Tow Professional - Volume: 10 Issue: 7 by Over the Mountain Media, Inc

Volume 10 • Issue 7 • 2021 www.towprofessional.com

TOWING

SOFTWARE & GPS

LOCK OUT

TOOLS EXPERT WITNESS: OSHA applies to the towing industry

INSIGHTFUL TALK:

Drivers are the down fall

FUEL 4 THOUGHT:

This Podcast Is for You!

TPV10i7 Cover.indd 1

9/29/21 3:19 PM

2_TPV10i7TOC.indd 1

9/29/21 1:50 PM

2_TPV10i7TOC.indd 1

9/29/21 1:51 PM

TOW PROFESSIONAL

CONTENTS

INDUSTRY NEWS

TOWING & RECOVERY

6 | Jerr-Dan

lebrating

Volume 10 • Issue 7 WWW.TOWPROFESSIONAL.COM

FEATURES:

TOWING SOFTWARE & GPS

8 | TRAA 10 | Midwest Regional Tow Show

YEARS

12 | TowMate 14 | Mach 1

26 | Towbook

32 | Beacon Software

36 | Tops

40 | Budget GPS

an expert Witness BY JAMES E. LEWIS ///

16 | Yes, OSHA applies to the towing industry

INSIGHTFUL TALK BY DAN MESSINA ///

20 | Drivers are the down fall 42 | Ranger SST

48 | ServiCase

LOCK OUT

TOOLS Fuel 4 Thought BY D.J. HARRINGTON CSP

52 | Teletac Navman

24 | This Podcast Is for You!

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

2_TPV10i7TOC.indd 2

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 4:02 PM

TOWING SOFTWARE

Try it for 30-Days, Free.

As the software sector of the towing and roadside industry begins to evolve, our commitment to towing and roadside companies around the country stands firm. We stand by the thousands of companies who rely on our product daily; always driven by passion, not profits.

ZERO INVESTORS  INDEPENDENTLY OWNED  INDUSTRY DRIVEN

www.towbook.com

Try it for 30-Days, free!

2_TPV10i7TOC.indd 3

9/29/21 1:51 PM

PUBLISHER’S

LETTER

Volume 10 • Issue 7

lebrating

WWW.TOWPROFESSIONAL.COM

FALL IS IN THE AIR!

YEARS

Professional Your Resource for Towing & Recovery

PUBLISHER Darian Weaver President & Publisher darian@towprofessional.com

PRODUCTION Shirley Ogburn Editor Clint Cabiness Creative Director clint@dialedinmediagroup.com

As this issue hits your hands, Fall is upon us, and we are halfway through the Trade show season. It has been great getting out and seeing our customers and friends after so much time away. The shows have done well this year! The market is beginning to show growth while still navigating this supply chain damaged by Covid. The past years 2019 & 2020 were tough for a lot of businesses in every industry. You don’t have to look far to see how badly it touched so many companies - just as the wind blows. The backbone of our strength is our people, and the strength of our industry is our Towers’ hearts for service! It will be a long road till we are back to the mark we were at prior to the pandemic. Working together hand in hand helping each other, business to business, we will be back stronger than ever! In this Issue, our Expert Witness, James Lewis, looks at OSHA; DJ Harrington says, “This Podcast is for You,” and Dan Messina’s Insightful Thought explains “Drivers are the downfall.” We look at the options offered in “Towing Software” and hear from the leaders in towing software layout options for your business. Access Tools features their tools for the trade; these are must haves for the toolbox of every tow professional. We appreciate you and your family, and I pray a prayer of protection over you all. We ask that peace and love be with all who have suffered loss during these times whether it occurred during service or from covid. Hug your family, be kind to your neighbor, and get out there and enjoy life! Till the next Issue!

Darian Weaver President & Publisher, Tow Professional

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

3_TPv10i7 EditorLetter.indd 4

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS D. J. Harrington CSP James E . Lewis Dan Messina Darian Weaver

C fo

> 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.

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 1:52 PM

XI In an XI do of in un Th an 0H

Custom Insurance Solutions for the Towing & Repossession Industry With XINSURANCE, You Get… > All-in-one approach > Available in most states > Limits up to $10MM with excess available > Flexible underwriting > Risk management expertise

Ask us about the new coverage option Communicable Disease Liability

Scan the QR code for a free custom insurance quote or

> 24/7 claims hotline > Agent friendly

Contact 877.585.2853 info@xinsurance.com www.xinsurance.com

XINSURANCE is powered by Evolution Insurance Brokers, LC (“EIB”), an excess and surplus lines insurance brokerage. XINSURANCE is a DBA of EIB, which is domiciled in and has its principal place of business in Sandy, Utah. This insurance product is offered by an unlicensed surplus lines insurer. The NPN for EIB is 5464658 and CA license number is 0H93938.

3_TPv10i7 EditorLetter.indd 5

9/29/21 1:52 PM

INDUSTRY NEWS TOWING & RECOVERY

drive our technology-enabled business transformation. His efforts will support future growth, while continuing to accelerate digitization across the company.” “I am excited to have the opportunity to work for such a well-established and respected company,” says Bammel. “I see myself as a catalyst for organizational development and sustainable business growth, and in this role, I will work to carefully orchestrate and support enterprise-wide technology changes that will enable JLG and Jerr-Dan to continue exceeding customer expectations.”

David Bammel Named Vice President of Digital Technology for JLG® and Jerr-Dan® Hagerstown, MD (May 13, 2021) — Jerr-Dan, an Oshkosh Corporation company (NYSE: OSK), announces that David Bammel has been named Vice President of Digital Technology for Oshkosh Corporation’s Access segment, which includes JLG® aerial lifts and material handling equipment and JerrDan® towing and recovery equipment. In this role, Bammel will be responsible for the development and execution of a digital vision and strategy for each brand. Bammel will be based out of the company’s offices in Hagerstown, Maryland. “David is a thought-leader in the digital space, recognized for accelerating growth and advancing corporate strategic objectives across multiple disciplines, departments and industry segments,” said Frank Nerenhausen, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president of the company’s Access Segment. “We are pleased to have his expertise to

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

4_TPV10i7IndNews.indd 6

Bammel joins the JLG and Jerr-Dan teams with more than 25 years of digital technology, business transformation and applied technology experience, including positions within manufacturing environments and in global locations. Most recently, he was Senior Vice President at GCP Applied Technologies His past experience also includes serving as Director of Information Technology for AGCO, a global manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment. He is a graduate of Alfred University in New York. For more information about Jerr-Dan products please visit www.jerrdan.com. For more information about JLG products and services, visit www.jlg.com.

About Jerr-Dan JerrDan, LLC, an Oshkosh Corporation [NYSE: OSK] company, is a leading manufacturer of towing and recovery equipment. Its full line includes light-, medium- and heavy-duty carriers and wreckers, industrial transporters and four-car carriers. The company is headquartered in Hagerstown, MD., and its products are backed by industry leading warranties and a strong service network dedicated to the towing professional. To learn more about Jerr-Dan, visit www.jerrdan.com.

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 2:33 PM

4_TPV10i7IndNews.indd 7

9/29/21 1:53 PM

INDUSTRY NEWS TOWING & RECOVERY

TRAA Legislative Update: Van Hollen Amendment to Regulate Consensual Towing

e’ve received questions from members regarding the amendment introduced by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) on August 3rd. The amendment in question sought to revise the existing Federal Authority Over Interstate Code (49 USC 14501) and return the state’s right to regulate all towing operations, not just nonconsensual, by striking the words “performed without prior consent or authorization” from 49 USC 14501 (c)(2)(C). As your national association, we fully understand the negative impact that the regulation of consensual towing would have on the entire industry. Given all the conflicting information out there, we’ve gone straight to the source. Please see the statement from TRAA’s federal lobbying team, Tremont Strategies Group LLC:

Dear TRAA Members, We understand there has been confusion about the issue among some of the state associations. In short, due to efforts by TRAA, the amendment that would have allowed states to regulate consensual towing was NOT included in the bipartisan infrastructure bill that passed the Senate. We do not expect it to be included in the final bill that passes the House and ultimately gets to the President’s desk. As you know, Senators Van Hollen (D-MD) and Tim Kaine (D-V A) offered this amendment on August 3rd while the Senate was debating the bill which, to make matters more confusing, was numbered HR 3684 (the termed used for the Senate Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill even though it technically originated in the House). When the Committee staff saw the proposed Van Hollen/Kaine amendment, and its impact on the towing industry, they reached out for TRAA’s feedback. We were able to communicate our concerns to Senate Commerce Committee staff and other key staffers - many of whom are familiar with and supportive of TRAA given the many meetings conducted during our annual Hill Day and in subsequent follow-up. When the Senate passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan on August 10th, the Van Hollen amendment was NOT included, and this was emailed to TRAA’s membership on August 13th along with other legislative victories and efforts TRAA championed in the bill. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan is now under consideration before the House for and will likely move in conjunction with the $3.5 trillion reconciliation package. We expect that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan will pass the House and amendments will NOT be accepted.

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

4_TPV10i7IndNews.indd 8

The House is also in the process of drafting another infrastructure bill, the $3.5 trillion reconciliation package. This bill will be focused on so-called “soft” infrastructure such as childcare, health care, and the environment. While this is unlikely to be a vehicle where another attempt could be made to insert this language into a bill, we have proactively reached out to relevant committee staff and key Members of Congress. Many of whom have over time, and in large part due to the relationships we have built during TRAA’s legislative days, have become advocates for towers to make them aware of this effort, and proactively voice our concerns. According to staff on the relevant House committees, this is NOT expected to be something the House considers as part of the second infrastructure package. We remain actively vigilant in keeping our ears to the ground about potential advocacy efforts to revive this amendment and are coordinating our efforts with like-minded organizations such as AAA National. Again, congratulations go to TRAA for their efforts to defeat this measure, and we hope this clarifies any confusion within the industry. We look forward to continuing to represent towers on behalf of TRAA in Washington DC. We’re happy to answer any questions you or the TRAA membership may have. Sincerely, David J. Garriepy Vice President, Government Affairs

We appreciate your concern and engagement on this important federal legislative issue and encourage you to register for TRAA’s annual Legislative Action Workshop & Hill Day in March 2022. Until then, we’ll be here guarding the gate. We appreciate the support of every member; we couldn’t do this critical work without you! .

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 2:34 PM

4_TPV10i7IndNews.indd 9

9/29/21 1:53 PM

INDUSTRY NEWS TOWING & RECOVERY

2021 Midwest Regional Tow Show… the show that drives training, legislation, and safety for our members! By: Darian Weaver

he year was started with the PWOF association’s Florida tow show, an absolute success showing that owners were ready to hit the market after 16 + months of covid. With the Empire State show, Vegas, and others following show, the industry is showing a growing resurgence in the market. Don’t get me wrong I certainly understand we are all still burdened by looming shortages across the board. The fellowship enjoyed, relationships made, time spent gaining knowledge will help us forge through these trying times! I arrive in Mason, Ohio at the Great Wolf Lodge and there was a cool snap in the air, and beautiful blue skies! There was no better time to have a show! Some of the nation’s top product and service providers descended on Mason, Ohio, and the Great Wolf Lodge Sept 26th for a weekend of fellowship education, replenishing and acquiring assets have been needed after a tough season through covid. TRAO did a fantastic job top to bottom on this show. The Midwest regional is truly a family show.

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

4_TPV10i7IndNews.indd 10

TRAO hosted trick a treating party, and interactive programs for the kids while mom and dad had time to enjoy the show. TRAO association hosted a Candlelight vigil honoring our fallen men & women and was a touching memorial not to be missed. The traffic was steady Friday & Saturday to very busy at times. I walked the show and was very excited to gain feedback from all the vendors that I spoke with. The show is very important not only for meeting with friends and customers, but for the good it does for the industry. TRAO uses the proceeds from the show to fund driver training, lobby for legislation, and improve driver safety throughout their state! The only sad news to report is that any companies that missed this show this year, missed a Baltimore like experience per many vendor quotes! Make sure you get your booth early for the 2023 Midwest Regional, I promise you will not want to miss it!

Midwest Regional Tow Show 513-831-7469

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 2:34 PM

4_TPV10i7IndNews.indd 11

9/29/21 1:53 PM

INDUSTRY NEWS TOWING & RECOVERY

TowMate Utilizes Robust Manufacturing Capabilities To Take On New Products!

owMate, Inc. has been rapidly adding to their product offerings in 2021 through new product development as well as exclusive manufacturing and distribution rights on other new items in the market. Two of the latest examples include ‘The Life Saver’ traffic cone warning light system and the LED illuminated ‘AirBar’ work zone boundary system.

The Life Saver (P/N: TM-LS) has changed form from its original design of a traffic cone with strobes mounted to it and housing a battery internally. It is now a self-contained unit that is universal to any traffic cone and features two LED strobes, lithium battery, and over 24 hours of runtime. This allows the user to continue to store cones by stacking them as well as move it from truck to truck with ease. The system itself is designed to be a quick deploy solution to get traffic moving over by placing it on the lead cone in advance of your work site. The standard model comes with two red and blue LED strobes that are sure to catch motorists’ 12

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

4_TPV10i7IndNews.indd 12

attention. The light is not considered truck lighting and is not intended for use in motion and as a result has been widely accepted for use in such scenarios. However, other color options are available. The AirBar system has been on the market in the UK for some time as the company that invented it, Nuvech, is based there. TowMate and Nuvech have teamed up and TowMate now manufactures the electronic portion of the system in Rogers, Arkansas where they are based. They are also the exclusive distributor for the US market. This system simply requires power and air in order to deploy the LED illuminated inflatable arrow from the side of a truck. Regardless of bed position or a casualty being hooked up, the Airbar extends outward from the truck and defines a boundary for the work area close to the truck body. Being inflatable, one can simply walk right through it instead of having to go around and into the lane of traffic to get around the vehicle. When installing, connect the activation wire to the PTO directly so that it automatically deploys when engaging in a job and retracts upon finish. TowMate continues to expand upon their line of products that enhance the notion for drivers to ‘Slow Down, Move Over.’ Check with your local TowMate dealer for options and pricing. Not sure where to look? Go to www.TowMate.com/dealers to find a dealer near you today!

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 2:34 PM

Our mission is to: • Evoke the public conscious to understand they are the most powerful source to define life and death on our Nation’s highways. • To educate and make them aware they need to make a life change so first responders can live theirs! • To unite all common industry first responders to train, educate and motivate the public we serve to just

OVER ONE – LOSE NONE!

overone.org

No matter what you’re towing, we’re always behind you.

Stay protected with insurance from Progressive. With policies customized for tow truck drivers, we offer Primary Liability limits up to $2 million and specialized coverages like On-Hook and Garagekeepers Liability.

Call your local agent or visit ProgressiveCommercial.com.

Progressive Casualty Ins. Co. & affiliates. Specialized coverages may not be available in all states or situations. In Texas and Virginia, Garagekeepers Legal Liability coverage is called Storage Location insurance. In these two states only, On-Hook Towing insurance is then called Garagekeepers Legal Liability coverage.

www.towprofessional.com

4_TPV10i7IndNews.indd 13

Volume 10 • Issue 7

Tow Professional

9/30/21 8:08 AM

INDUSTRY NEWS TOWING & RECOVERY

Spurs Player & Mach1 Investor, Lonnie Walker IV Took Photos with 300 Fans At The UTSA Roadrunner Game on 9/11 September 22nd, 2021 - San Antonio, TX – San Antonio Spurs player, Lonnie Walker IV took photos with 300 fans at the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) Roadrunners vs. Lamar game on September 11, 2021. Fans also received an autographed mini-poster and a chance to win his autographed basketball. The event was sponsored by Mach1, Lonnie Walker IVs recent, off-the-court investment. Mach1 is an on-demand roadside assistance app, without membership fees. The technology is similar to Uber in that it automatically dispatches the closest roadside assistance provider without call center intervention. It is veteran, minority and woman owned and based in San Antonio, TX. “San Antonio has embraced me as a member of their community, and it’s only natural that my first company [to invest in] is based right here in San Antonio,” said Walker. The pair partnered with

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

4_TPV10i7IndNews.indd 14

UTSA for the event to give back to the community in a meaningful way. Mach1 Services offers an on-demand, direct to customers model, where providers can set their own prices without the price haggling or bidding. The automated dispatch system locates the closest provider to the customer, and sends the request to them first. There is no call center that coordinates, asking for the lowest bid, or ETA’s. The closest provider can either accept or decline the call. If they decline it, it will go to the next closest provider, and so on, until the call is accepted. Mach1 providers service customers across the U.S. To learn more about becoming a Mach1 service provider, please visit mach1services.com/service-provider/ or contact the provider support team at 844-511-0002.

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 2:35 PM

4_TPV10i7IndNews.indd 15

9/29/21 1:53 PM

an expert Witness BY JAMES E. LEWIS ///

YES, OSHA applies to the

towing industry

ave you ever heard of terms like “general duty” and “multiple employer liability,” along with “multiple employer worksite”? I hadn’t either until I worked on a blockbuster case this year – and a conversation, actually an argument, I had last year suddenly made sense. People in the towing industry, especially, need to pay attention to these terms, and I’ll gladly explain them. They all revolve around OSHA standards that determine liability in case of an incident, crash, or injury. And, in the case of a contractor doing something wrong on your tow yard, YOUR company is actually at the top of the list for liability when the lawsuits start flying. Deny it all you

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

5_TPV10i7ExpertWitness.indd 16

want, like those guys did last year, but it’s true, accurate, and can cost you a fortune. The first thing to understand is that your tow yard is a “worksite” as designated and outlined by OSHA. The things that concern you about DOT, FMCSA, and state towing regulations also apply, but OSHA trumps them all when there’s an injury or wreck – especially when the tow, movement, or action ORIGINATED at your place of business. “General duty” applies to anyone trained in safety regulations, as they have a general duty to stop unsafe acts and correct them. Multi-employer liability and a multi-employer worksite is simple – think of a general contractor building a house. That contractor,

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 1:54 PM

by OSHA standards, is not only responsible for his own crew, but all subcontractors who come onto the worksite to perform work. Also, each subcontractor is also still responsible for their own people, and in many cases, the safety of others if that subcontractor has a general knowledge of what the other crew is doing. Think about how that applies to your tow yard…it’s all about “industry accepted standards” and who understands them. And you’ve trained all your people and they understand the standards in the industry. Last year, I was working a contract job and actually got into an argument with several people at a company’s tow yard over liability. I referenced that conversation in one of my articles last year. It wasn’t until I worked a completely different liability case this year for a lawfirm in Louisiana that I saw how this all plays out. Pay attention and I will describe for you how your company can lose everything over something seemingly simple. To refresh your memory, an outside contractor for Copart came to the yard to pick up a wrecked car. Typical process, the driver gave us information on the vehicle, filled out a check, got the paperwork and keys, and loaded the car. He only used one side of the bridle up front, with a mini-J in the frame, and one chain out back with a J-hook on the rear axle. I went to stop the guy to tell him to hook up the car properly, and the guys I was working with lost their ever-loving minds. They insisted that I had no business telling a guy from another company how to secure a car, and that “we” had no liability if the guy got into a wreck and the car became a projectile. I knew they

INGENUITY AMERICAN CRAFTSMANSHIP custombuiltmfg.com www.towprofessional.com

5_TPV10i7ExpertWitness.indd 17

rest the front end on while the two guys (contractors) forced the front axle of the truck back into its original place – so they could move the truck piggyback-style. They banged on it with hammers, pulled on the axle with ratchet straps, used prybars, and finally, they moved the truck enough

were wrong, and didn’t push it, but it has bothered me ever since. It really bothered me when the details of this case in Shreveport, Louisiana played out. An outside contractor came to an auction yard, was picking up a wrecked Kenworth truck, and cobbled together a pile of stuff to

Volume 10 • Issue 7

Tow Professional

9/29/21 1:54 PM

an expert Witness BY JAMES E. LEWIS ///

to where it fell down and landed on the guy underneath, severing both of his legs. Now, the liability claims start flying. The auction yard has the first level of responsibility because it happened on their property. Their people should have recognized a dangerous scenario and stopped it. The company that contracted the contractor came in second – and they weren’t even there. Then, the actual contractors who were moving the truck came in last. Everybody paid until their insurance policies maxed out and then they paid some more. The truck buyer who contracted the contractor, and the contractor himself, went out of business. The auction business paid in the eightfigure range. Can you afford that? Because in that scenario, you and your towing

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

5_TPV10i7ExpertWitness.indd 18

company are first in line like the auction service since the vehicle would be on your property and the incident happened there. Even if the vehicle had made it off the property but had been haphazardly secured and caused a crash down the road, the auction service (or your company) would be primarily at fault because your people know the safety and securement rules that apply, and the rules weren’t followed. Given this case as an example and applying that standard back to the tow yard where I was obstructed from correcting a driver – not only is it your responsibility to observe and correct unsafe acts, but you will also be held responsible if someone commits an unsafe act where your company is ANYWHERE in the chain of events – and you’ll be at the top of the list of defendants.

Don’t believe me? Let me show you the OSHA guidance that is the base standard – this is the standard that the lawyers apply and essentially blame everyone who had a hand in or an eyeball on a situation. Under the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of 1970, the guidance is simple: Each employer (1) shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees. (2) shall comply with occupational safety and health standards promulgated under this Act. (3) Each employee shall comply with occupational safety and health standards and all rules, regulations,

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 1:54 PM

and orders issued pursuant to this Act which are applicable to his own actions and conduct. Those few words are the pillars and backbone of all personal injury litigation. Here is the OSHA regulation that allows individuals and companies to enforce OSHA standards and protect them from reprisals: 1960.28(c) Any employee or representative of employees, who believes that an unsafe or unhealthful working condition exists in any workplace where such employee is employed, shall have the right and is encouraged to make a report of the unsafe or unhealthful working condition to an appropriate agency safety and health official and request an inspection of such workplace for this purpose. The report shall be reduced to writing either by the individual submitting the report or, in the case of an oral notification, by the above official or other person designated to receive the reports in the workplace. Any such report shall set forth the grounds for the report and shall contain the name of the employee or representative of employees. Upon the request of the individual making such report, no person shall disclose the name of the individual making the report or the names of individual employees referred to in the report, to anyone other than authorized representatives of the Secretary. In the case of imminent danger situations, employees shall make reports by the most expeditious means available. DOT rules, FMCSA guidelines, and

state towing laws are important – but it is OSHA that steps in and calls the shots in any case of personal injury or death. And yes, (1) You’re at the top of the list come litigation time, (2) What that contractor does is

not only your business, but also your requirement to monitor and correct. Remember - your tow yard is a “worksite” by OSHA standards – as is a towing or recovery scene – treat it accordingly and protect yourself.

DEDICATED TO TEACHING FELLOW TOWERS HOW TO GET PAID

You Do the Work You Deserve to Get Paid We Teach You Proper way of writing invoices

Are you still writing your RECOVERY invoice on a TOW slip? That’s a thing of the past.

Accident scene clean up

Are you leaving car debris and oil behind at the accident scene? You can be liable for this even YEARS later. We show you how to make site remediation profitable not an expense.

Keeping the paper trail

Learn how to properly document the scene from start to finish so you will have all the info you need back at the office.

Billing on property damage liability insurance only

Have you heard that your customer is not covered? Us too! We show you different avenues to get paid.

Communicating with insurance/ private companies

Obtaining payment for proper billing

Laws that are on your side

And more...

An insurance executive and lawyer guest speak to give you a diverse training seminar.

Overview of federal and state laws to help you get paid!

1,000s of companies attended! Proven process to increase your bottom line! 3 classes for the price of 1! Two free refresher classes

Upcoming Seminars Nov. 13-14, 2021 Baltimore Tow Show

508-763-5474

Visit Us on Facebook

I personally want to say that it is well worth the time and money. I made the money back for the class from a job that we did before the class for a stolen recovery in someone’s back yard that I was not sure how to get paid and this class gave me the knowledge to get paid for this job. Long story short, it is a great investment to our business.

— Capeway Towing

Some restrictions apply, must be accepted by Recovery Billing Unlimited

www.towprofessional.com

5_TPV10i7ExpertWitness.indd 19

There are many steps that go into collecting a check for your hard work. We teach you how to go about the process from start to finish.

We show you how to work WITH insurance/private companies NOT AGAINST them.

Volume 10 • Issue 7

Tow Professional

9/29/21 1:54 PM

INSIGHTFUL TALK BY DAN MESSINA ///

DRIVERS

are the down fall

have been talking to tow companies all over the country, and we are all in agreement that our industry is in trouble. We talked about some of the many problems we face and here are a few: 1. We know the price of gas is high 2. We know it’s hard to find a truck and if you order a new one its months away from being built 3. We know there is someone trying to buy all the dispatch software companies 4. We know the towing industry media doesn’t get along 5. We know there is legislation that is constantly impacting the way we do business 20

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

6_TPV10i6InsightfulTalk-NB.indd 20

6. We know state and national associations could do a better job addressing industry problems 7. We know tow companies that compete in a given market will never get along. I’m sure there are other problems that each state faces that impact their business but our biggest obstacle to overcome in each state is the lack of drivers. In the past month I have been to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Nevada and Arizona. The main topic of conversation is lack of drivers. Ten years ago when you needed a driver you just stole him from his competitor, you ran ads in newspapers or a friend would refer them to you. Those

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 1:56 PM

days are gone. Back in the day when I needed a driver I would go to a Home Depot or a super market and find a person that looked like the kind of person I wanted working for me. Clean cut with minimal tattoos that I would not have a problem putting in front of my customers. The background checks were usually completed by the stores I recruited from along with the drug testing when necessary. I realized they knew nothing about towing, but I figured there were enough training programs to get them educated. The good thing about my recruiting methods were I could teach them the way I wanted to do business, I’m sure every tow company had their way to recruit drivers and the companies that are successful are the programs that worked. In today’s world I’m not sure our methods would work. Here are a few of the problems we face today: 1. Today’s driver would rather have Tictok on their phone instead of apps that get them tows 2. We gave up tattoos for green and purple hair and piercings

3. Today’s driver picks and chooses their own hours and forget about nights and weekends 4. Today’s driver picks their working hours from their girlfriend or boyfriend 5. Today’s driver wants maximum pay without doing the work 6. Today’s driver does not understand customer service I have a program that sends tows to tow companies. The driver refused to put the app on their phone because it runs down the battery. I sent this tow company 16 tows over a 3 day period and he could not get his drivers to run the calls. He is an investor in my company yet he could not get the jobs completed. Another company hired a driver with little experience and half his hair was green and the other half purple. He said it would be hard to put them in front of a customer. There are a lot of stories out there that people don’t have to come to work because they are paid more by the government to stay home. My company offered several tow companies an opportunity to invest in my company

RUGGED LED LIGHTS BUILT FOR YOUR WORLD Safety

Modular Light Bar

Revenue

Speed

HDT Work Lights

Night Scan Spot

www.nightscan.com

330-684-4000 www.towprofessional.com

6_TPV10i6InsightfulTalk-NB.indd 21

Volume 10 • Issue 7

Tow Professional

9/29/21 1:56 PM

INSIGHTFUL TALK BY DAN MESSINA ///

and start making money by letting other companies work for them. They did not have to worry about: 1. No driver issues 2. No gas expense 3. No insurance expense 4. No driver drama 5. No fighting over tows 6. No salary issues. It was disappointing that no companies were curious enough to call and see what it was all about. There were 8 companies smart to make an investment in my company because they saw the value of what I have. I tried to help tow companies get tows by offering my service. I was told all tows must go through dispatch. I had good dispatchers and I knew their value. However, drivers make your company money in today’s world while most drivers don’t get the respect they deserve. I was also told that they don’t do motor club tows and we all know the reasons why. That’s a 44,000,000 tow market you are missing out on. My system also had to connect to their dispatch software. Now they are letting their software run their business. I feel our industry is crazy right now and it would help if we all had access to drivers. I know there are a lot of owners that want to turn it over to their son and keep the company in the family for another generation, but their kids are just not interested. Here is my idea for a driver solution. We start a trade 22

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

6_TPV10i6InsightfulTalk-NB.indd 22

school and train the drivers we need for the future. We can find convicts coming out of jail and looking for a job. The government said they would like to filter them back into the system. This would do it. The first push back I get is some cities and states do not allow x felons to drive a tow truck. With the government pushing our program they just might change some of these state and city laws. When I first got into the business, I was walking my lot with an employee who took care of the yard. A nice young man that did everything he was told. He was only 18 and I asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. He told me when his parole was over he wanted to join the service. I asked him what he did that put him in jail. I was shocked when he told me he shot and killed someone. When he was real young he belonged to a gang. They got in a fight with another gang and he shot and killed a very bad person. He spent some time in jail and was placed on parole. He definitely deserves a second chance. I am currently working with C.T.T.A in California to promote their training program I talked to Quinn and we will use the E.R.S.C.A program to start when we open the school. I have a location in Dallas for the school. I will work over the next 2 months to find candidates for the school. It could be X military or X convicts. I find government agencies to help support my effort. When the time comes I will reach out to tow companies for their help with setting it up. Planning now will save our industry for the future.

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 1:56 PM

www.towprofessional.com

6_TPV10i6InsightfulTalk-NB.indd 23

Volume 10 • Issue 7

Tow Professional

9/29/21 1:56 PM

Fuel 4 Thought BY D.J. HARRINGTON CSP ///

This Podcast

IS FOR YOU! M

onths ago, I didn’t know what a podcast was nor how to do it. It wasn’t until I met a radio producer, air personality from the Atlanta market by the name of Chuck Camp, that I knew how easily it could be done. Not really understanding anything about podcasts, Chuck explained to me the process and suggested doing podcasts with him from his Atlanta studio. I agreed it was for me, started the first one and have become very successful in a short amount of time. I thank the good Lord that Chuck knew all the ins and outs of this new and successful media venue. My industry knowledge is what Chuck needed from me. You’re probably thinking that you don’t have the stuff to make a podcast happen. As he explained it to me, Chuck already owned over $1800 worth of “Bumper Music” that we needed to complete our podcasts. Music is a tremendous addition to any podcast. Chuck also had all the podcast equipment, and he is an ACE editor. So, if you say something and want to fix a line or two, Chuck knows exactly how to edit, and it’s done by an expert. What’s it like working with Chuck Camp? It’s like having your own mini, 25-minute radio show each week

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

7_TPV10i7Fuel4Thought.indd 24

and having fun while you’re doing it. You might think you don’t have the right equipment to do a podcast. However, anyone who has a mobile phone can get a podcast right on their phone because it’s an app that comes standard with all mobile phones. Now, I call Wes and April Wilburn. Wes is a 38-year towing veteran and founder of American Towing and Recovery Institute. Having been published over 100 times in major towing publications, Wes has also produced and conducted training and certification programs for leading towing companies, equipment distributors, towing association like Florida this year, and this year’s Mid-west Tow Show. He also does DOT, Fire Department/Rescue, as well as military installations across the USA. Wes has provided insight as a main speaker for over 29 years at more than 850 training sessions and has been recognized as one of America’s greatest towing trainers. His straightforward but down-toearth teaching style made that happen.

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 1:57 PM

Together, every week, we do a podcast. I’m the Co-Host as the “Tow Doctor” and Wes is the other Co-Host, “The Expert,” who brings all the knowledge to the podcast as well as friends, his fellow towers. We have completed 35 podcasts so far and have covered the Tow Show in Florida and the Mid-West. We did a great one on the International Towing & Recovery Museum. Do me a favor. Please listen to Episode 29. You’ll hear a great one if you do. Pete Ashenden, Jr., Wes’s dear towing, trainer friend, joined us as we went to Louisiana to visit with Jared Varnado from Varnado and Son’s Towing. Here’s a picture of Jared with his dad, Gary, and Jared’s three sons: Liam, Waylon, and Emmitt. We need more towing families like the Varnados. You can see all their many beautifully, painted trucks sporting the US flag. As you drive around the state of Louisiana, their trucks can’t be missed because the flag covers every truck. If you like what you hear or want to be a guest on the podcast, call our hot line and leave a message at 706-4095603. Please leave your name along with your company name. We had a great tip left on the hotline last week. The caller requested a safety tip should be added to each episode or least once a month. No name was left so we can’t give

them credit for this helpful tip. Other podcasts that I liked were done by Randy Muscarello and Nate Buckler. Episode 31, like Jared, Randy Muscarello is a 3rd generation tower, also from the state of Louisiana, who works on legislative processes and getting laws changed that will improve working conditions for towers. You won’t want to miss the Episode with Nate Buckler who is both a fire fighter and towing operator. Cross training the two professions is also discussed in that episode. Very informative. Before I end this article, another podcast that you shouldn’t miss is Episode 15 with Sean Van Lingen and Marc Rivas from California. That was a good one. There are so many that I could recall and each of them last 20 to 30 minutes in length. If you have feedback, we would love to hear it. Our weekly podcasts average between 1,000 and 1,200 listeners each week, and I would like to add you to our list of podcast talent that reaches and helps our listeners. So easy to do each week, this podcast opportunity is really for you. So, take the first step and consider trying it at least once. Go to American Towman & Recovery Institute podcast and let me know how you feel. See you next time.

BUILDING THE BEST WIRELESS TOW LIGHTS IN THE BUSINESS!

Proudly Made in the USA

Contains Auto-grade circuitry Individually serialized to prevent cross-talk & protect against theft

Toll Free: 800-490-3158 CusterProducts.com www.towprofessional.com

7_TPV10i7Fuel4Thought.indd 25

Volume 10 • Issue 7

Tow Professional

9/29/21 1:57 PM

TOWING SOFTWARE & GPS

INCREASE YOUR COMPANY’S

INDEPENDENCE By Matt Wesley

t’s always an internal challenge to know how to begin telling someone about something you care deeply about, not knowing if they will engage, especially when you believe that it is something that will change their lives. So here we are. We are Towbook. A start-up company that has grown from being crafted in McDonald’s dining areas and being elated at breaking 100 accounts, to leading the way in cutting-edge software and serving thousands of companies world-wide. Our collective vision has and always will be to do things to our own beat, listening to the community that we serve, being as honest and humble as possible and doing everything we can to make the daily lives of towing, roadside, and transport companies more efficient, less stressful, and safer. If you are already using our software – you are part of the family. We see you and value you as an important piece to the vast network we have the pleasure of working with. 26

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 26

We want to encourage you and build with you as your business grows. If you have yet to try us, we’re going to give you an honest look at what we do and who we are and why neither of these things will ever bend to the winds of outside pressure. Dispatching. Managers and dispatchers can dispatch jobs from a web browser or mobile app to drivers who are then able to quickly act and provide service to the customer. The mobile apps assist the drivers in easily accessing information, taking photos or video, capturing signatures and much more. When photos are taken, they are always geo-location and time stamped to help demonstrate proof of completed work. Recording expenses can also be done on the mobile apps, giving an easy alternative to remembering where printed receipts are. Additional precautions can be taken by creating Vehicle Damage Forms if there is pre-existing damage

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 1:58 PM

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 will always be saved for future reference and can even be emailed or sent via text to the customer with their receipt. Mapping and GPS. You can get turn-by-turn directions to your destination from in the app with just a few taps! If you aren’t currently using a 3rd party GPS solution, Towbook is equipped with built-in GPS tracking which will automatically update the drivers’ location according to their app settings. Towbook is also integrated with leading GPS companies like AT&T Fleet Complete, Azuga, Driver Locate, Samsara, US Fleet Tracking, Verizon Connect, and Webfleet Solutions; 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. Your Towbook app can use the GPS location from your trucks and display that on the map in Towbook. We have recently integrated

ZACKLIFT INTERNATIONAL / 844.ZACKLIFT / ZACKLIFT.COM

www.towprofessional.com

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 27

Volume 10 • Issue 7

Tow Professional

9/29/21 1:58 PM

TOWING SOFTWARE & GPS

with Azuga, partnering as their exclusive towing software integration. There are many other fantastic features of GPS units that help you manage and maintain your fleet.

Impound Management. Our impound management features allows you to manage your impounds from anywhere. You can impound a vehicle, have the storage calculate out for you and release when needed from the computer or mobile app! Additionally, when needing to run a report for your impounds, you can save your filters to save you time! We’ve implemented an option to save you and your team time on the phone and reduce confusion in the release process; Vehicle Lookup creates a web portal for customers, police departments or private properties to search a plate number. This allows them to confirm if you have the vehicle and if so, the address of the lot and any pertinent information related to release procedures – all online! An important time saver and often times an option that helps keep drivers safe is our on scene call creation option. This option circumvents the normal required fields needed for call creation, allowing whoever is creating the call to simply take a quick picture of the car and move forward. When managing non-consensual tows or unsafe situations, this allows for a much faster alternative for your driver to use. 28

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 28

Accountability Features. If you want your team to inspect their 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. Completed inspections are also 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 available to accept jobs. You are also able to run a report to review check in/check out times for drivers. We know that being able to see drivers’ routes is an important part of running an efficient and reliable business. Because of this, we offer Driver and Call Replay. This allows you to go back and review movement on a specific call or play back a time frame for a specific driver. Whether for coaching on better routes to take or holding drivers accountable, this gives you concise visuals for both! Confirming that you have been paid and physically have the funds can be a struggle sometimes. Whether it’s late payments or less than ideal payment plans or payments that get stuffed in the wrong drawer, we know it can be stressful. The Payment Verification Report helps give you clarity and visual cues on what you have confirmed is in hand or in your bank account. It allows you to review all payments applied to verify the validity, giving you an additional layer of confidence that your books are balanced. We value creating what brings your business value, supporting you in ways that make you feel uniquely important and standing out in our field. We value openness and honesty. We know that this industry is built on our word being the bond and in times where we have let someone

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 1:59 PM

down, we do everything we can do to make it right. As we reflect on being one of the last remaining companies who take pride in their independent roots, there are a few acknowledgements we want to make. We created Towbook for the towing and roadside community, with all focus being on developing a software to best help an industry sorely in need of cutting edge, flexible software to make their businesses more efficient. This vision is and will always be a foundational one. We will never become more worried about our bottom line than what worries you. We will always work to implement options that make you as a business owner as self-sufficient as possible. The journey of building any business from a dream to reality does not end with popularity or a specific number hit. It grows and

matures as you see parts of it flourishes. We would not be who, or where, we are without the community of fiercely independent towing and roadside companies that we have the honor of serving. We hold firm to hearing what is needed, acknowledging when we need to make things right, and working tirelessly to deliver an innovative product to everyone who tries it. Website: www.towbook.com Inquiries: sales@towbook.com 24/7/365 Support Line: (810) 320-5063

Go Where Most Tow Trucks Can’t

Here are some of the many applications TowTract can tackle: TowTract is a tow truck with caterpillars controlled by a radio-command and is halfway between a forklift truck and a tow truck.

• Able to take a vehicle anywhere • Can go up on a truck with its load • Can park a vehicle to store it • Attractive by its cost • Take small space with its load Email: info@eastractna.com

770-366-0206

www.EASTractNA.com www.towprofessional.com

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 29

Volume 10 • Issue 7

Tow Professional

9/29/21 1:59 PM

TOWING SOFTWARE & GPS

Announces New Features and 99.9% Uptime The fastest, most reliable Approved Vendor for All Motor Club Integrations.

ver the past year, Beacon Software has adapted to the needs of our customers by creating advanced, highly-requested software updates, all while maintaining 99.9% uptime. We have been thrilled by the customer feedback, which has only inspired us to reach for higher innovations. Our team is proud to be the fastest, most reliable software on the market, and we attribute this success to the dedication and drive of our employees. Over the last two decades, Beacon has stood alongside towing and roadside professionals and seen over 130 million calls dispatched through their platform. We want to give towing and roadside assistance companies of all sizes the opportunity to maximize their business with the most advanced dispatch software on the market, which is why we are offering a 30-Day free trial of our flagship product, Dispatch Anywhere, to anyone who signs up during the month of October.

You Asked, We Listened. Beacon Software Introduces New Features Beacon Software used this year as an opportunity to release more new features and updates than ever before. The pandemic taught us a lot. The need for increased efficiency and remote options are not just heightened in times of crisis. Our customers deserve flexible, remote options no matter what. New features 30

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 30

include options such as the following: • Auto-Calculate Credit Card and Fuel Surcharges • Updated Inventory Label • Send Additional Service Requests to Geico • Send ShopHawk Customer Surveys • New BudgetGPS integration • Display Upcoming Scheduled Maintenance and Service Outages • Security Updates • And More For towing and roadside professionals still seeking a convenient, affordable dispatch software option, Beacon is offering a 30-Day Free Trial of Dispatch Anywhere to anyone who signs up during the month of October. Beacon has a new $150 Dispatch Anywhere package that includes all options.

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 3:03 PM

Beacon also offers virtual demonstrations to those interested in learning more about the software’s flexible, advanced features before starting the 30 Days Free of Dispatch Anywhere. One of our experts will guide you through a customized tour of the software and answer any questions regarding how our capabilities suit your needs. And for those looking for their next owner/ lienholder search and notification solution, Beacon Software is offering your first vehicle free when you sign up for TowLien!

Important Motor Club Integration Updates Beacon Software is an approved vendor for all integrations and takes pride in its longstanding partnerships with Motor Clubs such as Allstate, Agero, AAA, Geico, NSD, Copart, United States Auto Club, Questx, Allied Dispatch Solutions, Pinnacle, FleetNet America, IAA, National Automobile Club, CAA, Gerber, Swoop. And Beacon would like to offer a warm and hearty welcome to the two newest integration partners: Tesla and Roadside Protect!

Updated Digital Dispatch for Agero/ Swoop Providers Beacon has partnered with Agero/Swoop to offer an updated Digital Dispatch, Job Status, GPS interface platform! Dispatch Anywhere users can now import calls using the new Agero approved two-way integration. This makes it quick and easy for drivers to complete their Agero/Swoop jobs without leaving the Beacon Dispatch Anywhere Software.

Latest Beacon Software Dispatch A

www.towprofessional.com

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 31

Volume 10 • Issue 7

Tow Professional

9/29/21 1:59 PM

TOWING SOFTWARE & GPS Anywhere Updates The programmers at Beacon Software take customer convenience and feedback into consideration with every new update and feature. First and foremost, speed and reliability are their number one priority, which is reflected in the most recent updates. The following are some important features that Beacon Software added to increase efficiency for both Drivers and Dispatchers:

Easy Towbook Data Imports, Full Geico 1. Integration, AAA Integration with All Platforms. Beacon Software has made it easier than ever to complete jobs and import data with their new integrations. Complete AAA and Geico jobs without exiting the Beacon dispatch software. The enhanced AAA D3 import process allows Dispatch Anywhere users to import calls and send AAA clear codes from dispatch or directly from drivers in the field. Send additional service requests to Geico for dollies and other services when extra tools are needed to perform the job. For those who are transitioning from Towbook, Beacon makes the data transition easy and hassle-free. Budget GPS and ShopHawk Integrations. Beacon 2. is officially integrated with BudgetGPS and ShopHawk. Send ShopHawk customer surveys to share positive reviews and increase your online presence. Automatically Calculate Credit Card Surcharges. 3. Save time by automatically calculating credit card surcharges when taking payment via the mobile apps. The surcharge can be a flat rate or a percentage of the 32

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 32

payment amount. It’s displayed on invoices and receipts as a line item. 4. Automatically Calculate Fuel Charges. Upgrade your invoices with automatic fuel charge calculations when adding services via the mobile apps. The surcharge can be a flat rate or a percentage of multiple services. It’s displayed on invoices and receipts as a line item. 5. Automatic Job Services. Add services to jobs after they have been approved or imported on desktop and mobile. Dispatch Anywhere users save additional dispatch time by removing the step of opening a call and manually selecting a service! Visit Support.BeaconSoftCo.com. Weekly Dispatch Anywhere Performance 6. Reports. Track your performance with easyto-understand reports. Dispatch Anywhere customers receive weekly reports tracking jobs, offers, and impound statistics. These automatic reports are emailed to the owner or manager every week. 7. Mobile Square and Card Connect Chip Reader Integration. Dispatch Anywhere now supports four different integrated payment solutions, including Square and Card Connect, allowing dispatches to take payment directly through the desktop and mobile apps. Visit Support. BeaconSoftCo.com. Additional Updates: • Automatically Send Vehicles to TowLien When Time to Send Owner/Lienholder Notifications Square/Paya/Card Connect/XpressPay Email • Payment Options Submit Jobs to Dispatch Anywhere from your • company website using our Service Request Form Automatically Submit jobs to Motor Clubs • Automatically Add Services to Jobs Based on • Reason or Defaults • Touchless Signature - Tow Ticket and Damage Report New Private Property Impound Features • Over 50 New or Updated Reports •

Updated Integration Between Dispatch Anywhere and TowLien Beacon Software has improved the integration between Dispatch Anywhere and TowLien! Now, users can automatically send vehicles from Dispatch Anywhere to TowLien, reducing entry of current charges and vehicle

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 3:03 PM

First Search Free: TowLien is One of Two FL Approved 3rd Party Vendors Attention Florida! TowLien is an official Florida State Approved owner/lienholder notification and mail service. Beacon Software’s TowLien keeps towers, mechanics, and body shops compliant with TL-25 & TL-26! Get your first vehicle search free! Visit TowLien.com to learn more about TowLien’s digital lienholder notification services, including 24/7 lien processing, email and text reminders, and live support.

Ready to Make the Switch? Beacon’s Team of Experts is Here to Help information! The improved integration also automatically stops the notification process if a vehicle is released from impound. TowLien is the preferred owner/lienholder notification and impound management software in Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia! If your state isn’t currently listed on our website, Beacon will help you create a TowLien statewide compliant lien notice, so you can start using TowLien to mail your letters.

The team at Beacon wants to thank all of their customers, who have offered nothing but positivity, kind words, and useful feedback during this unexpected year. If you’re still curious about if Beacon Software is right for you, try the 30-Day Free Trial of Dispatch Anywhere for customers who sign up during October, so Beacon can get you started with advanced, efficient, and secure dispatch software. You’ll see why Beacon’s customers say that Beacon Software is their next Employee of the Year. Learn more at BeaconSoftCo.com!

www.towprofessional.com

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 33

Volume 10 • Issue 7

Tow Professional

9/29/21 1:59 PM

Benefiting for the families of our fallen

If each company in the industry gave just $5 when a tragedy occurs, we could generously support the families of our fallen in so many new ways. Can you give $5 when a tower dies? Help us support those left behind by the dangers of our profession.

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 34

9/29/21 1:59 PM

The Survivor Fund The “Survivor Fund” was created in 2006 to complement the International Towing and Recovery Museum’s Wall of the Fallen. This fund was established to help those families who have lost a loved one in the line of service. A Survivor Fund committee was formed of people from all over the United States from the towing industry. The committee is given the information

Survivor Fund Continuing Support

regarding the fallen and the application is

To ensure the longevity of these benefits as we work

processed within 24 hours of receipt. Once the

to build a perpetual fund, we are asking each person,

decision is made, a check is sent right away to the

company and organization in the industry to

family to assist with immediate financial issues

participate in supporting the Survivor Fund and these

during this tragic time in their lives.

families when a tragedy occurs. Your pledge to become a Survivor Fund Continuing Support Partner

Company owners, family members, or friends can

represents a commitment to our industry.

submit the application for benefits on behalf of the family of the deceased. The application can be

As a Continuing Support Partner, you will receive an

found on the website at www.thesurvivorfund.com

e-mail from the Survivor Fund when a tragedy occurs

and can be submitted by mail, fax, or e-mail.

and meets the governing guidelines of the Survivor Fund for disbursement. As always, the ITRHFM

Fourteen years of service to the towing and recovery

Survivor Fund will handle direct payment to the

industry worldwide

families. We will simply solicit your contribution in the

Managed by industry professionals

pledged amount to replenish and build our fund after

Pledges replenish funds and allow payout growth

each approved payout. The e-mail you receive will

$7,500 benefit, $9,500 for museum members

provide information on the current tragedy as well as

Immediate funds to help at the time of tragedy

information on how to remit the payment to honor

Funded by donations only

your pledge.

Hundreds of families supported Tiered system allows payout increases based on reserves Hundreds of thousands of dollars paid out to date

www.thesurvivorfund.com/pledge Make your pledge today to support our industry.

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 35

9/29/21 3:15 PM

TOWING SOFTWARE & GPS

The Back Office…

OPS began with a focus on full accountability of monies through the life cycle of all towing and impound events, including Lien and Auction. TOPS has checks and balances all along the life-cycle of an invoice to assure all dollars are accounted for – from tying the dispatch record to the driver’s ticket, when reconciling the drivers’ tickets and cash, balancing the release clerks’ cash drawer and moving monies collected at time of tow or through the AR process. TOPS also helps to ensure all necessary data is captured before the tow request is locked down and invoiced, which helps the invoice get paid quicker.. There are several features within TOPS which help business owners achieve this heightened sense of accountability. Let’s explore a few.

Pricing. Pricing within the TOPS system is extremely robust. Pricing can be added either automatically based on the circumstances of the tow request, or done manually as needed. The pricing in TOPS is structured around the services you provide your customers, and the prices you charge for those services. Services can be automatically added to tow requests based on your rules. Some examples of when services can be automatically added include: • • • •

Control Customer. The TOPS system retains a record of the initial customer who makes the tow request, along with the customer that is responsible for the final billing of the invoice. For example, a tow is requested by the Police Dept., but the vehicle is towed to Ace Body Shop, and they are billed for the final invoice. By keeping track of both customers related to the tow request, you can run reports and do sales analysis on tow volumes by requesting customer as well as by billing customer.

•

When a new tow request is taken – regardless of the customer. When a new tow request is taken for a Customer Type of Police and the Reason is Accident. When a new tow request has a Tow Type of Heavy Duty and the Reason is Broken Axle When a new tow request is taken between 8 pm and 6 am for a specific customer. When the Customer is Police Dept., and the Call Status is In Inventory.

Tow Ticket. If your organization uses tow tickets (manual invoices) the system will keep track of the status of the tickets that are open and unassigned, and those assigned to your drivers. No more keeping logs or ledgers of ticket books that are handed out to drivers, and no more orphaned or lost tow tickets that suddenly reappear when someone needs a copy of their receipt.

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 36

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 1:59 PM

This list goes on and on and is totally customizable. These rules are based on how your company operates, the contracts you have with your customers and the regulations that you are compelled to adhere to. This feature helps to ensure you are paid for all of the services that you provide, and you are paid at the rates you’ve contracted. Checkout. The TOPS Checkout screen allows your accounting department to perform your reconciliation

and confirmation in a batch process. TOPS Checkout offers the accounting department a simple and organized view of closeout documents outstanding by Driver or Release Clerk. This intuitive and interactive view allows the accounting department to manage any outstanding monies or documents owed by the driver or by the release clerks based on when the call was completed, when the money was supposed to be received, whether the vehicle was towed, released from inventory or sold at auction, and many others. This screen is a very powerful tool for your accounting department to make quick work of what is a very important task in your organization. Reconciliation and Confirmation. The TOPS system requires your accounting department review, reconcile and set each tow request to be invoiced. These accounting steps in TOPS are referred to as Reconciliation and Confirmation. The Reconciliation step tells the TOPS system that the call price is correct, and that if the driver receives a commission on the call

STABLE

www.towprofessional.com

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 37

• RELIABLE • COMPLETE

Volume 10 • Issue 7

Tow Professional

9/29/21 1:59 PM

TOWING SOFTWARE & GPS Custom Applications Impound Lot Public Search Portal Personal Customer Support Batch Lien processing; DMV Integrations Managed Systems Certified Mail processing Superior System Uptime

that he has done what is required of him to receive it. This includes turning in the proper paperwork and any monies he may have received for the call. Reconciliation also ratchets-up the available security on the call, and once reconciled, you can restrict access to make many changes to the call – including pricing additions and/or deletions. Confirmation is the final step in the accounting process, and tells TOPS that you have everything you need to get paid, and that this call is ready to be invoiced. TOPS also flags calls if a PO, RO or VIN is required, and will not let you confirm the call for invoicing if you do not have the necessary info. Security. The TOPS system requires all users to have a unique user id, and each user id is associated with an access role. The access roles define the users’ capability or access level to the system. A very simple example of this is that call takers and dispatchers in a large operation probably do not need access to the accounting side of the business. Another example is that a release clerk might have access to take a payment at the window, but Manager level access is required to modify or remove a payment.

Come see why TOPS customers remain TOPS customers for 20 years and run millions of calls on the TOPS platform!.

ABOUT OUR COMPANY TXI Systems, Inc. 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. Let TXI Systems customize a solution for you today! For more information or to schedule a demonstration please call 866-800-8677 Opt 2 or visit our website – TOPS® - www.topsdispatch.com TOPS® is a Registered Trademark of TXI Systems, Inc.

Retain All Records. And most important to you as an owner, calls cannot be deleted in TOPS. Once the initial call is created and saved, it can never be deleted. Calls can be canceled or worked through to completion, but they cannot be deleted under any circumstances. In Summary, TOPS is a full-service towing management system which includes robust features for managing your back office and includes core functionality for managing dispatching and impounding of vehicles. Additional functionality specific to TOPS include… Mobile Applications Bidder and Auction Mgmt Customer Interfaces for Tow requests Custom Interfaces Motor Club & GPS Integrations 38

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 38

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 3:24 PM

Quotes Our business started with TOPS in the year 2000 – 21 years ago! TOPS offers a very complete and robust system that manages all aspects of my towing business. Our business is a multi-location operation, and we utilize the multi-company feature within TOPS for individual and rollup reporting. The daily driver reconciliation offers a concise and streamlined process and the reporting and interface to QuickBooks is spot on. Thanks to the TOPS team for offering tremendous service for our business. – Dale – San Diego, CA. TOPS – it just works! From dispatching to automated pricing to end-of-month reporting – everything works and balances. – Cathy R. - Jacksonville, FL. We moved our business to TOPS roughly 3 years ago when TXI Systems partnered with us on a municipal RFP bid, and we have not looked back sense. TOPS combined with BudgetGPS offers our business the right combination of towing management and fleet tracking. My staff quickly learned the systems and the support team is available when needed. Our partnership for systems to support the City contract with TOPS and TOPS CMA has worked extremely well. We look forward to growing with TXI Systems and TOPS. Thanks Team! – Jimmy W. Columbus, OH.

www.towprofessional.com

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 39

Volume 10 • Issue 7

Tow Professional

9/29/21 1:59 PM

TOWING SOFTWARE & GPS

udgetGPS is a vehicle and fleet tracking solution geared for any industry but specifically tuned to support fleet management within the towing industry. BudgetGPS integrates with TOPS and other Towing Management Platforms to offer a true visual dispatching tool where users can view current vehicle locations as well as unassigned pickup locations and drop-off information on the same map. Icons are color coded allowing for a visual picture of calls which are in-process and those which are about to clear. Knowing when and where drivers will clear from their current call enables dispatchers to send the best / closest resource to the next job. This saves time and money. Additionally, users are able to monitor ETA’s based on mapping calculations of drive time between the truck and pickup locations. 40

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 40

BudgetGPS delivers a full set of features for a single low price. Features include: Live Map with 20-second vehicle updates to the map with live Google traffic and map or satellite views, Historical breadcrumb

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 1:59 PM

view with 6 months of history; Alerts and Monitoring for PTO, GeoFence, Ignition, and Speeding. Reports include Driver Distance, State Mileage, Stops, Street Level Speeding, Driver Behavior and more. BudgetGPS uses industry- leading hardware which is mounted discreetly inside the cab of the vehicle. We offer several models of hardware including OBD pluggable devices (for vehicles equipped with an OBD II port) as well as asset tracking devices. BudgetGPS also offers Cameras with embedded GPS tracking offering forward and driver facing views,

with the ability to see live video, event video, and historical video events. BudgetGPS offers a month-to-month service with low upfront and monthly cost. BudgetGPS is developed and supported in-house by BudgetGPS! BudgetGPS is integrated with all popular towing management packages including Beacon, InTow, Omadi, TOPS, and Tracker. For more information or to schedule a demonstration please call 833-934-2275 or visit our website – BudgetGPS – www.budgetgps.com.

www.towprofessional.com

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 41

Volume 10 • Issue 7

Tow Professional

9/29/21 1:59 PM

TOWING SOFTWARE & GPS

Ranger’s New PatrolWorks with LPR Private Property Enforcement (PPE) - Reimagined Q&A with a potential customer … Q. Reimagined? Really? Sounds like hype A. Ranger’s innovative solution – Patrolworks with LPR (PWLPRTM) - moves Private Property Enforcement (PPE) out of the shadows to a higher standard of professionalism for the industry, setting new expectations for transparency, documentation, and customer service. Q. Transparency? I thought PPE was all about tag and tow? A. Ranger’s solution provides an integrated “closed-loop” flow of information with notifications and up-todate information for Property Managers and Permit Holders, who each have an online, self-service portal designed to meet their differing needs. Permit Holders know when their vehicle has been found to be in violation of parking polices. Property Managers know the status of permits, violations, and relocations by lot. Q. Is documentation that big a deal – particularly if you have possession of the vehicle? A. As all towers know, the interaction with customers changes significantly when the conversation turns to: “let’s look at the pictures”. With PWLPRTM there are time-stamped pictures from the License Plate Recognition (LPR) cameras AND also from Ranger’s Mobile app: Co-Pilot. All of the pictures are available to you (the Parking Management Company) AND to Property Managers AND to Permit Holders – “blowing all the fog off the water”. “Story time” is over. All parties have the same facts. 42

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 42

Q. What does this have to do with customer service improvements? A. In addition to the dramatic improvement in communication, the most significant new feature is in the integrated capability for TICKETING! The initial reaction is typically that Property Managers will never agree to it. In fact, Property Managers are the greatest beneficiary! They like tagging (costly) and are generally resistant to impounding (the revenue source for those tagging).

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 1:59 PM

Ticketing is a “kinder, gentler” approach to enforcement. Permit Holders get the message (a ticket). Property Managers get less grief. And you release fewer vehicles at no charge. Q. But Permit Holders won’t pay the tickets A. Would that be before or after their vehicle is relocated for non-payment? Q. But impounding is my “bread and butter”. I can’t risk any revenue from towing A. Most in the industry with some form of tagging or patrolling activity are already actively managing their tows per lot – for consistent month-to-month revenue and to minimize “blowback” to Property Managers. Ticketing preserves immediate “safety-related tows” (blocking the fireplug). However, relocations for other violations can center on “repeat offenders”. For example, first “occurrence” of a violation (e.g., expired permit) results in a ticket of $10. Second occurrence triggers a ticket for $25. Third occurrence results in relocation – and the Property Manager has agreed upfront to the design and knows how to respond to complaints.

Q. Nice in theory, but we are not allowed to patrol and then tow A. OK – but can you redesign your business to the regulatory environment? PWLPRTM works in multiple models – e.g., your towing company could be structured to provide: • Program Management and All Internal Execution - From policy design, to permitting, to patrolling, to ticketing, through towing and impound lot management, or • Program Management with Outsourced Patrolling - Responsibility for overall program design/ delivery and impounding – using a third party with signatory authority for patrolling. • Program Management with Outsourced Relocation: Responsibility for overall program design/ delivery, including the patrolling service, but with outsourcing of impounding to third parties who respond when dispatched Q. So how do I convince Property Managers that this is a better mousetrap? A. Change is always difficult, so start with those

THE UNDERLIFT THAT HANDLES LIKE A SEMI-TRAILER • • • • • • •

Attaches in minutes No Permanent Connections 32K Lift Capability Safely Tows Up To 140K GCWR Distributes Weight Properly Scales When Others Can’t Economical To Operate

Tru-Hitch Inc.

16 W. West Hill Road Barkhamsted, Ct. 06063

Toll Free 1-800-450-8659 www.truhitch.com

www.towprofessional.com

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 43

Volume 10 • Issue 7

Tow Professional

9/29/21 1:59 PM

TOWING SOFTWARE & GPS Property Managers and their Regional Managers with whom you have established a strong relationship. The benefits for them are compelling: • Less hassle – parking issues are managed by you; Permit Holders have online self-service • Lot capacity is better preserved for permit holders • The image of the property is better maintained to meet the expected standards • More time is available for higher priority tasks – e.g., sales & marketing, capital projects • More income from what is often an untapped revenue source – parking assets Q. But many of my properties are reluctant to charge for parking A. Some may never convert. However, consumers are very familiar with paid parking. While the “past” has been commercial, downtown, and university lots, the trend is encompassing residential. An online search would uncover at least ten companies (with incomplete offerings) that are managing permits and collecting fees on behalf of apartment complexes and HOAs. You could provide this service to your customers. Even reticent property managers need an approach to allocate carports and garage space, and most would be attracted to an opportunity to better manage guest parking capacity while collecting a fee.

PPE operations are responding to a request or walking lots - manually looking for expired permits. Some go with a mobile app to create and check tags. Forget the hangtags, and parking permit labels – GO STICKERLESS! PWLPRTM makes the vehicle license plate the permit. Mobile LPR cameras mounted on a patrol vehicle read the plate. Ranger processes the LP “detection” through its Rules Engine to identify violations and whether to ticket or tow. The LPR system provides a SAFER approach to patrolling, reduces labor, and enables easy scaling for increased volume – i.e., more lots with the same crew Q. Does the Ranger mobile app for patrolling then become obsolete?

Q. Your solution is dubbed PW LPRTM, but you haven’t said much about LPR A. Just the opposite. We renamed it “Co-Pilot” to reinforce the new and expanded role. The app continues to be the tool for entering non-permit related violations – such as permit holders with flat tires or blocking traffic. The mobile app reads the plate (vs. LP entry), the spotter enters the violation, which then goes through the same Rules Engine to determine wait times, ticketing vs. towing, and whether approvals are required.

A. Right. Most of the discussion has been on the benefits for Property Managers and Permit Holders. The LPR capability changes the game for you! Today, most

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 44

Q. Sorry, the app still sounds “old school”, much like the “other guys” – is that all there is? A. Absolutely not! Two NEW, high value capabilities have been added to the design.

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 3:30 PM

Pilot app as “Waiting” – ready to tow. The outside LPR detection becomes actionable inside the vehicle for the Spotter/Driver ... and/or for Dispatch…. The relocation opportunity also appears on the Dispatch Board. Trucks, that are typically pre-positioned based on the spotter’s route, can be immediately dispatched to pick-up “Waiting” vehicles (leveraging the geocoordinates of the Violation).

• First, Co-Pilot is fully integrated into the PWLPRTM process. If an LPR detection results in a Violation where the vehicle is subject to relocation (based on the Rules) – the Violation appears on the Co-

• The second capability is for adding “due diligence” to the record of the Violation. The spotter can use the Co-Pilot app to take as many additional pictures as are needed to fully document the Violation and surrounding conditions - click, click, click. Ranger does the matching to the LPR violation record, and again, the pictures become available to all interested parties.

www.towprofessional.com

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 45

Volume 10 • Issue 7

Tow Professional

9/29/21 1:59 PM

TOWING SOFTWARE & GPS revenue?). There are one-time fees for configuration of the software (depends on the number of properties). Importantly, there is a negotiated partnership agreement – e.g., covering permit registration and processing fees for permit purchases, sharing of ticketing revenues, and a nominal admit fee for the software needed to manage the impound lot.

Q. So you have conveniently avoided talking about cost A. Guilty, but of course it is complicated. The camera systems are impressive (night and day) but are not inexpensive. Plan on $20,000 for a two-camera system (the cost of one spotter for six months with no added

Q. Seems kinda vague A. Guilty again. Ranger’s business model is to work with one, and only one, partner per metro market. We are seeking a win-win business arrangement that enables our partner to be wildly successful, and for Ranger to participate in that success. Q. It sounds intriguing - how would I get started? A. First talk to your customers and gauge their interest. You will likely be pleasantly surprised by their enthusiasm. Then talk to Ranger and let’s arrange for an in-field demo. Q. What should be my “take-aways”? A. The benefits for Property Managers: Preserve capacity for permit holders Eliminate hassles – for permitting, vehicle registration changes, and frivolous complaints Reinforce property image standards Generate added

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 46

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 1:59 PM

revenue from permits, including guest permits A. An opportunity for you to win and prosper in your market with the exclusive deployment of Ranger’s innovative solution -- that will redefine the future of private property enforcement While this article has focused on private property enforcement, Ranger delivers a complete Tow Management Solution (TMS) – from call-taking (including DD connections with motor clubs), to GPS tracking/mapping, to storage lot management (with QR code facilitated physical inventory management) to accounting (with multiple options for linking pricing and payments to QB) – that includes unique capabilities for heavy hauling, messaging to customers (for their peace of mind – safety, responsiveness), and for direct marketing to local market customers (by-passing those in the middle). Launched in 2004, Ranger continues to be owned and operated by the founder, working with a talented team that is personally committed to serving our highly valued customers.

PW LPRTM – is more advanced technology for superior performance. If you are looking to grow your top and bottom lines, give us a call -- 440.498.1495 -- and let us put Ranger Service Solutions Technology to work for you! For more information https://info.rangersst.com/ or 440.498.1495.

www.towprofessional.com

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 47

Volume 10 • Issue 7

Tow Professional

9/29/21 1:59 PM

TOWING SOFTWARE & GPS

is the forefront of technology… and good for Business.

In a ditch in Dallas? Bad brakes in Buffalo? A s freight transportation continues to increase and the ravages of the upcoming summer heat shred tires and boil batteries, there is an increased demand for service providers to get freight moving again. The traditional model of searching or “shooting in the dark” for a provider, hoping you get one that returns your calls and doesn’t rip you off was great for 1995. However, as technology has advanced, so has the demand from carriers and fleet managers for a flexible and transparent breakdown experience. Introducing ServiCase. ServiCase is a revolutionary software system available to fleets from single owner operators to those with thousands of power units. Unlike traditional directories, ServiCase allows users the ability to not just search for a towing, road service, or other service provider, but also allows users to select

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 48

and digitally dispatch the call as well. During the event, ServiCase delivers electronic status updates back to the carrier providing the clearest indication of when the asset will be back on the road. At its core, ServiCase is a roadside breakdown case management system from the same people that brought you towPartners and sureEcosystem. The system allows trucking company drivers and/or fleet managers to locate towing and roadside mechanical service providers quickly and to establish electronic interactions. ServiCase can also be used as a case management system allowing carriers to track breakdowns and events through to completion including event status, photos, invoices, etc. ServiCase provides carriers access to over 60,000 service providers with the ability to store private

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 1:59 PM

notes and ratings for the service providers with whom they engage.

ServiCase is a plus for your bottom-line. When your company is listed in ServiCase, you become a part of one of the most sophisticated networks available for roadside breakdowns. As more and more carriers adopt ServiCase as their breakdown platform, your business is exposed to fleets looking for the services you offer.

Case#

05/17/2021 05:05 PM

Service Type

MechanicalRoad Repair Service

Status

En Route

ETA

45 Min

Location

800 E Southern Ave. Tempe, AZ

Provider

Southwest Truck & Repair

ServiCase allows you control your own listing. ServiCase is different from other search services in that the provider can update their own information such as services offered, rates, insurance coverage, contact numbers, hours of operation, and more. Service providers are not charged for jobs they receive through ServiCase and there is no bidding for higher positions in the results listings. Unlike some other breakdown platforms, ServiCase does not charge variable fees for large markets and does

1320

Created

not dictate rates, though many listed providers are extending their commercial account rates to carriers using ServiCase. Nothing is marked up by ServiCase because payment is made directly to the service provider by the carrier user.

Connected Digital Software Providers The ServiCase breakdown management software is

ARE YOU LISTED ON SERVICASE?

ServiCase is a web-based breakdown management system created to help fleet managers locate service providers.

ServiCase GET STARTE D WITH A

FREE ™

STARTER PA

AND GET LIS

CKAGE

TED WITH

CARRIERS A

FLEET MANA

GER

NATIONWIDES Register for ServiCase

GET STARTED WITH YOUR FREE LISTING, REGISTER YOUR COMPANY AT WWW.SERVICASE.COM/2021 www.towprofessional.com

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 49

Volume 10 • Issue 7

Tow Professional

9/29/21 1:59 PM

TOWING SOFTWARE & GPS exceptional in that it can connect carriers and fleets directly to service providers through many of the commercially available dispatch software platforms including Beacon, FullBay, InTow, TOPS, Towbook and Omadi, and more than a dozen others. When a breakdown occurs, carriers and fleet managers create a case in the ServiCase tool providing all of the information about the vehicle and the type of service that is required. When the service provider is digitally connected, jobs can be assigned directly to the providers dispatch software.

The case information is sent to the software package providing an alert and the information about the new job. Once the ETA is accepted, the service provider is dispatched, creating a live call in the service providers dispatching software.

ServiCase optimized for Mobile interaction ServiCase has been optimized for carrier drivers by allowing them to search and digitally dispatch their event. This action creates a connection between the driver’s mobile device and the service provider software system. Once the connection has been established, information and updates about the call are automatically updated to the driver’s phone. ServiCase now offers the operator a clear picture of when their truck will be back on the road.

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 50

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 3:35 PM

When your company is listed in ServiCase, you become a part of one of the most sophisticated networks available for roadside breakdowns. As more and more carriers adopt ServiCase as their breakdown platform, your business is exposed to fleets looking for the services

STOLEN OR DAMAGED WHEELS?

NO PROBLEM!

you offer.

GUNIWHEEL™ 56

GUNIWHEEL™ 45

How to register your company with ServiCase ServiCase is currently looking for partners in the service provider community who can support carriers across a wide variety of service types. Service providers can visit servicase.com/2021 to register their company. For the remainder of 2021, ServiCase is providing companies with a free starter listing with additional listing upgrades available online.

Fits standard size vehicles with 4 & 5 lug/bolt patterns

Fits trucks & large SUV’s with 5 & 6 lug/bolt patterns

Booth 1902

Patended universal lug pattern fit. Compact, solid steel wheel. Airless rubber tire. No special adapters or o-rings. Easy to mount. Drivable in shops and lots

www.towprofessional.com

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 51

Volume 10 • Issue 7

Tow Professional

9/29/21 1:59 PM

TOWING SOFTWARE & GPS

TELEMATICS:

Ten Must-Have Features in 2021

ehicle-tracking software has been evolving to a point where real-time data is not only available centrally but easily accessible to a mobile team of drivers and fleet professionals. On-board tracking, video, and sensors are now being combined with AI processors that interpret as well as record the road ahead. Simply put, our vehicles are now smarter than us - in a good way. By using data, connectivity, and AI-powered analysis, companies can have a huge competitive advantage if they can act on the issues at hand. Drivers have access to predictive technology that identifies road signage, driver behavior, weather conditions, and road condition to help guide them to the safest path through traffic, as

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 52

well as the most efficient overall route. Here are 10 must-have telematics features for 2021:

1. Real-Time Vehicle Tracking Instead of dots on a map, vehicles are watched as part of a “virtual drone view” that shows a map of the highways and neighborhoods being driven through. Drone view provides real-time positional information so you can see the vehicle moving along the road with trip and vehicle health details on the screen without lag. The transmitted data also includes additional information on vehicle parameters such as speed, driver fatigue, and fuel use.

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 1:59 PM

2. Integrated Dashboard Camera Constant recording of the road ahead provides a wealth of information about the trip and an important record if there is an accident. Time-stamped with precision, it can help resolve many potentially expensive legal issues should they arise. Integrated with a fleet management system’s modern analytics, high-definition video recordings can be excellent training aids for:

• • • • • • •

Tailgating Speeding Distracted driving Stop-sign violations Accident reconstruction and legal protection Harsh acceleration and harsh braking and even positive driving events to award and retain your best drivers

3. AI Cameras Thanks to computer vision, dashboard cameras – powered by artificial intelligence – can now read and understand the road and the driver, providing valuable insights into driver behavior, such as distracted driving and driver fatigue. Turn your video into actionable business intelligence that supports driver training and coaching, rewards positive driving behaviors, and creates driver safety scores, which is a great way to build a culture of safety within your organization. Experience real-time camera footage and alerts alongside machine learning for optimal driver safety and keep the roads safer than ever.

4. Simplified Analytics Analytics engines should do more than provide canned reports on vehicle and fleet performance. They should provide insights and instantly answer the biggest questions that you have. It is these real-time analytics that enable businesses to empower their teams and to act fast when issues arise. This move from reactive “canned” reports to proactive real-time analytics will build a competitive advantage for early adopters.

5. AI Insights Another way AI is changing the fleet management industry is through reporting and insights. AI analytics helps fleet managers understand the biggest influencing factors on outcomes and identify critical points of impact. Three ways that AI is transforming analytics are:

•

● Learning the business: Using machine learning, AI monitors every aspect of your fleet operation

www.towprofessional.com

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 53

Volume 10 • Issue 7

Tow Professional

9/29/21 1:59 PM

TOWING SOFTWARE & GPS

and learns how your business runs so it can identify opportunities for improvement.

•

potting patterns and anomalies: The AI engine S takes fleet data and develops patterns, which helps it immediately spot anomalies and highlight possible issues.

•

● Automatically alerting management: Management is alerted in real-time so important business decisions can be made before minor issues become major problems.

7. Digital Checklists

6. Connect to Everything The integration of different computer programs is producing new efficiencies for businesses every day. For example, a complex AI program that connects with the popular accounting program, QuickBooks, can instantly create invoices when goods or services are provided or

create automated text messages for customers based on your vehicle’s location and estimated time of arrival - all without custom development or programming. The result is better communication, improved projections, and enhanced operational decisions with management support.

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 54

Using digital checklists for pre- and post-trip, site entry, and vehicle cleaning and maintenance, can be invaluable for fleets as they help drivers take care of their vehicles for each particular task. Data is logged, ensuring compliance, and then provided to maintenance personnel who can plan repairs, preventive maintenance, and other tasks.

8. Fully Featured Mobile App Fleet managers can now easily access the same information on their mobile device that they are

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 1:59 PM

accustomed to only seeing in the office. Separate app features for drivers and fleet management keep routines simple and quick, and team members can use their devices to remain in compliance with driver vehicle inspection reports (DVIR), hours-of-service (HOS), and vehicle preventative maintenance. Managers of large fleets can be ready to handle anything from the office or in the field with their mobile device, and smaller operators can keep track of their fleet while they are busy running the rest of their business.

9. A Wide Range of Connected Apps Mobile apps that connect drivers with the back office are now a critical part of vehicle tracking software platforms. In particular, software apps that digitize processes are becoming increasingly important. Job dispatch and management, document sharing and checklist builders are all now available helping to eliminate paperwork and streamline processes for mobile workers. Not only do these apps help mobile workers but they also eliminate delays in information sharing that are inherent with paper-based processes. The goal in 2021 should be zero paperwork in the cab and everything digital.

10. Track Much More Than Vehicles It’s a simple step to extend your vehicle tracking software to manage other assets, such as construction equipment, trailers, and non-powered assets in a single application. New battery-powered sensors and QR code scanning tools enable you to manage your entire asset inventory from your vehicle tracking software platform. In addition, mobile apps can be used to keep track of personnel as they move from vehicles and across job sites.

About the author: Oswaldo “Ozzie” Flores is safety and compliance product manager for Teletrac Navman. As a former fleet supervisor, Oswaldo (Ozzie) Floris has first-hand experience managing drivers and vehicles, ensuring his fleet maintains adherence to all internal and external regulations, policies, and guidelines, including DOT compliance, ANSI/OSHA certifications, and CHP Biennial Inspection of Terminals. Prior to his current position as safety & compliance product manager at Teletrac Navman, Oswaldo held fleet and compliance administrative management, fleet supervisory, sales and business development roles with Pepsi Cola, Time Warner Cable, British Petroleum North America and Legacy Supply Chain Services.

www.towprofessional.com

8_TPV10i7SoftwareGPSV2.indd 55

Volume 10 • Issue 7

Tow Professional

9/29/21 1:59 PM

LOCK OUT

TOOLS

The undisputed leader in

lockout tools

ccess Tools products make your job easier and more professional when working as a Tow Truck Operator or Repossession Agent. The process of Car Opening can either be easy and profitable, or difficult and costly. Access Tools products are designed to make every lockout efficient and professional whether the technician is a seasoned pro or novice.

Access Tools makes a wide variety of Long Reach Tools in all different lengths and for a variety of vehicles. The popular Quick Max Long Reach Tool shares many of the same features as the other Long Reach Tools, such as: • a protective vinyl coating that prevents damage to a vehicle’s delicate painted surface; • a special EPDM rubber tip that provides excellent grip for manipulating buttons and switches; • a Store-N-Go Handle that holds extra tips for the long reach tool as well as a place to clip the accessory bag; • precise bends that put the tool in the right position for any job. The One Hand Jack and Super One Hand Jack are unique wedges that function as pry-bars grabbing just the lip of the door frame avoiding any contact with the weather

Tow Professional | Volume 10 • Issue 7

9_TPV10i7 Lockout Tools.indd 56

www.towprofessional.com

9/29/21 3:53 PM

NEXT: Spill Control, Lock Out and More

Tow Professional is proud to announce our new Digital Interactive Quarterly!

Quarterly

Towing Software, Lighting Products, Cargo Control, Wheel Lifts & Repo Equipment

Now your Editorial and Advertising can become interactive with links & videos combined with the convenience of mobility!

PLUS

Tow Professional - Volume: 10 Issue: 7

Articles inside

Jerr-Dan

TRAA

TowMate

Midwest Regional Tow Show