Tow Professional - Volume: 7 Issue: 1 by Over the Mountain Media, Inc

TOW PROFESSIONAL

CONTENTS

Volume 7• Issue 1 2018

www.towprofessional.com

FeatUre: industry Lighting I N D U S T RY NEWS TOWING & RECOVERY

26| TowMate 28| Will-Burt Company 30| Custer 32| Command Light

Feature: Hazardous Spills 38| Hazard Materials Incident Requirements 46| Raising the Bar Through Certification

Products: Insurance

Fuel 4 thought

52| Hal Kresser Agency

18 | What is Mental Toughness?

Insightful talk 20 | How to get the Best out of Your Employees

TIPS For Drivers 54 | Snatch Blocks

Scene Photos

FeatUre: industry Lighting

56 | Photos “Seen from the Scene”

58| AW Direct IN EVERY ISSUE 4 | Publisher’s Letter 59 |Dealers Place 2

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63 | Market Place 64 | Ad Index

PUBLISHER’S

LETTER

Professional Your Resource for Towing & Recovery

Volume 7 • Issue 1 2018 www.towprofessional.com

Time to Grow and Improve Wow! It’s hard to believe that it’s 2018! As a child of the 70’s, I thought the year 2018 would involve flying cars, robot maids, and all kinds of other things that haven’t happened. Maybe it was the “Jetson’s” influence from cartoons as a kid or every sci-fi movie about the year 2000 and beyond. There have been some crazy advances in technology. Who would have thought there would be no tapes, cd’s, or record players needed anymore or that we would all carry crazy powerful computers around in our hands and pockets. “The times… they are a changing…” that would be a great title of a song. Over the next couple of issues, we are going to be covering technology, software, camera systems, and GPS. While I know that our industry has been slowly moving away from the days of paper tickets, fax machines, and maps. There are many of these things you can use to help your business be more profitable and make more money per call. With the additional 14% tax savings that many of you will enjoy, there will be new equipment you can buy, salaries you can increase and advancements you can make to your business to help you become even more profitable. There are new trucks that get better fuel mileage, that are safer, that will require less maintenance, and can accomplish more varieties of jobs. There are GPS, software, and camera systems that will pay for themselves quickly and help you limit mistakes, better work with motor clubs, and help you better see where your money is best spent. In this issue, we will be talking about advancement in lighting for your truck, but also for the incident management scene. These products have come a long way in a few years and are more effective, efficient, and more useful than ever. Also in line with the incident management, we will be talking some about spill control. Dan & DJ are back giving us more “Insight” into this market and some “Fuel 4 Thought” on how you can improve your business every day. Make sure you go ahead and start booking hotels for the Southern Tow Expo & Beach Bash for this year. It happens August 10th-12th this year and will again be the best time of the year. Last year, we had tremendous training sessions, a great trade show line-up as well as the best event of any tow show ever, and like last year, we will have beach parties, deep-sea fishing, and a night at the world-famous Flora-Bama. Go to www.southerntowexpo.comto learn more and to book your hotel rooms as they will fill up fast. All of these things can help your business but only if you give them the opportunity to. This year is a great year to “Grow and Improve Your business,” and we look forward to helping you anyway we possibly can. Stay Safe and Keep Reading,

Timothy A. Smith Vice President Tow Professional Magazine

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PUBLISHER Darian Weaver President & Publisher darian@towprofessional.com

Tim Smith V.P. Sales tim@towprofessional.com __________________________

PRODUCTION Dana Scott Creative Director dana@towprofessional.com

Gene Eudy Proof Editor gene@towprofessional.com __________________________

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Chris Anderson - TowMate Perry Beaty - FlowStop Dave Cotsmire - Will-Burt Scott Fowler - Hal Kresser Insurance Andy Haag - Custer Products D.J. Harrington Dan Messina Nathan Shupp - Command Light

__________________________

Executive and Advertising Offices 2007 Old Montgomery Hwy, Suite B Birmingham, AL 35244 Toll free: 888-802-8544 Fax: 205-978-1550 www.towprofessional.com Tow Professional is published nine times a year by Over The Mountain Media, Inc., 2007 Old Montgomery Hwy., Suite B, Birmingham, Alabama, 35244, USA. Tow Professional is distributed free to qualified subscribers. Non-qualified subscription rates are $57.00 per year in the U.S. and Canada and $84.00 per year for foreign subscribers (surface mail). U.S. Postage paid at Birmingham, Alabama and additional mailing offices. Tow Professional is distributed to qualified Towing & Recovery's Top Decision Makers. Publisher is not liable for all content (including editorial and illustrations provided by advertisers) of advertisements published and does not accept responsibility for any claims made against the publisher. It is the advertiser’s or agency’s responsibility to obtain appropriate releases on any item or individuals pictured in an advertisement. Reproduction of this magazine in whole or in part is prohibited without prior written permission from the publisher.

For a new free subscription, address changes or corrections, please visit www.towprofessional.com and click on the “subscribe” tab.

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JERR-DAN’S LEADING INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS OFFER SOLUTIONS FOR THE TOWING & RECOVERY INDUSTRY Product line of wreckers, rotators and carriers deliver performance, reliability and durability

Jerr-Dan Corporation, an Oshkosh Corporation Company nd a single brand leader in the towing and recovery business, continues to offer products that have been engineered to deliver performance, reliability and durability. Engineered to undertake the toughest challenges, Jerr-Dan’s innovative product line provides competitive advantage while affording long-term addedvalue. “Jerr-Dan’s equipment and products are engineered and designed for the long term and with safety in mind,” said Richard del Campo, Vice President, General Manager at JerrDan. “As we continue to lead the industry, our carriers, wreckers and rotators will continue to be designed with our customers in mind, creating products that are solutions, have longevity and deliver overall on total cost of ownership (TCO).” From the lengths of the booms – to the capacities of our carrier decks – Jerr-Dan’s products continue to exceed industry 6

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standards. Additional characteristics of Jerr-Dan’s products is their superior warranty and their reliability and performance factors. Jerr-Dan’s equipment is reliable while undertaking the toughest challenges operators face in their daily towing and recovery operations. “It is our people, our product quality, our unwavering commitment to safety and ethics, as seen in our parent company, Oshkosh Corporation, named a 2017 World’s Most Ethical Company by the Ethisphere Institute, that sets us apart,” said del Campo. “We listen to our customers and what they need is what drives us. Customer solutions are at the center of our direction moving forward and Jerr-Dan is continuing to set the pace and tone of the industry with our innovation.” www.jerrdan.com

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New Solutions for Heavy Loads Miller Industries Offers High-Pressure Air Lifting Bag Kit

Miller Industries Towing Equipment Inc. now offers a high-pressure air-bag lifting kit, ideal for use in heavy-duty recoveries. This new high-pressure kit is manufactured by MatJack, an Indianapolis, Indiana-based company. The MatJack® high- pressure kit includes both 22-ton and 32-ton lifting bags that are designed to lift the heavy weight commonly found on overturned tractor trailers, vehicles stuck in a ditch, and many other challenging recovery situations. The MatJack® air bags help to provide access during a recovery or tow when there would otherwise be no space to place a strap or chain under the 8

load. The air bags operate off the service air found on the back of the heavyduty tow truck and can lift up to 32 tons with the push of a button. This highpressure kit is ideal when outfitting all heavy-duty wreckers. MatJack® air lifting bags have been in the towing industry since 1981 and are made in the USA. Miller Industries is proud to partner with MatJack to offer their customers the best products available in the towing and recovery industry. For more information on the MatJack® high-pressure kit or other new products from Miller Industries, please visit their online news feed at http://news.millerind.com or see a local Miller

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Industries Distributor. Miller Industries Towing Equipment is the world’s largest manufacturer in towing and recovery equipment. Miller Industries offers a variety of products from auto-load units with 8,000-lb. capacities to rotators with 75-ton capacities. All of which fall under the Miller Industries family of brands of Century®, Vulcan®, Chevron™, and Holmes®. For more information about Miller Industries and their products, follow them on social media, visit their website at millerind.com, or call 800-292-0330. www.millerind.com

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The Will-Burt Company Celebrates 100th Anniversary Will-Burt plans events throughout 2018 to honor our heritage and celebrate an exciting future.

January 31, 1918 was the day Burton W. Cope signed the incorporation documents creating The Will-Burt Company in Orrville, Ohio - a company founded on hard work, integrity, creative thinking and a relentless drive to succeed. The Will-Burt Company’s history can be traced back to 1894 when the Cope brothers opened a general repair shop. Soon after they purchased a patent for drilling equipment then grew the business to the point where they took on partner William Tschantz. “Will” Tschantz and “Burt” Cope began doing business as The Will-Burt Company in 1916. Will-Burt began performing contract manufacturing work shortly after incorporation in 1918 and continues to offer these services today with state-of-the-art metal fabrication capabilities and a worldclass powder-coat line. Richard Lewin, Will-Burt’s President and COO states, “We are pleased that we have been able to build upon the legacy of 10

our founder, Burton Cope. By investing in the latest technology and employing the best people, we are able to deliver high quality and innovative products and services to our customers.” Alongside contract manufacturing, Will-Burt has designed, manufactured, and sold many different products over the years. Coal stokers and heaters were a

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mainstay from the 1920’s through the 1960’s. These were sold throughout the United States and Canada, and many are still in use to this day. Versa-Vise, a flexible home workshop vise, was a part of the product line from the early 1900’s until the 1990’s. The 1970’s ushered in the “Age of Elevation.” The purchase of a local com-

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pany that had been making telescoping pneumatic masts for the U.S. Army was the beginning of Will-Burt’s climb to becoming a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and sales of mobile elevation products. Will-Burt has made several acquisitions over the years in support of this business while receiving numerous patents as elevation products have become Will-Burt’s primary product range. During the 1980’s, the company transitioned from a family-owned business to a 100% employee-owned company via an ESOP (employee stock ownership plan). This evolution was natural for a company that has always had an “employees first” philosophy made evident by the many generations of families that have been employed by the company. Jeffrey O. Evans, Will-Burt’s CEO, has been a tireless supporter of the ESOP and comments, “Every leader wants to profitably grow the company he manages, but only a few are lucky enough to grow shareholder value and wealth for all employees of the organization. It has been my honor and my privilege to do so.” Our centennial, 2018, is the year we celebrate past accomplishments, current successes, and a bright future. There are several employee and customer-focused programs scheduled throughout the year. A community event will be held August 25th for all to come and join the celebration in Orrville, Ohio. About The Will-Burt Company: The Will-Burt Company (www.willburt.com), located in Orrville, Ohio, USA, is the world's premier manufacturer of mobile telescoping masts, towers, and pan and tilt positioners. We offer virtually every payload elevation and integration solution from the top brands (Will-Burt, GEROH, Integrated Tower Solutions (ITS) and MAD) for military, first responders, cellular, broadcast, entertainment and other markets. Will-Burt designs and manufactures shelters made of all-composite materials that deliver higher performance at lower life-cycle cost than metal or partial composite shelters. WillBurt offers metal fabrication, powder coating, and manufacturing services backed by a certified ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System. Incorporated in 1918, Will-Burt is 100% employee-owned and is classified as a small business. www.willburt.com

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2018 Midwest Regional Tow Show

The Towing and Recovery Association of Ohio is extremely proud to announce that we will be celebrating our 40th tow show on Sept. 27-30, 2018! We plan to incorporate some new ideas as well as bring back some requested events from years past. We do our best to make this a fun, family- oriented affair as well as giving you an opportunity to get great deals from our vendors! There will be seminars to provide extended education as well as fun activities for you. We also never forget all of the fallen towers and have a candlelight vigil in their remembrance. Make sure to add this event to your calendars. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to miss out on this exciting event that is focused on the towing industry! www.traaonline.com

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Dynamicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New 701 Negative Tilt Unit Dynamic has a new 701 unit with negative tilt. It has a 5000 lb., fully-extended wheel lift with 25 degrees of negative and power tilt. The reach of the unit is 79 inches. It comes with a Dynamic standard 3-year warranty. The unit is based on the original 701 design, but with the benefits of the negative tilt. It now becomes easier to recover a vehicle down a driveway. www.dynamicmfg.com

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Fuel 4 thought By D .J. Harringt on, CSP

WHAT IS MENTAL TOUGHNESS? What exactly is mental toughness? What does it mean? Is it a state of the mind or does it mean being mentally ready for battle at a moment’s notice? I’m happy to answer your questions so you can see it first-hand in April while down in sunny Florida. Mental toughness is the control and manipulation of emotion directed at any desired outcome from a Navy Seal surviving in a war zone to a sales professional closing a deal. For us, as tow bosses who are running a medium-size company, it’s trying to buy a rotator to get a bigger share of the market. Having mental toughness often makes the difference between winning and losing, closing and not closing deals, and even life-and-death situations. Mental toughness is a physiological training process that helps teams 18

elevate performance, develop people, and manage change. I hope to see everyone at the Florida Tow Show being held April 5th – 8th in beautiful Orlando, Florida at the Hilton Lake Buena Vista. The reason I started with what is “Mental Toughness” is because the renowned speaker who’s going to be speaking ten close minutes away from the Florida Tow Show is none other than the famous, STEVE SIEBOLD! That’s right, Steve Siebold! Lots of you have seen him on Fox Business News,

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ABC, and CBS. A straight-forward speaker, Steve Siebold is not a “Rah, Rah” or “hype” type of guy. He doesn’t use fluff and definitely isn’t considered a motivational speaker. Me, I want you to feel good while doing good work. Mr. Siebold wants you to improve your critical thinking. Does Siebold have the experience to help you improve critical thinking? His background says he does. For over 33 years, Steve Siebold has been the secret weapon for many Fortune 500 companies such as Johnson & Johnson, GlaxonSmithKline, and Transamerica as well as world-class teams such as US Navy Seals, Boston Celtics, and Miami Marlins. Steve trains people on the attitudes of winners. Steve

will give conference attendees proven psychological tools to help them navigate and eventually thrive through the emotional storms of business and life. The towing industry needs a kick in the pants so, as an industry, we can increase sales, develop our people, and help our local teams secure mental-toughness training. Steve Siebold will be there. My only question is, “Will you?” Will you be there April the 5th through the 8th in Orlando, Florida for the Florida Tow Show. For 10 lucky people who are attending the Florida Tow Show in April, I am excited to tell you that I have ten FREE passes to give away. Those 10 people will have the opportunity to hear Steve Siebold LIVE. We will be giving 10 tickets away at the Tow Professional Magazine booth as well as the Car-Part.com booth. If you are one of the lucky 10, you’ll be shuttled to the nearby hotel. That hotel is located less than 10 minutes away, and

you’ll hear Steve speak to a group of business leaders in the recycling business who’ve come from all over the world to hear him. During Steve’s presentation, he’ll reveal some of the valuable information written in his newest book, Secrets Self-Made Millionaires Teach Their Kids. Steve’s presentation will last only 90 minutes, and as an added surprise, you may want to get a copy of his newest book and have him sign it. After we’re done there, we’ll be shuttled back to our convention center. So, if you want a chance to hear Steve Siebold LIVE, then be one of the first people to visit the Tow Professional or Carpart.com booths. By the way, Carpart.com is also sponsoring the kids part of the convention this year. Thank you for that, Car-part.com! N

The Tow Doctor

Until then, see you next time.

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Insightful talk By D an Mes s ina

HOW TO GET THE BEST OUT OF

I can remember when I first got into towing. I came out of the computer industry- a white-collar industry where being a professional was expected from every employee. I Tow company provided private property towing in the Dallas area. I remember meeting my employees for the first time. I thought, “Wow, I never saw so many tattoos in one place at one time!” That was just a start. As time went on, some of the challenges I had with employees were: 1. They worked when they wanted. 2. When they were at work, they needed a specific truck. If they did not get the truck they wanted, they would pull fuses, so the truck would not start or the lift would not work. 20

3. When I assigned them a tow, they would not run the call. They said it was another driver’s turn, or it was too far to go, or it was in a bad part of town. 4. They would do anything they could to make another driver look bad.

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5. Forget about asking them to train a new driver. 6. Some had criminal records, and drugs were a problem for some.

Remember, I was in a white-collar industry, so these things were new to me. I called a team meeting with all employees and told them what I expected from them. I laid out some company policies, and I expected all employees to follow them. It did not take long when one employee tested me on the rules. I politely told him he was fired and walked him out.

Insightful talk cont inued I made sure all the other employees knew why I fired him, and I would not hesitate to do it again if I had too. The problem caused by one employee can easily undermine the achievements and attitudes of the whole staff. I wanted to be fair and give everyone a fair chance. I had employees come to me and tell me

how bad some of the other employees were. I would listen, but I had to find out for myself. Once the employees watched how I operated, they would not come crying to me all the time. As time went on, I let a few more employees go and kept the ones I thought had a chance to be a good

employee. I started to hire a different kind of employee. I wanted team players and people who wanted a chance to make a good salary. After twenty years in the business, I did something most owners donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do--I became their friend. When I saw a problem arise, I would confront that person and put them on a corrective program. I would pay for performance, and it did not take long for employees from other companies to want to work for me. I had 30 employees, and there was no magic to what I did. I just followed some of the following steps: 1. Treat everyone fairly. 2. Reward for performance. 3. Listen to what they had to say. 4. Promote from within. 5. Educate your staff. 6. Let them make decisions. As I made all the employees feel like they were part of the team, our tows went up, and the company grew. I shared our success by having parties, feeding them at least twice a month, buying some of the driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new trucks, and making them feel like they belonged.

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I created a business plan for my company, and I let all the employees know what our goals and objectives were. I want to make them a part of it because I counted on them to help me reach my goals. If they needed new equipment, they got it; if they needed some training, they got it; if they needed more customers, I would find ways to increase our customer base. If I could use one word to describe our success, it would be “Trust”: 1. Trust in the company – My employees trusted me, and they knew if I said something I would not change my mind. They believed in our goals because I let them help identify what our goals would be. We built a good reputation; we were honest; and, most of all, we provided a good service. 2. Trust among the employees – No more downing trucks so no one else could use it. Drivers learned to share their trucks and help others reach their goals. Providing a good service takes all employees trusting each other with their decisions relating to tows. I let my employees make decisions because they were the closest to a situation. If they made a mistake, I would correct their error and show them what we should have done. 3. Identifying trust – As a manager and owner, I had to evaluate each employee to make sure I could trust that employee. I first made sure the employee was reliable and was capable of doing the job. I needed to make sure all my employees have the skills necessary to do the job I asked them to do. I had to make sure the employee would speak up if there was a problem and be truthful when there was a problem. As an owner or manager, you must be aware that you can create the problem in the workforce. Be a good communicator, and don’t say one thing and do another. Don’t treat one employee differently than another and be fair to all. Give the employee the opportunity to give feedback on a problem. You want to make sure you pass on important information to the whole team. If you want a successful company, you need team spirit. No matter how much you plan or how organized you think you are, if you don’t have the team behind you, reaching goals will become difficult. Building team spirit involves you engaging with your team. There should be a sense of enjoyment when you are with your staff at work or at play. Your success is only as good as the team you build. N Volume 7 • Issue 1 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

industry Lighting

THE NEW POWER-LINK FOR 2018! Power-Link Technology is the easiest, fastest, and most reliable way to install and control vehicle lighting. Run a single power wire and use any ground point on your vehicle—it’s really that simple! PowerLink technology uses powerline communication to control the lights you have wired into the 12V system. The Power-Link Controller will control any Power-Link light, but with the PLC-RX, you can do much more. The real beauty of Power-Link technology is not only found in the amazing brightness of the lights, but also in how easy the lights are to install. Install your PLC lights: Run a single power cable around your truck. Wire in all the lights to that power wire. Ground all lights. DONE. No more huge multi-wire looms to pull through the firewall. Simple, fast, and reliable. The PLC-RX is a powerful piece of technology: It enables two channels of control. Either channel can be set to allow powerthru (ideal for controlling marker lights) then, when prompted from the control pad, the channel can strobe. Strobing can be enacted without the power-thru setting as well. Additionally, the PLC-RX can be simply used as an “essentially wireless” On/Off switch (ideal for LED work lights, etc.). Each channel is rated for up to 3 amps or use the PLC-RX-RLY with integrated relays to achieve greater load capacity. 26

a useful and powerful backup/work light mode, along with the ability to connect it as a turn signal (if amber LED’s for strobe) and/or brake light (if red LED’s for strobe), these lights will give your truck the professional appearance you’ve been after! Available in a multitude of colors including amber, red, white, and blue, this light can be ordered in many configurations including a replacement for existing S/T/T lights or simply as a marker/strobe/work light combo. That means single, dual, or even tri-color configurations. The Combo Lights install with two wires (three if utilizing the signal/brake functionality) using our Power-Link Technology, making this the easiest to install and most versatile 6" oval LED warning light to ever hit the market.

PCX LIGHT BARS

COMBO LIGHTS Outshine the competition with the new Combo Lights series of marker/signal/ strobe/backup combination lights. Feature packed with marker/strobe functions and

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The PLC line of overhead light bars has been improved with the new PCX light bars from TowMate! Featuring the newly redesigned PCX end caps, these bars offer superior light dispersion to keep you visible and safe. The Power-Link system

industry Lighting installs by connecting the controller and lightbar to 12/24V power and ground. Power-Link light bars are available in a multitude of colors and configurations including with work lights, alley lights, or wireless stop/tail/turn signals. Each PCX bar comes standard equipped with traffic advisor arrow functionality along with several strobe patterns to select from. Need multiple color profiles from one bar? No problem! Our True Dual Color (TDC) technology allows you to change from one color to another at the push of a button when ordered as a dual-color lightbar. TowMate uses UV-protected materials so you never have to worry about the lenses fading or yellowing from exposure to the elements. Also, as with all TowMate light bars, they are made in the USA and carry a lifetime warranty on electronics and LED’s.

PLC-TOUCH CONTROLLER The new Power-Link PLC-TOUCH controller is the most powerful and easiest to

PLC-TX6BT CONTROLLER

use PLC controller ever! Control your vehicle’s entire light system via the super bright 3”x 5” OLED touchscreen. Upgradable architecture makes this system FUTURE PROOF (new features and abilities will be added in the future!) Love our iMon system for saving you countless TowMate tow lights from being left behind? The PLC-TOUCH has wireless monitoring built in with next generation architecture making it the most accurate monitor system yet! Installs with any 12V DC power on the vehicle. Lifetime warranty. Made in USA.

The Power-Link PLC-TX6 6-button transmitter operates any PLC light and/or the PLC-RX 2-channel receivers, giving you ultimate control of the lighting on your recovery or emergency vehicle with minimal installation effort. Comes standard with Power-Link light bars or purchase it on its own and build your own Power-Link system around it. Upgrade to the PLCTX6BT to gain Bluetooth connectivity with your android smart phone. N

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industry Lighting

WILL-BURT’S NIGHT SCAN LIGHTING

TURNS NIGHT I You want to be as safe as possible when you are on a nighttime job. You also want to make money. Night Scan products can help you do both. Night Scan HDT light towers deliver overhead light that reliably illuminates the entire recovery scene. What makes a light tower special versus the fixed lights on your truck? 1. You can position Night Scan HDT lights in any direction regardless of the position of your truck.

2. You can aim the lights down an embankment or up a steep hill. 3. Light from a tower shines down on you like the sun rather than straight into your eyes like truck- mounted lights. The tower lights do not blind you or oncoming traffic. 4. In some states, you can charge for the use of a light tower – you can’t do that with truck- mounted lights. Will-Burt offers a variety of towers that will fit nearly any tow vehicle – from tow

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trucks and rollbacks to heavy wreckers and rotators. The Night Scan HDT Powerlite comes in two variations. The fold-down version is perfect when a large, flat surface is available – typically behind the cab on heavy wreckers. A vertical version of the Night Scan HDT Powerlite only requires 12” of space to install, and these fit perfectly between the cab and the boom. Smaller versions of the towers are available for tow trucks, service trucks,

industry Lighting they provide 20,000 lumens from each fixture for years of trouble-free service. Night Scan XL200 LED lamps have an industry-leading 10-year warranty. The Night Scan Scout is a 40,000 lumen, wireless-remote operated light positioner that can be mounted just about anywhere on any vehicle. The Scout can be operated from inside or outside of the vehicle and is perfect when you are moving and need to search for objects on the darkest nights. The Scout is rugged and is designed to withstand harsh elements and the constant vibration of the largest trucks. Will-Burt also offers retrofit LED headlights that fit many existing wreckers and rotators. These lights are DOT approved and are designed for use on heavy equipment. These are more than just an LED

INTO DAY and rollbacks. Night Scan light towers are lightweight enough to mount on the roof of a truck and versatile enough to mount on nearly any flat surface where you can access 12-volt power. If your vehicle has limited space, our folding models come with a Profiler option that has a maximum width of only 21”. These fit perfectly on the side tool compartments of many heavy wreckers. All Night Scan HDT towers come with the best LED lights in the industry – Night

Scan XL200. The XL200 has been specifically designed to work with Night Scan light towers: light output is maximized with a minimum amount of power – no generator is needed. A combination of flood and spot optic lenses concentrate half the LED output onto your working area, and the rest is used to flood the surrounding scene – everyone can safely do their job and stay out of harm’s way. Advanced thermal management circuitry means the lights will never overheat, and

bulb and reflective housing; these fixtures contain optics that precisely aim the light so that it does not blind oncoming traffic, but spreads the light low and wide for illumination that halogen headlights cannot match. Will-Burt’s Night Scan range of lighting products has a product that will fit your needs and budget. Will-Burt is an employee-owned company that has been designing, manufacturing, and marketing mobile elevation products for over 40 years right here in the USA. We are known as the world’s leading mobile elevation solutions company, and we are proud to be celebrating our 100th birthday in 2018. N

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industry Lighting

Custer Celebrates 25 Years as a “Small Giant” to the Towing Industry “We’ve never wanted to be the biggest, just the best,” remarked Brad Custer, CEO of Custer Products, Limited. We think of ourselves as a ‘small giant’ in the towing industry. Our focus is on supplying high quality products at fair prices coupled with extraordinary service. This formula has fueled our growth for the past 25 years, and we’re going to remain faithful to it. You don’t have to be the biggest to be the best.” Custer Products, Ltd. sells hundreds of towing products through a distribution network that covers North America,

South America, Central America, Europe, and Australia. Custer sells to distributors, both large and small, and has a significant presence with OEMs. In addition to the towing industry, Custer offers lighting products to the trucking, RV, off-road, marine, and farm industries. Custer continued, “we define our success from the viewpoint of the customer: exceeding their expectations, having a personal relationship with them, and making sure we are an extraordinary supplier to them. When we do that, everything else takes care of itself. “

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Custer offers hundreds of lighting products to the towing industry: work lights, rooftop light bars, flashers, beacons, mounting boxes, bezels, gaskets, marker lights, wired and wireless LED tow lights, plugs, sockets, adaptors, conspicuity tape, emergency warning triangles, and back-up alarms. Custer is particularly pleased with the success of their wireless tow-light line, which achieved record sales in 2017. Custer spent 2016 listening to tow professionals at tow shows and working hand-in-hand with their vendors.

industry Lighting “We consider our Lite-It Wireless bars the new ‘standard for the industry.’ We are proud of the work we did in 2016 to make our tow lights the best in the business,” commented Andy Haag, President of Custer Products. “We invested significant dollars redesigning our printed circuit board assembly—and now it’s ‘automotive grade’—which means the circuit board is of such a high quality that it could be used by Ford, GM, and Chrysler. The bottom line for the professional tower is that the chance of a Lite-It tow light flickering is virtually non-existent. We’re thrilled to have achieved record sales of our wireless line in 2017.” “We’re also proud that the Lite-It Wireless line is assembled in the USA, with USAmade components,” said Haag. Other factors that make Custer Lite-It bars the professional’s choice: • The bars are individually serialized – this eliminates cross talk and allows Custer to track ownership of a registered tow light that’s lost or stolen. • Hard-wired lights and shrink-tube butt connectors ensure a tight, secure connection. • The marker lights only come on when they receive a signal, saving battery life. • Our light bars are made of low density polyethylene and come in a variety of colors. • Every Lite-It Wireless bar has a transmitter, a 12-volt charger, port covers, and a charger indicator light. • 3-year, no-hassle warranty. • Outstanding customer service; if you return a bar for a repair, we’ll happily provide you with a loaner until the repair is made. Custer Products has also developed a new tow light that many experts expect will revolutionize the towing industry. The product is S.M.A.R.T Rider, a 42 LED light bar that has the highest visibility and best durability of any light bar of similar size. Haag continued: “Following several years of blood, sweat, and tears, we’ve created a tow light that we expect to become the standard for the towing industry. S.M.A.R.T. stands for Simple, Magnetic, Alerting, Radio-powered Tow light. We’re confident S.M.A.R.T Rider

clearly represents the best tow light value in the industry—and S.M.A.R.T. Rider’s price is competitive as compared to other light bars that lack S.M.A.R.T. Rider’s features and quality.” The S.M.A.R.T. Rider is 23 ” long, 3” high, and 4 ’ deep, and is constructed of polyethylene for amazing durability, especially in cold climates. The 42 LEDs stay bright for 12 hours between charges; battery replacement takes less than 10 minutes; and with 90 lb. pull rubber-coated

magnets (not boots), the S.M.A.R.T. Rider stays where it’s placed. S.M.A.R.T. Rider comes complete with a 4-pin transmitter, a 12-volt cigarette charger, and complete instructions. “We also ship S.M.A.R.T Rider in a box ready for retail display,” Haag stated. “It will look great on a showroom floor, especially next to our other light bars we sell under the Lite It Wireless brand. It’s our one-two punch.” N

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industry Lighting

Tow Professional | Volume 7 â&#x20AC;¢ Issue 1 | www.towprofessional.com

industry Lighting Located in Fort Collins, Colorado, Command Light is a manufacturer of unique and effective vehicle-scene lighting. Beginning in 1992, they began selling their patented light towers to emergency services throughout the world. Traditionally, light towers used hydraulic or pneumatic mechanisms to extend scene lights up and were prone to malfunctioning in harsh conditions, sometimes getting stuck and leaving firstresponder apparatus inoperable. Command Light solved this problem by utilizing an all-electric design and additionally added multi-stage and direction control to position light exactly where it’s needed. Manufactured using aircraft-grade aluminum alloy to reduce weight and add strength, they are engineered to be easily mounted on the roofs of vehicles or anywhere on a vehicle that has the space and strength. Whatever your lighting needs, they have a variety of solutions to choose from. Command Light products are available in various sizes: the larger CL series, medium-sized KL and Shadow series, and the compact - yet powerful CLite. The CL Series are Command Light’s largest units and are available for either AC or DC power. These units work well with larger rigs and come with lighting options in LED or quartz halogen. Users have precise control over light as CL lights rotate 360° continuously and have

C-Series with Traffic Flow Board

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industry Lighting

KL-Series

two sections that can be raised for a reach of up to 11 feet. All CL Series towers come standard with a remote controller with a 15-ft. umbilical cord (a panel-mounted controls option is available). A great option for rigs of all sizes is Command Light’s C- Lite. This is an

CL-Series

extremely versatile, compact unit that boasts a powerful, concentrated beam of light allowing the user to illuminate hardto-reach areas not reached by fixed lights. A combination of one LED spotlight in addition to one LED floodlight comes standard creating a balanced light source to illuminate any job. The C-Lite is

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Shadow-Series

deployed in seconds with a panel-mounted control and is powered by AC, DC, or a combination depending on the user’s need and can output up to 25,000 lumens. It’s small, lightweight size can mount vertically or horizontally. Lights can tilt up to 120° and even rotate making this unit extremely flexible for all types

industry Lighting of rigs. The C-Lite features the same quality as all other Command Light models and comes with the same industry-leading five-year warranty. These units are maintenance-free and designed for all weather â&#x20AC;&#x201C; unaffected by ice buildup, high winds, and blowing dust. Constructed from aluminum with stainless steel shafts and thermo-polymer bushings, the C-Lite is durable enough to last for years and has been tested in high and low temperatures and can withstand 90-mph winds. In addition to scene lighting, the company also makes a variety of traffic flowboards to help direct traffic safely around an incident. With features like auto-stowing and remote-control operation, these flow boards are an investment in safety. Command Light recently completed a move to a newly remodeled building at 3842 Redman Drive in Fort Collins, Colorado. Encompassing 160,000 square feet, the new building contains all Command Light manufacturing processes including our foundry, water jet, powder-coat area, and machine shop. In addition to the new building, there are anoth-

er 20 acres of land for future expansion. Command Light had been located 12 miles south in Loveland, Colorado for the past 20 years, but had grown to the point of exceeding the available space and was spread over multiple buildings. The new building is designed to be very energy efficient with computer-controlled lighting, security, and air movement. The washing process for the powder-coat area has been engineered to be zero discharge. The west end of the property is a designated wet land, including a warm-

water spring that is heavily visited by migratory ducks and geese. The wet land and surrounding buffer area will not be disturbed. The expansion was necessary to accommodate the increased order levels for both lighting and traffic-control products. By moving all operations under one roof, there is much efficiency to be gained to reduce both lead times and product costs. N 1-800-797-7974 commandlight.com

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By US Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration

HAZARD MATERIALS INCIDENT CLEARANCE COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS In addition to being able to recognize the types of hazardous materials that might be at the incident site, the responders must be aware of the pertinent regulations covering the handling and disposal of the identified materials. Because of the potential harmful nature of these materials, safety regulations are in place to ensure that only those that do so are properly trained in the handling and disposal requirements of the hazardous substances.

Tow Professional | Volume 7 â&#x20AC;˘ Issue 1 | www.towprofessional.com

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HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SPILLS lance program, and 3. Participate in an employer respiratory protection program.

HAZWOPER Requirements

These Regulations: • Identify the job duties and categories of employees at risk • Stipulate the level and frequency of training that is associated with specific exposure risks • Mandate the participation in a medical surveillance plan to ensure the ongoing health of exposed employees • Address personal protection requirements

Safety Regulations First and foremost, safety regulations put in place to protect the responders are vital to safely mitigating a hazardous material spill. Employees responding to a hazardous material spill must comply with the 1. Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) Standard, 2. Participate in a medical surveil-

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The HAZWOPER Standard applies to five distinct employer groups and their employees. Transportation department employees are included in these groups since their job duties associated with incidents may fit within one of the following categories: • Clean-up operations required by a governmental body (whether federal, state, local, or other involving hazardous substances) that are conducted at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites; • Corrective actions involving clean-up operations at sites covered by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) as amended (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) • Voluntary clean-up operations at sites recognized by federal, state, local, or other governmental body as uncontrolled hazardous waste sites; • Operations involving hazardous wastes that are conducted at treatment,

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SPILLS storage, and disposal facilities (a semitrailer or tanker for transportation purposes is included by definition) regulated by Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 264 and 265 pursuant to RCRA, or by agencies under agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to implement RCRA regulations; and • Emergency response operations for releases of, or substantial threats of release of, hazardous substances regardless of the location of the hazard.

HAZWOPER Training Requirements The training requirements for hazardous materials response are mandated by law. Response personnel at the scene of a traffic incident must have HAZWOPER training which fits their role and responsibilities. In general, most responders fall into the awareness level or operations level categories. However, some firemen, DOT personnel, and police officers should be trained as hazardous materials technicians for quick intervention of vehicular or small cargo spills. All employees trained in accor-

dance with the Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response standards must “receive annual refresher training of sufficient content and duration to maintain their competencies, or shall demonstrate competency in those areas at least yearly.

Medical Surveillance Requirement The medical surveillance requirement for hazardous materials workers is man-

dated by law. Personnel involved in hazardous materials operations should participate in a medical surveillance program as stipulated in the HAZWOPER regulations. Members of an organized and designated hazardous materials (HAZMAT) team and the hazardous materials specialists are required to receive a baseline physical examination and be provided with medical surveillance. In addition, any emergency response employees who

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HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SPILLS the hazardous nature of the work and the likelihood for improper use. Factors, such as facial hair, weight loss/gain, and dental care, can each have a major impact on proper fit. Therefore, it’s important for personnel involved in hazardous materials operations to participate in a respirator protection program based on requirements as stipulated in the HAZWOPER regulations.

National Tow Truck Driver Certification

exhibit signs or symptoms, which may have resulted from exposure to hazardous substances during the course of an emergency incident, either immediately or subsequently after, shall be provided with medical consultation.

Respiratory Protection Requirements Respirators may be necessary to protect workers against inhalation hazards,

such as dusts, fumes, and vapors. Respirators are categorized into two basic types, air-supplied and air-purifying. Airsupplied respirators provide breathing air from a source other than the surrounding atmosphere. Air-purifying respirators remove contaminants from the ambient air through the use of filters or cartridges. The respiratory protection requirement for the use of respirators is not only mandated by law, it is a necessity due to

Towing & Recovery Association of America (TRAA) represents the towing and recovery industry on a national level. This group has recognized that the tow truck driver can also be a valuable contributor to the safe, quick clearance of an incident. With proper training and certification, they can provide help with the clean-up and handling of typical vehicle fluids at an incident. Because they are often the first at the scene, this assistance serves to reduce the clean-up time and allows for lanes to be opened in a more timely fashion. Through a grant from the DOT, TRAA established national standards for tow truck operators and developed the National Driver Certification Program. This program is based upon light, medium, and heavy duty towing and recovery, and covers the following areas: • Customer service • Safety • Incident management • Truck • Equipment When assisting with traffic incident clean-up involving a hazardous material, the type of requirements for tow truck drivers will depend on the type of incident, the severity of the spill, and the location of the spill relative to the damaged vehicles. More information on the levels and curriculum topics, including handling of hazardous material, is available on the TRAA Web site at http://www.towserver.net/certification.htm. The applicable levels for TRAA tow truck driver certification when dealing with hazardous materials are: Level 1: For most vehicular spills (car wreck) with only minor amounts of haz-

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HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SPILLS ardous material spilled, Level I (Light Duty) requirements should be sufficient, provided that tow truck operators are not coming in contact with the spilled material. Level II: For vehicular spills (medium-heavy duty truck wreck) with moderate amounts of hazardous material spilled (partial saddle tank emptied), Level II (Medium Duty) requirements should be sufficient, provided that tow truck operators minimize their time near the spilled material. Level III: For large vehicular spills (tanker spill, blood-borne pathogens, etc.), Level III (Heavy Duty) requirements will be necessary to ensure tow truck driver safety.

Response Management and Clean-up Regulations The regulations dealing with response management, including handling, reporting, and mitigation procedures of hazardous spills, are founded in a number of federal statues rather than just one source. It is important, especially for responders in charge, to know the origin of the various requirements, including the mandated reporting procedures and ensure the proper implementation. In the U.S., the response to an incident is regulated under many statues and many government agencies. It is important for responders to at least understand the basis of these regulations because they dictate everything, from how they manage a spill to the disposal of the spilt material. These regulations stipulate who should be notified and when it is not necessary, as well as what resources or assistance are available to local and state entities if the containment of a spill is beyond their capabilities. Responders should be aware of any local and state regulations that also apply to hazardous materials handling, reporting, and disposal in their jurisdictions.

Sizing-up a Spill Once a spill occurs along a roadway, it’s important for response personnel to identify the hazardous substance and prevent the spill from spreading. Initial response personnel should only attempt to determine the extent of the release by gathering and analyzing information. This is called a size-up strategy, and is a non-invasive attempt to get a general picture or impression of the nature and severity of the event. In general, responders should use a size-up strategy to obtain and evaluate the following information: • Identity of the materials • Amount of the release • Hazards associated with each material(s) • Effects and risks on the public, property, and environment • Potential pathway of release—air, land, surface waters, or groundwater • Most appropriate measures for controlling the release to prevent/reduce the impact • Safety measures to protect all response personnel A number of methods can be used to collect information for a size-up strategy. For the most part, responders should use visual observations to assist in detecting the presence or release of hazardous chemicals. Visual methods that may be utilized Volume 7 • Issue 1 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SPILLS Containment and Confinement

include the following: • Types and numbers of containers or cargo tanks • Placards, labels, and markings on containers or transportation vehicles • Vapors, clouds, run-offs, or suspicious substances • Biological indicators—dead vegetation, animals, insects, and fish • Physical condition of containers At other times, it may be necessary for

first responders to utilize quantitative methods (monitoring, sampling, hazard characterization, etc.) to assist in detecting the presence or release of hazardous chemicals. Quantitative methods that are cost-effective and may be utilized at a traffic incident include the following: • Colorimetric tubes • pH paper • Spilfyter classifiers strips

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Upon identifying an incidental hazardous substance release, first responders may perform limited clean-up activities provided that the mitigation follows a standard operating procedure and the responder has received adequate training (See previous section on training requirements). Incidental releases should not have the potential for safety or health hazards, such as fire, explosion, or chemical exposures in excess of an OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL), or exceed the immediately dangerous to life and health level. For first responders to a small spill, limited clean-up activities may entail basic containment and confinement techniques. Spill containment involves methods used to restrict the material to its original container (e.g. plugging, patching, overpacking, etc.). Spill confinement involves methods to limit the physical size of the area of the release (e.g. mist knockdown/vapor suppression, diversion, diking, booming, absorbing, fencing, and

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SPILLS damming). Both methods can be very effective at controlling a hazardous release, if used appropriately. However, response personnel should not utilize either method without appropriate protection and regard for safety. For small vehicular spills that occur along a roadway, one of the easiest ways to control a spill is the use of granular absorbents, oil absorbent pads, or universal absorbent pads for non-petroleum products. These items are readily available and very effective for remediation of small spills. However, response personnel should understand the properties associated with each, standard operating procedures for utilizing them, and the correct collection and storage methods for contaminated absorbents.

Disposal Guidelines Once hazardous materials are spilled, the material becomes contaminated and should be either recycled or disposed of properly. Typically, first responders to a traffic incident do not possess the appro-

priate licenses to perform transportation and disposal of hazardous waste. Professional licensed firms should be contracted to perform this task following the regulations established under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. First responders can improve the disposal process by mitigating the spill following a standard operating procedure (SOP). The SOP should account for how to: • Mitigate the spill,

• Package the waste for transport, and • Secure the waste until a licensed transportation and disposal company can pick up it up. More importantly, the SOP should provide first responders with guidance on how to minimize roadway congestion by conducting hazard recognition to determine the hazards presented to the general public. N

Volume 7 • Issue 1 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SPILLS

HAZMAT TECHS - RAISING THE

eâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve discussed how the towing and recovery profession grew from garages, body shops, and service stations to stand-alone businesses and changed into specialized segments for other revenue streams such as container hauling, equipment transport, crane service, and spill response to name 46

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a few. Just to revisit some past articles concerning spill response, towing companies are taking on more responsibilities for cleaning up the accident scenes and site restoration. These duties have caught on with some DOT agencies to the point that they want tow companies responding to traffic accidents to be certified Hazmat techs, so they may legally perform cleanup

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SPILLS

BAR THROUGH CERTIFICATION

operations in compliance with CFR 1910.120. “What is ‘CFR’?” you ask. Code of Federal Regulations encompasses OSHA, EPA and DOT regulations that govern accident cleanups. Yes, “Federal Regulations” means the United States and its territories; however, individual states can require additional regulations and rules. Equipment and supplies may vary upon the

level of response the mishap requires. Four levels of response are the norm for cleanups: Level D being the least and most common when involving hydrocarbons Level C when splash precaution exists Level B & A when supplied air is required Volume 7 • Issue 1 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SPILLS

Plus, more in depth when conducting Levels B & A responses Insurance companies want proof that a company is certified to perform remediation duties, is filing the proper paper work, and is reporting to the appropriate authorities. No laws prevent an individual from purchasing a tow/recovery vehicle, insurance coverage, proper registration, (license plate) having the proper operator’s license to operate the vehicle on the road and highways and having been granted by local law enforcement to respond to vehicle break-downs and/or accidents for financial compensation.

Select towing and recovery operations conduct in-house training on their own while others may elect to hire outside training mediums for recognized certification programs that aren’t mandatory with government agencies for call allocation, however highly favored. Recently, I had the privilege to attend a three-state TIM Conference where the issue of Hazmat certification for tow/recovery professionals came into discussion with the DOT representatives being in favor of “one call does it all.” While automobile accidents seldom require a Hazmat cleanup, 18-wheelers

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and commercial vehicle incidents typically warrant federally certified Hazmat responders. These traffic accidents may not be a compromised fuel tank or engine motor oil, but be a spill in the cargo hold (trailer or tanker) requiring transferring of product. It becomes necessary for the individual performing these duties to be certified and knowledgeable of the task to safely handle the product transfer. Personal Protective Equipment, known as “PPE,” must be deployed for all responses in accordance with the type and level of cleanups. How to recognize and research the hazard being dealt with is also required of the responder. This insures the safety of the technician, other agency personnel on-scene, and the public. Becoming knowledgeable with specialty tools, equipment, and materials used for spills and knowing what products work best for each situation is definitely a plus when time is critical in reopening roads and highways. Test kits for soil and water, ground and bonding kits and air-monitoring devices are available to assist the on-scene Hazmat technician in achieving positive results.

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SPILLS

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HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SPILLS Tow and recovery companies have an established client base that will use your services. Law enforcement agencies and fire departments (once your qualification and expertise is known) will welcome the quick response and time-saving results. If you’re on-scene for the vehicle recovery, why not take charge of the entire situation? I operated my towing and recovery business in Charlotte, NC. In the early to mid-90’s, the local EPA began responding to truck accidents with damaged fuel tanks and spilled cargo that posed an environmental threat. The wait period for the cleanup company was two to three hours, and law enforcement did not want the tow trucks to leave and then return once the Hazmat portion was complete. EPA officials forbade the moving of involved vehicles until spills and or leaks were handled. Insurance and trucking companies balked at paying for the wait period we billed for. Observing at the scene how the task of transferring fuel from damaged saddle tanks or leaking drums and totes in trailers

was performed, I knew the only way to reduce response and cleanup time was to do the job myself. The first order of business was to obtain Hazwoper Certification and then assemble the necessary equipment for the jobs. Knowing the majority of traffic accident-related spills would be a Level D or C response, I determined to be equipped to handle those types of cleanups. I selected a name apart from my towing business that would identify with the region and not limit the response area. Once all the pieces were in place and literature was printed for distribution, I introduced my spill-cleanup company to the safety directors of the trucking accounts and public entities I towed for.

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HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SPILLS

As calls for service increased, a need for other equipment and supplies did as well. Realizing storm-water drain pipes were being contaminated, I designed and developed an inflatable pipe plug known as “FlowStop,” receiving a patent in 2004. More ideas for efficient Hazmat tools came to mind for environmental response companies to utilize for a quicker and better way of doing the job. FlowStop has developed more tools, equipment, and supplies for these tasks, such as an air-operated “Vac Pump Caddy,” “Cargo Tank Vac Stingers,” “Air Drill Kits,” “Spill Kits” with wooden wedges and dowels, containment plugs known as “FlowStop Footballs” and “FlowStop Golfballs,” and portable “Decon Mats.” Please visit www.FlowStop.net to view our product line. Hazmat Responder Network is a training source geared specifically for the towing and recovery professional engaging in

Hazmat response. Created in 2013, HRN’s 40-hour course provides classroom instruction as well as hands-on situation training. Training dates and times are planned so that minimum time away from business is achieved. Training has been provided for several states’ towing associations. HRN welcomes inquiries from towing associations that would like to recommend this program to their membership body. Individuals seeking certification are invited as well.. N Tentative Class Schedule for 2018: February 15th- 18th, 2018 Meridian, Mississippi March 15th, - 18th, 2018 Hickory, NC May 3rd- 6th, 2018 Ann Arbor, Michigan May 31st- June 3rd, 2018 Cambridge, Ohio Perry Beaty at 877.356.9767 or perry@hazmatrn.com www.hazmatrn.com.

Volume 7 • Issue 1 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

WHO IS LOOKING UNDER YOUR HOOD? By Hal Kresser, Hal Kresser Agency

What more should a business guy know? You must figure out how to hire the right employee, manage the personnel, manage the income and expenses, manage the maintenance of equipment, maintain your D.O.T. files, inspections, citations, and the list goes on. A few weeks ago, we ran into a situation when attempting to procure insurance for a client. The insurance company underwriter rejected our client because of an unfavorable CAB report. The report 52

revealed that our client seemed to be a “CHAMELEON.” There are business owners that when their DOT scores and maybe their loss histories get so bad that they either can no longer afford the rates they have earned or can no longer get insurance at all will close down their business. The next day they have reopened with a new LLC and DOT number to start over again. Now in the case of my client, he had a separate business operating at the same time. He had one vehicle that

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flagged the report. He was not a legitimate “Chameleon” but the underwriter wasn’t educated in how to interpret what he was seeing and didn’t understand how he wasn’t that. These CAB reports have become a popular tool of the insurance companies and are making it very difficult for many towers to obtain insurance. As these reports gain in popularity, the problem will become more wide spread. The company who offers the Chameleon Report, is Central Analysis

WHEEL LIFT | REPO EQUIPMENT INSURANCE Bureau (CAB). The company offers several reports like Financial Analysis, Motor Carrier Reports, The Chameleon Detector, and Business Intelligence Solutions. One of the biggest data reports contained in what the insurance underwriter gets is your CSA Scores. That’s the list of your roadside inspection violations. You know those fines for burned-out lights and worn brake pads, etc. that the roadside inspectors like to “nickel and dime” you with? Well the FMCSA intended those to be revenue generators for the government. Unfortunately, the underwriter interprets those and says, “This guy doesn’t maintain his trucks. We sure don’t want him.” Now I get a rejection, and you have no coverage. Most owners either feel it’s easier to just pay up or they don’t know that those tickets are easy to fight. In fact, there are companies that, for a fee, will dispute those on your behalf under the DATA Q’s program. You would be surprised how many of these can be dropped. You’ll save the expense and

maybe preserve your insurance too. The dirty secret is that many of the police officers and even some of the motor carrier enforcement people don’t have the necessary authority to write some of the violations they write. It’s easy to make those go away if you know how to do the DATA Q’s disputes or hire someone that does. It’s my opinion that reports of this kind should not be available to insurance underwriters or anyone else for the purposes of interpretation for important purposes such as your insurance without specific certifications. A clear understanding of what constitutes a violation is a must, and measures need to be taken to see that anyone interpreting information of this type be certified. Prior to writing this article, I spoke to a representative of Central Analysis Bureau. I learned that the information comes from FMCSA and public records. They do not maintain records. They gather information from the public domain, package it, and forward it to their clients.

The moral of the story is it is more important now than ever to monitor your D.O.T. records, specifically your C.S.A. scores. Don’t wait until your next insurance renewal. Check your records now and get in front of it. If your insurance agent is knowledgeable about this, he will be able to point you in the right direction to get help with this. If he isn’t, then you need to hire an agent that is.

About Hal Kresser grew up around garages and running wreckers. After the family shop sold, became a police officer with a specialty in accident investigation. After retiring from the police department, opened an insurance agency, specializing in garage and tow truck insurance. WreckMaster certified. President of the local chapter of the Towing and Recovery Assoc. of Ohio. Have more questions? hal@kresseragency.com or call 877-412-3434.

Volume 7 • Issue 1 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

FOR drivers

SNATCH BLOCKS An Easier Way to Winch Snatch blocks are on almost every tow truck for good reason—they can increase your winch’s line pull and provide several options in difficult recovery operations. A snatch block is basically a pulley with a swing-open plate for easy installation. It is designed to change your winch line’s pull direction to increase pulling power. Another use is when the casualty is heavier than your recovery vehicle. Using snatch blocks, the tow truck’s wire rope goes through a snatch block attached to the casualty and back to another fixed snatch block and back to the truck. This creates a triple line pull giving you a 3:1 advantage. The more lines that run between the tow truck and the casualty, the more your pulling power increases.

INSPECT YOUR SNATCH BLOCKS Like any other equipment on your truck, wear will eventually affect your snatch blocks. On a regular basis, look for: • Deformation: Indicates overload. The snatch block needs to be replaced immediately. • Excess swivel endplay: Endplay more than 1/16" is a danger sign. Replace the snatch block immediately. • Spreading side plates: Have these repaired or replaced. • Wobbly sheaves: This indicates excess bearing wear. • Sheave groove wear: This can prematurely reduce wire rope life. Replace grooved sheaves immediately. • Loose hook latches: These hold loose rigging under slack conditions. Replace any damaged latches.

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LUBRICATE FOR MAXIMUM LIFE On average, bronze-bushed blocks and sheaves generally need to be lubricated after eight hours of continuous usage. Roller bearing blocks and sheaves can handle 24 hours of continuous use. No matter what kind of blocks you have, at minimum, make sure to lubricate them every two weeks. Always follow your particular manufacturer’s lubrication timeline.

GET THE RIGHT SNATCH BLOCK When selecting snatch blocks, make sure the Working Load Limit (WLL) of the winch line and snatch block are compatible. You also need to verify that the groove in the snatch block’s sheave wheel is the right size for your cable. For information about snatch blocks—or any product from AW Direct—contact our Technical Service Specialists Monday through Friday. AW Direct | Answering the Call™ 1-800-243-3194 | awdirect.com

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Hooked UP B/A Products 10-ton Lightweight Snatch Block

This snatch block incorporates custom high-strength alloys with a composite sheave to give all the strength with less weight. This snatch block has a 20,000 lb. WLL yet weighs less than 35 lbs. reducing strain on your equipment and operators! 800.243.3194 www.awdirect.com

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Gunnebo Johnson 12-ton Snatch Block

This heavy-duty snatch block is bronze-bushed and grease-fitted and features a swivel hook with latch for fast connections. Features also include a screw-pin drop-side for easy loading of wire rope and an extra-large hand nut thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easier to open with gloved hands. 800.243.3194 www.awdirect.com

Dealers place

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Dealers place

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Dealers place

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market place

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COMPANY

Atlanta Wrecker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Ginn Commercial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Smyrna Truck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 .

Austin Hinds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Hal Kresser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Southern Tow Expo & Beach Bash . . . .16, 17, 50

Austin Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Hide-a-Lift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Swoop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Auto Data Direct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Holly's Towing Dispatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

TomTom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Inside Front Cover

AW Direct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

INA Towing Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

TOPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Beacon Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Industrial Netting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Tow Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Clore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Jerr-Dan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Back Cover

Tow Trax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

Collins Dollies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Lift and Tow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Towbook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Command Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Manufacturer Express . . . . . . .Inside Back Cover

Towing Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36, 37

Currin Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Marking Pen Depot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

TowMate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Custer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Mike Keith Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

TRAO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 .

Custom Built . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Nussbaum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

United Plastic Fabricating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

CW Mill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Progressive Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

VTS Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

DieselSite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

PWOF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24, 25

Waters Truck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

DJ Harrington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

Ranger SST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Weiss Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Driveline Buddy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Recovery Billing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Will-Burt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Dynamic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

Robert Young . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Wrecker Rentals, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Eartec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

RP Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

FlowStop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

RV wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Tow Professional | Volume 7 â&#x20AC;¢ Issue 1 | www.towprofessional.com