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Departments Walkaround . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
FEATURE CONTENTS
News Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
28
Road Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Rescue in a Ravine
Beacons On! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Tow Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 AD Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Bill’s Towing in Yelm, Wash., used a Vulcan 897 to recover a Mazda from a ravine. p 28
Mazda 6 descends 300’, but can’t come back up the same way it went down. by John Warg
Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . .62 Repo Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
44
Towman’s Market . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Product Gateway
My Baby. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 Low Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 Adventures of A.T. . . . . . . . . . . . .90
Get a good look at the tools and equipment you’ll need in 2016.
54
Dangerous Emergency Lighting? What are the tower’s responsibilities when it comes to scene lighting? by Randall Resh
66
Mired Excavator in the Sand On the cover: A Century 60-ton rotator used a 50-ton Century and an excavator as deadmen to get another excavator out of the mud. p. 66.
4 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
The Arkansas mud swallowed a trackhoe, making for an 80,000-lbs. pull using two deadmen. by Brendan Dooley
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Stay Vigilant; AT Will Help by Dennie Ortiz
As the year comes to a close, we here at American Towman want to express our thanks to you, our readers, for your many years of continuing support. 2015 marks our 39th year serving the towing industry. It is through your trust and ongoing loyalty that we are the only towing magazine to reach this milestone. As always, we welcome your feedback on the type of content of which you’d like to read more. We value your opinion. If there are topics or trends in the industry you feel need more scrutiny, let us know. With the mention of important topics … In this issue be sure to read about an alert issued in early November by the national Towing and Recovery Association of America regarding HR 2563 (the State and Local Predatory Towing bill). This legislation has been included to the federal highway funding bill that is before Congress (as of press time).
According to TRAA, this legislation will allow states and local authorities greater jurisdiction over the towing industry. The possible passage of this bill underscores the need for the towing community to be vigilant as a group in order to protect our industry from errant government regulations. The inclusion of “Predatory” in the name of the legislation in itself clearly reflects the negative mindset of many motorists and legislators towards our industry. Is regulation bad? Yes, when it takes the form of legislation without input from the industry it targets to regulate. This also underscores the ongoing need to improve our image through high professional standards to make it harder for the unscrupulous companies to impact the entire industry. With your support we will continue to raise the bar of professionalism within the industry for the betterment of us all. Have a great Holiday Season.
Looking Forward, Looking Back by Brendan Dooley
As is so common this time of year, many people look forward to the New Year and what is to come. Of course, a good way to predict the future is to reflect on the past. As you plan out next year, it’s always good to take a look at the equipment and gear you’ve used so much. Is any of it in need of replacing? What about updating to newer, more advanced versions? A great place to start looking is in the Product Gateway section this month starting on p. 44; keep it handy all year. Looking back is crucial to setting an accurate plan for moving forward. In a more literal sense, on the roadway, looking back can save your life. To that end, Operations Editor Randy Resch (p. 54) covers some of the nuances of scene lighting and when it is appropriate, and being aware not to blind drivers approaching a scene. Stay safe this year.
6 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
First On The Scene! Dennie Ortiz Steve Calitri Brendan Dooley Charles Duke
Publisher Editor-In-Chief Editor Senior Editor
Randall Resch
Operations Editor
Terry Abejuela
Field Editor, West
Jim “Buck” Sorrenti David Kolman Bill Simmons
Field Editor, Northeast Chassis Editor Safety Editor
Emily Oz
On Screen Editor
Mark Lacek
Repo Run Editor
Editorial Board Tommy Anderson Don Archer Roy Carlson Debbie Collins Belinda Harris Bill Johnson Ron Mislan Kurt Wilson
Dallas, Texas Jefferson City, Mo. St. Paul, Minn. Las Vegas, Nev. Greensboro, N.C. South Hadley, Mass. Warren, N.J. Creve Coeur, Ill.
American Towman Staff Ann Marie Nitti Dennie Ortiz Ellen Rosengart Norma Calitri Miriam Ortiz Henri Calitri Toni Vanderhorst William Burwell Peggy Calabrese Ryan Oser Helen Gutfreund 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 Communications Mgr. ATTV Producer President
American Towman Media Headquarters 7 West Street, Warwick, NY 10990 800-732-3869 or 845-986-4546 E-mail: Publisher: dortiz@towman.com Editor-In-Chief: scalitri@towman.com Editor: bdooley@towman.com AT’S Digital Edition: itowman.com AT’S Website: towman.com AT’S Weekly: towindustryweek.com ATTV: americantowmantv.com Copyright ©2015 American Towman Magazine is published 12 times a year by American Towman Media, Inc. Subscription: $50–1 yr; $95–2 yrs • US $65 and $105 • International Editorial Policy: the act of mailing or delivering a letter or article to American Towman Magazine, shall constitute permission to publish that letter or article or any portion thereof. American Towman Magazine reserves the right to edit any and all material submitted.American Towman Media does not test or review products submitted for inclusion in its publications. All included information, specifications and abilities are as claimed by the equipment manufacturer who is solely liable for any defects or misrepresentations in its products.
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Record Draw for AT Expo American Towman Magazine hosted its 27th annual American Towman Exposition to a historic turnout, besting last year’s record attendance by 10 percent. Towmen came from all 50 states and 20 nations to celebrate “America’s greatest captains of industry” and engage with 220 exhibiting companies; among them some 50 equipment manufacturers and 17 call providers and motor clubs. Attendees were treated to music and hospitality throughout the weekend, amid a schedule of conference/seminars and networking events. Towers saw Mike Corbin and his band, the High Strung Blue Grass Band, the acapela group, Part Harmony, carnival entertainers and an escape artist, ala Houdini. “It was a great celebration,” said AT Expo founder Steve Calitri. “We’ve always had a strong attendance, but we’ve been seeing exciting growth the past three years.”
Towman Arrives in Nick of Time
A Houston, Texas, woman says a tower became her guardian angel when he stopped to help her in the nick of time. Danielle Jordan was on I-45 and she knew she was in trouble when her battery light came on. A stranger, a man, stopped to inquire and she wasn’t getting a good vibe. “I walked up, and I saw this guy standing right outside her door,” said towman Mike Schopper. “He was kind of shady looking. … I didn’t do anything special; I just found a broke-down car and I was just helping them out.” “I know you just feel like you are doing your everyday job, but it was good for me,” said Jordan. Source: myfoxzone.com.
Correction AhernIT has acquired Progressive Platforms from Wyless. A headline about the partnership between AhernIT and Wyless on page 56 of the November issue was incorrect. 8 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Tower Saves Crashed Driver R o b e r t He thought the driHooper of Allver was dead. Star Towing was “He was loading a dismotionless,” abled vehicle Hooper said. “But onto his flatbed then he lifted his in Sweet Home, arm up and mumOre., when bled, ‘Help.’ ” someone men- Tower Robert Hooper found and saved Stephen Akkerthe driver of this wreck that was down tioned that there an embankment. Robert Hooper photo. man had waited was something nearly 7 hours, odd down the 50’ embankment crushed under the wreckage, for nearby. Hooper decided to walk over help. Hooper told him to stay calm, and take a look. that help was on the way. He did He saw what looked like a crumeverything he could think of to compled car and hiked down the steep fort the stranger. hill to check it out. “As a tow truck driver, it’s our “When I walked down to it, I job to help people out,” Hooper realized there was a body laying said. “We are constantly helping there,” Hooper said. people. We have a lot of relieved The body was wedged between people when we show up. But I sure the car and a tree stump. Hooper had never seen anything like this yelled to call police to those above. before,” he said. Source: kgw.com
Procession Honors
S.C. Towman
James Mills was killed recently in South Carolina loading a disabled vehicle. Nearly 150 towers participated in his funeral procession. foxcarolina.com image.
A Greenville County, S.C., tow business owner and operator was laid to rest after a deadly collision. On Nov. 5, James Edward
“Eddie” Mills Jr., owner of Mills Towing, was loading a disabled vehicle onto a wrecker along the side of I-85. A 2015 Ford pickup truck ran off the side of the interstate and struck him. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and two step-brothers. To honor Mills, nearly 150 towers gathered for a procession from the church to the cemetery. Mills’ casket was loaded onto a flatbed wrecker. Many of Mills’ friends are asking the public to remember the state’s Move Over law, which does include towing vehicles as emergency vehicles. Source: foxcarolina.com.
. . . It’s our job to help people out . . . Jury: 11 Years for Fatal Crash A Mechanicsville, Va., man was found guilty of fatally crashing into a tower on the side of I-295 last year. A jury found Dwayne Gray Miller Jr., 32, guilty of aggravated involuntary manslaughter and leaving the scene of a fatal crash. The jury recommended nine years in prison for the manslaughter conviction and two years for leaving the scene. The victim, Jason E. Bailey, 22, was killed towing a woman’s car in 2014. Miller had a blood alcohol content of 0.18 percent hours after the crash, according to testimony. After Miller crashed his SUV into the side of the tow truck, pinning Bailey, the SUV continued forward until overturning at an embankment, according to prosecutors. Bailey’s body ended up in the right travel lane of the highway and was struck numerous times. Source: richmond.com.
Unsure When Rotation Will Start
Even after a summer approval for Montgomery County, Texas, to implement tow-rotation lists, it’s still not clear when that will happen. The local bill enables the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office to create rotation lists for unincorporated areas of the county. The county’s existing system calls for chipping at the scene, which allows every tow company permitted by the county to have a chance at each tow. The law also would assess penalties to towing companies that show up to the scene without being called by the department; “directly or indirectly” solicit towing services related to a vehicle that has been damaged in an accident; or enter the scene without permission from the officer. It would be a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $200. Source: yourhoustonnews.com.
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
Holmes 600 Connects Business to Its Past The 1965 Chevrolet C60/Holmes 600 wrecker at Bradley’s Towing and Recovery in Maryville, Tenn., stands out with its fresh red paint and classic features. But for Todd Ward, the vintage Chevy wrecker stands as a tribute to Ward’s grandfather, Sterling Whitehead, who operated a towing business here for more than 30 years. “I bought that particular truck on purpose,” Ward explained. “My grandfather was in the towing business here Todd Ward (left) and Bob Bradley stand in front of the wrecker that has been in Blount County from 1960 to 1992. He restored at Bradley’s Towing and had a truck that was his favorite. It was Recovery. Thedailytimes.com image. one of these. That’s why I searched for that particular kind of truck.” Ward was able to locate the truck in Indiana by searching on eBay. He bought it without ever seeing it in person and had it shipped here. The truck was purchased with original paperwork about two years ago with the intention to use it for display and advertising purposes. But, Ward said the vehicle is licensed, insured and functional. Source: www.thedailytimes.com
Friends of Towing Founder Passes Don Rolling, retired owner of Don’s Towing in Madison, Wis., and an honorary director of the Wisconsin Towing Association, passed away Nov. 1. “We are saddened … to inform you of the passing of Mr. Don Rolling, a very good friend of the (WisDozens of tow trucks escorted Don Rolling on his final ride in Madison, Wis. Wisconsin Motor consin) Towing Association Carriers Association YouTube.com image. and the towing industry as a whole. He will be deeply missed. … Please keep Don’s family in your thoughts and prayers as we say good-bye to a dear and beloved friend,” a statement issued by the Wisconsin Towing Association said. TRAA President Jeff Roskopf of Menomonee Falls reflected on Rolling’s impact. “[He] sat on several TRAA committees and served as the President of the Friends of Towing, an organization where he was one of the founders. Don will be missed by towers from across the nation.” Dozens of tow trucks rode in procession to escort Rolling on his final ride. Source: www.witow.org
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Check Out What’s NEW and HOT! Carbon Fiber, Diamond Plate Finishes TowMate unveiled two new standard finish options for its line of lightand heavy-duty wireless tow lights. Except for a few select models, there is an optional carbon fiber or yellow diamond plate finish. The housings are run through a hydrographic dipping process in which the graphics are applied, followed by an automotive-grade clear coat.
www.TowMate.com Number 200 on Reader Card
Air Jack Wedge Repair Kit Access Tools’ Air Jack now is available in four sizes: Mini Starter Air Jack, Standard Air Jack, Super Air Jack, and Twin Air Jack. All are made of ballistic nylon featuring an internal stiffener, and can open nearly any vehicle on the road today. The Air Wedge Repair Kit fits all sizes of the Access Tools Air Jack and allows the user to easily replace the valve and pump bulb portion of an aging air wedge, making it like new.
www.caropeningtools.com Number 201 on Reader Card
Rechargeable, Magnetic Work Lights Superior Signals Inc. expanded its Illuminator work lights to include the SYLEDRC-600 (600 lumens from five 3-watt LEDs) and SYLEDRC-1400 (1,400 lumens from six 3-watt LEDs), heavy-duty rechargeable lights with a strong magnetic base, AC power adapter and car charger. Each features high beam, low beam, and SOS warning signal settings.
www.superiorsignals.com Number 202 on Reader Card
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Exclusive Muncie PTO for Hino 338 Series
M
uncie Power Products partnered with Hino and Allison Transmission to offer an exclusive power take-off and installation kit for the Hino 338 Series. The exclusive design features Muncie Power’s HS24 PTO with modifications to accommodate the Hino 338 Series. Built with a sculptured housing, the HS24 clears obstructions allowing for easy mounting on Hino chassis. A smaller overall housing allows the HS24 to be mounted on other 10-bolt applications. The HS24 features simple installation via a drop-in shift solenoid and a clutch-shift design with torque ratings from 325 lb./ft. The patented Muncie shaft brake assists in preventing shaft rotation in “off” mode. Beyond the HS24, the package includes a custom hose kit and wiring harnesses designed to fit Hino
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
338 chassis with an Allison 3000 Series transmission. The standard equipment list on the Hino 338, the 2011 ATD Truck of the Year, includes the J08E-VB 8L inline sixcylinder diesel engine marking up to 260 hp and 660 lb./ft. of torque. Allison Transmission’s 3000 Series is designed for medium-duty commercial vehicles, includes close- or wide-ratio gearing and seven available speeds, including two overdrive ratios. An optional integral output retarder for better vehicle braking and reduced brake wear is also offered.
www.hino.com www.munciepower.com www.allisontransmission.com Number 203 on Reader Card
TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • 11
Driving Skills for the Professional Tower
D
riving your tow truck is one of the most important tasks you perform on a daily basis and may be one of the most hazardous. According to the 2012 Traffic Safety Culture Index, published by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety in January 2013, the lives of 1,031,410 men, women and children were lost in vehicle crashes in the United States between 1987 and 2011. According to the Department of Transportation, 32,367 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2011 alone. Even though this is the lowest number in a single year since 1949, it is an average of 89 lives lost each day. As professional tow truck operators, we should hold ourselves to a higher standard. We should be part of the solution, not part of the problem. We spend much of our time driving the tow truck from one location to another—often with a vehicle in tow. Many light-duty operators start with no experience driving larger trucks. They go from driving a small passenger automobile to and from work to driving a truck that weighs twice as much, or more, than what they are accustomed. Driving a tow truck is a complex task that requires drivers to be constantly alert, focused and maintain good judgment. Anything that impairs the driver’s ability is unsafe.
Distracted Driving Federal estimates indicate that distracted driving contributes to 16 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes (approximately 5,000 lives lost each year). The AAA survey suggests that more than 50 percent of the average driver’s time is spent on things other than the task of driving. This is a remarkably high number that we need to do everything we can 12 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Cognitive distractions cause the driver to take their mind off the task of driving.
to reduce. We must make sure that we are not driving distracted and we must be constantly on the lookout for other drivers that are distracted. Other distracted drivers can involve us in vehicle crashes as well as threaten our safety when we are working the side of the road near traffic. When we are driving our tow trucks, we are already distracted by some of the tasks required to safely operate your vehicle. In addition to operating a heavy piece of machinery
by Terry Abejuela
at high speed, we also have to maneuver in traffic, maintain space, calculate speed and distance, keep an eye on operating gauges, and read signs to navigate to our destination. This is already a lot of multi-tasking to do, so we should avoid any distractions that are not required to operate the vehicle. There are three types of driver distractions: visual, manual and cognitive distractions. Visual distractions are those that cause the driver to take their eyes off of the roadway. Taking your eyes off of the roadway for just two seconds, while traveling at 65 mph, means you’ve gone approximately 190’ before you see the roadway again. Would you feel safe if you closed your eyes for just two seconds while your vehicle is going 65 mph? Manual distractions cause the driver to take one or both hands off of the steering wheel. Changing the radio station, holding a cellphone, adjusting your seat, mirrors, windows or reaching for something can all cause you to lose control of the vehicle. They greatly affect your ability to respond to unexpected conditions. Cognitive distractions cause the driver to take their mind off the task of driving. The AAA survey found that even when drivers keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel, they can be mentally distracted and miss visual cues and have slowed reaction times. Make adjustments to the mirrors, seats, windows and radio while the vehicle is stopped. Keep your eyes on the roadway and your hands on the steering wheel at all times while the vehicle is in motion. Limit conversations on a hands-free cellphone or with passengers in the vehicle.
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Drowsy Driving Drowsy driving is a serious problem in towing and recovery. The 24/7 nature of the business and long work days make it difficult to be well rested. I believe that if we place priority on getting enough sleep, we can significantly reduce this problem. I think it is another one of those “Do as I say and not as I do” scenarios—we think we are OK to drive even though we know we didn’t get enough sleep. The hours of service laws attempt to reduce the problem, but this doesn’t make the driver use that time off to get the sleep. Professional drivers must manage their time to ensure they get the rest they need before getting into the truck and driving. They must also recognize when they are too drowsy to drive and not get behind the wheel if they are not safe to drive. The AAA survey found some startling results including 21 percent of fatal crashes involved drowsy drivers.
It is estimated that 328,000 crashes including 109,000 injury and 6,400 fatal collisions involved drowsy drivers. Many traffic researchers believe drowsy driving crashes have been under-reported and underestimated. The survey revealed that that 41 percent of those surveyed admitted to falling asleep at the wheel at least once in their lifetime; 11 percent reported having done so within the past year. To avoid drowsy driving, you must get enough sleep. Most experts agree that less than six hours of sleep a night is risky. You can also build up a sleep debt over the course of a week where you could be dangerously tired and at risk by the end of the week. Someone who is a safe driver when they are alert can become a dangerous driver when they are drowsy. Watch out for signs of being too drowsy to drive. Some of these signs include trouble keeping your eyes open and focused, daydreaming or wandering disconnected thoughts,
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yawning frequently, drifting from your lane or tailgating, missing signs or driving past your exit, and inability to remember what you recently passed. The best way to remain alert and avoid drowsy driving is to get plenty of sleep before reporting to work. If you become drowsy while driving, stop and take a break and maybe even a short 10- or 15-minute nap. Being a professional tower requires a dedication to safety and the constant practice of good driving habits. Good driving habits are developed through constant repetition so that it becomes a natural instinct. Be part of the solution rather than part of the problem. Drive safely at all times. We, as an industry, can do a better job on safe driving techniques.
Field Editor Terry Abejuela has 30plus years of light-duty towing-andrecovery experience. He is also a light-duty Level 1 instructor for the California Tow Truck Association.
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Number 196 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • 15
Kinetic Rope for Off-Road Recoveries by Randall C. Resch
A
s it’s making headway as regular equipment on some light- and medium-duty wreckers and flatbeds, synthetic (or kinetic) rope is also a solid option for responding to extreme off-road recoveries when America’s flatlanders get themselves stuck in trouble. Synthetic rope gained favor for military snatch-and-grab scenarios, and is considered a favorite too among civilian offroaders due to its pulling capabilities while benefiting from lightweight features known for getting the job done. With heavily mired vehicles, when synthetic rope is combined with appropriate recovery accessories, shackles, D-rings and recovery hooks, extraction by kinetic energy is fast and effective when rigged according to safe recovery principals. The process of snatch-and-grab is simple, though civilian towers hopefully won’t have to worry about enemy gunfire. Kinetic recovery rope, especially those manufactured to conform to military specs, is designed to be the quickest recovery option in toolboxes. Operators who know and understand the principles of kinetic energy (for maximum pull) rely on kinetic rope to stretch and return to its passive state once extraction is done. No matter what the expert level is on-scene, too many chefs spoil the stew. If you’re the responding tower who’s deemed the recovery expert, you’d better have an idea what extreme recovery is about when it comes to winch-out or kinetic extraction.
On Your Mark The key to using kinetic rope is accessibility. When equipped with a military-grade (heavy) rope, pull potential can exceed upwards to 100,000 lbs. of pulling force to effectively extract stuck vehicles. However, kinetic rope isn’t designed to be threaded through snatch blocks or around trees and rocks. For complicated recovery scenarios, snatch blocks may be added to kinetic rope ends by hooking the snatchblock to the end-loop and routing wire rope from there. Every vehicle that’s left the roadway leaves an entrypoint and its footprint, especially to those recoveries where tow trucks commonly use winch and cable for recovery. Extraction is the same as pulling splinters from your hand; splinters come out the way they go in. But where there’s an easier way to recover without obstacles, towers should determine the best way to get the vehicle out in a manner that’s most efficient, easiest on the company’s equipment, and safest for everyone in and near the recovery scene. 16 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Kinetic rope isn’t designed to be threaded through snatch blocks or around trees and rocks.
As in any recovery, anyone not directly associated with the process of recovery must be removed to twice the distance or the “Double-Distance Rule.” Where the recovery scene requires a 50’ kinetic rope, locate all persons beyond 100’ to keep them out of harm’s way should anything go awry. Though when kinetic rope breaks, it’s been said that it “doesn’t whiplash, but should fall harmlessly to the ground.” It’s always my recommendation to clear the area where safety is always the No. 1 priority. Despite the potential pulling force of large kinetic rope, there are additional break point in the accessories like a Class III receiver, D-ring, clevis hook or shackle. Safety demands that all accessories used with kinetic rope are deployed in the manner they’re designed. Recovery accessories must be of such rating to meet the demands of extreme pull. Be sure that attachment accessories ensure the rope is free from any and all cut-points that could result in the rope being severed under pull.
Get Set Using kinetic rope is an easy process where only the rope itself is attached (solidly) from the working recovery vehicle to the casualty. With the recovery vehicle sitting on solid ground and in a straight line to the mired vehicle, the recovery vehicle inches forward until slack is gone. (Prior to applying extreme pull, recovery operators should re-examine attachment points to ensure the rope is free from sharp edges and cut-points.) Attachment points should be applied in such manner
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that (Class III point hitch) safety pins are pushed completely through with safety clips also in place, or the attachment point is capable of maintaining solid integrity throughout the pull. Once kinetic rope is taut, ensure there are no knots in the rope’s entire length. Where length is problematic, additional ropes can be added with appropriate attachment accessories.
Go During vehicle extraction, kinetic rope stretches and absorbs enormous energy from the pulling vehicle. At the point of the rope’s maximum stretch, kinetic energy then transfers to the stuck vehicle, resulting in an effective and efficient vehicle recovery. When maximum load is deployed, kinetic rope is capable of stretching as much as 30 percent.
Once kinetic rope is taut, ensure there are Number 175 on Reader
no knots in the rope’s entire length. In pulling the casualty vehicle forward, operators must decide who will be seated within the casualty vehicle acting as a brakeman or to steer the vehicle. Don’t use civilians for this task, but another tower or someone who has mechanical knowledge of the extraction process. For an additional level of safety, outfit your off-road vehicle with a piece of thick 3’x5’ plywood that can be placed crosswise across the casualty vehicle’s windshield. Plywood acts as a window guard should anything launch rearward. If the vehicle isn’t running, put the transmission in neutral while reminding the vehicle’s driver to follow the path of the extraction vehicle and stay within its path. If running, the casualty can be shifted into low gear and accelerated when pull commences. Instruct them that, if the vehicle is pulled free from its mired position, to ride the brakes lightly and not allow
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the rope to drag on the ground. Doing so will abrade the rope and its structural integrity is compromised. Remind them to follow your recovery truck and pay special attention to the truck’s brake lights. When pull commences, kinetic rope stretches and with all the luck and expertise put into the attachment process, the vehicle extracts without effort. When go is initiated, pull doesn’t mean stomping the gas in the tow truck in an effort to sling-shot the casualty vehicle; rather, ease into the pull to avoid snapping the rope. If pull doesn’t extract the mired vehicle, add a second pull vehicle either in-line or side-byside with creative rigging. Once the casualty vehicle is freed, put everything neatly away and make ready for the next off-road response. Inspect recovery equipment for operational wear or damages that may have been inflicted during recovery. For kinetic rope longevity, ropes are best stowed in recovery bags located out of sunlight and away from heat sources. Although it’s expected that dust, mud, dirt and snow will make its way into the rope’s threads; it should be stretched-out and left to air dry. Rinsing in clean water will help remove some of the dirt. Avoid using in salt water. From my career experience in towing, military and civilian off-road recovery scenarios, deploying kinetic rope is an easy process that has worked for me. It’s proved to be an outstanding option. When faced with an easily accessible snatch-and-grab recovery, kinetic roping is one trick I won’t be without. Author’s Note Neither the author nor American Towman assumes liability for negligence, misapplication or improper use beyond rated capacities and capabilities. Sound judgement and product knowledge must accompany any use of this suggested product. Personnel choosing to employ kinetic rope should receive training from a competent source before attempting its use.
Operations Editor Randall C. Resch is a retired California police officer and veteran tow business owner, manager, consultant and trainer. He writes for TowIndustryWeek.com and American Towman, is a member of the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame. Email Randy at rreschran@gmail.com.
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Number 174 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • 19
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TRAA Issues Call to Action The Towing and Recovery Association of America issued a call to action related to the State and Local Predatory Towing Enforcement Act (HR 2563). The proposed new towing law has been attached to the 2015 federal highway lending legislation that was introduced by representatives from Maryland and Virginia in May. According to TRAA, the proposed new law would permit broader regulation of the towing industry by state and local governments. In November, that proposed new towing law was attached to the 2015 federal highway funding bill currently in Congress. In November, the funding bill, with the towing amendment attached, was referred to a joint conference committee for final consideration. “The law expands local regulatory authority over nonconsensual towing beyond the current authority to regulate only price, safety and prior written authorization. While the amendment proposed in the Bill may seem simple please do not underestimate its intent; TRAA is concerned that it would allow for the regulation of all non-consent ‘tow truck operations,’ not just private property impounding,” TRAA released in a statement. TRAA plans on lobbying the mem-
22 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
bers of the Conference Committee against the further passage of the towing amendment in its current form, and press for an amendment to stipulate the regulation of private property tow operations. The organization also said it would submit a position paper outlining the deficiencies with this bill, highlighting the fact that no public hearings were held to allow for input from the towing industry.
There is no legitimate legislative need for state and local regulation of towing companies. Towers are being asked by TRAA to call or email their local congress members’ offices to express concerns about the proposed amendment. Requests for more information should be directed to TRAA Legislative Chair Joanne Blyton at 888-392-9300. The TRAA’s own response, sent to the members of the Conference Committee on H.R. 3763, said in part:
“TRAA asserts that the amendment is overbroad. Clearly, the target of the legislation is ‘predatory’ towing operations—i.e. the practice of snatching vehicles from parking lots and charging exorbitant fees. However, because the statute would permit state and local regulation of all tow truck operations ‘performed without the prior consent or authorization of the owner or operator of the motor vehicle,’ the law could negatively impact the business relationship between law enforcement agencies and the towing companies that provide nonconsensual towing services on their behalf. “The specifics of the amendment are as follows: “(C) [Federal preemption of the regulation of intrastate motor carriers of property] does not apply to the authority of a State or political subdivision of a State to enact or enforce a law, regulation, or other provision relating to the price of for hire motor vehicle transportation by a tow truck, if such transportation is the regulation of tow truck operations performed without the prior consent or authorization of the owner or operator of the motor vehicle. “In the automotive towing industry, the transport of vehicles without the prior consent or authorization of
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*New* Black 2015 Ford F550 4x4, 6.7L Engine, Automatic, PW/PL, Alum Wheels, Century 19.5’ Steel Carrier, Solid Rails, Wheel Lift, 8000lb Winch, Galv Subframe, LED Lightbar, 48” Toolbox… Call for Details! Stk# 3592C
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*NEW* 2016 Talbert 4053TA, 40 Ton, 53’ Length, 102” Wide, Traveling Axle, 20,000lb Winch, Alum Outer Wheels, Full Function Remote (Winch/Tilt/Axles), New Design, Additional Keyslots, 37” Loaded Deck Height, …Call for Details! Stk# 3581C
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24 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
the owner or operator of a motor vehicle is commonly referred to as ‘nonconsensual towing.’ Certainly, the impounding of an improperly parked vehicle from a posted “NO PARKING” or “CUSTOMERS ONLY” private parking lot, e.g., restaurant, bar, or shopping center, in situations where the owner or operator is not present is a nonconsensual tow. That type of towing has an inherent potential for pricegouging by unscrupulous towing companies and is frequently referred to as ‘predatory towing’ in the news media and by legislators. TRAA is certainly aware of limited, though highly publicized, instances of abusive practices by private property impounding companies. Despite being trespassers, the drivers or owners of illegally or improperly parked vehicles are nevertheless entitled to protection from abusive practices. “Pursuant to Amendment No. 42, all aspects of the nonconsensual impounding of vehicles from private parking lots would be subject to regulation by state and local governments. To that extent, TRAA does not oppose the amendment that was adopted [Nov. 3]. “However, there is another far more common, type of nonconsensual towing that does not necessitate regulation by the legislative bodies of local governments. That is the nonconsensual towing which occurs when a vehicle is towed without the authorization of an owner or operator but at the direction of a law enforcement official. For example, when the driver of a vehicle is incapacitated by reason of injury or intoxication and thus, unable to give their effective consent or authorization for the tow of their vehicle, a police officer will typically direct the tow of the vehicle. As a further example, vehicles are frequently abandoned on public roadways due to mechanical failures, accidents, or financial distress of the owner. Those vehicles are impounded at the direction of a law enforcement officer. “All of the towing situations noted in the above paragraph are, technically, ‘nonconsensual’ tows falling within the scope of the amendment because there is no consent or authorization by
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TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • 25
the owner or operator of the vehicle; however, there is a critical distinction between those type of tows and nonconsensual tows from private parking lots—a law enforcement official is directing the tow. “TRAA asserts that there is no legitimate legislative need for state and local regulation of towing companies that perform nonconsensual towing at the direction of law enforcement officials. The business relationship between law enforcement agencies and the towing companies performing nonconsensual towing at their direction is typically governed by contract or internal rules and regulations implemented by the law enforcement agency. Those contracts and informal rules set forth equipment criteria, insurance requirements, towing rates and price ceilings, etc. Towing companies violating the rules are subject to discipline including suspension and termination. TRAA contends that the control of policedirected nonconsensual towing is best left to the internal procedures of the state and local law enforcement agen-
cies that procure that type of nonconsensual towing. “There is yet a further compelling reason to exclude police-directed nonconsensual tows from the regulatory authority that would be extended by this amendment to Title 49, U.S. Code, Section 14501 (c)(2)(C). Authorizing state and local legislative bodies to impose laws and regulations relating to police-directed law enforcement towing may well generate conflicts with the ‘tried and true’ internal police department towing policies already in place throughout the nation. It is not difficult to envisage the enactment of a politically-motivated law relating to police-directed towing that directly conflicts with the police department’s own well-established internal rules and procedures. “In light of the foregoing, TRAA seeks your support of a simple amendment to H.R. 3763 that would limit the scope of Amendment No. 42 to that which was clearly intended by Representatives Van Hollen and Beyer—predatory towing. TRAA suggests the following:
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“(C) does not apply to the authority of a State or political subdivision of a State to enact or enforce a law, regulation, or other provision relating to the regulation of tow truck operations performed without the prior consent or authorization of the owner or operator of the motor vehicle, or a law enforcement official. “That amendment would allow full regulation of private parking lot nonconsensual impounding while avoiding the unnecessary disruption of the existing systems for police-directed nonconsensual towing. “In closing, I trust you will agree that most tow truck operators - even those who perform the unpleasant task of non consensual towing from private parking lots - are honest, hard-working small businesspersons who charge a reasonable fee for their services. On behalf of the Board and members of TRAA, I extend our support of Amendment 42 to H.R. 3763 with the caveat that nonconsensual towing performed at the direction of law enforcement agencies be excluded from its reach.”
Town Seeks ‘Equitable’ Tow Policy The West Mifflin, Pa., council authorized its solicitor to draft a towing policy for contractors who provide service when called upon by the borough. Two companies provide policerelated towing service, alternating from month to month. S&S Auto Service and K&L Automotive & Industrial Storage Service have defended their work to the council for months. “It will give a standardized requirement (for fees),” Solicitor Phil DiLucente said of the policy requested by Mayor Chris Kelly. “Our intent is to make it an equitable service when the police department calls to a specific incident, that we are working in the best interest (of the community),” Kelly said. “If you want to have a meeting please do so,” said Keith Kovalsky of K&L. “I have nothing to hide. I will open my records to you.” Source: triblive.com.
sensual tow, and post on their signs whether they accept credit cards and cash. “I feel like if you see it’s $150 on a sign, you are going to bet $150. Can I park here and get away with it or can I not?,” one tow owner said. Source: m.wsoctv.com.
Company Sues Over Alleged Nepotism A Uniontown, Pa., towing company sued the city recently alleging work was given to a competitor because of a family connection to the city council. The lawsuit in the U.S. District
Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania against the city, its mayor and four city council members alleges the company was kept from performing emergency towing services within the city because the job was given to a competitor who was related to one of the council members. The towing company alleges it lost substantial business within the city and was forced to expand into other municipalities to try to compensate for the loss in local emergency business. The company is seeking damages in excess of $100,000, plus interest, attorney’s fees and costs. Source: pennrecord.com.
Revised Tow Policy Targets Pricing In Charlotte, N.C., city leaders are trying to take steps to limit what tow companies charge drivers in the area. These measures come after the North Carolina Supreme Court decided cities can’t cap prices for tow companies like they used to, meaning tow companies can set their own prices. City leaders are crafting new rules so drivers know the risks. Now signs are posted in private parking lots warning Charlotte drivers if they don’t belong there they will be towed. Companies are now allowed to set their own prices. Richard Mitchell learned the hard way to pay attention to “tow-away” signs. He said a tow company was waiting and watching to boot him one night in the south end. It cost him $75. He said had he known the cost, he wouldn’t have parked in the tow-away zone. Some companies are making changes to signage in private lots. The city wants tow companies to post how much they’ll charge for a non-conNumber 169 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • 27
Rescue in a Ravine Mazda Goes Down 300’ into a Creek Bed
by John Warg Bill’s Towing and Recovery; Yelm, Wash.
The car came to rest 300’ down an embankment nosefirst into a dry creek bed. Bill’s Towing owner Bill Trull Jr. rappelled down to rig the vehicle.
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E
veryone knows that it’s usually Friday the 13th that’s bad news, but for one driver it was a Thursday the 13th. Early in the morning on Aug. 13, 2015, the female driver of a 2003 Mazda 6 was on a dirt road next to State Route 510 near Yelm, Wash. Suddenly, the vehicle left the dirt road, crossed an open grassy area and plunged down a 300’ embankment
Rescue efforts on scene included the Yelm Police Department, Thurston County Sheriff's Office, Nisqually Police Department, Southeast Thurston County Fire Department, City of Lacey Fire Deepartment, Special Operations Rescue Team and the Bonneville Power Association.
before dropping into a dry creek bed. At around 9 a.m., the driver regained consciousness and was able to find her cellphone and dial 911; dispatchers pinged her cellphone and got a rough idea of where she was. With that information and knowing that she had gone into a ravine, dispatchers began guiding a nearby deputy into the area to begin looking for the accident. Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
We pulled the car up the creek bed until it was sitting at the base of the avalanche.
Yelm Police officer Jim May was listening to the conversation and headed over to check a road that he was familiar with that fit the description. I was also listening, and since the search area was only a mile down the road, I followed May and Deputy H. Reynolds with the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office onto the dirt road. We all had our windows down as TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • 29
Endless loops were hitched to the rear wheels to bring the Mazda back out of the creek bed and to the main slope.
At the top of the ravine, the Mazda was loaded onto the International/Chevron flatbed for transport.
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The International/Vulcan 897 is equipped with dual 12,000-lbs. winches and dragged the car up the hill.
May asked the dispatchers to have the injured driver honk her horn. Unfortunately, the airbags had deployed and the driver had somehow gotten herself into the rear seat and was unable to sound her horn. Thinking quickly, May told dispatch that he would honk his horn and for the victim to let them know when she heard it. After only a few minutes, she reported that she could hear the horn. At that point, we exited our vehicles and made our way to the edge of the ravine and began shouting and listening for a response. We were still unable to see the vehicle, even after backing my 2002 International 4300/Chevron flatbed to the edge and running the bed out over it to look down. May and Reynolds then descended toward the creek bed on foot, but were unable to get down the final 10’ or so, as it was a vertical drop into the creek bed below. Rescue crews from several local departments quickly arrived, and I pointed out what appeared to be an Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
We pulled the car up the creek bed until it was sitting at the base of the avalanche. area where a small landslide had occurred that was perfect for the Special Operations Rescue Team to rappel down to rescue the driver. Two paramedics went down first and made contact with the victim and helped organize the rescue effort to extricate the victim, stabilize her in a basket, and get her safely out of the ravine. Before she was loaded into the
waiting ambulance, the deputy talked with the driver and was able to acquire some information including the name of her insurance company. When I returned to the office, I contacted the insurance company to verify that the vehicle was covered before making any plans to extract it. The vehicle recovery began the following day just as the skies opened up in a torrential downpour. Owner Bill Trull Jr., WreckMaster 6/7, rappelled into the ravine and attached a continuous loop through each rear wheel in choker configurations. He then ran a single cable down the creek bed to the bottom of the avalanche. After ascending to his 2010 International DuraStar/Vulcan 897 16-ton wrecker, he attached the extension cable to the winch cable. The vehicle couldn’t be pulled straight up the way it had gone in because the casualty was pointed down into the bottom of the creek bed with its rear bumper resting on a vertical wall. It would’ve needed a vertical TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • 31
The vehicle was in the yard for a while before the insurance company agreed to cover what they’d promised over the phone.
lift above the bank before being pulled to the top. So with Trull back down at the bottom keeping a close eye on the casualty, I worked the controls of the Vulcan to bring the car back up. (I am certified WreckMaster 2/3.) We pulled the car up the creek bed until it was sitting at the base of the avalanche. It was then turned uphill and winched to the top and loaded onto the Chevron flatbed for the trip back to the impound yard at Bill’s. A few weeks later—after some wrangling with the insurance company—the driver came by to look at her vehicle and gave us a careful hug (as she was still recovering) and many thanks for our efforts.
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Motor Club Callers Left on Hold According to a Palm Beach County, Fla., newscast, it was along a busy stretch of I-95 where the late musician Corey Jones broke down and began calling for a tow. However, he was left waiting on hold, putting his life in danger. Jones called his roadside assistance program. However, despite calling for over an hour, the newscast reported that records showed a truck was never dispatched. Their report mentioned that it’s not an isolated case. Sean Loscalzo, president of the Sunshine State Towing Association, says many tow companies are opting out of roadside assistance programs, leaving those programs short-handed. “It’s an expensive business to run and if you aren’t generating enough revenue to keep people on call or in a truck, it is hard to respond in a timely manner,” said Loscalzo. Phone operators answering the calls told the news station that drivers often wait 30 minutes to two hours on hold before a tow truck is ever dispatched. To make matters worse, employees say they are having a staffing issue. Many agents call out or don’t show up at all, leaving stranded driver calls going unanswered, as in the case with Corey Jones. Requests for information from the late musician’s roadside assistance program went unanswered. Source: cbs12.com.
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105 123 152 107 176 125 182 129 212 110 145 124 134 174 139 163 207 149 189 197 164 111 186 119 213 143 130 171 109 215 166 193 173
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172 178 146 181 154 188 168 158 118 156 113 120 160 132 117 101 206 191 150 198 138 194 208 141 148 184 151 157 121 175 104
For Advertiser product info go to www.towweek.com/products & click Or circle the corresponding reader service number on the Action Card on icon on the lower left-hand side. to the right, and send it in. 34 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
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Settlement Reached in Calif. Suit A settlement has been reached in a class-action lawsuit against King City, Calif., and several of its former and current police officers for an alleged towing scheme targeting lowincome Latinos. The parties were to finalize the settlement agreement as of press time, and a district judge will likely set it out for a preliminary approval hearing in January. In the class-action lawsuit, one plaintiff alleged that in January 2012, he was pulled over by a King City police officer for an alleged minor traffic infraction and issued a citation by the officer. He wasn’t arrested or taken into custody. Within minutes of being stopped, a tow truck arrived, and the officer directed the truck to tow the vehicle away. The motorist wasn’t given a reason for the towing or instructions to retrieve it. He was later told he couldn’t get his car back for 30 days and only then once he paid towing and impound fees. He never got his vehicle back, and it was later sold, or given away, according to the initial complaint. A similar incident also occurred to a second plaintiff, who was initially told there were drugs in his car and that was why he couldn’t it back. He was later told there weren’t drugs in the car, according to the amended complaint, and after waiting the 30 days, he
paid $2,777 to get his vehicle back, even though he hadn’t been charged with a crime and there was no justification for impounding the vehicle. His vehicle was also missing a battery when he picked it up. Other plaintiffs also paid hundreds of dollars to get their vehicles back from the towing company, whose owner was named in the class-action lawsuit. The suit alleged multiple civil rights violations including the targeting and wrongful taking of property, deliberate indifference, and conspiracy to violate civil rights. Source: thecalifornian.com.
County Adopts New Towing Policies A new towing policy is in place to give each company registered in the county a fair amount of business in Marion County, W. Va. Marion County 911 Director Chris McIntire recently met with public officials, emergency personnel and towing companies to create the county’s towing policies. Emergency management officials do not have control over the price of towing, but drivers do have the right to request a company they prefer. However, motorists with no preference will have their situations handled by the county’s rotation list. “If you have no preference in who tows your vehicle, it automatically goes into the county rotation list and we have an alphabetical rotation that the list goes down and it’s a fair rotation for all tow agencies in the county,” McIntire said. Scanner hopping is prohibited. “I’ve seen that they’ll have someone in their own personal vehicle get to a scene before anybody and talk to the owner and say ‘request this person or that person and they’ll do it cheaper,’ ” said Eric Bell, of Hillbilly Towing. “It’s usually not the truth. They’re usually going to jack the price up really high.” Bell said drivers should notify emergency officials if they see companies breaking these rules. Marion County towing policies are reviewed and redrafted every three years. Source: wboy.com.
Ruling Complicates Company Relocation
Number 194 on Reader Card
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The Gasser Foundation, owner of the site reserved for a 489-unit apartment development in Napa, Calif., is seeking to move a towing storage yard from the vacant parcel to a new home on the nearby Silverado Trail. The relocation of Vine Towing is required to create space for an entryway project. Work on the entryway is slated to start next spring. However, the foundation’s path to moving the business recently hit a snag when the city Planning Commission declared a tow yard would not be similar to other land uses nearby. Foundation officials had asked for a towing service to be classed with existing businesses, a likely necessity for a per-
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mit to move the business into the area. Joe Peatman, the foundation’s president, said he would appeal the ruling to the city council, a step he expected to take several months. Vine Towing’s prospective home is part of a mixed-use zoning district, filled with light industrial uses, car dealerships and a transmission repair center. The towing company, which removes impounded and abandoned vehicles for Napa Police, is required by its police contract to provide 24-hour service, storage for 45 vehicles and an on-site office, according to Peatman. Gasser Foundation representative Joe Fischer asked the city to label a vehicle storage yard as an “accessory” to the car repairs and servicing that take place a few blocks away. Vine Towing’s role as the police force’s partner leaves it with special requirements that not only made finding a new home difficult, but would make an eviction impractical, said Peatman. “They have 30 cars parked there, you can’t take them to the dump — you have to sort out ownership and who has liens on each car,” he said. “The ones that are impounded by the city require special handling. So it would be easier to relocate them to this place (Silverado Trail) than to eject them.” Source: napavalleyregister.com.
Complaints Net New Tow Rules The Buffalo Grove, Ill., village board recently approved a series of new towing regulations in the wake of complaints that vehicles were improperly removed from the Buffalo Grove Town Center during Buffalo Grove Days. The new regulations require prominently displayed signs, 30 minutes of advance notice to the police department from the towing company, a written report of a towing to the chief of police and a photograph of the unauthorized vehicle. The board also set penalties for property owners and towing firms that do not comply, with violators subject to fines up to $750. Source: dailyherald.com. Number 212 on Reader Card
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Too Many Permit Agencies? The Hays County (Texas) Commissioner’s Court approved a new policy for wrecking and tow companies that was crafted by the Hays County Sheriff’s Office. The new policy follows similar guidelines that were enacted in previous legislation. The previous policy, according to Hays County Judge Bert Cobb, set up a rotation for towing companies within the county. He said it was done to “have a set of rules on who got called and who didn’t” when it came to accidents or law enforcement situations where a vehicle needed to be towed. One of the major points of the new policy was permitting vehicle storage facilities. Companies would have to apply with Hays County, with the HCSO performing an inspection on the facility to be qualified to be on rotation. Some tow truck operators in the audience had concerns about overregulation. Operators currently obtain permits from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. “I don’t mind having a towing policy [in place],” one tower said. “But I’ve never had to dot all of the I’s and cross all of the T’s to be on a rotation.” Source: haysnewsdispatch.com.
Advantage Funding Hires Cooksey Advantage Funding (advantagefund.com) recently announced the addition of Janet Cooksey to its truckfinance sales team. Cooksey will serve as regional sales manager, capitalizing on her transportation financial services experience in over-the-road, regional-haul and vocational trucks as well as trailer financing, in the company’s Mid-South Region. “Janet will bring Advantage Funding’s value-added products and services to markets in Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and Kentucky,” said Don Coolbaugh, chief sales officer. “Transportation firms across the U.S. depend on us for customized financing and highly personable service. Adding Janet to our team means that more firms will experience the difference that is Advantage Funding.”
TowMate Adds Power-Link Installation Centers TowMate (towmate.com) launched an initiative to bring its warning light systems to more dealers. Their Power-Link Star Certified Installation Centers offer a wide array of lighting systems including lightbars,
continue to page 40
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TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • 39
markers that strobe, running board strobe/marker/worklight combination units, and more. Technicians at the facilities have been carefully trained by TowMate’s staff to receive certification. Current certified centers include Detroit Wrecker Sales, Dual-Tech, J.R. Kemp Enterprises, Rocky Mountain Wrecker Sales, Twin Cities Wrecker Sales and Zip’s Truck Equipment.
Hino Expands Insight Platform Hino Trucks (hino.com) has expanded its Insight platform to create a connected vehicle for all customers. The expanded platform delivers Insight Telematics—powered by Telogis, Insight Remote Diagnostics and Insight Case Managemen—powered by Decisiv. This entire platform will be standard fit across all 2017 model year models. Hino Insight Telematics delivers real-time mission-critical data to customers on vehicle and driver performance to help them lower total cost of
ownership and improve operational efficiencies. It provides Hino-specific functionality like DEF level, regen activity and peer benchmarking. Electronic Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports service is also included as part of the first year of service. Insight Remote Diagnostics provides real-time notifications to customers, dealers and Hino of active diagnostic trouble codes, reducing downtime for critical repairs by providing standardized repair instructions, required parts list and streamlining the service process. Insight Case Management picks up these codes and provides start-to-finish communication updates during the service event process by using software and personnel at Hino Trucks Diagnostic Center to analyze and create a plan to address the trouble code. Additionally, it will provide automated reminders for planned maintenance. All 2017 model year conventional and cab-over Hino trucks will have the Insight platform standard across all models.
PrePass Truck Bypassing Service Enters N.C. PrePass-approved trucks are now eligible to be pre-cleared for bypassing the weigh stations near Hillsborough, N.C., making it the 32nd state in the country to offer this truck safety electronic screening technology. HELP Inc. (helpinc.us) provides PrePass; PrePass fleets that have provided PrePass a current photo of a typical truck from their fleet can bypass the eastbound and westbound weigh stations on Interstates 40 and 85. (The truck photo is a North Carolina-specific credential.) More than 533,000 trucks from 45,000-plus fleets are currently enrolled in the PrePass commercial vehicle preclearance and bypass service. Since 1997, PrePass has provided nearly 670 million actual truck bypasses, saving carriers almost $4.8 billion in operational costs.
Freightliner Adds, Renews NASCAR Contracts Freightliner Trucks (freightlinertrucks.com) announced a new fiveyear contract with NASCAR XFINITY Series JR Motorsports and five-year contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports. Both racing teams now have agreements with Freightliner through the 2020 NASCAR season. With the addition of JR Motorsports, co-owned by Sprint Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., Freightliner will become an associate sponsor for the team as it competes in the XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series. With the Hendrick Motorsports partnership renewal, the team’s overthe-road drivers will continue to stay behind the wheel of their custom Freightliner trucks to carry race cars, supplies and equipment to Sprint Cup events across the United States. “We are honored to extend our partnership with Hendrick Motorsports and welcome aboard JR Motorsports,” said Stacey Premo, motorsports marketing manager for Freightliner. “We are excited about
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TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • 41
continuing our tradition of transporting many of the sport’s top teams.” In addition to the relationships with JR Motorsports and Hendrick Motorsports, Freightliner trucks transport the cars and equipment of Penske Racing, JTG Daugherty, Joe Gibbs Racing and Richard Childress Racing.
Detroit Connect Enhances Analysis Detroit Connect (detroitconnect .com) has introduced new features for its Virtual Technician remote diagnostic system to improve integration and communications. A new portal will provide Detroit Connect users additional information about overall fleet health, as well as enable them to take a deeper dive into specific fault events communicated via Virtual Technician. The portal, available on all Freightliner and Western Star models specified with Detroit engines, will also allow users to view and archive Detroit
Diesel Engine Control reports, which use diagnostics to further analyze driver and vehicle performance. The portal will serve as the access point for all services offered by Detroit Connect and include options for communications, reporting and subscription management customization. An anticipated rollout is set for spring 2016.
Peterbilt MX-11 Engine Available Peterbilt Motors Co. (www.peterbilt.com) announced availability of the lightweight, fuel efficient PACCAR MX-11 engine for its flagship on-highway Model 579 and vocational Model 567. The new 10.8L DOHC inline-six diesel engine is slated to begin production in January. The PACCAR MX-11 engine has an output of up to 430 hp and 1,550ft./lbs. of torque. It is ideal for a wide range of applications, including regional haul, tanker, bulk haul and construction. The engine is designed to
achieve an industry-leading B10 life of 1 million miles and be produced at the PACCAR engine manufacturing facility in Columbus, Miss.
Fleet Metrics Data Seminars Several sessions at The Work Truck Show 2016 (worktruckshow.com) will demonstrate how to utilize fleet performance and maintenance metrics, March 1-4 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Ind. “The right data can help fleet operators enhance productivity, control costs, maximize investments and stay ahead of the competition,” said Steve Carey, NTEA executive director. “But for the best results, you have to know what data is critical and how to leverage it for each fleet’s specific needs.” Sessions include “Acquiring and Using Fleet Data: What You Can Learn From Your Equipment,” “Maintenance and Repair Shop Management,” and “Fleet Management 101: Fundamentals of Truck Fleet Management.”
Check out AT’s digital edition at itowman.com
Number 163 on Reader Card
Number 210 on Reader Card
42 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
APTO Merges Two Ohio Associations The Quick Clear Professionals of Ohio and the Professional Towers of Ohio Association has merged to become the Association of Professional Towers—Ohio (aptohio.com). The alliance signals a movement supported by both organizations towards an improved and unified approach to protect the interests of the towing and recovery industry in Ohio. “The merger brings together the people and strengths of both associations and will provide Ohio’s towing community with a fundamentally sound and respected trade association focused on state government and public policy affecting the towing and recovery industry,” said Joe Hollabaugh, APTO executive director. “Major changes are occurring in the industry right now and APTO will equip Ohio towers with information, training and advocacy to help protect their businesses.” An APTO statement said that QCPO and PTO began their partnership in March 2015 in an effort to ensure proper representation at the Ohio statehouse that included initiating a strategy with a team of legal, legislative and communications professionals that effected positive changes to SB 274. The statement said APTO will provide leadership around statewide initiatives to advance safety and training for Ohio’s towing and recovery industry, including working closely with state agencies to promote best practices in Traffic Incident Management.
Number 127 on Reader Card
Number 169 on Reader Card
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Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • 43
PRODUCT GATEWAY
2016
Advertorial section includes participating display advertisers from this issue.
Check out what these participating suppliers have to offer in the coming year.
Access Tools
Advantage Funding
AHT Automotive Equipment
Access Tools Smash Film is a film to be used on a damaged vehicle during transport and storage to help keep broken parts inside, and the elements out.
We’ve been helping commercial and vocational transportation companies grow for nearly 20 years. Whatever your specialty, from towing to wastehauling, we can help you obtain the financing solutions you need to grow and thrive.
We specialize in flexible and semi-custom parts and tool storage solutions for any application. Box trucks, parts rooms, service shops, home garage, etc.
800-323-8324 www.AccessToolsUSA.com
888-649-2065 www.advantagefund.com
888-248-6766 www.ahtauto.com
Akins Body & Carrier Sales
American Safety & Supply
Atlanta Wrecker Sales
Akins is a full line sales and service dealer for Ford and Chevron. In 2016 let Akins build your next Chevron!
Insulated Waterproof Bib Quilt Lined for Warmth Chest & Side Pockets • Snaps on Legs for Snug Fit Available in M-6XL • Black RIP-STOP Knees and Buttocks
The all new 2016 Freightliner M2 Pro equipped with a Jerr-Dan-21FT Steel 6 ton carrier fully loaded for $77,900.00; We have many in-stock. These trucks were built to haul the heaviest of loads without breaking the bank.
800-472-3892 www.americansafetysupply.com
888-432-0097/800-313-2040 www.atlantawrecker.com
866-389-4173 www.akinsford.com
44 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Austin Hinds Motors
Auto Data Direct
AutoReturn
2016 Freightliner M-2 Ext. Cab 300 hp Cummins, Auto. Trans Century 3212 Gen.2, 16 ton Integrated Wrecker Body, Wireless Remote, in stock call for pricing.
TOW123 is a comprehensive, web-based tow management solution that provides powerful business tools for today's tow professional, with no contracts, hidden fees or set up costs.
Not happy with the current tow distribution model in your municipality? AutoReturn can help restore a fair and transparent distribution while maintaining your current rate or higher on a long-term contract.
256-586-5181 www.AustinHindsMotors.com
850-877-8804 www.tow123.net
855-287-1220 www.AutoReturn.com
AW Direct
B & Z Sales
B/A Products Co.
The new AW Direct U-Bolt Fork is ideal for lifting semi-tractors from the rear. Fits standard receivers. Extra height provides more clearance for air suspensions.
2014 Dodge, 2015 Vulcan 810, 6.7L Cummins, Auto; 19.5 Alum Wheel; CC; new paint; power steering, door, window; radio w/CD; AC and more SPECIAL 68,000.00.
800-243-3194 www.awdirect.com
Brandon, MS: 601-825-1900 Birmingham, AL. 205-731-9440 www.bzsalesinc.com
Super swaged winch lines are stronger and more durable than standard winch lines of the same diameter. Available at B/A Products distributors worldwide.
800-327-3301 www.BAPROD.com
Bauer Built Tire
Benedict Company
Big Tows
Bauer Built Tire helps fleets and owner/operators care for their wheels and rims with a wheel refinishing and conditioning process.
Benedict Company Specializes in damaged and abandoned cargo. We buy almost any transportable product including: general salvage; non-perishables; produce and perishable foodstuffs.
Sale special at $510,999.00. Check out this 2015 Peterbilt 388 Rotator 70 ton slider, 600 Cummings, 18 Speed Trans, all options on cab, available in 4 Boom Winch Combo, 3 Stage Boom.
865-357-2400 www.benedictcompany.com
845-426-2700 www.bigtowsinc.com
715-672-4295 www.bauerbuilt.com
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • 45
ComeUp USA
CRASHFILM
Crouch's Wrecker & Equip. Sales
We provide different models of hydraulic winches from 8,000lb to 30,000lb for recovery applications. ComeUp has the solutions for all your needs.
CRASHFILM now offers a new thicker film. The 3.5 mil HD will be for towers that want a thicker, stronger film with a clean release.
503-783-6142 www.comeupusa.com
888-672-2548 www.crashfilm.net
Family owned/operated full product line offering Miller Distributor dedicated to delivering quality towing/recovery equipment & raising the industry bar. Serving Tennessee & Florida.
800-628-5212 www.crouchtowtrucks.com
Dan-Am/Sata Spray Equipment
Danco Products
Dangelo’s Custom Built
SATAminijet 4400 B may be small in size, but is very big on Performance. This spray gun is an excellent choice for touch up work or blending small area.
Danco is a leading manufacturer of towing and hauling equipment. Our truck bodies are strong and dependable. Dealer opportunities are available.
CB15 15 Ton Recovery boom with dual Ramsey 15k winches. A 12,000 lb underlift capacity makes this a versatile unit for towing and recovery.
800-453-2626 www.Dancoproducts.com
800-540-5151 www.custombuiltmfg.com
800-533-8016 www.DanAmAir.com
Danzi Brothers Inc.
DewEze®
Dual -Tech
New 2015 KW T370, 33000# GVW, 300HP PX9, Allison 3000RDS, Loaded cab. 28" X 102" Jerr-Dan Super 10, 20000# Winch, 2-48" Tool boxes, No FET $111,000.
Ease of installation continues with the DewEze® Kit for the 2016 Dodge gas 6.4L delivering the flow and pressure required to do the job.
Dual-Tech’s new items and upgrades for 2016. New 14 point lube system available. Also new Cross Bar and Head Pin assembly.
302-436-2000 www.danzibrothersinc.com
800- 835-1042 www.deweze.com
800-852-0345 www.Dual-TechInc.com
46 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Dynamic Towing Equip. & Mfg.
East Penn Truck Equipment
Elizabeth Truck Center
Dynamic now offers a Poly light weight fender option, which will outlast steel but just as tough! Solving your rust problems, but saving weight for higher payloads and better fuel milage. Comes with a 3 year warranty.
Full line Miller industries dealer with two locations to serve your needs. Check out our inventory online!
Custom made lighted lower valance. Includes 13 - 3/4" led lights, balance is made of polished stainless steel. $995.00 (price may vary)
800-831-9299 www.DynamicTow.com
742-343-1800 610-694-8234 www.eastpenntrucks.com
Florida Wrecker Sales
G. Stone Commercial
FWS is pleased to announce our single Ear Headset Communication Kit for hands-free communication with “always on” technology allowing up to eight wireless users to talk and listen simultaneously.
Announcing the new redesigned Ford F650. New and used, carriers, wreckers, service vehicles, dump trucks, heavy equipment and trailers. Fully stocked parts department, highly trained service technicians.
813-626-2144 www.gottowtruck.com
802-388-9599 www.gstoneequipment.com
908-355-8800 www.ElizabethTruckCenter. com/towsales
Hub International Transportation Insurance Services Insurance for towing, repossession and auto transporters.
800-369-9019 www.HUBTransportation.com
Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA)
Intek Truck / Equipment Leasing
Jerr-Dan Corporation
Auctions nationwide, buyers worldwide. With IAA, tow operators get more for impounded vehicles.
Contact us about our Exclusive 10 Year Lease financing programs on NEW / USED heavy-duty tow trucks. Offering customized, flexible lease, financing programs for towing equipment.
Introducing the redesigned Jerr-Dan Corporation website with mobile-friendly optimization tailored to operators who need access to information on the go.
888-825-2145 www.IAA-Auctions.com/TowingRecovery
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
973-403-7788 www.intekleasing.com
jerrdan.com 800-926-9666
TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • 47
Kavanaugh's Towing Equipment Co.
Landoll Corporation
Lift and Tow
Get your new Ford 550 Gas Auto, Miller Steel or Alum 19.5 beds. This will haul Extended Cab Trucks. In stock now!
Landoll 400A series features an all-new hydraulic operating system “HOSS” increasing overall operational speed, quieter, reduces maintenance; repositioned chest-high control panel and high visibility light package.
Lift and Tow’s Z-series system lets drivers complete towing jobs safely by backing up to the vehicle and pressing a button on their remote; the model can lift up to 3,500 lbs. and tows up to 7,500 lbs.
502-454-4960 www.kavtow.com
800-428-5655 www.landoll.com
717-300-3495 www.liftandtow.com
Loganville Ford
M2 Image Solutions
Manufacturer Express
Distributor for Dynamic, Weldbuilt and Danco.
Build your brand, outfit your staff and create a lasting image you can be proud of for years to come. Call now for a free creative or product consultation.
First in the industry to introduce our one-of-a-kind Stainless Steel Ratchet Collection! No maintenance, no rust, no jamming... save time and $$!
404-569-4723 www.GeorgiaWreckerSales.com
866-471-8238 www.m2imagesolutions.com
Maryland Carrier & Wrecker Sales
Matjack Jumbo Safelift
The MCWS Online parts store is your one-stop shop for Jerr-Dan parts along with quality lighting from TowMate and Federal Signal and equipment from brands like Phoenix USA!
Remote area lighting; 2 styles to meet your every need.
844-TOW-GEAR www.mdcarrierwrecker.com
48 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
317-359-3078 www.matjack.com
201-754-1010 www.mfgexpress.com
McMahon Truck Centers, Columbus & Marietta Offering ready to work, turnkey Jerr-Dan equipment solutions, experienced sales staff, flexible financing solutions, equipment disposal, skilled service techs and in-house fabrication, body and paint facility.
Columbus 614-252-3111 Marietta 740-373-7200 www.mcmahontrucks.com
Metropolitan Trucks
Miller Industries
2011 Hino 258 lp. 157,000 mi. Auto ac pw am fm with a 21ft Jerr-Dan roll back. Wheel lift $54,900.
Vulcan introduced a new Poly Body option to its popular Self-Loader. The high impact resistant, rust proof body has large compartments to accommodate GoJacks along with integrated deck storage for dollies.
732-901-3100 www.metropolitantrucksales.com
800-292-0330 MillerInd.com
Mobile Battery Solutions / Exide Technologies Increase your bottom line while improving customer satisfaction rating with a mobile battery program. Industry experts providing a program unlike any other in market today.
844-MBS-EASY www.mbssolutions/contact
New England Truckmaster
OMG National
Pacific General Insurance Agency
Right price, a service department that takes care of you, a parts department with all you need, and attention to detail when building your custom small wrecker, carrier, or heavy-duty.
OMG National is celebrating 25 years! Call for your tow-boss marketing report card!
Tow truck insurance; auto transport; collateral; recovery; salvage yards; workers compensation.
800-789-4619 www.omgnational.com
630-515-0090 www.towtruckinsurance.com
800-481-0501 www.netruckmaster.com
Performance Advantage Company
Powerbilt Wreckers
Quick Draw Tarpaulin Systems
For nearly 25 years PAC has provided tool mounting solutions for the following institutions: Fire, Law Enforcement, Military, Towing, EMS, Racing, Utility and Industrial applications.
Powerbilt now offers the PB50SR/ 50Ton Integrated unit. Built for performance and longevity. Keeps you tackling the toughest recoveries with a safe and quick clearance.
Strength in performance. Design, quality, service.
888-514-0083 www.pactoolmounts.com
636-629-7311 www.powerbiltwreckers.com
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
800-266-8277 www.quickdrawtarps.com
TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • 49
Renew Truck Body
Rick's Truck & Equipment
Ricky's Sales & Service
We give your old workhorse new life with a polymer custom replacement body, even if you have an integrated body.
Family owned dealership since 1994 .Understanding that you, the customer, is what keeps us in business! Continuing to strive to earn your business with utmost respect. See us for all your wrecker, rollback, parts or service needs!
Family owned and operated since 1972 offering HIVIZ uniforms, apparell, LED lights and much more.
603-930-3185 www.renewtruckbody.com
978-534-0120 www.rickstrucks.com
800-639-4537 www.ricksautosales.com
RPM Equipment Company
SavaCOMM
Savatech
Class 3 Level 2 Durable waterproof bomber jacket. 2" silver reflective tape. Ideal for any roadway construction workers, tow truck drivers and emergency personnel.
SavaCOMM in colors with our standard features range 800 yds, removeable, rechargeable batteries, interlink with any SavaCOMM full duplex system. Contact us today for quote.
Savatech’s new eight-bar lifting bags feature reduced thickness and total weight, with Savatech’s unique surface for stability, protective rubber edge and reflective edge marks.
386-760-0706 www.savatech.com
888-436-9778 www.savatech.com
281-590-1494 rpmwreckersandtowtrucks.com www.amazon.com/shops/rpmequipment-company
Schaeffer's Specialized Lubricants
Sea Crest Insurance Agency
Smyrna Truck Center
Schaeffer’s Specialized Lubricants provide strong engine durability and fuel economy benefits, allowing you to maximize your vehicles’ performance.
A leader in the towing and recovery field with over 25 years of experience. Offering several A rated programs exceeding Automobile Club of Southern California Highway Patrol, and other municipalities requirements.
Full line Miller Industries distributor. We are family owned and operated since 1952. We are able to service all your needs in 2016.
800-337-5900 www.seacrestinsurance.com
855-269-5347 www.SmyrnaTruck.com/tow
314-865-4100 www.schaefferoil.com
50 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
Sonetics
Steck Mfg.
Sun Country Trailers
Sonetics headsets provide real-time, two-way communication that improves your recovery crew’s teamwork and safety, and helps you avoid on-scene mistakes.
Allow drivers to safely lead and secure a vehicle up to 5 tons with broken ball joints, lost wheels and locked wheels on their roll back wreckers.
The Anniversary Frame 5-Car Carrier is our newest model. This Trailer offers the most versatile loading available in the automotive hauling business!
973-222-0062 www.steckmfg.com
602-268-6406 www.suncountrytrailers.com
877-671-0751 www.soneticscorp.com/towing
TCAP
Tow Industries
TomTom Telematics
TCAP Tow Cost and Pricing Calculator simplifies the task of knowing real time cost of each job and estimating a fair market price with maximum profits within seconds.
Southern California’s most reputable & longest operating tow truck center. New Vulcan, Holmes & Challenger tow trucks. Huge inventory of pre-owned; tow trucks, wreckers, & car carriers.
Improve your fleet efficiency and maximize productivity with WEBFLEET, our award winning vehicle tracking and fleet management solution. Make your working life easier.
336-239-4786 www.tcapcalc.com
800-301-3466 www.towindustries.com
866-459-3499 www.tomtomtelematics.com
TowMate
Truck Body Sales
Twin Cities Wrecker Sales
The NEW PLC300 Series LED Light Lenses are feature packed 36" marker light/strobe/arrow combo lights (Worklights available on clear lens) that are competitively priced and ready for your truck!
Specializing in building a truck for your business, TBS is committed to outfitting your wrecker or carrier to your needs, not the other guys.
Our Hydraulic Rear Stiff Legs are designed to provide your wrecker with extra stability and power. Exclusively custom built and installed at Twin Cities Wrecker Sales.
800-233-8898 www.tbstowtrucks.com
800-287-4210 www.tcwreckersales.com
800-680-4455 www.towmate.com
Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • 51
Urgent.ly
Utility Trailer Sales
Urgently is the premiere mobile on-demand roadside assistance service that brings nearby, high-margin roadside assistance jobs to its Urgent.ly service provider network.
West End Service
Utility Trailers is your one stop shop for all your truck, trailer, & tanker needs. We have seven locations to serve you!
2016 White Pete 389XD Tri-Axle, Century 50 ton; 80 GVW, Cummins ISX-600hp, 18-spd Manual Trans, Century 1150 50 ton Rotator, 5 winch, Raptor Controls, Loaded.
877-234-5505 www.urgent.ly
713-821-6300 www.utilitytrailers.com
800-425-4455 www.westendservice.com
Winches Inc.
World Class Insurance
Worldwide Equipment Sales
Warn Industries has a solid lineup of products ready to join the workforce. Winch pulling capacities now run all the way up to 30,000 pounds with the WARN 30XL.
Insurance for: Tow Truck Operators, Body Shops, Salvage Yards, Used Car Lots, Service, Auto Transporters and Auto Repair.
Full service Jerr-Dan, Landoll, & Cottrell Dexter parts, sales, service, also offers driver locate GPS.
918.893.3700 www.winchesinc.com
877-789-1523 www.mytowagent.com
Zacklift
Zip's Truck Equipment
Zacklift BIGFOOT Stifflegs Engineered for the biggest recovery challenges, BIGFOOT Stifflegs demonstrate Zacklift’s standard of excellence in design and power.
Specializing in the sale and financing of towing equipment, and service bodies across the country. Plus, all of the parts and accessories you need to Tow, Rig, Recover & Haul.
844-Zacklift www.zacklift.com
52 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
800-222-6047 www.zips.com
815-725-4400 www.newtowtrucks.com
Best Wishes in 2016! Happy Holidays from all of us at American Towman Magazine.
Number 102 on Reader Card
Dangerous Emergency Lighting?
Emergency lighting, in most if not all cases, is appropriate in providing advanced warning. Dailyrepublic.com image.
What Defines the Parameters of Lighting On-Scene? 54 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
by Randall C. Resch
F
irst responders and towers have a huge responsibility when it comes to emergency lighting relating to state vehicle code laws. What defines, “Dangerous Emergency Lighting?” When accidents occur, motorists are generally at fault, but first responders and towers get blamed.
It disappoints me when towers and tow owners downplay the importance of using emergency lighting by commenting, “Yeah, I’ve been blinded by emergency lights too.” Case example: A motorcyclist hits a slowing carrier as it prepares to move onto a highway’s shoulder. The tower saw the disabled vehicle and activated overhead (strobe-type) amber emergency lights seconds before moving onto the shoulder (in a manner most tow operators do). The tower feels a bump, looks instinctively into his driver’s mirror, and sees a rider-less motorcycle and its rider tumbling in freeway lanes. The rider was struck and killed by another vehicle.
Who Gets Blamed? The plaintiff’s family alleged the rider was blinded by the tow truck’s overhead lights. Additionally, the plaintiff claimed the tow operator was insufficiently trained to use amber emergency lights. As a participant to this case, I spent considerable time reviewing more than 2,500 pages of documents. This case centered on inappropriate and alleged illegal use of emergency lighting, speculating the so-called “Moth to the Flame” theory. Although motorists and motorcyclists, even towers, assert emergency lighting has blinded them, moth to the flame has never been proved; it doesn’t exist. Dr. Marc Green, Ph.D., is a human factor’s expert studying the phenomenon of human error. “The moth effect is a myth in one sense and reality in another,” Green said (www.visualexpert.com/resources/motheffect). “The idea that drivers may steer off the road when they fixate flashing lights is likely correct, but are not drawn to lights like moths to a flame. Rather, they inadvertently steer rightward, which may or may not take them into collision with the roadside vehicle.” Does error in judgement mean motorists are in error not caused by emergency lighting? It’s argued that excessive use of amber emergency lighting (rotator lights, rearward amber flashers or amber strobes) creates a moth to the flame phenomenon or distracts 56 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
motorists supposedly fixating on emergency lighting. Although there’s no factual evidence to prove or negate it, tow operators must reactively and immediately assess and apply appropriate emergency lighting based on at-scene conditions of tow, roadway incidents or accidents.
Use of Lighting California’s Vehicle Code includes authorization for use of emergency lights, stating; “Tow trucks used to tow disabled vehicles shall be equipped with flashing amber warning lights.” Tow trucks are designed with intent to service vehicles, accidents and highway incidents. Accordingly, the law allows them to be appropriately equipped with emergency lighting, and, as allowed by law, used under varying circumstances. The intent and purpose of emergency lighting is best described in the Federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, which states, “The use of emergency lighting is critical to the safety of responders and approaching motorists in the initial stages of an incident.” According to Traffic Incident Management and federal studies, tow operators are killed at an alarming rate during highway accidents and incidents. Due to extreme danger and the potential of being struck on high-speed highways, emergency lighting, in most if not all cases, is appropriate in providing advanced warning. While it’s suggested that amber emergency lighting be used sparingly, providing some level of advanced warning to approaching motorists is appropriate and oftentimes necessary where tower response has the potential for great bodily injury or death.
Present Conditions Due to this case’s complexity, I responded with a written opinion suggesting the motorcycle’s rider was responsible for the impact. Here are three considerations in meeting an existing Standard of Care: 1. Basic Speed Law and Safe Vehicle Operations: Tow operators oftentimes insert lengthy tow vehicles into limited and narrow spaces requiring them to
immediately assess and react to reasonable and prudent speed per California’s Basic Speed Law, where it states; “No person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic on, and the surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property.” 2. At-speed Considerations: When motorists and motorcyclists follow/approach at highway speeds, danger is ever-present to tow operators should motorists errantly enter shoulders, workspaces and incident locations. When vehicles travel at highway speeds, forward movement covers immediate distances quickly (in feet per second); vehicles traveling at speed cover these distances: • 50 mph = 73.30 fps. • 55 mph = 80.60 fps. • 60 mph = 87.90 fps. • 65 mph = 95.20 fps. • 70 mph = 102.62 fps. • 75 mph = 109.95 fps. • 80 mph = 117.28 fps. 3. Use of Emergency Lighting: California’s Vehicle Code authorizes use and display of flashing amber lights, stating; “No person shall display a flashing amber warning light on a vehicle as provided by this code except when an unusual traffic hazard exists.” In tow operator training, “Arrival Assessment” suggests towers use emergency lighting when appropriate. Towers commonly employ overhead emergency lights upon arrival on-scene primarily to provide advanced warning when slowing in lanes and/or when intending to move onto highway shoulders. Though repeatedly argued in court, providing advanced warning is reasonable and prudent use of emergency lighting, with full expectation that following/approaching traffic is mindful of warning lights to avoid striking slowing tow vehicles. Appropriate techniques might include: • Upon approach/slowing at shoulder locations. • Visually prepare to exit traffic lanes; consider vehicle placement, pedestrians or obstacles typically situated inside emergency shoulders.
Number 126 on Reader Card
• Activate tow truck’s turn signals identifying movement left or right. • Slow tow truck’s speed by downshifting; tap truck brakes to notify following/approaching traffic that the tow truck is slowing. • Apply brakes easily to avoid quick stops, lockup or potential rearward impact. • Activate tow truck’s overhead amber lighting to indicate slowing and exit to shoulder approximately 100’ or three seconds prior to stopping. • Do not stop in traffic lanes. • Move completely onto shoulders so that the tow truck is completely out of traffic lanes (mirrors encroaching). • Once parked and positioned on shoulder, accident scene, incident or at disabled vehicle’s location, determine and initiate an appropriate level of emergency lighting (overhead amber vs. four-way). • Current Move Over laws justify tow truck’s existence within shoulder. The current National Traffic Inci-
dent Management Training’s “Incident Management Guidelines Booklet” includes a section on Arrival and Vehicle Position that states, “Alert the motorist that there is a traffic incident or slowed traffic which will require some actions on his/her part.” California’s Highway Patrol recommends tow operators use four-way flashers when shoulder activity doesn’t suggest urgency, hazard or dangers, especially when servicing motorists with disabled vehicles. California’s Move Over law in part states: “A person driving a vehicle on a freeway approaching a stationary authorized emergency vehicle that is displaying emergency lights, a stationary tow truck that is displaying flashing amber warning lights, or a stationary marked Department of Transportation vehicle that is displaying flashing amber warning lights, shall approach with due caution and, before passing in a lane immediately adjacent to the authorized emergency vehicle, tow truck, or Department of Transportation vehicle, absent other direction by a peace officer.”
Number 188 on Reader Card
58 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
It’s argued that Move Over laws lack specific direction or clarification that overhead lights not be activated prior to tow vehicles stopping. Keep in mind that California’s original lighting section came about in 1961, way prior to today’s distracted driving pandemic. As general rule of thumb, emergency lighting may be used: • When arriving or leaving accident scenes or disablement to provide advanced warning to approaching/following traffic. • When slowing or preparing to pull onto the emergency shoulder or when returning to traffic. • On hazardous curves where line of sight is obscured. • When required for driving slower than traffic flow or under loaded conditions. • When requested by law enforcement. • Any other hazardous conditions involving tow trucks. Use of White Lights (work lights and loading lights to the rear), the California Vehicle Code states; “The following vehicles may be equipped with utility flood or loading lamps mounted
Number 125 on Reader Card
on the rear, and sides, that project a white light illuminating an area to the side or rear of the vehicle for a distance not to exceed 75 feet at the level of the roadway: (1) Tow trucks that are used to tow disabled vehicles may display utility floodlights, but only during the period of preparation for towing at the location from which a disabled vehicle is to be towed.” As part of a tower’s daily truck inspection, upper and lower work lights should be operable and aimed so they don’t shine or distract approaching traffic. For on-highway and shoulder work, towers may employ (rearward facing) white loading lights sparingly. I prefer to not use them when loading vehicles on high-speed freeways— only during recoveries. For safety reasons, if lighting is necessary to load vehicles, I’ll use the customer’s vehicle (headlights) to illuminate the forward
work area and avoid sending bright white lights rearward towards approaching traffic.
The Bottom Line Advanced emergency lighting is necessary and oftentimes appropriate. Tow company owners and responding personnel have a huge responsibility in knowing what standard of care is required when employing emergency lighting. In the above motorcycle case study, I think the defendant operator was sufficiently trained and acted appropriately by providing advanced emergency lighting due to existing and unusual (on-scene) conditions. I’m confident this tower acted within the industry’s Standard of Care. I believe his necessary and reasonable choice to use emergency overhead lighting didn’t cause the plaintiff’s death; the motorcyclist had total responsibility to slow down and move over based on conditions approaching the scene.
Number 185 on Reader Card
60 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
I believe the defendant tower didn’t cause the motorcyclist to impact the rear of his carrier nor could the tower control the motorcyclist’s speed and rider inability. Although I’m sympathetic the motorcyclist was killed, I believe the motorcyclist had total blame for running into a slowing carrier that was clearly displaying operable exterior lighting and (additional) advanced emergency warning. Towers should continue to use advanced emergency lighting where reasonable and prudent warning is necessary.
Operations Editor Randall C. Resch is a retired California police officer and veteran tow business owner, manager, consultant and trainer. He writes for TowIndustryWeek.com and American Towman, is a member of the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame. Email Randy at rreschran@gmail.com.
Number 213 on Reader Card
Thank a Trucker, Bless a Tower
H
as anyone else noticed how book-learned education may not be as practical as tried-and-true workplace experience learning? There’s nothing wrong with book learning—in fact, it can help in many situations—but nothing can replace that learning from getting out there and just doing the job. Having spent a lot of years in trucking, there are so many things where book learning would help, but unless you get down and dirty, learning is just not going to happen. Back in the day, when a trucker was faced with a trailer bogie that wouldn’t move for one reason or another, the normal was pull the pins, back up (or move forward) and hope the bogie slides enough; we’d get out a set of chains and hook one end up to the slider and then stuff the rest of the chain around the tire, then let the chains do the work and it never failed. That is engineering, not book learned, but practical engineering at it’s finest and truck drivers are not supposed to be the brightest lights on the tree. To be a truck driver, formal education isn’t really a prerequisite,
although maybe it should be and truck driving as a profession may be taken a little more seriously. Now for real engineers, you have to look at tow truck drivers. Under the gun, they have to decide a course of action, plan that course of action, organize the plan, then execute the plan and frankly, rarely do they make mistakes. They are true artists. Watching the recovery of a large truck, fully loaded, from a very precarious awkward angle several hundred meters down a slope is like watching a ballet without the music. Making a recovery of a badly damaged truck and trailer and not losing the load and having that load available for delivery is beyond amazing … but it happens all the time because so many tow operators have learned their craft in ways that would stymie the most highly trained engineer with little real-life experience. Making a recovery and having the recovered vehicle drive away from the scene may be considered a miracle by most, but it happens regularly. I guess tow truck operators learn early and often the impossible is easy, miracles take a bit of time.
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The next time you see a truck driver, thank him profusely for everything you have, everything you own, everything you’d like because it will be on a truck, delivered over many miles of highway, so you can enjoy it. These truck drivers aren’t the most highly educated people in the world, although two percent of them have a Ph.D., but they are highly skilled at what they do, and do it not for the money but for the pride it gives them in providing a service that keeps all of us fed, clothed, housed, and providing all those niceties we all take for granted. It is their high level of skill that keeps you safe on the highway. Remember, when you’re out on the highway with truckers, they are in their element, you aren’t. They are doing it right, you probably aren’t. The next time you see a tow operator, thank him or her for service and the skill level they have developed, for without these highly skilled and trained service people, none of our highways would be safe. —G. Ray Gompf Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Chapter President Speaks Against Gouging John Garagnani, president of the St. Louis chapter of the Missouri Towing and Recovery Association, said motorists should shop around to avoid being gouged by a towing company. His comments come on the heels of a Missouri State Senate Task Force hearing where people testified they’d been “gouged” by towing companies. Garagnani, who has been in the towing business for almost 50 years, was recently interviewed by a local news station and said that predatory towing is a problem perpetuated by a few trying to make a buck. “We see a few of them taking advantage of the situation, few but not many. They give the rest of us a black eye,” he said. Garagnani believes consumers should ask how much towing will cost when they call for service. He advised if the price was too high then the consumer should call another company. He also wants to see the state issue licenses so the Attorney General can go after a company if it overcharges. Source: kmov.com. Number 197 on Reader Card
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TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • 63
Towman Helps Trooper Subdue Man
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Tower Fermin Barrios was called to I-95 in Florida to pick up a car for impound. A trooper had pulled over a driver for not having a license plate on his car. Arrest records show the trooper called Emerald Towing to pick up the car, but the driver, Jairo Arenas, wanted to call a different towing company. The trooper said whichever company got there first would tow the car. Barrios was the first one there. He says Arenas did not want to get out of his car in order to wait for the other towing company. The trooper asked Barrios to help him open the door to Arenas’ car. The trooper eventually pulled Arenas, who was much bigger than both the trooper and Barrios, out of the car. “He was definitely a bear,” Barrios said. The trooper got one handcuff on before you see Arenas squirm and resist on video. The trooper’s dashboard camera was rolling on everything. “First instinct was I’m going to help him, and take this guy down,” Barrios said. As Arenas tried to get free, Barrios wrapped around him, nearly putting him in a headlock and bringing him to the ground. At that point, the trooper threatened to use his Taser on Arenas who then allowed the trooper to handcuff him. The trooper thanked Barrios and took Arenas to jail, where he faced charges for battery, resisting an officer with violence, failure to register a motor vehicle, resisting an officer by refusing to sign a citation and failure to obey police. Barrios has seen the video and is happy he could help. “Would I do it again? Yeah, of course. I would always help an officer,” he said. Source: wptv.com.
New PTA Director Targets Safety The Pennsylvania Towing Association has hired Dan Spies as its new executive director. Spies replaces Cathy Tennis who has served on the board in various positions. Spies said he thinks safety is one of the main things he’d like to address in his new position. “I believe the most important thing we can do right now is focus on personal safety within the organization,” said Spies. “Just like any other first responder, the towing industry puts their lives on the line to help others every day. I am hoping that in the future we can form a safety committee made up from members of the association.” “We are very excited to have someone who is able to put in the time needed to move our association forward,” a PTA release stated. Source: patowing.com. Number 120 on Reader Card
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Tower Accused of Gouging During Emergency A Summerville, S.C., tow operator charged nearly three times the normal rate after being called to remove cars left at a gas station while volunteers helped evacuate animals from a flooded shelter, according to Dorchester County sheriff’s deputies. At least two people had parked at a gas station near the Frances R. Willis SPCA to help remove animals during the severe flooding. A station employee called the tow company to remove the vehicles. The responding tower charged $250 for towing one of the vehicles. While attempting to tow a second vehicle, a woman showed up and he charged her $150 to unhitch her car from his truck, according to investigators. A price list from the business shows that daylight towing in Dorchester County is $85, a media release stated. Further investigation also showed that the towing company did not have a valid business license to operate in Dorchester, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The tower was charged with price gouging during an emergency and cited for operating without a business license. Efforts to reach the business were not successful. A law against price gouging went into effect when Gov. Nikki Haley issued a state of emergency because of flooding from torrential rains and swollen rivers, according to S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson. The law remains in effect for 12 days and prohibits “unconscionable prices during times of disaster,” Wilson’s office said in a written statement. It’s a misdemeanor offense that carries a possible penalty of a $1,000 fine and 30 days in jail. Source: postandcourier.com.
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TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • 65
Mired Excavator
in the
Sand
Two Deadmen Assist in 80,000-lbs. Pull
by Brendan Dooley
A Century 60-ton rotator recovered 80,000-lbs. of stuck excavator using two deadmen—a 50-ton Century (center) and another excavator (left background).
Because they couldn’t move the stuck machine’s boom, the rigging needed to account for it to avoid rubbing.
I
n September 2007 White Motor Towing & Recovery of Forrest City, Ark., was called by Blue Hill Wrecker to assist in the recovery of a Link-Belt excavator that was mired to its cab. Blue Hill had been unable to extricate the machine. Operator Tad Bokker responded in White’s 2007 Peterbilt/Century 60-ton rotator. Once on scene, Bokker said personnel were insistent the 60-ton rotator would be able to pull the excavator
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without assistance … he knew otherwise. He asked the excavator’s owner if he could pull the planetary gears to allow the tracks to roll freely, but was refused. The owner didn’t know the vehicle’s weight, either. Bokker estimated the vehicle’s weight at 40,000 lbs. and doubled it for the situation for an expected 80,000 lbs. of resistance. Bokker rigged the scene with TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • 67
Multiple snatch blocks were needed for changing direction and angles.
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White’s 60-ton Century to pull using the Blue Hill Western Star/Century 50ton integrated wrecker and another excavator as deadmen. He placed the deadman excavator outside and the Century deadman in the center. The rigging was a challenge due to the stuck excavator’s boom—it couldn’t be moved due to the locked motor and was in the way of a straight pull. “It was tough to get everything at a correct angle to get to chassis and back to winch without the excavator’s boom interfering,” Bokker said. Bokker rigged the wire ropes and snatch block lay ups to be far enough out of the boom’s reach to avoid fraying or cutting. “We were on scene for four hours, and recovered it with no extra damage,” Bokker said. Tower Tad Bokker was not allowed to remove the planetary gears on the stuck machine to allow it to roll freely, making for a tougher pull.
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AAA Wants More Spare Tires Automakers’ decision to eliminate spare tires may leave more than 30 million drivers vulnerable on the roadside, according to new research from AAA. Tire inflator kits, a high-cost alternative for consumers, have replaced the spare tire in millions of vehicles over the last 10 model years and, due to their limited functionality, cannot provide even a temporary fix for many common tire-related problems. AAA calls on automakers to put consumer interests first and halt the elimination of the spare tire. “Flat tires are not a disappearing problem, but spare tires are,” said John Nielsen, AAA’s managing director of Automotive Engineering and Repair. “AAA responds to more than four million calls for flat tire assistance annually and, despite advances in vehicle technology, we have not seen a decline in tire-related calls over the last five years.” Along with run-flat tires, tire inflator kits have replaced spare tires on 29 million vehicles in the last 10 model years, steadily increasing from 5 percent of 2006 model-year vehicles to more than 36 percent of 2015 model-year vehicles sold. While each 4-lbs. kit eliminates approximately 30 lbs. of weight, resulting in minimal savings in fuel consumption, the replacement cost is high. With some kits costing up to $300 per use, a tire inflator kit can cost consumers up to 10 times more than a simple tire repair and has a shelf life of only four to eight years.
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“The spare tire has become a casualty in an effort to reduce weight and boost miles-per-gallon,” said Nielsen. “Advances in automotive engineering allow for weight to be reduced in ways that don’t leave motorists stranded at the roadside.” AAA tested the most common tire inflator kits in today’s vehicles and found that the units worked well in some scenarios, but they are not a substitute for a spare tire. For an inflator kit to work effectively, a tire must be punctured in the tread surface and the object must remain in the tire. If the puncture-causing object is no longer in the tire, a sidewall is damaged or a blowout occurs, a tire inflator kit cannot remedy the situation and the vehicle will require a tow.
U-Haul Suing 14 Tow Companies U-Haul is suing several Chicago-area towing companies, claiming they fraudulently hauled away its trucks and trailers and then charged thousands of dollars in fees to return the equipment. The lawsuit, filed in Cook County Circuit Court, named 14 towing companies and individuals. The scheme allegedly took place throughout the city and suburbs over the past year. U-Haul moving customers were offered payments to claim false breakdowns and request towing, according to the lawsuit. While U-Haul roadside assistance numbers are listed on the contract and posted on the equipment, customers engaged the named towing companies, none of which were authorized by U-Haul, the company claimed. As the incidents mounted, U-Haul began its own investigation. The suit doesn’t say how many vehicles were towed and stored. “U-Haul filed the lawsuit after an extensive investigation following an increasing number of U-Haul rental equipment had been towed in the region under suspicious circumstances,” Steve Hansen, a U-Haul vice president, said in a statement. One customer participated in three towing incidents, according to the suit. None of the customers were named in the suit. Several cooperated with the investigation. In a September 2014 incident, a customer said she was offered $500 by one defendant towing company to rent a vehicle from a UHaul facility, and then claim damage requiring their towing services. The customer reported she backed the vehicle into a light pole but later admitted to U-Haul that there had been no damage requiring towing or vehicle storage. In addition to the towing and storage bill, when U-Haul regained custody of the vehicle from the towing company, it found the vehicle’s tires had been replaced with older, cheaper tires, according to the lawsuit. U-Haul of Illinois is seeking more than $50,000 in damages and injunctive relief to prevent the defendants from towing their vehicles again. Source: chicagotribune.com.
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Costs Include Time, Experience by Mark Lacek
A
repossessor who attended my seminar at the Tow Expo Int’l in San Antonio, Texas, called me recently to ask a few questions. He explained that he had solicited a few commercial lenders to kick-start his repossession department and was in the process of repossessing two commercial trucks for a new client … but wasn’t sure what to charge for his services. After sharing with me the details of his efforts as well as the miles traveled, I offered him my suggestion as to what he should charge. After listening carefully, he told me he had considered charging much less, and he was happy he decided to give me a call. I reminded the caller that all of us are in the business to maintain a profit, and that breaking even (or working to cover cost as some might call it), is not at all what is implied. When calculating cost, most operators fail to include some of the most important investments they have put into their companies. Time and experience are, in my opinion, the two most important investments you put into operating your business. I may not be an economics professor or have a master’s degree in business, but I have been self-employed for more than 25 years and know a thing or two ... or three. One of my biggest mistakes over the years is not charging enough for the services I provide. Over the years, I have learned that if you offer a more professional service than the competition, don’t be afraid to charge more for your services. It is perfectly acceptable to turn down work from a potential client who wants to pay less. Always remember, a client who chooses a repossession provider based on the lowest fees instead of quality of service will eventually end 74 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
up in front of a jury, wishing he had chosen a vendor based on professionalism and service. One of the differences between the towing and repossession business is very simple. In the towing business, the customer calls you and tells you where the vehicle is located and he makes a request for your company to tow it. In the repossession business, the caller is the lender and he will provide you with an address where the vehicle might be located. Every trip made to an address costs money; the more addresses checked, the less profit on the assignment. One of the many challenges facing repossessors today is the limited information a client sends to the repossession company. Back in the day, a lender would send all kinds of information with a recovery assignment, including
customer name, residence address, contact information of friends and relatives, collection notes, credit reports and selling dealer information. As it stands today, government regulation limits the amount of information a lender can share with their vendors. Lenders have changed their procedures on the amount of information provided to the repossession agency. The repossession agency often receives only the vehicle year, make, model, VIN, and the customer name and address when the loan was first processed. Many times the customer has moved two or three times since he bought the car. The repossessor is now left with the challenges of determining where the asset is located. A repossessor does not simply call the debtor and ask where the vehicle is located, although this tactic is often
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TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • 75
used as a last resort. Repossessors must rely on skip tracing, public records, social media and/or information purchased from information brokers, sometimes referred to as “data brokers.” In most situations, free public records will supply you with enough information to determine where the debtor lives. A quick check of property records will reveal facts on who owns, bought or sold a property. Corporate information will offer the searcher information if the customer is self employed. One of my best sources for free public information is a website I have used for years, www.brbpub.com. Before paying a data broker for information, always check free public information. There are those special circumstances, however, when it becomes necessary to purchase information from a data broker. There are a few companies that provide up-to-date information like latest residence address and phone number for less than the cost of a gallon of fuel.
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One of my biggest mistakes over the years is not charging enough for the services I provide. Before jumping into your truck and taking off to search addresses, you must get into the habit of verifying the information the lender/client has sent you. Clients are notorious for sending old or multiple addresses for the repossessor to check. Being in business is about profit, and every bogus address you have to check on a repossession assignment takes away from the bottom line. I want to finish this month with the importance of safety. There is no repossession attempt worth getting hurt over. This year there were too many
instances of repossessors becoming injured or even killed. Most of these incidents could have been avoided. There should never be a confrontation during a repossession. The selfhelp repossession process is legal only if the repossession can be achieved without a breach of the peace. One of the most important factors in this business is choosing the correct time to repossess the vehicle. Use your common sense: If you think there will be a confrontation, come back later. Think about every decision you’re about to make, then make the right decision. Get certified, learn more and attend conferences and conventions. Sign up for continuing education classes. The more you learn, the better you will be at whatever you do. The higher quality of service you deliver will determine your bottom line.
Repo Editor Mark Lacek has more than 30 years of recovery experience and is the former editor of “Professional Repossessor” magazine. Email him at Mark@commercialassetsolutions.com
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Ed’s overhauled its medium-duty 2005 Ford F-650/2005 JerrDan HPL-60 Cougar earlier this year and included a facelift.
Workhorse Gets Overhauled, Facelift
bles & Drips in Laurys Station, Pa., did the wrap. “We just wanted a clean, sharp look,” Joey said. “The paint took about two weeks to do with the wrap taking a couple of days. It has been seen in several local parades including the Barrett [Pa.] Halloween Parade where our company has won first place the last four years running.” “I really like the lifting height and how far below 0 degrees the wheelift can go,” Joey said. “You also get low pull points on the lift. If you do recovery work, you have a boom with two cylinders, and tieback points. This truck is a tank; I have yet to reach its limits.” A 5.9L Cummins straight-six diesel engine mated to an Allison automatic
transmission moves this truck through its paces; it is fully loaded with recovery straps and chains as well as equipment for all towing and recovery needs. “My medium-duty is the most versatile truck in our fleet. It allows us to have one of the most diverse fleets in the area from towing Camrys to slinging day-cab tractors,” said Joey. “It is the Swiss Army knife of trucks and keeps us a step ahead of the competition. While they’re sending out the heavy for a Ford F-550 utility truck, I’m able to keep ours freed up as well as cater to a large portion of the area’s fleet work. “Every job this truck does is memorable. This is my baby!”
Tech Highlights Chassis: 2005 Ford F-650 extended cab. Wrecker Body: 2005 JerrDan HPL-60 Cougar. E n g i n e : 5.9L Cummins straight six. Trans: Allison automatic. Winches: Dual 12,000-lbs. Ramsey. Builder: Nussbaum Wrecker Sales. Paint: Joe’s Auto Body. Wrap: Scribbles & Drips.
The Jerr-Dan Cougar before its 2015 overhaul.
by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti
E
d’s Auto Service and Towing in Mount Pocono, Pa., is a family owned and operated company started by Ed Cardiello and his wife, Yvonne, in 1995. Ed’s sons Eddie (office and shop) and Joey (towing) pretty much run the company these days. “We started this company as a repair shop. Everything we did was designed to accent the repair work,” Ed said. “When we decided to get into towing, we bought a heavy-duty wrecker and carrier. Today we have a fleet of 12 trucks and 10 employees.” Included in their fleet is this 2005 Ford F-650 extended cab with a 12-ton Jerr-Dan HPL-60 Cougar medium-duty wrecker on the business end. Ed purchases extended cab vehicles to accommodate the transport of additional customers in the truck. Ed originally bought the HPL-60 from Nussbaum Wrecker Sales to fill the void of medium-duty towing for the company. “We used to perform a lot of medium-duty towing with our heavyduty unit, which was overkill,” he said. 80 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
“We offer true medium-duty service. We do a lot of work for U-Haul and transport companies and our HPL-60 is more economical for these jobs. There’s also no CDL requirement, which means more drivers can operate the truck.” Both Ed and Joey swear by their medium-duty. “I’ve been driving this truck since I
was 16,” Joey saud. “This is my father’s and my pride and joy.” The reliable HPL-60 has been a true workhorse for the company, so they gave it a complete overhaul and facelift in 2015. All of the work was done inhouse except for the paint and wrap. Joe Radzierez, of Joe’s Auto Body, painted the hood and boom and Scrib-
The hood and boom were repainted, while the rest of truck received a wrap.
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TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • 81
It’s a Whole New Game
Y
ears ago, in a different time and much of a different place, the tow boss had a simple vision for advancing his or her company to a higher level of professionalism and success. He might have considered any one of the following; adding a wrecker, jumping up to heavy duty, deciding to go 24/7, graduating dispatch to an actual dispatcher, shifting to real uniforms, taking aim at an account group of businesses, upgrading the Yellow Pages ad or trying a radio campaign or cable TV advertising. Today the tow business owner still looks at this landscape of choices but there’s more, and it all adds up to the choice of whether to progress or become extinct. Changes affecting the towing industry that had their genesis 30 years ago have whipped into a tornado that is leaving the traditional tower in the storm’s aftermath. Yes, things have changed. For example, it’s misdirected today to advertise only in the Yellow Pages if at all. If you don’t have an independent website and are not showing up on Google, and haven’t developed your own app to download on customers’ smartphones, chances are there’s a competitor who is leaving you in the dust. You might have a good guy on dispatch, but your competitor may be using GPS to efficiently manage call routing and drivers, and lowering costs overall. You may be ignoring the Internet, passing it off as a social phenomena not pertinent to the towing business, 82 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
by Steve Calitri
and meanwhile customers are posting scathing reviews on your service performance or not considering you because of your absence on the net, and you’re missing the boat with motor clubs or police dispatchers. For some tow bosses, the situation of not keeping up precedes the hi-tech revolution. You may not conduct safety meetings with your tow operators, you don’t give them professional towing and recovery training, you don’t compete for their loyalty by offering a benefits package. In short, you can’t even begin to decide how to take your company to the next level because you’re operating in another era. Computerized bookkeeping? Online auctions of unclaimed vehicles? Telematics? You’re afraid to ask what that is just like you don’t give a hoot what a hashtag is. The tow boss, now more than ever, is a commander-in-chief. Things happen fast in the emergency road service arena and communications is as important as expertise. Quick decisions have to be made all the time and the right actions taken. In 2016, American Towman presents three educational programs, one during each of our three expositions: Las Vegas, Dallas, and Baltimore. You could say the sum of these seminars define what it means to be a state-ofthe-art towing company and what’s necessary to be profitable. Meanwhile, stay tuned to American Towman magazine for as much hi-tech as heavy metal.
When it comes to new products and equipment info, American Towman magazine keeps you informed with Road Tools and Zoom In departments in each issue. Beyond that, December includes AT’s annual Product Gateway (p. 44) that adds dozens of equipment updates to consider for the coming year. Online at TowIndustryWeek. com, there are the weekly equipment updates on the Product page. Savvy readers, however, will know to look beyond that page and read the Wrecks & Recovery section as well, paying close attention to the pics to see what equipment is being used in successful recoveries—from chassis and wrecker to winches, snatch blocks, remotes and more. For American Towman TV, Emily Oz is no stranger to covering the equipment in this industry. One recent video on AmericanTowmanTV.com covered some green updates you can make to your fleet through your chassis—alternative fuels. Specifically targeting propane, she talked with Ronny Martinez of ICOM North America for mechanical and financial advantages.
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Copyright 2015 American Towman Magazine. Characters and stories are fictitious; no resemblance to real life characters is intended.
Send your thoughts/suggestions on the Adventures to scalitri@towman.com or American Towman, 7 West St, Warwick NY 10990
Dept. of Corrections Trucks Repo’d The trucks that used to deliver food to state prisons in Illinois have been stripped of their state seals and repossessed from the state. The Larson Group recently hauled back the five Peterbilt trucks they leased to the state’s Department of Corrections. Because of a budget impasse, the department failed to make its monthly payments and racked up a $17,000 bill. The trucks were picked up from a warehouse currently used by Illinois Correction Industries. IDOC says they’ll use state-owned trucks now to deliver the food to the various facilities across the state. Source: wics.com.
Illegal Towing in Lubbock? In Lubbock, Texas, a local news station spent several weeks following Lubbock Wrecker and found that it would tow cars, drive them to the back of a supermarket and load them onto flatbeds that were waiting there during Texas Tech home football games. They showed the videos to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and asked whether it was legal. “When a vehicle is towed, it has to be taken to one of two places,” TDLR officer Todd Forrester said, “to a licensed vehicle storage facility or a place agreed upon by the owner or operator of the vehicle. So, no [it’s not legal].” TDLR said based on what officials saw in the videos, the taking of vehicles to the back of a supermarket and loading them onto flatbeds is illegal. Forrester said towing to the back of a supermarket is not allowed for several reasons, but mostly because it can damage a vehicle. “Our main thing is that vehicles need to go to a licensed vehicle storage facility to be sure that the vehicles aren’t being left in a staged [area],” Forrester said, “that they aren’t being left in a certain location and then taken to another at a later point in
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time. And again for vehicle damage we also need to know who was in contact with the vehicle.” An attorney for Lubbock Wrecker gave a statement to the news: “Lubbock Wrecker Service implements a two-stage towing process by which a smaller tow truck, sometimes referred to as a ‘quick pick’ or as a ‘wheel lift,’ is used to remove an illegally parked vehicle from a ‘tight’ parking lot and then takes the towed vehicle to a more open area. “The towed vehicle is then transferred to a larger tow truck called a rollback, which is used to transport the towed vehicle to Lubbock Wrecker Service’s vehicle storage facility. This practice is perfectly proper and does not violate any applicable statute or regulation. “The two-stage tow process is neither unlawful nor dishonest. Lubbock Wrecker Service does not charge two tow fees and never leaves the towed vehicle unattended for any period of time. The two-stage tow process implemented by Lubbock Wrecker Service is done for practical purposes, including safety and ease of towing. “The rollback trucks are extremely large vehicles and are difficult to maneuver in tight spaces such as crowded parking lots on game days. Lubbock Wrecker Service fully expects the TDLR investigation to be resolved in its favor because it has done nothing that would violate any applicable statute or regulation.” Source: everythinglubbock.com.
Tower Hit, Killed by Train Randy Muzzi, a 54-year-old tow truck driver, was called out to an accident site in Peel, Ontario, Canada near a GO commuter train station. Muzzi was doing his best to direct traffic at the accident site, a friend told the Star. He’d been on scene for 10 minutes when he realized that the traffic barriers at a nearby railroad crossing had closed across his truck— and that a train was approaching. Todd Keely, owner of TLK Towing and Muzzi’s employer, said that
continue to page S 88 SOUTH 84 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
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Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
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TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • SOUTH 85
Losing Control
N
athan Walker was having a bad day. His truck quit running so he called roadside assistance for a tow. After waiting on hold for a while, he decided to get a cab home, grab his other truck, and just pay me a visit. I welcomed him into my office and we called his roadside assistance company together. In a short time we received the tow call via computer. Nathan thanked me, handed me the keys and left. Assigning the call was the next step. Terry, the driver I sent the call to, was alerted. But not all things are that easy. Terry was already in his truck, eating his lunch. We try to stagger lunches when possible, so no undue pressure is put on the drivers to eat and run. However, we impress upon them that when a call comes in and they’re needed, it’s time to go. He’d received the call and had angrily thrown his lunch back in his lunch-bucket and was heading out. I ran to stop him, handed him the keys, and tried to explain that there was no rush. There was no one waiting with the truck, and he could finish eating if he wanted to. That’s when I learned Terry was having a bad day too. He didn’t want to hear it. He was upset that I’d given him the call and wasn’t able to relax and eat. In an attempt to get back at me for what he considered to be a huge infraction, he was going starve himself and run the call right then. I stood there for a moment wondering what just happened. I shook my head and then my blood began to boil. I got angry. I went back into my office, into the privacy of the bathroom, shut the door and complained. It went a little something like this: “I do everything I
by Don Archer
can for these guys, and this is the thanks I get? He never responds to the tablet that fast any other time,” and so on. Terry was trying to make me feel guilty. If you’ve never been put in this position before you might be led to believe that the guilt-trip worked. But the reality is I felt no guilt at all. I pay my drivers good money to be available when the calls come in. So why did I become angry? I believe that I became angry for the same reason that Terry did: because of a loss of control. It’s no revelation that we all seek to maintain a certain degree of control over our world. However, when we try to do this in an environment that is completely out of control, that’s where things get tricky. The towing business is where chaos is the name of the game. Our entire livelihood depends upon waiting for—and then cleaning up after—the unexpected. It’s unreasonable and crazy to expect to have any control at all. I believe for my business to be successful nothing can go wrong. It must be a seamless operation and customers must be happy. For that to happen I need good running trucks and happy drivers. However, trucks break down, people call in sick, customers are unreasonable … and drivers get angry. Even though I know these things happen and will continue to happen, I still feel like a failure when they do. While my business remains profitable, I still find myself focusing on the things that went wrong, not what went right. But what if this is what it looks like when it’s working? What if control is just an illusion? We can sometimes be lulled into a false sense of control. Skilled tow truck operators, bad weather, and crazy drivers seem to give us some assurances that we’ll make a profit;
SOUTH 86 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
It’s natural to become angry when we lose control (real or perceived) of a situation; but in towing chaos is the name of the game. It’s unreasonable to expect to have any control at all. Marvel’s “The Hulk” graphic courtesy of tvtropes.org.
but when a hydraulic line bursts in the midst of it all, we freak out. But doesn’t it always get fixed? Doesn’t the work always get done … somehow? The next day I walked into my office to find a note on my desk that read: “Call Nathan Walker.” My shoulders dropped and I began to get angry with Terry all over again. Reluctantly, I picked up the phone and placed the call. I was ready to hear the worst, that Terry had been rude, or damaged something. When Mr. Walker spoke, all I heard were glowing remarks. Terry had been the model employee. I thanked him, hung up the phone … and breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe this is what it looks like when it’s working. Editor’s note: This column first appeared on AT’s sister site, towindustryweek.com, which features industry news, training, recoveries, new products and more. Don’t miss out—make sure to check it out each week.
Don Archer lives and works in Jefferson City, Mo., where he and his wife, Brenda, own and operate Broadway Wrecker, a 12truck operation that’s been in business since the 1950s. He writes a weekly column for TowIndustryWeek.com. Email him at don@broadwaywrecker.com..
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TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • SOUTH 87
NEWSFLASH continued from page S 84 Muzzi ran back to his truck and tried to drive it out of the way of the tracks to try to prevent another accident. The truck was caught in the crossing, rammed by the oncoming train and dragged nearly a 1/2 mile before stopping. Source: thestar.com.
‘Safe Clear’ Towing May Expand For almost 40 years, Donzell Taylor has driven tow trucks around Houston, Texas, freeways. “I just cruise the freeway sometimes and look for stranded motorists,” he said over the chatter of police scanners in the cab of his truck. He’s worked through decades of wrecker drivers racing each other to the scenes of accidents. Now, Taylor drives a tow truck for Safe Clear, the towing program established by former Mayor Bill White. And he swears by it. “If you have a family member that’s sitting on that freeway up there, you can get them out of harm’s way,” Taylor said. “Safe Clear will get them out of
harm’s way until you can get there.” As students at New Caney High School mourn the death of a popular sophomore named Jose Damian, who died on his 17th birthday while helping change a flat tire alongside the Eastex Freeway, Harris County officials are in the midst of expanding a towing program that just might have saved the teenager’s life. Safe Clear, the program using private tow trucks to haul stranded vehicles off freeways, now ends at Houston’s city limits. But local government authorities are considering a similar program that would extend throughout Harris County. “If the Safe Clear program worked in the city – which most people said it did – it makes sense that you shouldn’t stop at an arbitrary boundary called a city limit,” said Harris County Judge Ed Emmett. “I mean, if the incident happens just outside the city limits, it would be nice to clear that.” Harris County has already assumed greater responsibility for clearing problems from freeways within the city limits. Sheriff ’s
SOUTH 88 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
deputies next week take control of the surveillance camera system monitoring freeways throughout the county. The county’s motorist assistance program will dispatch trucks for all tows coordinated from TranStar. County officials said the HoustonGalveston Area Council will decide whether to help fund a towing program for unincorporated Harris County, then commissioners will vote on whether to accept the subsidy and establish the program. “If you can get your vehicle off the highway, that’s going to get you in the most safe position,” said Ryan Sullivan, a spokesman for Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman. Source: khou.com.
Repo Attempt with Children, Adult Inside According to a lawsuit filed in Polk County, Fla., a man tried to repossess a car with two minor children still in it, then sprayed pepper spray at the adults who tried to stop him. Yaica and Quinyale Gore and DaBresha Harris, contend the proprietor of a towing company attempted to tow a 2006 Saturn Vue the Gores had defaulted on while Harris and two children were in it. Harris reportedly began repeatedly honking the horn from the Gore’s driveway to get Quinyale Gore’s attention. Harris was reportedly there to take him to work. When Gore questioned the repo agent, the lawsuit explains an argument ensued, police were called, and Harris and Gore were shot with a healthy dose of spray. The plaintiffs are seeking “no less” than $15,000 exclusive of attorney’s fees and court costs. The Gores acknowledge in the lawsuit that they had fallen behind on the payments and nowhere in the lawsuit do they claim the repossession was uncalled for. Instead they argue breach of peace occurred because two minors and an adult were still in the vehicle while the agent attempted to attach it to a tow truck. Source: saintpetersblog.com
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‘Safe Clear’ Towing May Expand
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For almost 40 years, Donzell Taylor has driven tow trucks around Houston, Texas, freeways. “I just cruise the freeway sometimes and look for stranded motorists,” he said over the chatter of police scanners in the cab of his truck. He’s worked through decades of wrecker drivers racing each other to the scenes of accidents. Now, Taylor drives a tow truck for Safe Clear, the towing program established by former Mayor Bill White. And he swears by it. “If you have a family member that’s sitting on that freeway up there, you can get them out of harm’s way,” Taylor said. “Safe Clear will get them out of harm’s way until you can get there.” As students at New Caney High School mourn the death of a popular sophomore named Jose Damian, who died on his 17th birthday while helping change a flat tire alongside the Eastex Freeway, Harris County officials are in the midst of expanding a towing program that just might have saved the teenager’s life. Safe Clear, the program using private tow trucks to haul stranded vehicles off freeways, now ends at Houston’s city limits. But local government authorities are considering a similar program that would extend throughout Harris County. “If the Safe Clear program worked in the city – which most people said it did – it makes sense that you shouldn’t stop at an arbitrary boundary called a city limit,” said Harris County Judge Ed Emmett. “I mean, if the incident happens just outside the city limits, it would be nice to clear that.” Harris County has already assumed greater responsibility for clearing problems from freeways within the city limits. Sheriff’s deputies next week take control of the surveillance camera system monitoring freeways throughout the county. The county’s motorist assistance pro-
continue to page M 88 Number 193 on Reader Card
MIDWEST 84 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
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Number 138 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • MIDWEST 85
Losing Control
N
athan Walker was having a bad day. His truck quit running so he called roadside assistance for a tow. After waiting on hold for a while, he decided to get a cab home, grab his other truck, and just pay me a visit. I welcomed him into my office and we called his roadside assistance company together. In a short time we received the tow call via computer. Nathan thanked me, handed me the keys and left. Assigning the call was the next step. Terry, the driver I sent the call to, was alerted. But not all things are that easy. Terry was already in his truck, eating his lunch. We try to stagger lunches when possible, so no undue pressure is put on the drivers to eat and run. However, we impress upon them that when a call comes in and they’re needed, it’s time to go. He’d received the call and had angrily thrown his lunch back in his lunch-bucket and was heading out. I ran to stop him, handed him the keys, and tried to explain that there was no rush. There was no one waiting with the truck, and he could finish eating if he wanted to. That’s when I learned Terry was having a bad day too. He didn’t want to hear it. He was upset that I’d given him the call and wasn’t able to relax and eat. In an attempt to get back at me for what he considered to be a huge infraction, he was going starve himself and run the call right then. I stood there for a moment wondering what just happened. I shook my head and then my blood began to boil. I got angry. I went back into my office, into the privacy of the bathroom, shut the door and complained. It went a little something like this: “I do everything I
by Don Archer
can for these guys, and this is the thanks I get? He never responds to the tablet that fast any other time,” and so on. Terry was trying to make me feel guilty. If you’ve never been put in this position before you might be led to believe that the guilt-trip worked. But the reality is I felt no guilt at all. I pay my drivers good money to be available when the calls come in. So why did I become angry? I believe that I became angry for the same reason that Terry did: because of a loss of control. It’s no revelation that we all seek to maintain a certain degree of control over our world. However, when we try to do this in an environment that is completely out of control, that’s where things get tricky. The towing business is where chaos is the name of the game. Our entire livelihood depends upon waiting for—and then cleaning up after—the unexpected. It’s unreasonable and crazy to expect to have any control at all. I believe for my business to be successful nothing can go wrong. It must be a seamless operation and customers must be happy. For that to happen I need good running trucks and happy drivers. However, trucks break down, people call in sick, customers are unreasonable … and drivers get angry. Even though I know these things happen and will continue to happen, I still feel like a failure when they do. While my business remains profitable, I still find myself focusing on the things that went wrong, not what went right. But what if this is what it looks like when it’s working? What if control is just an illusion? We can sometimes be lulled into a false sense of control. Skilled tow truck operators, bad weather, and crazy drivers seem to give us some assurances that we’ll make a profit;
MIDWEST 86 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
It’s natural to become angry when we lose control (real or perceived) of a situation; but in towing chaos is the name of the game. It’s unreasonable to expect to have any control at all. Marvel’s “The Hulk” graphic courtesy of tvtropes.org.
but when a hydraulic line bursts in the midst of it all, we freak out. But doesn’t it always get fixed? Doesn’t the work always get done … somehow? The next day I walked into my office to find a note on my desk that read: “Call Nathan Walker.” My shoulders dropped and I began to get angry with Terry all over again. Reluctantly, I picked up the phone and placed the call. I was ready to hear the worst, that Terry had been rude, or damaged something. When Mr. Walker spoke, all I heard were glowing remarks. Terry had been the model employee. I thanked him, hung up the phone … and breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe this is what it looks like when it’s working. Editor’s note: This column first appeared on AT’s sister site, towindustryweek.com, which features industry news, training, recoveries, new products and more. Don’t miss out—make sure to check it out each week.
Don Archer lives and works in Jefferson City, Mo., where he and his wife, Brenda, own and operate Broadway Wrecker, a 12truck operation that’s been in business since the 1950s. He writes a weekly column for TowIndustryWeek.com. Email him at don@broadwaywrecker.com..
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Number 189 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!
TOWMAN.COM - December 2015 • MIDWEST 87
NEWSFLASH continued from page M 84 gram will dispatch trucks for all tows coordinated from TranStar. County officials said the HoustonGalveston Area Council will decide whether to help fund a towing program for unincorporated Harris County, then commissioners will vote on whether to accept the subsidy and establish the program. “If you can get your vehicle off the highway, that’s going to get you in the most safe position,” said Ryan Sullivan, a spokesman for Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman. Source: khou.com.
Illegal Towing in Lubbock? In Lubbock, Texas, a local news station spent several weeks following Lubbock Wrecker and found that it would tow cars, drive them to the back of a supermarket and load them onto flatbeds that were waiting there during Texas Tech home football games. They showed the videos to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and asked whether it was legal.
“When a vehicle is towed, it has to be taken to one of two places,” TDLR officer Todd Forrester said, “to a licensed vehicle storage facility or a place agreed upon by the owner or operator of the vehicle. So, no [it’s not legal].” TDLR said based on what officials saw in the videos, the taking of vehicles to the back of a supermarket and loading them onto flatbeds is illegal. Forrester said towing to the back of a supermarket is not allowed for several reasons, but mostly because it can damage a vehicle. “Our main thing is that vehicles need to go to a licensed vehicle storage facility to be sure that the vehicles aren’t being left in a staged [area],” Forrester said, “that they aren’t being left in a certain location and then taken to another at a later point in time. And again for vehicle damage we also need to know who was in contact with the vehicle.” An attorney for Lubbock Wrecker gave a statement to the news: “Lubbock Wrecker Service implements a two-stage towing process by
which a smaller tow truck, sometimes referred to as a ‘quick pick’ or as a ‘wheel lift,’ is used to remove an illegally parked vehicle from a ‘tight’ parking lot and then takes the towed vehicle to a more open area. “The towed vehicle is then transferred to a larger tow truck called a rollback, which is used to transport the towed vehicle to Lubbock Wrecker Service’s vehicle storage facility. This practice is perfectly proper and does not violate any applicable statute or regulation. “The two-stage tow process is neither unlawful nor dishonest. Lubbock Wrecker Service does not charge two tow fees and never leaves the towed vehicle unattended for any period of time. The two-stage tow process implemented by Lubbock Wrecker Service is done for practical purposes, including safety and ease of towing. “The rollback trucks are extremely large vehicles and are difficult to maneuver in tight spaces such as crowded parking lots on game days. Lubbock Wrecker Service fully expects the TDLR investigation to be resolved in its favor because it has done nothing that would violate any applicable statute or regulation.” Source: everythinglubbock.com.
Repo Attempt with Children, Adult Inside According to a lawsuit filed in Polk County, Fla., a man tried to repossess a car with two minor children still in it, then sprayed pepper spray at the adults who tried to stop him. Yaica and Quinyale Gore and DaBresha Harris, contend the proprietor of a towing company attempted to tow a 2006 Saturn Vue the Gores had defaulted on while Harris and two children were in it. Harris reportedly began repeatedly honking the horn from the Gore’s driveway to get Quinyale Gore’s attention. Harris was reportedly there to take him to work. When Gore questioned the repo agent, the lawsuit explains an argument ensued, police were called, and Harris and Gore were shot with a healthy dose of spray. Source: saintpetersblog.com
MIDWEST 88 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
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Police Chief Assists at Repo Scene
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WEST 84 • December 2015 - TOWMAN.COM
The chief of the Manchester (Md.) Police Department was in his front yard when a neighbor told him of a nearby situation involving one man pointing a gun at two other men. Chief John Hess was the first law enforcement officer on the scene of the dispute, which ended with charges being filed but no injuries, according to charging documents and the chief. James Everett Cooper, 57, is facing two counts of first degree assault, two counts of second degree assault, four counts of reckless endangerment, two counts of possession of a dangerous weapon with intent to injure and related charges, according to electronic court files. Two men were on Cooper’s property to repossess a camper when Cooper allegedly intervened, gun in hand, according to charging documents. The two men who had been held at gunpoint identified themselves as property repossessors and showed police their repossessor’s licenses and the legal documentation necessary to repossess a camper in Cooper’s driveway, according to charging documents. The two repossessors told police they had backed their vehicle into the driveway in order to connect and secure the camper for repossession when they saw Cooper come out of his front door with a handgun, according to charging documents. Cooper allegedly pointed the gun at the two and ordered them to get out of their vehicle and lie on the ground, according to charging documents. When Hess arrived, he identified himself as a police officer, told Cooper to drop his handgun, and when Cooper responded with skepticism about Hess’s identity, Hess displayed his badge, according to charging documents. Hess then repeated his order for Cooper to drop the handgun three more times before Cooper complied, according to charging documents. Cooper was arrested on the scene. Source: www.carrollcountytimes.com
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Work the Passenger side–Stay Safe!
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