American Towman Magazine - April 2015

The Buyers Report on Suppliers and Products, pg. 67

towman.com

towmantv.com

towweek.com

Number 143 on Reader Card

Departments Walkaround . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 News Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Dozens of towers talked with AT this year for our annual Buyers Report, including Andy Chesney of Euless B&B Wrecker Service in Texas.

Road Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Tow Boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Beacons On! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 AD Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Repo Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Tow Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 Towman’s Market . . . . . . . . . . . .94 My Baby. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 Low Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92 Adventures of A.T. . . . . . . . .98, 106

28

A Dark and Stormy Lift The guys at Ray’s Towing in Milwaukee claim their boots are still wet after this ditched semi.

by Mark Salentine

46

Getting Paid by the Clubs Get your information right from the horses’ mouths to get those road service invoices paid on time.

by Charles Duke

54

The Power of Recovery Tow Industry Week in May will include training and demos on the latest in HD recovery and techniques.

by Charles Duke

67

Buyers Report What do you want to know about suppliers in our industry?

We got plenty of towers to share their thoughts.

4 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Number 114 on Reader Card

Zooming and Pinching AT

by Dennie Ortiz

As a business owner, it’s of great import that you keep up to date on industry news that impacts your business—that’s what we strive to provide you in American Towman magazine. Whether it’s legislation, the latest in equipment or other important towing topics—having instant access to a resource that provides critical data to run your business is invaluable.

We are excited to announce that you can access this information anytime, anywhere, in the digital editions of American Towman magazine on your laptop, tablet or smartphone 24/7/365 on itowman.com We’ve offered our digital edition to the entire towing community for several years. But now not only will you be able to view the editorial content of the current issue at the touch

of a button, you’ll also be able to access the last six years worth of news too, all from your portable device!

Need more particulars on an interesting product or service that you saw in the magazine? Now, you can easily find them on any of your devices in the digital edition and simply click on their ad and it’ll take you to the supplier’s website.

So, whether smartphone or tablet, this technology will automatically optimize the magazine to the size of your screen and allows for pinching and zooming. If you don’t understand the terminology of pinching and zooming, don’t worry because you will always have the print version of the publication to read.

So read through this issue, right here, right now in our traditional print format or go check out itowman.com and view it on the medium of your choice.

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 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 Subscription Manager Customer Service Publisher’s Assistant TIW Media Director Regional Advertising Sales iMarketing Manager ATTV Producer President

Towers Make the Buyers Report

by Brendan Dooley

Every year for the April issue, I have the pleasure of interviewing dozens of tow bosses and operators about the products and companies they use every day for our annual Buyers Report. Literally dozens—this year we’ve talked with more than 70 of you (thankfully, Senior Editor Charles Duke helped me with a dozen or so as well).

They’re quick interviews, typically about five minutes, sometimes ten depending on how much you have to say about the company. (It’s almost like speed-dating.)

We count on the people we reach to give us good information on the company and how it affects their business so that our thousands of readers get some real word-of-mouth recommendations they can use.

I enjoy talking to so many towers in a condensed timeframe—it’s almost like being at one of the AT Expos. Be sure to read what your compatriots said in this issue (page 67) to find some news you can use.

6 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

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 216 on Reader Card

Group Seeks Towing Ordinance Denton for Fair Towing, a group of concerned residents in Denton, Texas, is expected to ask the city council to adopt an ordinance that makes current practices by some tow companies illegal.

The group met with a few towers (who don’t want to be named publicly) and researched towing ordinances in other cities after a series of news stories in the local newspaper detailed what some called “predatory” practices in Denton.

The tow operators who met with the group agree that an ordinance is needed, according to Pat Smith of Serve Denton, a local non-profit organization.

The group plans on recommending an amount that would be fair to the operators, but still keep the total costs of a non-consensual tow to about $175 to $200, he said. They also want the city to require a “bill of rights” for tow customers. Source: www.dentonrc.com.

Towing Museum Hires Executive Director

The International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum (www.towingmuseum.com) added Angela Roper as its Executive Director.

Roper owned a towing company in Texas and worked for one of the industry’s largest towing companies in Chicago, Ill. She has served in several volunteer roles within TRAA and was instrumental in creating the “Dress For Success” DVD that emphasizes the importance of ANSI-approved safety apparel.

“I am looking forward to being a part of such a well-respected institution like the International Towing Museum,” Roper said. “Once you have been a part of our great industry, it’s hard not to be working for it and as a part of it.”

“We believe Angela will continue the great job begun by Cheryl Mish and expand the museum’s reputation and membership,” said Troy Barnett, museum president.

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Towers Light Up Ala. Interstate Dozens of tow trucks lit up I-565 in Huntsville, Ala., recently, hoping the community would take their safety into consideration next time they pass them on the side of the road.

“We’re bringing awareness to the community because most people aren’t aware about the Move Over law,” said Lappdog Towing driver William Shelt.

First responders joined the towers.

The Move Over law was implemented in 2009 in Alabama, but towers there say police don’t enforce the law as they should, and the fees aren’t sufficient.

First offenses are $25, second offenders are fined $50 and third time offenses cost $100.

Russell Patten, of Roadside Recovery Towing in Hunstville, Ala., talks with a TV reporter about Move Over.

Whnt.com image.

“My life is worth a lot more than 25 dollars,” said Russell Patten of Roadside Recovery Towing.

A week on social media created the event, and the drivers say that though they are competition, they are one family.

Source: http://whnt.com.

Tow Co.

Donates to Non-Profits

A Tennessee tow company is donating money in customers’ names to cancer research and awareness charities. Wbbjtv.com image.

A tower in Ridgely, Tenn., decided in March to begin giving 25 percent of each call to charity. Shane Mauldin wanted to help two national non-profits, and in his customers’ names as well.

“We want to start donating 25 percent of every call that comes in to either St. Jude or Relay for Life. We’re going to leave that up to the customer,” Mauldin said.

“My mom died of cancer in ’09, and my little nephew has had cancer since he was born,” Mauldin said.

It’s not just the tow company that will be recognized for its efforts to give back. Mauldin said the donations would be in the customers’ names.

Mauldin said his company will continue sending the profits to the cancer non-profits as long as the company is in business.

Source: www.wbbjtv.com.

. . . Raising wrecker booms to the sky would be symbolic . . .

‘Booms in the Sky’

2014 Memorial Ceremony at Wall of the Fallen Monument.

The ballad, “Booms in the Sky,” honoring the towing industry’s fallen warriors, debuted on TowIndustryWeek.com on March 18.

Already the music and words, performed by Mike Corbin, have aroused strong sentiments among towers. Several have called in the idea of a ceremonial custom honoring towers killed on the roadways; where raising wrecker booms to the sky would be symbolic of saluting the fallen.

The ideas expressed included the opportunities for media publicity.

All 50 states now have a Move Over law, but motorists by and large are unaware of and/or neglect it. The media itself is generally unaware of the fatality rate among towers compared to other first responders.

About 60 towers annually are killed roadside, whereas police and fire fighters fall in the single digits.

“Booms in the sky,” said one tower in the Northeast, “can help rally towers around the issue. We have to generate the awareness among the public. We can’t wait for others to do this for us. We also have to create a better awareness among our tow operators for need of safety procedures that can help reduce these tragic incidents.”

Currently families of towers killed gather one day in September by the towing museum in Chattanooga at the Wall of the Fallen Monument. September 12 is the date of this year’s ceremony honoring towers killed by the roadside.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

NYPD to Add ALPR Tracking The New York Police Department soon will have the ability to track stolen or wanted cars even if they are well outside of the five boroughs.

The NYPD is set to sign a $442,500 deal over three years with Vigilant Solutions to subscribe to the company’s massive private automated license plate reader database, according to a recent hearing. The database reportedly contains 2.2 billion records.

The company already makes its database available to other law enforcement agencies across the country. Vigilant gets its data via its subsidiary Digital Recognition Network; Vigilant sells $15,000 LPR “camera kits” to recovery and repossession companies nationwide.

The New York Police Department is adding Automatic License Plate Reader technology to its fleet.

Silive.com image.

DRN provides captured licenseplate data to Vigilant, which then shares the data with law enforcement agencies through its partnership with Plaintiff Vigilant Solutions National Vehicle Location Service.

Source: http://popist.com.

Mo. Tower Recovering After Roadside Attack Columbia, Mo., tower Al Baker is struggling to recover from being attacked in January … and now he may lose his business because of the attack.

Baker was stabbed, beaten, robbed and then left on the side of I70 all while trying to help someone.

Since that time he’s suffered seizures, undergone surgery and missed weeks of work. It has affected his business, Baker’s Towing/Al’s Auto Repair, and has him more worried about his company than his health.

He said his 35-year-old business has slowed down because his customers have heard about the attack and thought the wrecker company was temporarily closed.

“I’ll definitely lose my business if I can’t start working,” Baker said.

Richard Wieman, one of Baker’s

Missouri tower Al Baker was attacked doing roadside service in January.

Now, customers are reaching out to help him keep his business going.

BC17news.com image.

customers, created a GoFundMe page to help out (www.gofundme. com/ndfcw8).

“Al truly is a good Samaritan.

Now is our time to help Al since he’s helped so many people for so long without expecting anything,” Wieman said.

Columbia police said they still don’t have any leads on who attacked him.

Source: www.abc17news.com.

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 9

Check Out What’s NEW and HOT! Trail-Eze 50-ton Bus/Equipment Detachable Trail-Eze Trailers’ new 50-ton trailer is designed for buses, RVs and equipment without sacrificing deck height or integrity from the 40-ton model.

These trailers load from the rear or front and have numerous options, so a 50-ton detachable trailer can be customized to your needs.

www.traileze.com Number 200 on Reader Card

Dual-Sided Manual Free-Spool Option Jerr-Dan’s patent-pending Dual-Sided Manual Remote Free-Spool option for 8,000-lbs. and 10,000-lbs. worm-gear winches on standard- and mediumduty carriers provides the operator with the ability to manually free-spool the winch from either side of the truck and is available for all chassis—not just air-equipped chassis. If the system gets damaged or bumped accidentally, it

will fail-safe into the clutch-engaged position. The system locks in the up position when the clutch is freespooled and rests in the lower position when the clutch is engaged. The system can be retrofitted to a Jerr-Dan carrier that has the current singlesided manual free-spool option, with either a standard bolt-on or stationary headboard setup.

www.jerrdan.com Number 201 on Reader Card

Twist-Lock Slip Hooks B/A Products said its patent-pending Twist-Lock Slip Hooks feature the strongest latch ever designed for use on a slip hook. The new latches eliminate out-of-service equipment because of broken flip latches and are constructed of heavy-gauge steel and designed to withstand adverse conditions. The latch swivels 360 degrees, prevents accidental hooking or catching on other objects and come in 5/16”, 3/8” and 1/2” sizes for use with Grade 70 chain.

www.baprod.com

10 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Sava Redesign Increases Safety

W

ith the growing demand for tools that help expedite scene clearance times accompanied by on-scene safety, Savatech now offers a second line of truck catch bags that utilize its patent-pending truck dimensions.

New, longer hoses are standard and increase onscene safety for operators who can stay out of the rigging area.

A new, commercial-grade inflation unit and aluminum manifold were redesigned for all models in 2015. A three-port aluminum manifold includes true connection to the commercial-grade blower.

An insert pole eases process of relocating cushions during an upright on-scene.

www.savatech.com Number 204 on Reader Card

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 11

Risk Management Strategies for Drivers

by Michael Harding & Skip Mulvey One of your many responsibilities as a business operator is to take steps to prevent accidents from occurring and be ready to respond in the event of an accident or loss.

I

t probably comes as no surprise that your drivers are a significant loss exposure for your business. According to the National Safety Council, driving is the primary cause of both onand off-the-job deaths in the U.S. Accidents cost companies millions of dollars each and every year and may raise questions about your business and about your drivers. If this occurs, “negligent entrustment” is not how you want your drivers described.

Such a charge of carelessness can cause the public to lose confidence in your operation and in turn cripple your business.

The good news is there are steps you can take to reduce these risks and better manage this exposure. One of your many responsibilities as a business operator is to take steps to prevent accidents from occurring and be 12 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

ready to respond in the event of an accident or loss.

Consider incorporating risk management into your day-to-day thinking and activities. Risk management is the process to minimize the possibility and severity of losses while maximizing the probability and profitability of opportunities.

As a business owner, there are steps you can take to manage driving exposures. Some risk management strategies include: • Driver selection and evaluation process.

• Demonstrate management support.

• Develop written policies and programs.

• Orientation and training programs.

• Incident reporting process.

• Inspection and maintenance protocols.

Driver Selection One of the keys to managing your driving risks is to know what kind of driver you want driving on behalf of your business. Define the criteria you are going to use when you select your drivers.

Do you have driver selection standards in writing? They should include: • Thorough background checks.

• Drug screening.

• Work history. (Any applicants with gaps, or that were job hoppers?)

• Motor Vehicle reports for each driver demonstrating good driving records.

Use this with all your drivers and you’ll be off to a good start.

Once you’ve eliminated those that you don’t want driving for your operation, establish a way to evaluate everyone.

Things you can do include: • Verifying they have a valid driver’s license. Ask to see their license and copy both sides and place it in their driver’s file.

Note any restrictions they may have such as the need for corrective lenses or no nighttime driving.

• Utilizing a drug and alcohol testing program.

• Conducting road tests as well as driver ride-along evaluations.

• Testing your drivers on rules, safety precaution knowledge and other elements important to your business.

one, you’ll be better served if you document how you expect your business to be run. This should include: • A written vehicle/driver safety program (with provisions for 100-percent seatbelt use, rules about distracted driving and reporting any moving violations).

• Definining the company’s rules and regulations in a clear, concise manner with sufficient detail.

• Making sure everyone thoroughly reviews the rules and is

rigorously tested on them.

• Effectively communicating any updates.

Orientation Training presents some great opportunities for your tow business to manage your driving exposure, and can reap many benefits when done well. To be effective, it should be recurring and use a variety of methods to communicate important safety information.

Training can be informal (at the

Visible Support It’s one thing to say you support safety; it’s another to “walk the talk” and demonstrate it in the way you run your business. Your drivers will see through you very quickly if you tell them you want them to operate safely but then berate them because they took too long because of poor road conditions.

There should be no doubt to everyone in your organization that operating and driving safely is expected. There are many ways you can demonstrate that safety is an important part of your business: • Write and distribute a Safety Policy Statement. Sign it, give everyone a copy and post it for everyone to see.

• Assign an employee to oversee driver safety … or do it yourself.

• Establish clear standard operating procedures and see that they are consistently followed.

• Hold your drivers accountable for their driving.

• Consider utilizing GPS. • Make sure that safety is a routine topic in meetings.

• Regularly review and update safety rules as needed.

Written Policies Even if your business is a small Number 112 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 13

beginning of the work day) and it can be formal (monthly, quarterly, etc.).

Your topics should be selected ahead of time and presented in a structured, classroom-like environment. Test on what you’ve covered and document the results in each driver’s file.

Thorough training sessions such as orientation and annual refresher training should follow a checklist to make sure all topics are covered. Attendance should be mandatory and documented.

Other things to consider to maximize your training results: • Assign a driver mentor (that is trained to be a mentor).

• Include in-vehicle training.

• Utilize a monitored probationary period for all new hires.

• Make sure that you (or your top management) participates in new-hire orientation.

• Include defensive driver training as part of your program.

• Make sure your drivers understand they are held accountable for preventable accidents.

Incident Reporting Do your drivers know what to do (and what not to do) in the event of an accident? Did you know that an improper statement immediately following an accident could make your company liable?

It is important that you have established procedures in place that guide you and your drivers in responding properly in the event of an accident.

Consider working with your insurance agent or a legal representative to document how your drivers are expected to respond immediately after an accident.

Some companies have an accident 14 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

You have a responsibility to know who is driving for your company and that they meet the guidelines you’ve established.

kit in each vehicle as a reminder of what should be done. These can contain checklists, important phone numbers along with other important information and items to aid in properly responding.

Be certain your drivers are aware of: • Who they should call.

• Who they should/can talk with.

• What they should say (or not say).

• What information they should gather.

• Any additional steps.

By having all the proper procedures and training in place before an accident, you and your drivers are more apt to respond properly to an accident and not react in a way that could be detrimental to your company.

Inspections There’s a management saying that goes, “What gets inspected gets dealt with.” It may serve you well. Properly inspected and maintained tow trucks have a much greater chance of operating properly than vehicles that are neglected.

It is important for your business for others to have confidence in your equipment. One operator I know in Virginia required all of his drivers to

make sure at the end of each shift that their assigned truck “looked good.”

This included a good cleaning as needed. The idea was if every driver took pride in what they drove and made sure their vehicle looked good “outside the hood,” they would be more inclined to make sure everything was also operating properly.

Are you doing the same? You should: • Train your drivers how to do a thorough inspection.

• Make sure all vehicles are inspected (and documented in writing) prior to use and as required by applicable laws.

• Have repairs made promptly as needed.

• Report all physical damage.

• Have all repairs done only by licensed shop/mechanic.

• Keep maintenance files for each vehicle.

• Have preventative maintenance performed within vehicle guidelines.

Having a well-maintained fleet will give you the confidence that your vehicles are as they should be.

Implementing these suggested risk management strategies effectively will get you off to a great start in managing your driving exposures. As an owner/operator, you have a responsibility to your employees, to your customers, and the general public to know who is driving for your company and that they meet the guidelines you’ve established. You have a responsibility to have sound business procedures in place and to train your drivers so they know and can follow these procedures safely. And you need to assure the vehicles you have on the road are safe and well-maintained.

Of course there can be many other components to managing all of your company’s driving exposures. Consider talking to your insurance agent to discuss your specific circumstances and what you can do.

About the Authors Michael Harding is a Senior Loss Control and Risk Management Specialist for Markel Insurance, www.markelcorp.com.

Skip Mulvey is Senior Account Executive for Independent Garage & Towing Contractors, www.towinsurance.com.

Number 211 on Reader Card

Four-Point Tie-Down Vs. Safety

by Randall C. Resch

I

n August 2012, 18-year-old Kansas City tower Blake Gresham was killed as he prepared a vehicle for transport. Investigators reported he was finishing loading a car on his carrier when a box truck hit him. Officials say his emergency lights were on while he was working the tow.

To effectively apply a four-point tiedown per law, doing so would have required Blake to be working on the traffic side. Gresham’s death raises huge concern to dispute laws mandating tow operators apply four-point or total tie-down before vehicles are towed or transported. His death is one example in a long list of tower fatalities.

When attaching safety devices to towed or transported vehicles, safety attachments must be drawn completely tight to eliminate movement while vehicles are in transit. Securing vehicles is a necessary component of transport safety; but when it comes to tow operator safety, is the four-point tie-down in traffic too heavy a risk?

If it’s too dangerous to apply complete four-point tie-down assemblies, is minimally securing a casualty vehicle a reasonable and temporary survival technique until it can be relocated away from passing vehicles?

Today’s laws mandate that prior to being transported or towed, operators must apply ratchet straps, J-hooks and chains, binders, etc., to keep vehicles attached to flatbed carriers or wheel lifts. At what point is it reasonable to mandate tow operators position themselves in harm’s way at immediate risk of being killed?

Tow operator fatalities aren’t always the end result of out-of-control vehicles, drunk drivers or wayward motorists entering work zones. Many are large, aggressive tractor-trailers driving in traffic lanes inching toward

16 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Safety attachments must be drawn completely tight to eliminate movement while vehicles are in transit.

Securing vehicles properly is a necessary component of transport safety.

the fog line. This is where towers place themselves securing half of the four points.

We Can’t Win A veteran tow operator responded to a California Highway Patrol call of a broke-down vehicle on a busy freeway’s center divider. A CHP officer was on scene; the officer remained

parked behind the tower and disabled vehicle with red-and-blue lights on.

The tower, in his usual cautious manner, hurriedly put the vehicle’s driver and passenger into the cab of his carrier and then went about loading the vehicle.

Once winched atop the carrier’s deck, the tower attached a non-trafficside top-side ratchet strap and one rear

Number 195 on Reader Card

The process of a complete four-point tiedown on the traffic side of a dangerous highway is just one of the ways towers are consistently being killed.

J-hook. He felt it too dangerous to attempt attaching safety devices on the fast-lane side. His intent was to take it to the first place of safety and complete the tie-down process.

When ready to travel from the fast lane, he requested the officer provide a police escort from behind. The officer followed and blocked rearward traffic moving one lane at a time to the slow lane, then eventually to the first offramp. The tower drove no more than a mile to a shopping center’s parking lot to complete his tie-down. The officer followed him to the lot, and then wrote him a citation.

Although the officer knew the tower didn’t have a complete tiedown, he watched him violate the law, said nothing, and eventually cited him. (Reasonable enforcement or entrapment?)

In a battle of Letter of the Law vs.

Spirit of the Law, that citation was a clear-cut example of enforcing written law vs. ensuring the tower’s safety.

Sure, written law demands total secure-

Number 110 on Reader Card

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ment, but current vehicle code laws overlook the potential of towers being killed as a result of total securement.

The tower should have some discretion on the white line.

Regarding written law in California, the state’s vehicle code makes no consideration for tow operator safety: “Any vehicle towed by a tow truck shall be coupled by means of at least two safety chains in addition to the primary restraining system. The safety chains shall be securely affixed to the truck frame, bed, or towing equipment, independent of the tow sling, wheel lift, or under-reach equipment.”

Another section states: “Any vehicle transported on a slide back carrier or conventional trailer shall be secured by at least four tie-down chains,

Number 140 on Reader Card

Time for Change

Is minimally securing a casualty vehicle a reasonable and temporary survival technique until it can be relocated away from passing vehicles?

straps, or an equivalent device, independent of the winch or loading cable.”

Towers are killed working and standing on the traffic side of the highway. Through years of difficult lessons, we’ve developed training methods suggesting tow operators spend as little time as possible in dangerous locations.

The tower took his citation to court and compiled a boatload of operator-fatality statistics and presented reasonable and prudent arguments for not applying a complete four-point tie-down. The judge still found the tower guilty of violating the tie-down section.

Let’s agree that we’ve got a job to do. But getting killed isn’t part of our job description. Shouldn’t there be flexibility in current vehicle code laws?

This is a great matter that state tow associations should attack. They should be overwhelmingly active to lobby that their state’s vehicle code laws be revised to reflect tow operator safety when working the highways.

Vehicle code laws are written for the safety of the motoring public. It’s understood why four-point tie-downs are necessary and enforcement should be continued, but not in instances where tow operators feel their lives are in immediate danger. California’s vehicle code does include a safety exception for repo work: “A vehicle towed by a repossessor’s tow vehicle … is exempt from the multi-safety chain requirement … so long as the vehicle is not towed more than one mile on a public highway and is secured by one safety chain.”

So, if a repossessor is allowed to tow a vehicle an additional mile with no safety chains, common sense says current law should be amended for tower safety as well.

To the law enforcement community, I salute the efforts in making the towing industry a safer profession. I completely understand that towers get lax and don’t always adhere to rules of the road, but as a matter of common sense the tower should have some discretion on the white line.

When thinking of quick-clearance goals involving vehi-

Number 123 on Reader Card

20 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Number 109 on Reader Card

cle transport, is it reasonable to shut down highway lanes to protect tow operators from approaching traffic? If one goal is to keep traffic flowing, what allowable performance objectives are reasonable and prudent to ensure the tow operator’s safety?

Perhaps quick-clear procedures should involve law enforcement in these kinds of incidents where their operational policies are changed to mandate and include: • A highway patrol unit shall be dispatched to all tow or trans-

port scenarios.

• Tow operators will not load any vehicle until the highway patrol is on-scene and assisting.

• Highway patrol will conduct orchestrated traffic-breaks on all tow-and-load scenarios requiring four-point tie-downs.

Because these procedures are against the goals of quick clearance, somewhere there’s got to be a happy medium. I personally don’t think that trying to save a tower’s life is an unreasonable action. I’m not asking

the cops to look the other way; simply that they recognize the process of a complete four-point tie-down on the traffic side of a dangerous highway is just one of the ways towers are consistently being killed.

It’s time to change the laws on the tower’s behalf.

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.

$100,000 Prize at Florida Show Dynamic Towing Equipment & Manufacturing, the Florida Tow Show and the Repo Expo are giving away chances to win a $100,000 prize during the Florida Tow Show in Orlando, April 9-12.

Every registered Florida Tow Show (www.floridatowshow.com) and Repo Expo attendee 18 years or older will receive one Gold Dynamic Ticket good for one chance to open a safe housing the prize. Attendees must register to receive a Gold Dynamic Ticket for a chance to win.

Hino Adds Class 4 Model 155

Number 169 on Reader Card

22 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Hino Trucks announced the addition of a Class 4 155 model to its product offering that will be available at its dealers by May. Hino Trucks (www.hino.com) now offers product ranging from Class 4 through Class 7.

The 155 model has a GVWR of 14,500 lbs. and is powered by Hino’s 210-hp J05E-TP engine.

The cab-over comes standard with a five-year, 175,000-mile powertrain warranty, HinoWatch and HinoCare. Hino will also offer a double cab version of the Class 4, marketed as the 155-DC model.

Number 182 on Reader Card

Number 145 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 23

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Chelsea PTO Wins Innovation Award Chelsea Products Division of Parker (www.phtruck.com) won The Work Truck Show 2015 Innovation Award in March for its 249V Series power take-off. The PTO prevailed over more than 100 other new products with the judging panel of truck fleet managers and trade media editors.

Developed for the Ford F-Series Super Duty line of trucks, the 249V

Series PTO provides flow of up to 23 gpm and pressure of 3,500 psi at 1,200 rpm, as well as torque capacity of 200 lbs./ft. It features a single hose connection, and an integrated cartridge valve and pressure switch for easy installation.

“Winning the Innovation Award really validates all the customer and end-user research we conducted while developing this product,” said Jeff King, marketing manager for Chelsea.

Kalyn Siebert Adds Distributors Kalyn Siebert (www.kalynsiebert.com) added two new distributors for its heavy-duty trailers with Worldwide Equipment and Twin State Trailers.

Worldwide Equipment (www. thetruckpeople.com) has 16 full-service dealerships, 15 leasing locations, five parts stores and several fabrication and detail shops throughout Kentucky, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. They will stock and promote Kalyn Siebert’s Hydraulic Detachable Gooseneck, Mechanical Detachable Gooseneck and Hydraulic Sliding-Axle Trailers, as well as Flip Axles and Hydraulic Boosters for these trailers.

Twin State’s (www.twinstatetrailers.com) full-service locations in Charlotte, Greensboro and Hickory, N.C., will stock and promote Kalyn Siebert’s Hydraulic Detachable Gooseneck and Hydraulic Sliding Axle trailers to its customers throughout the Carolinas.

UCMCS Video Touts ‘Move Over’ Law The United Coalition for Motor Club Safety (www.motorclubcoalition.com) produced a video to educate the public about the risks towers take and dangers they face every day in order to keep all motorists safe. The video also promotes adherence to the Move Over laws.

The four-minute video interviews owners and drivers of two towing companies about the dangers that towers face on a daily basis. It highlights that during an average year, 60 towing professionals are struck and killed while performing roadside services.

It also states that in the state of California there are more than 6 million calls for tow truck services yearly, with 60 percent of those calls being general service calls (lockouts, dead batteries, and flat tires), and the balance being emergency calls.

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TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 27

A Dark and

Stormy Lift Muddy, Mucky Recovery in Milwaukee

by Mark Salentine Ray’s Towing; Milwaukee, Wis

28 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

I

t was a dark and stormy night. … well, actually, it was a gray and stormy evening that turned into night when a tractor-trailer jackknifed on I-43 near Milwaukee, Wis., in October 2014. Much like the stormy night cliché, jack-knives in the towing industry are pretty common and usually straightforward when it comes to recovery. What made this one more challenging for us was the deep ditch in which the semi came to rest and the deluge of rain that had filled it.

Jack-knived semis in the towing industry are pretty common and usually straightforward—this one not so much as the tractor-trailer was in a deep ditch filled with mucky water on a rainy evening.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 29

be considered common in a jack-knife: rigging to and pulling the tractor around into a straight--or straighter-line with the trailer. Once the Jerr-Dan was moved back down and near the semi, this part involved a little lowlevel swimming, or “bobbing for trucks.” We had to pull cable through the muck and rig in the rushing water, including supplying air to the brake system, in order to get the semi back on the road and minimize the wheels from plowing the muck.

The final part of the recovery, other than towing it away, involved

winching the tractor-trailer up the incline of the ditch and back onto the freeway. Though a considerable amount of mud and countless cattails still made it to the road with the vehicle, everything was cleared within a little over three hours.

Each of the operators dealt with being drenched from above, soaked from below, and occasionally slipping in, being swallowed by, and dropping the occasional item in the water and muck. Months later, du Vergey said his boots still are wet from this recovery.

The final part of the recovery involved winching the semi up the incline out of the ditch and back onto the freeway.

The first part of the recovery was to spin the tractor out of its jack-knifed position.

At the top of evening rush hour, we were called by the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department to handle a semi involved in an accident near the western county line. Heavy-duty operator Matt du Vergey was the first to arrive in our 2007 Western Star/50-ton JerrDan HDL 1000/530.

Du Vergey, who is WreckMastercertified in heavy-duty recovery, found the nearly-empty semi to be in a hard jack-knife on its passenger side, completely off the road and submerged in over three feet of rushing 30 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

water and muck.

He called me for a second opinion and assistance with the recovery. A third Ray’s employee, Joe Altenhofen, also came to help with pulling cable, rigging and assisting with visibility in the on-and-off pouring rain. I arrived in our 2006 Peterbilt/Century 1060S rotator, but we handled nearly all of the recovery with the Jerr-Dan. The first part of the recovery was to spin the tractor out of its jack-knifed position. This was done by placing the Jerr-Dan at the top of a nearby hill and

on-ramp to the freeway, pulling out nearly 200’ of cable, and winching the tractor away from the trailer. It was a harder pull because of the severely damaged tractor “plowing” through the soaked ground as it went; but once the recovery unit was positioned properly, all went as planned.

Ideally, the damaged unit would have been winched up the hill completely and onto the upper roadway, but there were deep ravines and other obstructions that prevented it.

The next part involved what would Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 31

Jerr-Dan Adds Ohio Distributor

Wells Fargo Caps Subprime Auto Loans

Jerr-Dan Corp. (www.jerrdan.com) recently added Rick’s Truck and Equipment in Kenton, Ohio, to its distributor network.

“We are excited to have Rick's Truck and Equipment join the Jerr-Dan family,” said Jerr-Dan’s Jeff Irr. “Persistence and setting your goals will define your achievements,” said Rick Whitaker, owner and president of Rick’s Truck and Equipment (www.ricksautosales.com). “We have been in business for over 20 years.

Looking at where we started to where the dealership is today, our philosophy and goals are very much illustrated. …

“After selling used rollbacks and wreckers at our dealership for years, I really wanted to become a Jerr-Dan distributor and sell new trucks and equipment.”

Wells Fargo, one of the largest subprime car lenders, is pulling back from that roaring market, a move that is being felt throughout the broader auto industry.

The San Francisco-based bank has been at the center of the boom in making loans to people with tarnished credit scores.

But now, amid signs that the market is overheating, Wells Fargo will cap any new subprime auto loans at no more than 10 percent of all its car loans.

Last year, the bank made $29.9 billion in new auto loans to consumers.

Over all, auto loans to subprime borrowers have more than doubled since the financial crisis, with one in four new auto loans going to subprime borrowers.

Federal and state authorities are examining whether dealerships have been inflating borrowers’ income or falsifying employment information on

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loan applications to ensure that any borrower, even some who are unemployed and have virtually no source of income, can buy a car.

At the recent conference of the Global Association of Risk Professionals in New York, Darrin Benhart, a senior regulatory official at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which regulates Wells Fargo, noted that lenders had extended repayment periods to 84 months — 40 percent longer than the typical period — and were making loans that were far greater than the value of the car.

Such longer loan terms, the Wells Fargo executives said, helped inform the bank’s decision to impose a cap on its subprime auto originations.

According to analysts, another pressure on the market is that the value of used cars will plunge amid increased supply. The lower the value of the car, the less money a lender can recoup in a repossession.

Source: www.nytimes.com.

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Repossessor Is a Night-Shift Hero

by Mark Lacek

R

epossessors help people everyday. It’s true — everyday. We help people get back on their feet. Sometimes, it’s like taking away grampa’s car keys when he turns 95 … he shouldn’t be driving, he could hurt himself, but he just will not give up those keys.

It’s called tough love.

Repossessing a car from someone who cannot afford to make the monthly payment is one of those tough-love lessons, but from someone who does not actually “love” the cus-

36 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

There is always some bank, credit union, leasing company or loan shark ready to write the deal.

tomer yet is acting in their best interest. Let’s face it, it’s difficult not to drive a new car nowadays. Everyone else seems to have a nice new shiny car, why shouldn’t we? Everywhere we go, there is a salesman trying to sell someone a brand new car. And there is always some bank, credit union, leasing company or loan shark ready to write the deal.

Let’s take a trip back in our time machine (oh yeah, I repossessed a time machine yesterday). This model lets me go back in time up to 50 years, but

D L SO

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TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 37

for only two hours at a time. Let’s crank this bad boy up and have some fun.

It’s 1973 and we’re driving our 1963 Ford Falcon; it’s a great car, but there are so many great cars out there.

The Falcon is 10 years old—it still runs great, but has some rust and, well, it’s just not cool.

We go to the Ford dealer and the first car that catches my eye is the Mustang Mach 1. A look at the sticker is a shocking $3,833. Parked in its shadow is a rather meek looking Maverick—sticker price is $2,541. A few steps away from the Maverick is a four-door LTD, price is the same as the Mustang.

We take a walk to the Chrysler dealer next door to look at the new Dodge Challenger priced at $3,192; parked next to the Challenger is the Chrysler Cordoba at $3,244. I remember the advice of Ricardo Montalban so I check out the rich Corinthian leather ... very nice.

I jump back in the Ford Falcon and drive to the Chevrolet dealer down the road. As soon as we drive in of course it’s the Camaro Z/28 that catches our eye. Walking into the showroom passing the Impala Custom, I cannot seem to take my eyes off of the yellow Camaro Z/28 with the black racing stripe. I look closely at the window sticker and the bottom line reads $3,470. I want this car ... but the time machine will not allow anything to return with us. As we leave the sales floor we notice the price on the Impala at $3,836 and the Monte Carlo Landau next to it is the same price.

As I turn towards the doorway to leave the showroom I hear a warning buzzer. We are 30 seconds away from being sent back into the present.

BAM. Now it is 2015 and I am standing next to a brand new Chevy Camaro.

It’s the same yellow and even has the black racing stripe. I can’t help but look down at the window sticker. It is at this moment I realize I’m truly back in the present. The price on the window is $34,700.

Everyone seems to think they need a new car these days.

Whatever happened during those 42 years took the price of a new Camaro from an affordable $3,400 to a staggering $34,000. Not very funny!

Everyone seems to think they need a new car these days. As I drive down my street, I notice a new car in most driveways. On my way to the office, the Chevy and Ford dealer seem to take up 10 city blocks with a thousand new cars in the lot. It seems like changing cars nowadays is like changing a pair of socks.

A repossessor is in some form, a highway hero— a friend in need when times are tough. OK, it’s a stretch, but hear me out on this. The professional repossessor is there to help those who cannot seem to keep from making

those bad decisions. He is there to help remove that difficult decision from your table when people find themselves driving a car that has a monthly payment way over the monthly budget.

I can’t tell you how many times a debtor showed up to the yard to pick up his personal belongings, looked into my eyes and thanked me. Really, I can’t.

We must all understand the basic principle of this automobile thing. A car is a tool, a machine. A car is a means in which to move you from one place to another so you do not have to walk ... as much.

It’s kind of funny, actually. You wake up in the morning and make your way to your new treadmill. It cost you $3,400. With this new treadmill it is possible to walk five miles before breakfast. After breakfast you jump into your brand new $34,000 car and you drive the three miles to work.

People buy things they don’t need; they buy cars they cannot afford.

When the payment is missed and they fall a couple months behind, the highway hero, the prince of the night—yes, the repossessor—begins his shift.

I look forward to seeing many of you May 14-17 during Tow Industry Week at the American Towman ShowPlace-Las Vegas. Industry legend Joe Taylor from Recovery Industry Services Company has agreed to bring his wisdom and knowledge about industry certification and compliance. I will be sharing ideas on skip tracing and operational procedures. Together Taylor and I will help you increase your bottom line if you are in the repossession business and help you to build your repossession empire if you are ready. Now, I am heading out. Today I have a special project in mind. I’m looking for a good deal on a 1963 Ford Falcon.

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

Mark@commercialassetsolutions.com

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Number 108 on Reader Card

Freightliner Launches New Initiative Freightliner Trucks recently announced its “Freightliner Trucks Hardest Working Cities” program to recognize the role vocational trucks, and the men and women who operate them, play in stimulating economies across the United States and Canada.

As part of the campaign (www.HardestWorkingCities.com), Freightliner will host events in each honored city. Cities were chosen based on criteria ranging from impact on overall gross domestic product to growth in employment to the number of jobs in key industry sectors including construction, manufacturing and logistics.

Approximately 400 metropolitan census areas in the United States and Canada were analyzed.

IWS Opens New Facility Idaho Wrecker Sales has opened the doors to its new, state-of-the-art truck shop and retail outlet. The Mountain Home, Idaho-based company said the new facility will provide IWS (www.idahowreckersales.com) with the room needed to take on more truck and coach builds, and will bring opportunities for growth.

The new facility includes an inhouse sound/video/photography stu-

dio, truck building bays with a portable vehicle lift to allow for easy maintenance, a large retail showroom open to the public and a conference room equipped with all the newest technologies.

Court Revives Claim that CHP is Liable California’s Supreme Court has revived a claim that the California Highway Patrol is potentially liable for the negligence of towers whose companies have contracted to assist disabled motorists under a program supervised by the CHP. The justices unanimously reversed an earlier state appellate court ruling that broadly freed the CHP from liability for the negligence of program participants. However, they agreed that statutes governing the Freeway Service Patrol program do not make the CHP the “special employer” of drivers participating in the program.

The service patrol program seeks to free the roads of traffic impediments by allowing local transportation agencies to contract with towing companies to assist stranded motorists. The CHP oversees the program, performing background checks, training the drivers, inspecting the vehicles, dispatching drivers, and investigating complaints.

The court action stems from an inci-

See you at the Florida Tow Show Booth 112-114.

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dent where a motorist suffered catastrophic brain injuries, and her child lesser injuries, after a participating tow truck rear-ended her car on I-5. She sued the driver, his employer, the Orange County Transportation Authority, and the CHP. The CHP moved for summary judgment, which was originally denied by a Supreme Court judge who found that a legal issue existed as to whether the agency was liable as a special employer.

However, the state’s Court of Appeal disagreed and said the CHP was entitled to summary judgment because it cannot be the special employer of an FSP tow truck driver.

However, Justice Carol Corrigan noted that the CHP is authorized not only to oversee FSP contracts between local transportation agencies and tow truck operators—as in the motorist’s case—but to enter into its own contracts.

“Conceivably, pursuant to that authority or otherwise, CHP might agree to a role that would bring it within the scope of the special employment doctrine,” Corrigan wrote.

The court remanded the case so that the plaintiffs may present additional evidence regarding the relationship between the CHP and the towing company in the particular case.

Source: www.metnews.com.

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Visit us at the FL Tow Show Booth #235

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Car Shredded to Thwart Repo Winnebago County, Ill., sheriff’s deputies have found pieces of a silver 2012 Dodge Avenger the owners apparently sliced into thirds rather than give up to repossession.

Investigators with the Northern Illinois Auto Theft Task Force told authorities that the vehicle was apparently scheduled to be repossessed by a local bank. They said it was not stolen and may have been used in recent Rockfordarea crimes.

The front end minus the engine was discovered Feb. 5 in the Rock River in Rockford.

Another section of the vehicle that included the transmission and doors of the vehicle was found dumped on the side of the road near the river along with contents from the car.

On Feb. 11, the back end of the vehicle was fished out of the Kishwaukee River at the Blackhawk Road bridge.

No injuries have been reported. An investigation continues.

Source: http://m.rrstar.com.

driving citations and share responsibility for the minor crash with the other car, Ruziska said. Charges are pending.

Source: www.inforum.com.

Stolen, Not Repossessed A woman said she was getting rid of her Honda four-wheeler and was ready for the ATV to be repossessed, but someone stole it from her residence off Hays Hollow Road in Flintstone, Ga. According to Walker County Sheriff’s Department reports, someone has been in the possession of the stolen woman’s

green $5,000 Honda ATV from Sept. 2014 to Feb. 22. The woman told authorities she did not want the ATV and was under the impression it was repossessed.

The woman first noticed the vehicle was missing on Sept. 30 and assumed the creditors had already repossessed it and had it ever since.

After a recovering company which was trying to pick up the ATV from the lien holder contacted her, she discovered the vehicle was actually stolen and contacted authorities.

Source: www.northwestgeorgianews.com.

Repo Attempt Leads to Chase When a check bounced at a West Fargo, N.D., used car dealership, the dealership took matters into its own hands, leading to a car chase Feb. 21, Fargo Police say.

According to police, the dealership tried to repossess a car that was purchased from it because, the dealership said, the owner wrote a bad check.

That’s when the chase happened.

Fargo Police Sgt. Shannon Ruziska said the chase that occurred in south Fargo shouldn’t have happened because it was a civil matter.

“You can’t get into a pursuit for that,” Ruziska said. “They have no right to drive recklessly to try and stop somebody.”

The person fleeing a dealership employee hit another car near South University Drive during the chase but didn’t stop, and continued to Dilworth where police eventually made contact with that driver.

Both drivers likely face reckless Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

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TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 43

Loophole Allows Violators to Operate A Houston, Texas, local news investigation found a way tow companies whose licenses have been revoked can continue to operate.

State records show several Houston towing companies were fined by the state for violations like towing cars without permission and demanding cash payments to release vehicles.

If a company fails to pay those fines, the state can revoke their license. However, there is nothing stopping the owners from continuing to operate a different tow company with a different license if one of their companies’ licenses is revoked.

“The violation was against the tow company, not the owner of the tow company. He can own however many tow companies he wants,” said Todd Forrester, a program specialist with the compliance division for TDLR, the regulating authority for towing in the state.

In the report, four towing companies were cited as operating under different business names despite having the same ownership and having outstanding fines.

TDLR has issued at least three administrative orders against Ideal Towing in the past year with fines totaling $13,900. Another company licensed under the name Zibdeh Corp., but doing business as American Eagle and American Eagle Auto Storage, was fined $12,600 for towing

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cars without a license and then forcing customers to pay cash to pick up their vehicles. AAA M Wrecker and Reliant Collision (now doing business as Auto Haus K&H) were the two other companies cited in the report with administrative orders from TDLR. Source: www.click2houston.com.

Towman Killed on Bridge A tower and father of two is dead after being clipped by a big rig on the Pioneer Bridge in West Sacramento, Calif.

California Highway Patrol Sgt. Andy Hill said the man died while picking up the reflective safety triangles he had put down behind his own disabled truck.

It appears he broke down on the bridge and stepped slightly into the westbound traffic lanes after he made repairs and was cleaning up.

That’s when Hill says evidence at the scene shows a semitrailer clipped him.

Investigators aren’t sure what time the accident happened, but a passing CHP officer, who stopped to help with what he thought was a broken-down tow truck, found the driver’s body just before 9 p.m.

Hill believes the big rig driver may not even know their trailer hit anything. The driver did not stop.

Hill is asking any member of the public who might have seen the crash or the rig leaving the area to contact the CHP office in Woodland.

Source: http://fox40.com.

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TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 45

by Charles Duke

Patrick Nahoum, Nation Safe Drivers; Thurs. 3 p.m.

Staley Cash, USAC/MD; Fri. 8:30 - 9:15 a.m.

Mark Brown, Allstate Roadside Svc.; Fri. 9:25 - 10:10 a.m.

Patrice Painson, Road America; Fri. 10:20 - 11:05 a.m.

Kay Martin and Mindy West, GEICO; Fri. 11:15 a.m. - Noon Rod Fone, Coach-Net; Sat. 8:30 - 9:15 a.m.

Agero; Sat. 9:25 - 10:10 a.m

M

any towers rely on the volume of business they get from motor clubs as a cash-flow booster. Getting those invoices paid in full and on time is a priority.

Many of the motor clubs pride themselves on quick payments as an attractive feature for towing companies working with them. Oftentimes, issues with towers getting “slow” payments may be that the tower hasn’t followed through on the proper protocols with the invoicing.

This is why one of the five conferences taking place at the upcoming Tow Industry Week, May 14-16 at the SouthPoint Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nev., will feature an historic industry event.

The Getting Paid by Motor Clubs Conference will feature presentations from seven of the industry’s motor clubs geared towards instructing towing companies how to expedite payments. Representatives from Agero, Allstate Roadside Services, Coach-Net,

46 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Historic Conference Set for Las Vegas

Patrick Nahoum

Staley Cash

Mark Brown

Patrice Painson

Kay Martin

Rod Fone

GEICO, Nation Safe Drivers, Road America and USAC/MD will be on hand to discuss payment procedures and questions.

Attendees are sure to learn new things that will help their companies get paid.

This conference will include the specifics on how to get paid by each motor club. Sessions led by the clubs will discuss what is required, time frames, proper invoicing procedures and other pertinent information to expedite payment to your company.

Coach-Net has been providing roadside assistance since 1987 in the

U.S. and Canada with a network of more than 40,000 providers. During their session at the Conference, Rod Fone, director of dispatch management, will cover online invoicing for quicker payment, using their web portal, receiving direct-deposit payments, and the importance of keeping the motor club informed if the roadside event changes or is different than what the customer presented.

Currently in its 43rd year, Nation Safe Drivers offers emergency towing service, road service, emergency delivery, emergency battery service, lost key or lockout service and other services to motorists.

“We’d like to provide a brief overview of how our payment system works,” said Network Manager Patrick Nahoum. “We also want to make sure that providers know how to reach the proper [people] in the event that they do have an issue or question in regards to filing a claim, or being paid by NSD.” Agero, formerly Cross Country

Many towing professionals are expected to be on hand for the first-ever Getting Paid by the Motor Clubs Conference that will be held during Tow Industry Week, May 14-16 at the SouthPoint Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.

Motor Club, was one of the first motor clubs serving the towing industry to utilize the Internet for billing and payments about 20 years ago. Now Agero, its roadside assistance network serves more than 75 million drivers each year with towing, lockout service, tire changes, electric vehicle charging and more.

Agero’s Network Project Manager Matt Merola and VP of Network Management Chris Small will be tackling how to best utilize AgeroSupport.com to facilitate payment. Through the portal, service providers can transact business, view performance data and communicate online.

Road America provides service to more than 19 million customers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico through contracts with corporate clients.

“We are looking to present an overview of our invoicing and payment processes and the tools available to facilitate both, especially RAPID (Road America Payment Interphase Dashboard),” said Miguel Cifuentes, Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

provider network deputy director for Road America.

“RAPID serves as a gateway to monitoring provider performance and updating all their account information.

It also allows service providers to manage their finances efficiently by providing the tools to expedite service payment, such as enrolling in the direct-deposit payment option. That means money in the bank faster than ever.”

Many of the motor clubs pride themselves on quick payments.

Allstate Roadside Services emerged from consolidations of the Montgomery Ward Motor Club and Amoco Motor Club, then later the Allstate Motor Club. Mark Brown, payment services manager, will head the

Allstate Roadside Services session.

“We will be presenting information about our efforts to provide quicker and easier payments via our enhanced web application, said Brown. “These include EFT payments every weekday (five days a week), dispatch information available online for easier processing, direct feedback from payment processors online for greater transparency and greater use of immediate payment from fast-pay-preferred or pay-by-dispatch.”

Towers hunt to get greater clarification of billing and payment procedures from the motor clubs. All of the participating motor clubs want to assist their providers in this process to create a win-win for each side.

The Getting Paid by Motor Clubs seminars promise to be among the most information-dense and discussed conference tracks, and attendees are sure to learn new things that will help their companies get paid. Don’t miss it May 14-16 in Las Vegas.

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 47

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South Point Room Rates: $55—$95

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

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

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

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

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

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EXHIBIT HALL • Fri. & Sat.: 12 Noon - 6 pm; 5/15-16. • 1st & 2nd registrants are free: each additional $5 per person. ❏ Yes, please advance register me for exhibit hall. Badge is good for both exhibit hall days! . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5 per person ❏ Conference Passport • Passport good for all Conference Seminars starting Thurs. afternoon, Fri. & Sat. mornings. $75 advance registration fee; $125 on site – Save $50 & register now . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$75 per person ❏ 1st registrant ❏ 2nd registrant ❏ 3rd registrant ❏ 4th registrant ❏ Heavy-Duty Recovery Training: Conventional & Rotator • Thurs. 5/14: 8 am-Noon; 1-5 pm, Fri. 5/15: 8 am-Noon, 4-8 pm $595 per person advance registration fee; $695 on-site. Fee also includes Conference Passport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$595 per person Conducted by WreckMaster, includes 8-hrs. classroom & 8-hrs. hands-on instruction inside South Point Arena. ❏ 1st registrant ❏ 2nd registrant ❏ 3rd registrant ❏ 4th registrant ❏ American Towman Cup • Wrecker Pageant. Co-Sponsored by SpeedTech Lights (The Official Lighting Company) . . . . . . . . . . .$50/$75 Check class you will compete in. One vehicle per class & up to four per company. Trucks enter Thurs. 8 am-5 pm, Fri. 8-11 am and stay in Arena until Sat., 7 pm • $50: ❏ Light (pre-2014) ❏ Light (2014-2015) ❏ Medium ❏ Vintage (Pre-1985) ❏ Service/Support Truck • $75: ❏ HD Single Axle ❏ HD Tandem ❏ Carrier ❏ Rotator ❏ AT’s Desert Smoke VIP Passport • Fri. 5/15, 9 pm; In the poolside gazebo at South Point Hotel. Sponsored by Savatech Includes (1) AT Signature cigar, (1) drink ticket, (1) premium cigar & a special gift by Savatech. . . . . . . .$20 per person: ❏ AT Open (Golf) • Thurs., 5/14, 8 am; Tow Bosses & Industry Suppliers compete for AT Open Golf Tourney. Sponsored by USAC/MD ❏ 1st registrant ❏ 2nd registrant ❏ 3rd registrant ❏ 4th registrant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$125 per person ❏ The Towman Monument Reception - AT Chops Thurs. 5/14, 6 pm; FREE “All Chops” buffet. South Point Arena Concourse. . . .# attending: ❏ Live Recovery Demo • Thurs. 5/14, 7 pm at South Point Arena. Sponsored by TwinState Equip. & Jerr-Dan. . . . . . . . .# attending: ❏ AT’s Desert Smoke • Fri. 5/15, 9 pm; Poolside at South Point Hotel. FREE hand-rolled cigar, Sponsored by Savatech . . .# attending: ❏ Live Recovery Demo • Sat. 5/16, 11 am at South Point Arena. Sponsored by Miller Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .# attending: ❏ Saturday RIBS FEST Sat. 5/16, Afternoon; FREE to Advance Registrants only: South Point Arena. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .# attending:

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Police Towing • Heavy-Duty Recovery Getting Paid by Clubs • Diversification • Repo

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

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Number 130 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 53

The

Power

of

Recovery

Last year, Miller Industries showed its new 1150 during a demo at the SouthPoint Arena (above). This year, demos will include TwinState Equipment/Jerr-Dan at 7 p.m. on Thursday and Miller will demonstrate its Century 1150 50- ton “California Legal” rotator and Vulcan V-100 heavy-duty integrated unit at 11 a.m. Saturday in Las Vegas during Tow Industry Week.

Recovery Venues During Tow Industry Week Offer Training, Seminars, Demos

by Charles Duke

O

ne of the major attractions of any trade show in the towing industry is getting the latest info on heavyduty equipment and recovery techniques; during Tow Industry Week in Las Vegas May 14-16, you can up your game in this niche by paying to attend the Heavy-Duty Recovery Conference and/or Heavy-Duty Training from WreckMaster. Tow Industry Week also will present demos free to all attendees in the SouthPoint Arena from Jerr-Dan and Miller Industries.

From nearly 20 hours of live demon-

54 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

strations to more than 10 hours of classroom instruction, towers will be able to experience what heavy-duty recovery work entails. Presented by several of the industry’s most-trusted trainers and instructors, it promises to be a rewarding learning experience.

WreckMaster will present 16 hours of conventional and rotator heavy-duty training featuring their highly experienced instructors. Open to all towers, eight hours of classroom instruction will be enhanced by eight hours of hands-on equipment training in the SouthPoint Arena.

Lead Instructor Bruce Campbell will run the training. With nearly 40 years in the business, Campbell is respected in the industry and one of the most soughtafter experts in heavy-duty towing and recovery.

“In the 16-hour Training class,” said Campbell, “the eight hours of classroom participation will go through the dos and don’ts of setting up a heavy wrecker.

We’re also going to go through some resistances. With the hands-on simulations, we are going to have a C-container and show the correct way as to how to hook up to those and the proper rigging

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The heavy-duty offerings during Tow Industry Week will include free demos for all attendees from TwinState Equipment/Jerr-Dan on Thursday night and Miller Industries on Saturday morning.

needed to hook up to containers that are placed on tractor-trailers.

“We are also going to do a one-lane uprighting on a tractor-trailer unit with two trucks, and do a mid-air roll; we’re going to vertically lift it and rotate it in mid-air. We’re also going to upright possibly a cement mixer in single-lane fashion.

“And, if time permits, we’re going to do a compound rigging lay-up to show the proper procedure in rigging for a lay-up with multiple-part lines, and show where the forces are and where the loads are when doing a winching procedure.

The Heavy-Duty Recovery Conference on Saturday (separate from Heavy-Duty Training) will include more WreckMaster instruction, as well as classroom sessions, conducted by Patrick Zozaya with the Rigging and Recovery Institute of Nevada.

Campbell said that the WreckMaster class on Saturday morning targets lift capacity and load angles and will cover where the loads are, how much the loads are and at what angles.

“It will touch upon information that most towers are unaware of,” Campbell said. “We will demonstrate some of that Number 199 on Reader Card

56 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

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Number 129 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

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TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 57

with some overheads and information they will be able to work on.”

Zozaya’s sessions, Heavy-Duty Rigging Techniques and Using Your Rotator, will feature a presentation and discussion about lifting advantages using snatch blocks, OSHA requirements on overhead lifting and improper cribbing techniques.

Free Demos Too

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In addition to the Heavy-Duty Training (Thursday and Friday) and Heavy-Duty Recovery Conference classes (Saturday), attendees will have the opportunity to learn more through free demos from Jerr-Dan and Miller Industries.

Thursday will include a live demonstration at the SouthPoint Arena sponsored by TwinState Equipment and Jerr-Dan at 7 p.m.

“Towers have related to me that it is beneficial to hear and see new information, methods and techniques from a variety of presenters so as to see other ways of performing successfully in towing and recovery operations as well as in business,” said Shane Coleman, Jerr-Dan’s heavy-duty product manager.

[The] unique facility … allows live demonstrations to be performed Number 155 on Reader Card

in comfortable, climate-controlled conditions.

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58 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

During the session, Jerr-Dan and TwinState will be examining the importance of rotator performance in relation to incident management. Because not all jobs are rotator jobs, Coleman said that they will cover proper techniques in lifting casualties that are not Class 8 units.

Then on Saturday at 11 a.m., Miller Industries will give a live demonstration in the SouthPoint Arena with its Century 1150 50-ton “California Legal” rotator designed specifically to meet the

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In their 16 hours of conventional and rotator heavy-duty training, WreckMaster will go through the dos and don’ts of setting up a heavy wrecker and perform a one-lane uprighting on a tractor-trailer unit with two trucks, among other things.

stringent weight restrictions placed on towing and recovery vehicles in California. Miller also will show its Vulcan V-100 heavy-duty integrated towing and recovery unit equipped with an auxiliary 22,000-lbs. winch, which they said provides increased rigging capabilities along with the ability to serve as a catch line during recoveries.

“The Vegas destination is ideal in providing an opportunity to demonstrate

and showcase many of our latest products and enhancements to a large group of customers in the Western U.S. that do not attend other large shows such as Baltimore and Florida,” said Randy Olson, Miller Industries’ VP of marketing.

Both Olson and Campbell feel that the SouthPoint Hotel & Casino Arena is an excellent location for the live demonstrations and instruction.

“Last year’s attendees enjoyed the

ability to be in a unique facility not found at other shows that allows live demonstrations to be performed in comfortable, climate-controlled conditions with comfortable seating and great visibility,” Olson said.

“Some of the feedback we’ve gotten is they are able to get some hands-on training with some of the products on the trade show floor,” said Campbell. “From rigging to safety gear to lighting products, attendees to our classes are able to go and talk to those people for themselves.”

The Heavy-Duty Training, HeavyDuty Recovery Conference and Live Demos promise to be among many highlights during Tow Industry Week at the American Towman ShowPlace-Las Vegas. It all gets underway at the SouthPoint Hotel & Casino on May 14-16.

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Carbondale Towers Seek Higher Rates Tow companies in Carbondale, Ill., are asking for higher rates for nonconsensual tows, and the acting mayor sees their point.

Acting Carbondale Mayor Don Monty said he can see some credence in tow companies wanting to increase fees for non-consensual removals.

“I am satisfied that their costs have gone up,” Monty said. “I would be in favor of increasing the fees.”

The fees haven’t gone up in about 10 years. Donna Smith-Throgmorton, co-owner of Larry’s Towing, made a presentation at the Feb. 10 Carbondale City Council meeting, saying the fees stay the same despite cost of business increasing.

“Cost of living, wages, taxes, insurance, equipment and regulatory charges and licenses, uniforms and safety vests that meet regulations, for visibility, regulations regarding aban-

doned vehicles and more have all significantly increased,” Throgmorton said at the meeting.

Throgmorton’s suggested charges including $85 for towing, $25 for storage after 24 hours, $35 for storage inside if requested by the police after 24 hours, $30 for use of special equipment and $25 for an after-hours release fee between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Monday through Saturday.

Smith-Throgmorton said Larry’s Towing is contracted by property owners and they are either called out by the owner to tow vehicles, or are asked to watch a lot to make sure people who are paying to park have adequate spaces.

“Nobody wants to go in and tow cars, but we provide a service to property owners, that says if their people are living here, paying rent here and have a parking sticker from here, they should be able to park in front of their apartment,” she said.

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62 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

The council was set to review the changes and possibly vote as of press time.

Source: http://thesouthern.com.

Repo Man Accused of Brandishing Gun Loudoun County, Va., police are looking for a man who brandished a firearm Feb. 24 at a Sterling home during an argument.

The incident occurred between 3:16 and 3:21 p.m., according to a report from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. A resident reported that an unknown male came to the door of their home looking to repossess a vehicle.

During the confrontation, the subject reportedly became angry and exposed a firearm in his waistband, the report said.

The subject left after confirming the vehicle to be repossessed was not at the home.

Source: http://patch.com.

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Man Arrested in Repo Incident A Pahokee, Fla., man was arrested March 4 on charges stemming from an incident in August in which he allegedly pointed a gun at two people attempting to repossess his car.

Leroy McMillian, 44, was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon. He was released from custody March 5 on $30,000 bail.

His arrest stems from an alleged confrontation the morning of Aug. 6 with two employees of a company hired to repossess his 2000 Mercury Grand Marquis.

At the time, a supervisor for the repossession company and her employee told Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputies they went to a residence to tow McMillian’s car. A man said he hooked towing forks and raised the car when McMillian came out of his home and confronted him.

McMillian yelled for help and an unidentified woman came outside, got into the car and tried to back it away from the tow truck, according to a sheriff’s office arrest report. McMillian allegedly went back into the home and returned with a gun.

He demanded the tow truck operator unhook his car, to which he complied. The two employees got into the tow truck and drove away as McMillian and his companion pursued them, the report said.

After a brief chase, the tow truck’s driver was able to pull into a business plaza as McMillian sped past.

Deputies later found the Mercury locked and unoccupied at another location. They searched the area, but did not find McMillian or his companion.

Source: www.palmbeachpost.com.

Baby in Repossessed Car An Orlando, Fla., mom’s frightening ordeal has police investigating how men repossessed her car with her baby inside.

“It’s amazing for me to hear it—for her to just get taken like that,” said Antoinette Jordan as she held her 9month-old baby, Chelsea.

The young mom of four ran into day care for a few minutes and came out to find her car gone. Wanda Barkley, director of Early Education Station, watched two suspicious men from her day care office pointing at Jordan’s car.

“I know all of my parents and I didn’t recognize them, so I immedi-

Come visit us outside at the Florida Tow Show to see what’s new!

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64 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

ately came out of my office to see what their business was here,” said Barkley.

Seconds later, the car was gone, and so was Chelsea.

The day care went on lockdown and Barkley called 911, fearing the little girl had been abducted.

After a terrifying hour, Orlando police found the baby girl at Xpress Finance; the repo men apparently never saw the little girl strapped in the backseat.

“Obviously, you’re trying to get your property, but make sure you look before. Check your inventory before you take somebody’s baby,” said Jordan.

The owner of the repossession company, John Rose, told police his driver didn’t notice the baby until he got to the lot about two miles away from the day care.

According to police, the car seat was directly behind the driver’s seat, and the driver told police the child did not make a sound while he was driving.

Orlando police detectives will determine if the repo driver will be arrested on any charges in connection with the case.

According to the police report, Jordan was reported to the Florida Department of Children and Families for leaving her child in the car.

Source: www.clickorlando.com.

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BUYERS REPORT *Product reviews of participating advertisers

What The Users Say

Access Tools Is Cutting Edge “We buy a lot of tools from them. Their pricing and quality of equipment is good. Their products are cutting edge and they work. They have a good product that we use every day.”

Wayne Smith, Smith’s Towing; Florence, Ky. See ad on page 65

Advantage Funding Helped with Rates “Advantage Funding’s people are courteous and go above and beyond. When I started with them, my credit wasn’t great but they still got me a good interest rate. I will be using them again soon.

They call every month to see how we’re doing and if there is anything they can help with.”

Steven Vanderlick, Mach One Towing; Galt, Calif.

See ad on page 42

Agero Gives Better ETAs “We love working with Agero; a lot of our work comes from them.

Their RoadsideConnect mobile app tracks our trucks and the customers get better ETAs from automatic text message updates on driver location. It is a lot more customer friendly. We’ve been using it since November with no issues; it’s very smooth. My dispatcher

loves it—if he needs to go outside or whatever, he can take the Agero phone with him and still accept a call.”

Robert Nodarse, Dolphin Towing & Recovery; Miami, Fla. See ad on page 5

APDQ Helps the Tow Industry “We are proud to support the Association des Professionels du Depannage du Quebec all year long as they do a tremendous job to help our industry. Its members are very well represented and their professionalism is more and more respected and recognized by the public in general, but also by everybody involved in this industry. The congress they hold each year is more than a tradi

tional tow show, as it includes many seminars to inform and train the APDQ members.”

Stephane Pigeon, NRC Industries; St. Paul d’Abbotsford, Quebec, Canada See ad on page S 99

Amsoil Helps Winter Starts “We have a tow truck with a new motor and went straight to Amsoil for motor, transmission and power steering fluids. So far it’s been excellent. … We started using it originally on the hydraulic system because other hydraulic fluids get too thick in winter. … In all of our tow trucks, we use Amsoil Diesel Cetane Boost and Diesel Cold Flow.

Last winter, several of our trucks’ fuel was gelling up. With the Cold Flow, there hasn’t been one problem over this whole winter—even on the very coldest days—with starting.”

Gene Elchert, Prophete Brothers Automotive; Feesterville, Pa. See ad on page N 99

Atlanta Wrecker Sales Really Delivers “The thing I like most about Atlanta Wrecker Sales is that they deliver the trucks right to my door. Last year I bought four trucks from them: three flatbeds and a light-duty Jerr-Dan. I deal with Rob, who has given me his cellphone number and probably gives me the best deal of anybody right off the bat. Service and price is the reason I would recommend Atlanta Wrecker Sales to other towing companies. I deal with the branch that is in South Carolina and I truly appreciate all they do for me.”

John Gannon, Mike’s Auto Towing; Spring Hill, Fla. See ad on page S 103 Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 67

BUYERS REPORT

Austin Hinds Does What They Say “We bought several trucks—a rotator, a V-100, multiple-use trucks, rollbacks and small wreckers—from Austin Hinds Motors. They do what they say they’ll do. When we order a truck, if they say six weeks, it’ll be six weeks. They’ll take parts off their own trucks to keep one of our trucks going until a part comes in. If you tell them what you need, they will get it. We’ve bought a dozen trucks from them over the past 10 years.”

Richard Noojin, Whitaker Towing; Donnersville, Ala. See ad on page S 103

Auto Data Direct Is the Logical Choice “Action Towing Tampa was overwhelmingly pleased with Auto Data Direct’s TOW123 right from the start. … They have successfully managed to integrate every vital function necessary for comprehensive tow company operation, all into one, easy-to-use program. … TOW123 is a complete management system that allows me to see, at a glance, all of the information that is key to keeping a competitive edge. …

I highly recommend TOW123; from the moment that you begin the journey into the future of towing with the TOW123 system, it will be evident that you have made the logical choice.”

John Lavo, Action Towing; Tampa, Fla. See ad on page 42

AW Direct Makes the Job Easier “The versatility of the Balldog-plus hitch attachment we got from AW Direct is exceptional. It makes the job easier. I think every wrecker and rollback should have one. Saturday night I had a Durango buried in 3’ of snow. Instead of climbing under to hook to the axle, I hooked right to the hitch to winch it out. I didn’t even have to lay in the snow.”

Randy Hartz Jr., Wheeler’s Collision; Deposit, N.Y. See ad on page 43

B/A Products Is Top-Notch “The equipment B/A Products provides is top-notch, quality equipment.

They provide lots of training far beyond the initial sale. We are in touch with B/A monthly, and sometimes weekly, on new ways to do things. They have created some special custom equipment that is modified for our use. They are very easy to work with, get in touch with and their customer satisfaction goes far above and beyond expectations.”

Mike Sharpe, Howard County Fire & Rescue; Columbia, Md. See ad on page 39

Beacon Software Works Great with Motor Clubs “Beacon Software’s Dispatch Anywhere and TowMagic software works great with its integration with all the motor clubs and TomTom. It simplifies the dispatch process and communication from drivers to dispatchers. We don’t have to call our drivers; it’s all automated. We get the call, it goes out without calling the driver, they push a button to accept and off they go. It makes for better, quicker communication. The call goes out to the TomTom unit in the truck and drivers’ smartphones, so they get the call even if they’re not in the truck. Beacon is always doing what we need to make things better.”

Bruce Johnson, Extreme Towing; El Dorado County, Calif.

See ad on page 27 68 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Big Tows/Metro Tow Trucks Great from the Start “We bought a Metro rotator from Big Tows that is working great for us. I always had the mentality I don’t need a rotator. … The night we got it, we got a call for a loaded tankertruck against a fence down in a ditch and had to lift and turn it to get out. We were in and out in less than an hour. The rotator’s been working perfect for us.”

Herb Bartemy, TDI Towing & Recovery; Swanton, Vt. See ad on page 37

Buckeye Tow Equipment Uniforms Look Great “Buckeye Tow Equipment is great. When you place an order, it’s done quickly, and the logo looks good on all our uniforms. All the shirts and uniforms (that we don’t rent) we get through Buckeye. The hats look really good. Buckeye is quick and reasonably priced.”

Ryan Cecrle, Englewood Truck, Towing & Recovery; Dayton, Ohio See ad on page M 100

Century Enhances Our Business “My Century 7035 is truly my life’s dream. I’m in love with it. It’s really enhanced what we do—no more giving away heavy-duty jobs. It’s a big investment … but it fits in the happy medium between spending and profit.

Every time I look at this truck, I can say I worked hard for it. When I buy, I want a truck to be fully decked out, hard-loaded; for this money, I want to go out and get any job and with this truck I can. Warren at Miller was fantastic to deal with in making sure we always have everything we need.”

Jason Banis, Banis Towing; San Antonio, Texas See ad on page 2, 3

Coach-Net Pays Agreeably “I’ve been with Coach-Net about two years. It’s been great. They are the only motor club I do.

They are the only one we get along with and get paid for what we agreed on; there’s no going back and forth to get paid for our jobs. That’s a big positive. We submit [invoices] one time, they agree and don’t try to lowball us. If you do your job and submit your P.O., you get paid for it.”

Shawn Goondall, Pappu Towing; Woodside, N.Y. See ad on page 26

ComeUp USA Answers All Concerns “Rod at ComeUp USA is great to work with. He is very knowledgeable regarding all the products they sell, and has answered any and all questions or concerns I have ever had. We buy and use everything they offer, from the 12-volt to the big hydraulic winches. In my company we have replaced the winches on some flatbeds, and have put them on new wreckers and even our new rotator. Since the winches are planetary-driven, they are extremely smooth, fast and powerful.”

Brian Kleine, Kleine Motor Co.; Las Cruces, N.M. See ad on page 45

Condor Lift Works as Claimed “Condor Lift’s Cycle Loader is the best thing when you’re by yourself. You can just wheel the cycle into the cart and pull it up onto the truck. It works just like their literature says.

We’ve used them here for two years. It’s nicely powdercoated, quality equipment.”

Tim Rogers, Rogers Towing; Frankfort, Ill. See ad on page 92

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 69

BUYERS REPORT

Crashfilm Works Well on Wrecked Cars “We’ve been using Crashfilm for many years when we pick up wrecked cars in our storage lot. It works very well and we’ve tried other products. I stand behind it as well as it works to stick to car windows or whatever. It takes an act of Congress just to cut with a razor blade. They’ve taken really good care of us; we keep their number on the wall so we don’t run out.”

Jason Banis, Banis Towing; San Antonio, Texas See ad on page 41

Columbus Truck Did Training Top to Bottom “Columbus Truck/McMahon Truck Centers has been fantastic; we bought a Jerr-Dan 65-ton rotator from them. They have great people, they answer their phones—it’s been a really good experience. They follow up on everything they promised and did training for us on the truck from top to bottom and front to back. They brought Jerr-Dan’s heavy-duty specialist, Shane Coleman, to our place for training with me and all my guys, and went over the whole truck and what it could do.”

Mike Schoen, World Truck Towing & Recovery; Seville, Ohio See ad on page M 101

Custer Products Is a Go-To for Lights “Custer is my go-to place for towing lights. I depend on them for heavy-duty towing lights and LED utility lights exclusively because I always get a good consistent product. They’ll do custom orders for me and turnaround time is amazingly quick. I love their customer service—they’re great at filling my orders and getting to me promptly and are a pleasure to work with.”

Vicki Duvall, Mr. Trailer Co.; Waterford, Mich.

See ad on page 40

DewEze Backs Its Products “We install a lot of clutch pumps with few problems, but when there are any DewEze takes care of us. I definitely recommend using them—they are a good company. For problems on a new product, they have sent engineers to help install and figure it out. Their guarantee works when there is a parts failure.”

Cliff Watson, Golden West Towing Equipment; Fullerton, Calif.

See ad on page 90

Don Jackson Fleet Sales Rates Five Stars “I been doing business with Don Jackson Fleet Sales for over 35 years. I’d never owned a Dodge, but I liked the Cummins motor and AISIN transmission. So far, so good. Their sales team are great people that go above and beyond to completely satisfy their customers. They’re a five-star company.”

Ronnie Edwards, Nationwide Towing; Atlanta, Ga. See ad on page 61

Dual-Tech Means No Problems “We started our business about three years ago with a used wrecker and flatbed. Over the past two years, we’ve bought five Dual-Tech flatbeds.

We’re very happy with the product and service. I call John [Ryan] and he answers or calls you right back, so we continue buying from them. We don’t have to shop anywhere else. He drives the trucks here from Tennessee and delivers what I asked for. … We haven’t had a problem with them yet, and that’s what I’m paying for. That means a lot to me.”

Steve Caldararo, Castle Towing & Recovery; New Castle, Pa. See ad on page 32 70 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Dynamic Towing Eq. & Mfg. Always Improving “We’ve been using Dynamic since 1989; since Anthony [Gentile] has taken over, the company made numerous improvements in the product with the toolbox step, strength of the wheel lift, improvements in the wiring and quality in general. Out of 28 trucks in my fleet, 21 are Dynamic. Of all the towing people I’ve worked with, he’s very hands-on. If I call him at midnight, he answers the phone.”

Dale Kufner, Kufner Towing; Cleveland, Ohio See ad on page 34

Eaton UltraShift Eases Driver Fatigue “About four years ago we purchased our first UltraShift in a new Kenworth with a Century 1130 rotator … it wasn’t long until we added two additional Century 7035s to our fleet, one on a Kenworth and one Peterbilt, both with Eaton UltraShifts. … Our plans are to run all Eaton UltraShifts in our heavy-duty units going forward. … With the long, hard, tough conditions towers have to operate in, not having the constant shifting in metro traffic leads to less driver fatigue.”

David Williams, Tow-Pro; Nashville, Tenn.

See ad on page 15

Elizabeth Truck Center Is Phenomenal “The sales and service at Elizabeth Truck Center is phenomenal. Their salespeople are knowledgeable and know exactly what we’re looking for when we buy trucks. We’ve purchased eight trucks from them in the last five years. Anything we need is a phone call away, whether it’s a problem, questions, advice or anything we need whatsoever.”

Joe Strollo, ECRB; Bloomfield, N.J. See ad on page 20

Ford Trucks Set Us Apart “I like the Ford trucks. I love them. What sold me is the level of comfort in the cab.

Customers typically get in other trucks, and it feels like a truck. The Ford F-650s and F-750s feel like a pickup in the cab. The front grille is mean-looking, recognizable, distinguishable; it sets my business apart. I love the look of it. From A to Z, small to large trucks, we’re all Ford. Reliability is good to go. I’m sold.”

De’Angelo Henderson, Henderson Towing; Oak Park, Mich.

See ad on page 24, 25

Hanks Insurance Group Is Ahead of the Game “We’ve been with Hanks Insurance Group for five or six years; they have very good service.

Kathy is exceptional. If I have questions or need a copy for a new company, they get it to me that day. If I need a driver check done, she replies that day. They’re always there and answer the phone. They answer all my questions. At renewal time, they don’t run me to the last minute wondering if my coverage will lapse. They call ahead and have papers ready for signing three or four days early.”

Mike Pool, Neal Pool Rekers; Odessa, Texas See ad on page W 100

Hino Longevity Impresses “Hinos are very reliable trucks and very dependable. I’ve had them for many years and I’m very happy with their performance. They turn and stop well, and aren’t hard on fuel. Parts are easily accessible for normal wear and tear items.

The longevity is good—I still have some older 165s with over 600,000 miles that are still running. Very good trucks that I will continue to buy in the future.”

Alex Ramos, Sunshine Towing; Miami, Fla. See ad on page 87 Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 71

BUYERS REPORT

I Tow In Saves My Back “They provide a product that works so well. I’m telling you flat out—I can get all the hard calls that his products make possible, whether it’s with the Control Arms Skate or the regular everyday Skate. People are now driving their cars until the wheels fall off—the skates make it easier to get the car that’s really falling apart. I put all of Rodney’s products on our trucks. I’d recommend this company to others too because it saves my back! It leaves your customers impressed when you can get the vehicle without causing any more damage.”

Richard Law, Superior Towing of Cleveland; Cleveland, Ohio See ad on page 58

Insurance Auto Auctions Exceeds Expectations “I’ve been using Insurance Auto Auctions for going on at least a year now. I deal with the same reps each time, even though they are a large corporation—you’re not always dealing with a bunch of different people. Fees are very, very fair in regards to your bottom line versus some companies that seem to have a fee for everything. … Any running-driving car has exceeded my expectations in their auction compared to what I’ve received at other auctions. I just sold one for $4,200 that only cost me $75 through IAA.”

Greg Joyner, Dave’s Hi-Way Wrecker Service; Grand Prairie, Texas See ad on page 18

Integrated Vehicle Equipment Leasing: No Surprises “I’ve been doing business with Mitch [Ball] for 17 or 18 years, and financed seven or eight of my trucks at Integrated Vehicle Equipment Leasing. He does everything he says he will, the rates are good and there are never any problems. I would recommend them to anybody. He always talks to you; you never get an answering machine. You tell him what you want and he does it. You get fair rates with no smoke and mirrors and no hidden surprises.”

Michael Burth, Mike’s Auto Repair; Rome, N.Y. See ad on page 57

Intek Truck & Equipment Leasing Invests in You “Today it’s rare to find a company invested in your success as much as you are; Intek Leasing is exactly that company. Recently, we even purchased equipment over a handshake. They have always treated our family business just like theirs. For over a decade, Livingston Collision and Intek have shared an amazing working relationship. Unlike previous dealings with banks and brokers, Intek Leasing makes the entire process of acquiring vehicles and equipment extremely painless and affordable.”

Brad Crawford, Livingston Collision; Livingston, N.J. See ad on page 23

Jerr-Dan JFB Makes Jobs Faster “I love our new Jerr-Dan JFB 60-ton rotator. The first overturn we had with it was for the [N.C. DOT Incident Motor Assistance Patrol]. The IMAP officers really liked the way everything was laid out on the JFB. It had a 30-gallon container of oil dry to clean up the oil spill, which floored them. This has everything you need on a wreck scene. I love it, it makes your job a whole lot faster. We also have 16-ton poly body and 25-ton with regular body; we’ve been running Jerr-Dan units since about 1999.”

Eric Hartsell, Hunter’s Wrecker Service; Charlotte, N.C. See ad on page 108 72 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Kavanaugh’s Towing Equipment Always a Good Experience “We’ve been using Kavanaugh’s for 15 years; it’s always a good working experience with Janice and Phil. I buy parts, accessories, new trucks and used trucks, and have sold trucks with them. Their friendly service keeps me as a customer.”

Jericho Cook, Advantage Towing; Louisville, Ky. See ad on page M 99

Lift and Tow Is Well-Made “Lift and Tow’s equipment is the best. No issues there. We use all three of their lifts.

They are very well-made … I’ve towed everything from a minivan to a Suburban and never had an issue. Maintenance is very straight-forward. I have nothing bad to say about Lift and Tow.”

Robert Santoro, Arson Garage; Bronx, N.Y. See ad on page 27

Lodar Units Add Functionality “Lodar remote controls are an easy way to add remote functions to towing units. With the Actus actuator on-board, air is not a problem. Keeps your drivers safer as they can get out of the line of fire. Also makes hook-ups quicker. Lodar is a quality product. Their tech support, Alan Jackson, is top-notch. Alan is a great asset in troubleshooting should a problem arise. Great products and reasonably priced.”

Kim Oberholzer, Bresslers; Morgantown, Pa. See ad on page 44

Loganville Ford Provides Dependable Service “We definitely love our Ford F-450/Dynamic units. Loganville Ford has been great for us and Dynamic is a leader in the industry as far as we’re concerned. The F-450 is dependable and proven; I’d buy them all day long versus a competitor. Dynamic is so user-friendly we could train almost any driver to use one of these. … Mike and Chris are great with follow-up service; never had such good customer service as them.”

Derek Proud, RMA Towing; Pueblo, Colo.

See ad on page 45

Lynch Chicago Does What You Want “Lynch Chicago is awesome to work with; they are very accommodating and I’ve purchased a lot of equipment from them. If they say the truck will be in on the sixth and ready in a week, they’re right on. When a unit is delivered, it’s what they said they would do and what I wanted. The service department is great, parts guys are good and they are a very knowledgeable company.”

Jim Kissane, Jim’s Towing Service; Elmhurst, Ill. See ad on page 59

Manufacturer Express: No Grief “I stumbled on to Manufacturer Express at the AT Expo in Baltimore. We bought tons of stuff from them. You can deal with the owner if you want to and the people that work with him take care of you immediately. The stainless-steel ratchets for my straps, they developed for me and sent out to me to try. I buy a lot of their products and have never had a problem. They’ve never given us any grief whatsoever.”

Jack Kirby, Kirby Auto Parts & Towing; Richwood, Ohio See ad on page 53 Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 73

BUYERS REPORT

Matheny Motors Has Family Atmosphere “I have a small family owned, family run, successful tow company. I got involved with Matheny and Miller because it’s a family atmosphere. There are no communication problems. Matheny will call you or email right back if you’re having a problem or have a question. … When I was down at the [Miller] factory, I was astounded. They walked 83 of us through their busy factory, and it was just like we belonged there. I have a Challenger 1140 RXP, a Century 9055, and a Vulcan V-100 that is actually two weeks old. It’s just good equipment; they service it well. Being able to get parts and service after you buy that thing means everything to a guy that doesn’t have a ton of trucks as back up.”

Eddie Smith, Wrenches & Wreckers; Martinsburg, W.Va. & Hagerstown, Md. See ad on page 35

Matjack Is Quick to Respond “They’ve always taken care of me for the last 25 years. We go back with them when Matjack was Wreckers International. We used to deal with Bill Jackson, until John Sweezy and his son took it over. Matjack has great direct customer service. Anytime there’s been any kind of problem, any kind of correction, any kind of question, they’ve taken care of me; whether it’s been something from their end or my end. They’ve always been quick to respond to any issue.”

Steven Weil, Weil Wrecker; Birmingham, Ala. See ad on page 81

Metrics Global Processors Are Smooth “We have five of the credit-card processors from Metrics Global; they work well with no issues.

We can refund on site, email receipts—it’s a pretty sweet deal. Once they were set up, they’ve been smooth sailing; always worked. We’ve had other processors through our phone that would have issues, go down, not send receipts. These just work. If they weren’t functional, I wouldn’t use them. I can check daily reports for each reader, and fully adjust the parameters.”

Kenny Degenhardt, Pop-a-lock-Nashville; Nashville, Tenn.

See ad on page 41

Minute Man Is a Powerful Tool “Over 10 years ago I drove from Cleveland to Western Michigan to have Relentless Recovery’s first Minute Man wheel lift installed. Since then, we have added 20 more to our fleet, and traveled millions of miles to repossess countless thousands of vehicles. That very first Minute Man lift still works every day of the week. It’s paid for itself and 20 more as well.

I can’t imagine Relentless achieving what it has without this powerful tool in the arsenal.

Quinn and his crew are A-1 on support, service, innovation and craftsmanship.”

Dave Ziebro, Relentless Recovery; Cleveland, Ohio See ad on page 58

New England Truckmaster Is Intuitive “New England Truckmaster is the best. The parts service is really good. When you buy a truck, you get what you order. They know you, and when you order if they can make it better, they will suggest changes that are really good. They are intuitive to what will help the business.”

Ray Oakley, A&P Collision; Osiining, N.Y. See ad on page N 100 74 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

OnlineParkingPass Grows Business “OnlineParkingPass.com has really been great a nice addition to the business to differentiate us from competitors.

We now can offer a unique service to allow apartment managers to manage their parking passes themselves. They’re excited about what the opportunity offers them to control their parking lots and who is in them. OnlineParkingPass has been a key factor in some significant growth since we signed up. It’s easy to use, with a small learning curve.”

Troy P.; Denver, Colo.

See ad on page 38

Pardo’s Sales and Service Is Knowledgeable, Fair “We have been dealing with Pardo’s Sales and Service for many years, purchasing NRC products from sliding rotators to flatbeds and also the rigging needed to equip our trucks. They are knowledgeable and fair with the products they sell. They don’t only sell the products, but are a towing company that uses them. They go out of the way to service what they sell and stand by their work. They also do an excellent job of refurbishing older wrecker bodies. They are great people to deal with.”

Rick Rose, Cheever’s Towing & Recovery; DeMotte, Ind. See ad on page M 99

Quest Towing Services Pays Daily “We’ve been with Quest since 2011. Quest is one of the best providers we contract with for rates—they pay daily instead of weekly or biweekly. We do more calls for Quest than any of the others. Daily pay works in our cash flow for fuel bills and when repairs crop up. We like the daily pay and competitive rates and that they’re easy to work with. That’s huge for this industry.”

Rudy Castro, Great Lakes Auto Rescue; Grandville, Mich.

See ad on page 56

Rick’s Truck & Equipment Builds for You “We buy a lot of trucks from Rick’s Truck & Equipment—they’re good people.

We buy rollbacks mostly with side-pullers. He equips them however we want.

You tell Rick what you want him to build and he gives you a date, and the truck gets built the way you want with the equipment you want and it’s ready when he says it will be. If there’s anything not how you wanted, he makes it right. He builds for what we need, whether a salvage truck or cross-country unit.”

Jack Kirby, Kirby Auto Parts & Towing; Richwood, Ohio See ad on page 53

RPM/Wrecker Capitol Great for Trade-Ins “We’ve been buying trucks for about 15 years from RPM. The number one thing coming back (tried other builders) is the amount I get for my trade-ins with them. They help me get so much more money for my trade-ins, and that carries equity into my new purchase. They do a great job building the custom wreckers the way I want, how I want. I also like that owners Ryan and Brian educated me on carrying my equity over and showed me how basically every fourth truck I buy is free.”

Mark Denson, On Site Towing; Houston, Texas See ad on page S 105 Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 75

BUYERS REPORT

Safety Track Alerts on Maintenance, Driver Habits “They came out and did the install on all of the equipment, then did an in-person training and then did an online training on how it works and how to set up all of the alerts. The alerts are huge for us as far as maintenance—very helpful. Basically, it alerts me through an email when maintenance is due on the trucks. … The nice thing about their GPS service is that it also generates a driver report. It lets me know how my fleet is being used.

It reports hard braking, hard acceleration, and erratic driving. It has a points system that allows me to reward good drivers.”

Scott Barth, Big City Towing; South Lyon, Mich.

See ad on page S 100

SavaComm Is Clear, Sturdy “SavaComm has great service and they’re a class operation. They solve any technical problems that I have, and whoever you talk to over there is very knowledgeable in regards to answering any tech problems. I’ve been using SavaComm for a year, and I switched because of the clarity of sound, and the sturdiness of the product. I have their radio system and their traffic management system. I would absolutely 100 percent recommend this company to others.”

Tony Valente, A&M Towing; Troy, Mich.

See ad on page 37

Savatech Cushions Work Awesome “SavaTech’s air cushions work awesome. We just did a recovery on a loaded pup trailer and we didn’t even have to hook a tow truck up to it. They treat me really good. I’ve got nothing bad to say about them. They take care of you and the bags themselves are excellent. They made sure we were completely trained on their bags and equipment before we left Florida.”

Chris Pratt, CJ’s Towing; Hinton, Alberta, Canada See ad on page 64

Sea Crest Insurance Agency Works Quick “It’s a very good service, I’ve been with Sea Crest for 18 years and never a problem.

They insure three of my tow companies. The staff is very friendly, very helpful. I can call them any time of day, and to get a certificate for a new truck, I can have it in my hands in 10 minutes. I run 60-some trucks, so when I need a certificate, I need it now.”

Victor Jimenez, Aliso Viejo Towing; Aliso Viejo, Calif.

See ad on page W 101

Smyrna Truck & Cargo Supplies Everything “We buy everything Miller-related from Smyrna Truck & Cargo. We buy everything for our towing business—equipment, supplies, trucks—from them. … We buy from them because they provide us with exemplary service and are very attentive to our parts needs and anything else. … They do a good job of servicing their customers. Nathan Griffin does a great job taking care of us.”

Steven Welchel, Marietta Wrecker Service; Marietta, Ga. See ad on page S 104 76 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Sonetics Improve Scene Safety “When we looked into them, [owner] Jamie Garner asked, ‘Do they make the job safer?’ and ‘Do they make it more efficient?’ Sonetics loaned us a demo. We didn’t have them 24 hours before there was a semi rollover beneath two overpasses that we used them.

Jamie looked at me after and said, ‘Tell [Ron Pullen] this set is sold,’ and we bought that set. It improved our onsite scene safety 100-fold. … We use them religiously.”

Mike Scheidt, Garner’s Towing; Fortville, Ind. See ad on page 89

Specialty Vehicle & Equipment Funding Offers Personal Touch “With Specialty Vehicle & Equipment Funding, it’s a personal touch. Jeff is a very personable guy. He’s fast about the approvals and understands the kind of business we do, which includes salvage, and he provides the answers we’re looking for. I have recommended this company to many; I actually keep four or five of his business cards with me. They have good terms and they’re honest people, and the speed is very important with me. Whenever I tell Jeff what I need, I get a turnaround of one day, at most.”

Lucas Olenick, Sunflower Tow Service; Shawnee, Kan. See ad on page 17

SpeedTech Lights Easy to Manage “I’ve tried a bunch of different companies—cheap stuff, expensive stuff. I came across SpeedTech’s lightbar and other lights and realized they all linked up to the one control box. Everything on my truck is SpeedTech now, except headlights. I’ve only had a couple of problems, and they sent out a new part immediately at no cost. With everything on one control box, you can go to each individual light as you go, change patterns and all from that box. It’s really neat how it all integrates in that one box.”

James Holder, Jack Rabbit Roadside Assistance; Greensboro, N.C. See ad on page 13

Steck Manufacturing Makes Jobs Easier “Steck has competitive prices, their shipping and customer service is wonderful and they have a great product line that makes our jobs easier. Their ball-joint carts, tie-rod-end tools are very helpful. Steck also carries the best quality of unlock kits around. We use their products on almost all of our 70-plus vehicles. Steck not only builds their products, but they invent them too. So you know that they know their product 100 percent and they also stand by it. Anytime we have an issue with a product, they are always there to help.”

Dan Parker, Parker Service; Fort Wayne, Ind. See ad on page 81

Sun Country Trailers Retain Value I’ve been buying trailers from Sun Country since 2007. Their product continues to get better by leaps and bounds. The five-car carrier gives us an extreme amount of flexibility and their customer service is very good. We keep trailers two years and then flip them, they retain their value very well.”

Phil Rauch, Sancrest Specialized Transportation; Billings, Mo. See ad on page N 101

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 77

BUYERS REPORT

Tow Industries Is Like a Partner “I’ve been buying from Tow Industries for 15 years. There’s no worry about extra expenses. They stop by to keep our trucks tuned up or we can take them in. He acts like a concierge to make sure they’re all lubed, lights work, and beds rotate and tilt the way they’re supposed to—they ensure each truck is road ready. He does all my trucks consistent to my ‘Jan spec’ and keeps trade secrets to my company, which helps us keep such a long relationship. We do a wide variety of race vehicles and motorsports events thanks to Tow Industries’ partnership. They’re like a partner in the business because they take ownership of what they sell.”

Jan Qualkenbush, Jan’s Towing; Azusa, Calif.

See ad on page W 100

TowMate Is Easy to Install, Operate “TowMate offers a lifetime guarantee on the products they sell. As for customer service, they are very prompt and they come out to my place to take care of any problems. I use their Power-Link lightbars, and we run their mini-lightbars. We also run their wireless product. Chris and Bryan Anderson are excellent people, they’re downto-earth and are willing to take care of their customers. If anyone has never dealt with TowMate, they really need to check them out. They offer a top-of the-line product. They offer great visibility; and they’re easy to install, easy to operate”

Donald Rogers, Donald Rogers Wrecker; Tontitown, Ark. See ad on page 62

Tow Ramps Keep You Professional “Tow Ramps’ product is lightweight and easy to use. It gives you a great amount of flexibility and it’s sturdy. We do a lot of high-line work: Bentleys, Aston-Martins, etc. It’s professional equipment that looks great and produces when we’re working on $300,000 vehicles. They don’t slip and they don’t slide. When you’re pulling up to $200,000$300,000 cars, the last thing you want to do is pull out some 2x4 piece of equipment.

We use their two-piece tow ramp that breaks down easily that we can store it in all of our trucks. If you’re a professional towing company, it’s a much more professional look.

They are a pleasure to work with—they take care of anything I need to take care of.”

R. Blair Gentry, Blair’s Towing & Recovery; Falls Church, Va. See ad on page 41

Towlot.com Saves Time, Money “TowLot.com is a solid platform that saves us both time and money. We have sold over 800 cars using Towlot.com. Prior to Towlot.com, we used a couple different outlets for selling cars with on-site live auctions and transporting vehicles to a larger auction venue. On-site live auctions required the dedication of numerous employees to facilitate auction functions, as well as advertisement costs and auctioneers. Transporting to another site was just time consuming, and not very cost-effective. The average sale price was low, and an auction fee was attached to each sale.”

Rhonda Wright, Shamrock Towing; Phoenix, Ariz.

See ad on page 91

Triple-K Industries Units Add Functionality “They make good units. Triple-K Industries makes the heaviest fifth-wheel underlift on the market with the strongest tilt. Their permanent-mount unit can be retrofitted on any type of wrecker to accentuate its functionality, especially when paired with a Fassi articulating knuckle-boom 360-degree rotating crane.”

Marco DiFrancesco; Baltimore, Md., Washington, D.C., St. Augustine, Fla. See ad on page 42 78 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Truck Body Sales Is Transparent on Price “We bought our first truck from Truck Body Sales in 2006, and have been happy from the first purchase. In my dealings with Jason, Brandon and Clay, they are very transparent, gave me a great price that’s a value, great build. They are very standardized in how we build to minimize risk and keep drivers on the off-traffic side, use specific tools and items in particular places for safety. They listen and make sure each truck is correct. … I appreciate their attention to the whole picture to get our business down the road.”

Robert Inskeep, Yarbrough Brothers Towing; Santa Rosa, Calif.

See ad on page W 101

Twin Cities Fits Trucks to Your Business “I bought my first new truck from Twin Cities Wrecker Sales in 1978.

Since then, I’ve probably bought 30 to 40 trucks or more. … We just bought a new T-880 Kenworth with a Century 1150 rotator in October, and we have some Miller flatbeds and a wrecker on order. We were looking at an 1150 since probably 2008, and they helped us look at it up close and spec out and helped us build and fit to be a better truck for us.”

Rick Ritzer, Stillwater Towing; Stillwater, Minn.

See ad on page M 100

TwinState Equipment Builds to Your Needs “TwinState Equipment pays attention to what we want, and they build equipment to our specifications—they meet our needs. Their customer service is second to none, in my opinion. … TwinState once sent their lead guy overnight from Las Vegas to handle a specific problem we had. Once we identified that problem, they inspected every piece of equipment we’ve purchased from them to make sure that same problem didn’t exist on another truck. The way they build their product and the attention to detail is why I would recommend them.”

Jerry Trautman, Kenny’s Auto Body & Towing; Bellflower, Calif.

See ad on page W 99

UIS Understands the Industry “I been using UIS for over 10 years. They’re always very helpful for me in industry and getting certificates and getting the right insurance for me. They always call me back if there’s a problem or I need something additional for a company. They always seem to get me the right financing and do the right type of things we need for our type of business. Lorie and Erica are very helpful and I deal with them all the time. It makes it so much easier when you have someone who understands our industry.”

Stephen Ruggirello, J&J Towing; Staten Island, N.Y. See ad on page 60

Utility Trailers Gets What You Need “I’ve been using Utility Trailers for about three years. The product is excellent. Service is very prompt.

They go out of their way to see that you get what you need. It’s all-around good service. They have an excellent choice of parts and service is good. They’re willing to work with you on what you need.”

Terry Denney, Coastal Plains Trucking; Stockdale, Texas See ad on page W 104 Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 79

BUYERS REPORT

VTS Systems Eases Communications “We use VTS Systems to locate trucks and dispatch trucks. We’ve used VTS for seven years and added the TomTom functionality for about two years. The system works good; I like the way it tracks where trucks are. Tracking the speed in the trucks and what they’re doing. …

I like that VTS cuts down on dispatch time, radio chatter and makes dispatching easier.”

Andy Chesney, Euless B&B Wrecker Service; Euless, Texas See ad on page S 102

Vulcan Is Easy to Use “For the smaller stuff, I prefer Vulcan because I like the ease of use of the wheel-lift. On the heavier stuff, the Vulcan line is user-friendly. I was raised on Vulcan, and have used them for 24 years; it’s my favorite. I’ve got four Vulcan 894s, and I’ve just purchased four Vulcan V-24s as well. I’ve also got a V-70 and a V-100, which has a XP-8150 side-puller.

They provide excellent dealer support; Northern Alberta Tow Truck Sales is my dealer. I would recommend Vulcan because it’s good strong equipment and easy to use.”

Harold Fowler, Harold’s Towing; Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada See ad on page 48

Winches Inc. Is Dependable, Quick “The people at Winches Inc. are real good people to work with; they take good care of you and get your trucks back as quick as they can. Their work is very dependable and very reliable. We buy new from them and they refurbish and save a lot of our winches instead of just junking them. They do such a good job that the refurbished winches last just as long as a new one does.”

Kyle Hilton, Storey Wrecker; Tulsa, Okla.

See ad on page S 101

Worldwide Equipment Sales Is Top-Notch “The procedure is always simple, easy purchasing. They call back whenever I call them for a quote. It’s a nice, personable experience with my salesman. The quality of the equipment and the way they put it together is top notch. There’ve been no wiring issues, which is spectacular for Michigan winters. One of my trucks purchased from Worldwide Equipment have run multiple winters and never had wire corrosion issues; haven’t even replaced a light bulb on them.”

Jay Vanderwoude, East Beltline Towing; Grand Rapids, Mich.

See ad on page 37

WreckMaster Helps You Succeed “I’ve taken a lot of different training classes over the years and by far WreckMaster has been the best value for the monetary investment. But you can’t really put a price on the knowledge and safety they teach, because everyone deserves to come home at night. Instructors make you aware of what your equipment can and can’t do, and what it should and shouldn’t do. WreckMaster training makes you a safer individual all around. I’ve adapted their discipline not only to my business, but to my personal life, and it’s helped me tremendously to succeed in business and as an individual.”

Tim Peck, Jim’s Towing; Monroe, Mich.

See ad on page 44

Zacklift International Works Excellent “Zacklift’s Z-30 works excellent. It is a really great piece of equipment. It’s just handsdown the best and easiest lift to use. I’ve been using it for two years. We had one small issue that I think may have been my fault, but Zacklift stood behind it and got us the parts as warranty. Service has been just top-notch. I would buy another in a minute if I needed to.”

Matt Randall, ATR Towing & Recovery; Ansonville, N.C. See ad on page 57 80 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Highway Thru Hell’s Davis in Las Vegas Jamie Davis, the star of the popular cable TV show "Highway Thru Hell," will be at the Miller Industries booth during Tow Industry Week at the AT ShowPlace-Las Vegas, May 14-16.

Davis was profiled in the cover feature of American Towman’s February 2015 issue.

“Highway Thru Hell” is a reality TV show that follows the operations of Jamie Davis Motor Truck, a heavy vehicle rescue and recovery towing company based in Hope, British Columbia, Canada. The show focuses on the hardships of operating along the highways of the British Columbia interior, especially the Coquihalla Highway, which is notorious for steep hills, lethal drop-offs, killer rockslides and rapidly changing weather.

Be sure to stop by the Miller Industries booth to get an autograph and picture.

Number 186 on Reader Card Number 132 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 81

Temporary Lighting On-Scene

by Terry Abejuela

S

cene lighting for towers includes both illuminating their work area and providing temporary emergency warnings to motorists. Proper use of these lights increases safety for the tow operator at the scene as well as other motorists.

Conversely, improper use of these lights can create a hazard.

Lighting options in towing include clearance and marker lights, work lights, toolbox lights, beacons, directional arrows, flashlights, personal lights and the various mini and full lightbars. Here, I will address temporary emergency lighting and work lights for a recovery scene.

Tow trucks often must stop in unexpected places or need to block a roadway to perform the job. Consequently, they require temporary emergency lighting to warn motorists of an unusual or extreme hazard, and such lighting is required or permitted on tow trucks in most states. Amber is the most common color for temporary emergency warning lights on tow trucks, though some states may allow or require other colors. It is important that you know the laws in your local area and are in compliance.

J&M Towing of Wayne, N.J., uses Will-Burt’s Night Scan Powerlite HDT folding light tower during one of their recoveries.

Warning Lights Tow trucks are commonly equipped with flashing amber lights that can flash in a 360-degree range or just one direction. Some tow trucks are equipped with a directional lightbar that allows a flashing arrow pattern from left to right, right to left or split.

The operator must make the appropriate decision at the scene on whether or not to display flashing amber warning lights and which ones to use. This is a very important decision and should be made only after taking all 84 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Towmate’s Power-Link MSW series provides marker lights, strobes and work lights all in one “essentially wireless” package.

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factors into consideration. Unfortunately, sometimes you may have to make a quick decision so it’s best to think about common scenarios and be prepared in advance.

Minimizing the distraction to traffic is usually better. Use only the amount of emergency warning lights required to safely perform your job. If there aren’t unusual or extreme hazards performing a job, don’t use the emergency lights at all. They can cause a distraction to other motorists using the highway and may result in an inattentive driver rear-ending vehicles that are slowing.

If your scene is a hazard to traffic in only one direction, use only the lights that flash in that direction.

Flashing emergency lights in other directions will cause an unnecessary distraction to other motorists. If the lights do not effectively warn approaching traffic due to the positioning of the truck, you may need to activate additional emergency lights.

Avoid using forward-facing lights when they are not needed to protect the scene.

Flashing amber emergency lights provide a warning and not traffic control. Motorists may not know what to do when they come upon flashing amber lights. Always remember that flashing emergency warning lights do not stop traffic. Move Over laws are not effective on distracted, intoxicated or drowsy drivers so don’t rely on the law to provide for your safety.

SpeedTech Lights’ new Carbine product line is available in Floodlight, Spotlight, and Hybrid series, with reflective angles ranging from 50 degrees to 80 degrees.

Work Lights For illuminating a scene, utility flood and loading lamps must be aimed properly so as not to blind approaching traffic. Make sure to include a distance check on the work lights when conducting your tow truck inspection. Turn them on and measure the distance from the light on the tow truck to where the light hits the roadway. In California, for example, this distance must not be more than 75’. If your truck is equipped with both upper and lower work lights, it is best to have them on separate switches to allow activation of

only one or the other as needed.

Post- and roof-mounted spotlights are effective for most situations. There are also portable floodlights and spotlights with wireless remote control.

Work-light towers are able to extend above the truck and swivel 360 degrees to provide better coverage regardless of how the tow truck is positioned and allow much more powerful lights.

The brand of lighting you purchase is a personal preference. Before making a purchase, do your homework so you can make an informed decision as to what will best fit your needs and

Move Over laws are not effective on distracted, intoxicated or drowsy drivers so don’t rely on the law to provide for your safety.

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ECCO’s new line of Utility Bars are super-functional, flexi-mount, multi-width, placeanywhere bars in various combinations of spot and flood beams. Available in 16 different styles with varying lengths, LED wattage, and number of LEDs.

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budget. Lighting technology is constantly improving and prices often change with time.

Lighting technologies include strobes, halogen, High Intensity Discharge and Light Emitting Diode; the newer technologies feature increased brightness, reduced heat, reduced power draw and longer lifespans.

Strobes Strobe lights have been around for a long time but did not become common until the 1960s with first responders to improve the visibility of their vehicles. Most modern strobe lights utilize xenon lamps, which generate a lot of heat with extended use. Newer strobe lights use LED lamps which operate at a cooler temperature, require less energy and last longer.

Halogen The halogen lamp is an advanced version of the incandescent bulb.

Halogen lamps have the advantages of being small, lightweight, bright, relatively inexpensive and longer lasting than incandescent lamps. Halogen emergency lighting commonly uses a rotating motor and mirrors, which makes them more susceptible to damage from vibration. They have a high operating temperature, sensitivity to human skin oil if touched, more power draw than strobe or LED lights and they can explode.

HID High Intensity Discharge lamps produce more visible light per unit of electrical power consumed than incandescent bulbs. HID lamps require a ballast to start and maintain their arc.

In the early 1990s, car manufacturers began using HID lamps for headlights because they provided brighter light and better visibility of peripheral objects than standard halogen lamps.

LED The latest advance in emergency lighting is the use of LED lamps. LED lights are more expensive at the initial purchase, but have the benefits of minimal energy requirements, low heat and are more dependable and longer lasting than most other types of lamps. They 88 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Lujan USA’s new Illumenator 1800 is a super bright, weatherproof, cordless, rechargeable worklight with optional tripod that is designed specifically for towers.

do not lose their brightness with age.

Many emergency lights can be equipped with high- and low-light power settings allowing the operator to utilize the most appropriate setting for the particular scenario.

For illuminating a scene, utility flood and loading lamps must be aimed properly so as not to blind approaching traffic.

When purchasing lighting equipment make sure the lighting meets the Society of Automotive Engineers rating for tow trucks. In most states, tow trucks are not authorized emergency vehicles, so they must meet SAE Class 2 requirements. Some states may

require tow trucks to meet SAE Class 1 requirements that authorized emergency vehicles are required to meet.

You will often see terms like lumens and candlepower (also referred to as candela) to describe a lamp. Candlepower is the amount of light at the source; lumens are the amount of light that is projected on the target. Candlepower is most commonly used when describing spotlights. One candlepower equals 12.57 lumens.

Do some research before making a decision on the best lighting package for your application so you will have an idea of what is available, current prices, options, and legal requirement in your state. Make sure you have the proper training to use your scene lighting in an effective, safe and legal manner.

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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Mo. Bills Would Set Rotation Lists

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Find towing news each week at towindustryweek.com

There are bills in the Missouri state legislature being considered that would set up a rotation list for towing. Critics say the list is being considered as a result of truckers and others paying more to get towed.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol would be responsible for setting up rotations to tow or remove disabled vehicles at accident scenes.

Under the bill, towers already on the scene of wrecks when law enforcement arrives could be dismissed in favor of a listed wrecker. Additionally, towers who stop and tow a vehicle from the scene of a wreck without having been called by the vehicle owner or contacted from the rotation list would face fines and the possibility of the tow truck being impounded.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is on the record at the statehouse in opposition to setting up rotation lists.

Mike Matousek, OOIDA director of state legislative affairs, said the association receives no complaints about existing rules on arranging for towing services from its nearly 7,200 Missouri members.

“In fact, based on available data the Highway Patrol’s non-consensual towing policies appear to treat truckers fairly, at least more so than in other states,” Matousek said.

“Our concern is that the legislation, without the addition of numerous provisions to protect consumers and regulate this segment of the towing industry, will create more problems than it solves.”

Source: http://m.landlinemag.com

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Raise The Booms

by Steve Calitri

T

he idea for raising one’s wrecker booms to honor fallen towers was submitted to us after releasing the audio clip of the ballad, Booms in the Sky on TowIndustryWeek.com. The thrust of the idea was that towers could take pictures of their booms in the sky and post them on social media platforms on the Internet.

One of the thoughts was that such a ceremonial custom could garner media attention across the nation and help create direly needed awareness of the move-over laws and the risks of working the roadsides. It could get more tow business owners to act in training their operators on safety habits and procedures, which would help reduce the high fatality rate among towers on the job. It could rally the spirit of brotherhood among towers, the same spirit that is aroused when they show up with their wreckers for a funeral procession when a veteran towman passes. Such a custom could be a lightning rod for pride in our industry.

Currently, families of towers who have been killed on the job gather one day in September to honor those lost at the Wall of the Fallen Monument, which is located on the grounds of the towing museum in Chattanooga. The event is a solemn occasion attended by the families and other industry personages. The Wall of the Fallen Monument was created by the Miller Family Foundation. This year’s ceremony takes place September 12th.

It’s important that our industry brings attention to the risks and sacrifice towmen face each and every day.

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Public awareness of these perils can have an unspoken influence on how town boards and state legislatures vote on bills that affect the towman’s lot.

The ballad, Booms in the Sky, an original song recorded

by Mike Corbin, hits the key notes about the risk towmen face on the road, while giving a nod to other first responders. The lines, “Like Astronauts they know the score, still they’re quick to take the call,” is true enough. Just stand on the shoulder of a freeway by the roadline and feel the traffic whizzing by. Towmen work inches away from life and death.

The song also salutes our boys who “ship off to foreign lands,” who, “open one eye through the night/on the watch for desert bands/while we turn off the lights.

Then the song draws a parallel to the dangers that those warriors face: “But there are no safe havens/Ambush haunts these roads/A monster truck comes barreling by/And the sun explodes.

The song is a tribute to towing’s fallen. The lyrics even give a specific nod to “the Wall” as in the Wall of the Fallen Monument.

“Booms in the Sky” is a call to salute towing’s fallen by raising the wrecker booms. I expect there will be different thoughts among towers about how their companies can participate in such a ceremony. It may also be an idea that bears consideration for the Wall of the Fallen ceremony in Chattanooga.

American Towman TV reported last month on two funeral processions honoring towers who had been killed on the roadside, one in California and one in Connecticut. It’s more or less a weekly occurrence.

Reporting on wrecker funeral processions in American Towman Magazine and Tow Industry Week is all too common. The show of solidarity among towmen is moving and the feeling generated at the sight of them is one of both sadness and pride. For an industry that finds it against its nature to congregate amongst one another– competitors are not suffered easily in the towing industry–a wrecker procession of one hundred trucks or more is quite a statement.

It will be interesting to see how towers respond to the call for a ceremonial custom honoring towing’s fallen. It could be a moment of company pride, reflection, and community, whether a company raises its wrecker booms on its own yard or together with others in a town center. In any case, American Towman Media will be covering what happens and helping to illuminate the spirit behind it all.

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TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 93

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TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 95

‘Size Matters’ in Chesapeake

by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti

T

idewater Express started as a truck shop in Hampton, Va., in July 1988, and grew into towing and heavy recovery several years later. The company now has towing-based locations in Hampton and Chesapeake, a full-service body shop and two automotive repair shops.

The father-and-son team of Michael Pelfrey (president) and John Pelfrey (VP) runs the company. “‘Size Matters’ because the growth has allowed us to offer tires, truck repair, mobile truck repair, and towing services for customers located in the Hampton Roads area,” Mike said.

“Our goal has always been on customer service because it is the foundation of our business. Tidewater Express employs well-trained staff that can do complete under-the-hood services.”

Tidewater Express has 100 employees and a fleet of more than 40 vehicles including nine heavies, one mediumduty, a dozen carriers, four service trucks, two 50-ton lowboy trailers, two 53’ spread-axle trailers and assorted tractor-trailers, parts delivery trucks, Bobcats and miscellaneous

Paint done and ready for training at the Miller plant.

trailers. Tidewater’s fleet features a Holmes 552 and quite a few Century units including a Century four-car carrier, 9055s, 4024, 5025 and the “Size Matters” Century 1150 rotator featured here.

This 2015 Century 1150 rotator is mounted on a 2015 Kenworth T880 powered by a Cummins ISX mated to

a Fuller 18-speed transmission. The 50ton rotator features a three-stage recovery boom with dual 50,000-lbs. planetary two-speed winches plus a 50,000-lbs. drag winch and an SDU-4 underlift. It is equipped with everything it needs to get the job done including a strap kit, chains, snatch blocks, shackles and spreader bars.

Mike said, “The photo was taken by Joe Birch. He works at our Hampton location. Among his other talents, he can weld water to a glass.”

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Miller Industries built this unit and did the paint job while building it. Action Graphics Wraps in Chesapeake did the decals which took two days to apply.

“We take pride in the signature style of paint job and graphics given to our fleet – our trucks sport our company colors along with the flames, so the rotator was given the same look,” said John. “We’re proud of how our fleet stands out.”

Tidewater Express has used this 1150 in training classes and has done a variety of different jobs with it. One recovery was a tractor-trailer flipped over by strong winds on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in early February 2015.

“The most important attribute this rotator brings to our business is that it decreases the amount of time it takes to recover. It is all about clearing the roadway as fast and as safely as possible,” John said.

“It allows us to do jobs much faster than straight boom trucks. In comparison, it would take two or three conventional trucks to do the same job.”

Awesome flame wrap on hood done by Action Graphics Wraps.

Action Graphics Wraps emblem.

Tech Highlights Chassis: 2015 Kenworth T880.

Wrecker: 2015 Century 1150 rotator.

Engine: Cummins ISX. Trans: Fuller 18-speed.

Winches: Dual 50,000-lbs. planetary two-speed, 50,000-lbs. drag.

Graphics: Action Graphics; Chesapeake, Va. Built, paint: Miller Industries.

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TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • 97

Copyright 2015 American Towman Magazine. Characters and stories are fictitious; no resemblance to real life characters is intended.

Ohio Towers Fight Recent Legislation According to the Professional Towers of Ohio, a bill was passed that regulates the entire towing industry for the state. Similar bills are being introduced in Wyoming and several other states designed to regulate the towing industries there as well.

The revised codes to the Ohio State Constitution went into effect March 23.

Some of the revisions involve rate and storage caps on private-property towing, vehicle owners being able to retrieve personal items without retrieving the vehicle or paying the fee, reporting to law enforcement, vehicle signage, 24-7 availability for vehicle retrieval and other matters.

PTO scheduled a meeting at press time to discuss strategies against what they term as “unfair laws.” Ohio towers are asked to contact PTO President Nick LaNeve at 330-503-6333 or contact the PTO through www.professionaltowersofohio.com.

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Towers Pay Tribute to Fellow Driver Dozens of tow trucks made a loop around Dixon, Calif., March 5 as part of the memorial services for Michael Bower.

The 29-year-old tower was killed by a hit-and-run driver on Feb. 23. Drivers of close to 100 trucks say they are part of a brotherhood that face danger all too often trying to help drivers in trouble.

“I’ve had my truck hit, I’ve been this close to dying,” driver Glen Mendes said.

Drivers came from all over the region including the Bay Area and the foothills. One of them was Jennifer Schmeltz, who owns and operates an Elk Grove towing company with her husband. She brought her young son and daughter with her.

“I had no idea who he was. He had two babies the same age as mine.

It hit home quite a bit for me and my husband both. We want to come home to our kids,” said Schmeltz.

At the memorial services, T-shirts were sold with words on them saying ‘Slow Down, Move Over, Obey the Law, Our Lives Depend On It.’ Source: http://fox40.com.

Tow Co. Found in Full Compliance Portage, Mich., officials found that McDonald’s Towing is in compliance with its contract with the city, a conclusion reached after an annual audit of the towing pact.

The Portage City Council asked City Manager Larry Shaffer and public safety staff to move up the review in light of the January I-94 pileup in which questions were raised with Kalamazoo County on McDonald’s towing charges to some drivers.

Shaffer said that he and Public Safety Director Richard White and staff did the audit and found the company to be in compliance with the contract on towing rates, response time, storage and other sections.

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“There have been absolutely no issues whatsoever with the performance of McDonald’s Towing,” Shaffer told the council. “For almost the last 27 years, McDonald’s Towing has been the contract vendor for the city of Portage. During this time, they have met or surpassed every specification of the agreement.”

Council members claimed they did not bump up the audit because of complaints they had received but because of the timing of the I-94 mass crash.

Shaffer and White said that the staff looked at invoices submitted by McDonald’s under the contract and compared them with data from the records management system.

“The examination of these invoices demonstrated that the vendor was strictly in compliance” with that contract section, Shaffer said.

The audit revealed that McDonald’s was also in compliance as far as the city’s storage facility requirement.

Source: www.mlive.com.

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Upgrading Fleet Your

Questions to Consider When Buying New Trucks

Attending a tow show is a great way to talk to multiple manufacturers in one place to get the scoop on adding new trucks to your fleet.

by Randall C. Resch

S

o you’ve made it a few years longer working with the same old beater tow truck you bought out of some guy’s backyard; you’ve fixed it up and worked it silly. It smokes badly and is barely hangin’ on … perhaps it’s time to consider buying a new tow truck.

With good credit and today’s financing, a new tow truck might be within your reach. But what type of

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tow truck should you purchase to meet your operational and budgetary needs? There are lots of products out there to be considered.

In choosing the right truck to meet your needs, it’s important to look closely as to what towing, recovery and service niches your company serves. Also keep in mind what fiveand 10-year goals you’ve set for your company. If growth is in your com-

pany’s future, choosing the right truck can easily serve your company well.

When considering a new tow truck, look at them all to see what works and what doesn’t. In today’s market of small businesses trying to grow, I feel that a flatbed carrier would allow the business broader use for calls beyond those of the usual recovery work. But if your primary business is city towing and private-property

impounds, a properly outfitted autoloader is your best choice.

What this means is you’ve got choices, and the success of your current and future operations depends on the right kind of truck.

Don’t be sucked in by fancy speeches and creative salespeople; the buying process takes time. Why not consider taking a trip to one of the nation’s tow shows and see directly what multiple manufacturers have to offer? If you’re really interested in buying, you’ll oftentimes find show specials where dealers are eager to cut you the best price.

Here are some questions to think about when considering a new tow truck for your business: • Will it meet my tow company’s needs?

• Is it built to last?

• What happens down the road?

• Will the manufacturer stand behind their warranty?

When additional trucks are added to your company’s fleet it may mean

Why not consider taking a trip to one of the nation’s tow shows and see directly what multiple

Timing is key to long-term successes. The industry is a difficult one based on swings in the economy, time of year and weather extremes. When you’ve carefully evaluated all considerations, time your truck purchase when the company dollar is steady and the future is promising. Don’t forget to include looking at other types of specialty niches that’ll keep your trucks working when times go lean.

Trucks that sit don’t pay the bills.

manufacturers Editor’s note:

have to offer? adding employees. Are you ready to take that step? Going from the oneowner shop to employer has its own set of problems. When it comes to growing your business by adding tow trucks and employees, be sure that there’s sufficient operating capital to keep the business moving forward. According to the Small Business Administration, too many fleet owners take on more debt than the company can support.

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.

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.

Wis. Tower Salentine Passes James “Jim” Salentine, 78, former owner of Ray’s Garage (later Ray’s Towing) of Milwaukee, Wis., passed away on March 8 from cancer.

He was a founder of the Wisconsin Towing Association as well as a charter member in the Interstate Towing Association and the Towing and Recovery Association of America.

In 2008, he was inducted into the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame for his contributions to the industry.

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Tower Killed on Mass. Turnpike A tower working on a disabled vehicle in the breakdown lane of the Massachusetts Turnpike was struck and killed by a box truck Feb. 11, according to state police.

Police identified the victim as Kevin St. Pierre, 22, of Southbridge. St. Pierre was a driver for Sturbridge Service Center.

State police identified the driver of the box truck as Richard Taylor, 45, of Taunton. According to Massachusetts State Trooper Ronald Ramos, Taylor was traveling in the right lane when his box truck struck the tower, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Taylor was not injured, state police said.

St. Pierre was towing a disabled car that had a flat tire and the driver did not have a spare, according to Sturbridge Service Center owner Craig Moran. The tower had positioned his truck in front of the disabled car and was in the process of putting it on the flatbed when he was struck.

No charges had been filed at press time.

Source: www.telegram.com.

Md. Tow Owner Facing Charges A Prince George’s County, Md., grand jury has indicted the owner of a Suitland, Md., towing company on allegations of overcharging motorists to retrieve their cars and committing other illegal business practices, prosecutors announced Feb. 10.

Frederick Cooper, 31, faces 99 charges related to improper towing practices through his business, FFC Towing, according to the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Authorities have accused Cooper of charging customers more than the county’s legal maximum of $50 to retrieve their cars.

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notify police of tows and failed to keep proper documentation of tows, in the process violating local or state laws.

The violations occurred from January through October 2014 and involved about 20 victims, authorities said.

Source: www.washingtonpost.com.

New SBA Online Tool for More Capital The Small Business Administration launched its new LINC tool on its website. LINC will allow entrepreneurs looking for a small business loan to get matched with an SBA lender.

LINC, which stands for Leveraging Information and Networks to access Capital, will have small business owners fill out a simple online form of 20 questions and connect them with lenders within 48 hours. By directly connecting with prospective borrowers, the agency will be able to provide more guidance and ensure more capital is reaching our nation’s entrepreneurs.

“There’s a hunger among entrepreneurs to find financing to get their business off the ground or take the next big step in their expansion plan, said SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet. “The SBA stands there ready to help them, now with a few simple clicks.”

LINC will roll out in waves. It will begin by connecting small business owners with nonprofit lenders that offer free financial advice and specialize in micro lending, loans in SBA’s Community Advantage program and real estate financing.

Source: www.sba.gov.

Court Finds Repo Company Liable A recent decision of the Northern District of Ohio held that a repossession agency becomes subject to liability when it undertakes to repossess collateral that it does not have a present right to possess.

Generally, repo agencies are not

subject to liability under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The decision in Vantu v. Echo Recovery, LLC, arose from a case involving a defaulted auto loan and a botched attempt at repossessing the vehicle securing the loan.

While attempting to repossess a van belonging to the ex-husband of Plaintiff Vantu, an employee of Echo Recovery appeared at the home of Plaintiff’s sister during Plaintiff’s visit.

The employee announced his intention to repossess her ex-husband’s van, which was parked in the driveway.

Vantu advised the Echo Recovery employee that he was mistaken and that he had no right to repossess the van. She then got into the van and attempted to drive to her ex-husband’s house, so that the ex-husband and the employee could resolve the matter.

However, the Echo Recovery employee blocked Vantu from leaving by brandishing a semi-automatic pistol and threatened to shoot her. The employee then assaulted her while trying to take the keys to the van. Ultimately, he was arrested and convicted for his actions in attempting to repossess the van.

Vantu filed suit against Echo Recovery and its employee, alleging violations of the FDCPA. Echo Recovery responded that the court had no jurisdiction over Vantu’s FDCPA claim because Echo is not a “debt collector.”

Echo Recovery argued that its principal business is not debt collection and that entities that enforce security interests, including repossession agencies, are generally not considered debt collectors.

The court however, found that the term “debt collector” also “includes any person who uses any instrumentality of interstate commerce or the mails in any business the principal purpose of which is the enforcement of security interests.”

In addition, the law forbids a debt collector from “[t]aking or threatening to take any nonjudicial action to effect dispossession or disablement of prop-

erty if … there is no present right to possession of the property claimed as collateral through an enforceable security interest.”

Taken together, the court noted that these provisions provide that security enforcers, like Echo Recovery, that attempt to repossess collateral without a present right to possess the collateral become subject to liability under the FDCPA. Source: www.consumerfinancialserviceslawmonitor.com.

Repo Agent Found Scam Evidence Markisha Rucker of Orlando, Fla., was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to theft of government funds.

The case against Rucker began after clues were found in her car when it was repossessed in 2012.

A repossession company worker discovered the evidence in a briefcase hidden behind a speaker in the rear of Rucker ’s 2001 Cadillac Deville, records show.

Investigators discovered various debit cards, court paperwork for Rucker, a photo of her, unopened mail for other people and personal information for about 50 people, including names, addresses, dates of birth and Social Security numbers.

Authorities examined the information and discovered “various indicators of fraud,” including tax refunds for exactly $4,981 for five different people. In all, Rucker was linked to 19 fraudulent tax returns with a value of nearly $100,000.

The purported taxpayers never filed the returns, never authorized the returns and, in many cases, didn’t live in Florida, were dead or in jail.

The scam began in January 2012 and lasted through April 2012, when the vehicle was repossessed, records say.

In her plea agreement, Rucker admitted to participating in the scheme but said she followed orders from a “co-conspirator.” That person Work the non-traffic Side–Stay Safe!

wasn’t named in her paperwork.

She said that person paid her cash and occasionally let her spend money from debit cards that were funded with fraudulent tax returns from the government.

Source: www.orlandosentinel.com

Woman Cited After Interstate Chase, Crash A Vancouver, Wash., woman was cited after she chased a pickup truck on I-205 and caused a crash while her yellow Ford Ranger was in the process of being repossessed, according to Washington State Patrol.

Casandra Meridieth, 25, called 911 on March 11 as she was driving a 2007 Chevrolet minivan south on I-205, reporting to dispatchers that she was following her own yellow Ford Ranger, which had been stolen, Trooper Will Finn said.

The two vehicles were traveling in the center lane of the highway. The Ranger took a left turn from the highway onto an emergency vehicle cutthrough, which connects with northbound I-205, and the minivan followed, Finn said.

When the minivan turned, it crashed into a black Ford Ranger traveling in the left lane of southbound I205, Finn said.

The minivan lost a tire but managed to reach the northbound lanes of I-205, where it apparently stopped and blocked the yellow Ford Ranger, Finn said.

Troopers quickly learned that Meridieth’s yellow Ford Ranger wasn’t stolen, but in the process of being repossessed, Finn said.

Casandra Meridieth was cited on suspicion of second-degree negligent driving.

Source: www.columbian.com.

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

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Ohio Towers Fight Recent Legislation

Number 180 on Reader Card

According to the Professional Towers of Ohio, a bill was passed that regulates the entire towing industry for the state.

Similar bills are being introduced in Wyoming and several other states designed to regulate the towing industries there as well.

The revised codes to the Ohio State Constitution went into effect March 23.

Some of the revisions involve rate and storage caps on private-property towing, vehicle owners being able to retrieve personal items without retrieving the vehicle or paying the fee, reporting to law enforcement, vehicle signage, 24-7 availability for vehicle retrieval and other matters.

PTO scheduled a meeting at press time to discuss strategies against what they term as “unfair laws.” Ohio towers are asked to contact PTO President Nick LaNeve at 330-503-6333 or contact the PTO through www.professionaltowersofohio.com.

Towers Pay Tribute to Fellow Driver

Number 205 on Reader Card

SOUTH 100 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Dozens of tow trucks made a loop around Dixon, Calif., March 5 as part of the memorial services for Michael Bower.

The 29-year-old tower was killed by a hit-and-run driver on Feb. 23. Drivers of close to 100 trucks say they are part of a brotherhood that face danger all too often trying to help drivers in trouble.

“I’ve had my truck hit, I’ve been this close to dying,” driver Glen Mendes said.

Drivers came from all over the region including the Bay Area and the foothills.

One of them was Jennifer Schmeltz, who owns and operates an Elk Grove towing company with her husband. She brought her young son and daughter with her.

“I had no idea who he was. He had two babies the same age as mine. It hit home quite a bit for me and my husband both. We want to come home to our kids,” said Schmeltz.

At the memorial services, T-shirts were sold with words on them saying ‘Slow Down, Move Over, Obey the Law, Our Lives Depend On It.’ Source: http://fox40.com.

Number 148 on Reader Card

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Number 105 on Reader Card

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • SOUTH 101

New SBA Online Tool for More Capital

Number 107 on Reader Card

The Small Business Administration launched its new LINC tool on its website. LINC will allow entrepreneurs looking for a small business loan to get matched with an SBA lender.

LINC, which stands for Leveraging Information and Networks to access Capital, will have small business owners fill out a simple online form of 20 questions and connect them with lenders within 48 hours.

By directly connecting with prospective borrowers, the agency will be able to provide more guidance and ensure more capital is reaching our nation’s entrepreneurs.

“There’s a hunger among entrepreneurs to find financing to get their business off the ground or take the next big step in their expansion plan, said SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet. “The SBA stands there ready to help them, now with a few simple clicks.”

LINC will roll out in waves. It will begin by connecting small business owners with nonprofit lenders that offer free financial advice and specialize in micro lending, loans in SBA’s Community Advantage program and real estate financing.

Source: www.sba.gov.

Wis. Tower Salentine Passes James “Jim” Salentine, 78, former owner of Ray’s Garage (later Ray’s Towing) of Milwaukee, Wis., passed away on March 8 from cancer.

He was a founder of the Wisconsin Towing Association as well as a charter member in the Interstate Towing Association and the Towing and Recovery Association of America.

In 2008, he was inducted into the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame for his contributions to the industry.

Number 133 on Reader Card

SOUTH 102 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Number 111 on Reader Card

Number 179 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • SOUTH 103

Md. Tow Owner Facing Charges A Prince George’s County, Md., grand jury has indicted the owner of a Suitland, Md., towing company on allegations of overcharging motorists to retrieve their cars and committing other illegal business practices, prosecutors announced Feb. 10.

Frederick Cooper, 31, faces 99 charges related to improper towing practices through his business, FFC Towing, according to the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Authorities have accused Cooper of charging customers more than the county’s legal maximum of $50 to retrieve their cars.

Prosecutors said FFC drivers also refused to take credit cards, did not notify police of tows and failed to keep proper documentation of tows, in the process violating local or state laws.

The violations occurred from January through October 2014 and involved about 20 victims, authorities said.

Source: www.washingtonpost.com.

Number 170 on Reader Card

Number 113 on Reader Card

SOUTH 104 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Number 178 on Reader Card

Ohio Towers Fight Recent Legislation According to the Professional Towers of Ohio, a bill was passed that regulates the entire towing industry for the state.

Similar bills are being introduced in Wyoming and several other states designed to regulate the towing industries there as well.

The revised codes to the Ohio State Constitution went into effect March 23.

Some of the revisions involve rate and storage caps on private-property towing, vehicle owners being able to retrieve personal items without retrieving the vehicle or paying the fee, reporting to law enforcement, vehicle signage, 24-7 availability for vehicle retrieval and other matters.

PTO scheduled a meeting at press time to discuss strategies against what they term as “unfair laws.” Ohio towers are asked to contact PTO President Nick LaNeve at 330-503-6333 or contact the PTO through www.professionaltowersofohio.com.

Number 134 on Reader Card

Towers Pay Tribute to Fellow Driver Dozens of tow trucks made a loop around Dixon, Calif., March 5 as part of the memorial services for Michael Bower.

The 29-year-old tower was killed by a hit-and-run driver on Feb. 23. Drivers of close to 100 trucks say they are part of a brotherhood that face danger all too often trying to help drivers in trouble.

“I’ve had my truck hit, I’ve been this close to dying,” driver Glen Mendes said.

Drivers came from all over the region including the Bay Area and the foothills.

One of them was Jennifer Schmeltz, who owns and operates an Elk Grove towing company with her husband. She brought her young son and daughter with her.

“I had no idea who he was. He had two babies the same age as mine. It hit home quite a bit for me and my husband both. We want to come home to our kids,” said Schmeltz.

At the memorial services, T-shirts were sold with words on them saying ‘Slow Down, Move Over, Obey the Law, Our Lives Depend On It.’ Source: http://fox40.com.

Number 119 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • MIDWEST 99

Md. Tow Owner Facing Charges

Number 116 on Reader Card

Number 138 on Reader Card

MIDWEST 100 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

A Prince George’s County, Md., grand jury has indicted the owner of a Suitland, Md., towing company on allegations of overcharging motorists to retrieve their cars and committing other illegal business practices, prosecutors announced Feb. 10.

Frederick Cooper, 31, faces 99 charges related to improper towing practices through his business, FFC Towing, according to the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Authorities have accused Cooper of charging customers more than the county’s legal maximum of $50 to retrieve their cars.

Prosecutors said FFC drivers also refused to take credit cards, did not notify police of tows and failed to keep proper documentation of tows, in the process violating local or state laws.

The violations occurred from January through October 2014 and involved about 20 victims, authorities said.

Source: www.washingtonpost.com.

Tower Killed on Mass. Turnpike A tower working on a disabled vehicle in the breakdown lane of the Massachusetts Turnpike was struck and killed by a box truck Feb. 11, according to state police.

Police identified the victim as Kevin St. Pierre, 22, of Southbridge. St. Pierre was a driver for Sturbridge Service Center.

State police identified the driver of the box truck as Richard Taylor, 45, of Taunton.

According to Massachusetts State Trooper Ronald Ramos, Taylor was traveling in the right lane when his box truck struck the tower, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Taylor was not injured, state police said.

St. Pierre was towing a disabled car that had a flat tire and the driver did not have a spare, according to Sturbridge Service Center owner Craig Moran. The tower had positioned his truck in front of the disabled car and was in the process of putting it on the flatbed when he was struck.

No charges had been filed at press time.

Source: www.telegram.com.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Number 193 on Reader Card

Number 189 on Reader Card

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • MIDWEST 101

Upgrading Fleet Your

Questions to Consider When Buying New Trucks

Attending a tow show is a great way to talk to multiple manufacturers in one place to get the scoop on adding new trucks to your fleet.

by Randall C. Resch

S

o you’ve made it a few years longer working with the same old beater tow truck you bought out of some guy’s backyard; you’ve fixed it up and worked it silly. It smokes badly and is barely hangin’ on … perhaps it’s time to consider buying a new tow truck.

With good credit and today’s financing, a new tow truck might be within your reach. But what type of

tow truck should you purchase to meet your operational and budgetary needs? There are lots of products out there to be considered.

In choosing the right truck to meet your needs, it’s important to look closely as to what towing, recovery and service niches your company serves. Also keep in mind what fiveand 10-year goals you’ve set for your company. If growth is in your com-

MIDWEST 102 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

pany’s future, choosing the right truck can easily serve your company well.

When considering a new tow truck, look at them all to see what works and what doesn’t. In today’s market of small businesses trying to grow, I feel that a flatbed carrier would allow the business broader use for calls beyond those of the usual recovery work. But if your primary business is city towing and private-property

impounds, a properly outfitted autoloader is your best choice.

What this means is you’ve got choices, and the success of your current and future operations depends on the right kind of truck.

Don’t be sucked in by fancy speeches and creative salespeople; the buying process takes time. Why not consider taking a trip to one of the nation’s tow shows and see directly what multiple manufacturers have to offer? If you’re really interested in buying, you’ll oftentimes find show specials where dealers are eager to cut you the best price.

Here are some questions to think about when considering a new tow truck for your business: • Will it meet my tow company’s needs?

• Is it built to last?

• What happens down the road?

• Will the manufacturer stand behind their warranty?

Why not consider taking a trip to one of the nation’s tow shows and see directly what multiple manufacturers have to offer?

When additional trucks are added to your company’s fleet it may mean adding employees. Are you ready to take that step? Going from the one-owner shop to employer has its own set of problems. When it comes to growing your business by adding tow trucks and employees, be sure that there’s sufficient operating capital to keep the business moving forward. According to the Small Business Administration, too many fleet owners take on more debt than the company can support.

Timing is key to long-term successes. The industry is a difficult one based on swings in the economy, time of year and weather extremes. When you’ve carefully evaluated all considerations, time your truck purchase when the company dollar is steady and the future is promising. Don’t forget to include looking at other types of specialty niches that’ll keep your trucks working when times go lean. Trucks that sit don’t pay the bills.

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.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

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.

Tow Co. Found in Full Compliance Portage, Mich., officials found that McDonald’s Towing is in compliance with its contract with the city, a conclusion reached after an annual audit of the towing pact.

The Portage City Council asked City Manager Larry Shaffer and public safety staff to move up the review in light of the January I-94 pileup in which questions were raised with Kalamazoo County on McDonald’s towing charges to some drivers.

Shaffer said that he and Public Safety Director Richard White and staff did the audit and found the company to be in compliance with the contract on towing rates, response time, storage and other sections.

“There have been absolutely no issues whatsoever with the performance of McDonald’s Towing,” Shaffer told the council. “For almost the last 27 years, McDonald’s Towing has been the contract vendor for the city of Portage. During this time, they have met or surpassed every specification of the agreement.”

Council members claimed they did not bump up the audit because of complaints they had received but because of the timing of the I-94 mass crash.

Shaffer and White said that the staff looked at invoices submitted by McDonald’s under the contract and compared them with data from the records management system.

“The examination of these invoices demonstrated that the vendor was strictly in compliance” with that contract section, Shaffer said.

The audit revealed that McDonald’s was also in compliance as far as the city’s storage facility requirement.

Source: www.mlive.com

Court Finds Repo Company Liable A recent decision of the Northern District of Ohio held that a repossession agency becomes subject to liability when it undertakes to repossess collateral that it does not have a present right to possess.

Generally, repo agencies are not subject to liability under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The decision in Vantu v. Echo Recovery, LLC, arose from a case involving a defaulted auto loan and a botched attempt at repossessing the vehicle securing the loan.

While attempting to repossess a van belonging to the ex-husband of Plaintiff Vantu, an employee of Echo Recovery appeared at the home of Plaintiff’s sister during Plaintiff ’s visit. The employee announced his intention to repossess her ex-husband’s van, which was parked in the driveway.

Vantu advised the Echo Recovery employee that he

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • MIDWEST 103

was mistaken and that he had no right to repossess the van. She then got into the van and attempted to drive to her ex-husband’s house, so that the exhusband and the employee could resolve the matter.

However, the Echo Recovery employee blocked Vantu from leaving by brandishing a semi-automatic pistol and threatened to shoot her. The employee then assaulted her while trying to take the keys to the van. Ultimately, he was arrested and convicted for his actions in attempting to repossess the van.

Vantu filed suit against Echo Recovery and its employee, alleging violations of the FDCPA. Echo Recovery responded that the court had no jurisdiction over Vantu’s FDCPA claim because Echo is not a “debt collector.”

Echo Recovery argued that its principal business is not debt collection and that entities that enforce security interests, including repossession agencies, are generally not considered debt collectors.

The court however, found that the term “debt collector” also “includes any person who uses any instrumentality of interstate commerce or the mails in any business the principal purpose of which is the enforcement of security interests.” In addition, the law forbids a debt collector from “[t]aking or threatening to take any nonjudicial action to effect dispossession or disablement of property if … there is no present right to possession of the property claimed as collateral through an enforceable security interest.”

Taken together, the court noted that these provisions provide that security enforcers, like Echo Recovery, that attempt to repossess collateral without a present right to possess the collateral become subject to liability under the FDCPA. Source: www.consumerfinancialserviceslawmonitor.com.

New SBA Online Tool for More Capital The Small Business Administration launched its new LINC tool on its website. LINC will allow entrepreneurs looking for a small business loan

to get matched with an SBA lender.

LINC, which stands for Leveraging Information and Networks to access Capital, will have small business owners fill out a simple online form of 20 questions and connect them with lenders within 48 hours. By directly connecting with prospective borrowers, the agency will be able to provide more guidance and ensure more capital is reaching our nation’s entrepreneurs.

“There’s a hunger among entrepreneurs to find financing to get their business off the ground or take the next big step in their expansion plan, said SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet. “The SBA stands there ready to help them, now with a few simple clicks.”

LINC will roll out in waves. It will begin by connecting small business owners with nonprofit lenders that offer free financial advice and specialize in micro lending, loans in SBA’s Community Advantage program and real estate financing.

Source: www.sba.gov.

Wis. Tower Salentine Passes James “Jim” Salentine, 78, former owner of Ray’s Garage (later Ray’s Towing) of Milwaukee, Wis., passed away on March 8 from cancer.

He was a founder of the Wisconsin Towing Association as well as a charter member in the Interstate Towing Association and the Towing and Recovery Association of America.

In 2008, he was inducted into the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame for his contributions to the industry.

Repo Agent Found Scam Evidence Markisha Rucker of Orlando, Fla., was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to theft of government funds.

The case against Rucker began after clues were found in her car when it was repossessed in 2012.

A repossession company worker discovered the evidence in a briefcase hidden behind a speaker in the rear of

MIDWEST 104 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Rucker ’s 2001 Cadillac Deville, records show.

Investigators discovered various debit cards, court paperwork for Rucker, a photo of her, unopened mail for other people and personal information for about 50 people, including names, addresses, dates of birth and Social Security numbers.

Authorities examined the information and discovered “various indicators of fraud,” including tax refunds for exactly $4,981 for five different people. In all, Rucker was linked to 19 fraudulent tax returns with a value of nearly $100,000.

The purported taxpayers never filed the returns, never authorized the returns and, in many cases, didn’t live in Florida, were dead or in jail.

The scam began in January 2012 and lasted through April 2012, when the vehicle was repossessed, records say.

In her plea agreement, Rucker admitted to participating in the scheme but said she followed orders from a “co-conspirator.” That person wasn’t named in her paperwork.

She said that person paid her cash and occasionally let her spend money from debit cards that were funded with fraudulent tax returns from the government.

Source: www.orlandosentinel.com

Woman Cited After Interstate Chase, Crash A Vancouver, Wash., woman was cited after she chased a pickup truck on I-205 and caused a crash while her yellow Ford Ranger was in the process of being repossessed, according to Washington State Patrol.

Casandra Meridieth, 25, called 911 on March 11 as she was driving a 2007 Chevrolet minivan south on I-205, reporting to dispatchers that she was following her own yellow Ford Ranger, which had been stolen, Trooper Will Finn said.

The two vehicles were traveling in the center lane of the highway. The Ranger took a left turn from the highway onto an emergency vehicle cutthrough, which connects with northbound I-205, and the minivan

followed, Finn said.

When the minivan turned, it crashed into a black Ford Ranger traveling in the left lane of southbound I205, Finn said.

The minivan lost a tire but managed to reach the northbound lanes of I-205, where it apparently stopped and blocked the yellow Ford Ranger, Finn said.

Troopers quickly learned that Meridieth’s yellow Ford Ranger wasn’t stolen, but in the process of being repossessed, Finn said.

Casandra Meridieth was cited on suspicion of second-degree negligent driving.

Source: www.columbian.com.

Tower Frees Woman in Iowa Crash A tower freed a woman pinned by a car that veered off an icy highway near Nora Springs, Iowa, on Feb. 10.

After the woman lost control of her PT Cruiser, the vehicle rolled at least four times on its way across the median and landed upside down in the opposite lanes, said Trooper Keith Duenow.

One of the woman’s arms went out the car’s sunroof and was pinned under the car when it landed.

Duenow, who saw the crash in his rearview mirror, said a tower from Scott’s Towing & Auto Body from Rockford used his rig to lift the car off the injured woman.

First responders had to cut the woman’s seatbelt to free her. No other vehicles were involved in the crash.

Source: http://globegazette.com.

with manpower and equipment to pull out the submerged truck.

Bill Wood of Woody’s Towing said the truck was about 500’ from the boat launch. He said his crew had to cut a path through the ice with chain saws and use an airbag to drag the truck toward the launch site.

“My guys were breaking through the ice as they walked,” he said.

The recovery took about six hours ; the truck was considered totaled.

Source: www.tctimes.com.

Housing Authority Thwarts Repo Efforts A local Tulsa, Okla., newscast revealed that people who aren’t paying their bills are getting to keep their stuff because repo men can’t get to them.

The Tulsa Housing Authority is making the job more difficult by not allowing repo men to get inside their properties to repossess cars without having a court order and they must bring a sheriff’s deputy with them.

Finance companies told the news station that’s an unnecessary and expensive hurdle.

Peter Broderick, a repossessor with Select Towing in Broken Arrow said there are multiple cars or trucks on each THA property, and other public housing properties, that his company needs to repossess.

“I know for a fact we have four in Apache Manor,” he said.

But he can’t get to them.

The reporter rode along with Broderick to three public housing properties: Apache Manor, Comanche Park and Edenwood Apartments.

Security guards turned Broderick away each time.

Broderick said the people who live on these properties know their cars are safe.

“They’ll hide their cars there for months,” he said.

He said he never has a problem getting into privately owned apartment complexes in Tulsa.

Source: www.fox23.com.

Towers Retrieve Submerged Truck Woody’s Towing had two to three divers in the water and another five or six crewmembers on-site to retrieve a totally submerged Chevy Silverado from a frozen lake in Argentine Township, Mich.

On the afternoon of Feb. 8, the township police and fire departments responded when they heard that a vehicle had broken through the ice.

Woody’s Towing responded quickly Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Download music on iTunes and Amazon.com TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • MIDWEST 105

Number 157 on Reader Card

Toronto Towing up to 110 Vehicles Daily Officials in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, said between 80 and 110 vehicles belonging to habitual parking offenders are now towed every day as the city continues its crackdown on problem parkers.

Parking enforcement released new numbers for its no-tolerance enforcement blitz. Some 15,666 vehicles were ticketed during rush hours since Jan. 5, with 2,734 being towed.

In addition, 1,614 habitual parking offenders with Ontario plates were towed since the beginning of the year and 245 out-of-province vehicles were towed since Feb. 23.

The goal, the city says, is to improve the flow of traffic in the city core.

Source: www.cbc.ca.

Woman Wants Tow Company Gone Number 218 on Reader Card

Number 199 on Reader Card

WEST 100 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

A North Bend, Ore., resident continued her fight against a local towing company with an appeal before the town’s city council recently in an attempt to get rid of what she calls a noisy disturbance in her neighborhood.

Susanna Noordhoff said for years the city has allowed the owners of North Bend Towing to use their residential property for commercial use, parking tow trucks on the street.

The North Bend City Administrator says the issue has been brought before the city several times in recent years. He said the Council and Planning Commission have never found violations of the Home Occupation Permit.

“It is my understanding North Bend Towing has had a Home Occupations Permit and had been doing the same business there since I think 1978,” said city administrator Terence O’Connor.

“I’m sorry but I don’t care,” said Noordhoff. “I want the protection that the zoning ordinance gives my residential zone, and that is that the only businesses that are there you can’t tell what it is looking at the property.”

Source: www.kcby.com.

Ohio Towers Fight Recent Legislation According to the Professional Towers of Ohio, a bill was passed that regulates the entire towing industry for the state.

Similar bills are being introduced in Wyoming and several other states designed to regulate the towing industries there as well.

The revised codes to the Ohio State Constitution went into effect March 23.

Some of the revisions involve rate and storage caps on private-property towing, vehicle owners being able to retrieve personal items without retrieving the vehicle or paying the fee, reporting to law enforcement, vehicle signage, 24-7 availability for vehicle retrieval and other matters.

PTO scheduled a meeting at press time to discuss strategies against what they term as “unfair laws.” Ohio towers are asked to contact PTO President Nick LaNeve at 330-503-6333 or contact the PTO through www.professionaltowersofohio.com.

Number 156 on Reader Card

Towers Pay Tribute to Fellow Driver Dozens of tow trucks made a loop around Dixon, Calif., March 5 as part of the memorial services for Michael Bower.

The 29-year-old tower was killed by a hit-and-run driver on Feb. 23. Drivers of close to 100 trucks say they are part of a brotherhood that face danger all too often trying to help drivers in trouble.

“I’ve had my truck hit, I’ve been this close to dying,” driver Glen Mendes said.

Drivers came from all over the region including the Bay Area and the foothills.

One of them was Jennifer Schmeltz, who owns and operates an Elk Grove towing company with her husband. She brought her young son and daughter with her.

“I had no idea who he was. He had two babies the same age as mine. It hit home quite a bit for me and my husband both. We want to come home to our kids,” said Schmeltz.

At the memorial services, T-shirts were sold with words on them saying ‘Slow Down, Move Over, Obey the Law, Our Lives Depend On It.’ Source: http://fox40.com.

Number 198 on Reader Card

Work the Passenger side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • WEST 101

Upgrading Fleet Your

Questions to Consider When Buying New Trucks

by Randall C. Resch

S

o you’ve made it a few years longer working with the same old beater tow truck you bought out of some guy’s backyard; you’ve fixed it up and worked it silly. It smokes badly and is barely hangin’ on … perhaps it’s time to consider buying a new tow truck.

With good credit and today’s financing, a new tow truck might be within your reach. But what type of tow truck should you purchase to meet your operational and budgetary needs? There are lots of products out there to be considered.

In choosing the right truck to meet your needs, it’s important to look closely as to what towing, recovery and service niches your company serves. Also keep in mind what fiveand 10-year goals you’ve set for your company. If growth is in your company’s future, choosing the right truck can easily serve your company well.

When considering a new tow truck, look at them all to see what works and what doesn’t. In today’s market of small businesses trying to grow, I feel that a flatbed carrier would allow the business broader use for calls beyond those of the usual recovery work. But if your primary business is city towing and private-property impounds, a properly outfitted autoloader is your best choice.

What this means is you’ve got choices, and the success of your current and future operations depends on the right kind of truck.

Don’t be sucked in by fancy speeches and creative salespeople; the buying process takes time. Why not consider taking a trip to one of the nation’s tow shows and see directly what multiple manufacturers have to offer? If you’re really interested in buying, you’ll oftentimes find show

WEST 102 • April 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Attending a tow show is a great way to talk to multiple manufacturers in one place to get the scoop on adding new trucks to your fleet.

specials where dealers are eager to cut you the best price.

Here are some questions to think about when considering a new tow truck for your business: • Will it meet my tow company’s needs?

• Is it built to last?

• What happens down the road?

• Will the manufacturer stand behind their warranty?

When additional trucks are added to your company’s fleet it may mean adding employees. Are you ready to take that step? Going from the oneowner shop to employer has its own set of problems. When it comes to growing your business by adding tow trucks and employees, be sure that there’s sufficient operating capital to keep the business moving forward.

According to the Small Business Administration, too many fleet owners take on more debt than the company can support.

Timing is key to long-term successes. The industry is a difficult one based on swings in the economy, time of year and weather extremes. When you’ve carefully evaluated all considerations, time your truck purchase when the company dollar is steady and the future is promising. Don’t forget to include looking at other types of specialty niches that’ll keep your trucks working when times go lean.

Trucks that sit don’t pay the bills.

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.

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 208 on Reader Card

Work the Passenger side–Stay Safe!

Number 105 on Reader Card

TOWMAN.COM - April 2015 • WEST 103

Tow Co. Found in Full Compliance Portage, Mich., officials found that McDonald’s Towing is in compliance with its contract with the city, a conclusion reached after an annual audit of the towing pact.

The Portage City Council asked City Manager Larry Shaffer and public safety staff to move up the review in light of the January I-94 pileup in which questions were raised with Kalamazoo County on McDonald’s towing charges to some drivers.

Shaffer said that he and Public Safety Director Richard White and staff did the audit and found the company to be in compliance with the contract on towing rates, response time, storage and other sections.

“There have been absolutely no issues whatsoever with the performance of McDonald’s Towing,” Shaffer told the council. “For almost the last 27 years, McDonald’s Towing has been the contract vendor for the city of Portage. During this time, they have

met or surpassed every specification of the agreement.”

Council members claimed they did not bump up the audit because of complaints they had received but because of the timing of the I-94 mass crash.

Shaffer and White said that the staff looked at invoices submitted by McDonald’s under the contract and compared them with data from the records management system.

“The examination of these invoices demonstrated that the vendor was strictly in compliance” with that contract section, Shaffer said.

The audit revealed that McDonald’s was also in compliance as far as the city’s storage facility requirement.

Source: www.mlive.com.

Repo Agent Found Scam Evidence Markisha Rucker of Orlando, Fla., was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to theft of government funds.

The case against Rucker began

after clues were found in her car when it was repossessed in 2012.

A repossession company worker discovered the evidence in a briefcase hidden behind a speaker in the rear of Rucker’s 2001 Cadillac Deville, records show.

Investigators discovered various debit cards, court paperwork for Rucker, a photo of her, unopened mail for other people and personal information for about 50 people, including names, addresses, dates of birth and Social Security numbers.

Authorities examined the information and discovered “various indicators of fraud,” including tax refunds for exactly $4,981 for five different people.

In all, Rucker was linked to 19 fraudulent tax returns with a value of nearly $100,000.

The purported taxpayers never filed the returns, never authorized the returns and, in many cases, didn’t live in Florida, were dead or in jail.

The scam began in January 2012 and lasted through April 2012, when the vehicle was repossessed, records say.

In her plea agreement, Rucker admitted to participating in the scheme but said she followed orders from a “coconspirator.” That person wasn’t named in her paperwork.

She said that person paid her cash and occasionally let her spend money from debit cards that were funded with fraudulent tax returns from the government.

Source: www.orlandosentinel.com

Wis. Tower Salentine Passes

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James “Jim” Salentine, 78, former owner of Ray’s Garage (later Ray’s Towing) of Milwaukee, Wis., passed away on March 8 from cancer.

He was a founder of the Wisconsin Towing Association as well as a charter member in the Interstate Towing Association and the Towing and Recovery Association of America.

In 2008, he was inducted into the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame for his contributions to the industry.

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