American Towman Magazine - May 2015 by dortiz-towman

NOW! NOW! AT AT SHOWPLACE-LAS SHOWPLACE-LAS VEGAS VEGAS MAY MAY 14-16 14-16

Off-Road Recovery in a River Primer on Personal Safety Gear Ending Employee Relationships towman.com

towmantv.com

towweek.com

Number 115 on Reader Card

American Towman and Police Towers of America examine police towing rates across the country, page 30.

FEATURE CONTENTS

Comparing Rates Across the States An American Towman investigation delves into the differing muni rates across the U.S. by Brendan Dooley

Departments

Off-Road Custom Shines

Walkaround . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Using a recently built off-road vehicle, Joe’s Towing recovered a Jeep from a sand bar in a river. by Kurt Wilson

News Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Road Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Tow Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Repo Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Tow Boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

AD Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

How Much?

Tow Boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 On the Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Towman’s Market . . . . . . . . . . . .70 My Baby. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 Low Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 Adventures of A.T. . . . . . . . . . . . .82

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Figuring out your real costs on each tow is an essential part of keeping the business going. by Nathan Sink

Number 162 on Reader Card

Spring Is in the Air April showers bring May flowers – at least that’s what typically happens. In the towing industry, springtime may not be filled with flowers but with eagerness of towing business owners looking to purchase new equipment after the wear and tear of the past winter—especially this particularly harsh winter. The tow show in Florida this April showed that there were many buyers looking to do just that. It’s always a good sign for the marketplace when work is plentiful enough that you need new supplies. Moving into May, AT ShowPlace-Las Vegas (May 14-16) is ramping up to be the perfect time and place for towers looking to reinvest in their business, whether its purchasing equipment like trucks, chains, air cushions, or reinvestment in their business by attending conferences and learning the ins/out from the motor clubs on how to get paid, or acquiring some tips on scoring municipal contracts. AT ShowPlace has many offerings to keep your head in the business, as does our May issue. Read

by Dennie Ortiz

further into the issue into our Tow Engineer department, where Field Editor Terry Abejuela shares some specifics on Personal Protective Equipment—he even suggests hard hats for light-duty operators (though not always practical, you can never be too safe). Always an exciting read, Repo Editor Mark Lacek shares tips on commercial repossessions. A repossessor with an unparalleled reputation in the field, Mark has some precise and essential suggestions on how best to approach this niche of repo work. Mark will also be sharing his knowledge as a presenter at the Repossession Conference during the AT ShowPlace. On the business management side of things, our Operations Editor Randall Resch talks to you about the challenge of dismissing employees who are not good for the company. One of the least favorite of managerial duties, yet a necessary one, Resch provides you with some suggestions on setting the tone of acceptable employee behavior and how to deal with those employees that don’t abide by the rules. Hope to see you in Las Vegas!

Mining Through the Data

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

American Towman Media Headquarters 7 West Street, Warwick, NY 10990 800-732-3869 or 845-986-4546

by Brendan Dooley

The rates for police-initiated tows are of high importance to the majority of towing operations. The Police Towers of America has compiled contract rates, as reported by its members, across the U.S. (And, by the way, Police Towing will be a conference topic during AT ShowPlaceLas Vegas, May 14-16.) In an American Towman investigative report, we looked at those reported numbers from PTA and tried to highlight divergences and showcase some patterns throughout. Looking at the list both regionally and by population, we’ve laid the numbers out bare for readers to study. We’re hoping this bird’s-eye view at the rates across the country may help you to secure better rates from your municipalities in the future. 6 • May 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

First On The Scene!

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 206 on Reader Card

Arizona Tow Bills Nearing Passage The Arizona State Senate voted 26-1 on April 2 to advance a bill that would require the Department of Public Safety to conduct rate surveys and create a heavy-duty rotator recovery vehicle classification for towing services. The bill includes a requirement for towers to notify consumers of their right to file a complaint with the DPS if they believe they have been assessed unreasonable charges. HB2416 now heads back to the House for consideration of changes. If approved there, it would move to Gov. Doug Ducey’s desk. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association cautions the bill could potentially allow Arizona towing companies to charge hourly rates that could be among the highest in the nation while doing very little to protect consumers from inflated towing charges. Mike Matousek, OOIDA director of state legislative affairs, said he communicated to Arizona House and Senate leaders that small-business truckers are increasingly subjected to inappropriate and unreasonable charges from towing companies engaged in non-consensual towing and recovery operations. While data shows bad practices appear to be less common in Arizona, he said HB2416 has the potential to make the situation worse. A separate towing bill advanced to the governor’s desk, HB2523, that would permit vehicle owners to choose any towing company or tow operator to move a vehicle from a towing company’s storage premises to a repair facility. Source: m.landlinemag.com.

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Roskopf New TRAA President Jeff Roskopf, owner of Roskopf’s Service & Towing in Menomonee Falls, Wis., has been elected president of the Towing and Recovery Association of America. Roskopf, a member of the 2012 Towing Hall of Fame class, has served as TRAA’s first vice president since 2011. He has also been the recipient of the organization’s Presidential and Diamond Appreciation Awards, as well as a recipient of the Wisconsin Towing Association’s Service Award. Roskopf said he plans to grow

TRAA’s membership by personally inviting all towers to join their respective state associations, strengthening the organization’s communication with state associations, promote educational programs and educate the motoring public about Move Over laws. “I am strongly committed to the growth and forward movement of TRAA,” he said. “I envision TRAA reaching their greatest heights in representation of towing professionals across the nation.” Source: http://traaonline.com

S.C. Sets

TIM Task Force South Carolina is looking for ways to clear accidents off of Interstate highways faster to cut down on traffic jams. A state task force on Traffic Incident Management met recently in Columbia to work on it. The task force includes the DOT, Highway Patrol, local law enforcement, firefighters, EMS, tow operators and other service agencies that are involved in responding to highway crashes. One option the task force discussed is something being used in other states dealing with calling tow trucks. For one thing, instead of having a set rotation of towing companies and calling the one that’s next in line, other states call whichever company is

closest to the wreck. For another, instead of waiting for a state trooper or local police to call a tow truck after arriving at an accident, some states dispatch tow trucks at the same time they dispatch troopers or police. Mike Bowman, SCDOT Incident Response Management Coordinator, said that in Mississippi they monitor DOT cameras and can dispatch police and tow trucks. He said it would require the money to have people monitoring DOT’s cameras as well as changes to tow truck regulations. Source: www.wspa.com.

. . . It was like a tow truck parade . . . Hundreds Towed in Cleveland Ashanti Edwards has worked in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, for 12 years. She parks on West 9th Street. Despite signs warning of “no parking” during rush hour, she said she's never gotten a ticket until now, when she got a ticket and a tow. Just after 4 p.m., news crews saw numerous vehicles being towed on St. Clair Avenue in downtown Cleveland. “When I got towed there were eight to 10 people also getting towed. It was like a tow truck parade, a tow truck convention," Edwards said. It cost Edwards $200 to get her car out of the impound lot. A Cleveland police spokesperson said morning and evening rush hour parking bans are being "strictly enforced" to alleviate traffic congestion caused by construction. Cleveland Police did issue a press release informing the public of the rush hour parking ban enforcement March 5 and pushed it out on their social media. Cleveland Police said 250 vehicles were towed in downtown since March 9. Source: www.newsnet5.com.

$3.5M Fire at Hanifen Towing

Officials say a fire at a Des Moines towing company that destroyed six vehicles caused more than $3.5 million in damage. Des Moines television station KCCI reported that the cause of the fire at Hanifen Towing Co. is still under investigation. A Polk County Sheriff’s official spotted the blaze around 10:15 p.m. Emergency crews responded and got the blaze under control in less than two hours. Fire officials remained on the scene through the morning to monitor for hot spots. No injuries were reported. Hanifen specializes in heavy-equipment towing and transport. The six vehicles destroyed were worth more than $1.5 million. Source: m.kwwl.com. Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

2015 Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

Nine tow industry leaders have been selected for the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame’s Class of 2015. The inductees are James Bach (Elma, N.Y.), Andy Chesney (Euless, Texas), David Craze (Virginia Beach, Va.), Bobby Disher (Kernersville, N.C.), Joseph Gagne (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), Vaughn Gobel (Poland, Ohio), John Saunders (Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England) Randy Sorley (Maple Ridge, British

Columbia, Canada) and Drew Zuccala (Boynton Beach, Fla.) “This year’s inductees share a dedication to their state and local towing organizations as well as the national towing and recovery community,” said Troy Barnett, president of the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum. Hall of Fame members will be recognized at an induction ceremony on Sept. 12, 2015, in Chattanooga.

Seattle Investigates Hours-long Recovery As city officials review their response to a toppled fish truck, a Seattle Tunnel Partners executive says his team was eager to help. Seattle Tunnel Partners says it would have immediately lent a hand with clearing the overturned truckload of frozen fish that led to a horrid commute, if the city had asked. City leaders have been second-guessed by commuters and reporters since the nine-hour closure of the southbound lanes. One question: Why didn’t police or the Seattle Department of Transportation enlist Highway 99 tunnel crews several yards away to drag, lift or push the container onto state tunnel property shortly after the 2:30 p.m. crash? Police called their towing contractor, Lincoln Towing, which righted the load by around 7 p.m. — but it was too unstable to drive away using another truck. Eventually, Seattle Tunnel Partners brought forklifts and helped transfer the cargo to another refrigerated container. City departments will perform a post-incident review. Source: www.seattletimes.com.

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Check Out What’s NEW and HOT! DewEze Hybrid Pump Kit DewEze recently added a 24V electric-hydraulic pump that charges off of a 12V system that provides equivalent performance of a 9-gpm clutch-pump kit without alterations to the OEM system. The Heavy-Duty and Hybrid kits offer a duty cycle of 40 percent, a 300-percent increase over the standard E/H. You can move the DewEze E/H kit to new applications when changing your fleet. Options for flow and pressure include: • DewEze 12 for light duty. • DewEze 12HD for medium duty. • DewEze 24 for heavy duty.

www.deweze.com Number 200 on Reader Card

Deck Accommodates Spyder’s Stance AmeriDeck’s Can-Am Spyder deck has stops to prevent the nose of a Spyder from hitting the bulkhead. The deck floor is 102” by 58” , and the rear wheels are 62” wide to

accommodate the Spyder’s stance. The bulkhead height is the standard 29-5/8” . These measurements allow a Spyder to be pulled on to the deck rather than backed on.

www.powerdecks.com Number 201 on Reader Card

Long Case Jack Set Access Tools released a Long Case version of its One Hand Jack Set with a 54” Heavy Duty Carrying Case that holds the Quick Max Long Reach Tool and all of the included accessories. The case also can hold other Access Tools accessories and long-reach tools in one package.

www.caropeningtools.com Number 202 on Reader Card

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Winch Series from 8,000 lbs.-100,000+ lbs.

uperwinch recently added the Sepson Sepdurance line of boom winches for the U.S. wrecker market. The planetary-gear drum winches are available in pulling capacities from 8,000 lbs. to more than 100,000 lbs. and are used in worldwide towing applications. The company said the winches have very high efficiency and are permanently lubricated, which contributes to long life and trouble-free operation; generated heat is very low, even during extensive use. “These winches are reliable, dependable and uncomplicated,” said Bryan Shahan, Superwinch industrial sales manager. “They feature an automatic two-speed system that auto engages, and enjoy safe

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

rope management due to improved fleet angles and grooved drums. “Safety is a key feature of the Sepdurance line.” Various model options include rope over wound and under wound, level wind and tensioning devices, pneumatic and manual freespool, and more. Sepson drum winches are proven workhorses in military and construction applications overseas; they were designed for the toughest tasks and demanding environments, and are now available here.

www.superwinch.com Number 203 on Reader Card

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Safety First with Personal Protective Equipment by Terry Abejuela

afety apparel—referred to as Personal Protective Equipment by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration— includes any personal equipment used by employees to reduce the potential for injuries or sickness in the workplace. OSHA requires employers to protect their employees from workplace hazards that may cause injury or illness through engineering, workplace control practices and/or administrative controls. When this is not feasible or adequate, the employer must provide Personal Protective Equipment. In the towing and recovery industry, safety apparel includes head protection, eye protection, high-visibility uniforms, safety vests and rain gear, work gloves and work shoes or boots. Safety apparel designed to protect the employee’s head includes hats, knit hats, hard hats, cold weather hoodies and bump caps. Most hats are available with high-visibility and reflective materials to increase the operator’s visibility during daylight or darkness. Most light-duty tow operators do not carry or use hard hats—but they should. Any time an employee has the potential to sustain a head injury on the job, they should be wearing a hard hat. Light-duty towers do not often perform overhead lifting, but there are plenty of other ways to sustain a head injury: on the recovery boom, a swinging wire rope hook, equipment failure, or a hood or trunk lid falling to name just a few. New hard hats must meet American National Standards Institute standard Z89.1-1986. I recommend a hazard analysis be performed to determine the potential workplace hazards 12 • May 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Hi-vis apparel like AW Direct’s ANSI Class 3 Velcro-Closure Safety Vest helps keep you visible to other drivers so they can steer clear.

before deciding which hard hat is the most appropriate. Most are equipped with adjustable headbands to ensure

proper fit. A proper fit should allow enough clearance between the shell and the suspension system to distrib-

Number 109 on Reader Card

ute the force of an impact and provide good ventilation. The hard hat should not slip, fall off or cause irritation. Some hard hats can accommodate accessories such as a flashlight. A bump cap is an alternative to wearing a hard hat that doesn’t provide as much protection (it is better than nothing). A bump cap is a lightweight shell that fits inside of a baseball cap. It provides some protection against head bumps and lacerations, but they are not designed to protect against falling or flying objects. Eye protection is very important PPE for this industry. Threats on the job include exploding batteries, flying parts, falling objects when under a vehicle, debris blowing around on the freeway and compressed air. I would like to see light-duty towers wearing safety glasses much more frequently. It only takes one small mistake to change your life forever.

Most light-duty tow operators do not carry or use hard hats—but they should. Eye injuries often occur when employees are not wearing eye protection but also when improper or poor fitting eye protection is used. As with other PPE, it is important to identify the potential hazards in the workplace before deciding which protective eye equipment to purchase. Any new eye protection must meet ANSI standard Z87.1-1989. If eye protection is going to be shared between drivers, each driver must disinfect the eyewear after each use. Protective eyewear should be stored in a protective case to keep them clean and avoid scratches and damage. Most prescription glasses and/or sunglasses do not offer enough protection. Protective eyewear is available that fits over prescription glasses. The protective eyewear must not inhibit or limit the employee’s vision. Proper eye protection must protect against specific workplace hazards, fit 14 • May 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

The Blaklader Heavy-Duty Work Pants from AW Direct have pockets for slip-in knee pads, helping to keep your knees comfortable so you can focus.

properly, not restrict vision or movement, and must not interfere with other PPE. Work gloves should protect hands from injuries including cuts, punctures, pinching, chemical exposure, and exposure to blood-borne pathogens. Heavy-duty leather gloves,

latex gloves and high-voltage gloves should be provided. Much of the work towers perform exposes them to hand injuries when not wearing protective gloves. Handling wire rope, lumber, chains, hooks, moving parts, and hot automotive parts are commonplace. Heavy-duty leather gloves help

Number 188 on Reader Card

keep hands clean as well as provide some protection. Some tasks require more manual dexterity, so many drivers use tight-fitting mechanic-type gloves. Latex gloves should be worn under work gloves at accident scenes to reduce the exposure to blood-borne pathogens. When providing some services to hybrid or full-electric vehicles, tow operators should wear high-voltage gloves. High-voltage gloves should be frequently checked for damage and should be replaced about every six months; they will have a date printed on them. Gloves made with high-visibility and reflective materials are available and a great idea. When operating in extreme weather conditions, waterproof and cold condition gloves should be available.

Making yourself visible so you

Safteyline’s AJO645SC2 is the original black-bottom jacket introduced at the American Towman Exposition in 1996. The AJC754HC2 is another Safetyline original nylon, waterproof, Class 2 jacket made for extra heavy use.

stand out from the background is critical. One of the most hazardous tasks that tow truck operators perform is working near moving traffic. Making yourself visible so you stand out from the background is critical. Uniforms, safety vests and rain gear must meet Class 3 ANSI standards required for workers in a wide range of weather conditions when working in or near traffic moving at 50 mph or faster. Class 3 compliant garments provide maximum visibility when the wearer must be conspicuous at a minimum of 1,280 feet. A sleeveless safety vest does not meet Class 3 ANSI standards. High-visibility safety apparel should be replaced when it becomes faded, torn, soiled or not visible at 1,000 feet in daylight or darkness. Apparel that is worn daily generally has a service life of approximately six months. Apparel not worn on a daily basis may have a service life of up to three years. Appropriate work shoes or boots should be worn to protect your feet. Work shoes or boots should have oil16 • May 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

resistant soles and impact-resistant toe protection. New work shoes or boots must meet ANSI Z41-1991 standards. Follow all the equipment manufacturer’s recommendations for proper use, adjustment, fit, inspection and maintenance of your safety apparel or personal protective equipment. Some tow operators will feel that these standards are overkill, but these standards have been developed through many

years of experience. Others have paid the price for this experience, so we must learn to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

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.

Number 125 on Reader Card

10 Tips for Commercial Repos by Mark Lacek

ots of readers keep asking for more war stories … OK, one quick one and then some tips on repossessing commercial accounts. Recently I had a run in with a small town police department. (Yeah, go figure!) I repossessed a tractortrailer. In the commercial repossession business, we call this a double burn—a repossession order on the trailer as well as on the truck. Two invoices … Bam! The tractor-trailer was parked near the debtor’s house in a rural area, parked 20 feet off the road with a cow pasture to the passenger’s side and a residential community on the driver’s side. The repossession process was completed without incident. We entered through the passenger side to make sure no one in the housing community watched me jimmy the door. Except for a couple cows in the pasture, we went unseen. The cows stayed quiet. We were on our way, with another peaceful commercial repossession. We parked the collateral in our secured yard about 50 miles from the scene of the repossession and I called the county sheriff to report the repossession. In Florida, a repossession must be called into the local jurisdiction within two hours of the exploit to provide lien holder and debtor information as well as your state-issued repo license number. When a repossession is reported to law enforcement, the dispatcher will refer to their map and tell you if the repossession took place in their jurisdiction. If the repossession was initiated in city limits for example, the county sheriff may ask you to report the repossession to the city police 18 • May 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

One officer’s foot pressed firmly against the center of my back. department. In this case, the sheriff’s office took the call explaining the address was in fact in county jurisdiction. Reporting a repossession to law enforcement in Florida has become fairly routine over the years. Seldom is there a glitch in the system ... except for this particular sunny Florida day. About two hours after the peaceful repossession, the debtor noticed the semi missing and decided to contact the local city police and report his truck stolen. The city should have told the debtor to contact the county sheriff’s office, but instead decided to file the stolen vehicle report. (Keep in mind the debtor knew he was behind on his

obligations to pay for his truck and trailer. He had been notified the truck and trailer would be repossessed if he failed to bring his accounts current.) The city police department filed the report and listed the asset stolen, then they proceeded in the daily demands of solving crimes—on a repossession that occurred outside of city limits. The city police department should never have taken the report to begin with. About a week after I had repossessed the semi, it was time to deliver it to the destination provided by the lien holder of both the truck and trailer. As I was driving this older Freightliner down the highway, I was trying not to let the wobble in the front wheel affect my driving. I noticed an unmarked police car following a bit close to the back of the trailer. Then there were two of them. I reminded myself of the pre-trip inspection I had conducted prior to departing that day. All lights in order and wheels and tires were acceptable for transport. I again focused on what was in front of me and continued to my delivery destination. Then I noticed an unmarked car had passed me and pulled in front of me, while a marked car had pulled alongside with his blue lights flashing bright. When you’re laying face down on the asphalt on a 90-plus-degree day in Florida, it gets a bit hot. Those small pieces of gravel and cinders have a way of digging into your skin. If you happen to be wearing a new shirt your wife just bought you for your birthday, it might get torn if you hit the ground with any level of force at all. I learned years ago not to let the

A former business partner always knows where the equipment is located. small complications in life upset me. I also learned when dealing with law enforcement to keep your mouth shut until you’re asked to answer their questions. One officer’s foot pressed firmly against the center of my back while the other officer was not so gently twisting my arm back to apply the handcuffs. I was able to sound out the word “repossession” as I spit the taste of asphalt from my mouth. As I sat calmly on the curb while the officers were reviewing my paperwork, I thought of what a difficult job it is to be a law enforcement officer. These men and women of law place their lives on the line everyday to protect us. Situations arise during the workday of a police officer that require fast and decisive actions. I could have been a criminal (though I was not). The officers helped dust me off and we had a laugh about how gracefully I hit the ground. We exchanged ideas of how small errors in the office can cause bigger problems on the street. We also made fun of those city police who wrongly decided to list the tractortrailer as stolen. Another repossessor might have let himself get upset—to me it’s just another day on the street. When I got home that day, I noticed the tear in the new shirt. “Man,” I thought, “am I in trouble now.”

Commercial Tips Here are 10 useful tips on repossessing commercial accounts: 1. Commercial assets are seldom at the residence. When the repossession agency sends updates like “agent drives by the given residence, unit does not show” or “unit not showing at given, left business card,” chances are the agency will never receive Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

another assignment from that client. 2. Trucks older than two years sitting for more than five days will have dead batteries. 3. Fenced-in storage yards with two or more padlocks on the chain have a better chance of the gate being left open. 4. Commercial clients do not expect updates every three days. 5. Manufacturers of farm tractors, excavators, backhoes, loaders, golf carts, rollers, cranes, lulls, skid steers, lifts, manure spreaders and most other agriculture and construction equipment are made to start with the same key. (All Case loaders start with the same key, all Kubota tractors start with the same key, all Bobcat skid steers use the same key, etc.) 6. Commercial equipment dealership salesmen know more about the debtor than you would think. He will know where the equipment was delivered. (The equipment seldom drives out of the dealership.) 7. A truck with mismatched tires is usually behind on his payments. 8. Dump trucks start working before you wake up and return to the storage yard before rush hour begins. 9. A former business partner always knows where the equipment is located. 10. If you walk into the reception area, pull a tape measure out of your tool belt and begin measuring the doorway, the receptionist will call the boss. (I had to repossess some medical equipment from a doctor ’s office, but could never get Dr. Debtor on the phone. When the receptionist asked why I was measuring the door, I told her the truck was on its way to empty the place.)

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

Number 121 on Reader Card

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Ending (Bad) Employee Relationships by Randall C. Resch

hen tow companies are faced with problem employees, it sometimes becomes a difficult process of eliminating the irritation. How you choose to dismiss a problem employee is your business, however, using a solid, descriptive, factual manner is difficult to challenge in court. I’m not the kind of employer who housecleans by emotion, but rather by complete documentation, building a solid case against a problem employee over time. Firing by emotion means management may have disregarded steps and lost self-control, landing them in a heated action that could be difficult to defend. If the employee’s dismissal should find its way to court as wrongful termination, management should have complete evidence to prove the employee was dismissed for just cause. This should prevail in court because factual documentation doesn’t lie. (I hate to lose in court, so I take every possible precaution making my side of the argument factual and incontestable.) Administrative judges oftentimes favor a dismissed employee’s account of the process, even when they’re accounting of their termination is totally different than yours. Remember, an ex-employee who takes your company to court will be on their very best behavior when time comes to tell their story. Your job is to have excellent documentation as to what kind of scallywag they really are. If an exemployee is lying during the hearing, an employee’s file that’s total and complete is your company’s best evidence.

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Disciplinary actions may range from verbal or written warnings up to suspension or dismissal.

Clear Rules It’s most important for management to set the tone for acceptance of employee behaviors. A company’s Employee Handbook must include specifics that identify and address unacceptable behavior. What does yours say? From the moment an employee is hired, it’s expected that they’ll respond to the rules and regulations set by company management. The manner in which you want your employees to respond should be clearly written in the performance objectives associated with each employee’s job description. Management has the sole right to make changes in policy and procedure in the best interests of the company, its mission and long-term goals. Discipline is a company’s process

to mold, direct, retrain or sanction any action or behavior for any employees who don’t follow the rules and regulations of the company. Dismissal and discharge is the removal of an employee that cannot meet the company’s objectives and goals by following lawful orders and directions. Our company’s management is tasked with providing reasonable disciplinary actions based on single occurrences or repeated violations. Discipline may not immediately call for the employee’s removal, however, it should bring change to the employee’s performance in a positive manner. Although the company retains the right to dismiss an employee at any time with or without cause, it may, when deemed appropriate, attempt to give an employee written and advanced notice when they’re not meeting the performance objectives of the company. In general, the company may seek to counsel such problems by imposing disciplinary actions based on the seriousness of the offense, the intent of the employee, length of service, prior disciplinary actions, the employee’s performance history and/or the conditions under which the offense or questionable actions took place. Disciplinary actions may range from verbal or written warnings up to suspension or dismissal. Disciplinary actions may not necessarily be given in sequence, e.g., an immediate suspension may be deemed necessary while an incident is being investigated before verbal or written warnings could be issued. Deviations from standard disciplinary procedures may occur at the Company’s sole discretion when circumstances warrant.

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Release Without Notice A “Release Without Notice” may be initiated for serious offenses. Listing some examples in the manual is a good idea. Some instances may include: • Unauthorized use or possession of company property or property not that of the employee without permission of the property’s owner, i.e., theft, embezzlement, etc. • Habitual tardiness that disrupts required staffing as determined by staffing criteria. • If the company’s insurance carrier, DMV, MVR, law enforcement agency, or other entity determines the employee uninsurable. • Falsification of documents, inspections, invoices, payroll records, time cards, or any other company, customer, or law enforcement record or document. • Possession of any controlled or illegal substance, possession for sales, being under the influence of an alcoholic beverage, legal over-the-counter medications, illegal drugs, prescription drugs, or possession of drugs other than prescribed by a medical physician, or those discovered in any company vehicle or facility operated by the company.

It’s most important for management to set the tone for acceptance of employee behaviors. • Refusing to obey a manager or supervisor, or any lawful order given thereof. • Refusing to take a call dispatched to the tow truck or service driver without valid reason. • Deliberate destruction or damage to equipment or property owned by the company, customer, or fellow worker. • Theft of company trade secrets to start one’s own towing business while employed. • Concerted or deliberate restriction of productivity or intentional work slow down. • Possession of an illegal weapon or firearm while performing work for the company. • Any form of immoral or indecent conduct while performing work for the company, to include sexual harrassment defined by federal, state, and local law.

• Fighting, threatening, or challenging to fight, employees, managers, owners, customers, club members, account representatives, peace officers, or other persons(s); any time or location. • Actions or conducts, safety violations, or attitudes that reflects unfavorably upon the company, it’s owners, employees, accounts, agencies, or customers. • When an employee is arrested, incarcerated, or disqualified per contract requirements. • Loss of a towed or transported vehicle when failing to use appropriate safety gear. • Any combination of violations. Complete documentation shall prove and demonstrate issues and employee behaviors not in line with company objectives.

Dereliction to Duty Employees who are hired to your company are invited to be the best team member they can be for their professional fulfillment and the benefit of your company. Each employee is capable of an exemplary work ethic. In the event an employee can’t meet the rules and regulations of the company, its guidelines, attitudes, or supervisional orders, that employee’s overall contributions should be evaluated for dismissal.

continue to page 24

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22 • May 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

TRAO Hires New Admin The Towing & Recovery Association of Ohio (www.trao.org) recently welcomed Rhonda Roberts as its new TRAO Administrator. She will work directly with the TRAO board, its lobbyist, attend regional meetings and work in recruitment. “Having grown up and working in the towing business, [Roberts] brings with her many years of knowledge within the industry. Coupled with her outgoing personality and excellent people skills, she is the perfect fit for the job,” said Tug Brock, TRAO secretary. Donna Brock-Mesaros will remain as the Midwest Regional Tow Show Coordinator and assist with training and support.

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Number 122 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

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TOWMAN.COM - May 2015 • 23

TOW BOSS continued from page 22 An employee who displays intentional work slow-down, misses excessive work due to illness or absence, causes interuptions in employee productivity, causes non-productivity, unacceptable attitudes, violates safety requirements, amasses repeated violations of the handbook, or any other combined activity that’s neither approved nor welcome, may be dismissed for Deriliction to Duty. It is the company’s sole right and responsibility to cull and dismiss employees who cannot meet the company’s standards and reasonable expectations of all employees. Management at all levels are tasked with

Dismissal may have to be swift in order to carry a strong message complete and timely documentation of incidents that violate company rules and regulations. For incidents that violate the company’s rules and regulations, an Employee Discrepancy Report should

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be completed with specifics that accurately describe an employee’s unacceptable performance, behaviors or actions. The wording or tone shouldn’t necessarily be heavy-handed, but should let employees know that they’re expected to perform to the objectives and goals of the company. Be sure your rules and regulations match what you want your employees to do and how you want them to respond while keeping in mind that some employees need extra time or guidance to walk the line.

Legal or Not? Consult your area’s unemployment office or your company’s attorney to ensure your rules and regulations are in accordance to guidelines of your state. In any business environment, there are rules; beyond basic rules are expectations from the community, customer intereactions, as well as what’s demanded of contracts and accounts. For some employees, dismissal may have to be swift in order to carry a strong message that unacceptable actions and or behaviors won’t be tolerated by the company. When unacceptable actions are ignored or disregarded, the reamaining staff may view management as wishy-washy or weak. Savvy owners and managers know not to respond out of anger or emotion; on the employee’s behalf, they consider them innocent until proven guilty by a factual and accurate investigation. Hearsay doesn’t work; documentation does. If you question the seperation of an employee or your decision to do so, re-evaluate all of the facts that brought you to this point. Be sure all documentation is in line with the initial violation, and then your ultimate finding.

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 210 on Reader Card

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Correction Nation Safe Drivers is currently in its 53rd year of offering emergency roadside assistance and towing options to its members. The number of years was incorrectly reported in the April 2015 issue in the story, “Getting Paid by the Clubs.”

engaged employees. We have a high number of long-term employees who listen to what our customers want and need, then work to develop it.” Phoenix USA (www.phoenixusa .com) is now primarily under the leadership of Wright’s son Matt.

Phoenix USA Marks 30 Years

Kinderhook Acquires Superwinch

Phoenix USA Inc. is celebrating its 30th year. Founder Jim Wright established the company after a fire closed a furniture company he previously operated. Wright had learned from his relationship with the furniture company’s transportation fleet that highly accessorized commercial trucks resulted in driver retention, higher resale values and quicker sale. Wright said the company remains a viable company due to quality product, loyal customers and employees who care. “Our products are a good value,” said Wright. “That means they’re high quality, suit their purpose, and function well. Those are features every product needs to survive in any industry. “But no one can do this job without

Kinderhook Industries (www. kinderhook.com) in March acquired Superwinch Holding (www.superwinch.com) from Islington Capital Partners. The transaction represents Kinderhook’s seventh automotive aftermarket platform investment; financial terms were not disclosed. Superwinch produces a large variety of winch products including electric winches, power drives, hydraulic winches, accessories, parts and hubs that are sold to both the consumer and industrial end-markets. “Superwinch has developed into one of the leading brands in the winch industry and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to leverage my 10-plus years of aftermarket experience at Warn Industries to lead the company

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in its next phase of consumer-driven growth. With Kinderhook as our new partner, we will continue to invest in research and development and launch new and innovative products,” said CEO David Burns.

Talbert Introduces Paint Upgrades To ensure long-lasting color and gloss and optimal corrosion protection, Talbert Manufacturing now offers Valspar R-Cure 800 as its standard paint. Talbert (www.talbertmfg.com) also offers Valspar ’s Aquaguard primer as an upgrade corrosion protection option. R-Cure 800 is a two-component, reactive-cure paint that holds its initial gloss and color for at least 1,500 hours—even after exposure to extreme weather. It also protects Talbert’s heavy-haul trailers against scratches and chips when out on the road. For more extreme environments, Talbert offers the primer upgrades for enhanced corrosion protection. When working in highly corrosive environments, Aquaguard works best, as it offers similar results to galvanizing with a smaller price tag.

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Recruitment Videos for Drivers

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Check out AT’s digital edition at itowman.com

Some progressive towing operators are going social with videos for recruitment. Interstate Towing in Massachusetts, Safari Towing in Texas and Millstreet Automotive in Connecticut all are using OMG National (www.omgnational.com) as their towing ad agency for all things digital. Mike Rappaport, OMG’s Chief Creative Officer, listened to their challenge and put together a series of recruitment videos for distribution on social media. The targeted ads reach the audience on dozens of websites to get new drivers in the truck. Each ad takes on the theme of the company and is free for all OMG Reputation Intelligence clients. “The ads work,” said Tim Ward from Safari. “People want to be associated with a progressive organization, and our OMG recruitment videos tell our story and have genuinely increased the quality and volume of applicants.” “We work with towing professionals across the U.S. every day. One of the major challenges we hear from our clients is that finding good drivers is a major issue,” said Jesse Lubar, OMG’s CEO. “We recently began assisting many of our clients with a recruitment video which they can send out via social media, add to their websites, and use to spice up their online recruitment ads on sites like Monster, Craigslist, and ZipRecruiter. These videos show a prospective employee a little more about the company and what makes the particular opportunity a good one.”

Visit booth #1219 at AT ShowPlace Las Vegas Number 118 on Reader Card

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Comparing Police

Rates Across by Brendan Dooley

the States

AT Looks at Rate Disparities Across the Country

he Marxist ideals of work, pay and equal distribution have been put to rest. As my history professor used to say, “the good old German Karl Marx had no concept of otherwise capable people not wanting to put their fair share of work in every day” for the greater good. When it comes to municipal tows and law-enforcement contract work, there seems to be a certain amount of Marxism to it though. Mayors, town boards, police chiefs (and so, so many other petty bureaucrats) feel the need to “save” their citizens (votes) from being scalped by unscrupulous towers with set rates and rate caps and rotations that are sometimes equitably arranged and run … sometimes not. So, across the nation we see a variety of rates in individual districts and municipalities based on anything from what a town board considers “enough” to just paying what a neighboring county does. It’s rare when contract tow rates include actual tower input. In an effort to gain transparency on rates, the Police Towers of America (policetowers.org) has polled its members on the local rates its members receive (or decline) in the various municipalities they cover. To help publicize that information, TowIndustryWeek.com has included comparison charts each week for over a year now, pulling reported data from four regions (Northeast, South, Midwest and West) in towns of comparable populations. What we’ve found is that the tow rates truly vary from region to region and by size of the area—and not always in easily definable ways.

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Metropolis Let’s start in the largest reporting metro area of Los Angeles, Calif. (While New York City is larger, reports were divvied up by boroughs.) Two companies reported from L.A. (pop. 3.8 million) light-duty rates starting at $117 per

hour and heavy-duty rates starting at $250 per hour. However, a company in nearby Downey (pop. 112,783), reported its HD contract started at $400 and LD at $170. Similar rates to L.A. were reported in Montreal, Quebec, Canada (pop. 1.6 million), at $125 for LD, but $335 for the first hour of HD work. In the Bronx (pop. 1.41 million), heavy-duty clearance was reported at $450, while LD work also came in at $125. Did the tight quarters of the borough work into the valuation for HD work there? Outside of the populous SoCal area and dense NYC metro, you’ve got the southern charm of Charlotte, N.C. (pop. 775,202), with reported rates at just $200 for HD and only $85 for LD work. That seems to be quite a drop from the other, denser metro areas.

In the ’Burbs

reported HD rates in each of Nacogdoches, Texas (pop. 34,047), Dothan, Ala. (pop. 67,382), and Glen Burnie, Md. (pop. 67,639). But each of these reports a different LD rate: $150 in Nacogdoches, $200 in Dothan, and $250 in Glen Burnie. Hmm. Then, on the other side of the scale, you’ve got $125 HD rates reported in Taunton, Mass. (pop. 56,055), with $90 for LD work. Though that’s the lowest reported in this population group at HD, even lower rates for LD came in the $70-$85 range for Owings Mills Md. (pop. 30,622), North Providence, R.I. (pop. 32,411), Danville, Ill. (pop. 32,649), Panama City, Fla. (pop. 36,167), Commerce City, Colo. (pop. 45,913), Terre Haute, Ind. (pop. 61,112), and Edison, N.J. (pop. 97,687).

Outside the Spotlight

When you get outside the big cities (for our purposes, below 100,000 population), you start to see an interesting variety of LD and HD rates, whether by price or by region. For instance, we’ve got $500

Finally we get outside the city and suburbs for some fresh air in the towns below a 30,000 population. Here may lay the craziest swings in rates from LD to HD and area to area. While towns may be reporting

smaller populations, some are obviously influenced by larger metros nearby. For instance, HD contract rates above $350 are reported in Monroe Township, N.J. (pop. 27,999), Casselberry, Fla. (pop. 26,449), Ellensburg, Wash. (pop. 18,348), Beeville, Texas (13,101), and tiny Walterboro, S.C. (pop. 5,309). On the light-duty side, the pickings seem fairly slim—occasionally cresting $100—but usually $90 and lower. Examples here include Paoli, Ind. (pop. 3,645), Sturgeon Bay, Wis. (pop. 9,144), Burlington, N.J. (pop. 9,879), Hanover, Mass. (pop. 13,164), Yankton, S.D. (pop. 14,538), and Brunswick, Ga. (pop. 15,640). Of note, the lowest reported LD contracts were $40 in Shrewsbury, N.J. (pop. 3,909), $50 in Rolla, Mo. (pop. 19,789) and Swanton, Vt. (pop. 6,203), and $55 in Scottville, Mich. (pop. 1,215). The highest was $295 in Pell City, Ala. (pop. 13,129). What are the local contracts worth in your area? Are they comparable to these figures, either by population or region of the country?

Light-Duty Contract Rates by Population City, State, Population

Rate

Pop. 1-5,000 Bowling Green, VA, 1,126 Scottville, MI, 1,215 South Rockwood, MI, 1,665 Whitney, TX, 2,103 Harriman, NY, 2,487 Mexico, ME, 2,681 Sheridan, IN, 2,821 Lucedale, MS, 3,004 Rush City, MN, 3,065 Paoli, IN, 3,645 Shrewsbury, NJ, 3,909 King George, VA, 4,457 Eastsound, WA, 4,500 Belleview, FL, 4,522 Blackwood, NJ, 4,692 Byron, GA, 4,718 Sonora, CA, 4,804

$95 $55 $120 $175 $100 $125 $125 $160 $125 $75 $40 $75 $164 $120 $100 $125 $222

Pop. 5,001-10,000 Fruitland, MD, 5,089 Walterboro, SC, 5,309 Schuylkill Haven, PA, 5,360 Sheridan, CO, 5,830

$160 $125 $100 $95

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Eastampton, NJ, 6,202 Swanton, VT, 6,203 Seaside, OR, 6,471 Huntingdon, PA, 7,073 Orland, CA, 7,396 Gettysburg, PA, 7,645 Emerson, NJ, 7,706 Brooksville, FL, 7,711 Flowood, MS, 8,154 Sturgeon Bay, WI, 9,144 Burlington, NJ, 9,879 Pop. 10,001-20,000 Plymouth, IN, 10,032 Plantsville, CT, 10,387 Pelham, NH, 10,914 Pompton Lakes, NJ, 11,137 Bellmawr, NJ, 11,547 Lake City, FL, 12,099 Lake Station, IN, 12,392 Beeville, TX, 13,101 Pell City, AL, 13,129 Hanover, MA, 13,164 Middlesex, NJ, 13,737

$95 $50 $125 $85.99 $225 $150 $100 $125 $125 $85 $90

$140 $88 $125 $95 $150 $120 $130 $175 $295 $90 $80

Yankton, SD, 14,538 Elkton, MD, 15,579 Brunswick, GA, 15,640 South River, NJ, 16,137 Willow Grove, PA, 16,234 Centralia, WA, 16,505 Beltsville, MD, 16,772 Murray, KY, 17,981 Ellensburg, WA, 18,348 Rolla, MO, 19,789

$80 $175 $65 $80.21 $125 $178 $143 $70 $181 $50

Pop. 20,001-30,000 Naples, FL, 20,115 Hamilton, NJ, 20,499 Monroe, MI, 20,535 Allison Park, PA, 21,552 Watchung, NJ, 21,828 Charleston, IL, 21,911 Brandon, MS, 22,160 Elk River, MN, 23,273 Morton Grove, IL, 23,461 Kingston, NY, 23,711 Alvin, TX, 24,905 Key West, FL, 25,057

$150 $100 $135 $150 $65 $85 $125 $65 $165 $125 $150 $135

TOWMAN.COM - May 2015 • 31

City, State, Population

Rate

South Portland, ME, 25,088 Laurel, MD, 25,544 Casselberry, FL, 26,449 McHenry, IL, 26,825 Lebanon, TN, 27,710 Shirley, NY, 27,854 Middletown, NY, 27,886 Monroe Township, NJ, 27,999 Vernon, CT, 28,063 Johnston, RI, 28,195 Matthews, NC, 28,699

$65 $175 $125 $150 $150 $140 $150 $100 $88 $82 $185

Pop. 30,001-40,000 Dover, NH, 30,220 Owings Mills, MD, 30,622 Long Branch, NJ, 30,719 Bowling Green, OH, 31,384 Mount Vernon, WA, 32,287 North Providence, RI, 32,411 Danville, IL, 32,649 New City, NY, 33,559 Nacogdoches, TX, 34,047 Panama City, FL, 36,167 Portage, IN, 36,860 Monrovia, CA, 36,955

$90 $75 $100 $95 $178 $83 $85 $138 $150 $87.50 $125 $180

Pop. 40,001-60,000 Hicksville, NY, 41,547 Palm Springs, CA, 45,907 Commerce City, CO, 45,913 Mishawka, IN, 48,031 Gilroy, CA, 50,660 Watsonville, CA, 51,881 Brentwood, CA, 53,673 Wayne, NJ, 54,069 Union, NJ, 54,405 Taunton, MA, 56,055 Kokomo, IN, 56,866 Auburn, AL, 56,908 Idaho Falls, ID, 57,899 Lancaster, PA, 59,360

$95 $155 $76.25 $100 $180 $175 $160 $110 $65 $90 $75 $85 $150 $225

Pop. 60,001-100,000 Daytona Beach, FL, 61,005 Terre Haute, IN, 61,112 Rockville, MD, 63,244 Dothan, AL, 67,382 Glen Burnie, MD, 67,639 Rapid City, SD, 69,854 Boynton Beach, FL, 70,101 Loveland, CO, 70,223 Waterford, MI, 72,166 Kalamazoo, MI, 75,092 Danbury, CT, 82,807 Toms River, NJ, 86,327 Nashua, NH, 86,933

$100 $75 $140 $200 $250 $100 $165 $135 $140 $50 $88 $125 $165

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San Angelo, TX, 95,887 Pearland, TX, 96,294 Edison, NJ, 97,687 Tyler, TX, 99,323

$85 $85 $70 $150

Pop. 100,001-150,000 Erie, PA, 101,047 Boulder, CO, 101,808 Arvada, CO, 109,745 Wilmington, NC, 109,922 Downey, CA, 112,873 Peoria, IL, 115,687 Independence, MO, 117,270 West Valley City, UT, 132,434 Warren, MI, 134,141 Syracuse, NY, 144,170

$100 $89 $95 $150 $170 $100 $200 $145 $100 $115

Pop. 150,001-200,000 Cape Coral, FL, 161,248 Fort Lauderdale, FL, 170,747 Providence, RI, 178,432 Grand Prairie, TX, 181,824

$150 $105 $82 $150

Pop. 200,001-300,000 Richmond, VA, 210,309 Boise, ID, 212,303 Orlando, FL, 249,562 St. Paul, MN, 290,770 Cincinnati, OH, 296,550

$95 $125 $85 $125 $125

Pop. 300,001-and up St. Louis, MO, 318,172 Santa Ana, CA, 330,920 Raleigh, NC, 423,179 Albuquerque, NM, 555,417 Baltimore, MD, 621,342 Washington, DC, 632,323 Charlotte, NC, 775,202 San Jose, CA, 982,765 Bronx, NY, 1,410,000 Los Angeles, CA, 3,800,000

$140 $175 $185 $100 $85 $125 $85 $200 $125 $117

Towers responding to light-duty calls see a variety of rates across the nation.

Heavy-Duty Contract Rates by Population City, State, Population

Rate

Pop. 1-5,000 Scottville, MI, 1,215 Shrewsbury, NJ, 3,909 King George, VA, 4,457 Blackwood, NJ, 4,692 Byron, GA, 4,718 Sonora, CA, 4,804

$99 $150 $145 $250 $350 $348

Pop. 5,001-10,000 Walterboro, SC, 5,309 Sheridan, CO, 5,830 Eastampton, NJ, 6,202 Huntingdon, PA, 7,073 Gettysburg, PA, 7,645 Emerson, NJ, 7,706 Brooksville, FL, 7,711 Burlington, NJ, 9,879

$350 $350 $475 $225 $300 $300 $300 $150

Pop. 10,001-20,000 Pelham, NH, 10,914 Pompton Lakes, NJ, 11,137 Bellmawr, NJ, 11,547 Lake City, FL, 12,099 Lake Station, IN, 12,392 Beeville, TX, 13,101 Hanover, MA, 13,164 Elkton, MD, 15,579 Brunswick, GA, 15,640 South River, NJ, 16,137 Willow Grove, PA, 16,234 Ellensburg, WA, 18,348

$250 $275 $375 $250 $325 $350 $90 $640 $175 $175 $250 $382

Pop. 20,001-30,000 Naples, FL, 20,115 Elk River, MN, 23,273 Alvin, TX, 24,905 Key West, FL, 25,057 Casselberry, FL, 26,449 McHenry, IL, 26,825 Monroe Township, NJ, 27,999 Johnston, RI, 28,195

$333 $110 $150 $485 $375 $290 $450 $350

Pop. 30,001-40,000 Mount Vernon, WA, 32,287 North Providence, RI, 32,411 Danville, IL, 32,649 Nacogdoches, TX, 34,047 Panama city, FL, 36,167 Portage, IN, 36,860

$376 $350 $175 $500 $220 $375

Pop. 40,001-60,000 Hicksville, NY, 41,547 Gilroy, CA, 50,660 Watsonville, CA, 51,881

$250 $420 $261

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Brentwood, CA, 53,673 Wayne, NJ, 54,069 Union, NJ, 54,405 Taunton, MA, 56,055 Auburn, AL, 56,908

$276 $350 $400 $125 $250

Pop. 60,001-100,000 Daytona Beach, FL, 61,005 Dothan, AL, 67,382 Glen Burnie, MD, 67,639 Rapid City, SD, 69,854 Boynton Beach, FL, 70,101 Loveland, CO, 70,223 Toms River, NJ, 86,327 Nashua, NH, 86,933 San Angelo, TX, 95,887 Edison, NJ, 97,687 Tyler, TX, 99,323

$400 $500 $500 $350 $365 $250 $350 $275 $245 $250 $225

Pop. 100,001-300,000 Arvada, CO, 109,745 Downey, CA, 112,873 Warren, MI, 134,141 Fort Lauderdale, FL, 170,747 Providence, RI, 178,432 Grand Prairie, TX, 181,824 St. Paul, MN, 290,770

$350 $400 $175 $400 $350 $350 $250

Pop. 300,001-and up St. Louis, MO, 318,172 Santa Ana, CA, 330,920 Long Beach, CA, 462,257 Albuquerque, NM, 555,417 Baltimore, MD, 621,342 Washington, DC, 632,323 Charlotte, NC, 775,202 San Jose, CA, 982,765 Bronx, NY, 1,410,000 Montreal, CAN, 1,600,000 Los Angeles, CA, 3,800,000

$250 $250 $228 $225 $95 $250 $200 $315 $450 $335 $250

Editor Brendan Dooley joined AT in January 2011 after serving as the editor of two magazines covering the auto repair industry for shop owners, techs and tool distributors. His experience includes hard news on daily newspapers and editorial leadership at vintage motorcycle and car magazines. Brendan is WreckMaster 6/7A certified.

Each call from law enforcement differs. Sometimes it may be a simple DUI impound, other times a multiple-car crash with rollover and more. Contract rates don’t always account for the variety of calls.

TOWMAN.COM - May 2015 • 33

American Towman pays tribute to our industry's men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Song may be downloaded from iTunes and Amazon.com, and other music sites. Music video may be viewed at DistilleryRoadMusic.com and youtube.com

AD INDEX

Page # Access Tools 45 Advantage Funding 48 Akins Body & Carrier Sales 27 American Transportation S 76, W 76 Amsoil N 77 Atlanta Wrecker & Carrier Sales S 76 Atlantic Emergency Solutions N 77 ATShowPlace-Las Vegas 7 Austin Hinds Motors S 75 AW Direct 51 B/A Products 38 B & Z Sales S 77 Century 40, 41 Chase Insurance Agency S 77 Chevron 49 Chevron Commercial 22 Columbus Truck Center M 75 ComeUp USA 63 Crashfilm 24 Crouch’s Wrecker Equip. & Supplies 29 Custer Products 26 Dangelo’s 23 Donnie Cruse Award 68 Don Jackson Carrier & Sales 37 Dual-Tech 57 Dynamic Towing Eq. & Mfg. 39 Elizabeth Truck Center 52 Equipment Sales & Services N 75 Florida Wrecker Sales S 80 Ford Commercial Truck 21 Ginn Carrier & Wrecker Sales 17 Hanks Insurance Group W 77 I Tow In 23 IGTC 23 Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA) 57 Intek Truck Eq. Finance & Lease 51 Kavanaugh’s Towing Equip. M 77 Kalyn Siebert 5 Lift & Tow 44 Lodar USA 59 Loganville Ford 59 Metro Tow Trucks 35 MFR Express 35 Minute Man Mfg. 24

34 • May 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Fax to: 888-847-6035 RS# 102 106 126 105 129 179 153 206 135 209 108 170 143 180 143 217 189 116 210 177 128 122 206 144 192 165 123 152 107 176 125 218 175 212 110 145 134 162 139 163 207 137 213 168

Page #

Navistar International New England Truckmaster North American BanCard NRC Industries OnlineParkingPass OMG National Pacific General Insurance Agency Pardo’s Sales & Services Parker/Chelsea Quest Roadside Services Recovery Billing Unlimited Rick’s Auto Sales R.P.M. Equipment R.O.M. Corp. Safety Track Santander Bank SavaCOMM Savatech Sea Crest Insurance Agency Sirens & Emergency Beacons Smyrna Truck Center SpeedTech Lights Steck Mfg. Sun Country Trailers The Order of Towman TowExpo Int’l TowIndustryWeek Tow Industries Truck Body Sales TowLot.com Towman Hero Award TowMate Triple K Industries Twin Cities Wrecker Sales TwinState Equipment USAC/MD Utility Trailer Sales S.E.TX VTS Systems Winches Inc. Worldwide Equipment WreckMaster Zacklift International Zip’s Truck Equipment

2, 3 N 75 13 25 59 53 M 76 M 77 53 46 23 50 S 80 15 S 78 84 63 28 W 77 W 78 S 75 43 28 W 76 58 64,65 47 W 79 W 79 69 42 39 62 M 75 67 36 W 75 W 80 W 75 62 51 19 83

May 2015 RS# 115 171 109 111 166 215 193 119 182 196 155 130 178 188 205 103 158 118 156 136 113 112 132 117 206 206 206 199 198 159 206 191 100 138 157 190 208 133 148 151 142 121 140

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For more product info, go to www.towman.com and click on the FREE Product info icon. Or circle the corresponding reader service number on the Action Card to the right, and send it in.

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TOWMAN.COM - May 2015 • 35

Kenworth Launches New Vehicle Diagnostics Kenworth (www.kenworth.com) recently announced two new technology products to improve vehicle diagnostics and productivity on the road: TruckTech+ and NAV+ HD. TruckTech+ will be available for new Kenworth Class 8 trucks specified with the PACCAR MX-13 engine. Real-time vehicle health monitoring technology will allow the PACCAR MX-13 engine to “talk” with the fleet manager, Kenworth call center and Kenworth dealer to optimize truck uptime and productivity. Fault codes and engine performance data are sent via the truck’s standard modem to Kenworth’s analytics center, where possible root causes are diagnosed and solutions are recommended via email notification. The NAV+ HD is a next-generation, multi-function communication and entertainment system that is stan-

dard with Kenworth’s Class 8 premium interior package, and available as an option for all new Kenworth Class 6-8 conventional trucks. It features a 7” high-definition touch screen, hands-free Bluetooth phone capability, truck navigation through Co-Pilot, iPod and MP3 integration, integrated SiriusXM satellite radio, virtual gauges, camera inputs, WiFi capability and more.

Peterbilt Adds MD CNG, Extended Warranty Peterbilt Motors Co. introduced two new medium-duty vehicles powered by compressed natural gas during the recent Mid-America Trucking Show: the Model 337 and the Model 348. Both vehicles are now in production and can be configured as trucks or tractors. “Peterbilt is the established market leader in natural-gas powered Class 8 commercial vehicles and we’re pleased

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36 • May 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

to bring this expertise to medium-duty markets,” said Darrin Siver, Peterbilt GM/PACCAR VP. “This is an ideal choice for dump, refuse and short- and regional-haul operations.” Both the 348 and 337 are powered by the Cummins Westport ISL-G with 320 hp and 1,000-lbs./ft. of torque. The engine complies with EPA 2010, 2013 and CARB emissions regulations. In other news, the company (www.peterbilt.com) announced customers who purchase a new Peterbilt truck and finance through PACCAR Financial can receive complimentary extended warranty coverage. The offer is available until March 31, 2016, on trucks in dealer inventory or truck orders received by Peterbilt prior to Dec. 31, 2015. According to Peterbilt, the extended warranty includes: • Three years or 300,000 miles of basic coverage for Class 8 vehicles. • Two years or 150,000 miles of basic coverage for Class 5-7 vehicles.

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TRAA Election Results On April 10, 2015, at its annual board meeting, the Towing and Recovery Association of America (www.traaonline.com) announced the results of its recent elections. The new board members were sworn in at the time the results were announced. 2015-’17 TRAA Cabinet • President: Jeff Roskopf, Wis. • 1st VP: Joanne Blyton, Mont. • 2nd VP: Frank Gentilquore, Fla. • 3rd VP: Tom Brennan, N.Y. • 4th VP: Mike Irwin, S.D. • Treasurer: Mike Wildman, Ore. • Presidential Appointees: Gary Coe, Ore.; Glenn Landau, Fla. • Past President: Mike Holland, Ga. • Associate Member Representative: Jeffrey Godwin, Texas. • WTRAA Representative: Michelle Topel, Wis.

New TRAA officers being sworn in this April are, from left, Joanne Blyton, Frank Gentilquore, Tom Brennan, Mike Irwin and Mike Wildman.

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38 • May 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

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Wyoming Approves New Towing Rules A new law in Wyoming was enacted to ensure that truckers and other drivers traveling through the state are not “victimized” by tow truck operators. Gov. Matt Mead signed a bill into law creating new standards for towing and recovery companies to follow during nonconsensual towing and recovery operations; it takes effect July 1. The change authorizes the Wyoming Department of Transportation to oversee a rotation list for nonconsensual towing. Specifically, procedures will be set for operations that want to be included on a wrecker rotation list. Penalties will be imposed for violating the standards and procedures set by the state DOT. In addition, towing and recovery companies will be required to prove their fees are fair. Operations found to be in violation by law enforcement would be removed from the rotation list for one year. Source: m.landlinemag.com.

Credit Provisions, or CLEC, when it told borrowers that their cars would be sold at public auction when they were actually sold at private sales. Last year, Capital One settled a proposed class action brought on behalf of around 2,200 Maryland car buyers whose financing included socalled “GAP agreements” that purportedly required Capital One to scratch the remaining loan balance in

the event the car was totaled and insurance failed to cover the amount outstanding on the loan. In that case, Capital One agreed to pay $3 million to resolve the proposed class action over “phony” debt cancellation agreements included in car loans that allegedly ran afoul of Maryland’s CLEC law. Source: www.law360.com.

Capital One to Pay $4.4M Capital One NA has agreed to pay $4.4 million to resolve a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging that borrowers who had vehicles repossessed and sold at auction were given deficient notices regarding the sales in violation of Maryland law, according to documents filed in Maryland federal court. Under terms of the proposed settlement, Capital One will waive all outstanding balances owed by class members and will dismiss any pending lawsuits based on those outstanding balances. In addition, Capital One agreed to tell the major credit reporting agencies the borrowers paid their debts in full. The deal will resolve a lawsuit brought by Dorothy Gales in 2013 on behalf of about 7,400 customers alleging that Capital One violated Maryland’s Credit Grantor Closed End Number 112 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

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Tower Assaulted in Parking Dispute A 67-year-old Broward County, Fla., man was arrested recently for kicking an employee of Tri-County Automotive Towing in the groin while his car was being towed after a jazz concert on the Fort Pierce waterfront. Joseph Fodera was charged with battery, according to his arrest affidavit. His vehicle was among about 30 cars towed that afternoon, said Fort Pierce Jazz & Blues Society board member MaryAnne Ketcham. At issue is a 1-acre vacant lot on the waterfront. The six signs facing the street say “Tow-Away Zone” and that unauthorized cars will be towed at the owner’s expense. Some of the signs are at the two driveway entrances, police say. The towing fee is $260. Before the concert there were “A” frame signs publicizing free parking elsewhere. Nearby are city and county parking garages.

But “When you read it (the signs of free parking) you could think this lot (the private lot) is a free lot,” Ketchum said. Fodera became especially irate. An officer resorted to handcuffing him. Police spokesman Sgt. Jason Braun said police don’t enforce parking on private property. Police do get involved in disturbances though, he said. Source: www.tcpalm.com.

ESPN Reporter Berates Tow Employee ESPN suspended reporter Britt McHenry for a week after a video of her berating a towing company employee surfaced April 16. Advanced Towing, the tow company who employs the person verbally attacked, sent CNN this statement regarding the incident: "Parking enforcement is contentious by nature. At the same time, neither Gina, our lot clerk, nor our

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company, have any interest in seeing Britt McHenry suspended or terminated as a result of her comments. "Ms. McHenry is our neighbor, and, as she said, to paraphrase, made remarks that were out of line. She is human and errors in judgment can be made in the heat of the moment. "Gina is a single mother of three children who works a difficult job to provide for her family. Gina holds no ill will toward Ms. McHenry. "As a small business, we saw no benefit to releasing the video, except to highlight personal attacks employees in jobs like towing, public parking enforcement and others sometimes encounter. The video was not licensed or sold to anyone." McHenry posted an apology on Twitter, saying she allowed her emotions to get away from her during a stressful situation at a Virginia business: "I ... said some insulting and regrettable things." Source: www.cnn.com.

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Conn. Panel Reviews Tow Rules An effort underway at the Connecticut statehouse addresses concerns about vehicles blocking highways and whether they are a threat to public safety and require immediate removal. The Joint Committee on Transportation discussed a bill that would give law enforcement authority to request that a vehicle blocking a roadway be removed by a wrecker service. Any police or traffic authority personnel would be exempt from liability for damage to a vehicle or its load as long as “reasonable care” was used in the removal process. Wrecker services would also be indemnified from any liability. However, Mike Matousek, OwnerOperator Independent Drivers Association director of state legislative

affairs, said there is no circumstance where a wrecker service should be held harmless for damage that they cause to a motor vehicle, its cargo and the surrounding area. “Small-business truckers invest significant amounts of money in their equipment and if damage is caused to it the offending party should be held liable,” Matousek wrote in testimony submitted to the committee. “This legislation becomes more problematic depending on whether or not cargo is involved, such as refrigerated loads, hazardous materials, or other valuable or perishable commodities.” A separate bill in the committee would require tow operators to clean up debris left behind after a vehicle accident. “Many times debris is left on the side, or even in the street of a public highway after an accident has

occurred,” Sen. Michael McLachlan testified. “This debris has the potential of causing another serious accident if a vehicle hits it.” In response, McLachlan said the state needs language that clearly outlines the responsibilities of tow truck operators regarding cleanup of debris, and includes fines for wreckers who fail to clean up properly. Source: www.m.landlinemag.com.

FBI Arrests Six In ‘Pirate Towing’ Recently, the FBI broke up what agents called a “pirate towing” racket, arresting four tow truck operators and two Miami, Fla., police aides on bribery and fraud charges. No Miami police officers were arrested in the takedown. But arrests of city police officers in this alleged scam—and possibly other cops involved in similar misconduct—are expected in the coming months, according to sources familiar with the investigation. The four Miami tow truck operators are accused of paying tens of thousands of dollars in bribes to the city’s two public service aides, according to an FBI criminal complaint. In exchange for the kickback payments, the aides used official police information to steer the pirate tow truck operators to traffic accidents, according to prosecutor Anthony Lacosta. One tower said that he paid up to $175,000 in kickbacks over one year. Investigators say the city’s public service aides informed the pirate towing operators of traffic accidents instead of going through police dispatchers. The tow operators, which were supposed to be picked on a rotational basis under contracts with the city, used the insider information to beat other towing companies to the accident scenes.

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NEWS FLASH continued from page 46 The towing operators—sometimes along with the city’s aides, Paulino and Dixon present—pressured the stranded car drivers to have their vehicles towed to certain body shops. They, in turn, boosted damages for fraudulent insurance claims, according to the affidavit. The body shops then shared some of the profits with the towers. Source: www.miamiherald.com.

Record Shows Towers Overcharged Two Volusia (Fla.) County cities severed ties with a wrecker company after motorists presented bills showing overcharging on vehicle tows for police from accident scenes. Records obtained by local news reporters show Fryer’s Towing Service charged extras to customers that aren’t allowed under local rules. Some of the overcharging allegations surfaced weeks after the owner of Fryer’s was arrested on charges he

tried to steal one of the cars in his tow yard. Ormond Beach City Manager Joyce Shanahan sent a letter to Fryer’s owner Glenn Landau earlier informing him “their services were no longer needed,” said Ormond Beach police spokesman Officer Keith Walker. Walker said police received two complaints from motorists who were charged two or three times more than what they should have been after their vehicles were towed from accident scenes in the city. The charges were in violation of the county’s towing fee schedule, which Ormond Beach adheres to, Walker said. The two crashes occurred in February and March. “The overcharging is why we severed the contract,” Walker said this week. Port Orange — which ended its relationship with Fryer’s in February after the contract between the two entities expired — dealt with an overcharging issue as well. S o u rc e : w w w. n e w s - j o u r n a l o n line.com.

Done Any Good Recoveries Lately? If so, we want to hear about them! Contact our Editor, Brendan Dooley, at

bdooley@towman.com or write to us at American Towman Magazine Attn: Brendan Dooley 7 West Street Warwick, NY 10990

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Tampa Towers Want List to Open Up The Tampa, Fla., City Council is raising questions of favoritism in the city’s longtime system for hiring vehicle towing companies and wants the police department to come up with ideas on how to open up its restrictive rotation list. The Tampa Police Department and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office requested more than 6,000 towing jobs in a roughly six-month period between August and February, according to figures supplied by Tampa police. The work goes only to companies on a rotation list. But it’s been more than a decade since the rotation list maintained by each law enforcement agency has been changed. That has led to complaints that companies on the list are hogging the work, some of which is paid through tax dollars.

“There has to be an entry point and a way of giving opportunities to other wreckers,” Tampa Councilman Mike Suarez said. The issue came to light after towing company owner Bryan Starks complained to the council he was stonewalled when he asked more than two years ago for his company to be added to the city’s rotation list. Starks said police officials told him the list was closed and they had no plans to add other companies. “Everyone who meets the requirements should be eligible,” Starks said. “There is some reason they are protecting the companies by not adding anybody else.” Some companies are on the list more than once, which is permitted for companies with more than one location. Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor said her department’s list has been the same

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for as long as she could remember, except for a few firms removed when drivers performed or behaved badly. The rotation lists of Tampa police, the sheriff’s office and the local Florida Highway Patrol are closed because so few companies had the financial stability to meet the required call-out times and to afford the heavy rigs needed to tow trucks, buses and trailers, said Steve Michelini, a consultant representing the Hillsborough County Association of Towing Companies. Association President Steve Allen, who owns Port Tampa Towing in South Tampa, said the list was closed because too many companies were opening satellite offices so they could be on the list multiple times. Council members asked Castor to report back June 2 with suggestions on how other companies can be added. Source: http://tbo.com.

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And the Winner Is … Terri and Tom Haskins (center) with All Service Citgo in Bennington, Vt., went home from the Florida Tow Show with a new Hino/Century flatbed wrecker after they won the 2015 raffle truck in April. Also pictured, from left, are Glenn Landau, Professional Wrecker Operators of Florida president; Randy Olson, Miller Industries VP; Garry Mickiewicz, Hino Trucks VP; and Mike Seamon, PWOF executive director.

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Off-Road Custom Shines in Mud Joe’s Towing Recovers Cherokee in a Riverbed by Kurt Wilson; Joe’s Towing; Creve Coeur, Ill.

n Dec. 4, 2010, Joe’s Towing and Recovery was contacted by a private individual who was offroading in a Jeep Grand Cherokee and got stuck on a sand bar in the Mackinaw River in Hopedale, Ill. The owner tried to pull it out with another vehicle using a strap wrapped around the front bumper support. While trying to pull it out, the front bumper reinforcement bent. One of the wiring harnesses was run behind the reinforcement and was damaged, causing the vehicle to not run. To gain access to the casualty, an off-road recovery vehicle would be needed. After explaining to the customer that this would not be a normal recovery job, the recovery was set up for the next day. During the process of lining up the equipment, owner Joe Pedigo said he wanted to be a part of the recovery to try out a recently custom-built off-road recovery vehicle. Elvis Ridgeway, Bruce Pedigo and Jeff Jones came up with the design for the truck using a Holmes 500 with a Holmes 480 put in the middle of the 500. The 500 was a mechanical lift while the 480 was hydraulic. Joe loaded the off-road recovery truck onto the Landoll trailer to transport it to Hopedale. Kevin Long met Joe and I at the recovery site. Once on scene, the recovery truck was unloaded and some extra rigging 54 • May 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

Joe Pedigo, HOF Joe Pedigo, 71, died on March 23. He owned Joe’s Towing & Recovery in Creve Coeur, Ill., was the sitting president of the Towing and Recovery Association of America and was inducted into the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame in 2007. This recovery from a few years ago was one of Joe’s favorites to talk about, according to his team. It took some ingenuity and out-of-the-box thinking on Joe’s part, and his team, in rigging the recovery using their recently built off-road recovery vehicle.

was added to the truck. With the temperature being 19 degrees F, Joe had started the truck before leaving and engaged the PTO to warm up the hydraulic fluid. As the rigging was being transferred, the hydraulic filter had a failure. The PTO was disengaged and the fluid was cleaned up. After throwing around different ideas on what to do to fix the hydraulic system, Joe decided to disable the driveshaft that ran the hydraulic pump so we could still use the mechanical booms. With the driveshaft for the hydraulic system removed and everything loaded in the truck, the adventure through the woods began. After making it through woods, there was a small opening before having to cross the river. The Jeep was on

the riverbank about 500 yards from the opening. The recovery truck was driven through the river onto a sand bar where it could be turned around to back up to the rear of the Cherokee. Using the outboard boom on the driver’s side, the winch line was attached to a strap that had been run through the right rear wheel of the Cherokee. After putting some tension on the winch line, the Cherokee would lift up but not move. At this point, the outboard winch on the passenger side was rigged to a strap run through the driver’s side rear wheel on the Cherokee. With Joe running the controls, the Jeep was pulled back out of the holes it was stuck in. The winch attached to the driver’s side of the Jeep was unhooked and the

strap was removed from the wheel. The wrecker was repositioned further away to allow the Jeep to be moved onto more solid ground. Next, the Cherokee was winched around so the front of it was facing the same way as the wrecker. Using a snatch block rigged to the front suspension of the Jeep Cherokee, the recovery truck was driven pulling the disabled vehicle to the edge of the sand bar where the river would have to be crossed. Since there was a steep bank, it was decided to unhook the Jeep and drive the wrecker to the other side of the river. Once the wrecker was in position, the booms were split. The driver’s side winch line was pulled out and attached to a tree. The passenger’s side winch was pulled out and attached a strap that had been rigged to the front suspension. With someone in the driver’s seat of the Jeep, Joe winched it across the river and up the bank. When the line had been brought in all the way, the strap was removed to allow the winch line to be attached directly to the Jeep and it was winched up close to the wrecker. The winch lines were unhooked to allow the booms to be swung back in line. All of the rigging was returned to the wrecker. Using a strap rigged to the front suspension, one of the winch lines was run through a snatch block that was attached to the rear tailboard. The wrecker then drove out of the woods pulling the Cherokee. After making it out to the road, the Off Road Recovery Wrecker and Jeep Cherokee were loaded onto the Landoll. Both vehicles were tied down and secured for transport. Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

After a long trek through the woods, Joe’s Towing’s newly built off-road recovery truck still had to ford a river. Complicating the recovery was a bent bumper reinforcement on the casualty vehicle.

Once in position, the wrecker’s mechanical booms were split for rigging; one side was attached to a tree, the other to the casualty.

Once recovered from the river, the Jeep was pulled out of the woods by the wrecker. Both were loaded onto a Landoll for transport back to Joe’s.

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How Much? Track Costs Accurately to Stay in the Black by Nathan Sink

t’s an almost daily occurrence that a customer asks, “How much would you charge to tow my car?” To someone not in the towing business, it must seem like a straight-forward question, but as we all know that isn’t the case. Often, when a customer calls for a “tow,” they actually need a recovery; 10’ off the road can really mean 10’ off the road plus 20’ down a ravine and upside down. I often find myself telling the customer that they called in a winch-out when the actual case was a recovery that required more work, time, liability and so on. When I get the question, “How much are your tows?,” I usually respond with “What kind of vehicle do you have?” Let’s say it’s a Dodge. At least at this point, I’ll know if we’re talking light duty or more, but we’ll need a bit more investigation to know exactly what to send. What I’ve just done is defined my market, which in the towing industry is easily defined by the type of service and political/physical geography. As I continue my investigation into the mysterious Dodge, the customer will probably ask for an accurate quote and get frustrated when I ask for an accurate address. Those who have been in business know all too well the importance of good directions; without them, calls devolve into wild goose chases gobbling up profits through time and fuel. Cost differences are vast between a light-duty breakdown tow and a lightduty winch-out, even if both services

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Breakdowns have lower fixed costs (liability, regulations, overhead, training) than recoveries, relatively speaking.

are rendered in the same town and by the same company. No one would argue that a secondary tow for an insurance loss in the southeast would

How much would you charge to tow my car? have hardly anything in common with a recovery tow on a major freeway in the northeast. Towing industry outsiders don’t understand or realize the broad diversity of operations in the towing industry market.

Enumerating and considering the multiple markets you do business in is just as important for understanding your costs as it is for finding your price point. What makes costs between markets we operate in so different? Fuel doesn’t cost more per gallon depending on what service you render and neither does the lending company care whether you take the next call. However, the percentage of each input as part of the total cost of a job does change for each service rendered. Depending on the type of inputs, this will have different effects on your bottom line. While many focus on con-

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trolling variable costs like fuel, in the towing industry fixed costs are usually the largest portion of the total cost. Fixed costs remain the same regardless of the number of tows you run a day. Breakdowns have lower fixed costs (liability, regulations, overhead, training) than recoveries, relatively speaking, and thus it is much easier to enter the business just doing general tows only, not to mention the demand is more responsive to price. A decrease in fuel price will thus increase your profit margin on breakdowns to a greater extent than on recoveries; this is one of the reasons prices for recoveries are tricky. General maintenance on your trucks should be considered in your variable costs, but what about replacement cost? We all know the moment you drive a new car off a dealership lot you lose money; the same happens with your truck every day. If you bought a truck for $70,000 over a seven-year period, you would lose at

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Fixed costs remain the same regardless of the number of tows you run a day. least $30 a day in asset depreciation. If this truck is the only income for your operation and you don’t consider this cost … what happens? There would be insufficient funds to replace the truck in that time period and not enough assets to put up as collateral. Some use income from other equipment or other markets to modernize a fleet; this, however, veils the loss of capital. Governments use this subsidization technique frequently and create interesting effects. What about opportunity costs? If

you could be making more income doing another job than towing, then that should be considered as a cost to you for being in business. These final costs depend greatly on you and your operation and can be the most difficult to consider, but it’s important to track all costs. How each of us track our costs varies almost as wildly as our costs of operation. When I began tracking my costs, I found accounting systems to be too inflexible for my operation and spreadsheets quickly turned into unmanageable beasts of formulas and reports. I could crunch the numbers on the fly; however, trying to communicate that to others was incredibly complex but essential to growth and increased profitability. About the Author Consultant Nathan Sink, WreckMaster 6/7A, is a managing member at CPAAM Solutions (www.cpaams.com), where he developed a web-based price estimator for the towing industry

Man Shoots at Repo Agent A 25-year-old in Hancock County, Miss., is charged with firing gun shots at a repossession agent. Hancock County Sheriff’s investigators say the arrest stemmed from an incident where a repo man from Holmes Motors went to the suspect’s house to repossess a truck. Officials say as the agent pulled up, a bullet struck the vehicle. Investigators say Nicholas LeLouis used a pistol to fire three shots at the Holmes Motors repo agent. Authorities say one of the bullets hit the truck as it left the driveway. Investigators say LeLouis told them he believed his truck was being stolen. Investigators say he turned himself in after he was notified his vehicle had been repossessed, not stolen. He’s free on a $5,000 bond. Source: www.wdam.com.

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Lose the Battle, Win the War by Don Archer

hile we were newlyweds and still trying to figure each other out, my wife and I would have arguments. We’d get into it about silly stuff. Sometimes it would be about who said what and why—most times I can’t remember why we fought. What I do remember is thinking that I had to win every argument. It seems so trivial now, but it meant so much at the time due to youth, stupidity or brazenness. However as time went by, each argument I’d win seemed to cost more than the value of the win. Fast-forward a couple of years. We still argue; but it usually ends quickly

We tried to get at the heart of why the tablet seemed to malfunction, but the driver’s actions changed—he acted like it was an interrogation. I let it go instead of escalating the situation.

with some sort of concession on my part. It only took me about a decade to figure out that winning an argument with my wife was a fruitless endeavor. Maybe time has mellowed me or I’ve grown to understand that some battles are better off lost. Take new technology, for example. We have new tablets for our business, and it can be daunting to those of us who are finally being weaned off of flip-phones. But since the tablets are GPS-enabled and I’ve grown fond of being able to know where everyone is at a glance, I guess I’ll endure. The other day one of my drivers was on a tow out of town. His tablet

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lost service and I couldn’t find him on my map. I could see where the map had him last, but there was no reason he should still be there. So I called him on the two-way and asked what was wrong. He said that he didn’t know. I then called the tablet guy who set us up and asked him about it. He told me that the tablet will come back online when the driver comes back into the service area. I said OK and told the driver what I’d learned.

I asked that he come into the office so we could figure out what went wrong. An hour later he still wasn’t discoverable. Now this driver is a good guy. He knows his stuff and doesn’t screw-off,

so I let it alone that time. Twenty minutes later he came back online. When he came back, I asked that he come into the office so we could figure out what went wrong with the tablet. I explained to him that, from what I understood, it should have come back much sooner than it did. He should have been back in the service area within 15 minutes of losing service. We talked about it and I told him what I was told by the tablet guy. The driver then said that he’d attempted to log back on many times but it just wouldn’t work. I could hear the frustration in his voice as I continued questioning him. My intention was to find out exactly what had happened so that, if it happened again, I would know how to fix it. But as I dove deeper with each question, designed to get to the heart of the problem, his body language changed. His responses shortened and his tone became defensive. It was then

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that I realized that he thought I was accusing him of not trying: it felt like an interrogation. I was really just trying to figure out how to use the tablets; but as I could tell he was more frustrated than I, I backed off and let it go. I realized that if you let things escalate it takes a lot of time to get back to where you want to be. So I placed an X in the “lose some” column and walked away, looking for a bigger win down the road. 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 get left behind—make sure to check it out each week.

Don Archer lives and works in Jefferson City, Mo., where he and his wife, Brenda, own and operate Broadway Wrecker, a 12-truck operation that’s been in business since the 1950s. Email him at don@broadwaywrecker.com..

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Reviews Reap Rewards by Mike Rappaport

“T

he guest may not always be right, but the guest is always the guest!” I learned this lesson in a hotel management class many years ago. This was before Google, Facebook, Twitter, Yelp and the dozens of other review and social websites out there today. In 2015, a customer has more power to make or break your business than ever before. The adage that, “A happy customer tells a friend; an unhappy customer tells the world,” has never been more true than in the age of the Internet. Customers have more power than ever. A positive review or a negative complaint, right or wrong, is part of what I call, CGM, for Consumer-Generated Media. CGM includes blogs, social networking, message boards, product review sites and others, including technologies and platforms that allow interactions that haven’t been invented yet! It is in this interactive environment that we hand over control to CGM to the point where a single, disgruntled customer can have their complaint impact an audience of millions. As a company owner, manager, driver or dispatcher, it is your responsibility to establish and maintain the credibility of your brand by being authentic in listening and responding to customers, as well as forming relationships built on openness, transparency, and, most of all, trust. If you don’t have a formal Review Process established, how are you going to know who is unhappy? Can that unhappy customer leave a bad review and subsequently cost you a contract or account? Perhaps. Schools and employers look at reviews and posts before engaging a student or employee. Don’t you think in today’s 66 • May 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

With a proactive stance to online reviews, you can turn an upset customer into a repeat one.

transparent society, that a cash call, wholesale customer, motor club or municipality will check on your online reviews? We recently heard from a tower who was denied an insurance renewal based in part on negative Yelp reviews! Here’s the opportunity: an unhappy consumer will become a loyal customer if you fix their complaint quickly. Eighty percent of these folks will come back to you if you’ve treated them fairly; that percentage rises to the upper 90s if you respond to their complaint immediately. Each and

every day you have the chance to transform your mistakes into returning customers, the kind who will tell other people good things about you. Imagine that. In our industry, you can’t prevent some negative reviews, but you can have control and respond to them quickly, which builds trust in your operation and gives you an opportunity to get customers to leave positive reviews, repopulate them, and benefit from the digital word of mouth. I have witnessed minor complaint situations escalate to major issues by

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ignoring an online review, responding in a combative tone or challenging the customer. I have been privy to complainers who were handled professionally and turned into great references and model customers. There are some best practices in responding to reviews: 1. RESPOND in a timely manner, with a calm tone and PR mindset. 2. RECOGNIZE the feedback as a marketing opportunity. 3. APOLOGIZE and own the mistake. 4. MOVE ON and focus on getting positive reviews. I also have enjoyed looking at hundreds of positive reviews for towing companies. Happy customers will likely leave a good review; if they were made aware that it is important to you. April Peck, from Jim’s Towing in Monroe, Mich., uses Printed Review Cards for customers that her drivers hand out on calls.

The cards help stimulate positive online comments. “The cards help stimulate positive online comments and gives our drivers an additional sense of pride in a job well done,” she said. So, do it yourself, or hire a company to claim and build out all of your digital real estate with pictures, videos, hours of operation and a description of your services. Your Yelp, Facebook, Google Business, CitySearch, Merchant Circle, Yellow Pages and SuperPages—in conjunction with a review page on your website—is mandatory for having a successful review process.

Best Practices • Respond. • Recognize.

• Apologize. • Move on.

It’s 2015, and reviews are here to stay. No company is immune. You can’t please everybody, but ignoring the negative reviews isn’t the answer. Gathering positive reviews is good business; if you’re breathing and savvy, you understand that “Stuff Happens!” A company with only positive reviews isn’t “real,” and one with only negative reviews is likely asleep at the wheel. Build out your review sites, monitor them, respond to reviews and employ a variety of techniques to solicit feedback, whether through inhouse personnel or by hiring a company that specializes in it for you.

Mike Rappaport is a 21-year veteran in the towing industry, a producer for AmericanTowmanTV.com and the founder of OMG National, an INC 5000 ad agency. For more information on your web presence and video production needs, contact him at rapp@americantowmantv.com.

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APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS: Send in your Photos or Video of your Recovery. You will be contacted for your recovery details. Recovery must have been performed anytime in the years 2001-2015

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631-531-0673 For info please call Craig R. Nadolny “CALL FOR DETAILS” on all units

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ROBERT YOUNGS SALES AND SERVICE 1-800-246-4785 540-797-2567 Sliding Rotators, Quick Swaps Sliders, Fixed Boom Rollbacks, Air Cushions We Buy Used Heavy Wreckers

robertyoungtrucks.com

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TOWMAN.COM - May 2015 • 71

Big Red Rotator

orld Truck Towing & Recovery in Seville, Ohio, is owned and run by Mike Schoen, president, who’s spent his life in towing and recovery. “My dad owned a company called World Truck Transfer,” he said. “I grew up in this business. In 1989 I bought my first tow truck and in 2000 I went out on my own and started World Truck Towing & Recovery Inc.” The company has grown to serve

Seville, Medina, Bowling Green and Columbus with 43 trained employees that include heavy-duty operators, skilled recovery and hazmat specialists and ASE-certified mechanics. World Truck has an extensive fleet of 73 units plus other specialty support equipment, including a recovery airbag trailer and roll clamp trucks. They have one of a limited number of 80-ton rotators in the United States as part of their diverse heavy-duty towing and recovery fleet.

by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti

The new addition to his fleet is this big red beauty purchased from McMahon Truck Center’s Columbus Truck Center location. This unit is a 2013 Kenworth T800 tri-axle 6x4 with a JerrDan 60-ton HDR 1000 rotator composite/aluminum body on the business end. A 600 Cummins mated to an Eaton Fuller 18-speed transmission moves this massive rig down the road. It is equipped with dual Ramsey 50,000-lbs. two-speed planetary winches and a 50,000-lbs. two-speed

Working in tandem, World Truck’s JerrDan 60-ton rotator and their B&B 80-ton rotator lift a 58,000-lbs. coil that went 70’ off the road down in a ditch.

The imposing HERD Super Road Train bull bar leads the way. The tasteful and timeless paint, flames and pinstriping, was done by Eddie Shockley.

planetary drag. The 60-ton three-stage wrecker boom has 41.5’ of reach. Mike’s friend Eddie Shockley did the paint, flames, pinstriping and lettering. “When it comes to paint and graphics we do something different every time because each truck has its own character,” Mike said. “Flames are timeless and Eddie did an amazing job with these. The flake in them changes color depending on how the light hits them.” Among the many standout features of this rig is the imposing HERD Super Road Train bull bar that smacks you dead in the face as it comes barreling down the road. Mike bought it from Jerry’s Towing in Wisconsin. Call it a grille guard, cow-catcher, cattle guard, roo bar, moose bumper, bull bar, whatever—it’s front-end collision protection. “This truck was built to work and it does. One memorable job we did was a 58,000-pound coil in a construction zone 70 feet off the road down in

a ditch,” Mike said. “We used this JerrDan 60-ton rotator and our B&B 80ton rotator on that job and they both performed beautifully.” World Truck’s motto is “One Call Does it All,” and they work hard to adhere to it.

Tech Highlights Chassis: Kenworth T800 Wrecker: Jerr-Dan HDR 1000 rotator. Engine: 600 Cummins. Trans: Eaton Fuller 18-speed. Winches: Dual Ramsey 50,000lbs. two-speed planetary; 50,000-lbs. two-speed planetary drag. Extras: Herd Super Road Train bull bar. Paint/graphics: Eddie Shockley of Medina, Ohio.

Mike Schoen and his World Truck Towing team display their new Jerr-Dan 60-ton HDR 1000 rotator at the Ohio Tow Show.

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TOWMAN.COM - May 2015 • 73

What It Costs You by Steve Calitri

here is no way to measure the damage done from the loss of a tow operator who has been killed by the roadside. The tragedy befallen on the person’s family—the financial hardship, the emotional devastation—weigh heavily on survivors. The owner of the towing business and those still working the streets have to continue to be focused on their work. But the aftermath of a fatal accident has a jarring effect on the minds of those fortunate to have lived another day. For many, confidence that they will be safe on the roadside begins to waver: The sense that it is dangerous out there has been validated by a team member being killed. How many then decide to get out of this game? In the very least, company morale is torpedoed. You can shake it off from all appearances, perhaps, but you can’t shake it off inside. The tow boss himself begins to reflect on it all. The smart ones expand their efforts to better train their operators on safety procedures. Still, the toll the tragedy takes on the human spirit is immeasurable. Feelings of guilt are common. After all, this General does not foresee casualties beyond the vehicles they tow. The United Coalition for Motor Club Safety was recently formed to promote safety working the roadsides. The video it created that is shown on its web site, motorclubcoalition.com, is exceptional and should be seen by all tow operators. AT recently created the song, “Booms in the Sky,” with Mike

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Corbin, and a music video, to honor fallen towers and call attention to the dangers of working the roadside. The Towing & Recovery Association of America created a safety video years back that was educational and shocking, also a must-see for all tow operators. There are a lot of calls to action about creating awareness of the Move Over laws. One of the issues is that motorists are not aware of these laws. But perhaps the most important call to action must be for the tow boss to raise interest of safety awareness among tow operators. Issues like working the non-traffic side of the tow truck, cone usage, truck placement, emergency lights and more need to be discussed with operators. And this brings up the issue of safety meetings. A monthly safety meeting, at minimum, is a must for all tow companies. Are you toeing that line? Some 60 tow operators are killed working by the roadside annually. Other first responders are stricken, but their numbers pale in comparison. Towmen are on the front lines. As the General of these special forces, this tow operation, their safety falls under your command. You can’t control all the circumstances, but you can influence those circumstances that your tow operators can control.

American Towman continues to report when a tower is down, killed on the roadside. It’s a weekly occurrence, so TowIndustryWeek.com is on top of this news as well. Recently American Towman TV did a story on the video produced by the United Coalition for Motor Club Safety as well as a piece on the making of “Booms in the Sky,” the song honoring fallen towers by Mike Corbin. TowIndustryWeek.com also premiered the “Booms in the Sky” music video on its front page last month. Hampshire Towing took effective footage of a wrecker procession honoring a fallen tower in March. Some of that footage was used in the Booms music video.

Video is a large part of what Tow Industry Week does with American Towman TV and industry suppliers who choose to get their message across with this captivating medium. Stay tuned for future growth in video programming on TIW. RepoTimes.com, which is part of TIW, gives you news on the repossession trade each week. Tow Industry Week, the event, will feature a Repo Conference on May 14 at the SouthPoint Casino, just one of five conferences that also include: Diversification, Recovery, Police Towing, and Getting Paid by the Clubs.

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Town Trims Rotation List Steubenville Pike Auto shop owner Jason Pottle is unhappy that his company was dropped from the Robinson, Pa., list of designated towing companies while a firm based outside of the township was added. The township’s list of designated towing companies was cut from four to two firms recently. Commissioners voted 5-0 without discussion to name Naleppa Auto Body of Robinson and Broadway Collision of Stowe as the designated towing firms for the township. Pottle said his firm has been on rotation with the township for emergency towing for the past two years. He told commissioners he received a call from the township in December stating his company would be on the list for 2015. He never signed a contract with the township, but relied instead on a verbal agreement, he said. He was surprised to receive a letter in February stating his services no longer will be needed. Commissioners said that the

change in companies was a financial decision and caused by a discrepancy in the township’s ordinance. Pottle said he was confused by the response because fees for vehicles that are towed are generally paid for by the owner or the owner’s insurance company, not the township, he said. Samuel Abatta, chairman of the township commissioners, said the township chose the firms that were “least expensive and had the least amount of complaints.” The choice of a towing firm is “basically an executive decision,” because it does not have to go out for bid, he said. Commissioners decided to return to having two companies, which they said had been used in previous years. Both Naleppa and Broadway have been with the township for some time. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Abatta said. Manager Jeffrey Silka said the township had four designated towing companies in 2014, including Naleppa

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and Broadway. Commissioner Jim Barefoot said there had been some “discrepancies in the rates,” which prompted the board to return to its original configuration. “We have to make sure that the people who are using these services are billed correctly,” he said, adding that the ordinance reads that $100 be charged per tow. Pottle said he was told by the police department what to charge for each tow, quoting a rate of $100 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., with nighttime rates a little higher. “All other fees are industry standards,” he said, referring to body work or other repairs that may occur after a vehicle is towed to his Steubenville Pike location. “I’ve never had one complaint from the police, the manager or the commissioners,” Pottle said. Source: www.post-gazette.com.

Repo Agent Attacked with Tow Chains A Sioux Falls, S.D., man is accused of attacking a repo man and damaging his truck. Michael Robert Hoeft, 46, was indicted on charges of aggravated assault and two counts of damage to property after he confronted a repo agent attempting to take his Dodge Durango from outside his home at 1:17 a.m. Hoeft jumped into the Durango and backed it into the tow truck, damaging the tow arm, police spokesman Sam Clemens said. “He then got out, unhooked the tow chains and started swinging them at the tow truck driver,” Clemens said. The repo agent, 41, was able to avoid being struck by the tow chains. Clemens said Hoeft then got back into the Durango, drove through his neighbor’s chain link fence and sped off. That afternoon, police received a tip that Hoeft was at a home. Police arrived and he was arrested. Source: www.argusleader.com.

Tow Company in Zoning Limbo Rezoning efforts regarding a South Peoria, Ill., towing business might leave some city officials feeling as if they’re on the hook. Recently, the Peoria Planning and Zoning Commission could have rezoned property occupied by Farmington Road Towing Co. But in the future, that might allow industrial land uses in a residential neighborhood. Commissioners don’t seem to want that to happen. They voted to maintain the zoning status quo, for the most part. But because the zoning is incompatible with the land use, it could jeopardize business the towing company receives from the city. Unanimously, they voted to suggest the council rectify the situation in which the tow company finds itself. When that might happen isn’t certain. The development staff has been trying to solve zoning problems for various towing facilities in town. Over the years, the land upon which some firms sit has been rezoned for uses incompatible with towing businesses. In some cases, the council and commission have approved rezoning to bring the towing firms into compliance. In others, businesses have been grandfathered. Either way, those firms are allowed to remain on the rotation the police department uses for its towing needs. However, Farmington Road Towing appears to be a special case. Unlike most of the other affected towing facilities, it’s located in areas zoned for residential and neighborhood-commercial use. According to the city, the towing company hasn’t proved it’s eligible for grandfathering. “What we have is a business that is completely disconnected from the zoning that’s been applied to it, but a business that existed before there was ever a zoning ordinance,” said Bill Anderson, an attorney for owner John Rogers. Source: www.m.pjstar.com.

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Use ’Em or Lose ’Em Trucks that Sit Hurt the Bottom Line Sitting trucks don’t make money, and you can’t count on a call for that rotator to come in every day (like this one that Ed’s 24-Hour Service in Ohio handled).

by Randall C. Resch

Don’t get caught up in the hype and bragging rights that comes with owning a rotator or big fleet unless you can justify its existence. NORTH 78 • May 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

routinely watch the ups and downs of the economy with a careful eye for signs of future relief. I’d like to say that we’re out of the old business slump, but I’m not so sure that’s something I’m comfortable passing on to tow company owners. Unfortunately, there’s nothing new to report. In my recent travels, I’ve noticed many larger tow truck companies (more than five tow trucks in their fleet) maintain an impressive truck fleet so they’re ready when the economy turns around. I’m also seeing extra trucks gathering dust sitting in their tow yards. I believe this to be a sign of a stale economy where business has slumped. While having a thriving fleet might represent forward thinking in keeping and serving law enforcement contracts and other customers on one hand, trucks that sit generally aren’t making the company money. I’ve also watched many companies purchase a rotator for their operations before they’ve considered the big picture. Purchasing a rotator is a huge decision where many questions have to be carefully considered. At the minimum, the following questions should be asked:

• Can we afford one? • What will the insurance cost? • Do we have sufficient work to pay operational costs? • What permits are required? • Will we ever get it to scale around here? • Who’s gonna operate it? • Is the timing right so to be accepted by our law enforcement contracts? Trucks that sit don’t make money. Do hard times, slow business or no business justify keeping a number of idle trucks sitting around? What about those sometimes hard-to-make truck payments for those trucks that do sit? If your company doesn’t generate sufficient income to justify keeping them, shouldn’t they be sold to re-invest monies necessary to keep the business open? Or, does it make better sense to Work the non-traffic Side–Stay Safe!

take the truck off the company’s insurance and simply park it until such time the economy says it’s time to put the truck back into the operational fleet? How does a fluctuating economy impact your operations? If you’re business isn’t making a profit, you won’t be in business long. Selling or parking your trucks may be the answer to dollars that easily escape you through other associated business costs like fuel, maintenance, driver wages, etc. There’s an extreme importance in knowing what your company’s finances are to enable you to keep the company going. Use ’em or lose ’em is a simple business decision. While having that bad-boy sitting in the yard looks impressive, the bottom line is there’s no money comin’ in. Don’t get caught up in the hype

and bragging rights that comes with owning a rotator or big fleet unless you can justify its existence. Downsizing your company’s fleet is something every owner will ultimately face in their career. It too is a fact of business life. 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 get left behind—make sure to check it out each week.

TOWMAN.COM - May 2015 • NORTH 79

Woman Disappears, Caught after Hitting Agent A woman in Rio, W.Va., reportedly ran over a man attempting to repossess her SUV before she disappeared for two days before being caught. The Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office credited readers of a local paper and its Facebook page with closing the case. Sheena Calhoun was taken into custody at her home after a tip from someone who had read an article on the website. She reportedly ran over Doyle McBee, who was trying to repossess her 2006 Ford Explorer. McBee went to Hampshire Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries to his head and body. He was treated and released that night. McBee told deputies that the incident occurred at Calhoun’s home. McBee told police he gave her an opportunity to take her personal belongings out of the vehicle, but when she got in, she started it up and put it into gear, running over McBee before he could get out of the way. Calhoun then sped through the yard, saying nobody was going to take her vehicle, and left the area. Source: www.hampshirereview.com.

not arrive in a timely fashion. One wrecker service probably could have solved that problem. But it most assuredly would have hurt the viability of multiple wrecker services while helping one. Councilors can’t put themselves in the business of hurting businesses for the sake of a new revenue stream. That goes against every “shop local” pronouncement made by city officials. Chief Eskridge expresses a valid concern regarding response times by the wrecker services. Too much time is being consumed while officers wait for wrecker services to arrive. The Council needs to recognize the chief’s concerns because slow wrecker response times has a direct effect on officer response times. Councilors need to create guidelines for dropping wrecker services that habitually fail to meet reasonable response times. The Council was right to protect city businesses by spreading the wealth. But citizens also should not be put at risk because of below-standard performance by those businesses. That’s fair for everyone. Source: www.muskogeephoenix .com

Impound Fee Waived, Truck Returned A San Juan, Texas, man is back behind the wheel of his pickup that police took last July. Israel Moncivais wanted to get his truck out of an impound lot. The owner of that lot wanted almost $5,000 to release the vehicle. San Juan police seized the truck last July. It was taken to Bond & Bond Auctioneers and sat in a dusty lot for nine months. Moncivais’ civil case was dropped in January. Bond & Bond wanted the fee paid to release his truck, but Moncivais did not think he should have to pay. He said, “I know I was in the right, and I did not have that money to pay for my truck back.” Texas code says “A law enforcement agency that directs the towing and stor-

age of a motor vehicle for an evidentiary or examination purpose shall pay the cost of the towing and storage.” - Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Chapter 18, Article 23 Sgt. Rolando Garcia with the San Juan Police Department said, “It doesn’t apply because, in this instance, we filed it under Chapter 59, which allows us to file a motion to seize property. It wasn’t taken for any evidentiary purposes.” Moncivais said, “That’s not right but you know, it’s over with.” He hopes a rule change is made. Moncivais hopes what happened to him will help others do right. He said he plans to file a complaint with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Source: www.krgv.com.

City Caps Rotation Tow Rates Meridian (Miss.) Police Chief Benny Dubose said several citizens say they’ve been victimized in recent tows. “They were charging $250 max for a wrecker call. They got up to $100 an hour for cleanup fees. They got up to $100 an hour for specialized equipment, like the rollback,” Dubose said. The Meridian Police Department has more than 20 companies on its rotation list; Dubose said tow companies have been going by prices that were too high. A new city policy caps those prices for rotation calls. “We’re only allowing $150 max, which includes the cleanup fee. Storage fees; $25 a day with weekend services from 9 to 1 p.m.,” Dubose said. Ward 4 Councilwoman Kim Houston says a high tow bill was brought to her attention. “We had some concerns in the community. A young lady that lives in my ward had a $650 bill when she went to pick up her vehicle and that is outrageous,” Houston said. The city council approved a new pricing list for tow services to be followed by tow companies. “These are the fees we are going to stick with. We feel like they’re reasonable. I think the public will appreciate it more too,” Dubose said. Source: www.wtok.com.

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

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Editorial Supports Rotation Vs. Sole Company for City An editorial/opinion piece in the Muskogee (Okla.) Phoenix newspaper recently supported a city council decision to keep a rotation rather than go to a sole contractor for tow services. The editorial team concluded that: Muskogee city councilors were right to scuttle a plan to award a contract to one wrecker service to provide towing services for the city. Councilors were attempting to solve a problem and raise revenue when they decided to seek bids from wrecker companies to become the city’s sole provider. Muskogee uses multiple towing services on a rotation basis. Muskogee Police Chief Rex Eskridge told the Council that some of those wrecker services do not arrive in a timely fashion. One wrecker service probably could have solved that problem. But it most assuredly would have hurt the viability of multiple wrecker services while helping one. Councilors can’t put themselves in the business of hurting businesses for the sake of a new revenue stream. That goes against every “shop local” pronouncement made by city officials. Chief Eskridge expresses a valid concern regarding response times by the wrecker services. Too much time is being consumed while officers wait for wrecker services to arrive. The Council needs to recognize the chief’s concerns because slow wrecker response times has a direct effect on officer response times. Councilors need to create guidelines for dropping wrecker services that habitually fail to meet reasonable response times. The Council was right to protect city businesses by spreading the wealth. But citizens also should not be put at risk because of below-standard performance by those businesses. That’s fair for everyone. Source: www.muskogeephoenix .com Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

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by Randall C. Resch

Don’t get caught up in the hype and bragging rights that comes with owning a rotator or big fleet unless you can justify its existence. SOUTH 78 • May 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

TOWMAN.COM - May 2015 • SOUTH 79

City Caps Rotation Tow Rates

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Meridian (Miss.) Police Chief Benny Dubose said several citizens say they’ve been victimized in recent tows. “They were charging $250 max for a wrecker call. They got up to $100 an hour for cleanup fees. They got up to $100 an hour for specialized equipment, like the rollback,” Dubose said. The Meridian Police Department has more than 20 companies on its rotation list; Dubose said tow companies have been going by prices that were too high. A new city policy caps those prices for rotation calls. “We’re only allowing $150 max, which includes the cleanup fee. Storage fees; $25 a day with weekend services from 9 to 1 p.m.,” Dubose said. Ward 4 Councilwoman Kim Houston says a high tow bill was brought to her attention. “We had some concerns in the community. A young lady that lives in my ward had a $650 bill when she went to pick up her vehicle and that is outrageous,” Houston said. The city council approved a new pricing list for tow services to be followed by tow companies. “These are the fees we are going to stick with. We feel like they’re reasonable. I think the public will appreciate it more too,” Dubose said. Source: www.wtok.com.

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Tow Company in Zoning Limbo

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Rezoning efforts regarding a South Peoria, Ill., towing business might leave some city officials feeling as if they’re on the hook. Recently, the Peoria Planning and Zoning Commission could have rezoned property occupied by Farmington Road Towing Co. But in the future, that might allow industrial land uses in a residential neighborhood. Commissioners don’t seem to want that to happen. They voted to maintain the zoning status quo, for the most part. But because the zoning is incompatible with the land use, it could jeopardize business the towing company receives from the city. Unanimously, they voted to suggest the council rectify the situation in which the tow company finds itself. When that might happen isn’t certain. The development staff has been trying to solve zoning problems for various towing facilities in town. Over the years, the land upon which some firms sit has been rezoned for uses incompatible with towing businesses. In some cases, the council and commission have approved rezoning to bring the towing firms into compliance. In others, businesses have been grandfathered. Either way, those firms are allowed to remain on the rotation the police department uses for its towing needs. However, Farmington Road Towing appears to be a special case. Unlike most of the other affected towing facilities, it’s located in areas zoned for residential and neighborhood-commercial use. According to the city, the towing company hasn’t proved it’s eligible for grandfathering. “What we have is a business that is completely disconnected from the zoning that’s been applied to it, but a business that existed before there was ever a zoning ordinance,” said Bill Anderson, an attorney for owner John Rogers. Source: http://m.pjstar.com.

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by Randall C. Resch

Don’t get caught up in the hype and bragging rights that comes with owning a rotator or big fleet unless you can justify its existence. MIDWEST 78 • May 2015 - TOWMAN.COM

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DNR Investigates Tow Practices The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has warned the operators of S&K Towing near Edwardsville, Ill., that a fill project on their property violates regulations and failure to comply could result in “enforcement actions.” The company has come under fire from Madison County officials and residential neighbors along Drda Lane over what appears to be tons of roadway material dumped on the site, adjacent Cahokia Creek, a tributary to the Mississippi River. The IDNR Office of Water Resources said in a letter to Roger and Harriet Stunkel, the owners, that they have not obtained the proper permit for the fill project. The department did not specify the “enforcement actions” that may be taken but said it could jeopardize the county’s flood insurance and disaster assistance, which could result in much higher flood insurance. However, Matt Brandmeyer, the county planning and development director, said an agreement between S&K and the county will save the county from losing its flood insurance assistance. Only if the county had failed to take any action would the flood insurance program be in jeopardy, he said. He said whatever enforcement actions taken by IDNR will be between the agency and the towing firm. Brandmeyer announced at a recent hearing that the county and the business have come to an agreement, whereby the problems will be corrected within months. The neighbors said they were angry about the delay, but S&K attorney Bill Lucco said the agreement will save the parties long and expensive litigation. The letter from IDNR states the fill project violates floodway construction rules. Neighbors have been complaining about the heaps of fill material, weeds and dead trees around the property for years. They said at a January meeting that they have complained repeatedly

about what they call an eyesore for years. Before the fill project began, there were complaints about junk cars sitting within view of the public and possibly automotive fluids leaking and running into the creek. Source: www.thetelegraph.com.

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Texas code says “A law enforcement agency that directs the towing and storage of a motor vehicle for an evidentiary or examination purpose shall pay the cost of the towing and storage.” - Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Chapter 18, Article 23 Sgt. Rolando Garcia with the San Juan Police Department said, “It doesn’t apply because, in this instance, we filed it under Chapter 59, which allows us to file a motion to seize property. It wasn’t taken for any evidentiary purposes.” Moncivais said, “That’s, that’s not right but you know, it’s over with.” He hopes a rule change is made. Moncivais hopes what happened to him will help others do right. He said he plans to file a complaint with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Source: www.krgv.com.

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CTTA Thanks Members In a recent letter to its members, the California Tow Truck Association (www.ctta.com) thanked towers in the state for making their voices heard on a legislative issue (AB 1222). In part, CTTA said: “A compromise has been reached and Assembly Member Bloom has committed to working with the tow industry to cooperatively and in good faith get at bandit towers in a reasonable and effective manner. … The Author has agreed to eliminate several of the most offensive provisions including the provision that would allow each local jurisdiction to regulate towers who ‘operate within’ their jurisdiction. … “While we strongly disagreed with Assembly Member Bloom’s initial approach at getting at the bandit tower problem, we learned that he is a reasonable person committed to working with the industry and is sensitive to the impacts that this bill, or any bill like this, may have on professional, law-abiding towers trying to perform an important service for the motoring public and law enforcement under extraordinary difficult conditions.”

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NEWS FLASH continued from pg. W 77 right, and I did not have that money to pay for my truck back.” Texas code says “A law enforcement agency that directs the towing and storage of a motor vehicle for an evidentiary or examination purpose shall pay the cost of the towing and storage.” - Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Chapter 18, Article 23 Sgt. Rolando Garcia with the San Juan Police Department said, “It doesn’t apply because, in this instance, we filed it under Chapter 59, which allows us to file a motion to seize property. It wasn’t taken for any evidentiary purposes.” Moncivais said, “That’s not right but you know, it’s over with.” He hopes a rule change is made. Moncivais hopes what happened to him will help others do right. He said he plans to file a complaint with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Source: www.krgv.com.

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That goes against every “shop local” pronouncement made by city officials. Chief Eskridge expresses a valid concern regarding response times by the wrecker services. Too much time is being consumed while officers wait for wrecker services to arrive. The Council needs to recognize the chief’s concerns because slow wrecker response times has a direct effect on officer response times. Councilors need to create guidelines for dropping wrecker services that habitually fail to meet reasonable response times. The Council was right to protect city businesses by spreading the wealth. But citizens also should not be put at risk because of below-standard performance by those businesses. That’s fair for everyone. Source: www.muskogeephoenix .com

Tower Sued for Theft, Sale of Truck

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A Lubbock wholesale company, Stephen Joseph Inc., filed a lawsuit against Cantu Towing of Lubbock for theft and illegal conversion related to the taking of a 2006 Chevy Silverado pickup truck. Company representative Mike Maines said he reviewed security camera footage that showed a tow truck enter the company parking lot at 4:48 a.m., and take the pickup. Maines shared the security camera video in a news report that generated tips from the public identifying Cantu Towing. Jerry Cantu, the general manager of Cantu Towing, defended his company’s actions described in a recent lawsuit. Cantu said his dispatcher received a call and sent a driver to tow a pickup from Stephen Joseph’s. “My dispatch sends my driver to go pick up the vehicle,” Cantu said. “My driver picked up the vehicle dropped it off at the location, the guy

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NEWS FLASH continued from pg. W 79

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pays him. That is all we did, all we did was a normal tow. What we do everyday.” The lawsuit also said there is an “immediate danger” that Cantu Towing might dispose of the truck during the lawsuit. The lawsuit said Cantu Towing at first denied having the truck but then admitted it and tried to charge Stephen Joseph a towing fee to get it back. While Stephen Joseph employees claim in the lawsuit they tried to contact Cantu Towing several times, Cantu said he never received their calls. Cantu said it is not common practice for his drivers to require proof of ownership when picking up a vehicle. “We’re not going to harass the public every time we do a tow,” Cantu said. “There are people out there that call in for tows at all hours of the day. We’re not going to sit there and say ‘are you sure this car belongs to you, let me see your id.’“ According to the court records, the fair market value of the stolen vehicle is estimated to be $25,545. The lawsuit also said the truck was fully paid for since 2009 and there are no liens or other claims on the truck. Cantu said his business has cooperated with the Lubbock police department, turning over all paperwork related to the towing event. Assistant Chief Greg Stevens said there is no law in Texas that requires tow truck drivers to request proof of ownership before a tow. He said it is up to the towing company to take some degree of responsibility. The lawsuit seeks money damages, the return of the truck and a permanent injunction against Cantu Towing. Source: www.everythinglubbock.com.

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