Bill Johnson
Evaluate, Avoid Fatal Mistakes Plowed and Broken in Maine Synthetic Straps Add Flexibility towman.com
towmantv.com
towweek.com
Number 143 on Reader Card
Cover: Bill Johnson, president of Hampshire Towing and Amber Scene Clean, addresses Captains of Industry Conference in Baltimore, Nov. 20, 2014.
FEATURE CONTENTS
Departments Walkaround . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 News Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Road Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Beacons On! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Tow Boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Repo Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 AD Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Towman’s Market . . . . . . . . . . . .50 My Baby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Low Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Adventures of A.T. . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Brutus, this 4x4 beachrecovery Challenger wrecker, was converted from a 1986 AM General 6x6 5-ton truck by employees, family and friends of Thomas Towing in North Carolina.
28
Towman of the Year In a David vs. Goliath match, tow boss Bill Johnson fought back against the insurance industry. by Brendan Dooley
36
Plowed and Broken Slick roads send a plow truck into a ditch; the towers dealt with broken axles in getting the vehicle back on the road. by Jim “Buck“ Sorrenti
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Recovery Straps Add Flexibility The benefits outweigh the concerns with synthetic recovery straps when used, and inspected, correctly as another tool to use. by Terry Abejuela
4 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Number 102 on Reader Card
Congratulations to Towman of the Year by Dennie Ortiz
I’d like to congratulate Bill Johnson of South Hadley, Mass., as our 2015 Towman of the Year. I’ve known Bill primarily through his role as president of the Statewide Towing Association where he has worked tirelessly on behalf of the towing community for many years. His selection for this honor is based partly on that, but mainly on his individual efforts fighting dubious practices of insurance companies that malign the towing industry. The insurance companies that he’s dealing with are not the insurance vendors that issue policies to cover towing companies, but those that are insuring trucking companies, motorists, etc., and are requested to pay the towing and recovery invoices for services performed. You know the ones I’m talking about.
Towers fighting to be paid for the professional services they perform has long been an albatross in the industry. It is unfortunate that getting proper or just payment for services rendered is a constant burden that is borne by towing professionals. Towers provide a valuable service, which requires specialized knowledge, skills and expensive equipment. This we all know. That there is still a major struggle with various agencies (private and municipal alike) to get a fair shake in the payment department still boggles my mind. Each year American Towman strives to raise the bar of professionalism within the market to help prove that towers are worth what they charge. We’d love to hear from you, our readers, about your success stories that may help others in our industry get their equitable opportunity.
A Safe New Year by Brendan Dooley
Welcome to 2015. Wouldn’t it be nice if this year were more out with the old, in with the new? As in, let’s consider towers dying by the roadside “old,” and an attentive motoring public and towers operating with heightened awareness “new.” Two of our authors this month tout tower safety, attacking the problem from above and at street level. On page 16, Operations Editor Randy Resch recounts the somber effects of attending the Wall of the Fallen ceremony in Tennessee, and calls for towers to constantly assess “What ifs?” to stay alert to danger … and alive. No two scenarios are alike, and accident scenes shift in the blink of an eye, he cautions. On page 12, David Lambert tackles safety on the roadside with separate outlines for management, motor clubs and towers. The Tow First campaign founder wants the industry, at every level, to abandon old ideas that keep operators in harm’s way. Be safe this year—I’d like to have you reading my note going into 2016 as well.
6 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
First On The Scene! Dennie Ortiz Steve Calitri Brendan Dooley Charles Duke
Publisher Editor-In-Chief Editor Senior 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 Peggy Calabrese 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 Regional Advertising Sales 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 ©2015 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.American Towman Media does not test or review products submitted for inclusion in its publications. All included information, specifications and abilities are as claimed by the equipment manufacturer who is solely liable for any defects or misrepresentations in its products.
Number 109 on Reader Card
Reckless Driver Kills N.C. Tower Jeffery Allen Rackley, 44, of Jeff’s Wrecker Service in Rocky Mount, N.C., was struck and killed by a driver as he prepared to hook up a disabled van to his rollback, officials said. The van belonged to a family from Florida whose vehicle had broken down on the side of I-95 when Jeff’s Wrecker Service was called to assist them. Troopers said the driver, Paul Joseph Dattari, 67, ran off the road to the right, sideswiped the van and struck Rackley. Dattari also hit the rollback in the midst of the crash, causing it to flip its car multiple times. Witnesses told troopers that he was speeding and changing lanes multiple times before the wreck occurred, officials said. Dattari was later charged with felony failure to move over causing serious injury or death, misdemeanor death by motor vehicle and reckless driving. He was given a $5,000 bond. Source: www.wilsontimes.com.
Driver Charged With Killing Wis. Tower
A La Crosse, Wis., man has been charged with negligent homicide in the roadside death of a tow truck operator. Authorities say 50-year-old Steven Dolan was driving the pickup truck that struck and killed Nathan Walsh recently along I-94 near Osseo. The 38-year-old Walsh was wearing reflective gear and the wrecker’s warning lights were operating when the pickup struck him and sideswiped his tow truck while he loaded a disabled car onto a flatbed. Walsh was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim’s brother, Darin Walsh, said that the charges against Dolan will never bring his sibling back, but it’s good to know that there’s a chance that justice will be served. Source: www.nbc15.com.
8 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
AT Expo Draws Thousands For the 26th consecutive year, the American Towman Exposition was a huge success in the eyes of towers and exhibitors, as some 12,000 attendees came to Baltimore, Md., this past November. Over 200 exhibitors showed their wares to attendees over the three-day event. The show featured the very competitive American Wrecker Pageant with about 70 vehicles on display; and heroes were once again honored for “The Simple Act of Bravery” during Festival Night’s Towman Medal ceremony. Twenty-two new towers were inducted into the Towman Order, cited for their professionalism by their local police and fire chiefs. "It's a really great show,” said Jamie Davis, star of the TV show “Highway Thru Hell” and owner of
AT Expo’s “Monster Show” drew 12000.
Jamie Davis Motor Truck in British Columbia, Canada. “This tow show is so big; I'm taken aback by how much is actually here. It opens up your eyes to a lot of things that you don't see. I'm going to come back again." Don’t miss next month’s monster recap of the show in the pages of American Towman.
Towers Mount
Successful Strike in Ala. Tow truck drivers in Gadsden, Ala., recently went on strike in a dispute over how the city deals with outside towing providers. The local companies say the city is being unfair by bending the rules for out-of-town wreckers at the expense of the local drivers. On three occasions they say the city has allowed outside towing companies—who are unlicensed in Gadsden— to work jobs they would normally get. Jimmi Kelton of Kelton Wrecker said the straw that broke the camel’s back was a wreck on an interstate off ramp where a semi-truck carrying lumber wrecked and a company from a nearby city got the job. Gadsden towing companies have a rotation that allows each a chance to earn money when the city needs a wrecker. “See, our trucks have to go through
Towers persuaded the city council in Gadsden, Ala., to see their side in a dispute after a weekend-long strike. Photo courtesy of wiat.com.
inspection and we have to abide by the city ordinance,” said Kelton. “The city is not following the rules.” Harvey Martin, Action Towing said that in allowing an out-of-town company to do the job it took about “$10,000$20,000” out of one of the Gadsden towing companies’ pocket. The strike ended after its first weekend after a meeting with a city council member who said the problem “would be rectified. ”Source: wiat.com.
… a city council member said the problem 'would be rectified’... Council Tables Decision
Canadian Towers Protest Insurance Bill
The Conway (Ark.) City Council tabled renewing or amending the city’s five-year tow truck contract. Four wrecker companies have been on a monthly rotation contract for the last 10 years. The agreement, renewable every five years, was last renewed in 2009. Changes had been proposed, including allowing any wrecker service that had the required number and type of trucks, insurance and a secure impound lot to apply for the contract. It was also proposed that any company that overcharges, as determined by the police, would be removed from the contract for up to five years in addition to whatever civil remedies the victim would want to pursue. The agreement will be revisited at the next council meeting. Source: http://thecabin.net.
Canadian tow truck drivers in Toronto, Ontario, recently slowed down the morning commute on the Gardiner Expressway, as an estimated 1,500 of them protested a new auto insurance law. The tow operators were protesting against Bill 15, Fighting Fraud and Reducing Automobile Insurance Rates Act 2014, which passed Nov. 20. Ontario says the new legislation will regulate the tow truck industry and reduce auto insurance rates by about 15 percent by August 2015, allow customers to pay by credit card, and provide itemized billing. However, towers say it hampers their ability to do their job and may ultimately raise prices. Under the new act, drivers would be under the authority of the Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration, which would limit their workdays to 13-hour days and a maximum of 60 hours a week.
Crash Becomes Holiday Meal
A Lubbock, Texas, tow operator’s run-in with a turkey became a family’s Thanksgiving feast. While driving outside of Abilene, the windshield shattered on Kameron Schrader’s wrecker. Along with the glass shards on top of him was a large 30-lbs. bird. “By the time I got stopped, I realized it was a big ol’ turkey, and then kind of started thinking about it being Thanksgiving and it was kind of ironic. Schrader’s truck had stopped on the service road right next to some houses. “A little family came out and I asked them if they could use it because, obviously, there’s nothing I could do with it. They were pretty excited about getting it. Everybody has asked if I was OK, and then after that just that it was hysterical. What are the odds of that—hitting a big-ol’ turkey on Thanksgiving?”Source: www.wtsp.com Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
Towers protested a new insurance law in Toronto recently. Citynews.ca photo.
Towers say that this will limit their ability to serve customers and create longer response times, especially during the winter when one tow can take four hours. They also say they will have to raise prices if profit margins sink and won’t be able to offer discounts to customers. Sources: www.citynews.ca.
Amtrak Train Hooks Tow Truck An Amtrak train clipped a tow truck parked too close to the tracks as the train passed by in downtown Dover, N.H., on Dec. 5. According to Dover police, the tow truck had been called to tow a vehicle that had broken down in the parking lot. Sergeant Linda Anderson said the driver was not in the truck A tow truck was hooked by a passing Amtrak train when the collision and dragged in Dover, N.H. fosters.com photo. occurred. “There was a lot of damage to the truck. … It took out the railroad signal. It went right over the signal and broke it. The railroad company will be coming to replace it,” Anderson said. Anderson said there were no injuries to anyone on the train. The area was closed for about an hour. Source: www.fosters.com.
TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • 9
Check Out What’s NEW and HOT! Vulcan Third Winch Option Vulcan debuted a new third winch option to its V-70 and V-100 heavy-duty towing units in November at the American Towman Expo in Baltimore, Md. The auxiliary 22,000-lbs. planetary winch mounts to the lower side of the recovery boom with a pivoting sheave
head mounted in the underlift down boom, just below the dual sheave heads for the main winches. The auxiliary winch is equipped with 200’ of 5/8” wire rope. The winch provides increased recovery and rigging capabilities and can help stabilize and control loads.
www.MillerInd.com Number 200 on Reader Card
VTracker-Mini Recording System Eye3Mobile’s new VTracker-Mini is a compact digital invehicle recording system especially designed for the towing industry. As small as the size of a DVD case, the company said its compact and lightweight design is easy to install just about anywhere in the vehicle. Features include: • Dual SD card recording, up to two 64GB SD cards. • 360-degree installation without video loss. • Stable video recording under unstable power input. • Weather- and water-resistant. • GPS for location tracking.
www.eye3data.com Number 201 on Reader Card
Access Adds Long Version of Kit Access Tools introduced its Emergency Response Kit in a Long Case version. The kit was designed to include all of the tools and accessories needed to get into virtually any vehicle in an emergency situation; the Long Case upgrades the two-piece
Snap-N-Lock tool to the popular one-piece Quick Max long-reach tool. Along with this change comes an upgrade from the 30” Heavy Duty Carrying Case to a 54” Carrying Case that is long enough to hold all of the tools and accessories.
www.caropeningtools.com Number 202 on Reader Card
10 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Lynch Service Vehicle
A
new custom-built service vehicle from Lynch Diversified Vehicles, the Lynch Service Vehicle, was developed to serve a variety of needs within this industry. Whether in use as a mobile repair truck, crash scene cleanups, scene lighting, equipment transport or more, the versatile LSV can multi-task within most any fleet. “We custom-built this truck for the specific needs of [one tow company],” said Michael Lynch. “This unit was built specifically for his needs including Jaws of Life, two additional fuel tanks (one dirty and one clean), and a roof capable of handling severe loads. It was a natural progression to show what we can do for the towing industry. … “We received tons of positive feedback at the [American Towman Expo].” Features and options include: • Ford F-550 equipped with the low deflection rear suspension package and Powerstroke diesel engine. • 16’ body load space. • All-aluminum fully welded tubular frame.
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
• Custom locking roof access hatch in center aisle. • Class 4 receiver hitch. • Full perimeter roof rail with auxiliary work ladder. • 1,600-lbs. all-aluminum full-width lift gate. • Adjustable shelving. • Built in oxygen/acetylene tank bottle storage with onboard hose hangers. • Internal roof access ladder that stows on the ceiling. • Stainless steel workbench top. • Interior aluminum pegboard panels for tool storage. • Vanair PTO driven all-in-one power source, air compressor, battery booster and welder. • Roof-mounted quick-raise halogen adjustable worklight. • Multiple GFCI protected 120V power outlets throughout.
www.lynchtruckcenter.com www.lynchchicago.com Number 203 on Reader Card
TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • 11
Are Towers Dying Needlessly? by David Lambert
I
t’s time for a change; a new attitude; a new way of doing business regarding what services we perform on high-speed highways, interstates, turnpikes and parkways and how we perform them. If this industry can’t change, towers will continue to die at an average rate of one per week. As I write this, there have been nine towers killed in the last 10 weeks; all nine were killed beside an interstate. Industry magazines, Facebook and message boards let us know, with agonizing frequency, when another tower has been killed. The dangers associated with working beside a high-speed highway are well publicized and universally known ... but towers keep dying at an alarming rate and many of these may be preventable. So who do you think should be held liable when a tower is killed? Everyone wants to blame the driver of the vehicle who hit them and I agree; however, the root cause of the death can go beyond the actual incident and liability for the death can often be shared. In order to stop this carnage, or at least slow it down, the tower, the company owner and motor clubs must totally change how they handle service requests on interstates and turnpikes. If all three don’t abandon old ideas, towers will continue to die. So what can each do?
The Tow Boss In my mind, the heart of the solution to save lives is with the towing company owners. Every owner needs to implement and enforce policies and guidelines that allow their employee 12 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Put the customer in your truck or have them watch traffic from the safest location as you perform the service.
to perform services on interstates and turnpikes in the safest manner possible. Employees should read and acknowledge in writing that they understand these policies and guidelines. These techniques should also be taught and practiced in the yard.
Dangers associated with working beside a high-speed highway are well publicized.
If these simple steps are taken, owners can do their part to help keep their operators safer, reduce their own liability should the unthinkable happen and feel better knowing they have laid the groundwork for the operator to go home after each shift. I have some guidelines (not allinclusive, as situations and circumstances do change) that are intended to reduce exposure to traffic while out of the cab. I followed them for the last eight years as a tower on interstates and turnpikes (with very few exceptions) and I’m alive today to pass them along. 1. Provide and/or require all operators to have DOT-approved reflective clothing or vests and ensure it is worn. 2. Ensure service contracts with agencies and motor clubs allow the
Number 132 on Reader Card
Number 120 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • 13
Provide and/or require all operators to have DOT-approved reflective clothing or vests and ensure it is worn.
This may be the most dangerous situation we allow ourselves to face on a daily basis. Tire changes (depending on which side) can create the maximum exposure to traffic; severely reduces the ability to move quickly; and limits or prevents our ability to watch traffic.
Once the vehicle is winched onto the bed, the flatbed operator will secure front and rear tie-downs on the nontraffic side of the loaded vehicle then move the truck to a safe location before securing the third and fourth tie-downs on the traffic side.
14 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
operator to determine the safety measures needed in order to perform the requested services. 2. All operators, after arriving at the scene and before leaving the cab, will ensure the passenger door is unlocked, emergency lighting activated, and the PTO engaged, eliminating the need to walk on the traffic side later. 3. Flatbed operators will release the tension on the winch (or disengage it) before leaving for any service call on the interstate. This will allow the winch to be released immediately after exiting the cab. Again, this will prevent the need to walk on the traffic side of the truck later. 4. All towers will stand on the non-traffic side of the vehicles to discuss the situation and face traffic as they speak to the customer. 5. If the tower determines the location of the breakdown prevents any service, including towing, from being performed safely, they should advise the dispatcher. Local law enforcement may be requested by the dispatcher to assist in protecting the scene. 6. Depending on the location or situation, either put the customer in your truck or have them watch traffic from the safest location as you perform the service. 7. No repairs will be attempted, nor tires changed, on the side of an interstate/turnpike if the vehicle that responded can perform a tow. In cases when the vehicle cannot be towed, such as too many passengers for your truck or drive-wheel location, determine if it can be moved under its own power to a safer location before any service is performed. That distance could be just a few yards.
Owners can do their part to help keep their operators safer.
8. Use the non-traffic side control levers for flatbed or wheel lift operations. 9. When suitable, reinforced slots are available, the flatbed tower will use only one leg of the bridle and one cluster hook (T, R, or mini-J), on the non-traffic side of the disabled vehicle for winching. The tower is not to lay or kneel on the traffic side to attach the second leg of the bridle. (If a second attachment point is available on the non-traffic side, the second leg of the bridle may be attached as a safety. If axle straps are available, these may be used rather than cluster hooks.) 10. When placing the vehicle in neutral before winching, enter the non-traffic side of the disabled vehicle whenever possible. 11. Once the vehicle is winched onto the bed, the flatbed operator will secure front and rear tie-downs on the non-traffic side of the loaded vehicle then move the truck to a safe location before securing the third and fourth tie-downs on the traffic side. 12. When using the wheel lift, the operator will only attach the wheel lift; towing lights; one safety strap and one safety chain on the non-traffic side of the vehicle before moving to a safer location before attaching the second safety strap and safety chain. 13. When the disabled vehicle is in the right-side emergency lane (approximately 80 percent of the time), once the service is completed or the vehicle loaded, the tower will walk around the front of the truck, then to the driver’s door, allowing the tower to watch traffic while approaching the cab door.
Motor Clubs The motor clubs dispatch many of the service requests on interstates and turnpikes, so we need each one to alter their dispatching methods. Like everyone else in this industry, they know how dangerous it is for us to be on interstates and turnpikes. Many of the towers killed are part of their contractor networks and may be servicing their customers and members. They can be a major part of the solution. With some changes, motor clubs who are looking to improve their Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
partnership with towers can build contractor relations and reduce their own liability by retiring old ideas. 1. Provide and/or require training information for their contractor networks that emphasize the dangers of working on an interstate or turnpike. If towers were required to read and sign a list of guidelines, similar to the one above, this could be the first step. Newsletters and bulletins, which they already publish, may be another effective method of getting the message to their contractor networks. (Allstate’s Move Over campaign that spread through social media was appreciated by the vast majority of the industry.)
Towers … can’t count on Move Over laws or anyone but themselves to save their own life. 2. Dispatch all light-service requests on interstates or turnpikes as “Tows,” with the understanding that the final determination on service be determined by the tower, the company policy and/or the motor club contract. 3. Provide language in contracts that allows the network contractor the option of towing a vehicle to a safer location before performing the required service. Ensure dispatchers understand the new language. 4. If a vehicle is towed prior to performing the requested light service (flat, lockout, battery, etc.), provide payment for all the services that were performed. (Only a small percentage of service requests involve flat tires on an interstate or turnpike. There are numerous times when a “tire change” request on an interstate will result in the vehicle being towed anyway. These may be due to a vehicle having no spare; a flat spare; missing lug nut key; or, lugs on too tight. Other
light-service requests such as a lockout or successfully jumpstarting vehicles beside the highway are rare.) 6. Inform their members/customers, clients (Ford, GM, BMW, insurance companies, etc.) and their contractor network of the need for a policy change.
Operators The last part of the solution is the towers themselves. They are warned of the dangers of working on the traffic side of the truck, but they still die. We beg them to get away from traffic to talk to the customer; to use the control levers on the non-traffic side of the truck; to face traffic as much as possible. 1. Towers can’t treat a service call on a high-speed highway like any other call and they can’t count on Move Over laws or anyone but themselves to save their own life. 2. Towers should read and judge the merits of the listed suggestions and guidelines above; talk to the boss about them and how to implement them. 3. Suggest additions or changes to the list as necessary. The “Tow First” safety campaign for towers started in March 2014 and deals with some of these suggestions and guidelines. Learn more at www.thenata.com/towfirst.html. Everyone in this industry needs to re-think how we do business on interstates and turnpikes because it cannot continue to be “business as usual” anymore. If you believe we can reduce the number of names engraved on the Wall of the Fallen each year, and you, as the owner, motor club, dispatcher or tower see merit in these steps, be the leader in your company and help save lives.
David Lambert is president and lead instructor for the North American Towing Academy, providing tow operator training and certification programs to state and national associations and individual towing companies. He assisted in editing TRAA’s Level I certification program; served as chairman of the SAE Towability Committee; and was a field editor for American Towman. www.TheNATA.com.
TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • 15
Evaluate, Avoid Fatal Mistakes by Randall C. Resch
At the 2011 Wall of the Fallen ceremony, Randy Olson, Miller Industries VP and International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum board member, reads another scenario of a fallen tower whose name became part of the memorial wall. As more towers avoid “routine” thinking on the road, each year could see a smaller number of names added than the year before. Brendan Dooley photo.
W
elcome all to the New Year. Here’s hoping it’s a banner year for you to grow your business and meet your goals. I looked back at 2014’s fatalities and compared them with previous years. While towrelated fatalities for 2014 seemed down, we’re still losing towers at an unacceptable rate. I’d like to think that increased training and better tower awareness are helping save lives, but we’ve got a long, long way to go. 16 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Last September, my wife and I attended the Wall of the Fallen memorial services at the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum in Chattanooga, Tenn., where 24 towers were added to the wall. I felt honored to attend and listened intently to tributes describing the events that brought each tower’s life to an end. It was a solemn, yet clarifying, event. Attending the memorial renewed my understanding as to just
how vulnerable we towers are. There are plenty of things towers should fear in this trade. The towing and recovery industry is a dangerous vocation. Operator positioning and on-scene awareness are two safety elements we towers must learn, and then practice on every call. Responding to or working the next situation as “routine” could be a fatal mistake. It’s safe to say that no two calls are exactly alike. Your mindset might be the difference between life and death.
Tower’s Wife Killed at Crash Scene The wife of a New Port Richey, Fla., tow truck driver was hit and killed Dec. 7, 2014, while responding to the scene of a wrong-way crash. According to Florida Highway Patrol, Ward’s Towing & Budget responded to a crash involving 24-yearold Brittany Anello, who had been driving northbound in the southbound lanes of U.S. 19 when she hit three cars. Troopers say her blood alcohol content was 0.177, well over the legal limit. A short time later, the FHP says the tow truck driver’s wife, 66-year-old Denise Gajus, was walking across the street to the northbound lanes of U.S. 19, where an unrelated crash had just happened. As she was crossing the southbound lanes, she walked into the path of a car driving in the center lane and was hit. Gajus died at the scene. Source: www.wtsp.com. Number 145 on Reader Card
Number 182 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • 17
Forward Thinking
Number 151 on Reader Card
As tow operators working the world’s highways and recovery scenarios, there’s nothing more frightening than hearing screeching tires headed in your direction. An out-of-control vehicle entering your work zone never announces itself; carnage is its ultimate result. If you’re consistently staying aware of pending dangers when working calls, I salute you. Those gut feelings that you’re about to be impacted or hurt shouldn’t be ignored; gut feelings tell you that something’s wrong or about to go wrong. The simple and necessary response is to stop and evaluate. Sometimes the problem may be a nagging feeling you’ve rigged something poorly, others may be due to the speeding environment around you. How do you respond? Stop and evaluate. Whether there’s a need to re-rig somewhere, or dodge a speeding truck, paying attention to that sixth sense may only take seconds, but save a life. It’s important to know your position at all times when working recoveries or load-and-go tows. The ability to anticipate sudden bad scenarios is a skill towers must refine by considering—before it happens— what would happen if: • Winch cables snapped or separated. • Casualty or disabled vehicles roll unexpectedly. • Your tow truck’s emergency brake unexpectedly released. • The loads swing, let loose or get impacted. • Wayward vehicles enter work zones.
Fatal Considerations During winch-out procedures, the process of heavy pull may cause the tow truck to move or slide. In staying one step ahead, towers should place one foot on top of the tow truck’s rear wheel to feel if the tow truck is moving or not. In the event the tow truck were to shift or move considerably, having a foot in this position allows the tower to push away from the truck as a possible means of getting away from a truck that’s about to break loose or perhaps roll. When evaluating the recovery, consider the potential of the casualty vehicle shifting, sliding or dropping. Whenever possible, stand in locations offering the most protection if something were to go drastically wrong. Too many towers have a favorite side to work controls from and oftentimes overlook safer options. I believe the best possibility for survival during difficult load or recovery procedures is using wireless or remote-activated controls. Some tow owners think they’re pricey, but their life-saving potential is worth the cost many times over the life of a driver that could have been spared. Carrier operators should work non-traffic side controls whenever possible to decrease on-scene exposure to approaching traffic. Regardless as to what side controls you use, keep feet and legs clear from under your Number 100 on Reader Card
18 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
tow truck or carrier’s tires and lower superstructures to avoid being dragged to the ground and run over.
Different Scenes In every recovery, three basic resistances are present: Grade, Rolling and Surface. When teaching the concept of safe recovery to towers, consider these factors: Grade: Recoveries that commonly involve working up or down a hill. As grade or recovery angle increases, the dangers and complications directly impact operator safety. Rolling: A vehicle’s ability to roll freely based on the type of surface and the operational angle. Surface: All recoveries are conducted on some kind of surface; i.e., dirt, concrete, asphalt, mud, rocks, slippery boat ramp, etc. For instance, how is safety impacted by the GRS resistances when the casualty you’re sent to recover is located beyond a 40-degree slope, through a fence, beyond some mowed over small trees and lies upside down in the rocks? What dangers does the recovery scene suggest, and where are your potential escape routes? Where’s the best place to place your truck to begin? Once you’ve calculated GRS, set up your equipment, planned your potential escape routes and are ready to rig and lift, there are still more angles to consider. Cable angles. “Pay attention to the cable’s angle, especially when lifting,” my dad used to tell me. These words ring true every time I’m on a recovery. Any angle that’s not straight up and down (90 degrees from the boom’s head), the lean angle means there is potential for the load to shift and swing. If you’re standing where the load could swing toward you, you’re standing in harm’s way. It’s critically important that towers remember on-scene that no two calls or situations are the same. We towers are mere mortals who don’t know it all. For us old timers, this goes with a reminder that we’re all potential victims regardless of experience. Accidents happen in a blink of an eye and when least expected. We’re all vulner-
Ask yourself, ‘What if they’re right?’ able to mistakes, misjudgments or miscalculations. If a police officer, firefighter or other on-scene person suggests or perceives a danger, don’t arrogantly brush their suggestions off—immediately consider their comments by asking yourself, “What if they’re right?”
By remaining on high alert, towers should be able to stay out of harm’s way and return home safely. In our industry where there’s little room for error, consider every day as a day to pledge and re-confirm your individual safety, “Not me, not today.”
Randall C. Resch is a retired California police officer and has been in the towing and recovery industry for over 40 years as a tow business owner, manager, consultant and light-duty trainer. Email Randy at rreschran@aol.com.
Number 190 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • 19
Be Professional, Get Certified by Mark Lacek
“W
hat about certification anyway? Is all this training crap really necessary? I mean really, what is so difficult about hooking up to a car and towing it away. If anyone gives me a hard time, I just beat the hell out of them and go on my way.” Repossessors and consumers are losing their lives because untrained, non-certified and unlicensed “repo men” are now performing a higher percentage of repossessions across America. How could the repossession industry have changed so much during the last 10 years? This month’s column is dedicated to the consumers and/or repossessors who will die or become injured in the next few months during a repossession attempt, many due to the acts of some of the auto lenders and the forwarding companies they use. You see, changes have been made so banks can lower their cost by hiring unlicensed and untrained vendors. How can this happen? Over the last 30 years, repossessors have united through national and state associations and created certification protocols. In many states, regulation was introduced to protect both the recovery specialist and the consumer. How has the act of repossessing an automobile become more dangerous? The problem is simple economics.
The Process Let’s say lender ABC (not a real company) finances about one million automobiles a year across the country. ABC has a collection department of about 100 people. About 10 percent of ABC’s customers are delinquent, 20 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
which adds up to 100,000 customers who are behind. Each member of the collection staff has 100 delinquent accounts to manage. The entire collection staff has a list of approved repossession companies in all 50 states. This list has been used for many years and consists of repossession companies who are members of national and state associations and are certified and licensed. If a customer needs to be repossessed in Pittsburgh, Pa., the collector refers to his list of professional repossession companies in that area and the repossession assignment is sent to the professional agent. The ABC collector will communicate with the Pittsburgh repossession company until the auto is repossessed and delivered to the auction. Most often, the ABC collector has built a rapport over the years with professional repossessors across the nation. Heck, they might even
exchange Christmas or birthday cards. But wait … ABC just laid off or fired the entire collection staff. Payroll, health insurance, workmen’s comp, social security payments, IRA contributions, paid sick days, Christmas party expenses—that all adds up with 100 employees. How is ABC able to let go of 100 valuable employees and save millions per year in overhead? Let me introduce you to the repossession assignment forwarder, let’s call them XYZ (to protect the guilty). XYZ contacted ABC and claims to have a network of 1,000 professional repossessors across the country. XYZ goes on to explain that many on their list are the very same repossession agencies ABC had compiled. All ABC has to do is make one call to XYZ and they will handle assigning the account for recovery, updates and delivery. XYZ will also make the collection calls. XYZ explains that not only will ABC be able to lay off 100 staffers, XYZ will charge less for the repossession than what they have been paying with a direct relationship with the repossession company. XYZ explained they have negotiated a lower recovery fee. Now here is where it becomes dangerous. Those 1,000 “professional” repossessors XYZ claimed to have on its list isn’t exactly true. In fact, few of the repossessors ABC had on their list are on the XYZ list. Many on the XYZ list are unlicensed, non-certified and untrained “repo man” imitators. Any professionals on the list who were also on the ABC list with professional reputations have been told to lower the fees or they will not be sent any repossession assignments. These reputable
Number 191 on Reader Card
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
Number 207 on Reader Card
TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • 21
agencies were told by XYZ they will no longer be paid for ancillary services such as storage, assignment cancellations, keys, extra labor or transport to the auctions. There are now more than 100 assignment forwarders across the country, all of them making claim of using the nation’s most professional repossession agencies to recover the automobiles. These forwarders retain over half of the repossession fee, paying the repossessors half of what used to be a profitable fee. The assignment forwarders are handling more than 80 percent of repossessions. Many of these forwarders retain board member positions on the national repossession associations.
The Truth An alarming number of professional repossession agencies have closed, unable to work for the low fees paid by the forwarders. Forwarding companies assign repossessions based on the lowest fees and not the qualifications of the repossession agency. These same forwarding companies will double assign work to more than one agency in an area. This is very dangerous. Imagine attempting to repossess a car after the customer has just told a different repossessor he would shoot him if he returned. Forwarding companies are guilty of sending reposses-
sors to multiple addresses just so they can inform their client the customer has moved. The forwarder will invoice the client for this service while cancelling the assignment and paying the repossessor nothing because the car was not there. The cost of checking two, three or more addresses and come up empty-handed is staggering. Now multiply this by 20 no-pay assignments in a month. How about 50 no-pays? There are about two million repossessions a year in this country. If you are one of the “repo men” who has not been trained, please get certified. If you are unlicensed, get licensed. There are training programs available at affordable prices. Contact them, become a professional; there is much to learn. In reality, the repossession business is nothing like the so-called “reality” TV shows that are for entertainment only. The worst-case scenario if you become a professional is that the life you save might be yours. If you’re working for these assignment forAuthor Mark Lacek is a warders, charge 30+ year recovery enough to at least industry veteran and former editor of Professional make a profit and Repossessor magazine. not just to pay last Mark@commercialassetsolutions.com month’s bills.
Tower Wanted in Killings Found Dead
Number 158 on Reader Card
22 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
After shooting four people, setting off an hours-long manhunt and putting schools and residents on alert for an armed man, Jody Lee Hunt, 39, the owner J & J Towing and Repair of Westover, W. Va., was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his truck in the woods, state police said on Dec.1. Hunt was wanted in three separate shootings, state police said. Westover police said they received an emergency call and responded to a tow truck business, where they found Doug Brady, the owner, who had been shot. At another location, police found the bodies of Michael Frum, 28, and Sharon Berkshire, 39. They were at a home in Morgantown and both had been shot, according to police. Another victim, Jody Taylor, was found at a home in the same area. Berkshire filed a domestic violence case against Hunt, according to Monongalia County Circuit Court records. Court records indicated there were no protective orders currently in place for Berkshire. Source: www.newsobserver.com.
Number 147 on Reader Card
Tower Goes to Prison for Bribery
N.J. Town OKs New Tow Ordinance
A Philadelphia, Pa., tower was sentenced to a year and a half in federal prison recently for bribing a city dispatcher to gain a leg up on his competition. By paying for advance notice on the locations of accidents and disabled vehicles reported to the city’s call center, Stepfon Flowers, 24, sidestepped the city’s rotation list, and “undermined the safety of the citizens of Philadelphia,” U.S. District Judge Eduardo Robreno said. Philadelphia’s rotation was implemented in 2011 to distribute business among Philadelphia’s licensed towers after a series of high-profile incidents of wreck chasing, price gouging and violent encounters between competing tow truck drivers. Flowers was able to avoid the competition with weekly bribes of $100 or more to dispatcher Dorian Parsley over two years in a scheme they cooked up while attending truck driving school. In all, Parsley collected more than $15,000 from Flowers, prosecutors said. Parsley was sentenced to a year and two months in prison last month. Within the last three years, Flowers has twice faced state charges of theft, forgery, and receiving stolen property. Additionally, the state has suspended Flowers’ driver ’s license seven times since 2009 in connection with 62 citations. And while other defendants in the case have used their chance to address the judge to seek mercy in sentencing, Flowers tried to convince Robreno that his license was not currently suspended. Flowers continues to work as a tower. Prosecutors contend that state databases still show Flowers shouldn’t be driving. “That exhibits a level of recklessness that is really quite startling,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin R. Brenner. “It demonstrates a lack of respect for the law.” Source: www.philly.com.
The Bergen County (N.J.) Freeholders gave final approval in November to an ordinance that changes the way that county law enforcement assigns tow truck operators to remove and store abandoned, disabled and illegally parked vehicles. In the past, the county sought bids from companies competing for the contract to tow all vehicles. But county officials say that method was “unwieldy, inefficient and subject to abuse.” Under the new system, the county will license any tow company that meets the standards and conditions detailed in the ordinance. Those operators will then take turns, one week at a time, in up to five different regions of the county. “A lot of us have worked very hard on this,” Freeholder Chairman David Ganz said prior to the unanimous vote of adoption. He said the old system was not working: “The people who were in need of a tow thought it was like the Wild West,” he said. The new system will give the county more control, he added. Among the requirements imposed: Towing companies must be able to respond within 20 minutes of any lawenforcement call for service within their region, must carry insurance policies of up to $3 million for accidents involving more than one driver and undergo criminal background checks. No one with a felony conviction will be allowed to do towing work. County elected officials or county law enforcement or their immediate family members are prohibited from owning all or any part of a licensed tow company. The ordinance also sets rates, from $150 for vehicles under 6,000 lbs. to $450 for tractor-trailers. Storage fees vary from $35 per day for outdoor storage of the smallest vehicles to $100 per day for the largest vehicles.
24 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Companies can charge $75 for jump-starts, lockouts, tire changes or $75 plus fuel costs for vehicles that run out of gas. The ordinance does not apply to tow operators who are hired by private vehicle owners when the tow is not requested by county law enforcement. The county will charge a fee of $1,200 for a license to tow in one region and $1,000 for each additional region license. Violations of the ordinance are subject to fines of up to $2,000 plus a maximum of 90 days in jail at the discretion of a municipal court. Source: www.northjersey.com.
Probation for Tow Company Owner Patsy Santa Maria Sr., owner of Pat’s Service Center & Towing in Worcester, Mass., was placed on probation in December after being found guilty in connection with what prosecutors said was an aborted plot to bribe a witness in his son’s assault trial last year. Santa Maria, 72, was placed on probation until Nov. 24, 2015, after admitting to sufficient facts for guilty findings on charges of witness intimidation, attempted subornation of perjury and two counts of conspiracy. Santa Maria was arrested on the charges in 2013, after he allegedly offered to pay up to $25,000 to a witness in the trial of his son, Patsy Santa Maria Jr., to “tweak” his testimony. Santa Maria Jr. was tried in Worcester Superior Court last year on assault charges in what prosecutors said was the unprovoked 2011 beating of another man at his father’s towing company. After his father was arrested, Santa Maria Jr. pleaded guilty to the assault charges and was placed on probation with a suspended jail sentence. The city of Worcester later terminated its towing contract with Pat’s. Source: www.telegram.com.
Number 159 on Reader Card
Number 199 on Reader Card
Towman David vs. Goliath
of the
Year by Brendan Dooley
Bill Johnson
28 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
T
he phone rings, but not with a service request. It’s worse than an unhappy customer or antsy police dispatcher looking for an ETA update. Every tow boss out there knows the feeling when it’s an insurance adjuster—or worse yet, company lawyer—looking to box a few rounds on a recent invoice. They throw around words like fraud, dishonest, scam and worse to put you on your heels. Then they get mean. They threaten your livelihood and say they’ll be complaining to the municipalities you work for, alleging you don’t operate a reputable business. It feels like a modern-day David vs. Goliath fight. The insurance companies rake in billions of dollars each year, and have millions to spend getting you to lower any given bill a few thousand (or even hundred) bucks. Never mind their CEO makes more each year than your company grosses. (And he’s not out on the road at 3:30 a.m. in the deep cold of winter, feeling the freezing blast of semis cruising past). Is there any hope? One tower proves that, yes, you can take steps to best the insurance companies and the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Bill Johnson, owner of Hampshire Towing and Amber Scene Clean in South Hadley, Mass., fought back when the NICB cost his company one of its municipal contracts. He’s since regained that contract and is now working to help the industry with what he’s learned. It’s that fight, his desire to help others, and his bold leadership facing the NICB that makes Johnson American Towman’s 2015 Towman of the Year.
Scene Cleanup Johnson’s insurance fight began in July 2010 when he started Amber Scene Clean, his company for environmental cleanup at accident scenes. In 2005, the federal Environmental Protection Agency added fluids from motor vehicle accidents to its definition of “illicit discharges,” fluids prohibited from going into groundwater and storm water systems. “While these fluids at a scene are not necessarily reportable to EPA, that Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
doesn’t mean they’re ignorable,” Johnson said. “There’s a lot I’ve learned in my research on this—one quart of waste oil can pollute between 250,000 to 500,000 gallons of ground water. “It’s important that these fluids get picked up. … In Massachusetts, these fluids need to be containerized and treated as hazardous waste and it becomes a hazardous material; the insurance companies were all confused about that.” If a vehicle is leaking fluid, the company puts it into a containment bay at the shop to drain and contain the offending fluids, and then labels the vehicle before releasing it to the general population in the yard so it doesn’t pollute Hampshire Towing’s property. As with any hazardous material, the company becomes liable from cradle to grave for it.
We are in Massachusetts, but the Salem witch trials were 400 years ago. As a pioneer into the accident cleanup segment of the business, Johnson has sought to help other companies expand in the same way. He’s shared his knowledge and experiences with Amber Scene Clean directly with towers in seminars he and John Borowski have presented over the past four years at the AT Expos in Baltimore, Md., San Antonio, Texas, and Las Vegas, Nev. Borowski has been with him from the start in the creation and management of Amber Scene Clean. “I truly believe, five years from now, what we’re doing is going to be considered the norm,” said Johnson. “It’s not just the environment, but other liabilities like accidents that could result from slick spots due to spills, like another vehicle accident, motorcycle sliding or pedestrian slipping and falling. … If towers ignore those spilled fluids, who’s getting sued? “Historically, these fluids were left
alone or the fire department would take care of it and wash it off the roadway. You can’t do that any more.” The insurance industry’s attitude seemed to be that’s all fine and good … as long as they didn’t have to pay for it. “What really frustrates me is I sent all that information to the insurance companies prior and told them what I was doing,” Johnson said. “I’ve shown them what we’re doing, and it’s more than just a roadway cleanup. “The insurance industry was very resistant to paying the bills,” he said. Then they filed state complaints in Massachusetts with the Department of Public Utilities, the state Attorney General’s office and the Division of Insurance. Johnson said there were long volleys of correspondence going back and forth, but Hampshire Towing eventually won with the state agencies and proved his environmental remediation was legal and warranted. “So I was vetted by [the state agencies], I had documentation from the EPA that showed this cleanup had to be done,” Johnson said. “What started in July 2010 was finished by the spring of 2012. “I had proved my point we were doing nothing wrong in every avenue,” he said. “Their next plan of attack was going to the municipalities. … They thought they could get to me at the state level. When they couldn’t, they started a ground war at the local level.”
Local Fight After the state fight failed, when the NICB turned to the local level to hurt Johnson’s business, they began calling the mayors and police chiefs that had contracts with Hampshire Towing. “Then the NICB started calling municipalities that I towed for saying that ‘Hampshire Towing/Amber Scene Clean was being investigated for insurance fraud, overcharging,’ and a laundry list of other offenses. When, in fact, I wasn’t doing anything wrong,” Johnson said. Unfortunately, the allegations gained traction in one community that was transitioning its mayor and police TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • 29
chief. His contract there wasn’t renewed. He was able to salvage and keep other contracts by explaining the situation to different police chiefs. After the one contract wasn’t renewed, all contact stopped. There was no criminal investigation by a law-making authority, just NICB allegations. “The employees are called ‘special agents,’ but we don’t know under what authority,” Johnson said. “Calling a police department sounds more authoritative when it comes from a ‘special agent’ of the National Insurance Crime Bureau. “As soon as the NICB ‘special agent’ got an email from the captain saying we were no longer on the rotation list, all contact stopped between the NICB and [that] police department. All contact stopped,” Johnson said. “The NICB never called the owners of the vehicle involved in the accident, never called any of my employees or me about the accident—yet they said they had an ‘investigation.’ “We are in Massachusetts, but the Salem witch trials were 400 years ago. The insurance industry, cooperating through the NICB, was the accuser, judge and jury. “(Insurance companies) use the NICB as a lever to keep prices suppressed. I’ve talked to some attorneys who handle a lot of tow cases who said
Separate from STA Bill Johnson has been president of the Statewide Towing Association of Massachusetts for nearly a dozen years. In a state that regulates all non-consensual tow rates, it’s a position that has an impact on all Massachusetts tow companies. The last rate increase the state mandated was hard fought for by Johnson and other STA board members. Johnson has the respect and support of Mass. tow bosses. Yet he did not involve the organization in his insurance fight. Why? “I try to keep my private issues separate from the association’s issues,” he said. That’s a tough call when your business is encountering issues that could, or do, affect other tow businesses. However, through seminars at the American Towman Expos, the website www.tracinsuranceabuse.com, and in other ways, he is staying involved in keeping other tow bosses informed.
when they are trying to negotiate bills, the insurance company attorney or adjustor will say, ‘Well, we’ll have to talk to the municipality to file a complaint about this bill.’ They use it like a hammer to keep guys in check.
Bill Johnson speaks at the 2014 American Towman Expo’s Captains of Industry dinner about his insurance fight.
30 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
“When you do the work and submit a proper invoice, and the insurance company threatens all kinds of action, many companies, especially smaller ones, feel they have no place to go and agree to drop items and reduce the bill. Not only does the insurance company win that round, but once you cave on an item once, they’ve got you.” Johnson wouldn’t cave. “My companies were following the law, and the insurance companies were penalizing us because we created a line item that they didn’t like. In my opinion, that was the crux of the matter. “It was very frustrating,” Johnson said. “Once I proved to the mayor and new police chief that we were in the right, they did put us back on—to the new mayor’s credit. So there is a happy ending on that side of the story.”
Tracking Back Johnson is not content to have just earned back that contract; he has also started a website to help towers track insurance abuse of this industry. The site, www.tracinsuranceabuse.com, is an extension of the Towing, Repair and Collision-Political Action Committee dedicated to collecting and centralizing a database of insurance abuses. “I’ve seen evidence online where I’m not the only company NICB has done this to with false accusations to try and keep prices down and keep people inline to what they want,” Johnson said. “If I start seeing on there other towers saying, ‘Yeah, XYZ insurance company is complaining to my municipality about a bill,’ I want to follow that and see if we can establish which insurance companies are doing what. “When I started doing my research for the lawsuit against NICB, I couldn’t find any central database for the towing, repair and collision industry to gather the abuses that the industry is doing to our segment of the business. The insurance industry has NICB, and 24 states have an Insurance Fraud Bureau (including Massachusetts) paid for by the insurance companies.
Johnson’s insurance fight began when he opened Amber Scene Clean to tackle the “illicit discharge” fluids at some accident scenes.
“I’ve been in this industry now 3536 years, and I did not realize the type of misinformation the NICB and insurance industry is putting out there,” he said. “They paint with a broad brush to give the illusion that most towers and owners are bad guys out to get easy money. I believe this is a small segment of the business where the majority of towers are good, hard-working people who will go out of their way to help people.
If towers ignore those spilled fluids, who’s getting sued? “With this site, we can track abuses by insurance companies and see if there are any patterns relating from insurance to towing and collision.” Johnson has also changed how he’s fighting back on a case-by-case basis by instituting a new complaint process, especially for insurance industry objections: Everything must be in writing. “The insurance companies are quick with double-speak and a lot of
innuendo, and I’ve started telling them they need to put it in writing; they don’t like putting stuff in writing. It has helped,” Johnson said. “When an insurance company calls up to complain, I send them the complaint policy that says I do not accept verbal complaints and I need the complaint in writing. If they then send in a vague complaint, I send out another form asking them to be more specific about what state codes I’ve violated and list it. “It works—they don’t know what to do.” For Johnson, ultimately, it comes down to hard work—doing what needs to be done, and getting paid for what you did. “My philosophy as a tower is if you want to get paid like a professional, you act like a professional,” Johnson said. “When you write a bill, you need to do a proper narrative (not for simple tow calls), that relates to what you did. And always be fair, reasonable and consistent on your tow bills.” Editor’s Note: This story is based on Bill Johnson’s address at the Captains of Industry Conference on Nov. 20, 2014, and a follow-up phone interview on Dec. 4. Number 121 on Reader
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TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • 31
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Number 177 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • 35
Plowed and
Broken by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti
B
eaulieu’s Garage & Body Shop in Caribou, Maine, is located in Aroostook County, the largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi River. They have been towing for 70-plus years and have seen more than their share of tough winters. Jeff Robertson is the president of the company started by his grandfather in 1941; his
36 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Plow Recoveries Start Early in Maine
Limestone municipal plow truck on its side with busted rear axles after a busy day.
sons Dan and Sam represent the fourth generation of the family business and now run the company. Being the most northern county in the continental U.S., it gets cold in Aroostook and the heavy snows and freezing temperatures keep the plow trucks and wreckers busy. When one of the plows goes into a ditch, the Beaulieu’s crew is always on-call to handle the recovery. October may seem early in some areas of the country for plows to be out, but not this far north. Last October, the nearby Limestone utilities department called Beaulieu’s to recover a plow truck—business as usual for Beaulieu’s crew. Limestone is another small town in Aroostook County. “The truck had been busy plowing that day, until the rear axles were tore out from under the truck Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
Location of Limestone in Aroostook County, Maine.
TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • 37
The town’s backhoe puts the rear axles back under the truck to be chained.
during the accident” Dan said. “They tried to upright it prior to us being called, but weren’t able to.” Beaulieu’s responded with their Western Star/Holmes 750 and their 2006 Chevy 6500 with a 2008 B&B 14-ton integrated wrecker on the business end. Dan went to supervise the scene, operator John Rossignol ran the B&B and Sam ran the Holmes 750 with help finessing it from Andy Dodd. The road was slick with ice and the plow slid off the road into the ditch. “The dump box on this plow was loaded with salt/sand and top heavy. It landed in the ditch on its right side,” Dan said. “We used the town’s backhoe to put the rear axles back under the truck and chained them in place prior to the recovery. We were shoveling out the dump body by hand until the backhoe arrived, which made quick work of the remaining payload.” After the load was emptied, they positioned the wreckers to prepare to rig. They aligned both wreckers across the roadway with the business ends facing the rolled over plow truck. 38 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Close-up view of rear axles.
The box is emptied of its load prior to lifting.
The Holmes 750’s rigging to the front of the plow truck.
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TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • 39
Both heavies were staged on an angle. The B&B was positioned sideways across the road and rigged to the dump box. The Holmes 750 was staged and rigged to the front of the plow truck to winch it out of the ditch. “Pigeon-toeing down to the stiff legs on the 750 and lower D-rings on the B&B, we were able to get it up and back on its wheels,” Dan said. “Once the plow truck was out of the ditch, on the road, and back on its wheels, it couldn’t be driven away on its own power due to the busted rear axle, so we towed it to their garage in Limestone. “As we in this industry know, it’s usually feast or famine. We did a nice little job on this municipal plow. I’m happy we could be of service to them when an accident like this happens. I give these plow drivers a lot of credit, because they are responsible for keeping the roads cleared and work very hard day and night.” It was another successful plow recovery by the Beaulieu’s crew and surely not the last for this winter.
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.
A close-up view of how the Holmes 750 was rigged to the front of the plow truck.
Back on its wheels, the plow truck is prepared for towing.
40 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Number 149 on Reader Card
Synthetic Straps Add Flexibility On-Scene
by Terry Abejuela
W
hen synthetic straps were first introduced in towing and recovery, many towers were reluctant to use them. Chains had been doing the job satisfactorily since the invention of the tow truck. Many towers were concerned about cuts and abrasion damage, as well as chemical and UV exposure. Yet, some towers led the way as they realized that the benefits outweighed the concerns and found ways to apply synthetic straps on the job. Synthetic straps have evolved and become an invaluable tool for towing and recovery. They are used on every type of towing and transport with a multitude of applications. Synthetic straps used in this industry are usually made of nylon or polyester. They can be produced in almost unlimited configurations and custommade for specific applications. Common types in towing and recovery are flat straps, round slings, metal eyes, bridles, coated, reinforced eye, various widths, single ply and double ply.
Inspection Basic inspections should be performed on all synthetic straps including initial, frequent and periodic inspections. The initial inspection should be performed upon first receiving the strap. Make sure the strap is the correct configuration, undamaged and meets the requirements of your intended use. If there is any doubt as to the ability of the strap to safely perform, it should not be placed in service until inspected and approved by a qualified person. 42 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Types of synthetic straps in towing include the 1” x 6’ (blue) strap for securing a steering wheel, 4" x 20’ (coiled) recovery strap, basic recovery strap (yellow), round sling (purple), 2” with metal ring (yellow) wheel-lift tire strap, velcro wear protector (gray).
A frequent inspection of the strap should be performed daily in normal service and before each use in severe applications. Damage to most synthetic straps can be detected through visual inspection. When conducting a visual inspection, check the full length of the strap closely looking for: • Missing or eligible rating tag. • Chemical burns. • Melting or charring. • Holes, cuts, tears or snags. • Broken or worn stitching. • Signs of abrasion damage. • Discoloration and brittle/stiff areas. • Any conditions that cause any doubt or concern. On endless loops there could be
damage that is not visible. In addition to a visual inspection on these straps, you should also feel along the full length of the strap for signs of internal damage to the load-bearing yarns. The covers on a round sling are loose-fitting over the load-bearing yarn. If the cover becomes tight, this can be an indication of damage; the round sling should be removed from service for a qualified inspection. Another method of determining damage to the load-bearing yarns is to install a large fiber that sticks through the cover. When the large fiber disappears, it is an indication that there is damage, as this large fiber is designed to disappear before failure of the loadbearing yarns. I highly recommend
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TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • 43
Basket hitch. Vertical hitch.
Load Limits this fast check method on round slings. A qualified party, someone who doesn’t conduct the frequent inspection, should perform periodic inspection of the strap. In most cases this means an inspection by a qualified person from the manufacturer or distributor of the equipment. The periodic inspection is not commonly performed in towing, but is required in many other industries where straps are used in overhead support of loads or lifting of people. (Some might consider it overkill, however I would recommend that towers utilize this inspection to reduce the potential for equipment failure.)
Synthetic straps should not be used unless there is a legible ratings tag attached to the strap. These tags will contain important load rating information that tow operators must utilize. The tag will include the working load limit for three basic hitches including the vertical, choker and basket hitch. The WLL is different based on which hitch you apply. In a vertical hitch, one end of the strap is placed on the pulling attachment and the load is attached to the opposite end. The ratings tag will usually show the working load limit for this hitch first. With a choker hitch, one end of the
Ratings tag on a round sling includes working load limits if used in vertical, choker and basket hitches.
44 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Choker hitch.
strap passes around the load, through the eye at the other end of the strap and is placed on the pulling attachment. The choker hitch is generally the hitch with the least capacity because the chock point on the strap creates a weak link. The choker hitch will reduce the WLL of the vertical hitch rating approximately 20 percent. The WLL of a choker hitch will be further reduced by the angle of the choke. The smaller the choke angle, the more the WLL will be reduced. The manufacturer provides a chart to determine the WLL of a choker hitch at various choke angles, but it is not usually printed on the ratings tag. You can get this chart from the manufacturer of the strap and keep a copy in your truck for reference. When utilizing a choker hitch the choke point should be on the body of the strap and not on the fitting, base of the fitting or rating tag. A basket hitch cradles the load and both ends of the strap are placed on a pulling attachment. If the legs of the strap are parallel with each other, the WLL of the basket hitch would be twice that of the vertical hitch rating. The WLL of the basket hitch will be reduced with the reduction of the sling to load angle. There are two charts available, one is the sling-angle reduction factor and the other is the increased tension or effective weight of the load chart. The sling-to-angle reduction chart uses the rating for the
Number 126 on Reader Card
A recovery strap used with a velcro wear protector.
strap and provides you a reduction factor multiplier. The increased tension/effective weight of load chart provides a tension multiplier for various sling-to-load angles. I recommend that you print a copy of the sling-toload angle chart to keep in the truck for reference. To utilize synthetic straps safely and effectively you must use precautions to avoid damage. Protect straps from cuts or damage from corners, protrusions or contact with edges that are not smooth or well rounded. Commercially available products such as
wear pads and corner protectors are recommended by strap manufacturers. The size of the edge radii of the load must be adequately large to be suitable for contact with an unprotected synthetic strap. If you are unsure—protect the strap. Wear pads and reinforced eyes on straps will help protect straps from abrasion damage. Avoid strap contact with abrasive surfaces. Synthetic straps can be coated to protect them from chemical and UV exposure. Store straps in a cool, dry and dark place when not in use. Keep
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46 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
straps free of dirt and foreign materials. Most straps can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Make sure to rinse the strap thoroughly and allow to dry completely before placing back into service or storage. Most manufacturers do not recommend machine washing. Check with the manufacturer for proper cleaning procedures.
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 - January 2015 • 47
B/A Products Revamps Website B/A Products Co. has launched its new and improved website (www.baprod.com). The site works well with almost all new devices and allows the user to easily navigate products by category or search feature. Download the latest catalog, check specs and usage section, or look for inuse product videos coming soon
N.Y. Towers Fighting Proposed Change Towing companies in the town of Ulster, N.Y., are asking the city’s board to reconsider parts of a proposed towing law that could drive up insurance costs. Revisions to the law would require tow truck operators to carry a minimum of $1 million in personal liability insurance and $150,000 in coverage for property damage.
“I’m not in support ... of the rider or endorsement of the insurance policy,” Tim Halpin, of Tim’s Automotive, told the board recently. “One of the proposed changes is that the town ... and its agents or employees be covered under our insurance policy,” Halpin said. He said the change would increase his insurance premium by $100 per year but not provide any additional benefits. “I have a $3 million umbrella [insurance policy] which completely encompasses what the rider is intended to do,” he said. “So basically, it’s a redundancy of insurance that doesn’t need to be there. The only thing that it’s going to generate is an extra $100 cost from a small business person.” Halpin said he supports the proposed increase in the town’s application fee, from $100 to $250 to be on the police department’s roster of tow truck operators.
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48 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Other requirements in the proposed law include having tow truck operators either own a repair shop or provide the town with the name of the shop they work with; maintaining a 24-hour answering system to accept calls for service; and owning both a conventional tow truck and a flatbed tow truck. The proposal was scheduled for a public hearing at press time. Source: www.dailyfreeman.com.
Talbert Adds Western Sales Manager Talbert Manufacturing (www.talbertmfg.com) hired B. Ross McKenzie as its new west region sales manager to work directly with Talbert dealers in the western U.S. and Canada to help them market, spec, customize and sell trailers that meet customer needs. He brings 28 years of experience in the equipment, trailer and sales industries to his new role.
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TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • 49
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robertyoungtrucks.com Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • 51
hard to make it look like a factorybuilt unit and I believe we were successful.” A Cummins diesel mated to an Allison five-speed automatic transmission with a two-speed transfer case powers Brutus. Thomas Towing uses this oversized wrecker to pull stranded drivers from deep beach sand. Tom said that his team handles hundreds of tow calls over the holiday weekends. “A lot of people think that cars with all-wheel drive can go anywhere these big trucks that are four-wheel drive can go … they can’t,” said Toby. “We’re out on the beach at the request of the police department to make sure traffic keeps moving and so that everybody can get on and off the beach.” Toby said the best sand rescue so far was a monster truck with a broken part. “I can and have lifted and towed Ford Excursions off the beach with
Beach Brutus
Brutus, but the monster truck with the 60-inch tires was probably one of the coolest things we’ve towed ever,” he said. “Whether it’s sand, mud holes, swamps, or wherever and whatever the off-road scenario is, I know if I get hooked to the casualty it’s coming out. Brutus is the biggest off-road recovery truck in southeastern North Carolina and possibly the entire East Coast.
Tech Highlights Chassis: 1986 AM General 5-ton special conversion. Wrecker : Challenger 10-ton. Engine: Cummins diesel. Trans: Allison 5-speed auto with a two-speed transfer. Winches: Two 10,000-lbs. rear, 20,000-lbs. drag up front. Built: In house. Paint: In house.
Brutus is 9’ tall, nearly 8’ wide, and weighs more than 13,000 lbs. by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti
T
homas Towing & Transport in Wilmington, N.C., is a family business started by Thomas L. Toby in 2010. Tom has been a fulltime firefighter for 24 years and had been towing part-time for 15 years; he saw an opportunity to open his own towing company and took it, and operates the company with other off-duty firefighters. The company works directly with most local police departments and the Highway Patrol and handles lightduty towing, classic/custom/hot rod/exotics and motorcycle towing, and recoveries of all kinds. All operators are highly trained and certified rigging experts. They also offer offroad recovery. Being located close to several well-known beaches that allow vehicles on the sand, Tom has a few
52 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
specialty-built units to handle these calls. He started with a 1999 Dodge 3500 4x4 with a Century 301 wrecker reengineered to make it more beachfriendly on 35” tires. It has a 12,000-lbs. winch in front. It is a workhorse wrecker, but he needed something bigger to handle heavier vehicles. So he came up with an idea and went to the bank for a loan to start the build. “The banker thought I was nuts when I asked to borrow money to build a wrecker that doesn’t exist,” Toby said. “The police department stepped up and told the bank that they needed us to have this wrecker to keep beach traffic moving … it got a green light.” Just in time for the Labor Day weekend in 2013, Thomas Towing
completed their extreme off-road wrecker “Brutus.” Toby said the truck was an old military vehicle that he converted with the help of his firefighter and church friends. According to Toby, Brutus is 9’ tall, nearly 8’ wide, and weighs more than 13,000 lbs. Brutus started as a 1986 AM General 5-ton six-wheel drive truck— Toby and friends converted it from the 6x6 military unit to this extreme 4x4 off-road beach recovery unit. They added a Challenger 10-ton wrecker bed with two 10,000-lbs. winches on the back end and a 20,000lbs. drag winch up front to handle any and all pulling chores. “We did everything in-house, all fabrication, welding, fitting, cutting, painting, and a friend helped with the hydraulics,” Toby said. “We tried very
Brutus started as a 1986 AM General 5-ton six-wheel-drive truck and was converted to this 4x4 offroad beach recovery unit with a Challenger 10-ton wrecker bed.
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • 53
Responders of Spontaneity by Steve Calitri
P
hilosopher Alfred Whitehead based his life's work on the observation that the nature of the world, society included, was always moving away from chaos toward more order. You can see evidence of that on a city street where cars proceed forward on the right side of the road, and lights hanging overhead along with rules of the road put order into traffic. You can see it in a game, any game, where every action is choreographed to a function. A football team doesn’t take the pigskin and run helter skelter to the goal line. The team has to line up, and on command move in prescribed ways. There’s nothing more spontaneous in this world than an accident of any kind, and so it is with a car or truck accident: a collision on the road or a driver losing control of the vehicle and crashing off the road. Towers know the endless ways that vehicles get into accidents, and the countless aftermaths of what we call the incident scene. No other profession deals with the fallout from spontaneity like towers do. Most people go to work each day knowing exactly what they’ll be doing, what they’ll be dealing with. There is little of the element of surprise. Towers on the other hand proceed through the day and night like warriors making their way through a force field of surprises. The goal of each mission, or call, is to bring order back to the roads and to the people involved in the accidents. Often enough, the tower is like Indiana Jones running into one physical threat after another, such is the diversity and the elements of risk in towing and recovery. From the dispatcher to the tow operator, working the minefields of spontaneity keep it always interesting. On the one hand, there is something fascinating about order of any kind,
54 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
whether the order we detect is in the laws of nature, the habits of one’s character, the spectacle of a marching parade. On the other hand, there is something beautiful and precious about spontaneity, as in the difference between a herd of wild horses and the Kentucky Derby. Ironically, towers love spontaneity and are the ones trying to fix its consequences. You could see evidence of their love of random collisions at several of the events at the recent American Towman Exposition in Baltimore; from the chance encounters at the Hard Rock Cafe (Bull & Pig Roast–Miller Rocks) and the smoker at Luckie’s Tavern, all full of surprising words, unexpected faces, and new people; surprising exhibits on the show floor and running into familiar faces at every turn, occasionally striking up a conversation with a tower from Timbuktu. The spontaneity in human nature manifests itself in many ways. You can see the spirit of it in the American Wrecker Pageant with marvelous graphics portraying everything from death to circus scenes. A walk through this gathering of 67 wreckers was indeed surprising. The Best of Show winner was certainly a surprise, a representative of the Pageant’s newest class, “Support/Service Trucks.” From the marching band dressed in red at the Exposition’s Grand Opening to a moment of walking into an area where there were two musician’s playing and singing a song or to the baffling trick of a magician, things that were planned somehow lent to the air of spontaneity. Maybe it was not knowing when one’s cellphone would ring from back home, or when it did. Maybe it was the sense that this Exposition full of attractions and events was never ending … or that the ending seemed so sudden.
At the American Towman Expo in Baltimore, Md., American Towman TV’s Emily Oz caught up with many towers and exhibitors for their impressions of the show. Among them, Jamie Davis of cable TV’s “Highway Thru Hell” really enjoyed his first Baltimore show. “This show is so big, all indoors; I’m taken aback by how much is actually here … It opens up your eyes,” he told Emily on a break from signing autographs in the Miller Industries booth. See that and footage from the show on TIW’s ATTV page. On the Operations page, Editor Randall Resch gave advice on bad employees and the damage they can do company-wide when left untreated. Don’t increase your risk in favor of one sub-par performer. That risk could be on the road with your equipment and customers or internally with the morale of other employees. Like Hannibal’s elephants crossing the Alps, Aaron Connor is growing his fleet in Plains, Va., with the elephant logo of the Crimson Tide footballers in Alabama. George Nitti profiles their design choice in Tow Illustrated. Each week of TIW features new equipment on the Product page. In the weeks after the AT Expo, debut items from the show floor like the Lynch Service Vehicle and a new third-winch option for Vulcan’s V-70 and V-100 were profiled. Repo Times found some more occasions where upset debtors took out their frustrations, incorrectly, on the repo agent and wound up in worse shape when the law got involved. For all this and so much more, you’ve got to see Tow Industry Week … every week.
Man Arrested Interfering With Repo A Pocatello, Idaho, man was arrested Dec. 8 after he attempted to intervene in a vehicle repossession. According to police, Anthony Gene Norman, 30, threatened a wrecker driver with a handgun and a baseball bat while the driver was attempting to repossess his girlfriend’s truck. Norman was arrested and held in jail on charges of aggravated assault. Source: www.localnews8.com.
‘Operation Repo’ Star Stops Suspect Reality TV star Lou Pizarro of “Operation Repo” made headlines in December after he stopped a carjacker who led police on a high-speed pursuit and later attempted to flee on a skateboard and foot in Van Nuys, Calif. Pizarro happened to be in the right place at the right time, pinning the suspect against a fence with his truck, allowing police to catch up and arrest the suspect. “It was kind of wild how I just kind of just drove right into that situation,” he said. “I see this helicopter really low to the ground … then I see this knucklehead in his car rear-end this lady. [He] gets out of the car, there’s cops everywhere, he just bolts out running.” Pizarro said it was “just instinct” that he acted on in helping to apprehend the carjacker. Source: http://kearth101.cbslocal.com.
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Phoenix USA 2015 Catalog Available Phoenix USA’s 2015 product catalog is now available (view it online at http://joom.ag/YnAb). It features decorative wheel products, storage solutions and lighting accessories for the towing, utility, trailer, service truck and other vehicle markets. New products from Phoenix (www.phoenixusa.com) include 16gauge galvanized-steel service body drawers, high-intensity square and round LED worklights and more. Number 184 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic Side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • NORTH 55
Fighting Stereotypes by Don Archer
The customer didn’t know what to expect, but was happy to buy a new battery based on our customer service—after it was diagnosed that a simple loose wire was the main culprit.
Educate the Customer to Combat Negative Images
O
ur towing business has been around for more than 55 years; same name, same town, same logo on the trucks. Everybody knows who we are and what we do. Everybody except Rita—she didn’t know who we were. Rita found our number on Google; she searched “tow truck” and our number popped up. Our brand is strong, it’s synonymous with tow truck here in Mid-Missouri, but that didn’t matter to Rita. All she cared
about was that her car wouldn’t start. Rita wasn’t a traveler who became stranded in our city—she’s lived here for more than eight years. She’s a 30something professional who’s never called for a tow truck before. Oh sure she’s had car problems in the past, but for a multitude of reasons a tow truck wasn’t considered part of the solution before today. Rita found herself stranded in a restaurant parking lot. Her husband was out of town on business, she
NORTH 56 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
needed to leave town that afternoon also and didn’t want to worry about her car while traveling so, “against her better judgment,” she decided to call a tow truck. I answered the phone, got all the information and suggested we bring out the battery tester and a battery since, from the description of the problem, it sounded like a plausible solution. She was happy to have her battery tested, but needed to ask her husband before purchasing a battery. I
told her that she was under no obligation to purchase a battery so she agreed to have us test it. Rick, our operator, arrived within 15 minutes, and identified the problem immediately—a loose battery cable. He tightened the cable and the car started. Rita was impressed with the service and decided to purchase the battery anyway since her 2010 car had a three-year-old battery. An hour later, Rita called back to thank us and to tell me that Rick did a great job. She told me that she had never called a tow truck before for fear of the unknown. She didn’t know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised with not only the service, but the ease of doing business with us. After the phone conversation I wondered why she hadn’t considered calling a tow truck before today. Then it came to me. We are so immersed in our own world that we find it hard to understand how someone would not know what to expect when calling for a tow truck. We see our job as cut and dry,
we tow cars from their breakdown location to their destination; how hard is that? But think about what the general public sees on television and in the movies about towers.
She didn’t know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. The 1987 movie “Adventures in Babysitting” was the first time I was exposed to the towing industry. When the huge scary-looking tow truck driver pulled a revolver from his jump suit and said “Please …” while responding to an obvious threat to his livelihood, I decided right then to do whatever I could to avoid the need to call for a tow truck. Then there are the “reality” TV shows that depict operators in the recovery industry as intimidating fig-
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ures you wouldn’t want to meet in a darkened passageway. With every other word bleeped out and the fighting that goes on, it’s no wonder motorists do everything possible to avoid making that call. But short of shooting and directing your own reality show, how do you crush those stereotypes? The first step is to realize that your brand doesn’t matter; what matters is the customer’s perception of the type of service they’ll receive. When you begin to educate your customers on your own hows and whys, you begin to remove the barriers that keep them from calling. Editor’s note: This story originally ran on AT’s sister site, towindustryweek.com, which features industry news, training, recoveries, new products and more. Don’t miss out—make sure to check it out each week.
Don Archer lives and works in Jefferson City, Mo., where he and his wife, Brenda, own and operate Broadway Wrecker, a 12-truck operation that’s been in business since the 1950s. Email him at don@broadwaywrecker.com..
TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • NORTH 57
Wind Tangles Tow Truck A sudden gust of wind got a tow truck tangled up in some wires in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Dec. 7. The accident happened near the Corpus Christi International Airport. Police said a gust of wind pushed the tow truck into the median, and it got tangled in the cable system that’s used as a highway divider. No one was hurt in that crash, but the tower was taken to the hospital with unknown injuries. Crews from Texas DOT had to be called out to help get the truck untangled. Source: www.kristv.com.
Murray Rude Passes Away The industry lost one of its most colorful characters on Nov. 26. Murray Rude, long-time New York towing professional and industry advocate, died of a massive heart attack. He was 87. Rude owned Murray Rude Towing in Brooklyn, N.Y., for many years. He is credited by several towing professionals
in the industry for making it possible to tow vehicles on the New Jersey Turnpike. According to Tennessee attorney Mike McGovern, Rude was an avid supporter of the “Ace Auto Body v. The City of New York” case in 1999, which resulted in the demise of many New York City towing regulations. He was inducted into the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame in 1987.
Two Baltimore Cops Charged Prosecutors charged two Baltimore, Md., police officers with bribery and conspiracy in connection with an alleged towing scheme. The State Attorney’s Office announced the charges recently against officers Jose Arroyo and Charles Grimes. They have been suspended with pay. Prosecutors said the officers are alleged to have been part of a scheme in which the Majestic Auto Body Repair shop paid police officers to direct towing and auto repair business to them
NORTH 58 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Number 137 on Reader Card
rather than a city-authorized company. More than a dozen officers have been charged in the investigation that began in 2008. Source: m.wbaltv.com.
Idaho County Approves Tow Ordinance Canyon County, Idaho, will have a new way to handle towing services for car crashes following a new ordinance. The ordinance establishes a rotation of towing services and was approved by the Canyon County Commission after a unanimous vote. It also contained fee information based on a similar ordinance from Boise. County deputies will contact towing services when a motorist needs a tow but doesn’t have a preference on the service used. A list of pre-approved towing companies is kept on rotation to provide services. A deputy said the ordinance would attempt to reduce complaints and avoid potential price gouging. Source: www.idahopress.com.
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TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • NORTH 59
Anchorage Overhauls Tow Laws The first major overhaul of city towing laws in decades passed unanimously through the Anchorage (Alaska) Assembly recently. Assembly members Dick Traini and Paul Honeman proposed in October a wide-ranging set of changes, the culmination of efforts to crack down on steep impound fees and what they called predatory practices in “nonconsensual” tows. In the weeks after, the Assembly heard testimony from members of the towing industry unhappy with various provisions of the law, including extended business hour requirements, new on-scene release policies and a $225 cap on all non-consensual impounds. The ordinance adopted includes a series of changes from the original proposal that largely eased up on the requirements that drew the most vehement opposition. The original proposal, for example,
required tow companies to stay open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The adopted ordinance returns to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, though it requires companies to offer an after-hours release option. Tow companies will be allowed to charge a maximum of $235 for a “nonconsensual” impound on a normalsize vehicle, an increase of $10 from the original proposal. Notably, the adopted version of the law breaks down non-consensual impound costs by the weight of the vehicle— impound fees for a medium-duty vehicle, weighing between 10,001 and 29,999 lbs., are set at a maximum of $335. A non-consensual impound for a heavy-duty vehicle, weighing 30,000 lbs. or more, will cost no more than $200 per hour. Other revisions include adding a fuel surcharge for impounds that require more significant travel, capped at $3 per mile. After hearing concerns from tow operators about safety, Traini and Honeman also did away with a
requirement for a tow operator to wait on the scene 30 minutes before towing a vehicle. The maximum amount a tow operator can charge to release an unloaded vehicle in a non-consensual tow is $50. For a loaded vehicle, the fee is $75. Max Riggs, owner of Riggs Towing said he was generally happy with the version that was ultimately adopted. Other tow operators were less pleased. Gaylene Larrecou, general manager of AreaWide Towing, called the ordinance a “big blow for private property owners.” During public testimony, Larrecou told the Assembly she thought the ordinance was close to being ready but that the towing industry should have been given more time to review the final version, which was made available. She also predicted that policies surrounding after-hour releases would be a “big problem.” Provisions regarding license applications and fees are effective immediately, according to an amendment adopted by the Assembly. All other provisions, such as after-hours requirements, took effect Jan. 1. Source: www.adn.com.
Officer Accused of Accepting Bribes
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A veteran officer with the Houston (Texas) Police Department just months away from retirement has been relieved of duty, accused of taking bribes from tow truck drivers. Charles Russell, 59, is accused of contacting two towers to tow cars that were parked downtown illegally in exchange for favors, including car repair services. Russell had been working for the police department for more than three decades, most recently in special operations. He has now been let go from the force, and is charged with misuse of information for the alleged bribes. Authorities said they are investigating other officers as well. Source: http://blogs.houstonpress.com.
Number 111 on Reader Card
Number 113 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • SOUTH 55
Fighting Stereotypes by Don Archer
The customer didn’t know what to expect, but was happy to buy a new battery based on our customer service—after it was diagnosed that a simple loose wire was the main culprit.
Educate the Customer to Combat Negative Images
O
ur towing business has been around for more than 55 years; same name, same town, same logo on the trucks. Everybody knows who we are and what we do. Everybody except Rita—she didn’t know who we were. Rita found our number on Google; she searched “tow truck” and our number popped up. Our brand is strong, it’s synonymous with tow truck here in Mid-Missouri, but that didn’t matter to Rita. All she cared
about was that her car wouldn’t start. Rita wasn’t a traveler who became stranded in our city—she’s lived here for more than eight years. She’s a 30something professional who’s never called for a tow truck before. Oh sure she’s had car problems in the past, but for a multitude of reasons a tow truck wasn’t considered part of the solution before today. Rita found herself stranded in a restaurant parking lot. Her husband was out of town on business, she
SOUTH 56 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
needed to leave town that afternoon also and didn’t want to worry about her car while traveling so, “against her better judgment,” she decided to call a tow truck. I answered the phone, got all the information and suggested we bring out the battery tester and a battery since, from the description of the problem, it sounded like a plausible solution. She was happy to have her battery tested, but needed to ask her husband before purchasing a battery. I
Number 105 on Reader Card
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
Number 179 on Reader Card
TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • SOUTH 57
told her that she was under no obligation to purchase a battery so she agreed to have us test it. Rick, our operator, arrived within 15 minutes, and identified the problem immediately—a loose battery cable. He tightened the cable and the car started. Rita was impressed with the service and decided to purchase the battery anyway since her 2010 car had a three-year-old battery. An hour later, Rita called back to thank us and to tell me that Rick did a great job. She told me that she had never called a tow truck before for fear of the unknown. She didn’t know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised with not only the service, but the ease of doing business with us. After the phone conversation I wondered why she hadn’t considered calling a tow truck before today. Then it came to me. We are so immersed in our own world that we find it hard to understand how someone would not know what to expect when calling for a tow truck. We see our job as cut and dry,
we tow cars from their breakdown location to their destination; how hard is that? But think about what the general public sees on television and in the movies about towers.
She didn’t know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. The 1987 movie “Adventures in Babysitting” was the first time I was exposed to the towing industry. When the huge scary-looking tow truck driver pulled a revolver from his jump suit and said “Please …” while responding to an obvious threat to his livelihood, I decided right then to do whatever I could to avoid the need to call for a tow truck. Then there are the “reality” TV shows that depict operators in the recovery industry as intimidating figures you wouldn’t want to meet in a
darkened passageway. With every other word bleeped out and the fighting that goes on, it’s no wonder motorists do everything possible to avoid making that call. But short of shooting and directing your own reality show, how do you crush those stereotypes? The first step is to realize that your brand doesn’t matter; what matters is the customer’s perception of the type of service they’ll receive. When you begin to educate your customers on your own hows and whys, you begin to remove the barriers that keep them from calling. Editor’s note: This story originally ran on AT’s sister site, towindustryweek.com, which features industry news, training, recoveries, new products and more. Don’t miss out—make sure to check it out each week.
Don Archer lives and works in Jefferson City, Mo., where he and his wife, Brenda, own and operate Broadway Wrecker, a 12-truck operation that’s been in business since the 1950s. Email him at don@broadwaywrecker.com..
Murray Rude Passes Away at 87 The industry lost one of its most colorful characters on Nov. 26. Murray Rude, long-time New York towing professional and industry advocate, died of a massive heart attack. He was 87. Rude owned Murray Rude Towing in Brooklyn, N.Y., for many years. He is credited by several towing professionals in the industry for making it possible to tow vehicles on the New Jersey Turnpike. According to Tennessee attorney Mike McGovern, Rude was an avid supporter of the “Ace Auto Body v. The City of New York” case in 1999, which resulted in the demise of many New York City towing regulations. He was inducted into the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame in 1987. Number 107 on Reader Card
SOUTH 58 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Man Arrested Interfering With Repo A Pocatello, Idaho, man was arrested Dec. 8 after he attempted to intervene in a vehicle repossession. According to police, Anthony Gene Norman, 30, threatened a wrecker driver with a handgun and a baseball bat while the driver was attempting to repossess his girlfriend’s truck. Norman was arrested and held in jail on charges of aggravated assault. Source: www.localnews8.com.
‘Operation Repo’ Star Stops Suspect Reality TV star Lou Pizarro of “Operation Repo” made headlines in December after he stopped a carjacker who led police on a high-speed pursuit and later attempted to flee on a skateboard and foot in Van Nuys, Calif. Pizarro happened to be in the right place at the right time, pinning the suspect against a fence with his truck, allowing police to catch up and arrest the suspect. “It was kind of wild how I just kind of just drove right into that situation,” he said. “I see this helicopter really low to the ground … then I see this knucklehead in his car rear-end this lady. [He] gets out of the car, there’s cops everywhere, he just bolts out running.” Pizarro said it was “just instinct” that he acted on in helping to apprehend the carjacker. Source: http://kearth101.cbslocal.com.
Number 180 on Reader Card
Phoenix USA 2015 Catalog Available Phoenix USA’s 2015 product catalog is now available (view it online at http://joom.ag/YnAb). It features decorative wheel products, storage solutions and lighting accessories for the towing, utility, trailer, service truck and other vehicle markets. New products from Phoenix (www.phoenixusa.com) include 16gauge galvanized-steel service body drawers, high-intensity square and round LED worklights and more. Number 170 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • SOUTH 59
Anchorage Overhauls Tow Laws The first major overhaul of city towing laws in decades passed unanimously through the Anchorage (Alaska) Assembly recently. Assembly members Dick Traini and Paul Honeman proposed in October a wide-ranging set of changes, the culmination of efforts to crack down on steep impound fees and what they called predatory practices in “nonconsensual” tows. In the weeks after, the Assembly heard testimony from members of the towing industry unhappy with various provisions of the law, including extended business hour requirements, new on-scene release policies and a $225 cap on all non-consensual impounds.
Other revisions include adding a fuel surcharge for impounds The ordinance adopted includes a series of changes from the original proposal that largely eased up on the requirements that drew the most vehement opposition. The original proposal, for example, required tow companies to stay open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The adopted ordinance returns to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, though it requires companies to offer an after-hours release option. Tow companies will be allowed to charge a maximum of $235 for a “nonconsensual” impound on a normalsize vehicle, an increase of $10 from the original proposal. Notably, the adopted version of the law breaks down non-consensual impound costs by the weight of the vehicle— impound fees for a medium-duty
vehicle, weighing between 10,001 and 29,999 lbs., are set at a maximum of $335. A non-consensual impound for a heavy-duty vehicle, weighing 30,000 lbs. or more, will cost no more than $200 per hour. Other revisions include adding a fuel surcharge for impounds that require more significant travel, capped at $3 per mile. After hearing concerns from tow operators about safety, Traini and Honeman also did away with a requirement for a tow operator to wait on the scene 30 minutes before towing a vehicle. The maximum amount a tow operator can charge to release an unloaded vehicle in a non-consensual tow is $50. For a loaded vehicle, the fee is $75. Max Riggs, owner of Riggs Towing said he was generally happy with the version that was ultimately adopted. Other tow operators were less pleased. Gaylene Larrecou, general manager of AreaWide Towing, called the ordinance a “big blow for private property owners.” During public testimony, Larrecou told the Assembly she thought the ordinance was close to being ready but that the towing industry should have been given more time to review the final version, which was made available. She also predicted that policies surrounding after-hour releases would be a “big problem.” Provisions regarding license applications and fees are effective immediately, according to an amendment adopted by the Assembly. All other provisions, such as after-hours requirements, took effect Jan. 1. Source: www.adn.com.
Officer Accused of Accepting Bribes A veteran officer with the Houston (Texas) Police Department just months away from retirement has been relieved of duty, accused of taking bribes from tow truck drivers. Charles Russell, 59, is accused of
SOUTH 60 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
contacting two towers to tow cars that were parked downtown illegally in exchange for favors, including car repair services. Russell had been working for the police department for more than three decades, most recently in special operations. He has now been let go from the force, and is charged with misuse of information for the alleged bribes. Authorities said they are investigating other officers as well. Source: http://blogs.houstonpress.com.
Wind Tangles Tow Truck A sudden gust of wind got a tow truck tangled up in some wires in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Dec. 7. The accident happened near the Corpus Christi International Airport. Police said a gust of wind pushed the tow truck into the median, and it got tangled in the cable system that’s used as a highway divider. No one was hurt in that crash, but the tower was taken to the hospital with unknown injuries. Crews from Texas DOT had to be called out to help get the truck untangled. Source: www.kristv.com.
Idaho County Approves Tow Ordinance Canyon County, Idaho, will have a new way to handle towing services for car crashes following a new ordinance. The ordinance establishes a rotation of towing services and was approved by the Canyon County Commission after a unanimous vote. It also contained fee information based on a similar ordinance from Boise. County deputies will contact towing services when a motorist needs a tow but doesn’t have a preference on the service used. A list of pre-approved towing companies is kept on rotation to provide services. A deputy said the ordinance would attempt to reduce complaints and avoid potential price gouging. Source: www.idahopress.com.
Number 138 on Reader Card
Number 189 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • MIDWEST 55
Man Arrested Interfering With Repo A Pocatello, Idaho, man was arrested Dec. 8 after he attempted to intervene in a vehicle repossession. According to police, Anthony Gene Norman, 30, threatened a wrecker driver with a handgun and a baseball bat while the driver was attempting to repossess his girlfriend’s truck. Norman was arrested and held in jail on charges of aggravated assault. Source: www.localnews8.com.
‘Operation Repo’ Star Stops Suspect
Number 193 on Reader Card
Reality TV star Lou Pizarro of “Operation Repo” made headlines in December after he stopped a carjacker who led police on a highspeed pursuit and later attempted to flee on a skateboard and foot in Van Nuys, Calif. Pizarro happened to be in the right place at the right time, pinning the suspect against a fence with his truck, allowing police to catch up and arrest the suspect. “It was kind of wild how I just kind of just drove right into that situation,” he said. “I see this helicopter really low to the ground … then I see this knucklehead in his car rear-end this lady. [He] gets out of the car, there’s cops everywhere, he just bolts out running.” Pizarro said it was “just instinct” that he acted on in helping to apprehend the carjacker. Source: http://kearth101.cbslocal.com.
Phoenix USA 2015 Catalog Available
Download music on iTunes and Amazon.com MIDWEST 56 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Phoenix USA’s 2015 product catalog is now available (view it online at http://joom.ag/YnAb). It features decorative wheel products, storage solutions and lighting accessories for the towing, utility, trailer, service truck and other vehicle markets.
New products from Phoenix (www.phoenixusa.com) include 16gauge galvanized-steel service body drawers, high-intensity square and round LED worklights and more.
Murray Rude Passes Away at 87 The industry lost one of its most colorful characters on Nov. 26. Murray Rude, long-time New York towing professional and industry advocate, died of a massive heart attack. He was 87. Rude owned Murray Rude Towing in Brooklyn, N.Y., for many years. He is credited by several towing professionals in the industry for making it possible to tow vehicles on the New Jersey Turnpike. According to Tennessee attorney Mike McGovern, Rude was an avid supporter of the “Ace Auto Body v. The City of New York” case in 1999, which resulted in the demise of many New York City towing regulations. He was inducted into the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame in 1987.
Number 116 on Reader Card
Idaho County Approves Tow Ordinance Canyon County, Idaho, will have a new way to handle towing services for car crashes following a new ordinance. The ordinance establishes a rotation of towing services and was approved by the Canyon County Commission after a unanimous vote. It also contained fee information based on a similar ordinance from Boise. County deputies will contact towing services when a motorist needs a tow but doesn’t have a preference on the service used. A list of preapproved towing companies is kept on rotation to provide services. A deputy said the ordinance would attempt to reduce complaints and avoid potential price gouging. Source: www.idahopress.com.
Number 119 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • MIDWEST 57
Fighting Stereotypes by Don Archer
The customer didn’t know what to expect, but was happy to buy a new battery based on our customer service—after it was diagnosed that a simple loose wire was the main culprit.
Educate the Customer to Combat Negative Images
O
ur towing business has been around for more than 55 years; same name, same town, same logo on the trucks. Everybody knows who we are and what we do. Everybody except Rita—she didn’t know who we were. Rita found our number on Google; she searched “tow truck” and our number popped up. Our brand is strong, it’s synonymous with tow truck here in Mid-Missouri, but that didn’t matter to Rita. All she cared
about was that her car wouldn’t start. Rita wasn’t a traveler who became stranded in our city—she’s lived here for more than eight years. She’s a 30something professional who’s never called for a tow truck before. Oh sure she’s had car problems in the past, but for a multitude of reasons a tow truck wasn’t considered part of the solution before today. Rita found herself stranded in a restaurant parking lot. Her husband was out of town on business, she
MIDWEST 58 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
needed to leave town that afternoon also and didn’t want to worry about her car while traveling so, “against her better judgment,” she decided to call a tow truck. I answered the phone, got all the information and suggested we bring out the battery tester and a battery since, from the description of the problem, it sounded like a plausible solution. She was happy to have her battery tested, but needed to ask her husband before purchasing a battery. I
told her that she was under no obligation to purchase a battery so she agreed to have us test it. Rick, our operator, arrived within 15 minutes, and identified the problem immediately—a loose battery cable. He tightened the cable and the car started. Rita was impressed with the service and decided to purchase the battery anyway since her 2010 car had a three-year-old battery. An hour later, Rita called back to thank us and to tell me that Rick did a great job. She told me that she had never called a tow truck before for fear of the unknown. She didn’t know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised with not only the service, but the ease of doing business with us. After the phone conversation I wondered why she hadn’t considered calling a tow truck before today. Then it came to me. We are so immersed in our own world that we find it hard to understand how someone would not know what to expect when calling for a tow truck. We see our job as cut and dry,
we tow cars from their breakdown location to their destination; how hard is that? But think about what the general public sees on television and in the movies about towers.
She didn’t know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. The 1987 movie “Adventures in Babysitting” was the first time I was exposed to the towing industry. When the huge scary-looking tow truck driver pulled a revolver from his jump suit and said “Please …” while responding to an obvious threat to his livelihood, I decided right then to do whatever I could to avoid the need to call for a tow truck. Then there are the “reality” TV shows that depict operators in the recovery industry as intimidating fig-
ures you wouldn’t want to meet in a darkened passageway. With every other word bleeped out and the fighting that goes on, it’s no wonder motorists do everything possible to avoid making that call. But short of shooting and directing your own reality show, how do you crush those stereotypes? The first step is to realize that your brand doesn’t matter; what matters is the customer’s perception of the type of service they’ll receive. When you begin to educate your customers on your own hows and whys, you begin to remove the barriers that keep them from calling. Editor’s note: This story originally ran on AT’s sister site, towindustryweek.com, which features industry news, training, recoveries, new products and more. Don’t miss out—make sure to check it out each week.
Don Archer lives and works in Jefferson City, Mo., where he and his wife, Brenda, own and operate Broadway Wrecker, a 12-truck operation that’s been in business since the 1950s. Email him at don@broadwaywrecker.com..
Two Baltimore Cops Charged Prosecutors charged two Baltimore, Md., police officers with bribery and conspiracy in connection with an alleged towing scheme. The State Attorney’s Office announced the charges recently against officers Jose Arroyo and Charles Grimes. They have been suspended with pay. Prosecutors said the officers are alleged to have been part of a scheme in which the Majestic Auto Body Repair shop paid police officers to direct towing and auto repair business to them rather than a city-authorized company. More than a dozen officers have been charged in the investigation that began in 2008. Source: m.wbaltv.com. Number 134 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • MIDWEST 59
Anchorage Overhauls Tow Laws The first major overhaul of city towing laws in decades passed unanimously through the Anchorage (Alaska) Assembly recently. Assembly members Dick Traini and Paul Honeman proposed in October a wide-ranging set of changes, the culmination of efforts to crack down on steep impound fees and what they called predatory practices in “nonconsensual” tows. In the weeks after, the Assembly heard testimony from members of the towing industry unhappy with various provisions of the law, including extended business hour requirements, new on-scene release policies and a $225 cap on all non-consensual impounds.
Other revisions include adding a fuel surcharge for impounds The ordinance adopted includes a series of changes from the original proposal that largely eased up on the requirements that drew the most vehement opposition. The original proposal, for example, required tow companies to stay open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The adopted ordinance returns to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, though it requires companies to offer an after-hours release option. Tow companies will be allowed to charge a maximum of $235 for a “nonconsensual” impound on a normalsize vehicle, an increase of $10 from the original proposal. Notably, the adopted version of the law breaks down non-consensual impound costs by the weight of the vehicle— impound fees for a medium-duty vehicle, weighing between 10,001 and 29,999 lbs., are set at a maximum of $335.
A non-consensual impound for a heavy-duty vehicle, weighing 30,000 lbs. or more, will cost no more than $200 per hour. Other revisions include adding a fuel surcharge for impounds that require more significant travel, capped at $3 per mile. After hearing concerns from tow operators about safety, Traini and Honeman also did away with a requirement for a tow operator to wait on the scene 30 minutes before towing a vehicle. The maximum amount a tow operator can charge to release an unloaded vehicle in a non-consensual tow is $50. For a loaded vehicle, the fee is $75. Max Riggs, owner of Riggs Towing said he was generally happy with the version that was ultimately adopted. Other tow operators were less pleased. Gaylene Larrecou, general manager of AreaWide Towing, called the ordinance a “big blow for private property owners.” During public testimony, Larrecou told the Assembly she thought the ordinance was close to being ready but that the towing industry should have been given more time to review the final version, which was made available. She also predicted that policies surrounding after-hour releases would be a “big problem.” Provisions regarding license applications and fees are effective immediately, according to an amendment adopted by the Assembly. All other provisions, such as after-hours requirements, took effect Jan. 1. Source: www.adn.com.
Officer Accused of Accepting Bribes A veteran officer with the Houston (Texas) Police Department just months away from retirement has been relieved of duty, accused of taking bribes from tow truck drivers. Charles Russell, 59, is accused of contacting two towers to tow cars that were parked downtown illegally in exchange for favors, including car repair services.
MIDWEST 60 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Russell had been working for the police department for more than three decades, most recently in special operations. He has now been let go from the force, and is charged with misuse of information for the alleged bribes. Authorities said they are investigating other officers as well. Source: http://blogs.houstonpress.com.
Wind Tangles Tow Truck A sudden gust of wind got a tow truck tangled up in some wires in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Dec. 7. The accident happened near the Corpus Christi International Airport. Police said a gust of wind pushed the tow truck into the median, and it got tangled in the cable system that’s used as a highway divider. No one was hurt in that crash, but the tower was taken to the hospital with unknown injuries. Crews from Texas DOT had to be called out to help get the truck untangled. Source: www.kristv.com.
Man Arrested for Arson at Tow Company Police arrested a Rochester, N.H., man recently, accusing him of setting fire to a vehicle at a towing company in June. Fred Watson III, 25, is facing a felony arson charge for allegedly setting a pickup truck on fire at Bob's Auto Repair and Towing. Police Capt. Gary Boudreau said the fire was wellinvolved by the time officials arrived, and police got involved into the matter after the fire marshal determined the incident was suspicious. Office Manager Tammy Jones said the vehicle was parked in the area that was not covered by surveillance cameras at the time of the arson. She said the pickup truck had been towed to the lot after a drunk driving incident, and the owner had been unable to pay the towing fees. Watson was arrested on a warrant, after police received a tip identifying him as the suspect. Source: www.fosters.com
Man Arrested Interfering With Repo A Pocatello, Idaho, man was arrested Dec. 8 after he attempted to intervene in a vehicle repossession. According to police, Anthony Gene Norman, 30, threatened a wrecker driver with a handgun and a baseball bat while the driver was attempting to repossess his girlfriend’s truck. Norman was arrested and held in jail on charges of aggravated assault. Source: www.localnews8.com.
‘Operation Repo’ Star Stops Suspect Reality TV star Lou Pizarro of “Operation Repo” made headlines in December after he stopped a carjacker who led police on a high-speed pursuit and later attempted to flee on a skateboard and foot in Van Nuys, Calif. Pizarro happened to be in the right place at the right time, pinning the suspect against a fence with his truck, allowing police to catch up and arrest the suspect. “It was kind of wild how I just kind of just drove right into that situation,” he said. “I see this helicopter really low to the ground … then I see this knucklehead in his car rear-end this lady. [He] gets out of the car, there’s cops everywhere, he just bolts out running.” Pizarro said it was “just instinct” that he acted on in helping to apprehend the carjacker. Source: http://kearth101.cbslocal.com.
Number 218 on Reader Card
Phoenix USA 2015 Catalog Available Phoenix USA’s 2015 product catalog is now available (view it online at http://joom.ag/YnAb). It features decorative wheel products, storage solutions and lighting accessories for the towing, utility, trailer, service truck and other vehicle markets. New products from Phoenix (www.phoenixusa.com) include 16gauge galvanized-steel service body drawers, high-intensity square and round LED worklights and more. Number 199 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic Side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • WEST 55
Fighting Stereotypes by Don Archer
The customer didn’t know what to expect, but was happy to buy a new battery based on our customer service—after it was diagnosed that a simple loose wire was the main culprit.
Educate the Customer to Combat Negative Images
O
ur towing business has been around for more than 55 years; same name, same town, same logo on the trucks. Everybody knows who we are and what we do. Everybody except Rita—she didn’t know who we were. Rita found our number on Google; she searched “tow truck” and our number popped up. Our brand is strong, it’s synonymous with tow truck here in Mid-Missouri, but that didn’t matter to Rita. All she cared
WEST 56 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
about was that her car wouldn’t start. Rita wasn’t a traveler who became stranded in our city—she’s lived here for more than eight years. She’s a 30something professional who’s never called for a tow truck before. Oh sure she’s had car problems in the past, but for a multitude of reasons a tow truck wasn’t considered part of the solution before today. Rita found herself stranded in a restaurant parking lot. Her husband was out of town on business, she
needed to leave town that afternoon also and didn’t want to worry about her car while traveling so, “against her better judgment,” she decided to call a tow truck. I answered the phone, got all the information and suggested we bring out the battery tester and a battery since, from the description of the problem, it sounded like a plausible solution. She was happy to have her
continue to W 58
Anchorage Overhauls Tow Laws The first major overhaul of city towing laws in decades passed unanimously through the Anchorage (Alaska) Assembly recently. Assembly members Dick Traini and Paul Honeman proposed in October a wide-ranging set of changes, the culmination of efforts to crack down on steep impound fees and what they called predatory practices in “non-consensual” tows. In the weeks after, the Assembly heard testimony from members of the towing industry unhappy with various provisions of the law, including extended business hour requirements, new on-scene release policies and a $225 cap on all nonconsensual impounds. The ordinance adopted includes a series of changes from the original proposal that largely eased up on the requirements that drew the most vehement opposition. The original proposal, for example, required tow companies to stay open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The adopted ordinance returns to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, though it requires companies to offer an after-hours release option. Tow companies will be allowed to charge a maximum of $235 for a “non-consensual” impound on a normal-size vehicle, an increase of $10 from the original proposal. Notably, the adopted version of the law breaks down non-consensual impound costs by the weight of the vehicle—impound fees for a medium-duty vehicle, weighing between 10,001 and 29,999 lbs., are set at a maximum of $335. A non-consensual impound for a heavy-duty vehicle, weighing 30,000 lbs. or more, will cost no more than $200 per hour. Other revisions include adding a fuel surcharge for impounds that require more significant travel, capped at $3 per mile. After hearing concerns from tow operators about safety, Traini and Honeman also did away with a requirement for a tow operator to wait on the scene 30 minutes before towing a vehicle.
Number 156 on Reader Card
continue to page W 58 Number 198 on Reader Card
Work the Passenger side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - January 2015 • WEST 57 Number 157 on Reader Card
Fighting Stereotypes continued from page W 56 battery tested, but needed to ask her husband before purchasing a battery. I told her that she was under no obligation to purchase a battery so she agreed to have us test it. Rick, our operator, arrived within 15 minutes, and identified the problem immediately—a loose battery cable. He tightened the cable and the car started. Rita was impressed with the service and decided to purchase the battery anyway since her 2010 car had a three-year-old battery. An hour later, Rita called back to thank us and to tell me that Rick did a great job. She told me that she had never called a tow truck before for fear of the unknown. She didn’t know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised with not only the service, but the ease of doing business with us. After the phone conversation I wondered why she hadn’t considered calling a tow truck before today. Then it came to me. We are so immersed in our own world that we find it hard to understand how someone would not know
what to expect when calling for a tow truck. We see our job as cut and dry, we tow cars from their breakdown location to their destination; how hard is that? But think about what the general public sees on television and in the movies about towers.
She didn’t know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. The 1987 movie “Adventures in Babysitting” was the first time I was exposed to the towing industry. When the huge scary-looking tow truck driver pulled a revolver from his jump suit and said “Please …” while responding to an obvious threat to his livelihood, I decided right then to do whatever I could to avoid the need to call for a tow truck. Then there are the “reality” TV shows that depict operators in the recovery industry as intimidating fig-
ures you wouldn’t want to meet in a darkened passageway. With every other word bleeped out and the fighting that goes on, it’s no wonder motorists do everything possible to avoid making that call. But short of shooting and directing your own reality show, how do you crush those stereotypes? The first step is to realize that your brand doesn’t matter; what matters is the customer’s perception of the type of service they’ll receive. When you begin to educate your customers on your own hows and whys, you begin to remove the barriers that keep them from calling. Editor’s note: This story originally ran on AT’s sister site, towindustryweek.com, which features industry news, training, recoveries, new products and more. Don’t miss out—make sure to check it out each week.
Don Archer lives and works in Jefferson City, Mo., where he and his wife, Brenda, own and operate Broadway Wrecker, a 12-truck operation that’s been in business since the 1950s. Email him at don@broadwaywrecker.com..
NEWSFLASH continued from pg W 57
Number 195 on Reader Card
WEST 58 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
The maximum amount a tow operator can charge to release an unloaded vehicle in a non-consensual tow is $50. For a loaded vehicle, the fee is $75. Max Riggs, owner of Riggs Towing said he was generally happy with the version that was ultimately adopted. Other tow operators were less pleased. Gaylene Larrecou, general manager of AreaWide Towing, called the ordinance a “big blow for private property owners.” During public testimony, Larrecou told the Assembly she thought the ordinance was close to being ready but that the towing industry should have been given more time to review the final version, which was made available. She also predicted that policies surrounding after-hour releases would be a “big problem.” Provisions regarding license applications and fees are effective immediately, according to an amendment adopted by the Assembly. All other provisions, such as after-hours requirements, took effect Jan. 1. Source: www.adn.com.
Number 157 on Reader Card
Number 208 on Reader Card
WEST 60 • January 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Number 105 on Reader Card
Copyright 2015 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
Number 111 on Reader Card
Number 103 on Reader Card