Tow Professional - Volume: 8 Issue: 2 by Over the Mountain Media, Inc

TOW PROFESSIONAL

CONTENTS

Volume 8 • Issue 2 2019

www.towprofessional.com

Feature: Rotators I N D U S T RY NEWS TOWING & RECOVERY

24| Jerr-Dan 28| Custom Built

6| Jerr-Dan 10| Bill Jackson / Zellner Insurance 14 | Bo Brawner

An Expert Witness 16 | Documentation Can Doc Your Pay

Feature: Software 34| Beacon 38| Auto Data Direct

Insightful talk 20 | Towing and Technology- - The Future

IN EVERY ISSUE 04 |Editor’s Letter 58 |Dealers Place 2

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63 | Market Place 64 | Ad Index

EDITOR’S

LETTER

Professional Your Resource for Towing & Recovery

Volume 8 • Issue 2 2019 www.towprofessional.com

IT’S TIME, REGISTER NOW! 2019 Southern Tow Expo and Beach Bash, August 9-10, 2019

PUBLISHER Darian Weaver President & Publisher darian@towprofessional.com

Butch Cole National Sales butch@towprofessional.com __________________________

Excitement is building as we get closer to Southern Tow Expo and Beach Bash, Tow Professional’s national towing trade show in the one of the best venues in the towing trade show industry—Orange Beach, AL, August 9-10, 2019.! Having 28 states converge on us last year with top exhibitors from across the nation selling premium products, we don’t want you to miss this jam-packed two-day event. Go to www.southerntowexpo.com to register for all we are offering because it is time: ITS TIME TO GROW! Register for Southern Tow Expo and Beach Bash August 9-10. Industry leaders will be bringing cutting-edge seminars on how to grow your business along with exhibitors, who will help take you to the next level with top products and services. IT’S TIME TO RELAX! Reserve your accommodations now as rooms are filling up fast! In addition to our convenient host hotel, the Marriott Springhill Suites and beachfront rooms at Perdido Beach Resort, we have added Meyer Vacation Rentals (Call April for condos and more at 251967-2063.) this year to expand even more options for your vacation stay. Book rooms today as the best availability for premium rooms choice is now! ITS TIME TO TRAIN! Register for WreckMaster Level 2/3 certification training August 7-8, 2019. WreckMaster will be providing timely training for towers who need certification. We have moved the dates for training to right before our show, so you all can participate both in training and our show events! ITS TIME TO FISH! Register for our 3rd Annual Deep-Sea Fishing Tournament. Last year with some help, Darian muscled in a bull shark! So, come join us on Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for a blast out on the ocean in a charter boat exclusive to our show attendees and exhibitors to reel in your own catch, that you can eat later! IT TIME TO SHINE! Register for our Tow Truck Beauty Contest. After signing up, shine your tow truck up and bring it with you to take home possibly “Best in Show” and 1st or 2nd place awards for light-medium- and heavy-duty! In this issue, we will be featuring top towing management software companies who will help sharpen your business by increasing bottom lines through effectively managing employees, equipment, and paperwork while navigating through compliance requirements. We also will be featuring the newest in rotators from both Jerr-Dan and Custom Built Manufacturing. So, start securing your calendar and sunscreen, so you can join us at the beach in August! Keep Reading and Stay Safe,

Gene Eudy Editor, Tow Professional 4

Tow Professional | Volume 8 • Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com

PRODUCTION Gene Eudy Editor gene@towprofessional.com

Dana Scott Creative Director dana@towprofessional.com __________________________

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Brittany Barrett - ADD Jeff Holland - sureEcosystem James Lewis Rod McGregor - Beacon Dan Messina Jeff Pesnell - TOPS® Nigel Pestell - VTS-Systems Jim Shellhaas - Ranger SST Kendall Smith - Towbook Darian Weaver - Tow Professional

__________________________

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., P.O. Box 26308, Birmingham, Alabama, 35260, 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.

I N D U S T RY NEWS OW WI IN NG G& &R REEC CO OV VEER RY Y TTO

JERR-DAN TO EXHIBIT ITS BEST-IN-CLASS CARRIER LINEUP WITH HEAVY-DUTY JD10XLP CARRIER AT THE 2019 FLORIDA TOW SHOW Carrier features lighter weight, higher performing industrial bed

Jerr-Dan will exhibit the all-new JD10XLP Carrier at the 2019 Florida Tow Show taking place April 11-14 in Orlando, Florida. Steering in a new enthusiastic era for Jerr-Dan, the JD10XLP reflects the company’s years of accumulated engineering innovation and industry experience. “We are excited to introduce a new carrier for the towing and recovery industry, showcasing productivity, versatility, and durability,” said Mike VanAken, JerrDan director of product management and marketing. “This innovation is only possible because of our company's experienced team of employees with more than 1,000 years of combined towing industry experience across all departments.” Some of the JD10XLP Carrier’s standard features include the following: a 6

dual-operating box located on each side of the carrier, allowing operators to effectively identify functions and operate the carrier; all-steel deluxe headboard with integrated 24” long-grab handles and chain racks; hardwood decking made

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with Apitong wood available in 24 ft., 26 ft. and 28 ft. length; anti-skid yellow paint treatment; full function wireless remote control, LED lighting and a deck-mounted 3-step fold-out ladder. VanAken added, “Unlike the competi-

tion, these are standard features instead of options that require add-on pricing. Jerr-Dan has made the decision to include these key features on the JD10XLP to ensure that our customers are getting the full spectrum of our engineering innovations. In turn, end users get a truck that is ready to tackle work on day one.” In addition, the JD10XLP Carrier features a lower deck height to reduce overall height clearance. The carrier also comes standard with Jerr-Dan’s exclusive No-LubeTM technology, and the company’s new, one-year (full) and five-year (structural) warranty. The JD10XLP Carrier has straightforward service and maintenance requirements, making it an attractive addition to any towing equipment fleet. Other products that will be on display at the Jerr-Dan booth are wreckers and carriers known for their smart design, performance, and durability. These include: • Heavy-Duty JFB wreckers Jerr-Dan Fire Body (JFB) Series – 25 Ton, 35 Ton and 50 Ton.

• Standard-Duty Wrecker - MLP40 featuring a large variety of towing and recovery factory attachments and accessories. • 22’ XLP Steel Carrier with the Side Recovery System (SRS) • 21’ XLP Steel Carrier with the Side Recovery System (SRS) • 28’ JD10XLP • Multiple 50/60 Ton Rotators

Dan. “With more than 1,000 years of industry experience under our belts, our team’s unrivalled experience is our distinct characteristic that we continue to build upon as we develop the innovations of tomorrow.” For more information on Jerr-Dan products, visit the website at www.jerrdan.com. www.jerrdan.com

Jerr-Dan opens the Florida Tow Show on Thursday evening hosting the kick-off party at 7:00 p.m. at the Jerr-Dan booth with product demonstrations, food and beverages. In addition, Jerr-Dan’s HeavyDuty Senior Sales Manager, Shane Coleman, along with other Jerr-Dan product experts, will be offering product presentations and demonstrations on Friday and Saturday at the Jerr-Dan booth. “Once again, we are excited to exhibit our full line of innovative products and equipment at one of the most anticipated shows of the year,” said Jeff Irr, senior director of sales and marketing for Jerr-

The 2019 Florida Tow Show is organized by the Professional Wrecker Operators of Florida (PWOF) located in Orlando, Florida. The organization was incorporated in 1977 and has operated since that time as an association of towing business people seeking to constantly upgrade the conditions and profitability along with the image of the towing industry. For more information, go to www.pwof.org. www.pwof.com

Volume 8 • Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

I N D U S T RY NEWS OW WI IN NG G& &R REEC CO OV VEER RY Y TTO

Bill Jackson’s New Book Now Available

Captive is Ready Zellner Insurance

This new 176-page book covers the period between 1950 and 1975 w when Bill started used using Holmes Wreckers a then became the and Ernest Holmes Dealer for the t whole world outside North America. The first half of the book is filled with photos of trucks, t locations, and pers sonalities of this period, and t second half contains the Holmes ” Newsletters whe Bill’s “Dial Holmes,” where he converses with customers and discusses their problems, successes, and accidents reports. This book will be available in April at the Florida Tow Show in the MatJack Booth. You can order today online.

Previously, we mentioned that we have a captive, we are now accepting applications, and we have a dozen or more companies throughout the country that have submitted packets already. Come see us at the PWOF Tow Show, Booth 302, in Orlando, April 11th to 14th. The captive will be handle accounts with $250,000 or more in premium, $249,000 to $150,000 and $150,000 to $75,000. The first board meeting of the founding members will be held during the weekend to establish guidelines and procedures going forward. This will be their program and their future stopping the carousel of increasing premiums with NO REAL SOLUTIONS. We are accepting applications now as well as at the show. If we receive your info prior to April, we will provide you with an indication at the show. Request your packet.

www.billjacksonlegacy.com

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904-626-9522 www.zellnerinsurance.com jeff@zellnerinsurance.com

I N D U S T RY NEWS OW WI IN NG G& &R REEC CO OV VEER RY Y TTO

Celebrating 20 Years in Towing Bernard “Bo” Brawner was born July 10, 1979. In 1999, he started his career in towing in the great state of Maryland. When Bo started towing, times were much more challenging--no GPS, no cell phones. He used log books, maps, and pay phones to clear calls once he was done. Bo’s interest in towing began when he was young. His mom’s car had broken down only a few miles from their house. A driver then showed up and towed them home. The tower charged her over $100.00 for the tow back in 1989. Seeing how upset this made his mom, Bo vowed that he would be a tower when he grew up so he could help people in their time of need. Over his 20-year career, he has helped many with assistance that were in a bad spot and had fallen on hard times. Bo moved to Alabama in 2007, and I then met him in 2009 after a ball joint failed on my car. He was very professional, skilled, around the same age as I was, and had similar interests in classic cars. Bo and I became fast friends, and he educated me on the towing industry. I talked with him at length about my career in publishing and my desire to own my own company. Because of his story and his passion for towing, Bo helped spark the idea and the fire behind Tow Professional Magazine. Bernard “Bo” Brawner stated “I have been many places and have seen plenty of faces. Over the years, I have also seen a lot of fellow towers who have been lost in the line of duty. After 20 years in the business, I am very blessed and proud to make it this far, and my heart and prayers go out to the fallen and their families!” Thanks Bo for what you have done for people in need through the years and for me personally as the publisher of Tow Professional.

Tow Professional | Volume 8 • Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com

AN Expert Witness By James E. Lewis

DOCUMENTATION CAN DOC YOUR PAY

In 2002, I was the expert witness for a federal level class-action lawsuit against Hyundai for emissions and drivability problems--there were over 400 plaintiffs. As the lawyers were getting ready to go forward in federal court in New Jersey, I had reviewed a bunch of work orders and support documents on over 50 vehicles that I’d picked at random. On one work order, I brought something to the attention of my managing partner. He quickly sent out a subpoena for a mid-level technician and his service manager from a Hyundai dealer in Scranton, Pennsylvania. I could tell that when we got set up on the first day of the trial and they arrived, those two guys had no idea why they were at a federal level trial in New Jersey. The court plaintiff’s attorneys and 16

defense attorneys started with the standard procedure of opening with the witnesses, and the technician was the first one up. He answered questions about his basic information such as his name, his profession, and where he worked. Lawyers then from my firm started reviewing repair orders that he had done on a specific car. Now for the record, there are three Cs that are used in work orders: complaint, cause, and correction. On this one particular visit for an issue on a Hyundai Sonata, the service advisor wrote the customer’s complaint as “check engine light” and “engine runs rough.” As an obvious joke, the technician wrote the cause as "sh***y Hyundai quality," and the correction was to be "set it on fire and roll it into a river." To understand

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the depth of this “joke,” note that a Hyundai-certified technician working at a Hyundai-franchise dealership just expressed a written opinion--and his opinion carried a lot of weight with the judge and jury. It was very ugly from then on out. That tech would have never guessed that something he wrote on the back of a hardcopy repair order would have him testifying in federal court a year later. Hyundai lost the class action suit and paid $3.4 million. I realize that a class-action lawsuit against Hyundai has nothing to do with the towing industry, but I wanted to get you thinking about how important documentation is--and how a few words can cost you a lot of money. As towing company owners and managers, it is often our job to write a formal

invoice after a tow, recovery, or other service is provided. There is a fallacy in our business where many of us think that a bill or invoice (no matter how detailed or radical) must be contained within the confines of your printed invoice tickets. I’ve seen a recovery involving three trucks, eight people, eleven hours of total time, a subcontract for a front-end loader from a construction company, and a subcontract for an environmental recovery company – all written on ONE 5” x 8” invoice ticket. It totaled $33,000, and all that was sent to the insurance adjuster was a 5” x 8” printed invoice ticket – the same as you’d use for writing up a fivemile tow, a tire change, a jumpstart, or lockout. Although you may do this as a regular practice, I want you to put yourself in the shoes of an insurance adjuster. Their job is to limit the payout by their company. They have many other duties and meth-

ods, but their ultimate job is to keep costs down. Cutting your bill to shreds is an easy way to accomplish that. Also, think about the accountant in charge of the customer’s money. The operations manager may have been onscene with you during this intricate and involved recovery, but the accountant wasn’t out there in the weather, seeing pallets and product strewn all over the freeway and median, and seeing the small army of people and machines that it took to clean up the accident. All the accountant sees is a bill for $33,000, and it is most likely to be associated with the SUV being towed to the dealer or a large wrecker towing a truck. The actual work that goes into a real recovery most often has never been seen. If you are set on using a small printed invoice, you may certainly continue to do that – but attach specific documentation to support the charges on the invoice. In

James E. Lewis is a driver, trainer, and manager in his third decade of experience in the towing industry. He is a published author with works in fiction, self-help, and technical guidance. fact, I’ve sent an almost blank initial invoice, so the person reviewing it will be forced to read the additional paperwork. A couple of years back, I wrote just such an invoice. A company that I was training for did a recovery and cleanup after a Freightliner Cascadia pulling dou-

Volume 8 • Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

bles crashed into a tire shop along the freeway in West Texas. In accordance with the Texas Department of Public Safety agreement/contract, and in compliance with the Texas Department of Licensing and Registration (TDLR), the initial response by the first heavy was billed at $400.00 hour with a 4-hour minimum. The second truck was billed at $250.00 an hour with a 4-hour minimum. The third truck was a flatbed and billed out at $125.00 an hour with a 4-hour minimum. There were three operators on scene, and I was also billed out as a scene supervisor at $75.00 per hour. Two extra people were used and billed out at $150.00 per hour. For information, the recovery took just under 4 hours, including towing the wrecked units (three separate tows) back to the impound yard. We contracted a local construction company to assist with cleanup since they were certified by the state to do environmental work. The truck lost all its oil and most of its other fluids. When the driver fell asleep and left the freeway, the truck literally jumped off the

overpass, touched down on initial impact about 80 feet later, and then buried the entirety of the tractor into the tire shop. It took out the east wall and raised the entire roof of the building. We braced the remainder of the wall and supported the roof, while pulling the entire set off doubles and the tractor rearward into the parking lot. Because of damage to several of the air lines on the trailers and damage to the dolly, all the pieces were separated onscene, brakes were caged as needed, and the primary heavy unit made two trips: one with the tractor, towing it from the front, and one to get the first double trailer. The second heavy unit towed the second trailer, and the flatbed towed the dolly and various pieces of wreckage. In addition to the actual narrative you just read, which was written out on a Word document, the billing was broken down as I covered: Unit 1, 50-ton Peterbilt/Jerrdan: $400 per hr., 4-hr minimum per DPS contract = $1,600

Unit 2, 35-ton Freightliner/Century: $250 per hr., 4-hr minimum per DPS contract = $1,000 Unit 3, Kenworth/Jerrdan flatbed: $125 per hr., 4-hr. minimum per DPS contract = $500 On-scene supervisor, per TDLR authorization: $75 hr. @ 4 hrs. = $300 On-scene laborers, two utilized: $150 per hr. @ 4 hrs. x 2 = $1200 Environmental cleanup, heavy oil, and coolant spill, contracted through construction vendor with All Ready Construction = $1900 The final bill included 4 days of storage for 4 heavy units – a tractor, two trailers, and a dolly. At $75 per day, per piece = $1200 Total = $7,700 Please bear in mind that neither of the trailers were structurally compromised, and we didn’t have to handle any cargo or cargo cleanup. This statement didn’t appear on the invoice or Word document. Here are some important questions: After noticing all the detail that I put into the work and equipment descriptions, ask yourself, “Does this breakdown makes sense?” Next, if you were an insurance adjuster or the company owner for the equipment, would you rather see this explanation of your bill or a 5” x 8” invoice with “wreck and recovery” on it with a bill for $7,700? Other than managing whatever truck you operate, and making sure your people work safely, there is no more important task than creating invoices that generate income for your business and reduce confusion, drama, and litigation. Think about what you write. Have someone else proofread it. Have someone else double-check your details and math. A mistake can cost you thousands and can land you in court trying to explain yourself.

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Insightful talk By D an Mes s ina

TOWING AND TECHNOLOGY-

THE FUTURE

For the past 28 years, I have talked to a lot of tow companies about how they got started in towing. They would tell me, “My father towed, and my grandfather father towed, and now I have taken over the business, and I am towing. I hope someday to turn it over to my son or daughter to do the same.” Today’s generation is different than 15 or 20 years ago. In some cases, the tow company will stay in the family; however, 20

the next generation tower will be very different from the past. The future owner grew up with: 1. Social media 2. Facebook 3. Twitter 4. The Internet I’m not sure the new generation is ready to take over the family business. Their thinking is different, and the work

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ethic may not be the same as yours. On the other hand, the future of towing is in technology, and that’s where the next generation shines. When I grew my business in just eight short years, we had: 1. The Internet - Marketing on the world-wide web came into play, and you could not have a tow company without a website. This is what you showed your customers to introduce your business. 2. GPS Tracking - It became very

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Insightful talk cont inued important to know where your trucks and drivers were. Now you now can watch the productivity of each truck and driver while driving. 3. E-mail - When I had my company and was calling on managers to setup meetings to get their business, they would tell me they don’t return calls. If I

wanted to talk to them, I had to send them an e-mail. They told me they respond to all e-mails. 4. Cell Phones - Recently a media source for the industry announced a smartphone as “Towman of the Year” for 2013. That alone should tell you where our industry is heading. It’s definitely the

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age of the smart phone. That was 5 years ago, and we are still struggling to figure out the best way to use the phone. 5. Cameras - Having cameras on your truck for private-property tows is a big thing. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I was accused of something, and I looked back at the tape from the camera and found that I did nothing wrong. It also helps with damage claims and interaction with the police or a customer. It was also a good marketing tool to show my customers what happened on their property and how the tows were performed. 6. Computers / Software - I don’t see how companies can run without computers. I always told you that information is everything; well, computers can give you access to everything you need to make a business decision while software can help you plan, implement, and improve your business so you can increase your bottom line. Five years ago the industry told us that technology was the wave of the future. We took the current technology and changed a few things and massaged it to work in our environment. Yet, no one has really implemented anything recently that would radically change the industry as we have all this technology and yet: 1. ETA’s are over 45 minutes. My partner had his car towed a few weeks ago by a motor club and waited 50 minutes just to get the call assigned. 2. As I talk to tow companies and tell them about my new service and how the tow goes directly to the closest driver available to the motorist, their response is that they want all calls to go through dispatch. My response is that they let their driver drive an $800,000 truck, yet they don’t trust them to take a free service call. They don’t even ask questions on how it works. They put their business in the hands of a $12.00 an hr. dispatcher who is out having a cigarette. 3. Several years ago, I traveled from show to show and talked to tow companies about their interface with service

Tow company owers are old school and do not want to get involved with new technology. The big companies survive because they have someone on staff that has technical skills. It’s 40,000 little companies that are suffering. providers. They all complained about the same issues, which I will not get into now. I also talked to the service providers, and they had the same issue with tow companies. In 2019, the problems are the same. Tow company owners are old school and do not want to get involved with new technology. The big companies survive because they have someone on staff that has technical skills. It’s the 40,000 little companies that are suffering. Now we have social media. This is the latest crave in any business. This is a way to reach literally millions of people and

tell them about anything you want. I developed a new service for the industry, and I wanted to let the industry know about it. I contracted with OMG, a company that develops websites and all the social media you need--they are great! My name is out there, and we are growing fast. This is another technology company that the industry needs, but the tow companies might be afraid to use it. I have developed a new product that will impact the industry and be a win/win for all. Its technology that’s easy to use, and you can make money with it. It’s free to join, free to download, and free to use.

Our industry is at a place now, where technology is a bigger asset than a rotator. The face of the industry will be a keyboard or a cell phone. There is no doubt that our industry is changing, and you better be prepared to change with it, or you will soon be out of businessf.

Volume 8 • Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

As a leader in the towing and recovery business, Jerr-Dan’s 50/60-Ton JFB Rotator boasts an empowering combination of heavy-duty capabilities, 6-point stabilizing technology, 360degree continuous rotation, over-the-side pulling capacity, and 360-degree envelope load chart. Its extra-rugged, non-corrosive exterior is made of weather24

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resistant, impact-resistant polypropylene—making it more durable and longer lasting. It features roll-up aluminum doors for swifter access to equipment, strategically placed LED lighting for improved visibility, and specialty storage solutions to ensure every tool has its place. The JFB Body Series is available in single and twin steer chassis.

ROTATORS

Volume 8 â&#x20AC;¢ Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

Some of the Jerr-Dan 50/60-Ton JFB Rotator features include: • Tow Light Storage & Charging Station • Scissor Style Outriggers (S100 or S130 options) • 20K, 35k & 50k Drag Winch Option • Wrecker Boom & Underlift Wireless Remote Controls • Spreader Bar Storage • Tilt-Down Drawer, Chain Carousel, Chain Binder & Stay-Dry Storage • Tilt-Down Drawers, Tire Lift, Traffic Cones, Cribbing, Ratchet, Broom & Shovel Storage • 4 & 5 Axle Bodies in Single and Twin Steer Configurations • 3-Stage Wrecker Boom • Driver & Passenger Side Control Panels • 20k Aux. Winches Option • Tool Box With Locking Roll-Up Doors • Snatch Block Storage & Sliding Chain Board • Wheel Chock, Fire Extinguisher & Bottle Jack Storage • Tool & Rigging Kits

Two other important features, which are optional, are the Rigging Carousel which is only available on the Heavy-Duty and Rotator Wrecker Lines. The Rigging Carousel keeps everything in its place, so that nothing can stand in your way. Its patented ergonomic design provides convenient access and organized storage for chains, shackles, or snatch blocks, making your efforts more efficient with every go-round. As Jerr-Dan continues to look at innovative ways for our customers to maximize their investments and meet their business needs, the Jerr-Dan 50/60-Ton JFB Rotator is backed by our industryleading warranty and a strong Tow Support Service network dedicated to the towing professional. Jerr-Dan’s Tow Support is our hands-on approach to customer service putting our customers’ needs first. Tow Support focuses on supporting customers after the initial purchase and making it easy for them to do business with the company’s distributors. This innovative initiative encompasses all aspects of Jerr-Dan customer service including parts, accessories, warranty, technical support, training, and service.

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JFB Body Series – Engineered to Last The JFB polypropylene co-polymer constructed body is weather-resistant, low maintenance and highly impact-resistant, with both rear and top access. Additional storage accommodates the Florida DOT Rapid Incident Scene Clearance (RISC) tools and rigging. New lighting solutions include LED interior compartment, DOT Lighting, 38 LED Side Marker Lights, plus 10 side and two rear amber strobes. Customers can choose from JFB Body Silver or Gold Series storage options. The Silver Series includes the standard components and offers customers the flexibility to choose individual “a la carte” storage solutions to be added after the sale. The Gold Series offers a “top of the line” experience, including the standard components of the Silver Series body plus all available storage solutions. For more information on the Jerr-Dan 50/60-Ton JFB Rotator or to find a local dealer, visit the Jerr-Dan website at www.jerrdan.com. www.jerrdan.com

ROTATORS

Volume 8 â&#x20AC;¢ Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

B y D a r i a n Weave r - Pu blis h e r - Tow Pro fe ssio in al Darian: When did you start the company? Derek: I started the company in 2006 as a small town, American-built heavy-duty wrecker manufacturer. Darian: What made you want to get into the manufacturing of heavy-duty tow trucks? 28

Tow Professional | Volume 8 â&#x20AC;˘ Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com

Derek: I saw the need. My experience is 30 + years running my autobody shop, and 30 years working in the towing business. As a tower, I needed a heavy-duty tow truck that was built to handle the jobs I was getting calls on, so I decided to build them myself. I started with old 750â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and converted them to hydraulics configuring them to the exact specifications of what I

ROTATORS

needed for the jobs I was doing. Now I wasn’t the only tower that needed a perfect-fit truck. Towers nationwide were needing tow trucks capable of hauling anywhere from 20 tons to 80 tons. So now, I build for others what I made for myself—customtailored heavy-duty tow trucks built to handle the varying heavy load sizes.

Darian: Tell me about Custom Built’s new home. Derek: We have a new 300,000 square-foot facility. We have tripled the assembly department in size and quadrupled our over-all space. Also, we have doubled our work force and, therefore, doubled our truck production from 20 in 2017 to 40 trucks in 2018. Volume 8 • Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

ROTATORS

Darian: So, I hear that Custom Built is a family-run company? Tell me about that. Derek: Family is important to me like it is to the towers we sell to. My son works in the business and runs the assembly plant, and my daughter and daughter-in-law work in the office. Custom Built is a small town, family-run business built with grassroots American pride and integrity. Darian: Now, when you do have down time, what hobbies do you enjoy? Derek: I like to smoke a good cigar. I also like to go motorcycle riding on my Harley Electra Glide and my Softail Springer. Now what I would really like to do is to smoke a good cigar while riding my motorcycle down the road, that would be the 30

Tow Professional | Volume 8 â&#x20AC;˘ Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com

best of all worlds. I like taking the RV with the family on trips when thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time. Darian: How do you customize tool and storage space when you are configuring a truck for a customer? Derek: We give the customer free reign on the layout as we walk together with them on it based off CAD CAM (computeraided design and computer-aided manufacturing). We focus on their needs for exact specification of storage sizing. Darian: With towers lives at risk on every call, how do you build safety into every product? Derek: Safety begins with design, so we first look where the danger areas are for the towers. We then layout the truck

around two things: we place the towing and recovery tools on the left side of the truck and then place the controls on the right side where the operator will be standing away from traffic. Our goal is balance between keeping the tower safe and keeping the job work efficient. Another way we enhance safety by design is we provide extra lighting on the truck and reflectives on both the truck and toolboxes which signal on-coming drivers to move over without being too over-the-top which would distract drivers causing them to drift toward the trucks. Darian: What do you want the customer to know about the Custom Built brand? Derek: We stand behind our trucks by providing the best coverage in the industry--a 10-year structural warranty. Also, I want everyone who buys from me to know that every truck is 100% built in America; each is built with integrity, are affordable, and backed by excellent customer service. Darian: Finally, what makes your product a good fit for a potential buyer? Derek: We offer a more user-friendly truck when it comes to maintenance and repair. We build them to be worked on, so everything is made to be accessible and easy to work on. You see a lot of cars and trucks that are nearly impossible to work on, and you know immediately that an engineer laid them out, not a mechanic. Custom Built designs all our equipment with service in mind, so that your moneymaker can stay on the road not tied up in a shop. Darian: Derek, thank you for the inside look you have given our Tow Professional readers into the who, the why, and the what of Custom Built Manufacturing. www.custombuiltmfg.com Volume 8 â&#x20AC;˘ Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS

By Ro d M c Gr egor - Beacon Softw ar e

Tow Professional | Volume 8 â&#x20AC;¢ Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com

SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS

Volume 8 â&#x20AC;¢ Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS

Tow Professional | Volume 8 â&#x20AC;¢ Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com

SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS

Volume 8 â&#x20AC;¢ Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS

Auto Data Direct’s Online Tools for Tow Operators B y B r it t a ny Ba r re t t , Mar keting - Auto Data Di r ect Auto Data Direct, Inc. (ADD) is a secure web-based system that allows account holders to access services through any internet-capable device. The easy-to-use system is affordable and saves precious time and money when it comes to moving impounded vehicles through the required processes. With no contract or monthly fee, ADD allows its customers to pick and choose the services they need, when they need them. Towing and wrecker operators across the country are always looking for ways to improve efficiency, ensure compliance, and boost profits - ADD offers three great products to achieve each of those goals:

DMV123 DMV123 is ADD’s most sought-after service which allows customers who qualify under the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) to use its secure portal to search by VIN and immediately retrieve 38

the most current record available. No other company of its kind has access to as many state databases offering records in real-time as ADD. While other companies may have access to a state’s records, many times those are from bulk downloads. That means that, depending on when the provider originally received the bulk records from the state, the information could be a day, a week, or even a month old. DMV123 provides the records that are the most current in that state database the moment the inquiry is made. When ADD was founded in 1999, their primary goal was to provide qualified businesses with an efficient way to obtain accurate and necessary information to complete required paperwork. For tow and wrecker operators, that meant making sure notification of claim of lien letters were sent to all interested parties in a timely manner. Getting the name and address of those parties as quickly as pos-

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sible was a challenge and many times required filling out forms, mailing them to the DMV, and waiting for a response. ADD created a unique solution to the problem by creating their DMV123 portal. If there’s no way to initially find out the state of title on an impounded vehicle, ADD offers a National Title Pointer that can narrow down the search. As an approved provider of title check reports through the National Motor Vehicle Title and Information System (NMVTIS), ADD’s customers can identify the most recent state of title, search the real-time database where available or send a good faith letter directly from their ADD account to the appropriate jurisdiction. ADD’s National Title Pointer is also enhanced with national theft data, so businesses can quickly identify vehicles that may have been reported stolen, saving themselves potential legal issues down the road.

SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS DirectPost-Office (DPO) ADD’s DirectPost-Office (DPO) certified mail product was launched in 2003 to provide Florida towing companies a simple way to send notification letters to owners, lienholders and insurers by creating certified mail and inserting the letters into the USPS mail stream electronically. Since then, DPO has expanded its letter services for towing operators in Texas, Alabama, Indiana, Georgia, Mississippi. North Dakota, and Tennessee. DPO allows tow operators to automatically complete state forms using data obtained through DMV123, and then send and track certified letters through the United States Postal Service without ever leaving their desk. Thousands of tow operators have used this incredibly easy, accurate tool to save time, money, and the aggravation of standing in line at the post office.

NMVTIS Reporting NMVTIS regulations require tow companies to report total loss and salvage vehicles monthly including all junk and

salvage vehicles that they purchase, take possession of, or sell at auction. NMVTIS reporting also applies to any vehicle a

company parts out, crushes, or any vehicle for which a salvage certificate, certificate of destruction, or similar document is obtained. If a business has the right to sell or re-title, rebuild, restore or crush the vehicle, and it is a junk or salvage vehicle under the federal definition, it must be reported to NMVTIS. In 2008, ADD became the first data consolidator to provide upload services for businesses required to report total loss and salvage vehicle information to the NMVTIS database. ADD’s NMVTIS upload

tools are designed to help businesses fulfill the reporting requirement quickly and easily. Two account types are available to suit any size business or upload volume. Full Service accounts include individual vehicle entry, batch vehicle entry using a spreadsheet and business-to-business processing which can be arranged with the customer’s IT staff, all for a low per-report fee. Basic Service accounts include nocost individual entry and emailed confirmation receipts. With Auto Data Direct, you have the best tools right at your fingertips. Accurate data, efficient paperwork, and effective compliance are all available with Auto Data Direct’s web-based tools. ADD also provides the most knowledgeable and responsive customer service in the business, available to you six days a week. For more information on ADD’s services for tow and wrecker operators, visit its web site at www.add123.com or call and speak to a representative at 866-9233123. www.add123.com

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SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS

TOPS and the Mobile Workforce By Je f f Pe s n e ll - C h ie f O per ati ng O ffi cer - T X I Systems TXI Systems, Inc. dba towXchange is a company delivering high-performance, feature-rich, and robust towing management software, including applications which operate on mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets. Remember the Push-to-Talk days of Nextel and that recognizable chirp? We do also. During the Push-toTalk days (now over 10 years ago) the original TOPS Mobile application was born. TOPS Mobile was developed as a Java application (for all you techie types) to run on Nextel devices. TOPS Mobile offered drivers the ability to timestamp and update vehicle information from the field. That Java application was the starting point for the modern applications (apps) that are in use today for both Android and iOS devices. TOPS® Driver TOPS® Driver is a mobile app designed for use by the tow truck driver. TOPS®

Driver allows drivers to work job requests which are assigned to them electronically and to update call records in real-time from the field. The driver begins by set-

Tow Professional | Volume 8 • Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com

ting his/her duty status and selecting the truck they are driving from the list. Once the driver sets himself or herself as available, service requests are assigned to the driver and the driver digitally acknowledges and accepts the service request. With the app, the driver can view the details of the job, get turn-by-turn directions to the job location and destination using the navigation built into the mobile device, timestamp all of the events as they happen, update vehicle information (including built-in VIN decoding), take and instantly upload pictures of the vehicle and incident scene directly to the call record, add pricing for the job, take a credit card payment from the customer and even email a receipt to the customer. All of this is available while in the field, and from a smart phone or a web-enabled tablet. TOPS® Driver also includes the ability for drivers to create their own new

SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS job requests which is particularly useful when doing PPI work. In addition, TOPS® Driver allows drivers to view their daily history of jobs that they have worked. Properly integrated into your daily process, TOPS® Driver can greatly streamline your company’s work flow. Enabling the driver with the TOPS® Driver mobile app allows you to limit the amount of radio or telephone traffic back to your dispatch staff, which in turn allows those employees to focus on their own specific tasks. Giving the drivers the ability to add pricing, take payments, and email receipts removes the dispatch staff from that part of the process, and moves your company towards a paperless process.

TOPS® Inventory TOPS® Inventory is a mobile app designed to improve lot inventory management, and intended for use by your lot manager and their staff. The TOPS® Inventory app also has its origins in the Java app days, where barcode scanners were attached to Nextel phones for scan-

ning barcode labels fixed to vehicles. The TOPS® Inventory app has evolved far beyond those humble beginnings into a powerful multi-purpose inventory management app, but is still used by many companies primarily for verifying the current inventory on their impound lot. In addition to lot inventory barcode scanning, TOPS® Inventory also allows the user to search for vehicles that are impounded, update vehicle information (including built-in VIN decoding), update the lot or lot location of the vehicle, associate a QR code (barcode) label for inventory management, and take and instantly upload pictures of the vehicle directly to

the call record. As stated previously, the TOPS® Inventory app is used by companies to perform a physical inventory on their impound lot, and with TOPS® Inventory, taking a lot inventory has never been easier. The days of carrying a printed report out onto the lot to do a physical inventory are long gone. Taking a lot inventory is as simple as walking the lot and scanning all of the vehicles with your smart phone or tablet. You start by deciding on a process for labeling your impounded vehicles with QR Code labels, and then when you want to do a physical inventory, just walk the yard and scan the vehicles. The verification scans are automatically uploaded to the TOPS® system, and users can run an easy-to-understand report to see the results. The “Barcode Inventory” report details which vehicles were scanned as expected and groups the vehicles that were not. Most, if not all, of your impounded vehicles will be scanned as expected, but if any vehicle falls into one of the exception categories, it clearly shows what needs to be reviewed. This

Volume 8 • Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS process significantly shortens the time it takes to do a lot inventory. For some companies, it can make doing a lot inventory a reality, where before it may have seemed too difficult or unmanageable and may never have happened. It should be noted that both TOPS® Driver and TOPS® Inventory have simple functions for associating “QR Code” labels with impounded vehicles, and this can be done while the vehicle is still in possession of the driver or once it is dropped at the impound lot.

BudgetGPS Our BudgetGPS mobile app affords you a robust fleet tracking tool for tracking vehicles in real-time and utilizes industry-leading GPS hardware with the confidence of hard-wired devices or the convenience of plug and play. The

Custom Mobile Applications Some TOPS® users have the need for customized apps in order to more effectively service their own customers or to offer a competitive advantage over other providers. In cases like this, we can provide them with mobile tools to support specific lines of business and specific

business operations. One such example is a mobile app to help with the lot inventory and vehicle inspections of law enforcement seized vehicles where routine maintenance and inspection is required. The app identifies vehicles needing an inspection and the type of inspection that is required, and notifies the user that a vehicle inspection is pending. As those inspections are performed, users update the inspection status for the vehicle and the app calculates and updates the timing for the next inspection event. 42

BudgetGPS devices update every 20 seconds with a breadcrumb history available 24/7, along with “Ignition,” “PTO,” “Speed” and “GeoFence Alerts.” All of this allows you to manage your fleet and employees with discreet hardware hidden in the dash or cabin and relax knowing you will be alerted should something happen that you want or need to know about. Is your vehicle being used after hours for unapproved jobs? Are your drivers exceeding the speed limit? Are your vehicles burning fuel during lunch breaks or while parked remotely between shifts? All of this information is available to you and at your fingertips using the BudgetGPS mobile app. The BudgetGPS app also has web-

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enabled reports to cover every aspect of your business. The “Alert History” reports allow you to view all “Alerts” received within a date range, so you can easily view things like when your vehicles entered or left a defined GeoFence, or when your vehicles were speeding. The “State Mileage Report” allows you to easily view calculated distances per state per vehicle for reporting to government agencies, which is critically important. Want to see a summary of what your drivers and vehicles have done over a period of time? The “Vehicle Summary Report” shows the time spent moving, stopped and idle as well as the total distance covered. All of these “Reports” can be run for any time period and can be exported to Excel for easy analysis. Know exactly where your trucks are, get alerted to any exceptions, and run reports on demand - all from the BudgetGPS app. It’s all available to you with just a tap on an icon. Enabling the mobile workforce is essential to modern business. These mobile tools help to streamline operations and enable the field employee to

SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS About Our Company

work smarter and more efficiently. This allows ALL of your employees to perform

at their very best - both in the field AND in the back office.

TXI Systems, Inc. dba towXchange markets and sells towing management products under the brand name of TOPS®. The TOPS® suite of products is deployed to private-tow operators, municipalities and law enforcement. TOPS® software tools support towing dispatch, freeway service patrol, impound lot management, private-property towing and more with efficiency, transparency, and accountability in mind. BudgetGPS fleet tracking is also marketed to the towing industry and offers a full-service fleet tracking tool with includes a visual dispatching integration with TOPS®. Let TXI Systems customize a solution for you today! For more information or to schedule a demonstration, please call 866-8008677 Opt 2 or visit our websites – TOPS® - www.towxchange.net BudgetGPS – www.budgetgps.com TOPS® is a Registered Trademark of TXI Systems, Inc. www.towxchange.net

Volume 8 • Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS

On the Road with Towbook Management Software B y K e n da ll Smi th and Matt Wesl ey With today’s growing technology at your fingertips, gone are the days of having to write down job details on paper while on the phone or the radio and trying to drive at the same time. With so many dangers already present while providing services to customers, we strive to offer safer solutions for the men and women risking so much to keep drivers safe. Our mobile applications can not only increase the safety of you and your drivers, but it can also help you increase your efficiency. They are extremely powerful, offering you the following features in the palm of your hand: Improved Communication: Managers and dispatchers can communicate with drivers easily. Drivers can accept calls with all the details needed in order to do their job efficiently and update the status of the job from start to finish. You will also be able to chat with 44

your drivers via their mobile applications or send them a text message to let them know of any last-minute changes; chat logs are always saved to the call for future reference. Minimize Risk of Damage Claims: In your Towbook mobile application, drivers can upload photos of the vehicle to the call-in real time; we automatically timestamp and geocode these photos for you along with categorizing them according to what job status the driver was in at the time. An additional precaution can be taken by creating a “Vehicle Damage Form” if there is extensive damage to the vehicle prior to servicing it. The driver can create a report on-scene, take photos of the vehicle, indicate anywhere there is damage, and have the customer sign off on the damage form. This report will be saved for future reference and can even be emailed or sent via text to the cus-

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tomer with their receipt. Built-in Navigation and GPS Tracking: You’ll be able to get turn-by-turn directions to your destination right in the application with just a tap! If you aren’t currently using a GPS solution, Towbook is equipped with builtin GPS tracking which will automatically update the drivers’ location according to their app settings. (We recommend having it set to “Always Report Location” for the most accurate updates.) Towbook is also integrated with leading GPS companies like AT&T Fleet Complete, DriverLocate, TomTom, and US Fleet Tracking; allowing you to send calls directly to the GPS unit in your truck. Drivers can use the GPS unit to navigate to the service location, and when they update the status of the call on the GPS unit, it will automatically update their status in Towbook. When your driver

SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS arrives onscene, we send the destination address (if there is one) to the driver’s TomTom unit, so they can navigate to the destination. Your Towbook app can also use the GPS location from your trucks and display that on the map in Towbook. There are many other fantastic features of GPS units that help you manage and maintain your fleet. Pre-Trip Inspection Management and User Check-In: If you want your team to inspect trucks and other equipment before (or after) every shift, they can do that easily using the Towbook mobile apps and our Equipment Inspection tool. Each inspection report is time stamped, and managers will receive an email alert any time there is an Equipment Inspection failure. We’re also making completed inspections available to open/view on mobile apps, so if drivers need to present a completed pre-trip inspection to a law enforcement officer, they can do so right from their phone!

Our “User Check-In” feature allows drivers to check-in and out for work directly from their mobile application. This allows managers and dispatchers to know who is currently on-shift to accept jobs. You are also able to run a report to review check in/check out times for drivers. Plate-to-VIN Technology: No VIN – no problem! Towbook’s plate-to-VIN feature saves time and eliminates mistakes. Simply enter the plate number and the state in which the vehicle is licensed, and Towbook will return the full VIN with the make, model, and year of the vehicle. You’ll also have the option of using our VIN scanner, which will populate the VIN in the call just by scanning the vehicle’s barcode. Private-Property Features: Alongside tagging accounts, two of our most notable private-property features for the mobile applications include “On-Scene Call Creation” and “Stickering”:

Volume 8 • Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS Whether you are a dispatcher or manager sending out calls or an owner/operator working in the field, you’ll be able to accept motor-club calls while out of the office or on the road using Towbook’s iOS or Android mobile applications. Towbook is integrated with all the major motor clubs for your convenience! A couple of taps to accept the call, and you’ll be on your way! Paperless Invoicing: Are you still writing invoices by hand? Save time by texting or emailing your customer an invoice right on-scene! If paper invoices are a must, we integrate with Zebra mobile printers to print your customers’ receipt on the spot. Additional Information: On top of the many features already talked about, the drivers will be able to add additional information to the call via their app according to the preferences setup by management, this includes:

• On-Scene Call Creation: This allows your drivers to do their job as quickly as possible by allowing them the option to create a call by simply snapping a picture of the vehicle; the call will automatically populate the address they’re located at and will allow them to update any additional details later.

• Additional line items/charges. • Record payments received in the field.

• Stickering: One of Towbook’s fastest-growing features is our Stickering app. With Stickering, you can create a virtual sticker in Towbook and “tag” those vehicles that you might be able to tow after a few hours or a few days. When the sticker expires, you receive a notification that the vehicle can be towed if it is still in the same location. Impound/Storage Lot Management: You’ll be able to track and release your current impounded/stored vehicles on your lot right from the mobile application. You’ll even be able to send the impound invoice via text or e-mail. Digital Dispatching: 46

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• Collect customer signatures for archiving and appearing on receipts. • Any additional notes regarding the service or customer. • Record vehicle odometer. • Add any company expenses, such as fuel along with a picture of the receipt for manager review. Technology is evolving the world around us, and it’s important to find resources that can be of benefit to us: first it was computers, now it’s a little device in our pocket that we all rely on daily whether for business or our personal lives. As mentioned earlier, using software to manage your business increases efficiency and profitability, but it’s also a great tool to be able to market to potential clients; demonstrating that you are a forward-thinking towing/road service company and are willing to adapt to the ever-changing technological environment. About Towbook Towbook Management Software is headquartered in Michigan and is the unquestioned leader in cloud-based tow-

SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS ing software for over twelve years. Integrating the industry’s most advanced and flexible software, Towbook supports all types of towing, recovery and roadside service operations. We provide tools made possible by the latest technology, and we help companies to raise their level of service while lowering their operating costs. Plus, our commitment to you will be never-ending! We take great pride in having the industry’s best customer support. Support is free and available 24/7/365— even on holidays. What We Offer--Free Trial, Free Setup, Free Support Towbook offers a 30-day free trial with free setup and support, and there are no contracts. Plus, you don’t need a separate Towbook license for each employee— your subscription includes unlimited user accounts! Website: www.towbook.com Inquiries: sales@towbook.com 24/7/365 Support Line: (855) 8692665 www.towbook.com

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SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS

Operational Productivity Dispatch to Driver to Cash Flow B y Jim Sh e llh a a s -Founder /Pr esi dent-R anger SST

From "lift-off" in 2004, Ranger has focused on helping customers achieve and sustain a higher trajectory in “operational productivity” -- more calls per driver while using less fuel! These benefits flow straight to the bottom line of your company increasing profitability and accelerating cash flow. The business management challenge is achieving seamless integration across the natural boundaries within a company - call-taking/dispatching through service delivery in the field by drivers (mobile applications), through invoicing/accounting. Strong results require simple and effective ("smart") processes, and great teamwork. Increasing the challenge, the process requirements in the industry vary by type of job, for example: • LD tows are different for police calls vs. motor club calls vs. PPI/relocation. • Service calls are different for tires vs. batteries vs. HD repair. • Recoveries, heavy hauling, swaps, retows each have unique requirements. • Vehicle storage for the police is different than relocations from a private property. The Ranger Tow Management Solution delivers robust functionality that is designed to handle ALL these diverse management challenges. Easy-to-use is the foundation in Ranger, but it’s not enough because profitability hinges on effectiveness. For example, the deployment decisions by dispatchers determine overall 48

fleet and driver productivity by getting the right truck to the exact incident location. Since dispatching "sets the stage" for all that follows, Ranger equips dispatchers with special tools: More Exact Locating: Dispatch can pinpoint locations with the “Map LookUp” feature in “Dispatch” by moving the pin to the right spot on the map in conversation with the customer. The navigation on the mobile device will take the driver to the location as "pinned" by Dispatch-resulting in faster service and higher productivity. Dispatchers can also use "Find Me" -- which leverages the GPS chipsets on the smartphone of a "lost" motorist to discern their location. Right Truck Assignment: Dispatch can assign the right truck based on a view (on the same screen) of “ALL OPEN JOBS” and “ALL TRUCKS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY”

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to those open jobs, to MAKE THE BEST DEPLOYMENT DECISIONS. Ranger's capability to send messages to waiting motorists is yet another tool to improve effectiveness (both customer service and productivity) as customers will be standing by at their vehicle when the driver is approaching. After dispatching, team members

SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS receive pre-configured account-specific pricing (or dispatcher-set custom pricing) with the option to add on-site “Extras” to the charges. CommLink™ does all pricing calculations -- drivers don't need to know the rate book or do math. Drivers can pre-authorize credit cards at “Arrived” and take payments at “Clear" directly in CommLink™, so no separate credit card app or device (or airtime) is required. Capabilities of the CommLink™ mobile application include: Perhaps less transparent, there is a significant benefit in shifting how dispatchers spend their time -- from talking to drivers, to talking to customers for better service delivery.

High reliability data messaging (NOT text or emails) All job details and pricing sent to the driver Drivers can “Create” a “New Call” - without dispatch. "Driver" or "Dispatcher Approved" pricing options Turn-by-turn directions and navigation SmartOdometer - device "enters" rolling miles. One-click to call customer from smart phone Picture-taking: vehicle condition, driver information Pictures: over the network, or Wi-Fi (to save $) operating outside of the office move to "center stage." The focus becomes equipping them to successfully perform their key roles in improving process performance. For this, Ranger provides three user-friendly mobile applications: CommLink™, LotMaster™, and TransportOps™. CommLink™ for drivers in the truck has long been the leading, highest reliability driver-centric mobile application in the

industry-- and it works! Drivers get all call information, and Google Maps navigation to Incident and Destination locations. They can take pictures and collect signatures that are automatically linked to the job record. Geo-fencing around the Incident and Destination locations automatically triggers status updates to Dispatchers before the driver makes a manual entry for “Arrived” or “Dropped.” Importantly, drivers automatically

Electronic messaging to/from Dispatch

Pre-priced “Extras” (drivers enter quantity)

Make/model/VIN from license plate entry

Split invoices - based on member limits

VIN barcode scanning

Summarization & editing of call charges

Reminders to driver for PO, VIN, BOL

Entry of “Advance Payouts” as required

View/print (BOL) documents in the truck

Fully integrated Credit Card processing

Signatures for consent to tow

Manual CC entry or use of reader/swipe

Verbal entry of notes by the driver

Pre-authorization of credit cards on-site

Input of identified damage to the vehicle

Pre-auth retained for payment at “Clear”

Signatures for pre-existing damages

Signatures for payment responsibility

Entry of vehicle information

Customer entry of e-mail address

Entry of Asset and equip Serial numbers

Drivers can e-mail invoices to customers

Update of “Dropped” location as needed

Mobile Device Management - "lockdown"

Status updates from geo-fencing

Pre- and post-trip inspections

LotMaster™ provides all the functionality expected in a storage-lot solution for tracking and pricing vehicles. This includes integration with Auto Data Direct for DMV 123 (registered owner and lien holder information) and Direct Post Office (tracking the certified mailing process). In addition, users can use the workflow management tool to track the step-by-step progress (actual vs. plan) of a vehicle in the lot – “Admit” through “Lien Letter” processing to “Release,” “Disposal,” or “Auction.” There is also a special LotMaster™ mobile app for those attending the lot. The most common use for this app is continued picture-taking. The record of pictures begins with the tow job, and then follows the vehicle to the lot, and can be

Volume 8 • Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS augmented while the vehicle is being stored with a final picture when discharged. In an increasingly litigious culture, the "cradle-to-grave" pictures are invaluable in reducing liability exposures. The LotMaster™ mobile app is also designed to streamline the process for taking physical inventories of vehicles. By placing an inexpensive "QR Code" (bar code) on the vehicle at “Admit,” it becomes electronically tagged in Ranger. A lot attendant can survey the lot with the mobile app, recording each vehicle by scanning the QR code. At the conclusion of the survey, a report identifies variances, if any, with the data in Ranger. The latest addition to the Ranger software suite is PatrolWorks™ for relocation / private-property enforcement. The solution enables towing companies to configure specific requirements for each of their customers (e.g., apartments, hospitals),

Tow Professional | Volume 8 • Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com

including patrol scheduling and the rules governing each individual violation type (e.g., grace period, approval requirements). Spotters can be assigned to zones and/or individual lots. The PatrolWorks™ mobile application navigates spotters to the assigned lot and provides a listing of any vehicles where infractions have already been identified. Spotters can update pending violations and enter new violations -- including pictures. Once entered in the PatrolWorks™ mobile app, the rules engine manages the process - including the automatic texting/emailing of approval requests to the designated Property Manager with the relevant information and pictures. When the prerequisites have been satisfied, the towing opportunity can then be executed: Where permitted - the spotter (if in a tow truck) can proceed to relocate the vehicle.

SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS In locales where patrolling is not permitted by a tow company, violations that are identified/validated by an independent patrolling company (or willing, "selfservice" property manager) using the PatrolWorks™ mobile app are automatically forwarded to the Dispatch Board of the tow company for the immediate deployment of a tow truck, including navigation to the exact location on the lot where the violation was recorded. Invoicing and payments for impounded vehicles are processed through LotMaster™. Ranger's TransportOps™ is aimed at heavy hauling (transporting construction equipment, moving containers) and transporting automobiles to an auction site. The process allows dispatchers to plan/schedule their loads for the next few days by truck and driver. And then in late afternoon, provide advance notice to drivers on their assignment for the coming day. This does NOT require a special app, as text messages or emails are sent

via Ranger to each driver on their personal smart phone. The next morning when drivers log into CommLink™, the assignments are automatically dispatched to the driver's mobile device -- eliminating morning congestion in Dispatch for multiple manual assignments. Dashboards for the Transport Manager provide information to confirm drivers have received and acknowledged the requisite information and to track their progress on each load.

We often use the tag line: “advanced technology for superior performance.” If you are looking to achieve a higher level of performance for your business, you owe it to yourself to check out the distinctive capabilities of Ranger SST - a great tow management solution, the industryleading, fully-integrated map for tracking and dispatching trucks (built on Google), with robust mobile applications that work! Also, there is a library of over 40 training videos to help your team to quickly realize the benefits. Ranger SST (Simpler, Smarter, Teamwork) is a solution you can grow into and never grow out of. Give us a call, and we'll put Ranger SST to work for you!. www.rangersst.com

Volume 8 • Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS

The Never-Ending Search for the Ultimate Mobile App B y Nig e l Pe s t e ll, Seni or Par tner - VT S Systems The onslaught of technology is changing everyone’s future, and the towing, recovery, and vehicle storage industry is no exception. Our recovery vehicles are becoming more sophisticated, but technology is also making them easier and safer to use, but it’s the unseen advancements in software that are really changing the way in which we operate, and without doubt, it is our future! What used to be a hard division between the office and tow truck is now becoming a blur due to web-based software management programs and the mobile app. As a business professional, your goal must be a more efficient, less costly means of doing business, which hopefully leads to more business for the same or less cost. Over the next five years, software developers face a never-ending challenge of developing better software programs and the ultimate mobile app. Stop and think for a moment about your business environment and recognize that your world is subject to constant change. Here are some key questions to consider: Are you facing aggressive competition for the available business? Is your political subdivision imposing unrealistic restrictions on tow pricing, therefore, reducing your profit margins and affecting your ability to keep the doors open and the lights on? These are not just your realities or your challenges; they are the challenges of every towing, recovery, and storage lot business. So why a mobile app? If you are a small company, it makes good business sense to be able to manage your entire operation from the cab of your tow truck. This often means employing computersavvy driver/operators, who can reliably enter data into your software management program and maybe allow for a 52

reduction in or possibly the elimination of full-time office staff. Think cost savings, a competitive advantage, and an increase in profit margins. The benefits of CLOUD computing and the use of mobile apps or remote tablet access are not only beneficial to small companies but also offer efficiency and cost reduction benefits to any business regardless of size. Access to your CLOUD-based business management software program can be from any Internet-connected device, ANY DEVICE,

ANYTIME, ANYWHERE; this would include a desktop PC, a laptop, a tablet, or a smart phone. The ubiquitous smart phone with a smart phone app would appear to offer the ultimate entry device, however, there are drawbacks. Screen size must be the

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first consideration, even large smart phones often present the user with readability issues, followed by keyboarding issues and the possible entry of incorrect data. Have you ever met a driver/operator with tiny fingers? The efficient use of smart phones depends on the manual dexterity of the user, read fingers and thumbs. Younger operators adapt more easily and are not subject to the wear and tear of life’s aging process, but nevertheless trying to enter data in the rain or with frozen fingers does pose a challenge. A viable alternative to the smart phone is a tablet. A refurbished 8 to 10-inch tablet (iPad or Android) with a Bluetooth connection via a cell phone (tethering) to the Internet or WiFi are available for under $100 from Amazon or other online sources. Tablets in the opinion of the writer offer several advantages—no, they will not replace your cell phone. However, as a data-entry device, it provides better access to your CLOUD-based computing program, and more importantly, the readability and finger problems mostly go away. Moreover, if desired, you can mount a tablet in the truck cab, providing a stable work platform in a safer operator environment. Entering data into any device at the roadside takes the driver’s attention away from his/her situational awareness. Lack of focus increases risk and the probability of driveby accidents. Employee safety should be everyone’s concern. Lastly, compared to cell phones, they are cheap to replace when lost or broken. To achieve your goal of remaining profitable, you must adopt, adapt, and improve your business procedure, and software management solutions are an area that you cannot afford to ignore. Towing and vehicle storage facility (VSF) management software has been around

SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS for almost 30 years. VTS Systems like several of the more experienced software companies began offering PC serverbased towing and storage lot software solutions in the mid-90’s, long before the Internet became the global utility it is today. With the growth and evolution of the Internet came web-based technology, and CLOUD computing. Web-based or CLOUD computing offers more features more economically than is possible with a stand-alone, privately-owned PC server program. VTS Systems continues to offer its users both a PC/server and a next-generation web-based solution. Why both you might ask? Even in large cities, there are areas where degraded 100-year-old telephone cables still carry poor quality Internet traffic; such neglected commercial areas also frequently suffer from unreliable Wi-Fi and cellular signals. In such locations, a PC-based solution is often a better choice as it does not require fulltime Internet to operate both efficiently and reliably. VTS CLOUD, the VTS Systems web-

based management solution, uses next generation architecture and coding technology. This hub and spoke matrix allows VTS Systems to provide much needed features and benefits and provides a development path for ideas still in the concept stage. VTS Systems will use this advanced next-generation platform, allowing solutions to everyday industry problems as they evolve. Today, VTS CLOUD provides the towing industry, regardless of size, with a complete and affordable operating package, making it possible to enter and electronically process everyday tow tickets, tow invoices, on-site credit/debit card payments and to send invoices and statements via email or as an SMS text attachment. Moreover, this CLOUD-based computing solution can provide services such as accounts receivable, individual driver commission, processing impoundment of vehicles from multiple third-party towing companies into multiple storage facilities. It is also fully automated and compliant with state statute. It includes single key-

stroke, online access to more than 36 individual state DMV databases to obtain owner and lienholder information, processing on time notification/lien letters using automated, electronic, certified mail and ultimately, if the vehicle remains unclaimed, manage the vehicle through to and including a private or law enforcement auction. Although VTS Systems licenses its towing and vehicle storage facility management software across the US and Canada, the most difficult state to achieve compliance is Texas, and “No one does storage lot management like we do---Period!” Within five years, all major software programs regardless of industry, will be web-based, it all comes down to features and benefits, plus the cost of doing business. For more information, please visit our website vts-systems.com or call 877.374.7225, Ext. 2. www.vts-systems.com

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SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS

Sometimes the Best Way to Envision the Future

IS TO CREATE IT B y Je f f Ho l l and - sur eEcosystem

Information technology and business are becoming inextricably interwoven. I don't think anybody can talk meaningfully about one without the talking about the other. -Bill Gates Technology has revolutionized our world. We use it for banking, watching TV, shopping online, and keeping up with our friends and family. It runs our cars, our homes, turns on our lights and adjusts our AC. The list goes on and on. The leap towards technology in our industry has left many behind 54

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and others wanting something better. The something better is now available as sureEcosystem. What is sureEcosystem? sureEcosystem is a collection of software tools designed around a central communications point, or hub, allowing simple communication between the various sureEcosystem software tools as well as to other diverse systems.

SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS

In simpler terms, your company information, drivers, vehicles and equipment entered in any of the software tools are available for use in all the tools. Items or parts used in a maintenance work order are automatically deducted from your inventory. Alerts are sent to a central dashboard allowing for insight into the fleet maintenance, dispatching and inventory functions of your business. sureEcosystem also interconnects those who need services to those who provide the services and our central hub is connected to a wide variety of external software systems in numerous industry related fields. sureEcosystem Fleet: Fleet is a complete maintenance software focused on improving business operations with efficient management, tracking, and reporting on fleet maintenance, repair costs, and fuel purchases. Drivers utilize the Fleet mobile app to complete eDVIRs, pre- and post-trip inspections, report issues, report accidents, input fuel purchases, and initiate work orders.

pletely customized by you. sureEcosystem provides a template from which to work with many questions already available for you to use in building your inspection. Additionally, you can add other questions. So, in addition to checking the oil or the tire pressure your drivers can also check to make sure that specific items are on the vehicle or in the vehicle that are needed to perform their work or ensure things like insurance cards are in place. Deficiencies can be tracked, drivers can restock vehicles, alerts can be set, or work orders generated into your maintenance tracking system, based on your preferences tied to the specific questions you use in your company. Many other types of inspections can also be performed including vehicle end of shift check in and appearance inspections. All these inspections are used in building reports that let you know what's going on with your fleet and your business as well as which employees are performing the work you would like them to do in accordance with company policy. sureEcosystem also tracks all the maintenance performed on your vehicles, whether it is in your own shop or outside shops, allowing you to keep track of the costs of maintaining each vehicle individually. Work being performed on vehicles is tracked using work orders in sureEcosystem that can be assigned to internal technicians, external shops, or others. Customizable thresholds allow you to maintain, inspect, and replace vehicle components on a regular schedule that you define. This may mean that you want to perform preventative maintenance on different schedules for different vehicles or to check brakes, tires, or other items at defined intervals.

Focus: Trip Inspections with Fleet Maybe you are not required to do eDVIRs on some or all your vehicles, but wouldn't it be nice to have your drivers or technicians, who operate your vehicles, check out the vehicle and their tools prior to each shift? Obviously, we all hope our drivers do a walk around inspection, and we hope that they leave the shop or start their day with the tools required to perform the jobs they will encounter during their shift. Using sureEcosystem Fleet, you can accomplish this and much more, as well as have a daily record and accountability. As a driver begins their shift, they perform an inspection com-

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SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS sureEcosystem Inventory: A web-based software tool allowing users to keep track of the quantity of materials on hand, order replacements, use products in their businesses, and sell items to customers. This tool eliminates guessing and last-minute ordering by providing proactive ordering requests based on product usage or sales. Quantities can be tracked across various locations including company warehouses and vehicles.

sureEcosystem even lets you track maintenance thresholds for the ancillary equipment attached to your truck or specific vocational bodies such as tankers, tool bodies, ambulances, tow trucks, tree service equipment, and specialized vehicle components for many other industries.

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Focus: Keeping up with Parts and Equipment with Inventory Using “Inventory” within sureEcosystem also allows you to track the parts that you stock, whether those parts be for your vehicles or the parts you stock for the services your company performs. In the case of parts that your company uses as a part of the services you provide, a system tracks their location whether in your warehouses, in your office, or on specific vehicles. As items are used, they can be tied to events that are managed through the “Dispatch” product. The “Inventory” tool allows you to track the quantity of items within each location on each vehicle and in total. Within the system, items can be moved from location to location, vehicle to vehicle, or can be sold to customers or used internally. The system tracks your vendors, what they charge

SOFTWARE FOR TOWERS tion, report generation and general data management for day-to-day business activities.

you for parts, and your markups when selling the products to anyone or special rates for individual customers. sureEcosystem Dispatch: A simple, web-based event management application allowing for assignment of events to field technicians, status updating and tracking, invoice creation, cash and payment applica-

Focus: Simple Dispatching through sureEcosystem The dispatching system of sureEcosystem allows you to enter your new jobs, assign them to specific technicians or groups of technicians, perform the work involved in the job including selling parts if necessary as well as pricing out and billing. All of this with a simple-to-use accounts receivable cash application and payment processing. There are literally hundreds of other things the sureEcosystem can assist you within your business including driver qualification file management. All of this is backed up by a robust reporting tool whether it be to report on overall business operations, employee activities, commission tracking, customer sales, etc. The best way to see what sureEcosystem can do for your business is to simply start a free trial. All you do is go to the sureEcosystem.com website, choose a product, click free trial, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re up and running. Take the time to do a demo with one of our specialists and learn more about how to use the tool in your specific business operations. www.sureEcosystem.com

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Dealers place

Tow Professional | Volume 8 â&#x20AC;¢ Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com

Dealers place

Tow Professional | Volume 8 â&#x20AC;¢ Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com

Dealers place

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market place

Nobody does Storage Lot Management nt like like w wee do do.... ..

Period ! Call today for more details. 877.374.7225 Ext. 2 Or visit

vts-systems.com

Volume 8 â&#x20AC;˘ Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

COMPANY

Access Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Lodar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Talbert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

All American Auto Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

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

TOPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

American Safety & Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

McMahon Truck Centers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

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

Austin Hinds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Mike Keith Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Towing Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32, 33

Auto Data Direct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Mobile Create USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Towmate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Beacon Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8, 9

Nino Prints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

TowTrax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Budget GPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

OMG Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

TRAA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Custer Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Pro View Systems, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

TRAO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

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

ProLift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

United Plastic Fabricating . . . .Inside Back Cover

Dynamic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Ranger SST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

VTS Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17, 63

ECM Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Recovery Billing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Waters Truck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

FlowStop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Renew Truck Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

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

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

Rick’s Truck & Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Will-Burt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Hanby Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

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

Winches, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

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

RP Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Wrecker Rentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

HINO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

RV Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Wrecker Supply USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Holly's Towing Dispatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Schaffer Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

XINSURANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

In The Ditch . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Inside Front Cover

Southern Tow Expo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12, 13

Zellner Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

INA Towing Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Steck Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

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

sureEcosystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

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