding the chassis ratings is illegal and causes premature wear and tear on the equipment; it also exposes you to liability for failure of equipment due to overloading. A qualified towing equipment distributor is the best place to start when you’re in the market to buy a new tow truck or carrier. The distributor can assist with the decision on matching a chassis and towing unit for your needs and the type of work you perform. Before a cab/chassis can be sold in the United States, the final manufacturer must certify that the vehicle conforms to all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. With a completed vehicle such as a standard passenger car, this is done by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). In the case of a cab/chassis that requires additional manufacturing before it can be licensed or placed in service, this requirement becomes the responsibility of the final manufacturer. When a chassis OEM builds an incomplete vehicle they certify that the vehicle, as built, conforms to all applicable standards. They also certify that if the final manufacturer complies with the specific criteria established by the OEM, then the completed vehicle will comply with all applicable standards. The specific criteria are outlined in an Incomplete Vehicle Document (IVD) that must be provided with all incomplete vehicles. The IVD is normally found on the driver’s side front door jamb or edge of the door. The label will contain the manufactured date along with the VIN, weight and axle ratings, tires, rims and tire pressure information. When the towing equipment distributor completes the vehicle by installing a towing or carrier unit and complies with the criteria outlined in the IVD, they are required to attach a Completed Vehicle label. This yellow label is also commonly found on the driver’s side front door jamb or edge of the door. On most tow trucks, the ratings on both labels will be the same.
Know Your Ratings The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) is the maximum load the cab/chassis is rated by the manufacturer to safely support. This number remains the same unless modifications are made to the cab/chassis that affect it. The engine, transmission, brakes, suspension and tires are designed to support the GVWR; exceeding it is unsafe. The Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) refers to the maximum load any single axle is rated by
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the manufacturer to safely support. There will be a GAWR for each axle. On a wheel lift or conventional sling tow, you will not add load to the front or steer axle when towing. (You have to be concerned with how much weight is removed from the front or steer axle when towing.) On a car carrier transport, how you place the load on the deck will affect whether or not you increase or decrease load on the front or steer axle. Exceeding the GAWR is unsafe.
The Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) refers to the maximum weight of the combination of the tow truck or car carrier and the vehicle(s) being towed or transported. Exceeding the GCWR is unsafe. You must make sure that the tires on each axle are rated high enough to meet or exceed the GAWR for that axle. The tire ratings are different when used in a single-wheel vs. dualwheel application, so make sure to use
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the correct number for the application. When reading the ratings for GVWR, GAWR, GCWR and tire ratings, make sure you are looking at the correct number. Most rating information will have the rating listed in pounds (LB) and in kilograms (KG). In order to determine if towing or transporting a vehicle will overload the GVWR or GAWR of the cab/chassis, you must know how much the tow truck weighs unloaded. You can have the truck weighed at a public scale facility for about $20. You should weigh the truck with a full tank of fuel and all equipment you normally carry on the truck. You need to know how much weight is on the front axle, how much is on the rear axle and how much the whole truck weighs. Once you know what the OEM ratings are and what your tow truck weighs you will be able to compare the numbers and determine how much payload you have in each rating. Now estimate the weight of the vehicle you need to tow and how much of the weight is on the end you need to lift for the tow and determine if the load will exceed the rating.
Final Manufacturer Completed Vehicle yellow label. Number 216 on Reader Card
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Another rating to consider in towing is the Safe Steering Load (SSL). This capacity is not included on the incomplete vehicle label. The Safe Steering Load is the maximum load a tow sling or wheel lift can lift and still retain enough weight on the steer axle of the tow truck to safely stop and steer. The industry standard is to maintain a minimum of 50 percent of the tow truck’s unloaded steer axle weight. If the steer axle weighs 5,000 lbs. when the truck is not loaded, it must weigh at least 2,500 lbs. when loaded. A tow truck’s Safe Steering Load can be determined by using an industry-standard formula: 1/2 FAW x WB/OH = SSL (One-half of the front axle weight multiplied by the wheelbase divided by the overhang equals Safe Steering Load). Measure the distance in inches from the centerline of the front axle to the centerline of the rear axle. If you have tandem rear axles, measure to the centerline of the total number of rear axles. If you have two rear axles, you would measure to the centerline between the two axles. If you have three rear axles, you would measure to the centerline of the middle axle. This would be your wheelbase. The overhang is measured from the center of the rear axle to the lift point on the tow apparatus. Measure this distance with the wheel lift fully extended or to the tow bar at normal towing height for a conventional tow sling. It is common in towing to overload the rear axle. To determine how much load is on the rear axle when towing with the conventional tow sling or wheel lift, add the rear axle curb weight, the load lifted by the tow sling or wheel lift and the amount of weight transferred from the steer axle of the tow truck to the rear axle of the tow truck while towing. Example: Let’s assume the front axle of the tow truck weighs 5,000 lbs., the rear axle weighs 6,000 lbs. and the Safe Steering Load is 4,125 lbs. If you lift the Safe Steering Load of 4,125 lbs., the rear axle of the tow truck will weigh 12,635 lbs. Add the unloaded rear axle weight of 6,000 lbs. plus the Safe Steering
This is the Original Equipment Manufacturer’s Incomplete Vehicle label, found in the driver’s door jamb.
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Measuring overhang on a wheel lift.
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Florida Tow Show Booth 236
Load lifted of 4,125 Lbs. and half of the steer axle weight (2,500 lbs.) that transferred from the front to the rear axle to come up with the 12,635 lbs. on the rear axle. You must have a rear axle that is rated at least 12,635 lbs.
Tire ratings for both single and dual use.
Your towing equipment distributor can help you understand the cab/chassis ratings and how they will affect your work before you purchase. Terry Abejuela has 30+ years of light-duty towing-and-recovery experience. He is also a lightduty level 1 instructor for the California Tow Truck Association since 1998. Number 153 on Reader Card
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What’s in a Medal?
A
merican Towman is known for awarding medals to dedicated towing professionals, for one reason or another. The reknowned American Towman Medal is awarded for heroism, “The Simple Act of Bravery,” for risking one’s life in the endeavor to save the life of someone else. The Cross of the Order is awarded to towers dedicated to the community and the towing trade, as recommended by police and fire chiefs. The ACE Buckle is awarded for “service reliability” as nominated by the motor clubs who track their performance. All are prestigious awards. All have a specific criteria. So it’s interesting that American Towman is awarding another medal simply to any towing professional who advance registers for the AmericanTowman ShowPlace–Las Vegas. The criteria: one medal per company, and be there! How does AT justify what some may say is blatant Barnum and Bailey promotionalism? The Towman Monument Medal, depicts the original Towman Monument, which was created and unveiled in 1998 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Monument is being transported to the Las Vegas Convention Center and will be the star of the Friday Night Recep-
tion on May 17th. Singer–songwriter, Mike Corbin, will be on hand to sing the Towman Ballad. “The Monument Medal is commemorating the Towman Monument,” said Steve Calitri, the man who conceived and designed towing’s first statue. “A tower who is pinned with this Medal is not being honored for any specific act, rather the tower is wearing the Medal to honor the Monument and what it stands for. “The inscription on the Monument
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says, in part, ‘Call And I Am There.’ So, someone wearing the Medal is making a pledge of readiness to serve the motoring public under all circumstances. The tower who wears the Medal understands the value of it, what it represents, and that it is something sacred. “But even without that meaning behind the wearing of the Towman Monument Medal,” says Calitri, “the fact is, any career towing professional deserves a medal for their dedication to this incredibly demanding trade. I truly believe that anyone making the trip to Las Vegas for Tow Industry Week and the American Towman ShowPlace deserves the respect that the Medal connotates. Don’t get me wrong, they are coming because they want to better themselves as towing professionals and as businessmen. Knowing what they all do, knowing exactly what they do, they deserve everyone’s respect. These are the people who will honor the Monument which was created to honor them.” Note: The Towman Monument Medal will be pinned to the owner of companies that have advance registered. The pinning takes place by the Towman Monument on Friday, May 17th.
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Visit us at the PWOF show booth 134
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What You, The Users Say
*Product reviews of participating advertisers
AUTOW Die Cast Key Tags Are High Quality “I order key tags from AUTOW on a regular basis. Ordering is very easy. Gerry Casey, co-owner, has good ideas for layout and design. It’s the best company I’ve used for key tags—they have a better finish and quality than companies we’ve used before. That’s important because we give the key tags out to customers to help with repeat business.”
Mark Maxwell, Added Touch Towing & Recovery; Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada See ad on page 69
AW Direct Provides Personable Service “I think AW Direct is a wonderful company. Our personal rep is Shelli Hawkins and anytime I need something from the catalog she helps me out or gets someone who can. They’re great and I get most of my supplies from them. … When I order something, it’s always here promptly within the promised time—or they call back and let me know if something will take longer. They provide very personable service.”
Sharon Morland, Drumheller’s Towing; Fishersville, Va. See ad on page 29
B/A Products Outfits the Whole Truck “I have everything from them—every strap and chain they make and sell, slings and snatch blocks, synthetic winch lines on my flatbeds and a mediumduty truck, tie-downs, wheel-lift straps—pretty much anything on our wreckers has come from B/A. If you have a problem with a product, you can talk to someone there and they will look into it and get back to you with a solution. I don’t buy anything from anybody else. They like to hear ideas from towers, too.”
John Collins, Ultimate Towing & Recovery; Gaithersburg, Md. See ad on page 64
Beacon Software Eliminates Mistakes “We met them at a show when our company was new; prior to using Beacon, I was doing 13 or 15 calls a day and stressed to the max and nothing went smoothly. Within six months, we were up to 30 calls a day; now 30 calls a day even seems slow. … Now 35 calls a day is a bad day and 60 calls a day is a good day. We were doing 50 to 60 calls a day all of December. No way we could have handled that volume without Beacon. With TowMagic and Dispatch Anywhere, we’re so much more efficient and on the phone less. Drivers have apps on their phones to accept calls and it eliminates mistakes. The success of our business has a lot to do with Beacon.”
Dain Lyon, H&L Towing & Recovery; Roseville, Calif. See ad on page 55
Blades Tow Right Understands What They Sell “My relationship began with them in 2009 when I bought some wireless light bars from them. When I phoned them, they really knew their product; we bought six light bars the first time. One had a battery problem and they sent a new battery out right away. I really like the durability of the product. Last year, I asked them to create a strobe from the same material and they did and we bought about 20 of those. They knew what I wanted to accomplish; they’ve gone out of their way to help and build anything we’ve asked for. They’ve done really well by us.”
Steve O’Halloran, P.E. O’Halloran Inc.; Ellsworth, Maine See ad on page 28 TOWMAN.COM - April 2013 • 35
Chevron Design Stands Out “The first Chevron I bought was in 2008 … and I instantly fell in love. I liked a lot of the design aspects of the Chevron. … All our light trucks are Chevron right now; we are looking at going into medium-duty this year, with Chevron. A lot of what sold me on the Chevron brand was the truck that Fleet Sales West built. I just noticed the finish detail work and simple things that made the truck ready to roll and CHP-compliant from delivery. Everything has a place—down to the first-aid box there’s a specific holder. I’m a big guy on organization and neatness and how you present your equipment to the public and to employees.”
Craig Baker, Cupertino Towing; Antioch, Calif. See ad on page 27
Columbus Truck & Equipment Treats You Fair “I’ve been buying from Columbus Truck & Equipment for years. They’re a group of good guys. We’ve bought used and new trucks from them and all went smooth, no problems. They treat you fair. You can text or email questions, you don’t have to call them all the time, and they always get back with the info you need.”
Randy Maynard, Maynard’s Towing; Columbus, Ohio See ad on page 13
Condor Products a Must for Cycles “Condor’s motorcycle loader is a great tool. We buy ours from Hook’s Towing Supply; the cycle loader works right with the Dynamic lift, it slides right onto the end. You definitely need to get one if you do a lot of cycles. … It’s efficient and safer to tow a motorcycle with the Condor because we don’t have to load the cycle sideways, it just loads straight.”
Haley Posten, United Auto Recovery; Birmingham, Ala. See ad on page 33
DewEze Is Proactive, Trouble-Free “We exclusively use DewEze Manufacturing in our process of building trucks and have been for over 10 years. It’s been a trouble-free product to incorporate with our wreckers and wrecker builds. Never had any real installation problems, they’ve been really proactive with us in any specialty needs … with used vehicles that need to convert transmissions without PTO originally.”
John Oberly, East Penn Carrier & Wrecker Sales; Bethlehem, Pa. See ad on page 54
Digital Ally Helps Monitor Driver Safety “I love Digital Ally’s data recorder because you can use it to watch your driver and make sure he’s not speeding or talking on a cellphone or running a red light. By pulling the SD card you can view what you need to. I use it mainly to help keep the driver honest and obeying our safety rules; it helps me see how the drivers drive when I’m not riding along. You can even set an alert—like for going over 70 mph—and it triggers an alert on the video that you can go right to. They are awesome people to work with.”
Joe Richard, Pro-Tow; Overland Park, Kan. See ad on page 18 36 • April 2013 - TOWMAN.COM
Dynamic 701 Tops 2 Million Miles “We’ve been a Dynamic customer for 15 years. We use the 701 bed, which is a solid, cost-effective tool. It’s a heavy-duty and reliable lift to pick up anything a lender asks us to. Some of the bodies originally purchased from Dynamic now have more than 2 million miles in usage; we’ll replace a truck five or six times over, but the bodies last 10 years or more. We currently have more than 85 Dynamic bodies in use in our fleet; it’s the primary body of choice for us for the last 10 years. Dynamic is a trusted partner.”
Bob Wilson, United Auto Recovery; Memphis, Tenn. See ad on page 21
Eaton Transmissions Save the Drivetrain “We’ve got an Eaton UltraShift on a 30-ton rotator and we really like the automatic. This is the first one we have in a wrecker and it takes the strain out of the drivetrain. We save on clutches and are so far quite pleased with it. There’s no shock-load on the drivetrain whenever you have a hard driver. Makes everything easier on the rear end and universal joints. We go through a lot of terrain in Tennessee and the Eaton stands up very well.” “It’s an automatic you can actually work on. … It’s a standard-shift that’s electronically operated, so if you can rebuild an 18-speed transmission, you can rebuild this one instead of sending it out.”
Doug Williams and Mike Lewis, Tow Pro Services; Nashville, Tenn. See ad on page 17
ESS Service Is Tops “Equipment Sales & Service has always taken care of us. They call us right back when we need something and they give us the best service and the best prices. They are the greatest!”
Bob Mandy, Mandy’s Service Center; Edison, N.J. See ad on page 51
53 Years with Ford “We’ve been in business for 53 years in June, and my dad has always used Ford. One of his first wreckers we’ve got a sales receipt for is from December 1964 for a 1965 F-350; he added a Holmes 500 wrecker to it that cost more than the truck. … Right now we have a fleet that includes 120 Fords, last year we bought 28 trucks—all Fords. … It’s been a good, dependable product; they’re easy to work on. It’s a trustworthy piece of equipment with good resale. Ford has worked well for us for 53 years so far, and hopefully for another 53.”
Todd Stepp, Stepp’s Towing; Tampa, Fla. See ad on page 2, 3
Freightliner Turns Heads “We love Freightliner. … Our other brand seems to be in the shop all the time. We liked the four-door and extended cab models; I prefer the way they look. Our Freightliner truck is turning everybody’s head; all the towing companies around here are looking at it. We haven’t had a single issue, and we got all the bells and whistles with it. We’re also preparing to buy a V-30 and use a Freightliner medium-duty truck. We are definitely buying more Freightliners.”
Dave Duchnik, Duchnik’s Towing; Scott Township, Pa. See ad on page 7 TOWMAN.COM - April 2013 • 37
Hino Goes Above and Beyond “Hino is tops on their warrantees, and customer service. They care. Hino stands behind us. The actual equipment from the brakes to the cab and visibility is really good, and there’s a nice ride with air suspension. Overall driver satisfaction is high— our drivers love them… They stepped up a lot on emissions warranties and injectors. They do things for the customer they don’t have to do. They’ll get millions of dollars more business from me.”
Jan Qualkenbush, Jan’s Towing; Azusa, Calif. See ad on page 47
iFleetGPS Makes Reports Easier “Since 2008, Transportation Information Systems has helped us increase efficiencies, making sure our guys are doing what they need to be doing. It allows us to see where drivers are at any given time, and show which call he should do next based on where he is. It keeps us from having drivers driving out of their way. TIS makes quarterly taxes much easier to compute and submit. It also lets us know if a driver is going too fast and needs to be talked to … or verify his speed and location if a complaint does come in.”
Dave Jensh, Bressler’s Inc.; Morgantown, Pa. See ad on page 34
I Tow In’s Control Arm Skates Save Time “We like the Control Arm Skates a lot. I’d seen them in (American Towman Magazine), and we bought our first set last year … we’ve used them so often we’re ready for another set already. We get a lot of vehicles around here that rims are stolen and missing. We used to put a universal set of wheels and tires on them; now we don’t waste all that time and just use the skates to load. We love them; they’re great.”
Kipp LeMarbe, Hadley’s Towing; Farmington Hills, Mich. See ad on page 30
Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA) Is a Good Fit “As a dealer/tow facility, we’ve found that IAA is a good facility to dispose of our salvage inventory. The opportunity to sell multiple units and run them more than once without charging additional fees is a plus with IAA. We handle numerous wrecked vehicles, so the process of disposal has to be uniform. We have been very pleased thus far with IAA’s service. Sales Manager Ray Rodecker has made this process very pleasant. They are a good fit for our company.”
John Webb, City Towing & Recovery; Raleigh, N.C. See ad on page 17
Integrated Leasing Takes Care of Customers “I’ve been with them for several years, I deal with Doreen and she’s been great. Anything I need done, they step up to the plate to take care of it. They finance all my trucks and car carriers. … They work around any issues. Even when I’ve left a message, they get back to me within 30 minutes. I think they are terrific”
Mike Reller, Reller Enterprise; Easley, S.C. See ad on page 33
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You’re Not Just a Number to Intek Leasing “I’ve been using Intek for five years and everything’s fine. You can always talk with someone. We have a personal relationship with their employees and the owner. If you’ve got something to say or a question to ask, you can talk to them that day and talk to a real person. Very one-on-one service; you’re not just a number. I plan on using them at the next show I go to if I find a truck I like.
Fred Fogg, Fred’s Towing & Transport; Hennessy NC See ad on page 74
Jerr-Dan Improved Our Business “I trust Jerr-Dan, that’s all we buy and all we’ll continue to buy. If I ever have a problem, they’re hands-on and solve it. They’re very dependable and very knowledgeable. We’re all Jerr-Dan from our 15 light-duties up to the 85-ton rotator, which has done marvels for our business with what we can do with it. It’s just a great product for us that has improved our business over and over again. We run more than 30 pieces of Jerr-Dan equipment daily.”
Cleve Riehl, Riehl’s Towing; Clarksboro, N.J. See ad on page 80
Kolo DBS Dispatches Properly “Kolo DBS has been good for us and allowed my wife and I to have some extra time off. We have a lot more free time to get more things done knowing we have someone on the back burner we can pass the phones to when we need to. We know that, with Kolo, the phones are being managed and dispatched properly. Kolo is very knowledgeable with what we need for call-handling and dispatch.”
Matt Degenhardt, Twenty-Four/7; Nashville, Tenn. See ad on page 33
Landoll Trailers Haul Anything “We’ve been a Landoll customer since 2004. We buy their trailers brand new and currently own three of them. They’re the top-of-the-line trailers, way ahead. Their owners are hands-on and meet you and talk to you in-person. The trailers are so universal, which is important for us; we do towing, and transport containers, construction equipment, UPS trucks, and the Landolls move anything we need them to haul.(Landoll)keeps improving and upgrading their trailers with little changes, too.”
Brad Arrowsmith, Arrow Towing; Council Bluffs, Neb. See ad on page 73
Lift and Tow Z Series Is Handy for Repos “The Z Series Lift is absolutely good, and a handy piece of equipment. I bought ours used, but they’ve been super-helpful with any parts needs I’ve had. I definitely would buy another one. They’re not typical salesmen; they work to help answer questions and solve the problem before just trying to sell us more parts. They’ve been super. The Z Series is a good lift for me in auto repossessions.
Mike Hughes, Bonafide Recovery; Wausau, Wis. See ad on page 68
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Whether it’s recovering an overturned tractor-trailer or towing a truck across town, you’re in command with your Vulcan V-100. The Vulcan V-100 is the tool you need to accomplish any task – just ask loyal Vulcan users who always demand the best from their fleets. Once you purchase
For versatility in light- and medium-duty towing and recovery, the Vulcan V-30 meets your demands. Available in an aluminum or composite modular body, this 16-ton powerhouse comes loaded with many features found on Vulcan’s heavy-duty units.
a Vulcan, you’re in command.
Vulcan has led the industry in heavy-duty integrated towing and recovery units for 25 years. Available in 25-, 35- and 50-ton capacities, the Vulcan heavy-duty integrated series easily tackles the toughest jobs.
Vulcan’s L.C.G. (Low Center of Gravity) car carriers features a deck height that’s 5- to 8-inches lower, offering more stability during transport, a lower load angle and greater ease in securing loads. For recovery, Vulcan offers the SP8000 Sidepuller, the ultimate in car carrier versatility.
INNOVATIVE. DURABLE. BRUTALLY TOUGH. 8503 Hilltop Drive • Ooltewah, Tennessee 37363
www.millerind.com • 800-489-2401 Number 143 on Reader Card
The Vulcan Intruder leads the light-duty line-up with an autoload crossbar capable of picking up vehicles at a 90-degree angle and your choice of steel, aluminum or composite modular bodies. Other popular Vulcan light-duty units feature Vulcan’s strapless wheel-lift system.
Lodar for Safety “We have two-function and four-function units. We bought them to allow our drivers to work safer, away from the roadway if needed. They have turned out to be a great asset to our fleet, allowing complex recoveries or carrier-loading procedures to be done quicker and more importantly, safely. … We receive our Lodar products through Zip’s Truck Equipment in Iowa; Lodar and Zips have never let us down. When we did have a problem, they overnighted replacement parts to minimalize downtime as much as possible.”
Tim Grube, Grube Towing and Repair; Mequon, Wis. See ad on page 69
Lynch Chicago Prices Are Unbelievable “Between their sales, parts and service departments, they are the best distributor worldwide. They go out of the way for you. If you pull in, even if it’s not a Miller product, they get it fixed and put you on your way. We’re buying a rotator right now from them because they know what we like. They think like us and they’re just a pleasure to deal with. We wouldn’t have bought it anywhere else. Their prices and backing are unbelievable.”
Tim Bohannan, Bloomingdale Rescue & Recovery; Bloomingdale, Ill. See ad on page 25
Matheny Motors Is A1 “Matheny has excellent customer service and they treat you really well. We’ve never had a problem with them. They can answer all your questions, and they will find out any answer they’re not sure of right away. They always return phone calls. They’re just A1 in our book. We prefer Matheny Motors for their attention to customer satisfaction.”
Brian and Judi Murray, Mountaineer Towing, Morgantown, W.V. See ad on page 15
MatJack’s Landing Bags Work Great “They’ve been great to me with great service and great support. Most important is they have really great products. I just bought the landing bags from them and they work great. I also have the Jumbo Cushions; everything worked great. They are nice people to deal with. The landing bags work even better than what was promised.”
Jim Fodge, Jim’s Service; Churchville, N.Y. See ad on page 51
New England Truckmaster Is Outstanding on Details “We’ve used them since they opened. From the get-go, their attention to detail is phenomenal. Any time you order a truck, it exceeds expectations, from lights and details—the design of brackets to hold equipment, brooms, shelves, a trash can—is phenomenal. In the event of a problem, they always accommodate as fast as possible. They are just an outstanding company to deal with.”
Robert Bruneau, Robert’s Service Center; Milford, Conn. See ad on page 55 42 • April 2013 - TOWMAN.COM
Pierce Sales Is Attentive “We’ve gotten three Dynamic slide-ins and most recently a Dynamic Lightning complete truck. Pierce is really good; very attentive. I don’t have time to go down and shop. I can call and tell Ginger exactly what I need and she’ll put it together for me at a fair price. She is great to work with. If there are any problems, they sort it out in person or over the phone.”
Chad Kohmescher, Oklahoma Repossessors; Oklahoma City, Okla. See ad on page 32
Sonetics Headsets Will Change the Industry “Our jobsites are a lot safer—everyone gets a headset so safety is improved and we can check on everyone. On air cushion jobs, guys running wreckers, air, and placing bags are all on the same page. We have a more professional image because we’re not running around and shouting on-site. Scenes are calmer, and you can talk with someone just like being on the phone. … They’ve become a key part of our business. It’s one of the best things I’ve seen come into towing since the rotator. It’s going to change the industry. Our sets are already paid off. We added them as ‘On-site communications’ on invoices as necessary safety equipment.”
Kurt Wilson, Joe’s Towing; Bloomington, Ill. See ad on page 72
Steck Manufacturing Always Improving “Steck has the latest in technology and they’re always trying to refine it. They always reach out to us for their needs and like to get feedback from the towers to improve products.”
Dan Parker, Parker Service; Fort Wayne, Ind. See ad on page 69
TowMate Is Easy to Set Up “In January, I had Bailey’s Towing Accessories outfit one of our new trucks with TowMate lights. They installed a light bar that I custom ordered with alley lights, rear work lights and front work lights. … I also had TowMate work lights installed on the front and rear of the truck. TowMate’s Powerlink system is easy to use, the work lights double as strobes, all of my existing LED lights strobe and with the smart switch every function can be controlled with one rocker switch eliminating the need for a bulky switch panel with multiple switches. The wireless tow light works with the light bar so there is no need to worry about a lost or stolen transmitter.”
Ross Stoner, Lemon’s Wrecker Service; Durham, N.C. See ad on page 61
Tracker Management Systems “I’ve been using the basic software for 20-plus years. It gives you the data you need to run efficiently and run a more profitable company for doing towing and storage. I can tell how many tows, tire changes, and jump-starts we’ve billed at the touch of a button. We’ve gone to TomTom to assist dispatch and it gives them better understanding towards using the closest available truck for the type of service needed. … For the drivers, we have DOT contracts that require we report times from dispatch to arrival to lanes cleared to hook time and drop time and clear time. They customized that for us to include lanes clearance times. … I would say Tracker has helped us maximize our efforts in lane clearance and arrival times. Without them, we wouldn’t be as fast from dispatch to driver.”
Sean Loscalzo, A Superior Towing; Fort Lauderdale, Fla. See ad on page 58 TOWMAN.COM - April 2013 • 43
Western States Tow Show Builds Skills, Confidence “We’ve been a CTTA member for 20-plus years. We have 35-40 operators at any given time; California Tow Truck Association allows us to train new employees—whether from outside the industry or inside—and put them on the road safely. Drivers get to revisit training, and get continuous training to improve their skill sets. The Level 1 class has evolved greatly and does a great job taking a no-experience operator and shows them light-duty skills and gives them a level of confidence to go out there and be confident in what they re doing.” Training continues at the Western States Tow Show in San Diego, CA, October 10-12, 2013.
Sam Johnson, B&J Body Shop & Towing; Rancho Cordova, Calif. See ad on page 30
Never Any Problems with Vulcan “We first started buying Vulcan equipment in 1995, and it’s all we’ve bought since then. I was impressed with them beginning with the strapless wheel lift. I’ve never had any problems with Vulcan equipment; we’ve never torn anything up or had any breakdowns—just normal wear and tear. We always get good service from Jeff Ingram at Jeff Ingram Wrecker Sales and Vulcan rep Brent Mournahan; they’re very knowledgeable about the equipment and can answer my questions.
Billy Peden, Marion Towing & Repair; Marion, Ark. See ad on page 40, 41
Worldwide Equipment Helps 100 Percent “I buy three-quarters of my parts from Worldwide Equipment and they treat me right and do a good job. They know exactly what I’m looking for and help me 100 percent and treat me good on the price. I use their DriverLocate to monitor my fleet of 29 trucks, and it keeps me up to date on fuel consumption, location when PTO is started and if a truck is stolen I can even shut it down wherever it’s at. On larger trucks, it helps with tracking mileage per state and is a good system.”
Terry Hailman, Tristate Towing; Evansville, Ind. See ad on page 69
WreckMaster Puts Towers’ Safety First “We use WreckMaster’s products and training. I sent two new drivers at two different times, and they came back at the same level with the same information. WreckMaster gives the same thing every time and my drivers can work from the same page. WreckMaster is perfect with the amount of information they teach and how they do it. We’re 100-percent WreckMaster certified here, from 2/3s all the way up to some 6/7s. They have the tower in mind first and foremost for safety.”
Nick Schade, Tony’s Wrecker Service; Louisville, Ky. See ad on page 20
Auctioning Through TowLot.com is Simple “We took a couple days to pull the cars out one at a time and clean them up a little bit and get some pictures … but if that’s all we have to do to triple our money, I’ll do it every time. The process to upload all the pictures for Towlot.com was real easy, and they use a VIN decoder that fills in all the vehicle info for you to go with the pics. It was real simple, and I like the process because you don’t have to deal with anybody else. It all worked out and I can’t wait to do it again on the next round.”
Les Sybert, Cen-Tex Towing, Georgetown, TX See ad on page 62, 63 44 • April 2013 - TOWMAN.COM
Number 140 on Reader Card
Number 141 on Reader Card
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STUCK BETWEEN A BRIDGE AND A HARD PLACE continued from page 24
The tanker is back on its wheels, before being “snaked” out of the narrow space (above). Back on the road, the damage to the Peterbilt tractor looks extreme (below).
“We were on a 45-degree angle. It was a very narrow path to go through, so we were limited to what we could do. The belly of the trailer is where the hoses and lines were. We had to be careful not to hit concrete. First we had to pull it out from where it was wedged then reposition our trucks to upright it back onto its wheels and then snake it out and back on the road.” 46 • April 2013 - TOWMAN.COM
Albert said he always looks forward to reading recovery articles in American Towman Magazine to expand his knowledge on advanced rigging and recovery techniques and procedures. “The most challenging aspects were working in such a narrow space with a leaking tanker,” said Delgado. “The potential for real disaster was always present.”
Editor’s Note Jim “Buck” Sorrenti, a longtime editor of American Towman, has been our field editor for the past few years. He is a freelance writer and photographer with more than 40 years of experience covering motorcycle, hot rod, truck and towing culture. As a “road scholar,” he has an inthe-ditch, hands-on approach and is passionate about the people and equipment he profiles.
Number 142 on Reader Card
Roush/GAS Shows Greener F-550 ROUSH CleanTech and Green Alternative Systems showed the new Ford F550 chassis powered by clean, economical propane autogas recently at the NTEA Work Truck Show. With more than 65 usable gallons, this vehicle offers the longest driving range of any dedicated alternative-fuel counterpart on the market. The fuel tank sits between the frame rails and behind
the aft axle. Equipped with a 6.8L V-10 engine, the propane autogas alternative fuel system is available beginning with 2013 vehicles. GAS, a certified Ford Qualified Vehicle Modifier, designs mounting hardware, handles packaging strategy and integrates ROUSH CleanTech propane autogas fuel system technology into the F-550 chassis cab. The vehicles maintain the factory Ford warranty and the same horsepower, torque and towing capacity as their gasoline counterparts.
Fleet professionals running propane autogas vehicles can expect to save at least 40 percent on the price of fuel and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 25 percent compared to gasoline. When compared to diesel, propane autogas emits significantly fewer smog-producing hydrocarbons. www.roushcleantech.com
Talbert Adds Creak in Southeast Talbert Manufacturing hired Ryan Creak as its new area sales manager with responsibility for the southeastern United States. Creak will support existing Talbert dealers in sales and customer development while also extending dealer coverage throughout the region. “For me, it’s about the sit-down and the handshake,” Creak said. “As the economy continues to rebound, demand for high-quality trailers that meet exacting specifications will grow also, and I’ll be working with our dealers to fill that demand in the Southeast.” Prior to joining Talbert, Creak was with Manac Trailers out of Pittsburgh. www.talbertmfg.com
towXchange Updates Business Analyzer towXchange updated its TOPS Business Analyzer metrics portal to let owners view live statistics associated with their daily operationa. This tool also offers the ability for users to view summary data over daily and monthly time periods. The metrics include Total Daily Call Counts, Hourly Call Counts, Calls Taken by Call Taker, Calls Taken by Tow Type, Calls Taken by Customer Type, and Total Calls Released Today, presented in table format and with chart diagrams. In addition, TOPS Business Analyzer offers daily and monthly statistics. A daily rollup offers detailed totals for the prior day, month-to-date totals, and 30-day average totals. www.txisystems.com Number 113 on Reader Card
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Number 114 on Reader Card
Develop Your Field Investigation Skills by Mark Lacek
S
afe and damage-free repossessions are at the top of the list of what constitutes a professional recovery agency. I covered several steps on adding repo to your professional towing business in the March 2013 edition of American Towman. One key skill to develop though is sourcing information, which deserves this column space all to itself. Your field investigations are essential procedures to have a safe and profitable workday. A field investigation begins as soon as you leave the office. Your objective is to locate and peacefully recover mortgaged collateral. Every moment not spent reaching your objective will make your task last that much longer. As you drive into your subject’s neighborhood, clues and leads will be right in front of you—if you train
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yourself to notice them. You will pass individuals who will have the answers to your questions. You will stop and get fuel or buy a soda at the very same spot where your subject may have been standing just hours before. As you walk towards the front door of the subjects residence, pay attention to hidden details such as the type of cigarette butts on the ground or alarm company stickers on the windows. You should be focused on the investigation. If you’re thinking about your weekend plans, or if you’re tuned into your favorite radio station, well … you’re probably due for another late night.
Neighbors Neighbors have volumes of information about your subject: if they work, where they work, what time the debtor leaves in the morning and
returns in the evening. The neighbor knows if they are happily married, or if the police show up at the house on a regular basis. A neighbor likely knows if the subject left to live with another person, or if the asset is in the shop for repairs. Maybe the asset was stolen and the lender was not informed. Approaching a neighbor can produce either positive or negative results; it’s all up to you. As you first walk towards the residence of your debtor, try to determine which, if any, neighbors are watching you. This will be the nosiest of them. Often as you are knocking on the debtor’s door, a neighbor may actually come outside to tell you that your subject is not home. This is definitely the neighbor you want. Sometimes all you have to do is listen and the information flows like a waterfall, but in
Number 186 on Reader Card
Number 152 on Reader Card
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most cases you have to give a little in order to get a lot. It’s up to you as to how you proceed from there. I’ve found that when a neighbor is told a confidential investigation is in progress, there will be positive results—people are intrigued with private investigators. For one reason or another, people tend to show an interest and become helpful when shown a private investigator ’s license. (Remember that at no time are you legally allowed to discuss your debtor’s finances with anyone.) In all neighborhoods, both suburban and rural, people patronize the local businesses. They go to the local grocery store, gas station, restaurant, tire shop, quick lube, pizza shop and video store. Some of these places will keep their customers on the computer, and some might easily remember them. Take the time to go to the post office and find out which postal carrier delivers the mail to your subject’s address. Never pass up the opportunity to speak with the local mail carrier, they generally know what is going on in their zones.
Trash cans Trash cans reveal a great deal about a life. Residential garbage cans contain numerous telltale items on the life of your subject. First you must find out when trash is picked up at your subject’s address, then you have a couple of choices: • Make a deal with the actual trash collector to put it aside for you and you can retrieve it from them down the street. • Be at the address before the collection truck gets there and do a quick grab yourself. Sifting through trash for evidence requires rubber gloves, extra trash bags and sometimes nose protection (all of which you should carry in your vehicle, always). After you have access to the trash, it’s a good idea to drive to the nearest shopping center with an available dumpster. If it’s dark, always try to position yourself under a light pole. Quite often the local police will approach you, but it isn’t against the law to take someone’s garbage as long 52 • April 2013 - TOWMAN.COM
as it has been put out for pick-up. Once you are positioned under the light, you should place a new garbage bag next to the full one and begin to empty one into the other while studying all of the contents carefully. Always use caution while going
"Family members in the residence can be great sources of information, as long as you are not dressed like a hit man or one of those reality show personalities."
through someone’s trash. Bloody tissues and needles could cause harm along with broken glass and bottles. The trash of your debtor will almost always tell you what you need to know. Old mail will let you know who the other creditors are and if the account is past due and personal letters can reveal return addresses of relatives. Phone bills will not only give you new phone numbers, but will also give you local and long-distance toll calls. Discarded Post-it notes will let you know who is calling. Letters from schools and insurance companies help you to determine the routine of your subject. (I once discovered an unpaid invoice from an out-of-state storage facility; a phone call the next day led to the recovery of the collateral.) • A trash can produces positive
results, as long as you remember that it isn’t trash unless it has been discarded. Trash still located at the side of the house or garage may still be considered personal property and you could be arrested for theft if it has not been taken to a location where the collector actually picks it up.
Family I cannot tell you how many times that a debtor’s spouse has looked me straight in the eyes and told me that they had no idea where their spouse was, where they worked, what their work telephone number was or when they would be home. Now let’s get something straight: there is not a man/woman alive that does not know how to contact their spouse at any time of the day or night. Not only do they know how to reach them, but also they know what they are doing, and where they are doing it. Here is an easy method to determine if you are being lied to or not. While you are conducting an interview, ask a couple of questions that you already know the correct answer so that if you are lied to, you will know. During the interview if you feel you are being lied to again, do it again. This technique will surely grant you the upper hand as your investigation comes to a close. Immediate family members or other relatives in the residence can be great sources of information, as long as you are not dressed like a hit man or one of those reality show personalities. Ask your most important questions right away while you have their full attention. Talking one-on-one in most cases will give you more open responses. Quite often, when you talk to a group of two or more, everyone will have their guard up and chances are you will get limited information. (Always remember a $20 bill still has value.)
Author Mark Lacek is a 30year recovery industry veteran and former editor of Professional Repossessor magazine. Mark@commercialassetsolutions.com
Number 206 on Reader Card
Ford Expands CNG/LPGReady Offerings Sales of Ford vehicles capable of running on compressed natural gas or propane autogas have reached record levels, as businesses and commercial customers seek relief from constantly fluctuating gas prices. In response to increased customer demand for CNGand LPG-ready vehicles, Ford has expanded its portfolio of product offer-
ings in this growing alternative-fuel market segment. As gas prices continue to rise, CNG conversion can drastically lower vehicle operating costs for fleet administrators. CNG sells for an average of $2.10 per gallon. Another benefit of this alternative fuel: Cleaner emissions. CNG usage can result in up to 30-percent less greenhouse gas emissions according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Each Ford engine that is factory-
Number 147 on Reader Card
prepped for gaseous conversion comes equipped with hardened valves and valve seats, and Super Duty trucks equipped with the 6.2-liter V-8 feature a unique bi-fuel intake manifold to accommodate these cleaner-burning fuels. www.ford.com/commercial-trucks
American Force Hires Urwiler Veteran wheel and tire professional Shelly Urwiler has been named national sales manager for custombuilt wheel manufacturer American Force Wheels Inc. Urwiler is tasked with new business development, which includes securing new markets for American Force specialty wheels and accessories, while serving existing customers. Prior to joining American Force, Urwiler served as sales executive for Vision Wheel Inc., outside sales manager for Ultra Wheel Co., and has nearly 20 years at Weld Racing from sales director to VP of distribution. His many contributions to the aftermarket wheel industry have earned him two nominations for SEMA’s lifetime achievement award. www.americanforcewheels.com
Loganville Ford Adds Wrecker Division
Loganville Ford in Georgia added a wrecker and carrier division to its commercial department; the sales team is from the wrecker and carrier division at Gwinnett Place Ford. Jerry White is the commercial and fleet manager; Chris Chitwood, Robby Corley and Greg Fields are the commercial and fleet sales team. “We invite all of our former customers to join us in this move as the only thing that changed about the way we do business is our location. You can expect the same great service from all of us that you have always received,” White said. They are offering the Dynamic line for wreckers and the Danco line for carriers, as well as other brands on request. www.loganvilleford.com Number 128 on Reader Card
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Number 171 on Reader Card
Number 136 on Reader Card
TOWMAN.COM - April 2013 • 55
Pushing the
by Steve Calitri
Recovery Envelope Deep into Recovery Most recovery classes focus in on the methods of recovery. Here and there you can find a class in billing out a recovery job (for example, the course on Recovery Billing conducted by Bob and Eric Fouquette). But now there’s a class that focuses on both the methods of recovery and the business of recovery. In Las Vegas, May 17th, WreckMaster’s Bruce Campbell hooks up with industry veteran John Borowski to present a three-hour class on Incident Classification, Recovery Methods, and Billable Features. The class presents a new paradigm on the way a tow boss would look at recovery work
Tom Luciano of Miller Industries presents critiques of recoveries captured on video at the Recovery Conference.
WreckMaster's Bruce Campbell, above, teams with John Borowski on Incident Classification and Recovery Methods at the Recovery Conference during Tow Industry Week.
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and the value of that work. It suggests a new method for creating the recovery bill. At the same time the class delves into case incidents with instructional points on the how-to. “This class,” says John Borowski, “sheds a new light on recovery work and marries the function of performance and remuneration. It helps towers look at the value of their work through a different set of glasses). Bruce Campbell will present different incidents and delve into the approach and methods of the recoveries. John Borowski will break down the recoveries from the business perspective. The class, he says, will introduce a new tool for assisting in the billing process. The Campbell/Borowski class is part of the Recovery Conference, one of the Six Conferences of Tow Industry
Week, May 16th through the 19th. Also part of the Recovery Conference, is the class conducted by Miller Industries’ Tom Luciano. Billed as “Tom Luciano at the Movies” the class offers critiques of several recoveries captured on video. The class has been a perennial hit in Balitmore at the American Towman Exposition.
“Towers take our course,” said Bob Fouquette, “and realize they are leaving millions of dollars on the table, money they should and can collect.” Recovery Billing Unlimited has also assisted towing companies in the collection process, by simply applying their tried and true practices on behalf of the towing company. Many tow bosses who have taken the class have also turned to their collection services, but the class gives those attending all the information necessary to effectively bill out and collect on the receivables themselves. “Tow bosses who have taken the class,” said AT Expo President, Henri Calitri, “have raved about how it helped them collect on some serious bills, and how it changed the way they go about invoicing and collecting. We’re thrilled that the Fouquettes are bringing their course to Las Vegas for this exclusive engagement (course normally takes place in East Freetown, Mass.)
Eric and Bob Fouquette of Recovery Billing Unlimited.
Recovery Billing Meanwhile, Bob and Eric Fouquette of Recovery Billing will be presenting their famous 8-hour Recovery Billing course, May 17th and 18th as part of Tow Industry Week at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This course is independent of the Six Conferences. The fee is $1850 per company. Both the owner and billing clerk are included in the fee. The Recovery Billing Course covers: • Remediation of the accident scene. • Proper way of writing recovery invoices. • Billing liability insurance. • Billing for vehicles that only have property damage coverage. • Obtaining payment from insurance companies. This course is for the Tow Boss who is ready to take his recovery business to a new plateau of revenues. The class will discuss the issues of placing the appropriate value on the work done, show how to properly invoice and, most importantly, how to collect from insurance companies. It’s the hard core course that will effectively change the way tow business owners go about billing out and collecting. In 2010 Bob and Eric Fouquette received national recognition by earning Towmen of the Year honors for their work in pioneering recovery billing education. Since then they have instructed hundreds of towing professionals, office managers and billing clerks on the art of billing out recovery jobs and collecting on them. Legal counsel and an accounting professional are present during the course.
Patrick Zozaya conducts two days of recovery training using heavy duty rotators on May,18-19 in Las Vegas.
Rotator Training Tow Industry Week is also offering recovery instruction with the use of rotators. Attendees can get this instruction at either the 360 Conference (4 hours) on Saturday morning, May 18th, or at the two day Rotator/Recovery Training Course (16 hours). This two day course is instructed by Patrick Zozaya and the American Towing & Recovery Institute. Fee is $575. The course offers both classroom and hands-on outdoor training. The first four hours of the Saturday morning 16-hour course makes up the 360 Conference, which may be attended with a Conference passport ($75). Anyone taking these first four hours also receives OSHA Qualified Rigger Certification.
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Westport-Knapheide Partner on Bi-Fuel Service Trucks Westport Innovations and Knapheide Manufacturing Co. are working on natural gas work-ready vehicle solutions for the Westport-powered Ford F-250 and F-350 bifuel Super Duty trucks with box-deletes. The Westport READY-link process is a unique mounting process designed specifically to allow the installation of custom Knapheide service bodies over the Westport WiNG Power System. Westport READY-link with the Westport WiNG Power System offers cost savings for customers through Ford’s single-ship-through delivery system and the convenience of a single dealer contact. The Westport-Knapheide agreement ensures an integrated original equipment manufacturer experience for fleet customers. www.westport.com
sureFleet Adds Management Edition FTI Groups released a Management Edition of its sureFleet maintenance software that adds significant features for complex fleets as well as handling closed loop maintenance process, itemized job costing, and highly customizable pre-trip inspections. Additionally, there’s a new
version of its fleet maintenance package including accident reporting and expanded electronic driver vehicle inspection reports capabilities. sureFleet now offers three versions of its fleet maintenance and management application with flexibility to support fleets of all sizes through detailed tracking and reporting of all service and maintenance information. sureFleet offers a web-based solution allowing access to the system from anywhere on Android and iOS devices. sureFleet also manages insurance policies, accident reporting, image storage, and even vehicle depreciation. The mobile application allows drivers to update odometer and fuel purchase information as well as complete pre-trip inspections, report vehicle maintenance issues and document all aspects of any accident that may occur. www.surefleet.com.
Stertil-Koni Names Eastern Sales Manager Stertil-Koni hired Brian Myles as sales manager, eastern region. Previously, Myles was a manufacturer’s rep for McIndoo Associates where he developed direct sales, worked with distributors and focused primarily on a line of vehicle lift products. Myles has an associate’s degree from the State University of New York-Farmingdale and studied construction engineering. www.stertil-koni.com
HELLA Website for H-D Products HELLA launched a new website for its heavy-duty products. It features a comprehensive guide to the company’s optical warning systems, work lamps, electrics, back-up alarms and cameras, AC and engine cooling system components and accessories. HELLA designed its new site as a complete information resource with in-depth product descriptions, features, specifications, applications, contents, and ordering information. Downloadable catalogs are provided as PDFs, along with a “Where to Buy” section, FAQs and testing data. www.hellausa.com.
Navistar Intros TerraStar 4x4 Work Truck Navistar recently showed its International TerraStar 4x4 commercial truck—one of the company’s newest additions to its Class 5-8 product portfolio. At the heart of the TerraStar 4x4 is its 300 hp, 6.8L V-8 engine, delivering 660-ft./lbs. of torque. This engine features a compacted graphite iron block that offers high strength without added weight. With 38-percent more visibility and 30-percent more cab interior space than the competition, the TerraStar also offers outstanding maneuverability in tight work environments. www.Navistar.com Number 184 on Reader Card
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Number 126 on Reader Card
Create a Bidding Frenzy
W
hen it comes to auctioning your salvage cars, the best scenario is when you can create a bidding frenzy. The goal of an auction is to attract a high number of bidders; the more bidders there are, the more competitive the bidding action. Newbies to the auction process are inclined to price their vehicles at the minimum figure they will part with them. This goes against the dynamics that work best for a successful auction and limits interested bidders. A prospective bidder looks over the list of vehicles and the starting bids and makes a judgment call whether or not there are good deals to be had. If the starting bids are high, most would-be bidders lose interest and move on. That auction will attract a lower number of bidders than it could. With fewer bidders, it’s a lot less likely you’ll benefit from a bidding frenzy. A bidding frenzy is created when the number of bidders reaches a critical threshold, which varies some from auction to auction, but depends in part on the vehicles themselves and the starting bids. The bidding frenzy defies the logic of sound purchasing and taps into the emotion and ego of the bidders and their competitive nature—the drive to win. Creating a bidding frenzy is why experienced sellers in the auction process place low starting bids on their vehicles. He knows this is like dropping red meat in the water to attract the sharks. Getting caught up in a bidding battle over a vehicle is an exercise of quick, strategic thought and action. It’s a fun game. Cars at auction will bring in twoand three-times more money than they would by selling them off to a salvage yard. The interesting thing here is that many of the bidders are salvage-yard 60 • April 2013 - TOWMAN.COM
owners. What aspect of an auction is attractive to them, if they could have all the vehicles at a much lower price? A good salvage manager knows which vehicles are most relevant to the demands of parts and components. Going to an auction is like cherry-picking which vehicles are best for his inventory now, even at the higher prices. Many tow companies I work with tell me horror stories about how they used to sell their unclaimed cars to just one local salvage dealer, usually for between $200 and $500 per car. Using our online system, they found that not only will their usual buyers be online, but that the local salvage yards now have a fair chance at buying those vehicles. Then we throw in a mixture of used-car dealers, repair and mechanic shops and the general public.
Simple Process Towers who are new to auctioning—online auctioning in particular— are amazed at the prices that many of their vehicles bring. The fact that the tow company put just a little work into the auction makes it that much more amazing to them. Towers don’t even have to be present during the auction (and some of
by Brandon Richard
them do miss their auction because of the nature of the towing business). There’s no problem with that, because they can log into their account at TowLot.com anytime later and print a report showing who bought what and the final selling price. Towers who follow a few simple, but critical, steps will create an effective, virtual showroom that can average between $800 and $1,200 per car. The biggest success stories come from those towers that gather a minimum of 25 cars for an auction. The next step is taking good pictures from all sides of each vehicle, including one or two of the interior. Finally, add accurate miles, a brief mechanical description of the car and set an enticing starting bid. In a recent auction, we sold a 1993 Ford Taurus for $2,935. There were 25 bids on that vehicle alone. Prior to the car selling the tow company owner had it sitting on his lot with a $1,200 price tag. It didn’t sell, so he decided to throw it on TowLot.com with his other “junk” vehicles. Smart move! The vehicle was in good shape and had low miles; it’s just that it was 20 years old. (I’ve never heard of a 1993 Ford Taurus selling to a salvage yard for $2,935.) In the same auction, a 2004 Honda Accord with a smashed front end had 56 bids and sold for $3,055. The average selling price for this auction was $877 per car for a combined total profit of $39,465.
Brandon Richard is president of TowLot.com. He managed a usedcar business prior to running TowLot.com for the past five years for his father and TowLot.com founder, Joe Richard.
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Page # Agero 49 Akins Body & Carrier Sales 59 Atlantic Emergency Solutions 61 Autow Custom Die Cast Key Tags 69 AW Direct 29 B/A Products 64 Beacon Software 55 Blades Tow Right 28 Chevron 27 Columbus Truck & Equipment 13 Condor Products 33 Crouch’s Wrecker & Equip. Sales 73 Custer Products 54 DewEze Mfg. 54 Digital Ally 18 Dynamic Towing Eq. & Mfg. 21 Eartec 33 Equipment Sales & Service 51 Ford Commercial Trucks 2, 3 Freightliner 7 Hino Motor Sales 47 IFleet GPS 34 I Tow In, Inc. 30 Industrial Netting 20 Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA) 17 Integrated Veh. & Equip. Leasing 33 Intek Truck Eq. Finance & Lease 74 Jerr-Dan Corp. 80 KOLO DBS 33 Landoll 73 Lift & Tow 68 Lodar 69 Lynch Chicago 25
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RS# 114 126 153 189 209 108 136 216 154 105 167 177 128 147 127 165 133 152 176 218 142 166 175 122 110 135 145 124 211 174 139 163 149
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Labor of Love by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti
A
t 72, Chuck Love has been towing for 52 years and is still passionate about it. He founded Love’s Towing in beautiful Santa Barbara, Calif., on March 3, 1961. Since then, this family owned and operated company has built its reputation on versatility, reliability and affordability. “We have seen and towed everything from monster trucks to race cars to small airplanes to giant sculpted whales,” Love said. In June of 1961 Love’s Towing began as Love’s Flying A gas station. They started AAA then and continued that through the mid-’70s. “I got into towing because things were tough and mom thought we were going to lose everything,” Love said. “I went to L.A. and bought my first tow truck on March 3 of ’61 for $2,800. I applied for an AAA bid and got it; haven’t stopped since. I enjoy
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Chuck Love founded Love’s Towing in Santa Barbara, Calif., in 1961.
helping people. I love this business.” Love’s specializes in towing and transporting exotic vehicles including Rolls Royce, BMW, Ferrari, Porsche and motorcycles. “I love experimenting with new equipment to see what works best to get
the job done right. All of my trucks are different; no two models are alike,” Love said. “I had the first wheel lift, first crane, and first flatbed in Santa Barbara. In 1981, I acquired the first Landoll in California. I’m the guinea pig. I would try anything.”
The beauty featured here is Chuck’s pride and joy. It’s a 2012 International Terrastar with a Chevron 408 Renegade auto loader on the business end, with a single 9,000-lbs. planetary winch. A MaxxForce 7, 300-horse diesel V-8 engine, mated to an Allison 1000 Series automatic transmission, powers this rig. Golden West Towing Equipment in Fullerton, Calif. built this unit. General Manager Hector Rivas is an experienced and knowledgeable representative. “I spoke with Hector and decided on the Chevron 408 Renegade auto loader because we do police work and
Tech Highlights Chassis: 2012 International Terrastar. Wrecker Body: Chevron 408 Renegade auto loader. Engine: MaxxForce 7, 300-hp diesel V-8. Winches: Single 9,000-lbs. . Builder: Golden West Towing; Fullerton, Calif. Paint/Graphics: Chris Wood of AirTrix; Santa Barbara, Calif.
have to get things out from between two cars quick,” Love said. “This unit suited my needs and works great. The full range Larms were the biggest selling point for me. You can squeeze those tires tight and selfcenter smaller vehicles. I could go on all day … I love ours!” Airbrush genius Chris Wood of AirTrix in Santa Barbara did the awesome paint and graphics.
“Chris had this truck for a yearand-a-half. He really took his time. He put hand-ground magnifying glass in the paint that sparkles in the sunlight. He designed and hand-painted the wood grain. There are so many little things that pop out every time you look at it,” Love said.
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Wood started AirTrix in 1994 when he returned home to Santa Barbara after three years in the U.S. Marine Corps. His primary business focused on airbrushing signs and motorcycle helmets at that time. Since then his list of enthusiasts and corporate clients has grown. AirTrix now employs a host of talented artisans and has expanded into a new modern facility in Santa Barbara. “My drivers are afraid to drive this truck because no one wants to be the first one to put a scratch on it,” Love said. “Chris had it forever and I couldn’t afford to have it sit for that long, but the end result was well worth it. It is beautiful. Pictures just don’t do it justice.” Editor’s Note Jim “Buck” Sorrenti, a longtime editor of American Towman, has been our field editor for the past few years. He is a freelance writer and photographer with more than 40 years of experience covering motorcycle, hot rod, truck and towing culture. As a “road scholar,” he has an inthe-ditch, hands-on approach and is passionate about the people and equipment he profiles.
For advertising opportunities call 800-732-3869 Dennie Ortiz x213 dortiz@towman.com Ellen Rosengart x203 erosengart@towman.com Number 139 on Reader Card
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Towing Is Where the Action Is by Emily Oz
I
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’ve been reporting on the towing and recovery industry for American Towman for almost a year and a half. It’s been an interesting ride so far! I’ve gotten to cover different techniques the towers use for a variety of different jobs and met many great folks along the way as well. What I like about covering the industry is that most, if not all, the stories are action orientated. In my earlier career covering news for different TV stations in the Midwest, there were a lot of great stories to be told, but the occasional assignment to cover a political fundraiser or flood mitigation was enough to make me snooze. I recently did a ride-along with Westway Towing’s Heavy Duty Manager, Shawn Heres, here in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. We immediately got a call for a truck stuck on the railroad tracks. Talk about action! I was doing the filming myself so I was literally in the middle of everything. If this assignment would have been handed during my “news days,” I would have been concerned about the “victim” and telling their story (How did they get stuck on the tracks? How are they feeling at this moment? Etc.) Today, I’m focused on the action of the recovery, including the techniques, strategy and equipment used by the tower. I’m also going to ask about the victim’s story, but they are not the bedrock of my report. Reporting for the ABC news affiliate in Fargo, N.D., for three years left me out in the cold covering blizzards many times over. Last week, I called up Robert Johnson from Hampshire Towing in South Hadley, Mass., to talk about the recent monster blizzard that buried the Northeast. I asked questions about the snow’s impact on his business, calls for service, and interesting recoveries during the storm. I was surprised to hear from Robert that the blizzard was not a big profit center for his company, because of the extra staff
Emily Oz rides with Shawn Heres, heavy duty manager at Westway Towing in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
and prep work that come with an event that big. An assignment for the nightly news on the blizzard would have been more strictly focused on how the storm affects traveling and the general public’s daily lives. It’s been a lot of fun and very interesting for me to dive into the realm of towing and recovery and to challenge myself to learn every aspect of business to, in turn, use my reporting to help you. If you have a story for us, we’d like to hear about it. Email me at Oz@AmericanTowmanTV.com. Watch American Towman TV at www.AmericanTowmanTV.com.
Emily Oz on assignment in rural North Dakota (circa 2007) for WDAY-TV in Fargo. Emily Oz is the anchor and producer for American Towman
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Verizon Starts Networkfleet Monitoring Verizon is rolling out its Networkfleet on the Verizon Wireless network as a fleet-management solution that provides a variety of monitoring and management capabilities for increased productivity and improved customer service. The Networkfleet solution—part of Hughes Telematics, which Verizon acquired last year—will now be combined with the speed and reliability of the Verizon Wireless network and will debut in Verizon’s own U.S. service fleet for improved monitoring, management and route optimization capabilities. The new “all-Verizon” solution is meant to help fleet, operations and risk managers use technology to improve operations by managing speed, fuel consumption, drivers and vehicles while optimizing vehicle use and routes using
vehicle diagnostics to help hold the line on maintenance costs. The Networkfleet telematics solution combines in-vehicle hardware and a Web-based application to store, view and analyze data on specific vehicles as well as overall fleet performance. Vehicles are equipped with a GPS device that sends information to the Networkfleet Data Center over a secure wireless network. Key features include GPS fleet tracking; asset tracking; fleet maps; vehicle diagnostics with alerts; roadside assistance; preventative maintenance; and other fleet management tools. www.verizon.com/enterprise
Allison Hybrid Trans for Commercial Vehicles Allison Transmission is expanding its hybrid transmission technology to commercial vehicles with its H 3000 hybrid propulsion system. The new
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product is targeted for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. The fully automatic parallel hybridpropulsion system is based on the Allison 3000 Series transmission that is matched with hybrid system components, including a motor-generator, power electronics and lithium-ion cell battery packs. The system works by capturing otherwise wasted energy during vehicle braking and uses it to assist in vehicle propulsion and powering of auxiliary equipment. The design features a torque converter fully automatic transmission and a hybrid motor-generator. Since the system is built with Allison’s fully automatic 3000 Series, it provides smooth, uninterrupted power to the wheels. Depending on vocation and duty cycle, the system is designed to offer fuel savings of up to 25 percent. Production is expected to begin this year. www.allisontransmissions.com
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The Dollars and Sense of Hospitality by Steve Calitri
T
he act of hospitality fulfills a by her nature keeps heaping pasta on human need. We all want to feel the plates of her family and guests. welcome wherever we are, Just ask those who were there in Baltiwherever we go. Good hospi- more last year for the International tality takes it one step further by recog- Feast. Towers will find the same treatnizing the person being welcomed. ment in Las Vegas during the events of One who practices good hospitality in Tow Industry Week and on the exhibit the service industries understands this floor of the American Towman Showkey dynamic toward growing his or her Place (May 17-18). business. If only dollars American and cents were to be Towman has visconsidered, I’m sure ited many towing our shows could facilities across have saved more the land and than a considerable when we come amount of money across one that over the years. But has gone out of its doing business in a way to make cuscut-and-dried mantomers comfortner isn’t doing busiable, it reminds It was the International Feast, above, in ness the way we us of a fundamen- Baltimore. In Las Vegas American think. If a friend tal principle of Towman is throwing the Ribs Fest, and comes into our good business. in San Antonio, the Chili Cookoff. home, we are going And that is that good business is more to raid the refrigerator and cook up a than just dollars and cents. storm. We are going to live! We are not American Towman shows are going to hold back. We are not going known for legendary hospitality. Balti- to put a price tag on the moment. more and San Antonio throw their Maybe it’s because we want our feasts and Las Vegas will feed the leg- friends to come back. Maybe it’s end with several hospitality events cul- because that’s just who we are. minating with the Ribs Fest (May 18). The hospitality that towing profesTow business owners who have sionals will find in Las Vegas defies created customer lounges in their any sound accounting. Like it should. shops know that good hospitality can American Towman is inviting tow be an expensive proposition up front, business owners from all over the but something that pays off in the long globe to come to Las Vegas. We want run. I wonder if the cost of good hos- those that make the journey to feel pitality can ever be recovered in dol- they were made welcome by us, just lars and cents. I suspect it is best as if they had walked into our home. figured as simply the cost of running a Truth be told, for those days in May, successful enterprise. the Las Vegas Hotel & Casino and the While American Towman partners Las Vegas Convention Center will be with suppliers on some hospitality our home, and everything about it events, it goes solo on others. The fact will make towers feel it is their home is we are a little bit crazy when it as well; from the booms raised to the comes to feeding towing profession- ceiling to the moments we all break als. We are like an Italian mama who bread.
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There is such a thing as good etiquette involved with private-lot towing. Check out in AT’s May article on Graham’s Towing from Portage, Mich. Also featured in May is a New Jersey Five-Star towing company who sets the bar with the way it connects with its customers through the Internet.
You may remember Emily Oz at the scene, boots literally in the mud, covering a recovery job. Next she broadcast the recovery of a car from Alabama’s Mobile Bay. You can see the many recoveries AmericanTowmanTV.com has covered by seeking out the archived stories right on the home page player, or by going to YouTube.com/americantowmantv.
Recoveries portrayed on the Road & Track pages of Tow Industry Week are usually a visual seminar on how to recover a vehicle; like the one performed by Pine Hill Towing & Automotive in Port Royal, Va. of this truck blocking a road. Many of these articles are written by the tower who did the work and edited by AT’s Editor Brendan Dooley, who is 6/7 WreckMaster certified. Towweek.com
Copyright 2013 American Towman Magazine. Characters and stories are fictitious; no resemblance to real life characters is intended.
Send your thoughts/suggestions on the Adventures to scalitri@towman.com or American Towman, 7 West St, Warwick NY 10990
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