American Towman Magazine - February 2014

Brian Fredrickson

towman.com

towmantv.com

towweek.com

South Point Hotel, Casino & Convention Center

WreckMaster’s Bruce Campbell Recovery Billing’s Bob Fouquette Desert Smoke

Miller Industries’ John Hawkins

AT Open

You can be at the 2014 ShowPlace! Register at ATShowPlace.com

Rib’s Fest! Free w/advance-registration

REGISTER NOW BEFORE APRIL 30TH & $AVE!

2014 Attendee Registration

Las Vegas, NV • May 15-17,2014 Mail to: 7 West Street, Warwick, NY 10990 • Fax to 845-986-5181 Phone: 800-732-3869 ext. 214 $avings on special events, seminars & South Point Hotel & Casino

By advance-registering, the company “Boss” and one guest are admitted free to Exhibit Hall.

A $5 fee applies to all others. Children under 14 free.

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2. PLEASE CHECK BOXES BELOW

Zip:

2. Secondary Business (check those that apply):

1a. If NO check your primary business: ❏ Towing/Recovery ❏ Service Station ❏ Auto Repair/Serv. Ctr. ❏ Auto/Truck Dealership ❏ Repossession ❏ Vehicle Leasing ❏ Transport/Trailer Serv. ❏ Distributor Equip ❏ Salv/Autoparts ❏ Lockout ❏ Truck Repair ❏ Other______________ ❏ Auto Body Shop

Country:

E-mail:

How are you traveling to the show: ❏ Driving or ❏ Flying

1. Is your Primary Business Towing/Recovery: ❏ Yes or ❏ No

Produced by AT Expo Corp.

| | Address: State:

❏ Towing/Recovery ❏ Auto Repair/Serv. Ctr. ❏ Repossession ❏ Transport/Trailer Serv. ❏ Salv/Autoparts ❏ Truck Repair ❏ Auto Body Shop

❏ Service Station ❏ Auto/Truck Dealership ❏ Vehicle Leasing ❏ Distributor Equip ❏ Lockout ❏ Other______________

3. # Employees: ❏ 1-5 ❏ 6-10 ❏ 11-20 ❏ 21-50 ❏ 51-100 ❏ 100+ 4. Check one that best describes your purchasing authority: ❏ I authorize/approve purchases ❏ No authority ❏ I recommend 5. # tow trucks in fleet: ❏ 1-3 ❏ 4-7 ❏ 8-12 ❏ 13-16 ❏ 17+ 6. Types of trucks in fleet (check those that apply): ❏ Light Duty ❏ Heavy Duty ❏ Transport ❏ Class 7/8 ❏ Medium Duty ❏ Carriers ❏ Rotators Tractors 7. Number of unclaimed vehicles sold to salvage or auctioned each month: ❏ 10 ❏ 20 ❏ 30 ❏ 40 ❏ 50 ❏ 75 ❏ 100

3. EVENT REGISTRATION – Exhibit Hall Open Fri. & Sat. 12:00 Noon - 6:00 PM Accident Remediation • Impound Management Tow Operations • Rotator Business • Recovery

— RE QUIRE D INFORMAT ION —

1. REGISTER HERE

Quantity

$ Amount

Please Check the Events You Wish to Attend (All special events and conferences take place at South Point Hotel & Casino.)

EXHIBIT HALL • Fri. & Sat.: 12 Noon - 6 pm; 5/16-17. • 1st & 2nd registrants are free: each additional $5 per person. ❏ Yes, please advance register me for exhibit hall. Badge is good for both exhibit hall days! . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5 per person ______ ❏ AT Open (Golf) • Thurs., 5/15, 9 am; Tow Bosses & Industry Suppliers compete for AT Open Golf Tourney ❏ 1st registrant ❏ 2nd registrant ❏ 3rd registrant ❏ 4th registrant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$125 per person ______ ❏ Conference Passport • Passport good for all Conferences starting Thurs. afternoon, and includes breakfast Fri. & Sat. $75 advance registration fee; $125 on site – Save $50 & register now . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$75 per person ______ ❏ 1st registrant ❏ 2nd registrant ❏ 3rd registrant ❏ 4th registrant ❏ Recovery Billing Course • Fri. & Sat., 5/16-17, 9 am - 1 pm, 8-Hour Course by Recovery Billing Unlimited. . . . . . .$1,850 per company ______ Course fee covers two people. Owner & billing clerk should attend. ❏ 1st registrant ❏ 2nd registrant ❏ 3rd registrant ❏ 4th registrant ❏ WreckMaster Rotator Training 1st Class • Thurs. 5/15: 5-9 pm, Fri. 5/16: 8 am - 1 pm, 5-9 pm . . . . . .$595 per person before 4/30 ______ Includes 8-hrs. classroom & 5-hrs. hands-on instruction inside South Point. Fee also includes Conference Passport & breakfast Fri./Sat. Save now - after April 30th fee is $695 ❏ 1st registrant ❏ 2nd registrant ❏ 3rd registrant ❏ 4th registrant ❏ WreckMaster Rotator Training 2nd Class • Fri. 5/16: 5-9 pm, Sat. 5/17: 8 am - 1 pm, 5-9 pm . . . . . . .$595 per person before 4/30 ______ Same as 1st Class different dates/times. ❏ 1st registrant ❏ 2nd registrant ❏ 3rd registrant ❏ 4th registrant ❏ American Towman Cup • Wrecker Pageant. Check class you will compete in. One vehicle per class & up to four per company. $50/$75 ______ Trucks enter Thurs. pm, Fri. am and stay in hall until Sat., 6 pm • $50: ❏ Light (pre-2013) ❏ Light (2013-2014) ❏ Medium ❏ Vintage (Pre-1985) • $75: ❏ HD Single Axle ❏ HD Tandem ❏ Carrier ❏ Rotator ❏ AT’s Desert Smoke VIP Passport • Fri. May 16, 9 pm; Poolside at South Point Hotel.

Includes (2) special cigars, drink ticket, food & special gift. Co-sponsor: Savatech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$20 per person: ______ ❏ AT’s Desert Smoke • Fri. May 16, 9 pm; Poolside at South Point Hotel. FREE hand-rolled cigar, Co-sponsor: Savatech.........................................................................................................................................................# attending: _______ ❏ Bowling with Boomer • Fri. May 16, 6:30 pm. Includes two matches and shoes. Trophies awarded. . . . . . . . . .$25 per person: ______ ❏ AT Welcome Reception Thurs. May 15, 6 pm; FREE buffet & bar hospitality. South Point Arena Concourse..................................# attending: _______ ❏ Saturday RIBS FEST Sat. May 17, 6 pm; FREE to Advance Registrants only: BBQ Ribs & Live Music at South Point. ................# attending: _______ & Receive the Monument Medal ❏ 1 yr. $50 • ❏ 2 yrs. $95 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _______ ❏ Subscribe to Total Fees: ________

4. PAYMENT Credit Card Number: Name on Card:

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Signature:

Check Enclosed Payable to A.T. Expo. Corp.

HOTEL RESERVATION FORM: Make Your Reservation Today!

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Expiration Date:

The hotel will email your reservation confirmation

South Point Hotel & Casino & Convention Ctr. • AT ShowPlace Headquarters Hotel • S/D Wed. Thurs. & Sun. $55 – Fri. & Sat. $95.

9777 Las Vegas Blvd., So. Las Vegas, NV. • Hotel, Casino and Convention Center-site of AT ShowPlace Exhibits. Complimentary items included: In-room Wi-Fi/Internet, Fitness Center, Airport Shuttle, Free local phone calls, Wi-Fi in Business Center, and parking and valet.

❏ Guarantee reservation to above credit card. Arrival Date:__________, 2014 - Depart Date: __________, 2014 # of Rooms ______ # of Guests per room _______ # of beds ______ List names for each room: Special Requests _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1st: ________________________________________________ 2nd: __________________________________________________ 3rd: _____________________________________________

First On The Scene

Since 1977

FEATURE CONTENTS

26

Customer Service Counts Does your quality of service pass the test when it comes to customer tips?

by David Lambert

A hill in northern Maine called 'The Knockout' claimed a log truck that Beaulieu's Garage would recover with their Holmes 750.

30

The Knockout Beaulieu's Garage of Maine goes out on a cold day to rescue a log truck from an infamous hill.

by Jim "Buck" Sorrenti

36

Desert Driven Departments Walkaround . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 News Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Road Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 AD Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Tow Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Repo Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 Towman’s Market . . . . . . . . . . . .74

At Apache Sands Towing in Arizona, serving all automotive needs is a driving force on business.

by Randall C. Resch

45

AT Expo Recap In case you missed it, here's a look back at towing's "Main Event" from November 2013.

Low Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 Adventures of A.T. . . . . . . . . . . . .77

TOWMAN.COM - February 2014 • 5

The Deep Freeze Let me begin by telling you something you already know. Brrrr, it’s cold out. Now some may say, “Of course it is, it’s winter.” However, the extremely low temperatures most of the country experienced in early January shattered many previous records.

Motorists don’t enjoy these extreme weather conditions as they create havoc on the roads (and their batteries). But for many tow business owners, Mother Nature’s fury brought a flurry of business. Several towers I’ve spoken with lately said that during this streak of bad weather they were able to obtain very favorable rates for the services they charged—without argument—which we know is seldom the case.

Oftentimes tow businesses were so overwhelmed with the quantity of work sent their way they had to turn down some calls. Many of the jobs they handled involved collisions,

Superior Service

by Dennie Ortiz

recovering vehicles from snow embankments and ditches, semis stuck with gelled diesel fuel in their tanks, jumpstarts … the works. Be sure to take a look at our News Share section (page 9) where towers from all over the U.S. were quoted by the mainstream media about their experiences during this deep freeze.

With snow and ice besieging the nation, numerous towers had every piece of their equipment being used 24 hours a day. With calls peaking at levels not seen before, many tow bosses lamented not having enough operators to handle the extra business … something for owners to keep in mind for next winter.

AT recognizes the severe elemental conditions towers face throughout the year, with the winter months being especially dangerous for all towing operators. When we are so busy we tend to overlook some basic procedures—please remember to take the necessary precautions to be safe and keep warm.

by Brendan Dooley

Whether you’re in the desert in Arizona or the cold northern reaches of Maine, customer service is an essential part of building a towing business. This month, we have a few examples of that, as well as a take on the potential immediate benefits of superior service.

In this month’s cover feature on Arizona’s Apache Sands Towing (page 36), a six-acre empire was built in the desert between cities by focusing on customers. If those customers are in the water, mired in the sand or stuck on a mountain, Apache is ready to recover.

At Beaulieu’s Garage in Maine, the company is happy to run a classic Holmes 750 out to do tough recoveries (page 30) on a local hill dubbed “The Knockout.” Locals and commercial accounts are sure grateful for that.

Finally, when you concentrate on service, it can even benefit your immediate bottom line (page 26). Following up on his AT Expo seminar, David Lambert discusses the opportunities and methods for earning tips from pleased customers.

Enjoy, and stay warm out there!

6 • February 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

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 Don Archer Roy Carlson Debbie Collins Belinda Harris Bill Johnson Ron Mislan Kurt Wilson

Dallas, Texas Jefferson City, Mo. St. Paul, Minn.

Las Vegas, Nev. Greensboro, N.C. South Hadley, Mass.

Warren, N.J. Creve Coeur, Ill.

American Towman Staff Ann Marie Nitti Dennie Ortiz Ellen Rosengart Norma Calitri Neila Smith Miriam Ortiz Henri Calitri Toni Vanderhorst William Burwell Ryan Oser Emily Oz Steve Calitri

Page Layout Artist Advertising Sales Mgr. Senior Account Exec.

VP of Accounts VP Communications Subscription Manager Customer Service Publisher’s Assistant TIW Media Director iMarketing Manager 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 ©2014 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

Number 216 on Reader Card

City Waives Tow Fees Davenport, Iowa, waived or reimbursed the towing fee vehicle owners faced during a weekend snow emergency in December, part of what is becoming a seasonal tradition for the city.

The city towed 24 vehicles and ticketed 30. A downtown snow emergency allows for curb-to-curb snow removal in that area.

The cost of a parking ticket on a snow route is $35. Reimbursement is for towing and one day of storage, according to the city.

In past years, the city has made similar gestures. In January 2012, the city wrote 49 parking tickets but towed no vehicles during cleanup from a winter storm. In December 2010, 56 vehicles were ticketed and towed, only to have the towing costs reimbursed by the city. Source: www.qctimes.com.

Tower’s GPS Locates Stolen Truck

A woman was arrested after Camden County (N.J.) police spotted her walking toward a truck that had been stolen from a Westampton towing service.

Corinne M. Mancine was initially charged with receiving stolen property. After further investigation by Westampton police, she also was charged with theft.

A 2003 Ford E-350 service truck was reported stolen from Tumino’s Towing Co. Tumino’s began to track the truck using GPS and Camden County officers found the truck parked in Camden.

Police took Mancine into custody when she approached the truck.

Source: www.courierpostonline.com.

8 • February 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Mesaros Was a TRAO Founder Donald J. “Donny” Mesaros Jr., 56, of Loveland, Ohio, lost his long battle with pancreatic cancer on Jan. 11, surrounded by family and friends.

Donny was the owner of Mesaros Inc. in Youngstown and Cincinnati.

“Don was a gentle kind-hearted man,” said American Towman Publisher Dennie Ortiz. “He will be greatly missed.”

He was a founding father of the Towing & Recovery Association of

Tower Sues

Town, Competitors The owner of an Ulster County (N.Y.) tow-truck company alleges Town of Marlborough officials used their positions of authority to attempt to drive him out of business, according to a complaint.

Joseph DiBlanca alleges his company has been frequently skipped in the town’s prescribed rotation for vehicle removal due to the “willful, wanton and gross” conduct of town police and officials, according to the complaint.

DiBlanca accuses high-ranking members of the town Police Department of intentionally skipping over his company because of ownership of and working interests in his two primary competitors, which he says they did not disclose with the town.

After expressing his concerns, he says he was threatened and verbally harassed.

DiBlanca is suing for monetary losses “to be determined at trial,” and requested $5 million in punitive damages to be assessed against the town. Source: www.poughkeepsiejournal.com.

Ohio, serving as president during his final six years. In 2011, he was inducted into the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame.

Truck Goes Airborne Off Rollback A severe traffic accident left roofing nails spilled across the road, causing the closure of northbound I-15 in Utah.

A Utah Highway Patrol officer and a tow truck responded to a traffic accident and were parked along the median when a roofing truck hit the patrol car. The truck then continued driving and drove up the bed of the rollback truck and became airborne.

The roofing truck landed and rolled several times across the freeway and into the median, scattering roofing nails and other materials.

The driver of the roofing truck was flown to a Salt Lake City hospital in critical condition. No one else was injured.

“Those who were on scene said it was a pretty dramatic crash,” police said.

An investigation is ongoing. Source: www.ksl.com.

. . . This is the busiest we’ve seen it in 20 years . . .

Baby, It’s Cold Outside Towers recently got lots of headlines and quotes in the mainstream press when all the cold and snow hit at the beginning of the year.

The weather (and coverage) was particularly strong across the Midwest and Northeast when the regions were hit consecutively by several inches of snow over several days followed by an “arctic freeze” or “polar vortex” as meteorologists referred to the cold snap that brought wind chill temperatures in the negatives as extreme as -50 to -75 degrees fahrenheit.

Here’s a frosty recap. —Ed. In Waterloo, Iowa: Jim Lind Service said they spent most of one morning pulling people off frozen sections of Highway 20 “Reaction time is never quick enough, and with the glare ice that we had this morning, we had a lot of cars in the median and ditch,” Lind said.

Source: www.kwwl.com.

In Terre Haute, Ind.: “We’ve been busy since Sunday,” said Debbie May of Mike’s Auto Wrecking and Towing.

The same was true of Peffley & Hinshaw Wrecker Service, which tows disabled semis, said owner Paul May. In addition to snow-related problems, the diesel fuel of some semis became jelled during the deep freeze, leaving them stranded, he said.

Durr ’s Towing was operating round-the-clock, Bob Durr said. “It’ll be this way for another week.” Source: www.tribstar.com.

In Arkansas: Arkansas State Police said there were dozens of motor-vehicle collisions, and hundreds of slide-offs.

They said I-40 was often blocked by broken-down tractor-trailers.

Eric Hodges of Hodges Wrecker Service said his drivers were extremely busy. “We’ve had every wrecker we own out steadily,” he said. “There’s vehicles piled up everywhere.” Source: www.couriernews.com.

In Menomonee Falls, Wis.: Roskopf’s Service and Towing’s “phone was ringing off the hook” due to the arctic freeze.

“It’s turning everything to black ice,” said owner Jeff Roskopf. “People think they’re driving on asphalt or concrete because they can’t notice it.

“One of my drivers had to go home and I said, ‘What do you mean you have to go home? We’re busy!’ And he said, ‘I have to go home because the pipes burst in my house,’ ” said Roskopf. Source: www.620wtmj.com.

In State College, Pa.: Cathy Tennis, owner of Tennis Towing, said on a typical winter day the shop will see roughly 20 calls for towing. But on Tuesday, before 2 p.m., the business had already responded to 30 calls.

“Having that many calls in half of a day shows you how much the impact is,” Tennis said.

Tennis called in extra staff to meet the demand.

Source: www.statecollege.com.

In Tiffin, Ohio: “We’ve been extremely busy,” said Jim Keller, coowner of John’s Welding & Towing. He said five drivers work during day hours, and calls had been nearly constant for two days.

“We run so many they just begin to back up,” he said. “It’s been just a little bit of everything. When it gets like this, it gets crazy. In a couple of days from now, it’ll all be back to normal.” Source: www.advertiser-tribune.com.

In Fort Wayne, Ind.: Blue Eagle Towing’s operations manager said the company usually receives 60 calls in a 24-hour period, but is now receiving 80 to 100 calls by noon. The company has especially seen an increase in heavyduty calls to almost 150 a day.

Dan Parker, who owns Parker Service Inc., Kelley Wrecker, Hinsey’s Wrecker Service, Dan’s Towing and Allen County Towing, has doubled business. The 24-hour towing service, which averages 250-300 tows a day,

now is towing 500-600 vehicles daily, according to Parker.

“This is the busiest we’ve seen it in 20 years,” Parker said.

Source: www.news-sentinel.com.

In Milwaukee, Wis.: One towing company says it has taken several hundred calls just for stalled-out semis.

Workers at Homer’s Towing and Service say they have been receiving calls every couple minutes.

“I’ve been in business since 1965 and never seen a winter like this,” said owner Homer Schultz. Schultz said over three days, his office responded to about 400 calls for stalled semis.

“We’re still fairly busy—we’ve got all our trucks out,” said Schultz. “I got about three hours of sleep last night so I feel pretty good.”

Source: www.fox6now.com.

In Columbus, Ohio: Herman Dague owns A/T Towing and Recovery and said calls doubled during the cold spell.

“You never know when someone is actually stranded on the side of the road with no heat or anything going. So we try to get to them as soon as possible,” Dague said.

He said he knows all too well what it’s like to be stranded in the cold. His tow truck had engine problems and he had to wait for another truck to come and get him. Source: www.myfox28columbus.com.

In Mount Vernon, Ill.: At Rick’s Towing, drivers were working “nonstop.”

“It’s been very hectic,” said owner Rick Heck. “On Sunday we had the cable strung out across the road pulling a car out of the ditch. And another car just never even slowed down. He ran right underneath our cable and scraped it across the top of his car,” Heck said.

“He just kept on going and never even stopped. If it had hooked on the front of his car, it could’ve jerked our tow truck around and hurt the driver.”

Source: www.kfvs.com.

TOWMAN.COM - February 2014 • 9

Check Out What’s NEW and HOT!

Miller 30 Series LCG Industrial Carrier

3” Underlift Straps, Torque Tool The new 3” underlift ratchet straps with removable torque tool from Manufacturer Express were created for highdemanding heavy-duty towing applications. The straps feature 7,333 lbs. of working load limit. This set is ideal for replacing cumbersome chain tie-downs. A set comprises of two ratchet straps and one removable torque tool.

www.mfrexpress.com Number 200 on Reader Card

Cycle Caddy Motorcycle Caddy In The Ditch Towing Products released its Cycle Caddy Motorcycle Caddy to easily load motorcycles onto the deck of a carrier. The caddy features a speed ramp to ease loading efficiency and folds into a compact position. Assembly takes just seconds and a decal on the top shows the simple instructions. The Cycle Caddy supports motorcycles up to 900 lbs.

www.intheditch.com Number 201 on Reader Card

Telescopic 55-Ton HRG Trailer The telescopic 55-ton hydraulic removable gooseneck trailer from Talbert Manufacturing offers a 20” deck height, the versatility to extend deck length from 30’ to 50’ and the flexibility to operate with multiple rear-axle configurations. Extended, the unit has a 27’ wood deck in the front and a 3’ wood platform in the rear with beams stretching between. The trailer expands and locks in 4’ increments. When compressed, the trailer can be used as a standard deck trailer. The HRG features a 96” swing radius and a gooseneck extension with a 120” swing clearance. The unit can be set up as a four-axles close-couple or in a 2 + 2 or 3 + 1 spread-axle configuration.

www.talbertmfg.com Number 202 on Reader Card

W

ith many towers diversifying their operations into the lucrative business of specialized transportation moving construction, rental and agricultural equipment, Miller Industries has continued to expand the models and options on their popular line of industrial carriers to meet these needs.

The latest addition was just introduced at the American Towman Expo in Baltimore. The new 30 Series LCG (low center of gravity) industrial carrier is rated with a 30,000-lbs. deck capacity. The carrier is designed for a chassis with dual rear wheels and either a tri-axle or tandem axle with a lift axle configuration to handle heavy loads.

The patented low-profile deck provides the operator the ability to haul taller loads and is available in lengths from 26' to 30', with a standard 1/4" diamond-steel floorplate or optional wood, rumber or smooth plate. The carrier also has been designed for a longer wheelbase than is currently used on most industrial carriers to provide less rear overhang and better distribute the payload.

The 30 series LCG features a combination hydraulic dock stabilizer/underlift capable of lifting up to 10,000 lbs. using lifting forks or 6,000 lbs. with L arms. A 20,000-lbs. planetary winch with air-shift release is standard; a 30,000lbs. winch along with many other options to customize your carrier are available.

www.millerind.com Number 203 on Reader Card

10 • February 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

TOWMAN.COM - February 2014 • 11

Help a Towman in Need

Number 172 on Reader Card

12 • February 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Fellow Tow Operators, I know each of you is aware that some of our fans out there tend to label us in a way that leaves the towing industry with a reputation that’s not always favorable. As a professional tow operator and businessman, I work tirelessly to make a difference in my community, and I’m sure that many of you do the same.

From Facebook, I made a friend named Jared Johnson, a 23year-old tow operator at A1 World Truck in Ohio. Following his posts, I’ve come to realize that we have a lot in common. He also wants to show the public that we’re a profession, not a hobby. His posts are positive and informational and he regularly comments on other operators’ posts.

One day while scrolling through Facebook, I read one of Jared’s posts, “Damn, these pains in my side are really beginning to hurt.” I’m not one to air my daily aches and pains in public, nor am I one to read about others, I’m more of a picture flipper. As time went on, I continued to read Jared’s posts and his daily complaints about his pains. I think I saw a similarity in his young life to mine, as I started into the industry many years ago. Long hours in the truck, fast food drive-through windows and a general lack of taking care of self was exactly what I saw when I was a newbie.

Well, his pains continued and one day I opened up Facebook and Jared had posted, “I finally went to the doctor today and he thinks it’s cancer.” I was shocked! The days passed and I

continued to read his day-to-day posts. It turned out to be colon cancer.

Jared went in for surgery back in November 2013 and started chemo right away. He continued to share his daily experience with such candor from his hospital bed. Every routine hospital visit for chemo was met with high spirits and uplifting posts.

Jeremy Procon

I’m sure he doesn’t realize this, but Jared has become an inspiration to me and everyone else reading his posts.

He’s taken this terrible diagnosis and faced it head on. I can’t say I’d have the strength to do what Jared is doing.

Unfortunately the first round of chemo did nothing for him; in fact, the cancer had spread. Just a few weeks ago he started a second more powerful round of chemo and this has really taken a toll on him, yet he continues to post funny quotes and stories of towing. As Jared continues his fight he wants nothing more than to get back into his tow truck and continue his passion—the passion we all share and

Number 213 on Reader Card

still have the ability to do, when we choose to do it, since we still have our health.

I’m reaching out to you, my brothers and sisters in our industry, and asking you to help me put more smiles on Jared’s face. I’d like to put a package together with all sorts of shirts, hats, jackets, sweatshirts and other memorabilia from your businesses. I want to show him that we are a profession and we care about each other. It would be great to flood him with “towing related” items from all of us in the industry.

So if there is ANYTHING you could contribute, please send it to me at: Number 147 on Reader Card

Attention: Jeremy Interstate Towing, Inc. 1660 Westover Road Chicopee, MA 01020 Please include a business card, as I’ll add those into the package for Jared to save and realize that we’re here and we’re united.

Sincerely, Jeremy J. Procon Western Director Massachusetts Statewide Towing Association

Number 163 on Reader Card

Number 118 on Reader Card

14 • February 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Number 198 on Reader Card

Number 174 on Reader Card

ADVERTISER

ACTION PAGE

AD INDEX

Fax To: 888-847-6035 Page #

Access Tools 51 Akins Body & Carrier Sales 44 American Safety & Supply 69 AT ShowPlace Las Vegas 2, 3, 4 AutoReturn 29 B/A Products 43 Century 40, 41 Coach-Net 72 Crouch’s Wrecker & Equip. Sales 43 Custer Products 21 DewEze Mfg. 14 Dynamic Towing Eq. & Mfg. 55 Eartec 73 Elizabeth Truck Center 33 Equipment Sales & Service 69 Freightliner 7 Ginn Motor Company 55 GPS Secured 20 Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA) 79 Intek Truck Eq. Finance & Lease 70 Jerr-Dan 80 Keystone Tape & Supply 21 Landoll 16 Lift & Tow 69 16 • February 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

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102 126 135 205 169 108 143 153 177 128 147 165 133 123 152 216 125 101 110 145 124 208 174 139

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February 2014 For more product info, go to www.towman.com and click on the FREE Product info icon.

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Number 103 on Reader Card

Trouble Shooting No-Starts

by Terry Abejuela

S

ome towing companies perform work where the customer prefers their vehicle be started rather than towed. It may be more profitable for the towing company to place a disabled vehicle in a safely drivable condition. However towers must be able to identify when a vehicle is safe to start and drive verses when it should be towed. Towers should spend no more than 10 minutes trying to troubleshoot or perform a minor mechanical repair. In hazardous situations or near traffic, it may be safer to tow a vehicle rather than try to troubleshoot.

Tow operators should not attempt to perform mechanical first aid on safety related systems such as brakes and steering. Do not send a motorist on their way driving the vehicle unless it is absolutely safe. If you are not certain, always offer a tow … it isn’t worth the liability.

Ask a few questions to determine whether or not it’s safe to attempt to start a vehicle. If a customer tells you that they were driving and the oil pressure light came on and the engine started to make a lot of noise, it may cause more damage if the tow operator tries to start the vehicle. If the vehicle was overheating there may be damage already and trying to start the vehicle may cause more damage—or you may be blamed for damage caused during the initial overheating. A vehicle that was driven, shut off and now won’t crank over may be a good candidate for troubleshooting.

Attempting to start a vehicle by tapping the starter motor with a rubber mallet.

open a hot cooling system! Vehicles with oil or coolant levels that are low or in poor condition should not be started.

Vehicles with a gasoline smell in the oil or discolored oil or transmission fluid should not be started.

Before attempting to start the engine, make sure an automatic transmission is in park and a standard in neutral with emergency brake set. Vehicles

with an automatic transmission normally won’t start unless the gear selector is in park or neutral. However some vehicles, if the neutral safety switch is faulty, may start in any gear. Vehicles with a standard transmission may need to have clutch disengaged for the engine to start.

In order to troubleshoot or perform minor mechanical repairs you will need

Won’t Start For a No-Start vehicle, conduct a visual inspection of the engine compartment looking for loose or disconnected wires, disconnected hoses, loose or missing fan belts, corrosion around the battery terminals or anything that looks wrong. Check to make sure the oil, automatic transmission fluid and coolant levels appear in good condition. Do not 18 • February 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

A remote starter switch is used on a Ford starter solenoid.

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Using a digital volt/ohm meter to check the battery’s state of charge across the battery posts.

to carry a minimum amount of hand tools depending on your mechanical aptitude and how often you will be able to safely troubleshoot or perform mechanical repairs. Tools to consider

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Checking the voltage at the battery terminals.

carrying include battery cleaning tools, rubber mallet, electrical tape, duct tape, hammer, pliers, 12-volt test light, flathead and Phillips screwdrivers, a digital volt/ohm meter, spray lubricants, a tim-

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ing light, a remote starter switch, a “Keep Alive Memory” unit, safety glasses and gloves.

Battery problems are one of the more common reasons for a nostart/engine doesn’t crank condition. I recommend that you turn the key on and look to see if the clock on the vehicle is still at the correct time or is it off or blinking 12:00.

If the clock is off or blinking 12:00, it has probably lost enough electrical power that there may be computer-controlled systems on the vehicle that need to be reprogrammed. These systems require about eight volts to maintain memory. Notify your customer of this possible condition before attempting a jump-start.

A battery’s state of charge can be determined using a digital volt/ohm meter. Twelve-volt batteries have six cells, each of which are 2.1 volts. Six cells at 2.1 volts gives you 12.6 volts when the battery is at 100 percent.

Every 0.2 drop in voltage is approximately a 25-percent drop in the battery’s state of charge. When checking the state of charge, make sure all accessories are turned off and all devices are unplugged.

Use the meter and check the voltage across the battery posts. If you get a reading of 12.6 or higher, check the voltage across the battery terminals. If you

get a reading of less than 12.6 there may be a loose or bad connection at the battery terminals. You may need to remove the terminals and clean the connections.

Make sure to use a KAM unit to maintain battery power while you remove the battery terminals for cleaning.

If you are using a KAM unit that plugs into a power point or cigarette lighter plug, make sure the plug is hot with the key off. Many cellphone chargers have a power indicator light. An easy way to check if a plug is hot with the key off is to plug your cellphone charger into the plug with the key off. If the charger light comes on the plug is hot.

If you get a reading on the meter of 12.4 or less, follow the disabled vehicle manufacturers recommended jumpstart procedures.

If the battery and connections test good, move on to other components of the cranking system like the starter solenoid or starter motor. (Some vehicles must have the brake pedal pressed or the seat belt fastened in order to crank the engine.) If you get a single click from a relay when you attempt to start the vehicle, you may have a bad relay. You may be able to switch a similar relay from a non-essential part like the air conditioning or defroster.

If you get a single click from the starter solenoid you may have a bad solenoid. A remote starter switch allows you to bypass the solenoid and start the vehicle. I strongly discourage using a screwdriver to bypass the solenoid. I have seen drivers burn a hole in automatic transmission fluid lines when they touched the fluid line with the positive terminal on the starter trying to bypass a solenoid that is mounted on the starter motor.

When using a remote starter switch on a solenoid mounted on the starter motor, do not attempt to start the engine while lying under the vehicle. After attaching the wire clips to the appropriate terminals on the solenoid, get out from under the vehicle before pushing the remote start button.

Another possible reason for the engine not to crank is the starter motor.

The brushes in the starter motor may not be making contact. Tapping on the starter motor with a hard rubber mallet or wood mallet may cause the brushes to

make contact and the vehicle may start.

If you are able to start a vehicle, advise your customer that you have only provided mechanical first aid and they should immediately take the vehicle to a qualified mechanic to repair the vehicle. Do not provide diagnosis or estimates of repairs. You may suggest options for repairs, but don’t recommend any particular repair facility.

To be helpful to your customer, who may not know where to take their vehi-

cle, I suggest you carry information such as the phone numbers of local car dealerships, independent repair facilities, and specialty repair shops. Provide a list and let the customer choose.

Terry Abejuela has 30+ years of light-duty towing-and-recovery experience. He is also a light-duty level 1 instructor for the California Tow Truck Association since 1998.

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TOWMAN.COM - February 2014 • 21

Peterbilt Marks 75 Years

Number 168 on Reader Card

In 2014, Peterbilt (Peterbilt.com) celebrates 75 years of innovation and excellence with commemorative events throughout the year that include a North American tour with a specialized anniversary trailer, a limited-edition Model 579 and numerous other activities.

“This is a milestone event for our company and its customers, employees, dealers and suppliers,” said Darrin Siver, Peterbilt general manager.

Peterbilt was founded in 1939 by T.A. Peterman in Oakland, Calif., and manufactured specialized, heavyduty trucks. The company was acquired by PACCAR Inc., then called Pacific Car & Foundry, in 1958, and the manufacturing was relocated to Newark, Calif. in 1960. Peterbilt opened a new, second plant in Madison, Tenn. in 1969 to meet demand and better serve its customers from coast to coast.

In 1980, a new manufacturing facility opened in Denton, Texas, a city where the company eventually consolidated its entire operations and is now its headquarters.

A special anniversary truck, the 75th Anniversary Edition Model 579, will be available for order through all full-service Peterbilt dealerships.

Free Driver Posters

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DriverSheets.com, a driver-safety poster subscription service, is now offering free, bi-monthly posters along with a newsletter focusing on transportation safety.

“We want to establish an industry standard for professional driver safety training—something that’s affordable and better than a tired, cluttered safety poster that is forgotten within a week of it being posted,” said Brian Diehl, founder of DriverSheets.com.

DriverSheets.com helps boost morale and retain drivers through monthly contests, random trivia and special prize giveaways. Posters can be branded with a company logo or can include Spanish or French translations for an added fee.

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Customer

Service Towers Talk About Tips and Profits

M

y seminar at the 2013 American Towman Expo in Baltimore, Md., was about increasing tips and profits for the towing company. My opening question was, “When your customer asks you, ‘How’s your day going?’ would you say, ‘The work’s been hard but the tips have been good.”

The attendees were asked if they thought that would be an appropriate reply. Universally, the response was an emphatic “No.” (As was my wife’s response when I told her how I planned to start my seminar.)

After the initial “shock” question, attendees were asked, “How many of you get tipped regularly?” and, after getting a positive reply, “What do you do to get better tips?”

What I heard—loud, clear and repeatedly—was how tipping was more often related to the quality of service the tower delivered. That was very fortunate for me (and the attendees), since that turned out to be the focus of my presentation.

Attendees had seen the signs that said “Tipping is appreciated” or “Tips accepted,” and my own favorite, “Tipping is not a city in China.” But no one seemed to approve of them. A tip jar duct-taped to the dash wasn’t a favorite

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by David Lambert

Counts

idea either. We touched on the fact that portable card swipers have a screen that asks the customer if they would like to include a tip.

Everyone in the room agreed that great service generally improved their chances of being tipped, but more than that it was agreed that customer service was also the cornerstone of a successful towing business.

There were some of the usual suggestions you might expect to hear on how to provide great service, but there were some new ideas (or old ideas you might not have thought about lately) which could be useful to you. Some are based on today’s technology that weren’t available previously.

• Text a photo of the tower who will show up to the customer. With so many

smartphones in use, this suggestion is available more often than not. A friend has been doing this for a year and only had positive responses.

• Call the customer 10 to 15 minutes before you arrive. It ensures the customer is actually with the vehicle, can provide important information the dispatcher may not have asked; exhibits a higher level of service the customer may not expect and reassures the customer you are on your way and provides an accurate ETA. • You and your truck—especially the cab—should be as clean as possible.

From the moment the customer sees you and your truck, they are judging you.

The professionalism you displayed during the phone call will be knocked down a notch if you or your truck fails the customer’s visual tests. You’ll then need to really “wow” them with your personality and working skills.

• Upon arrival, introduce yourself, shake hands and give them a business card.

• Wear gloves to keep your hands clean and remove any glove on the hand that will touch seats, steering wheels or shake hands with the customer.

• On highways and busy streets, first move to a safe location to discuss the situation.

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• Listen to the customer. It shows concern for their situation and might provide the opportunity to offer other services, such as recommending repair facilities, hotels, ATMs, rental car locations, etc.

• Open doors and point out handholds that might help make the climb into the truck easier.

• Have a small step available for those who will have difficulty stepping into the cab. If a curb is available, move close so the customer can more easily climb into the cab.

• Have a bottle of water available. It doesn’t need to be cold, but shouldn’t be hot.

These are just the ideas offered during the seminar. I’m sure you have a few tricks of your own to make it difficult for a customer not to tip. Even if a tip isn’t offered, if you’ve delivered a level of service beyond the customer’s expectations, you’ve probably made a new customer and that benefits your company, which can ultimately benefit you.

Most customers—whether they’re commercial or motor club members— don’t even think about tipping their tow operator, so if you don’t get tipped, don’t worry about it. My own wife said it wouldn’t have occurred to her to tip

before I started talking about the subject.

In summary, those who attended the seminar agreed that great customer service is probably the best way to get tipped.

David Lambert is president and lead instructor for North American Towing Academy. He is a regular seminar presenter at the AT Expo and past field editor for AT magazine.

• A pool “noodle” on your winch cable can provide an excellent cushion between the wire and the valance panel.

Explaining the reason you’re using it might impress your customer with your care and attention to detail.

• When the vehicle is delivered and the customer is at the location, give the keys to the customer, not the service writer or someone inside the repair facility. Thank them for their business. This will put you face-to-face with the customer one last time, and that’s one last time for them to offer a tip.

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TOWMAN.COM - February 2014 • 29

‘The

Knockout’

by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti

Legendary Hill Takes Another One

B

eaulieu’s Garage & Body Shop in Caribou, Maine, is a family owned and operated company that has been in business for more than 70 years. They are a full-service garage and auto body shop that also offers professional wrecker services. Brothers Dan and Sam Robertson represent the fourth generation of the family business and now run the company started by their great-grandfather Peter Beaulieu in 1941.

On a frigid cold Monday morning last year, a few days before Thanksgiving, Beaulieu’s was called out to recover a logging truck from an isolated road north of their shop.

“It happened on a private logging road in a township that I do not know the name of, up north in the woods,” Dan said. “We are located in Caribou, which is the most northern city in the continental U.S., and this recovery was north of us up in the woods, so it was pretty remote. It was a cold morning with the temp on the truck reading 21degrees Fahrenheit.”

Dan and Sam drove out to the scene in their 1986 Western Star set up with a Holmes 750 25-ton square splitboom wrecker on the business end.

They carry everything they need for heavy recovery on the 750, including a full card of 1/2” and 5/8” chain, snatch blocks, 100’ of 1” wire rope, 150’

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The view 1,000’ down the snow covered logging road from the back of the Holmes 750.

The logging truck is back on the road, ready to be pulled up the steep hill.

The Western Star logging truck being pulled out of the woods.

The old Holmes 750 pulling hard on ‘The Knockout.’

TOWMAN.COM - February 2014 • 31

Still a long way to go.

Loaded logging trailer hooked to the 750 on its way to a nearby gravel pit.

The Western Star ready to be hauled back to the owner by the 750.

of 5/8” wire rope on each drum, full card of straps and shackles.

“A truck owned by a private individual attempted a steep hill that is locally called ‘The Knockout,’ “Dan said. “The owner was not operating the truck at the time of the incident—it happened to one of his drivers.

“The driver lost traction, spun out half way out and slid backwards into the woods. The logging road was snow covered and slippery. He blew out the rear driveshaft, damaging air lines, air springs and wiring.”

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Dan and Sam did their walkarounds of the scene and decided to place the 750 at the crest of the hill for better stability and traction for the long hard pull up. They spooled out and rigged the lines from the 750 to the front of the Western Star tractor and winched the truck and loaded trailer out of the woods and then around 1,000’ up the steep hill.

“We ended up winching the damaged truck all the way to the top of the hill where we separated the truck and trailer,” Dan said. “Once separated, we

brought the trailer to a nearby gravel pit and took the truck, with damaged rear driveshaft, air springs and air lines, to the owner’s house.”

Another recovery in the books for Beaulieu’s old Holmes 750 workhorse.

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.

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A dynasty in the Arizona desert, Apache Sands has grown into a six-acre facility serving just about every need in the automotive aftermarket.

Desert Driven

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Arizona's Apache Sands Builds Dynasty

by Randall C. Resch

W

hen I hear the words “Apache Sands” in conversation, my mind wanders to some far away settlement where ancient petroglyphs are secreted somewhere deep in the desert.

A company called Apache Sands began in 1956 when founder Harold Fredrickson Sr. opened a small Chevron station in Arizona’s hard-pan desert between Phoenix and Globe.

The company’s name came from the highway called the Apache Trail where Harold Sr. built the company (formerly Highway 60). When Harold

Sr. decided to retire 50 years later, Harold Frederickson Jr. and his wife, Pat, took over.

Some 58 years later, Apache Sands has transformed into a six-acre, ultramodern, fully enclosed repair shop and full-service automotive center.

When you’ve got six acres, what doesn’t make more sense than having a tow company, express car wash and selfservice car/truck wash that includes large wash bays designed to handle vehicles of all sizes?

The company’s 16-bay automotive center is capable of servicing and repairing all size vehicles. Equipped Among dozens of carriers, towing and service trucks is this newest addition on the left page: a 2013 Kenworth with 50-ton Century wrecker. From the mountains to the sand and water, Apache recovers it all.

with 13 drive-on lifts, the shop repairs large motor homes and even repairs and services the company’s tow trucks. Early on it was determined that towing with the company's own trucks would be key to success in Apache’s repair shop. Enter Apache Sands Towing.

In 1975, second-generation tower Harold Fredrickson Jr., purchased a 1972 Ford tow truck with a Holmes 440. Five years later, the company sold the Ford and bought two Chevrolet tow trucks equipped with 440s.

Since opening in '56, Apache Sands has become one of the oldest lawenforcement providers that operate one of the largest tow truck fleets in the East Valley. With 24-hour dispatch, Apache Sands responds in any size tow vehicle, capable of handling cars, large trucks and RVs. Their company’s fleet consists of 24 carriers, five tow

TOWMAN.COM - February 2014 • 37

trucks (including one that’s 4x4 capable), 12 battery trucks, six service trucks and a 2003 Peterbilttractor/Landoll unit. The company’s newest addition is a 2013 Kenworth T800 tri-axle Century 50-ton wrecker outfitted for law enforcement.

For those frequent in-between class vehicles, Apache Sand’s Towing smartly runs a Kenworth tri-axle with a Zacklift rear, used for larger motor homes and RVs traversing nearby areas.

“The Zacklift gives us a lower-cost alternative to responding in a larger tow truck that can access mobile home and RV parks where it’s tough to get the 50-ton.”

Due to the company’s proximity to rural desert and lake areas around Mesa and nearby Phoenix, Apache Sands responds to challenging desert recoveries.

“One challenging recovery was a four-wheeling pickup owner who drove into a tumbling river causing the pickup’s engine to seize. Because the recovery location was 15 miles in the outback, total time took 15 hours to go round trip through the desert, cross a dirt bridge, extract it, and then tow it back.”

Always Learning Brian Fredrickson is a third-generation tower who’s grown up in the family’s businesses since he was 13 and is now general manager. Also 38 • February 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

working within the business are Brian’s two sisters, his daughter, son, nephew and niece.

It’s not uncommon to see Brian attending towing trade shows in Baltimore, San Antonio and now Las Vegas.

“By attending tow shows, owners see new products and learn about growing their businesses," Brian said.

"Networking with other tow profes-

sionals is key and the buzz on the show floor is fun to be around.

“It’s important to stay on top of industry changes, new products; especially the legal side. The seminars are great. Because the Vegas show is closer in proximity, it’s convenient to our company’s location.”

In addition to trade shows, Brian sees training and hiring the right people as important elements to run a suc-

Wherever they pick up their cars from, keeping them ordered on the salvage lot and organized for lien sales is a process that got a lot easier when Apache went to an online auction system.

cessful tow business. To stay competent and professional, Apache Sands takes many steps to ensure that operations are uniform every day.

“We’re consistent on training and supervision," Brian said. "We hold weekly management and monthly mandatory safety meetings. Logistically, we have to hold three sessions to get everyone to attend meetings.

Scheduling sometimes is tricky.”

In early years there weren’t train-

“If we’re not diligent with lien-sale lists and allow stockpiling of cars to occur … we burst at the seams and lot management disappears,” Brian said.

Appropriately, Apache Sands employs two full-time employees to manage both yards at all times. Yard management includes employing OSHA-approved forklift personnel operating auto-loader-type lifts. Successful lot management is a reality at Apache.

“Now we’ve found a better way to liquidate auction cars is by partnering with TowLot.com,” Brian said. He met company president Brandon Richards at TowLot's booth in Baltimore in 2011.

“I’ve watched their product improve. We average roughly 50 cars monthly.

"It’s user friendly. They make listing vehicles easy. On their form, we input vehicle information including a description and provide maybe four to

“It seems that junker cars bring higher dollars due to lower buyer fees.

For us, TowLot.com is a valuable resource in today’s marketplace.” ing requirements, so winging it was the norm. Now, maintaining professional training for drivers is sometimes a broad approach; Apache Sands brings in agency-approved trainers.

Management covers higher training costs to procure topic-specific training, and from multiple sources including WreckMaster, AAA, or my 16-hour operator safety course.

Too Many Cars It’s really no matter whether you’ve got a small satellite yard in Gilbert or a six-acre facility in Mesa to park impounded and wrecked vehicles … space is space. With a company Apache's size, inventory must rotate like three-day-old bread.

“We’ve become experts in the revolving-door lien-sale process,” said Brian. “In a company like ours, you have to be.”

For nine years, the company’s used On-Scene Solutions software to manage an average of 6,000 stored vehicles annually. Finding the right software is important to the mission of lot management and efficiently decreasing total numbers of stored vehicles.

Stored vehicles equate to increased costs when advertising, vehicle preparation, facility transfer and auctions.

That’s where industry knowledge proves worthy to business operations.

Up until recently, Apache Sands transferred lien-sale vehicles to another auction facility two at a time.

six pictures per car. Because the auction is Internet based, the process saves us the costs of transferring vehicles upwards to 60 miles round trip. We simply get the cars ready. It saves us lots of time and effort.

“Our averages hover around $580 with the highest per-auction sale around $730. It seems that junker cars bring higher dollars due to lower buyer fees. For us, TowLot.com is a valuable resource in today’s marketplace.”

What’s the Secret?

Since the beginning, the com-

continue to page 42

TOWMAN.COM - February 2014 • 39

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DESERT Driven continued from page 39

pany’s most important component of success has been customer service.

“Success doesn’t happen with one or two people," Brian said. "We have a dedicated group of personnel to help put the success of the company first. Bottom line … we’re in tune with how to meet our customer’s day-today needs.”

Apache Sands operations are first rate, whether for commercial, cash or contract customers. Apache Sands Towing is the oldest AAA provider in Arizona, running an estimated 36,000 calls annually. They are contract providers for Arizona’s Department of Public Safety, cities of Mesa and Tempe, the Town of Gilbert and the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department.

Providing contract services to law enforcement requires regular attention.

“I think there are two important factors," Brian said of law-enforcement contracts. "One, response times have to be the best. Two, it’s important to foster relationships through communications and interactions with the agencies and administrations we work with.

"We also donate vehicles and training space to our local agencies and fire departments for demonstrations at school, police dog and firearms training, accident reconstructions and extrication training.”

All operations under Apache Sands umbrella demands vigilance and constant supervision. The company is resolved to provide optimal service in all aspects of their operations.

“Running a handful of companies requires commitment," Brian said. "It takes persistence, patience, understanding and sometimes a little hand-holding is necessary, but what business doesn’t?”

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 light-duty trainer.

Email Randy at rreschran@aol.com.

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The 25th American Towman Exposition outdid itself. Tow business owners came from all over the world and the Union’s 50 states. Friday’s strong attendance surprised AT Expo’s 200 exhibitors; Saturday’s showing bowled them over; and Sunday exceeded Friday’s draw, showing everyone why AT Expo is the towing industry’s undisputed “Main Event.”

The floor of the Baltimore Conven tion Center proved once again it’s the premier venue for doing busine ss in the towing industry, with $100 million in transactions among 200 sup pliers and 14 national call providers.

The Towman Monument greeted all the attendees

ACE recipients came from all over the US

Emily Oz dicusses floor mangement with Brendan Dooley

Calitri’s Cuba was hosted by Lift & Tow and Savatech In Baltimore’s Inner Harbor tow business owners came to take care of business and elevate themselves in the industry through networking and education. They also came to have fun.

Miller Industies hosted the Bull & Pig Roast at the Hard Rock

American Towman Academy Captains of Industry Conference

Towman Order Salutes Towman Medal recipients

Dueling Pianos at Festival Night Music and feast was a major element of the 25th anniversary show. Nowhere in the world do towers experience the legendary hospitality that is the hallmark of the American Towman experience.

American Towman hosted the International Feast

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American Towman 2013 Medal Recipients Rob Kaiser, Auto Medic Towing, Kirkland, Washington In October of 2013 in Seattle, Washington, at about 2 a.m., tower Rob Kaiser was passed by a car that had front-end damage and was smoking from the rear. Rob called 9-1-1 and followed the vehicle and watched as the driver lost control, hit two trees and spun around to a stop in the middle of a rural highway where cars normally travel 50 to 60 mph.

Rob parked his flatbed and lit up the scene blocking traffic around the disabled vehicle. While checking on the driver, he saw fire in the engine compartment. He alerted 9-1-1 dispatcher to the fire and pulled the semi-conscious driver out of the vehicle and removed him off to the side of the road. He grabbed his fire extinguisher and put out the fire and waited for first responders.

A Seattle police officer on-scene credited Rob with saving the driver’s life and putting the fire out and keeping his truck on-scene blocking traffic so emergency personnel could work the accident (even though the impound went to a rotation tower and not to him!)

American Towman Medal

Tom Watson, Mel’s Tow Service, Kansas City, Missouri In April of 2013, on a cold late-winter day, black ice sent several vehicles off the side of I-35 in a short span of time at one particular spot in Kansas City. Some of the vehicles rested on top of each other with drivers and passengers entrapped. A Chevy pickup at the bottom caught fire with the driver trapped inside. The fire department was trying to knock the fire down but could not get it out completely. The fire chief asked Tom to help.

“I responded to the scene and the fire department came running up and told me to follow a police officer who directed me to roll a car over that

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Dennie Ortiz, Publisher, awards Tom Watson the American Towman Medal at Festival Night.

was part of the three cars on fire, Watson said. “I hooked a chain to the control arm. I couldn’t see because of the flames and smoke, I just hooked to the control arm and pulled until the police and fire told me to stop and hold the vehicle there. …

The man in the truck lived, and is recovering from third- and fourth-degree burns over 65-percent of his body. “It was pretty hot and scary. I didn’t think about it, I was just doing what they told me to do,” Watson said. “It was the first time I’ve ever done anything like that in 23 years of towing.”

American Towman Medal

Dennis Underwood, Stevens Towing, Selma, North Carolina Dennis Underwood stopped to help after witnessing a horrible accident on I-264 this May. “I was towing a car from Selma to Norfolk, just got on 264 in Virginia and I saw a lady and gentleman in the median needing help,” Dennis said. “There was a lot of midday traffic, and before I could put my brakes on I was past them and saw a car behind me lose control and hit them. The female got thrown into her vehicle and the man disappeared.

“I pulled over and ran back and saw the man had lost his leg. He was yelling ‘Where’s my leg,’ and he had a good color at the time, but I knew he was losing a lot of blood.

“I pulled my belt off and put it around his leg and pulled it as tight as I could. … It wasn’t long before police arrived – it seemed like an eternity, but was only a few minutes before medical help arrived and police were shutting down the road.

“I’ve had first responder training. I’ve been in a car wreck myself that required knee replacement, which is why I had to leave firefighting and began towing. I was just trying to save the guy’s life— it was the only thing I knew to do.”

American Towman Medal

John Weaver, Mauldin Body Shop, Canton, Georgia.

In October 2013, John Weaver was traveling home to Georgia after training WreckMasters in North Carolina. A tractor-trailer in front of him on I-85 in South Carolina suddenly jack-knifed in front of him. In a flash he cleared the wreck safely, thanks in part to a semi on his right slowing and pulling over to make room, and John pulled to the median to stop.

“As I turned to look at the wreck behind me, shock set in as I saw flames coming from under the front of the tractor. I informed the 9-1-1 dispatcher that the rig was on fire and that another vehicle was involved,” John said. “I realized no one was moving around the wreckage. I ran to the tractor’s passenger door and opened it to find a woman yelling at the driver trying to get him alert to the danger.

“I helped the lady out of the tractor promising her I’d get the driver out as well. I told her to go to my truck and wait there. A man walked up toward us (I think the driver of the semi that moved over for me), and I told him to make sure she got away from the scene to safety.

“As I moved around the truck to the drivers side, the flames were spreading rapidly. I opened the door and the man looked at me in a daze saying he could not find his partner. I assured him she was safe and instructed him to come with me. We got down from the tractor and went to my truck where they stayed until help arrived.

“I hopped over the cable barrier in the median and went on the other side of the road to look at the pickup pinned between the tractor and the cable barrier. I could see the driver of the truck outlined by the flames. The driver’s door was held by the cable and the passenger door was not accessible.

A young marine, his wife and six-month-old baby were in the pickup and had died on impact before the flames started. They had lost control coming the other way and crossed the median where they ran head-on into the tractor-trailer that erupted in flames.

American Towman Medal

Jim Schlier, Rich Guttmann, Schlier’s Towing, Tannersville, Pennsylvania In December 2012, a truck driver became trapped under the wreckage of his cab near Snydersville, Pennsylvania.

Once on-scene, operator Rich Guttmann set his rotator up in the median parallel. They had to chainbind the cab securely to the frame as best they could. While they were working on that, he was busy rigging for a vertical lift. All he could see of the driver was his foot sticking through the firewall of the truck.

“The tractor-trailer was laying upside down in the road and in the median,” said Guttman. “It rolled several times and ended up just about on its roof. … The cab was partially torn away and driver was pinned under the driver’s side.

“I was there in our 75-ton twin-steer rotator and owner Jim Schlier arrived in a 40-ton rotator.”

The procedure was overseen by Schlier to permit Guttmann to handle other tasks, including

rigging a line to the passenger side door via a foundry hook in the window opening to help keep the cab on its frame with light line tension.

When rescuers were ready and the vehicle rigged, Guttmann vertically lifted the unit. After only going up about two feet, the rescue team was able to access and free the driver.

“With the remote system I was able to work right next to the cab where I could make sure what was happening; when the driver was released he got up and walked out and wasn’t hurt,” Guttman said.

“We definitely didn’t expect him to walk out.”

Towman Commendation

John Kennedy, B&B Wrecker, Cambridge, Ohio In September 2013, a call went out to B&B Wrecker for a man pinned under an overturned tractor. The ambulance company needed help with the extrication.

“A farmer was baling hay and it was a unique accident scene in a farm field,” said B&B owner Gary Morgan. “It required quick actions into the farm field and getting hooked to the tractor to help. United Ambulance said John’s quick thinking and work were crucial in saving the farmer’s life.”

The victim was taken from the scene by Flight for Life and made a recovery, thanks to John Kennedy’s knowledge and quick efforts maneuvering in that farm field.

Towman Commendation

David Sumners, B&D Wrecker, Boaz, Alabama In December 2006, the Boaz, Alabama Fire Department needed help with an overturned concrete truck with a semiconscious driver trapped in the cab. His legs were trapped between the dash, driver’s seat and a center console. The force of the impact had crushed a portion on the back of the cab, preventing him from being extricated.

“Time was of the essence,” said Sumners.

“There was just enough room on the rural road where I could pull off and back up to the framing of truck and get the load picked up enough to relieve pressure off the man’s legs for firefighters to get him out.”

The Boaz fire chief credits Sumners with making the recovery effort a success and the patient making it to a trauma center quick enough to make a full recovery.

Towman Commendation

Mike Scheidt, Garner’s Towing, Fortville, Indiana In October of 2013, Mike Scheidt of Garners Towing was dispatched to a rolled over tractor-trailer with entrapment on an Interstate ramp in Indianapolis. The trucker driver's leg was pinned under the steering column of the truck. Firefighters initially thought only the driver's ankle was pinned underneath the steering column, but when they cut open the roof of the truck, they realized the truck driver's leg was severely lacerated and the victim was losing large amounts of blood and in critical condition. Scheidt rigged the truck quickly and TOWMAN.COM - February 2014 • 53

lifted the truck with his rotator, then needed to attach a third line to the dashboard and roll it back for firefighters to finally extricate the driver.

“It was an extremely difficult entrapment,” said the fire captain on-scene. “The tower helped make this successful extrication of the patient possible.”

Towman Commendation

Randy Barton, Donald Catron, Randy’s Repair, Gower, Missouri In February 2006, a farm tractor and a compact sedan collided in Gower, Missouri, with the tractor coming to rest on top of the sedan, pinning a woman inside. Randy Barton and Donald Catron of Randy’s Repair were the first responders on-scene.

“It was bitterly cold that day,” Barton said.

“I’d never been at a scene like that before. You couldn’t even see the woman in the car. It was like a monster truck had rolled up over it and was on top of it.”

Barton worked to carefully lift the tractor with the wrecker, blocking it each step to ensure the safety of the woman. Catron helped rig and crib, and also used extrication equipment to free the woman from the crumpled vehicle.

“The lady did pull through. Without our heavy, it would have been near impossible to get her out in time,” Barton said.

Towman Commendation

Jamie Dougherty, Rick Royles, Janeway Towing, Conshohocken, Pennsylvania The driver of a 2004 Toyota Corolla made it out alive after a truck carrying scrap metal overturned, spilling its load onto the car on an Interstate on-ramp in Merion, Pennsylvania.

“The engine had come through the roof and was resting essentially on the driver’s lap,” said the assistant fire

chief. “She was awake, she seemed to be in discomfort but not a lot of pain.”

“The engine and transmission were on top of her,” said Dougherty. “I was surprised she was alive when I saw the scene. …Operations manager Rick Royles and I rigged quickly and picked the motor up four inches and free of the vehicle and rotated it away so firefighters could get her out. … I was lifting with the remote and was close enough to hear her sigh of relief when the weight was off her.”

She was rushed to the hospital and recovered.

“A week later she called to thank us,” Dougherty said.

Towman Commendation

John Weaver, Angela Weaver Reece, Mauldin Body Shop, Canton, Ga. In June 2013, Cherokee County, Georgia, was hit by severe storms that spawned several tornados. One large oak tree took out power lines before pinning a female motorist in her vehicle as it fell across the roadway. Firefighters onscene requested a large wrecker from Mauldin Body Shop. John Weaver had just returned to the lot and was ready to respond when the call came in.

He and the fire chief agreed on a plan to rig, lift and secure tree so the woman could be extricated. The 60-ton wrecker was backed into position and John and daughter, Angela Weaver Reece, who had just arrived on-scene, began to rig the equipment securely to the tree.

“She was OK, talking and coherent but could only move one arm,” John said. “Two of the firefighters had WreckMaster training in a cross-training class I taught and helped Angela and I rig. There was a concern the car might come up on its suspension when the tree was lifted; we moved slow to prevent that. It was very complicated and precise. Everybody was on the same page and it was a great team effort. We lifted and moved the tree to the rear of the vehicle to help stabilize the car from the deck lid. While we were there, two more tornados touched down about six miles away.”

The driver was removed and transported to a local hospital where it was discovered she had a broken neck.

Towman Commendation

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TOWMAN.COM - February 2014 • 55

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Light-Duty 2012-2013 Class 1st 1st Place – Morgan's Towing & Recovery King George, Va. 2012 Dodge 5500HD and 2012 Jerr-Dan MPL40

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Light-Duty pre-2012 Class 1st 1st Place – Hawk's Recovery & Towing Inc. Trenton, N.J. 2011 Ford F-350 and 2011 Jerr-Dan Element

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TOWMAN.COM - February 2014 • 59

Medium-Duty Class

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3rd 3rd Place – Al's Towing Norfolk, Va. 2012 Freightliner M2 and 2012 Chevron 512 - 12 Ton 60 • February 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Carrier Class

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Heavy -Duty Single Axle Class 1st 1st Place – Morgan's Towing & Recovery King George, Va. 2007 Kenworth T300 and 2007 Jerr-Dan HDW 25 Ton

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Heavy -Duty Tandem Class

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2nd 2nd Place – H&J Towing Landisburg, Pa. 2007 Kenworth and Custom Built HC30 TOWMAN.COM - February 2014 • 65

2nd 2nd Place – Morton's Towing & Recovery Clarksburg, Md. 2013 Peterbilt 388 and 2013 Century 1140

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Rotator Class

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Sponsored by Dual-Tech 66 • February 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

TOWMAN.COM - February 2014 • 67

Repo in a Cadillac Ragtop

B

eing repossessors, and working the hours of vampires, we all know the meaning of things that go bump in the night. I know I have seen some creatures slither down the sidewalk at 2 a.m. that makes me glad I’m in a truck going 50 mph!

But as weird as some of these creatures seem, we all have at least one eccentric (kinfolk’s word for “weirdo”) relative that would fall out of the old family tree if we were to give it a good shake. I’ve got this Uncle Bob that suits the word eccentric to a T. Bob is 6’2” and might weigh in at 140 lbs., if he has a full pocket of change, but he has the temper of a freshly kicked pit-bull terrier. Not to mention, he is an albino and totally color blind. We secretly used to call him “Bob the Rabbit” because he got some bad front caps and has those weird pink eyes. I caught the wrath of that temper once when I let the rabbit comment slip. I learned right then and there that I would never make him mad again.

We now call him “Flapper Bob” due to the fact that as he grew older, he became balder and just couldn’t let his manly figure suffer that indignity. One Saturday, he, his sidekick “Bean” and I set out for Louie’s House of Rugs, one of our city’s finer toupee emporiums.

It seems that Louie’s brother runs a funeral parlor and keeps him supplied with low-cost selections of slightly used toup’s.

Bob went in and plopped down $12.95 for one of Louie’s finest. He emerged proud as a peacock, chest all bowed out, and looked over to Bean and said, “What do ya think, Cuz?” I didn’t know if Bean was laughing, but I sure wanted to.

68 • February 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

“We all have the one repo case that no one really wants to do.”

His new hairpiece was as red as an apple and just sittin’ there on top of that white albino hair. Bean swallowed and lied. “Ppppuurrrtiestt tthinggg I eeevvverr ssaawww, Bbbbobbb.” Bob smiled and looked over to me and said, “Kinda makes me look like one of them there movie stars, don’t it boy?”

I thought for a long time, and knew it was truth time. I looked him straight in the eye and said, “I don’t have the words to describe it, Unc.” Well, it wasn’t a total lie.

We bailed into Bob’s 1987 Cadillac convertible he lovingly named the “Pride of Detroit” in big stick-on letters across the windshield, and we were off. Riding with Bob is an experience that only the strong of heart should try, albinos not being noted for their eyesight. Bob can see a good hundred feet during the day—and a lot less at night. This makes for a whole lot of close calls and heart jerkers.

“They noticed a car approaching at a high rate of speed.”

by Jack Russell

We were cruising along at a brisk 65 mph through the city streets, when I look up front and Bob’s hairpiece is doing one of those flying-nun things, sort of flapping up and down on the sides. Seems for $12.95 Louie only includes two pieces of tape. He became Flapper to me and Bean from that day on, but neither one of us had the nerve to tell him.

I should take a moment to tell you about Bean. We call him this due to the fact that all he eats is beans. Says they’re high in fiber but I think he just likes passing gas and pissin’ off the Flapper. And he possesses one of the worst stutters you’d ever want to hear. One of them boys you just want to jerk up and scream, “Say it, damn it, say it.”… good ole boy though.

They’ve been friends for as long as I can remember. (This could explain the Pride of Detroit being a ragtop, too, because some of those quiet ones Bean eases out can singe your eyebrows.)

We get home and the Flapper asks me what I’ve been doing with myself, and I explain that I had started a career in repossession and was very satisfied with the work and the pay. I also told him a few stretched road-trip stories.

Even left him a copy of the June issue of Professional Repossessor Magazine.

The Flapper was mesmerized and more excited than I had ever seen him.

I got up to leave and he said he would like to talk to me further about this here repo gig. The Flapper called me a few days later and wanted to know, “How should a person go about getting set up in this here business?”

I explained all the training and license requirements, what kind of equipment would be needed, and gave him a quick rundown on the cost.

I figured the expense would send him on his way. The Flapper is well known

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TOWMAN.COM - February 2014 • 69

for being frugal. He thanked me and said he would be in touch.

A few months later, my boss Don and I were down at the County Line store, our favorite hangout, and the damnedest thing I had ever seen pulled in to the parking lot. It was the Flapper and the Bean in the Pride of Detroit—top down, hair glowing and loaded for bear. The Flapper had used his engineering know-how and altered the Pride into a repo rig … of sorts.

Seems he had peeled off the rear clip, covered it over in diamond plate and added a Dynamic rigging for the lift.

His new suspension consisted of a dually rear end with a double set of Rancho air shocks and booster coils. To top all this off, he had added the roll bar from Bean’s 4x4 with a full wrecker yellow lightbar. Jim, the owner of the County Line, took the words right out of my mouth when he said, “What in the sam hell is that?”

The Flapper strode in and flopped down at our table, smiled and said,

“He went on to tell us that we were working a little too close to the edge.”

“Whatta ya think boy? Am I ready or what?” I once again had to think long and hard, and looked him straight in those red eyes and said, “I’m at a loss for words, Bob.” Yeah, I know I’m a chicken.

“Does kinda take your breath away, don’t it?” Flapper said with a wide grin.

“To say the least” I answered.

“Ssssshhhhheesss aaaa bbbaaaddd rriiddddeee, Bbbboooobb,” the Bean chimed in. I gave him one of those how-did-you-let-this-happen looks, and he whispers to me, “I tthhhhiinnkkkk tthhhaaatt hhhaaaiiirrr

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70 • February 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

hhaaasss pppooossseeessseed hhhiiiss mmmiinnndd.” I looked at him and said, “Okey dokey,” although I wasn’t really sure that I fully understood what he had actually said.

The Flapper locked a full pink stare on to Don and asked, “When do we start?” This takes Don and me by total surprise and I felt as though I could have swallowed my tongue because Don was looking at me like, “What the hell have you done?” I jumped up, winked at Don and answered, “Let’s go to the office and see what we got as far as extra work and we’ll be right back.”

I know what you’re thinking. That we would be crazy to let these two do anything in the repo field, but yet they were both trained and licensed. Also, we all know stuck in the back of the file drawer, we all have the one repo case that no one really wants to do and you just keep stalling the collector hoping the people will pay up soon. Now, don’t lie. Well, we had a beauty just tailor-made to put a stop to this mess.

I dug way in the back and there it was, slightly dusty but the account was still active. Seems this bank up north had financed a struggling television cable company and they were way late on the payments for their ditch witch. They had some highbrowed lawyer from New Jersey contact us who talked through his nose at us trying to instill the importance of retrieving their most precious collateral.

Now he did get our attention when he offered to double our normal fee.

We even went as far as to ride over late one night and look the situation over. I never knew they made one of those things that big, looked like a small bulldozer. We both agreed that unless they were willing to give up the trailer also, we would be unable to get it. We ended up calling the debtor and strapping some words of wisdom about non-payment and the law but they weren’t impressed, so we put it in file 13 and called once a month to see if they had changed their minds. No go.

We both agreed that this was the perfect thing for the Flapper to tackle and it would be arduous to the Pride and the Flapper.

We rode back down to the County Line and I was kinda hoping they would be gone, but you could see that chrome plate shinin’ a good half mile off. We went back in and Don said, “Let me handle this.” He really is better with words than I. He started off with, “Now Mr. Bob, this business can be trying at best and we feel it would be best to start you two off on an assignment that is easier than most.” He looked them right in the eye and smiled as he slid that monster over to them. The Flapper opened the envelope, gives us a big ol’ pink eye wink and said, “Gotcha covered, catfish.” One of the smoother nicknames he dished out.

The rest of this tale is secondhand knowledge because the events of that fateful night were repeated to me by the Bean and he was pretty excited, to the point of spitting on me every three words.

He went on to tell me that he and the Flapper cruised right on over that night and surveyed the scene, or as Flapper said, “Scope out the gig,

dude.” They could tell right away that a trailer would be required so off they went to secure a rental. Well, as soon as the Flapper heard the price of the medium-size trailer, he popped out a, “Yeah, right” and headed for the lumber yard. He purchased a few sheets of 1” plywood and headed home. Seems his thriftiness had devised a plan to outfit his pontoon boat trailer with a deck that would handle the weight of the ditch witch. Besides, he needed to recover the kitchen floor and he could kill two birds with one stone by reusing the wood a week later.

Bean told me the trailer was a little rickety but seemed as though it would work. They cruised in to the work site at about 2 a.m. on a Saturday and the place was deserted. Bean hot-wired the ditch witch as the Flapper was maneuvering into position and setting up the ramps. Bean was astounded as this machine rolled onto the trailer as pretty as you please (and it didn’t even collapse as he expected).

He thought to himself that this thing might even work. As we all know, Number 121 on Reader Card

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TOWMAN.COM - February 2014 • 71

the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray, as with this one. They were just getting ready to leave when they noticed a car approaching at a high rate of speed. The Flapper got an adrenaline surge that would have killed a horse. He floored the Pride and they went screaming off the lot and down the highway.

All seemed well again, and they were barreling down the road when the Flapper hit one of those two camel hump crossings that sneak up on the legally blind. On the second hump, the

trailer disconnected itself, due to the fact that Flapper later recalled he had forgotten to, “Flip that there latch thing on the hitch.” Well, as the trailer came around the Pride, it was gaining speed and passed them. (Seems he also forgot to, “Roll up that there front tire gizmo also.”)

The Bean said that he spied it first but couldn’t get out more than a, “Ddiidddiiddiiiddii,” and the Flapper looked over, squints them baby pinks and said, “What the hell kinda motorcycle is that, Beano?”

The witch and trailer stayed in its lane for a good half mile before taking a hard left and crashing into the widow Johnson’s garden. The Flapper said to Bean, “I believe that feller had him a wreck. We might better have a see.” The Bean, still unable to speak, just nodded.

We got the call from the sheriff’s department regarding our two new employees’ mishap at around 4 a.m.

After about two hours and a few bucks later, we got the widow to realize she could get a new bunch of roses for the amount we were willing to pay her to forget it ever happened. We let the Flapper handle the wreckless endangerment charges himself—we knew we were rid of him for sure now.

You wouldn’t believe what happened this Friday though. The Flapper calls us up and announced that he had secured his own accounts and could no longer work for us. He went on to tell us that we were working a little too close to the edge of danger and he would be working for a few buy-herepay-here lots.

I had enough and calmly told him what I needed to say for a long time.

“Bob,” I firmly said, “You got it covered, don’tcha catfish?” Yeah, I know. Weak.

He answered back, “I be da man, boy.”

We haven’t seen the Flapper in quite a while now, but I heard a few stories though. I’m quite sure he’s still out there. So, if you look in your rearview mirror and see something weird coming up on you fast, get over quick, roll down the window and yell, “You da man, catfish!” as he goes flapping by. Just maybe he’ll play his new set of “lakookyracha” horns for you. If you’re lucky.

Editor’s note: This was originally published in Professional Repossessor Magazine, November 1997, where Mark Lacek served as publisher.

Author Mark Lacek is a 30-year recovery industry veteran and former publisher of Professional Repossessor magazine.

Mark@commercialassetsolutions.com Number 153 on Reader Card

72 • February 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Number 151 on Reader Card

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TOWMAN.COM - February 2014 • 73

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Sales and Service 610-235-6657 www.nullssalesandservice.com TOWMAN.COM - February 2014 • 75

Game Changer in Vegas

by Steve Calitri

L

istening to Bob Fouquette can be a game changer with the profitability of your towing operation. Fouquette owns and operates Big Wheel Towing and Recovery Billing Unlimited. Big Wheel out of Freeport, Mass. has garnered the reputation of a savvy and profitable heavy-duty towing business. Recovery Billing Unlimited has helped hundreds of tow business owners achieve profitability.

The company’s hallmark service is education: teaching how to bill out and collect on recovery work.

In the process, one learns the art of bill itemization. In this industry most towers undervalue and undercharge for their services. But not after attending a Recovery Billing eight-hour class, like the one Fouquette is conducting in Las Vegas on May 16-17 during Tow Industry Week.

By practicing what has been learned in the Recovery Billing Course, towers have increased their receivables by hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. One of the challenges in recovery bill collections is dealing with the insurance companies. This is an area that Fouquette has mastered with Big Wheel Towing and he passes on his wisdom and his processes to those who sense

76 • February 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

they are leaving too much money on the table.

Fouquette is also presenting a two-hour conference on Rotator Business. This seminar covers the economics of owning and operating a rotator and how a tow business can be successfully marketed as a rotatorequipped company.

If you own or are considering the value of owning a rotator, Tow Industry Week and the American T o w m a n ShowPlaceLas Vegas are must-see venues. For those who want to be trained on recovery work using a rotator, WreckMaster is conducting two classes open to all tow operators.

There are several game-changing conferences during Tow Industry Week in Vegas. The Accident Remediation Conference will show you how to successfully create a new revenue center in accident cleanup and how this center can be your most profitable business sector.

Another conference on Impound Management will show you how to maximize the value of unclaimed vehicles sitting in your lot and how to reduce all your costs associated with running an impound lot.

You can check the conference opportunities at ATShowPlace.com.

Whether it’s American Towman Magazine in print, on the Internet or in our video programming, recovery stories are the rage with readers. TowIndustryWeek.com recently featured a recovery on Orca Island in Washington State. The use of the “dead man” was a key element of the recovery.

Emily Oz continues to cover recoveries that have been shot for video documentation and recently featured the recovery of a beer truck down a mountainside.

You can catch the action on the American Towman TV page of Tow Industry Week. Just go to towmantv.com and you’ll see your choice of stories to watch.

Recovery of course is perhaps the most challenging and interesting aspect of towing work. To do recovery work successfully one has to look and think. Engineering principles are at play. One has to perform under pressure.

Our show in Las Vegas will have plenty to do with recovery; WreckMaster training on recovery training with a rotator; the Recovery Billing Course with Bob and Eric Fouquette; Recovery classes with John Hawkins of Miller Industries and Terry Abejuela, AT’s field editor in the West.

Copyright 2014 American Towman Magazine. Characters and stories are fictitious; no resemblance to real life characters is intended.

Copyright 2014 American Towman Magazine. Characters and stories are fictitious; no resemblance to real life characters is intended.

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