American Towman Magazine - February 2019

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26

New Profit Centers Adding an Incident Management Vehicle can be smart business for your bottom line, if you approach it right.

by Paul Stephens

35

2018 AT Expo Recap Departments The Walkaround . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 News Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Road Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Tow Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Beacons On! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Tow Boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Ad Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Tow Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 Repo Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 Towman’s Market . . . . . . . . . . . .86 My Baby. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 Low Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 Adventures of A.T. . . . . . . . . . . . .98 4 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

The 30th Anniversary of the American Towman Exposition was a sight to behold. Here’s a look back at the products, events and seminars, in case you missed it.

64

Is the Grass Greener?

You’ve "had enough" and you’re going to start your own company.

A few tips to make sure you’ve thought it all through first.

By John Borowski

Walking Back through the Expo

by Dennie Ortiz

It is important for people to be recognized for their positive contributions to society. There are many times that the towing professional can be overlooked since their contributions can be part of their work and everyday life.

As part of this industry, I’ve always shared my view that towers are the unsung heroes of the road.

Thirty years ago, the Towman Medal was conceived. This medal was created to honor those towers that had risked their own lives in order to save the life of another.

Inscribed on the medal is, “For the Simple Act of Bravery.”

As we replay the 2018 American Towman Exposition in the Expo Recap section within this issue, you will find the stories recounting the heroic deeds of this year’s medal recipients.

When you read through these accounts you will be filled with pride knowing you are part of this industry.

In the Recap section you will see the line up of winners of the American Towman Wrecker Pageant. Just by looking at the trucks you will realize what great care, thought and love are invested into these vehicles that generate the livelihood of our industry.

They are truly magnificent to behold.

So sit back and enjoy the virtual reality replay of the AT Expo.

How Did We Get Here?

by Brendan Dooley

As the Traffic Incident Management system continues to add more expectations of towers as full first responder members, it’s interesting to look back on the evolution of TIM. This issue on page 18, Bobby Tuttle includes part two on how TIM trainers and stakeholders started to look harder at towing to be more involved 20 years ago following a major incident in San Antonio, Texas.

For upping the professionalism at your company, one of the first places to start is your new hires. Going for experience means a lot, except when it doesn’t. Operations Editor Randy Resch offers some food for thought to owners and hiring managers this issue on page 12.

The equipment you bring to scene, and how you bring it, is part of the puzzle too. Should you consider adding an Incident Management Vehicle to the fleet? What equipment should it stock? These questions and more will be answered by Field Editor Paul Stephens on page 26.

6 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

Dennie Ortiz Steve Calitri Brendan Dooley Charles Duke Randall Resch Terry Abejuela Jim “Buck” Sorrenti David Kolman Bill Simmons Emily Oz Mark Lacek

Publisher Editor-In-Chief Editor Senior Editor Operations Editor Field Editor, West Field Editor, Northeast Chassis Editor Safety Editor On Screen Editor Repo Run Editor

Editorial Board Tommy Anderson Roy Carlson Debbie Collins Belinda Harris Bill Johnson Ron Mislan Kurt Wilson

Dallas, Texas Saint Paul, Minn.

Las Vegas, Nev. Greensboro, N.C. South Hadley, Mass.

Warren, N.J. Creve Coeur, Ill.

American Towman Staff Ann Marie Nitti Dennie Ortiz Ellen Rosengart Norma Calitri Jimmy Santos Toni Vanderhorst Henri Calitri Patrice Gesner William Burwell Peggy Calabrese Ryan Oser Emily Oz Bob Aglione Steve Calitri

Page Layout Artist Advertising Sales Mgr. Senior Account Exec.

VP of Accounts General Manager Publisher’s Assistant Customer Service Subscription Manager TIW Media Director Regional Advertising Sales iMarketing Manager ATTV Producer Communications Director President

American Towman Media Headquarters 2 Overlook Drive, Suite 5, Warwick, NY 10990 800-732-3869 or 845-986-4546 E-mail: Publisher: dortiz@towman.com Editor-In-Chief: scalitri@towman.com Editor: bdooley@towman.com AT’S Digital Edition: itowman.com AT’S Website: americantowman.com AT’S Weekly: towindustryweek.com ATTV: americantowmantv.com Copyright ©2019 American Towman Magazine is published 12 times a year by American Towman Media, Inc. Subscription: Single Copy: $10 1 yr: $60 – 2 yrs: $110 International: $75 & $135 All material published through American Towman Media (AT), to include American Towman Magazine, iTowman.com and TowIndustryWeek.com, including advertisements, editorials, articles and all other content is published in good faith. However, AT accepts no liability for any errors or omissions, and does not endorse any companies, products or services that appear. AT does not test or review products submitted for inclusion in its publications. AT does not accept responsibility for the accuracy of content, warranties or claims made or implied by its advertisers. The views expressed are the authors’ alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of AT. The act of mailing or delivering a letter, email or article to AT shall constitute permission to publish that letter or article or any portion thereof. AT reserves the right to edit any and all material submitted. No part of the magazine or websites may be reproduced without prior written consent of AT.

Vigil Held for Tripp The family and friends of Thomas Tripp are still coming to terms with his death a year later.

Tripp was a towman for Mike’s Wrecker in Saginaw, Michigan, and he was hit and killed by a drunk driver while he was attending to a vehicle on Dixie Highway in Bridgeport on Jan. 10, 2018.

“It was a very, very difficult year,” said Bill Giorgis, president of Mike’s Wrecker. “Tommy was a great guy. He was a guy I could ask to do any job and he might grumble a little bit, but he would get up and do it. But the other thing, he had a heart of gold.”

The spot where it happened is marked with a cross and is where his loved ones paid tribute.

Source: wnem.com.

Towman Helps Save Woman The driver of a Toyota Camry survived a collision with an 18wheeler in Dadeville, Alabama, recently.

“She is one lucky lady,” said Chris Deason, a driver with Patterson Truck Parts and Towing. “The door post had her pinned down in the passenger seat and the truck’s tire was on top of her.”

Deason responded to the scene to assist in removing the driver. He said that the Dadeville Fire Department had difficulty in lifting the truck with airbags and hydraulics.

“I first saw her eyes when I crawled in around the tire to hook up the cables,” Deason said. “I saw her face and couldn’t believe she was alive.”

Deason was able to lift the trucks with his tow truck and emergency personnel went back to work.

Source: alexcityoutlook.com.

8 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

Hero Towman Dies Helping Troopers An Arcola, Texas, towman and former city council member died a hero, a state trooper wrote in a Facebook post.

Glenn Sanco died of a possible massive heart attack after assisting two Department of Public Safety troopers in separate incidents on Dec. 27, 2018.

Trooper Justin Michael wrote that he was in the midst of a chaotic traffic stop when Sanco just showed up and assisted the trooper. Hours later, Sanco helped troopers at a different stop where a suspect got away from them.

Sanco, nearby in his tow truck, tackled and held down the suspect “until the other troopers could place him in custody,” Michael said.

Towman Glenn Sanco died shortly after assisting at two different Department of Public Safety scenes in Arcola, Texas, in December. abc7chicago.com image.

Moments later, Sanco collapsed.

Troopers administered CPR, but he died shortly thereafter at a local hospital.

Source: abc7chicago.com.

NYPD Towman

Harassed in Brooklyn A recently released video seemed to show a group of Brooklyn residents harassing a New York City, New York, tow truck driver who is about to cart away a car.

The NYPD says it will not tolerate what it calls harassment of its traffic agents. The incident happened when a traffic agent prepared to tow away a Honda Odyssey minivan. According to reports, several people present unhooked the car before it could be towed, and someone believed to be its owner drove away with it.

According to a video of the event, the crowd began to verbally insult the tower.

A statement by the NYPD said: “We will not tolerate out traffic agents being subject to abuse in any form, not the least of which is the ugly

Video posted to social media shows a gray Honda Odyssey pulling away from the tow truck's tow bars, with onlookers encouraging an unknown driver to quickly leave the scene. youtube.com image.

example we see in this video… This is disgusting behavior against an officer who was doing his job to keep New Yorkers safe while exhibiting restraint and professionalism.”

Source: thejewishvoice.com.

… Sanco just showed up and assisted the trooper …

Towman Helps Rescue Efforts A woman in Hawthorne, New York, is lucky to be alive thanks to a towman and some heroic work by first responders.

Mary Slavik, a paraplegic who is in a wheelchair, tried to use a chair lift from her basement apartment and got stuck for nearly six hours.

“All of a sudden, I heard a screech and a boom. I thought there was an accident on 9A,” she said.

Slavik and her aide called 911, but EMS, the Westchester County technical rescue team and multiple fire departments from Hawthorne to Pleasantville were unsuccessful getting her off the lift.

They then came up with a successful plan: Call a tow truck. The unnamed company used its boom and rigging to get the wheelchair unstuck.

Source: westchester.news12.com.

Towman Struck and Killed on Wis. I-41 Towman Jesse “Bil” Hettmann was struck and killed Jan. 11 while he worked on a stalled vehicle on I-41 in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin.

The Brown County Sheriff's Office says Hettmann was struck and killed after stepping into traffic to retrieve a piece of wood and prevent an accident; the wood had shot onto I-41 while he was using it to hoist a stranded vehicle.

Glenn’s Towing president Darrell Henninger said that Jesse always wanted to learn more and quickly went from employee to co-worker to Towman Jesse Hettmann friend.

An event titled “Light’em up for Jesse (Honor Run)” took place Jan. 14.

More than 460 tow trucks, heavy wreckers, semis, buses and more came together to honor the loss.

Hettmann leaves behind a wife, two young kids and countless friends and family. A GoFundMe page has been set up for his family.

Source: wbay.com.

City Council Raises Rates for Towing

Jan’s Towing to the Rescue at New Year’s Rose Parade in Pasadena

The Aurora (Illinois) City Council has increased rates towmen can charge on city business. Companies can now charge $140 for tows made from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, up from $125.

For tows made outside regular business hours, or on weekends or holidays, companies can charge $150, up from $140.

Also, the rate for each day of storage changed to $45 a day for outside storage, and $50 a day for inside storage.

Lockouts, battery jumps, refueling or tire change is now $100.

Aldermen also increased the amount a tow company pays to be on the city’s list from $1,500 a year to $2,000.

The city keeps a list of 12 companies on its rotation lists.

Source: chicagotribune.com.

Jan’s Towing of San Gabriel Valley, California, saved the day as a float malfunction caused a traffic jam at the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena on New Year’s morning.

The Chinese American Heritage Foundation’s float was disabled by a small fire and was towed for the rest of the Rose Parade route, Jan’s Towing was staged and ready when the Tournament of Roses Parade stalled on New according to Cheryl Moody, Year’s Day in Pasadena, California. a commander for the pasadenastarnews.com image.

Pasadena Police Department.

The float, which depicted the moment when two locomotives met face to face upon completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, was wreathed in smoke near where the parade began on Orange Grove Boulevard.

Jan’s Towing was able to hook to the truck and bring it along the route once the fire was extinguished, allowing the parade to continue.

Source: ktla.com.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 9

Check Out What’s NEW and HOT! DP Winch Expands Light-Duty Offerings TWG, part of Dover, recently introduced its expanded planetary winch line for the light-duty towing market during the 2018 American Towman Exposition in Baltimore. Models range from 8,000lbs. to 20,000-lbs. ratings. “Our DP Winch line has nearly 50 years of experience successfully serving the heavy-duty towing and recovery market and we are leveraging DP Winch’s legendary reliability in our designs for the light-duty market,” said Mike Basmajian, TWG’s VP of sales, marketing & engineering.”

dovertwg.com

Hot Shot’s Diesel Rescue De-Icer Hot Shot’s Secret recently introduced a new winter emergency product: Diesel Winter Rescue. This formulated product reliquefies gelled fuel and de-ices frozen fuel filters to restore the flow of diesel fuel to the engine allowing the vehicle to be fully operational again. Diesel Winter Rescue contains a military grade de-icer and works to disperse moisture throughout the fuel system. Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel has reduced levels of lubricity that can cause premature wear; Diesel Winter Rescue is formulated with a lubricity additive to prevent premature failures.

hotshotsecret.com

Access Tools Roadside Creeper The Roadside Creeper from Access Tools is an extrathick low-clearance creeper or roadside mat that can be used when lying down to hook up a vehicle from underneath, or when kneeling to work on a wheel or tire. It features a weatherproof design, is extra large at 2' wide by 4' long, and folds in half to fit behind any truck seat. The thick foam is durable and features a cutout handle for easy carrying.

accesstoolsusa.com

10 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

DewEze OEM Kits for GM/Navistar DewEze Manufacturing recently released its general clutch pump kit availability for the newly released 2019 General Motors and Navistar medium-duty commercial vehicles. The kits, offered in a PH14 Pump or AA Pump, were designed to mount on the 6.6L Duramax diesel engines for the jointly developed Chevrolet Silverado medium-duty and Navistar International truck brands. This combination provides instant mobile hydraulic power in a variety of applications, particularly in the tow truck and service truck industries. Kit details: • No. 700592: 2019 Chevy/GMC 4500, 5500, 6500; International CV 6.6L (PH14 pump).

• No. 700593: 2019 Chevy/GMC 4500, 5500, 6500; International CV 6.6L (AA Pump)

deweze.com

Allison 1000/2000 Series for International CV With proven durability and reliability in the commercial truck segment, the Allison 1000 Series and 2000 Series are the exclusive fully automatic transmissions for the new International CV Series vocational trucks.

In this series, the six-speed Allison automatics are paired with the International 6.6L turbo-charged diesel engine. The Allison-equipped International CV Series trucks are rated up to 22,900 lbs. GVWR. Features include: • Power take-off option enables users to run power auxiliary equipment.

• Close-ratio six-speeds, with double overdrive, to climb challenging terrain and maximize fuel economy.

• Collaborative engineering for horsepower and torque.

• Patented Continuous Power Technology delivers smooth, full-power shifts, as well as greater acceleration.

• FuelSense 2.0 electronic controls for increased fuel economy. (Dynamic Shift Sensing could be available for future releases.)

allisontransmission.com

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 11

Hiring Rookies vs. Varsity Players

Having a candidate do some basic tasks at the interview, like loading a flatbed carrier in the lot, can help verify their claimed experience. Photo of Quik Pik Towing; Phoenix, Arizona.

by Randall C. Resch

D

o you hire experienced or inexperienced operators?

Training a new driver applicant, experienced or not, takes time and patience. Owners typically don’t want to pay prevailing wages for someone to “ride along” where they’re not adding to the productivity of their companies. So, what processes do you use to cull the best driver applicants?

Ours is an industry where there’s little room for carelessness and lack of ability. You’ll hear some tow owners boast that they could train a monkey.

Well, good for them, but how well will Monkey Boy prevail in a highdollar, wrongful-death lawsuit? Handing over a tow truck’s keys to an untrained new applicant is simply rolling the dice.

Tow owners have full responsibility in protecting their livelihoods and reputations by selecting, training and supervising only the best qualified

12 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

and most competent operators. The application process is where it all starts in making careful pre-determinations as to what qualifications the applicant brings to the table. That, my friend, is hard work.

Herein is the tow world’s greatest debate, whether you should hire inexperienced applicants vs. veterans with years of experience. The hiring game demands close scrutiny for varying reasons when choosing new hires from a stack of applications. There’s much to be learned from the initial filling out of a company’s application that shouldn’t be overlooked.

From the application, savvy evaluators can determine if the applicant can fill out basic forms, answer questions, provide solid answers, be thorough and complete the whole form.

In a nutshell, my first step in driver review is to see if the applicant has attention to detail with an ability to follow instructions. No matter if the

company is large or small, the owner should have final review of each candidate before applicants are approved for hire.

I prefer all applicants to provide me a resume of past experience. Obviously, when my company accepts applications, I solicit applicants to provide a detailed resume with work experience, including accurate dates and reference information. Doing so provides information that peeks into the applicant’s work history—even if it’s not towing related. There’s much to be learned from a resume. For those candidates who’ve provided a resume (as instructed), their application goes to the top of the stack because they followed instructions.

As it applies to my hiring search, I classify applicants into four categories.

1. The FNGs The FNGs (Freakin’ New Guy or

Continued on p. 14

... continued from p. 12 Girl) are applicants with little to no industry experience. Don’t disregard their application just yet; they may have skills and experiences in other job classifications or the military that are worth reviewing.

Example: I hired a skilled forklift operator based on his job history (staying power), clean criminal background and spotless MVR. He had no towing experience, but did have mechanical skills. He presented a great interview; he showed energy, personality and passion. He had spark that others didn’t, and that made him seem like an ideal fit for my company. Fast-forward to years later, he’s now the driver/facility manager for a large, Southern California law enforcement tow company.

The FNG applicant can be worth a chance. By being new and inexperienced, the company has first opportunity at training them the way they want them to be trained without having the baggage of another tow company or pre-set bad habits. If the applicant worked for another tow company, you can question whether or not the applicant was properly trained.

2. Varsity Players Tower candidates, experienced or not, should be required to go through the same application process. Obviously, there will be a difference of work history provided where experienced towers will provide what previous companies they’ve owned or worked for with dates and references.

The provable tower is one who can back up what they’ve stated on the application, including providing MVR documentation, LiveScan results and proof of that ever-coveted, industry-approved formal tow truck training certificate.

Truly experienced applicants have industry knowledge and are prone to taking good interviews based on what they know about the industry. This is what I refer to as being a varsity player. Varsity players are capable of answering industry-related questions with industry-related answers; they 14 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

aren’t laying down multiple layers of hogwash.

3. Trained Elsewhere This applicant is administratively situated beyond the FNG and is wedged near the provable, experienced applicant. While their application seems complete and to your liking, they typically list industry training from other sources. This applicant can be silently riddled with unacceptable behaviors, inabilities and bad habits.

While I’ll admit there are hundreds, if not thousands, of competent tow operators out there, no one knows it all.

The issue with this applicant queries who has trained them and what kind of training was provided? In the long run, what kind of overall experience do they have and are they free of bad habits? Those tasked with reviewing these applicants must make a solid effort in determining if they are capable of following company guidelines.

4. Done It All Tow operator applicants come in all shapes, sizes and experience levels.

If you’ve been in business for any amount of time, there’s no doubt you’ve had the pleasure (or displeasure) to interview an experienced tow operator who lays claim to having done it all and knows everything there is to know about towing and recovery.

While I’ll admit there are hundreds, if not thousands, of competent tow operators out there, no one knows it all. When I interview an applicant that lists tons of experience spread amongst 10 different tow companies, my inner warning alarm pings

because there might be hidden reasons why they’ve been with 10 different companies.

Talk about Training When it comes down to training, three training types are common; backyard training, in-house training and formal training. No two operators have the exact same qualities when it comes to training and abilities.

Backyard training is typical of uninterested or unconcerned tow owners. Oftentimes they prefer the slip-seat method of hiring that warm body simply to fill the ranks for peak (work) periods or meet minimal staffing for contracts. Slip-seat training is maybe one to three days, no matter if the new hire has ever set foot in a tow truck before. This style of training is risky business.

Many tow companies that are extremely well run will have their own in-house training program. Ownership takes competency, ability and professionalism seriously in seeing that their tow operators are trained to industry standards. Typically, two weeks is considered minimal training to satisfy insurance requirements or what the company feels training should be.

Formal training comes from recognized entities teaching industry standard training as well as acceptable standards of care. Their foundation suggests a heightened level of technique and professionalism. Of course, having a certificate does not prove level of competency; that still needs to be verified.

Toss a Coin For some individuals, towing is a difficult career path they follow where they seek change, better pay and benefits, or look for that perfect fit. Jumping from job to job doesn’t indicate career stability though. Having an experienced applicant fully explain their work history provides a peek into their past while giving you a sense that they’re being truthful vs. shellacking you with a line of stories telling you want you want to hear.

Continued on p. 16

... continued from p. 14 Remember, applicants are always on their best behavior during interviews. Why not toss in a couple of questions like, “What are your best and worst personal traits?”, or “If you see a fellow employee swipe $20 from a towed vehicle, what you would do about it?” Believe it or not, these are difficult questions for applicants to answer if they’re not ready for them when asked off the cuff.

Selection isn’t easy and there’s no norm to the process. Applicants are individuals with different personalities and mentalities; some are workers, others prefer an environment that’s not so fast.

Regardless as to what applicant type they are, at interview’s end I hand the candidate a pair of gloves and instruct them to work three, lightduty tasks: load a flatbed carrier, load a standard wheel lift and load a set of dollies. You know that this industry

16 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

demands that towers think outside the box and be ready for any situations without notice.

My impromptu skills test is just that, to put their actions where their mouth is. New tow operators may not pass these skills because they aren’t yet trained, that’s understandable; you can bet that a tower laying claims of experience should be able to work these scenarios if they are what they say they are.

If the applicant says, “I only drive a carrier or wheel lift,” or vice versa, that excuse doesn’t fly, nor does “I’m only a heavy operator.” My expectations are really high, so applicants claiming to be experienced should complete these three processes without error and in a relatively quick amount of time.

Choosing the Best I challenge applicants to meet their experience level indicated on their applications. From there, it’s easy to

see what skills they may or not have and whether or not they meet your minimum criteria. It’s a great way to cull the tactical-ready applicant from a stack of underachievers.

Protect your livelihood and reputation by hiring the most qualified operators. Follow a proper process; don’t hire individuals that can’t or won’t be trained to meet your company’s performance expectations. I know it’s sometimes a crapshoot, but careful selection is key in (hopefully) finding varsity players for your company. Settling for any warm body is a wrong choice … hire smart.

Operations Editor Randall C. Resch is a retired California police officer and veteran tow business owner, manager, consultant and trainer. He writes for TowIndustryWeek.com and American Towman, is a member of the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame and recipient of the Dave Jones Leadership Award. Email Randy at rreschran@gmail.com.

Evolution of TIM Program

by Bobby Tuttle

The first part of this story appeared in the December 2018 issue of American Towman Magazine on page 56, “When Towing, TIM Intersected.” —Ed.

A

s discussed in part one, a tanker loaded with hydrochloric acid overturned at a major freeway connection in downtown San Antonio, Texas, in 1999. That event, some 20 years ago, opened the door to a conversation including towing in TIM issues in San Antonio, as well as the recognition that towing plays a very important role in TIM response.

That event eventually led to the creation of a TIM stakeholders’ group with towing having a seat at the table.

At this table were representatives from the TIM agencies tasked with the responsibility of responding to and safely clearing major traffic incidents that can have a very negative impact on a community in many ways, no matter the size of that community.

Who are these TIM agencies? The common players are police, fire service and DOT. Does towing play a major role in responding to and safely clearing major traffic incidents? You bet!

More importantly, representatives at this table can have conversations and develop protocols for how TIM agencies can improve TIM response.

Today, there is a very important national conversation by all TIM agencies on responder struck-bys. Why is better TIM response important? As a good friend reminds me all the time, “If you ain’t there, they can’t hit you.”

Now that our TIM stakeholders’ group was created, it was time to look at how each TIM agency was responding to major traffic incidents. For decades, TIM agencies responded to scenes focused on different responsibilities at the scene. We were operating in our own silos as they say. Why? 18 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

A hydrochloric acid spill some 20 years ago in San Antonio, Texas, led to better communications between towers and TIM response there. Multi-discipline training should be a key to the TIM training everywhere.

Don’t we all have the same scene priorities? I believe we do. Many different tasks at the scene are being conducted at the same time. The single most important priority is that we all perform our duties at the scene safely and quickly.

The No. 1 thing that we all agree on at our TIM meetings is that however the incident scene is handled, safety comes first! Another part of the TIM response, quick clearance, will come when you focus on things like communication and better processes at the incident scene.

For the first few years of our TIM meetings, we were able to identify TIM response issues that were fairly easy to find and fix. These changes, while important, were just the lowhanging fruit. The question we all had was, “What next and how do we get that accomplished?”

Fortunately for us, we had champions in all of our TIM agencies that were attending the TIM meetings that were being conducted by the local district of our state DOT. During these

meetings, we were able to agree on certain tasks at major incidents scenes whereby towing could support the fire service on things like fuel-spill cleanups.

These and many other changes in TIM response tasks by towing did not happen overnight. All TIM agencies including the towing contractors have a budget. The towing contractors needed to agree to provide these services, which they did to the benefit of all.

Another champion in San Antonio’s TIM group of stakeholders has been a division of the San Antonio Police Department called the Contract Towing Office. The CTO is tasked with the oversight of the towing contract in San Antonio. The personnel in the CTO have worked tirelessly with the towing contractors and all the TIM agencies involved in responding to major incidents. After getting involved in our TIM meetings, the CTO was able to make major changes to the towing contract. I believe most agencies and the towing contractors

believe these changes have benefitted their agencies and our community.

Another important key to improving the safety and efficiency of our TIM response was our state DOT district office contracting a consulting company to review our TIM processes. The consultant spent several months reviewing our TIM response and conducting one-onone interviews with all key personnel from every agency involved in responding to major TIM scenes.

The most important question they asked was, “If you were king for a day, what changes would you make to San Antonio’s TIM program?” For me, the answer was simple: recognize towing contractors for their critical role in TIM response and look for ways that towing can improve the response and clearance of all TIM incidents.

From that process came a written report with some recommendations for improving some of our TIM processes. (Some of those recommendations are being implemented as I write this article and will be covered in my next article for American Towman.)

Towing and TIM response has never and will never be one-sizefits-all. San Antonio, Texas, is the seventh largest city in the nation. I am sure we have TIM challenges that rural areas do not. Just as I am also sure that even larger cities have challenges that San Antonio does not face. The key is for towing to be engaged with the other TIM partners. There are champions for improved TIM response in your circle of responders. Find them! Then start a conversation on TIM response with them. Identify ways to conduct multi-discipline training together.

You will be surprised how many other responders in your community are thinking the same thing.

Municipal Editor Bobby Tuttle has been involved in the towing and recovery industry since 1977 at all levels including Traffic Incident Management response in San Antonio, Texas. He also serves as the Incident Manager for the SAPD towing contract. He founded Complete Incident Response Training in 2003.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 19

Working with Associations

by Brian J. Riker

W

e all worked hard to get where we are today, no doubt about it. Now, imagine if you could have had some help along the way? For many towers, that is a foreign concept. It doesn’t have to be.

Those of us who had the opportunity to learn the business from a supportive mentor, such as a father or other family member, should feel blessed. A towing association can have a similar effect on our business growth … if we allow it.

Many other highly competitive industries have stout trade associations.

They recognize the value of standing together with their competition on issues that affect the entire industry.

They also understand the value of strength in numbers. Strong associations have the power to effect real change. An industry isn’t as professional without strong trade associations.

Towing associations are far more than just places to get a few discounts on tires (although the associated discounts usually cover membership fees, plus some). Towing associations bring together progressive business owners looking to improve the industry, fight detrimental legislation and promote rules that will lead to a safer work environment for all.

We all want awareness of the roadside dangers and a solution to the high number of towers that are injured or killed roadside each year. Without strong associations, we will never realize the full potential of our goal.

Strong associations need an active membership to promote the goals of the industry. Good associations will help facilitate training, keep members advised on critical issues and educate on best practices. Membership without participation is like voter registration without voting, you have no right to complain about the direction the industry is heading. Attending meet20 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

ings and making your voice heard are how you get to make a difference in your industry.

During the 2018 American Towman Exposition in Baltimore, we hosted the first “Working with Legislators” conference with material presented by the Towing and Recovery Association of America. We had towers engaged and participating, asking questions of the experts on hand and ready to go home and engage their local and state lawmakers. This is only the beginning, and only one of many areas that associations can help.

By now most tow bosses are aware of the implications of Hours of Service and Electronic Logging Device compliance.

By now most tow bosses are aware of the implications of Hours of Service and Electronic Logging Device compliance. This is another issue that TRAA and many state associations have been fighting, and continue to fight, for the rights of towers to operate their businesses as necessary. What about OSHA? Lately they have had the towing industry in their sights, and without strong associations to keep informed and fight back they will walk all over us.

Associations are an excellent source of current, relevant information about issues affecting your business today, as well as what is on the horizon. They can’t do it alone. It is very important to get involved, volunteer some time to speak out on these issues.

Lawmakers do listen to voters, especially those connected with strong associations. There’s strength in numbers.

Many of us simply wish to do our jobs, be recognized for the work we do as first responders and get home safely.

As simple as that sounds, it takes a lot of effort to make it happen. The first step to recognition is professionalism.

If we want to be treated as professionals, we need to act like professionals as operators and business owners.

Without trade association membership, this is difficult to impossible.

Strong trade associations in most industries set voluntary guidelines, standards of conduct if you will, that all members agree to abide by. Think about this for a moment: Would you rather have a government body that knows little about your industry set regulations through legislation, or would you like to have common sense in the self-policing of the industry by fellow towers?

To me it is easy, I would rather set my own course as a participant in this industry than have some government agency decide what is best for my business. I am actively accomplishing this right now with active participation in several state and national associations across multiple segments of the transportation industry, not just the towing industry.

Insurance companies sure have associations, very powerful associations, designed to protect their membership from liability and other exposure. Their associations have very powerful lobbyists and researchers dedicated to protecting their interests, aka profitability.

Many of us operate parallel businesses, such as collision shops or auto recycling facilities. We know that to be successful we have to join major associations like Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair or Automo-

tive Recyclers Association. In doing so we agree to train our technicians to a specified level of competency, agree to a code of conduct and best management practices. We do this because it works. It adds a degree of professionalism to our operation and opens opportunities for additional, usually better paying, business.

It is time to put aside the stubbornness and band together to better our industry while there is still a towing industry left to fix. I promise you this: if we do not start supporting our associations real soon, the industry will look very different in just a few years, and not in a good way.

Let’s make sure it is a good different.

Brian J. Riker is a third-generation towman, with 25 years of experience in the ditch as a tow operator, and president of Fleet Compliance Solutions. He specializes in helping navigate the complex world of federal and state transportation regulatory compliance. He can be reached at brian.riker@fleetcompliancesolutions.net

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 21

(Plus) The Police Towers Conference

Plus, Mike Corbin Solo performing the Towman Ballads

Profit Centers New

by Paul Stephens

W

e have seen many changes in the towing industry over the past decade, but one that has evolved into its own category is the use of equipment solely for incident management. With the many opportu26 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

nities in the industry, Incident Management is one that can open up a new market and revenue stream to towers—but also deliver a large contingency of small equipment to a site.

Using IM support units can assist in many ways like site restoration and

traffic control, or simply as a hydration station for operators.

The business question has to be addressed prior to going full steam into buying and equipping an Incident Management Vehicle. This mainly is due to the liability exposure, educa-

roadway incidents (businesses, parking lots, etc.), non-highway and weather events? These occasions are where the right combination of equipment and a skilled operations manager can pay dividends by adding profits to a largely overlooked area for roadside services.

Adding and equipping Incident Management Vehicles in the fleet

The IMV Working in the IM arena can encompass a larger area, but to start with let’s look into the purpose and use of an IMV. Usually there are two areas these units can be successful: being able to perform or support emergency roadside services, and in responding to incidents and protecting the work area or incident response crews.

The uniqueness of IMV can be a major asset to your company depending upon what your intended use or purpose is but setting the unit up properly can be a major undertaking.

The first step is to decide on the unit you would like to use such as a service truck, beverage-body truck, crash cushion unit or simply an enclosed trailer. What works best for your company is your decision, but choose wisely and for multiple purposes. There are a few things to consider such as tags, taxes, insurance, using a drivable unit or one that can be in storage until needed.

Equipment

Setting up your Incident Management Vehicle for success starts with outlining its intended purpose and relevant, though not redundant, equipment needed.

Incident Management Solutions vehicle.

tion/certification requirements and, not least of all, equipment cost. There must be a need in your market and a valued use; an IMV isn’t something you get to sit around the shop, to be plundered for items used elsewhere that are never replaced while the tires Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

get dry rot. These decisions are paramount in the success of a mobile IMV program.

There are many federal, state and local governments that supply this service on the heavier traveled roads, but what about long-term events, off-

So, you have decided on a unit and want to put it into service; what is the next step? Should an arrow board be added, or maybe a light tower? Do you need a power inverter? How about adding a crash cushion to the rear?

The important thing is to have a plan and to lay out such plans prior to attaching anything to the unit.

There are a lot of considerations, such as wiring, attachment points, access ports, etc., so these plans become very important once you start stocking the unit. If you are going with a smaller unit, the layout is even more important due to the limited space.

Continued on p. 28

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 27

paramount, from a jack to a fuel transfer pump; having the best available can save time and money.

In Use We have the truck, installed a light tower, have an arrow board on the back … so what should our next step be? Well this is where the decision needs to be made for layout, usage and equipment types. Will you be responding to large accidents or will you be handling basic roadside and lane blockage? (For this article, lets go with large-scale accident response.)

There needs to be an understanding of balance when stocking these

The uniqueness of IMV can be a major asset to

... continued from p. 27 Selecting multi-use equipment with changing attachments is a space saver (above). Trafficcontrol equipment is important at the majority of scenes where you’ll need your IMV (below).

Mickey Bigg Jr. Inc./Quality Auto Body vehicle.

Choosing equipment can be a daunting task; some owners prefer to use the highest quality equipment available, while others feel the basic tools will get the job done (and be easier to replace if lost). We tend to look at price over reliability in our industry, due to the turnover of employees and the inability to track tools or equipment. The quality of product in an IMV can be significant. Reliability is

your company depending upon what your intended use or purpose is but setting the unit up properly can be a major undertaking. units, we can utilize the front area for our air cushions and catch bags. Placing removable shelves in this area can make carrying the bags easier from the unit or putting them into a small wagon with wheels. The hoses can be placed on a coiler above the bags with the compressor and valve body underneath or to the side. Each area should have all components relatively close to each other so when something is needed it can be explained exactly where to find it.

The next consideration is fuel transfer and spill mitigation. If this is an area you choose to stay away from it is clearly understandable with the

28 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

liability. The spill-mitigation tools can consist of a fuel transfer pump, flow-stop leak sealer, storage containers, fuel drums, fuel dolly, absorbent pads and spreadable absorbent. This all consumes storage space, so choose the layout here wisely, likely shelves for everything but the caddy and drums to keep more floor space.

These are the most common items found inside most IMVs, but items not used on every event should always be considered. Some items are standard, like chainsaws, blowers, shovels, brooms, extra straps, high-pressure bags, lubricants and load-transfer equipment. These can be stored on shelving or attached to the sidewalls of the unit. Overstocking items can limit access and actually be a burden on the operators trying to move around, carry equipment and work with or inside the unit.

Multi-Task Items to think about as seen in other IMVs that are slightly different but have a decent use is a Stihl KombiSystem which can use different attachments to accomplish multiple tasks such as a power broom, blower, pole saw, etc. These help in several areas and only require minimal storage space.

Moving blankets also offer several different uses such as protection.

Traffic management signs and flags work well for

Continued on p. 30

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 29

... continued from p. 29

Absorbents and cleanup tools are key at larger scenes where your IMV will be in use.

warning traffic, but pay close attention to laws that govern this area as you could be liable for related injuries if not used properly. The cones you supply with your IMV should be the correct height and have reflective collars for highway use.

Eyewash stations are a unique item I have seen and believe it’s absolutely a great idea to be prepared for any type of emergency for your staff.

The redundancy of having the same item in your tow truck as your IMV can be a waste of space, but having certain odd-size straps and chains on the IMV that would normally only be used in a largescale recovery can free up space inside a tow truck.

A storage rack with shrink wrap, pallet puller, packing tape, etc., will help when confronted with the pallets that need to be repaired during a recovery.

There are always items to add, just make sure they have a functional use.

Deciding if an IMV is the right choice for your company is a big decision; if you choose to utilize one, will it be profitable?

Paul Stephens is a towing industry trainer with more than 34 years of towing experience. He has served as a consultant for many automobile manufacturers, equipment manufacturers, and companies for service provider education, towability and road service procedures.

30 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

NE Wrecker Sales Adds Dynamic Mfg. New England Wrecker Sales (newrecker.com) in Exeter, New Hampshire, recently added Dynamic Towing & Equipment Manufacturing (dynamicmfg.com) to its equipment line for sales and service.

The company was established in 2014, representing the full line of NRC Towing Equipment (nrc-industries.com). New England Wrecker Sales staff comes with more than 50 years of towing, recovery and transport combined experience.

They offer custom builds with up-to-date equipment in their facility in Exeter and can handle tailored installations, high-quality paint work and repair services for all makes and models.

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 31

AD INDEX February 2019

Page#

To receive free information on products and services from our advertisers go to www.TowExtra.com

69

Environmental Chemical Solutions

Akins Body & Carrier Sales

73

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Allstate Roadside Services

72

Intek Truck Eq. Finance & Lease

American Safety & Supply

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International Truck

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16

Kenworth of South Florida Legacy Plus Insurance

Access Tools

Atlantic Emergency Solutions AT ShowPlace – Las Vegas

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AutoReturn B/A Products B & Z Sales Beacon Software Casanova Towing Equipment

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83

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85

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S 91

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79

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Lodar USA

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Steck Mfg. Co.

84

Lynch Chicago

63

Sterling National Bank

81

Manufacturer Express

78

Swoop

15

Matheny Motors

67

Tays Auction

Matjack Jumbo Safelift

99

Texas Towing & Storage

M 95

29 W 93

Chelsea Division of Parker

79

McMahon Truck Center

Chevron Commercial

76

Miller Industries

Crouch’s Wrecker Equip. & Sales

65

Mobile Create USA

85

TowMate

19, 85

Danco Products

74

New England Truckmaster

N 93

TowTrax

30

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29

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N 96

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DP Winch Driveline Buddy Dual-Tech Wreckers & Carriers

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Pacific General Insurance Agency

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Tow Industries

North American BanCard

Dynamic Towing Equipment & Mfg. 81 68

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M 93 32, 33

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American Towman Legendary Crowds

36 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

No other trade show of any industry has had the run of success the American Towman Exposition has had; 30 years of great crowds and continual growth, never a down year. Neither 9/11 nor the Great Recession could dampen AT Expo's attendance. The Exposition continues to mirror and celebrate the resilience of the towing industry.

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 37

The diverse displays inside the Baltimore Convention Center spanned 270 exhibitors, all suppliers to the towing trade as well as equipment transport, road service and repair.

Over $100 million of commerce was transacted, including call volume commitments among national dispatchers and motor clubs. Heavy duty rotators sold for as much as a half million dollars a unit. Fleet owners put in orders of multiple units for one-tons, medium duties and carriers.

Once again AT Expo proved to be the largest niche truck show in the world.

38 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 39

INDUSTRY HEROICS 2018 American Towman Medal Recipents

Christian Gruber Roseburg Towing; Roseburg, Oregon On February 20, 2018, a motorist was headed the wrong way on an exit ramp on Interstate 5. That’s when Christian sprung into action by blocking the exit with his tow truck. Fortunately, he wasn’t struck while preventing a possible accident further along on the highspeed interstate. The wrong-way driver got himself safely away from the scene, but Christian said he doesn’t consider himself a hero. “If you’re in a big vehicle and you have the ability to stop someone from causing an accident, I think that’s just normal human reaction, to preserve yourself and others from harm.”

For Courage Under Fire … Christian Gruber American Towman Commendation

Ron Riediger Riediger Antique Auto & Towing; Diamond, Missouri A man became trapped underneath his SUV after a jack fell over as he tried to change his tire on the side of a gravel road this past May outside Diamond, Missouri. Towman Ron Riediger heard the incident over a scanner and responded immediately. He was able to hook up to the rear of the SUV and free the trapped man who was “pale as can be,” Ron said. He escaped with minor injuries. As EMTs arrived to check the man over, Ron stayed to finish changing the tire—safely. Highway Patrol officials recognized Ron for performing “in an exemplary manner, and under dangerous conditions, to aid another person.”

For Courage Under Fire … Ron Riediger American Towman Commendation

Joe Meyer Day & Nite Towing; Baldwin, Wisconsin On December 5, 2017, Joe Meyer was paged to a onevehicle rollover with entrapment. He found vehicles

40 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

stopped on both the median and shoulder of I-94, including a Ford Explorer on its roof; bystanders were advising a female was trapped under the Ford. Joe saw only her lower legs were extending out from under the roofline. According to police, who just then were arriving on scene, “Joe was ready to lift the vehicle by the time first responders arrived.” Joe advised patrolmen to request a Life-Link helicopter to the scene, which is credited with saving the victim’s life. With ambulance and fire personnel on scene, the vehicle was lifted— without sliding down on the patient—and she was removed safely.

For Courage Under Fire … Joe Meyer American Towman Commendation

John Kroesser Partners Towing Service; Lansdale, Pennsylvania On a late night in March 1991, John was returning from a call on the Schuylkill Expressway and observed speeding cars dodging around a stopped vehicle in the passing lane against the median wall. He quickly parked, activated his beacons and worked to load the vehicle.

All of a sudden, he shouted, “look out” to the victim and pulled him as they ducked to avoid a speeding car that went straight into his angled flatbed, launching the loaded car some 55 feet in front of his truck. With no beacons activated anymore, he worked to stop traffic on the highspeed route before the scene could get any worse.

For Courage Under Fire … John Kroesser American Towman Commendation

Norman Strom AAA Northeast; Auburn, Massachusetts Around noon on May 30, 2018, Norman was driving back from a call when he noticed smoke coming from a garage attached to a large home. A couple in their late 80s was inside and had no idea about the fire when Norman knocked on their door. He immediately helped the couple

get out and grabbed a few belongings, including the family cat. “By the time I got them out, the whole house was engulfed,” Norman said. Fueled by an exploding propane tank, the fire spread from the garage to the main house, destroying much of the building. “If everybody helped one another, we’d live in a better world,” Norman said.

For Courage Under Fire … Norman Strom American Towman Commendation

Jeff Ledoux Just In Time Towing; Hyde Park, New York About 4 a.m. on December 17, 2017, Hyde Park police were conducting a traffic stop as part of a DWI patrol. After the driver was arrested, a patrol officer remained on scene to assist Jeff with impounding the vehicle. Jeff saw a vehicle approaching at high speed that was veering right towards them. Without hesitation, Jeff pulled the officer out of the path of the speeding vehicle. (The driver of that vehicle was subsequently stopped and arrested for DWI.) For Courage Under Fire … Jeff Ledoux American Towman Commendation

Tom Rankin Rankin Towing; Lisbon, Ohio Ryan Roberts Youngstown Crane Innovations; Lisbon, Ohio On a cold, windy Ohio day, April 4, 2018, in Franklin Square, Tom Rankin and Ryan Roberts rescued a stranded passenger in a Chevy TrailBlazer trapped in high water on a closed road. Tom literally perched on the bumper of Ryan’s wrecker to provide guidance as the two drove out into water that was high enough to obscure the edges of the road. Ryan told the newspaper at the time, “It was touch and go. … We had to get the vehicle out of there so we could get her out. It was pretty deep there and Tom took a hook, jumped into the waist-deep water, reached under the SUV and found a secure point for the hook-up.”

Then the two operators worked together getting the woman and the vehicle to safety before hypothermia could set in. Ryan backed up the tow truck as Tom got Tom Rankin (left) and his grandson, Hadden Unger (right). Ryan Roberts passed away prior to the ceremony; Hadden is friends with Ryan Roberts' children and received the commendation on the family’s behalf.

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behind the wheel of the TrailBlazer to steer it, rescuing the trapped passenger without incident.

For Courage Under Fire … Ryan Roberts For the Simple Act of Bravery … Tom Rankin American Towman Commendation American Towman Medal

Justin Baker Interstate Towing; Chicopee, Massachusetts On the morning of June 4, 2018, troopers Dan Sheehan and Justin Dauplaise were attempting to arrest a subject for OWI. Justin was on scene to impound the OWI vehicle and saw the troopers were having difficulty with the arrest. “He wasn’t in the right state of mind,” Justin said. “He suddenly got combative with officers and began reaching for something.” Justin, nicknamed “Muscles McGee” by his boss, didn’t hesitate to step in and assist with pinning the subjects arms so troopers could cuff him. State Police commended Justin for his assistance. “I wasn’t just going to stand there,” Justin said.

For the Simple Act of Bravery … Justin Baker American Towman Medal

André L. Harris Sr. Bambarger Wrecker Service; Tuscaloosa, Alabama On the night of July 27, 2018, towman André Harris Sr. was returning to the shop when he was stopped by a woman standing in the middle of state highway 171. “I noticed a pair of headlights and as I got closer, I saw a flame coming up from between the engine compartment and the firewall,” Andre said. “I noticed a lady running up, so I popped on the beacons and asked if anyone was in the car.” “I was screaming, I was asking him to please get my baby out of the car,” the woman said. The front portion of the passenger compartment was on fire as Harris quickly made his way down an embankment to the vehicle where he was unable to open any of the rear doors. “Next thing I knew, I was down the hill trying to bust the glass with my hand,” he said. “I got it broken and was reaching in the car, literally fumbling around. I couldn’t see because of the smoke. I felt a tiny leg and just started pulling.” Harris was worried the car could burst into flames, so he held the baby in his left arm and pulled the mother up the hill with his right. By the time they made their way back up to the roadway, the vehicle compartment was fully engulfed. “I thank God for allowing me to be in that position and not allowing me time to think — to just jump on it,” Andre said. “I just did what any other American would have done, especially somebody who has kids themselves.”

For the Simple Act of Bravery … Andre L. Harris Sr. American Towman Medal

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 41

American Towman Operations Editor Randall Resch presents the Hero Medal to recipient AndrĂŠ L. Harris Sr.

Festival Night attendees greet the 2018 American Towman Medal recipients in a receiving line following the presentation.

Towman Joe Meyer leads fellow Hero nominees towards the stage for the 2018 ceremony.

42 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

Silver Star The Joe Doblmeier Memorial Award

Address Read by Henri “Doc” Calitri on Festival Night, November 17th, 2018

T

by Charles Duke

owman Phillip West of Austin, Texas, has got to be one of the industry’s most inspirational people. The eight-year veteran of towing goes about plying that trade with a disability that would stop many others: he operates with one leg.

West’s left leg was amputated when stricken with his first of three bouts of bone cancer at age 10. Over the course of his life, he has had five prosthetic legs—but has discarded them all as he’s found they’re more trouble than they’re worth.

He took on the physically demanding career of a towman because he never saw himself as having any limitations. He tows for Quick Tow in Austin where he’s been employed for the past six years.

Prior to towing, West was the manager of a car maintenance shop. He remarked that the job had to be one of the worst jobs he ever had in his life.

West decided to step down as manager and just continue as a worker.

An employee who quit showed up one day driving a tow truck, something West had always wanted to do.

Encouraged by his former co-worker, West went to get his license to tow. He said he went around to a number of places seeking employment, ending up at the same tow company, ATX VIP Towing, where his former coworker worked.

The owner asked him if he ever towed before.

“No, but I’m really good with cars and I’m really good with equipment; I just pick that stuff up quickly,” West answered.

The owner then asked if West had any limitations, to which West answered confidently, “No, not really.”

“So he took me out to the back of his garage and said, ‘Hey, can you pick that

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battery up?’ After carrying it a distance and placing it in a designated area, the owner said, ‘Yeah, I’ll give you a shot.’

“So he gave me my first experience in the tow business,” West said. “I wasn’t making a whole lot of money, but I was enjoying what I was doing.”

For a person who has faced his share of adversity, West was asked what motivates him to keep going.

“I look at everything as a challenge,” West said, “and I’m always up for the challenge. I just have an attitude that nothing’s ever going to beat me and I can conquer whatever’s put in front of me. It might take me a little bit longer than other people … but it usually doesn’t.”

West mentioned that he has a different perspective because he was given a 20-percent chance of living with the amputation. Many of the procedures he underwent were experimental, so he feels “extremely blessed.”

“God always has been working in my life—my whole life,” he said. “I’m more attuned to it now because I’m older. I never felt sorry for myself; I’ve never had a pity party about losing my leg. I was determined that it never was going to stop me from doing whatever I wanted to do.”

West said he was honored in being selected to receive the Joe Doblmeier Silver Star Award.

“I’m blown away about receiving

the Silver Star Award. What God uses me for is to inspire people. …

“You have to have a good attitude,” West said, “you just have to. Who wants to be depressed all the time? Who wants to be thinking about their problems all the time?

There’s something in me that God placed that gets me fired up about winning, about persevering. …

“That’s what separates, I think, the winners in life from the losers,” West said. “The winners always find a way, and the losers always find an excuse.”

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 43

44 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

The Exposition was a celebration of America's greatest service professionals. The worlds' largest towing mural, along with the Towman Monument, plus towing's theme chopper, "Hero," and events like Festival Night and Mike Corbin singing Towman Ballads highlighted the Festival atmosphere. The historic American Towman Spirit Ride was commemorated with a wall display.

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 45

AT EXPO EXHIBITOR ENCORE Mark Your Calendar for the 31st AT EXPO Dec. 4-8, 2019 360 Payments 4 State Trucks AAA AASP-PA

Access Tools pg. 69 Agero

Allstate Roadside Services pg. 72 Alpha Innovations Aluminum Wheels MFG Inc. Amdor

American Safety & Supply pg. 21 American Towman Magazine Anchor Graphics ARI-Hetra Arjex Tools AT&T

Atlanta Wrecker Sales pg. 16 Atlantic Emergency Solutions pg. N 91 Aussie Rimshine Austin Hinds Motors Austin Insurance Auto Data Direct Automotive Training Institute

AutoReturn pg. 82 B/A Products pg. 25 B&B Industries Bad Dog Tools BBSI Beacon Funding

Beacon Software pg. 83 Beijing Worldboson Best Tools Brekford Traffic Safety Capital One Services Car-Part.com Carvana Century

Chelsea Products Div. of Parker Industries pg. 79 Chesapeake Auto Equipment Chevron

Chevron Commercial pg. 76 Comeup USA Commercial Fleet Financing Copart Auto Auctions

Crouch's Wrecker & Equip. Sales pg. 65 CTTA Custer Products Custom Radio Cutting Edge Automotive Solutions D & W Clutch & Brake

Danco Products pg. 74

Dangelo's Custom Built Mfg. DAO-P Inc. Detroit Torch DewEze Mfg. DK2 Warrior Winches DomTex Marketing DOT Tie Down

DP Winch pg. 5 Driveline Buddy pg. N 92 46 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

Dual-Tech Wreckers & Carriers pg. 34 Dynamic Towing Equip. & Mfg. pg. 81

East Coast Truck & Trailer Sales East Penn Truck Equipment ECCO eComply Edin"Burg" Truck, ETS Hobby Shop Electric Guard Dog Enovative Technologies

Environmental Chemical Solutions pg. 30 Excel Sportswear Eye3Data FCar Tech USA Federal Signal Find Truck Service First Business Fitzgerald Wrecker Sales Fleet Complete FleetDown FleetNet America Fleetway Capital Flitz International FlowStop Force America Ford Commercial Vehicles Free State Nam Knights Galactic Global Gantt Insurance Agency Gear Jammer Magazine GEICO GetResqued.com Global Gadgets Globe Trailers GPS Pro Gravity Payments Hale Trailer Brake & Wheel Happy Feet USA Hino Trucks Holly's Towing Dispatch Honk Technologies Hooks Towing & Equipment I Tow In INA / Wreaths Across America insurancehub Int'l Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame & Museum Integrated Veh. Equip. Leasing

Intek Truck & Equip. Leasing/Financing pg. 19 International Trucks pg. 2, 3 Jerr-Dan Corp.

Kalyn Siebert Kaper II, Inc / Woody's Accessories Keen Utility Landoll Corporation

Legacy Plus Insurance pg. 85 Lift And Tow Lift Marketing Group

Lodar USA pg. 31

Lucky's Trailer Sales

Lynch Truck Centers pg. 63

Magnetworks / Stamp Works

*Supplier names in bold are display advertisers in this issue with their ad page number cross-referenced.

Manufacturer Express pg. 78

Marathon Business Card Program Marlow Ropes Martens Johnson Insurance Maryland Carrier & Wrecker Sales

Matheny Motor Truck Co. pg. 67 Matjack Jumbo Safelift pg. 99 McMahon Truck Center pg. M 95 Metro Tow Trucks MFC International Midwest Keyless Midwest Wrecker

Miller Industries pg. 7

Millner-Haufen Tool Minute Man Wheel Lifts Mobile Binaries

Mobile Create USA pg. 85

Mobile Video Computing Solutions Motor Guardian Cam Muncie Power Products Myers Benner Corp.

Mytee Products Nanjing Miao Run Sen Nation Safe Drivers (NSD) National Automobile Club National Interstate Insurance Co. Nite Beam Noco Jump Packs NRC Industries NTTS Breakdown Directory Olson & Company Omadi

OMG National pg. N 95, S 96, M W 94 OnlineParkingPass.com OnTrak Solutions Optotraffic Oswald Companies Penny Pockets Penske Truck Leasing People's United Equipment Finance Performance Advantage Company PGM Recovery Systems Phoenix USA Photo Card Specialists Podium Corp.

Pop - A - Lock Power Tac Lights Inc. Powerhouse Industries Prime Industries Pro-Vision Video Systems Professional Dispatch Service Protech Industries Purpose Wrecker QuakeLED Quest Towing Services R & A Insurance Ram Trucks Ramsey Winch Ranger SST RC Industries Rear View Safety

The Will-Burt Company Time-Out Seated Massage Corner TJR Equipment TOMAR TomTom Tow Brokers Tow Canada Tow Life Tow Recruiter Tow Truck Locator

Recovery Billing Unlimited pg. 31

Republic First National/Bay Street Rescue Bit Ricky's Sales & Service Road America Roadside Protect Robert Young's NRC Sales & Service Rotary Lift RP Recovery Consulting Rydin Decal Samsara

Towbook Management Software pg. 100 Towing & Recovery Assoc. of America Towing.com TowingBids.com TowingWebsites.com TowLien.com

Santander Bank pg. 13

ScaleIt Auto App Sepson US Setcom Corporation Shanghai Jinli Special Rope Co.,Ltd Shanghai Tough Industrial Co. Sovereign Risk Solutions

TowMate pg. 19, 85

Specialty Vehicle Equip. Funding pg. 75 Spill Tackle

Steck Mfg. Co.pg. 84 Sterling National Bank pg. 81 Stertil-Koni, USA Superwinch sureFleet

Swoop pg. 15

T.R.P.M. Talbert Mfg. TCF Equipment Finance

towPartners TowToolz

TowTrax pg. 30

towXchange TowZing Tracker Management Sys. Trail-Eze Trailers Travis Barlow Insurance Trimble Truck Crane Solutions Trux Accessories TTN Fleet Solutions

United Plastic Fabricating UPAS Group/ICOM North America Urgent.ly US Fleet Tracking USAC / MD Verdant Commercial Capital Verizon Connect VersaTran Vort3x De-Pollution Systems Vulcan Warn Industries We Buy Key Fobs Weego WeldBuilt Wreckers & Carriers West End Service Whelen Engineering Co. Whip Around Whiterail Reviews Witzco Trailers

Worldwide Equipment Sales pg. 71 Worldwide Equipment Sales/Parts pg. W 91 WreckerTow.com WreckMaster

XINSURANCE Powered By EIB pg. N 92 Xpress Pay Xtreme Air Wedge Zip's AW Direct Zip's Truck Equipment ZT Logistics

Corporate Sponsors

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 47

Light-Duty 2017-2018 Class

American Wrecker Pageant

1st Stooksbury’s Towing 2018 Dodge Ram 5500 2018 Century 612 Sevierville , TN

2nd Redman Fleet Services 2018 Dodge Ram 5500 2018 Vulcan V24 Lorton, VA

3rd Robinson’s Towing & Recovery 2018 Ford F550 2018 Chevron Mechanicsville, VA

Captains of Industry Dinner

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Light-Duty Pre-2017 Class

1st Vintage Towing 2014 Dodge Ram 2014 Jerr-Dan MPL40 Westbury, NY

2nd Protech Industries Auto & Collision 2007 Ford F550 2007 Century 312 Philadelphia, PA

3rd Norton's Tow Squad 2016 Ford F550 2016 Miller 807 Philadelphia, PA

AT Academy

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 49

American Wrecker Pageant

Medium-Duty Class 1st Magills Auto Service 2018 Freightliner M2 2018 Chevron 512 Monroeville, PA

2nd Bill's Service of Stamford 2018 Peterbilt 2018 Century 3212 Stamford, CT

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Carrier Class

1st Non-Stop Towing & Recovery 2012 Kenworth T270 2012 Century 23 foot LCG Freeport, NY

2nd Unlimited Towing 2017 Ford F650 2017 Jerr-Dan Carrier York, PA

3rd Baltimore Towing 2019 Kenworth T370 2019 Jerr-Dan Carrier Baltimore, MD Instructor Paul Stephens, at Allstate Luxury Vehicle Education.

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 51

Rotator Class

1st Waggy's Towing 2010 Peterbilt 378 2010 Jerr-Dan 85 ton Manassas, VA

2nd Payne's Towing & Recovery 2016 Peterbilt 378 2016 Century 1025 Ruckersville, VA

3rd Aldrich Auto Body & Repair 2019 Peterbilt 389 2019 NRC 40/50 Sliding Rotator Fitchburg, MA

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Vintage Class

American Wrecker Pageant

1st Bill Warner & Son 1987 Peterbilt 1987 Holmes 750 Seneca, WV

2nd Tauber's Service 1963 Dodge Power Wagon 1963 Holmes 600 Linthicum, MD

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 53

Heavy Duty Single Axle Class

American Wrecker Pageant

1st East Coast Auto Body 2000 Kenworth T300 2000 Century 4024 Stamford, CT

2nd Flanagan's Auto Truck Service of N. J. 2019 Freightliner 2019 Century 5130 Pennsauken, NJ

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1st Redman Fleet Services 2015 Western Star 2015 Vulcan V100 Lorton, VA

Heavy Duty Tandem Axle Class

2nd Terry Groff Auto Repair 2019 Peterbilt 389 2019 Jerr-Dan 35 Ton Copenhagen, NY

3rd Bill Warner & Son 1997 Peterbilt 379 1997 Century 9055 Circleville, NY

Bull & Pig Roast at the Hard Rock Cafe, Miller Rocks!

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 55

Best of Show Working Class

Best of Show American Towing Services 2016 Hino 258 2016 Vulcan Carrier Maspeth, NY

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Frank's LLC 2016 Ford F550 2016 Century 312 Poly Body Ansonia, CT

Best Presentation Class

American Wrecker Pageant Pinehill Towing 2018 Dodge Ram 5500 2018 Jerr-Dan King George, VA

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 57

American Towman's legendary hospitality once again made Baltimore the social and networking event for the world of towmen and tow women. From the Bull & Pig Roast at the Hard Rock Cafe (Miller Rocks!) to Calitri's Cuba and the Harbor pubs, towers swapped war stories and made friends.

58 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 59

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AT Expo offers an amazing diversity of suppliers on the show floor. Walking the show among the 270 exhibitors is a revelation at some point or juncture on the show floor coming across new products or expertise.

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 61

Calitri’s Cuba

Sunday Pie

ACE Awards

62 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

See you in Atlantic City AT Expo XXXI

Is the Grass

Greener?

Being your own boss isn’t always the right fit

by John Borowski

S

o you decided that you’ve had enough, you want to go it on your own. Your boss, in your mind, just doesn’t get it! You’re too good to continue as an employee while your boss reaps all of the rewards of your efforts. I have to say that in my many years in this industry, I’ve had many employees that felt exactly the same way and know many others from different companies.

First off, you could be right. Speaking honestly, though, not many make it. In fact, I only know of one who made it big. Some others I know who’ve done it found that the grass was definitely not greener on the other side. After investing everything they

had and financing more beyond that, they wound up frustrated, broke and eventually left the industry.

Don’t be discouraged from starting your own tow company—nothing ventured, nothing gained—but be sure you are getting into it for the right reasons and appreciate what you are undertaking.

Most people have little understanding of how to operate a towing business; more specifically, understanding overhead costs and finding your cost to tow a vehicle. While you may know how to tow and recover vehicles, you need to understand the other part of the job: running a small business.

Slow down before you start your own tow business; the grass is not always greener on the other side.

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Tow Biz Basics

There are some basics you need to look at before you make that big leap.

Understand the market that you want to operate in. Determine how many tows are possible in that immediate market.

How many towers are already operating within that market? To what size do you want to create your new company? Are you planning on luring your new accounts from your existing employer? How are you going to achieve that? Lower prices? What volume of tows do you need to be successful?

A good friend of mine says, “You can only grow a goldfish to the size of its fishbowl.” The size of your goldfish’s surroundings, along with other factors, will affect growth; the goldfish will die without enough space. If there are too many towers in a specific area, there are only a few ways to get the business: one is to undercut the rates of your competitors, two is to outperform your competitors with quality of service and three is to buy out your competitors.

The very first question that I would ask myself is, “Why did you want to go it on your own?” Was it the amount of pay you received? This is where you need to realize operating costs.

I know of tow company owners paying key employees more than the

Continued on p. 66

Finding staff and identifying equipment needs will be among your main, but not only, tasks in getting your new business off the ground.

... continued from p. 64 tow company owner is actually realizing for himself. That is a dangerous situation, but it is really happening.

This industry has devalued its service for many years. There are many auto clubs and insurance companies that realize this and take full advantage of it.

Most companies do not know their actual cost for a tow. That kills the low-ball approach, which is a very good possibility why you’re entertaining this idea.

There is definitely room for quality of service levels too be raised, but where is the average market price? Is quality of service enough to overcome price?

Finally, is it worthwhile to consider buying a retiring company or a company that is looking for an exit strategy that is in your projected marketplace?

In the Shop What equipment are you going to purchase? How many pieces? Where will your business be located? How are you going to keep your staff satisfied? That is to say, more satisfied than you were with your previous employer. Exactly what book of business are you seeking out?

You have a couple of decisions on equipment. New, used or badly 66 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

abused; what will they cost you? New will run immediately and run hard.

Used, will be out of service from time to time and sometimes cost you some large amounts of money for repairs.

Down time means zero income for that truck. Remember, on used there is no warranty. Based on the equipment selections, what type of business are you seeking? These selections will decide your viability.

What about the staff? Where are you going to find your staff? How much are you going to pay them?

Don’t forget some of the reasons that caused you to leave your job in this pursuit of happiness to be a boss … now you are one! Can you create a better workplace, employee benefits and payroll than where you are now?

If you can’t, you may have a serious shortage of employees.

I have seen many wanting to go on their own. Of those who take the leap, very few will make it. When you start analyzing these questions above, you will find your answer. Many times employees only look at their own personal situation and not the big picture. Some companies are struggling, just operating on a dream.

If you find that you’re not happy where you are and the owner is not happy where he or she is, it may be time to leave and start a profitable business with better management that

has room to grow and to grow profitability.

If you’re at a tow company that is one of the better companies in your marketplace, it is most likely best to stay there. Help them grow, go the extra steps to cause unrivaled customer satisfaction. When the time comes to increase rates, customers are more than acceptable to those increases. This will help you to grow with the company.

Running a company is not for the feint of heart. It takes good management, commitment, profitability and finally great employees. Look long and hard, this is your future and potentially other lives that you affect.

The grass is not, in fact, always greener on the other side of the fence.

Not at all! The grass is greenest where it is cared for and watered regularly.

Whenever you jump fences, bring plenty of water with you and tend to the grass wherever you may be.

John Borowski, Vice President of Tow Industry Programs at AutoReturn, is a two time recipient of the American Towman Medal for heroism, an inductee in the Int'l Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame, a past president of the Statewide Towing Association of Massachusetts, a veteran tow business owner and manager, and a former towing equipment sales specialist for two wrecker manufacturers. John was Towman of the Year in 2005.

MVCSOL Hosts Open House Mobile Video Computing Solutions (mvcsol.com) recently hosted a product feedback session with users and open house at its new Phoenix, Arizona, facility. The company's First Notice of Loss mobile technology is a multi-camera setup for tow trucks that merges and integrates vehicle data with advanced recording, telematics, smartphone apps and vehicle software systems with backend data management. The MVCSOL program has been beta testing in Phoenix and marks a new avenue for towers, law enforcement, motor clubs and insurance companies to work together at accident scenes and beyond. The system includes cameras mounted front, back and in the dash of the tow truck, as well as potential for bodycam integration to provide increased security, monitoring and risk management to the towman and tow company.

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Scott Watkins, founder of Mobile Video Computing Solutions, talks with towers about updates to the company’s data recording system recently at their Phoenix, Arizona, facility.

Determining Block, Line Tension

by Terry Abejuela

W

hen using snatch blocks to reduce line tension or change the direction of pull during a recovery operation, a tow operator must understand how much tension will be on the winch line and snatch blocks in order to accomplish the recovery safely and successfully. If the operator does not understand how much tension is on each component of the recovery rigging, equipment overload or failure may occur and result in an unsuccessful recovery (or worse).

The tow operator must ensure that none of the rigging is overloaded and that the casualty will move when the winch is engaged. The only way to confirm this is to understand how much tension is on each part of the recovery rigging, which includes the attachment points on the casualty, recovery chains, anchors, winch rope and snatch blocks.

After conducting a scene survey and deciding on the most effective and efficient recovery path, the tow operator must calculate the total amount of recovery resistance. Once you have done this, you can divide the total amount of the recovery resistance by the working load limit (WLL) of the wire rope to determine how many lines must be attached to the casualty to ensure the rope will not be overloaded. As an example, if the total amount of recovery resistance is determined to be 10,000 lbs. and the rope has a WLL of 5,000 lbs. (10,000/5,000 = 2), it would require a two-part line be attached to the casualty to reduce line tension within the WLL of the rope.

The only way to reduce line tension is to attach multiple winch lines or multiple parts of a single winch line to the casualty. If only one winch line is attached to the casualty, the line tension will equal 100 percent of the 70 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

total recovery resistance.

If two parts of line are attached to a casualty using a running block (also known as traveling or moving) and the two lines are parallel to each other, the line tension on each side of the two-part line will be 50 percent of the total recovery resistance. If the recovery resistance is 10,000 lbs., each part of the line would have 5,000 lbs. of tension.

If the lines are at a 90-degree angle to each other, there will still be some reduction in line tension but not half.

Each part of the line would have about 70 percent of the total recovery resis-

tance or 7,000 lbs. When the line angles reach 120 degrees, there is no more reduction in line tension and each part of the line would have 100 percent of the recovery resistance or 10,000 lbs.

If the line angles increase to 150 degrees, the line tension on each part of the line would increase to 193 percent or 19,300 lbs. This is why a clothesline technique (also known as a highline or zip line) requires heavyduty trucks for a light-duty vehicle or the front ends of the two tow trucks will lift off of the ground.

Continued on p. 72

... continued from p. 70 A two-part line, when the lines are parallel, reduces line tension by 50 percent. In the towing and recovery industry we need this to reduce line tension because our limiting factor will usually be the winch line WLL. We need a winch line that is small and light enough to be managed by one person, maybe two. Looking at it a different way, a pulley system multiplies our effort. If you have a recovery resistance of 10,000 lbs. and use a twopart line to the casualty and the lines are parallel, the winch will only have to exert 5,000 lbs. of effort to overcome the 10,000 lbs. of recovery resistance.

This is referred to as gaining a 2:1 mechanical advantage. Mechanical advantage is the ratio between the amount of effort and the amount of resistance.

How much the tension will be reduced depends on how many lines are attached to the casualty and the angle between the lines.

Another way we use snatch blocks

72 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

is to redirect the force or change the direction of the line pull. A snatch block attached to an anchor that does not move with the casualty is called a fixed snatch block and does not reduce line tension. When using a fixed snatch block, changes in the angle of the lines does not change the amount of tension on the lines. It does, however, change the amount of tension on the snatch block, anchor and attachment rigging to the anchor. This is

where remembering that snatch blocks multiply effort is important. If you route the winch line from the winch through a snatch block attached to an anchor, and attach the dead end of the rope to the casualty, you have a single line to the casualty so the line tension will be 100 percent of the total recovery resistance. If the lines are parallel (0 degrees of line angle), the tension

Continued on p. 74

... continued from p. 72 on the snatch block, anchor and anchor attachment rigging will be 200 percent of the total amount of recovery resistance because the multiplication of the winch’s effort is being applied to the anchor instead of the casualty.

In this rigging scenario, if the total recovery resistance is 10,000 lbs., tension on each part of the line will be 10,000 lbs., the winch would have to pull 10,000 lbs. but the tension on the snatch block, anchor and anchor attachment rigging will be 20,000 lbs. If the anchor won’t withstand 20,000 lbs., it will move instead of the casualty. If the resistance created by the anchor is more than 20,000 lbs., and the resistance created by the tow truck is more than 10,000 lbs., the casualty will move because it is the least amount of resistance.

As the line angle to a fixed block changes from 0 degrees to 10 degrees, the line tension stays the same, but the tension on the snatch block will start to decrease. To determine how much tension is on a fixed block, you can use a line angle multiplier chart.

As an example, the line angle multiplier chart tells us that when using a fixed block with line angles of 0 degrees, the angle multiplier is 2.0. Take the line tension and multiply it by 2.0 and you will determine that the snatch block tension is double what the line tension is. If the total recovery resistance is 10,000 lbs. times 2.0, the tension on the

Continued on p. 76

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The only way to reduce line tension is to attach multiple winch lines or multiple parts of a single winch line to the casualty.

... continued from p. 74 fixed snatch block, the rigging attachment to the anchor and the anchor is 20,000 lbs.

The angle multiplier for 90 degrees is 1.41, so 10,000 lbs. of line tension with 90-degree line angles will result in 14,100 lbs. of tension on the fixed snatch block (10,000 x 1.41 = 14,100).

Remember that a running block moves with the casualty and because it allows more than one line to be attached to the casualty, it will reduce line tension. How much depends on the angle of the lines. No angle in the lines, results in the most amount of reduction in line tension. As the line angles increase, the line tension will increase.

Learn that a fixed snatch block does not reduce line tension and angles in the lines do not change line tension, but do change tension on the fixed snatch block. No line angle results in the most amount of tension on the fixed snatch block. As the line

76 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

angles increase, the tension on the lines remains the same but the tension on the fixed snatch block, the rigging attachment to the anchor and the anchor will decrease.

It is important to understand these concepts in order to effectively, efficiently and safely utilize snatch blocks in the towing and recovery industry.

Field Editor Terry Abejuela has 40plus years of light-duty towing and recovery experience. He is also a light-duty Level 1 instructor for the California Tow Truck Association.

Isuzu Sales at All-Time High Isuzu Commercial Truck of America (isuzucv.com) recently announced that it broke multiple sales records in 2018, marking a new benchmark for sales of Isuzubrand trucks and parts. It was the fourth year in a row that Isuzu established records in these metrics.

Isuzu dealers retailed 23,914 Isuzu trucks to customers in 2018—a record for Isuzu-brand trucks in the United States. In addition, Isuzu parts sales increased 5.9 percent vs. 2017, setting another record.

Stertil-Koni Sales Records in 2018 Stertil-Koni (stertil-koni.com) announced recently that the company achieved record sales growth in 2018, capturing additional market share in both the municipal and public sectors across the U.S. and Canada.

A company release said that “key-

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ing the performance has been StertilKoni’s unique, exclusive focus on the heavy-duty vehicle lifting segment. … We are fully committed to bringing additional innovations and lifting enhancements to customers in 2019, always with a dedication to improving safety, durability, and ease-of-use of Stertil-Koni heavy duty vehicle lifts.”

Peterbilt Unveils Model 220EV Peterbilt Motors Co. (peterbilt. com) recently unveiled its all-electric medium duty Model 220EV. The 220EV joins the previously announced Model 520EV and the Model 579EV in the Peterbilt electric vehicle lineup. In all, Peterbilt will have more than 30 electric vehicles in operation by the end of this year in refuse, regional haul and city delivery applications.

The zero-emission 220EV is powered by two TransPower battery packs with a total of 148 kWh and a Meritor Blue Horizon two-speed-drive eAxle.

It features a range of 100 miles and a recharge time of one hour when using a DC fast-charging system.

Peterbilt will begin delivering the 220EV this summer.

Navistar Earnings Climb in 2018 For the second straight year Navistar finished the fiscal year with a profit. The company reported net income of $340 million for 2018, up from 2017’s $30 million in net income.

The company’s 2018 revenue was $10.25 billion, up from 2017’s $8.6 billion. Strong sales in its core market, Class 6-8 trucks, were a prime driver in the revenue increase, the company said.

Navistar in 2017 finished the year in the black for the first time since 2011, following costly repairs to its (now-defunct) MaxxForce line of engines.

Source: ccjdigital.com.

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 79

Winning the Repo Lottery

The lottery may be the key to reviving an ailing repo game for top companies. Maybe not.

by Mark Lacek

A

s I write this, the government shut down yesterday.

Closed. Hmmm … I still had to go to work today.

On the way to my office, I stopped for a donut and a cup of coffee. I was handed my normal old-fashioned donut and medium hot coffee with extra cream.

“Wait a minute, you charged me tax,” I said to the girl at the counter and showed her the receipt. “Didn’t you hear? The government is closed.”

She was clearly confused by her blank stare.

“I saw that on TV last night,” she said. “The register automatically adds the tax. I’m not sure if I can remove the tax.”

“Give it a try,” I said. I looked at her nametag. “Thanks, Cinderella. …

Really?”

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“Everyone calls me Cindy,” she answered with a smile. “I can’t seem to remove the tax.”

“That’s OK,” I said. “I have to go.”

I try to start my day with positivity and humor … then I prepare myself for the coming storm that usually follows. I can remember when most days were easy and peaceful, before things got complicated. Yeah, complicated.

Can you remember when repo was easier? Where should I begin?

1. Repossession assignments. I can remember receiving a repossession assignment directly from the bank.

Those days are gone now because there is a middleman, called an assignment forwarder, who snatches 50 percent of the fee.

2. Updates. Every three days I am expected to send an email with a

progress report on the recovery assignment. They laughed when I asked if I could charge a fee for updates.

3. Addresses. I can remember the bank sending me an address where I could pick up the car. Now I am given a few addresses to check until I locate the car … and I am told not to charge extra for checking more than one address.

4. Keys. I remember the days when the client would let my company make keys for the recently repossessed cars. Those extra profits came in handy. Now a locksmith comes to my yard to make those keys, and I have to babysit the locksmith so he doesn’t hurt himself on my yard.

5. Personal property fees. We charged a fee for cleaning out a repos-

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 81

sessed car and bagging all the items, then returning those items to the debtor. We were told to stop charging for this. We were told it was illegal.

Those fees helped pay the rent.

6. Delivery. I can remember charging a delivery fee for delivering the car to the auction. That extra tow paid a lot of end-of-month bills. Now a special transport company makes an appointment to come and pick up the car. I have to babysit him also, just in case he falls out of his truck and runs himself over.

7. Selling a repossessed car. You guessed it! There was a time when the bank would let me sell the cars from my lot. I would always have 10 or sometimes 20 cars for sale of which I made 10 percent. Often the 10 percent was greater than the repo fees. Those days are gone.

8. Fees. There are thousands of new start-up repossession companies charging less-than-standard fees to repossess a car. These start-ups believe they are making money when, in fact, all they made last month was enough

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to cover next month’s bills. As soon as it’s time for vehicle maintenance, something will hit the fan.

I was sitting at my desk the other day—not making keys and not making a delivery—when the phone rang.

It was another repossessor telling me he was closing shop after 30 years in the business. We talked for quite a while about all of our other associates who had made the same decision. It seems to me that everyone is making a profit from the repossession business … but the repossessor who does the work. The only people in the repo business soon will be the new companies working on the cheap.

We came up with a plan: Form a small group of ole-time repossessors, maybe five or so, and start playing the super-duper-mega lotto. We figured it might take a month or so to win if we play every day. The idea is to win $500 million. With a sizeable bankroll like $500 million, we would give 500 of the established repo companies across America $1 million each to close shop for just 180 days.

The banks usually place delinquent customers out for repossession after they miss three months of payments. The idea is the banks will send the repossession assignments to the forwarding companies, but those forwarding companies would have nowhere to forward those assignments.

After 180 days, the banks will lose faith in these forwarding companies and start dealing directly with the repossession companies again. All of the professional repossessors will be fresh off of a well-deserved vacation.

Recovery percentages will be higher than ever. The best part of the plan: If the government is still closed … we won’t have to pay any of those darn taxes!

Have a great year everyone; keep some humor in your day. Be safe.

Repo Editor Mark Lacek authored the Certified Commercial Recovery Agent certification program and has more than 30 years of recovery experience.

He is the former editor of “Professional Repossessor” magazine. Email him at Mark@commercialassetsolutions.com.

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 83

Growing ‘Disconnect’ of Agents, Lenders With auto loan delinquency rates rising, it would seem to be a good time to be a repossessor. But that’s not the case, according to a recent article in Auto Finance News magazine.

In an article titled, “Coming Unhooked: The Growing Disconnect Between Lenders and Repo Agents,” the magazine mentions costs for repossessors, such as tow truck and vehicle insurance prices, are rising, lenders are seeking to reduce their loss-mitigation costs by trimming repossession fees.

“Combined, these factors have put the squeeze on repossession companies and led hundreds of agencies to shut down,” the article states.

The effects of repo agencies’ intensifying struggle to build profits will reverberate through the auto finance industry, said Michael Levison, chief executive of repossession management firm ALS Resolvion.

“The most important key to your loss-mitigation effort is a healthy repo agent community,” said Levison at his company’s Innovations in Recovery Summit last September. “Without that, our success rates are going to fall.

Prices are probably going to go up.”

Lenders and repossession companies, however, are starting to reevaluate the

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way they work and experimenting with new business models.

The article also points out how expenses have climbed for repossession companies in the past decade, while compliance requirements have stiffened. Big lenders, such as Hyundai Capital America and Wells Fargo Auto, have transitioned to using forwarders rather than direct one-to-one contact with repo firms, which repo firms prefer, the article stated.

Source: autofinancenews.net.

Wrong Turn Begets Charges for Repo Agent A repo agent was due in court recently to answer charges stemming from a vehicle he repossessed the day after Christmas.

Lawrence W. Worsley, 38, of Albion, New York, told police he works for a company called Nosugref Recovery and he had just repossessed a Nissan Murano from a Ransomville resident, who reportedly removed the vehicle’s license plates.

En route to Buffalo with the vehicle, Worsley told police he took a wrong turn and ended up on the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge, headed into Canada.

Turning back, he was stopped by Customs and Border Protection agents for not having license plates. A sec-

ondary inspection then turned up a small amount of marijuana inside the vehicle, according to reports. Worsley was charged with four unspecified infractions, police said.

Source: buffalonews.com.

Repossession Leads to High-Speed Chase A repo agent had an unexpected ride on the side of a 2005 Chevrolet Equinox that he was attempting to repossess in Warren, Ohio, recently, as the owner of the car drove off in the vehicle, according to a police report.

Matthew O. Allen told police he went to pick up the already running Equinox when the owner appeared on the passenger side, jumped over the center console into the driver’s seat and began driving away. Allen said he was dragged for a few feet before letting go of the side of the SUV, according to the report.

Allen jumped into his Chevrolet pickup and followed the vehicle. As he drove, Allen called police, informing them what was happening and where the two vehicles were located.

Officers eventually found the two vehicles; but because police considered the repossession to be a civil matter, the owner of the Equinox was allowed to keep the vehicle.

Source: tribtoday.com.

Man Steals Repo’d Car A Waverly, Virginia, man stands accused of stealing a repossessed car from a Penniman tow yard.

Deputies were called to Walkers Recovery, a property repossession company, for a report of a stolen car.

An employee told deputies he contacted the former owner of a repossessed vehicle so that the man could come to the tow yard to retrieve personal property from the vehicle.

The man, Khalid Abdullah, never came to pick up his property. Instead, he was dropped off at Walkers Recovery by an unspecified person and drove away in his repossessed Hyundai Elantra, court filings said.

When contacted by police, Abdullah told the deputies his car was stolen by Walkers Recovery.

Deputies determined the car was lawfully repossessed by Walkers Recovery.

Source: vagazette.com.

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 85

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CALIFORNIA TOW TRUCK ASSOCIATION INTRO TO TOWING

The California Tow Truck Assn. presents INTRO TO TOWING. A new 5-part online course for towing beginners and new hires!

Through five videos and corresponding quizzes, operators will learn the basics of towing.

Students will receive a certificate of completion, and company owners are able to track their progress!

Available now at: ctta@ctta.com

To Advertise In Towman’s Market Call 800-732-3869 Ellen Rosengart x 203 erosengart@towman.com Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 87

Taskmaster Is a Workhorse, Show-Stopper

by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti

B

ob Fall and Dean Stebbins Sr. founded Fall & Stebbins Automotive in 1967 to perform auto repair and towing. Located at that time in the center of Mantua, Ohio, with limited space they began rigging trucks with homemade booms to create their own special tow truck. After creating that first wrecker, their love of the

88 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

Tech Highlights Name: Taskmaster Chassis: 1999 Peterbilt 378 Wrecker: Wrecker: Century 9055 Engine: Cummins Trans: 18-speed Winches: Four DP winches B u i l d e r : Miller Industries, Speedway Wrecker Sales.

business inspired them to keep moving forward.

In 1993, Dean became owner and operator of the newly formed corporation known as F&S Automotive. Moving to a location with more room and visibility expanded the operation to include two buildings with front offices, bay areas, several lifts, storage

areas and a parking area for the fleet of trucks. With the expansion of the business came the need for additional staff.

They currently have 10 employees and a fleet of 13 units including a 2016 Kenworth T800/Century 5230, 2014 Peterbilt 388 twin-steer/Century 1075 rotator, 2005 Kenworth T800/Century 5230, 2014 Freightliner business class/Century 3212, 2009 Peterbilt 335/Century 3212, 1969 Peterbilt 281/Hubbard three-stage boom, 2018 Freightliner business class/Century rollback, 2017 Freightliner business class/Century rollback, 2005 International 4300/Chevron rollback, 2011 Ford F-450 4×4/Century 2465, 2008 International 4300 service truck, 1974 Ford Ranger 250 4×4 with four-speed trans PTO-driven drag winch under rear, custom-built fuel/oil recovery trailer, generator and trash pump, floodlights, arrow board and traffic control equipment and a custom-built flattop trailer dolly.

Roger Herrington is the heavy towing and recovery manager for the company.

“F&S has been using Miller Industries wreckers and rollbacks for many years and will continue for years to come,” Herrington said. “The personal service we receive from Steve Young and Speedway Wrecker Sales is second to none.”

The beauty featured here is F&S Unit No. 16, a 1999 Peterbilt 378 day

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

cab tri-axle powered by a Cummins engine mated to an 18-speed transmission, with a Century 9055 50-ton wrecker body. It is equipped with four DP winches and is set up with SP XP850 side pullers.

“It’s named the ‘Taskmaster ’ because of its unique abilities including winching with the incredible power of four winches, as well as its ability to recover casualties from the side,” Herrington said.

The SP XP850 has a pivoting hydraulic stiff-leg to handle tough side-pull recoveries and eliminate the need to block more lanes of traffic than necessary. The hydraulic legs fold in flush with the body for maximum toolbox space. The 35,000-lbs. planetary winches are low mounted in the XP’s main frame with the winch line running through a pulley and up through a pivoting sheave head to

ensure proper cable winding from all angles.

All of F&S units are invited to participate in multiple parades every year.

“The Taskmaster is a crowd favorite because of its unique style and perfect balance of paint, chrome and light display,” said Herrington.

“It has been entered in numerous shows and beauty contests over the years and has won countless awards and trophies. It has been involved in everything from life-saving situations to ‘Touch A Truck’ shows for kids.

Any job it goes out to do you can bet it is the star of the show! Oh yeah, we do tow with it also.”

Jim “Buck” Sorrenti, a longtime editor of American Towman, has been our field editor for the past few years. He is a freelance writer and photographer with more than 40 years of experience covering motorcycle, hot rod, truck and towing culture. He writes weekly for TowIndustryWeek.com.

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • 89

More Unique Than Ever: Face-to-Face

by Steve Calitri

I

n the new world of e-commerce, and prosper.

There are so many reasons towers social media, face-to-face marketing via trade shows and conventions go to our shows, there’s not room here have become a unique and precious to list them all. Some are the obvious opportunity for both buyer and seller. reasons, to shop or scout out new The towing industry, more than most, products in the marketplace. Some thrives on events offering venues for come to AT Expos to receive an award these encounters. There are reasons for and gain recognition for it in their local media, as thousands of Towman this.

First of all, towers rely on equip- ACE recipients have done over the ment that has many moving parts and is subject to much wear and tear on the streets. Tow companies operating in the black are always looking at new wreckers and carriers.

Secondly, tow bosses face ongoing challenges in a super-competitive business, in what is often called an easy-entrée trade. They need allies and there are a lot of potential allies among the diverse lot of suppliers exhibiting at American Towman Shows. Depending on the show, inside American Towman Exposition XXX one convention center tow bosses will find between 150 and past three decades. Many go to participate in the American Towman Acad270 companies exhibiting.

Motor clubs have a major presence emy, or simply to network with peers, at American Towman shows. In Las motor clubs, trainers, etc. Many just Vegas they will be mixing with tow go to get away, change their office bosses at the Welcome Reception they venue from their hometown digs to are sponsoring and will also have reps their cellphones while roaming the at their booths on the show floor show floor.

More and more tow bosses are inside the SouthPoint Convention drawn by the allure of the American Center.

Many tow bosses are looking to Towman Experience in Las Vegas in advance the way they do business. the spring, in Dallas in the summer, American Towman seminars are pro- and in Atlantic City this year in late duced to tackle the many challenges autumn.

The largest tow show in the world, towers have to be profitable, grow

90 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

the American Towman Exposition, will grow even larger in Atlantic City, the eastern seaboard’s most unique playground. Towers have expressed that they welcome the change of venue from Baltimore this year. AC has experienced a renaissance over the past 15 years that includes a new convention center, new hotels and casinos (like the Hard Rock), and new shopping malls right off the famous boardwalk (as in the Tropicana) or in the Outlets one block from it.

Towers will find the prospect of a stay in AC attractive as hotel rates are 30 percent to 50 percent lower than what they have been accustomed to. Atlantic City is advantageously located in the heart of the populous northeast and towers in New Jersey, New York and New England states will have two hours cut off their drive time to get to the show.

Suppliers cannot beat the economy and effectiveness of faceto-face marketing where a significant number of tow company decisionmakers gather. Towers can’t beat the value of engaging with the entire industry over two or three days in places that are a welcome break from their routine in their home markets.

Savvy tow business owners and managers know they can oversee their operations from afar and boost their business prospects at an American Towman show.

Today, trade shows are in more than ever before.

UCR Fees Reduced for 2019, 2020 Unified Carrier Registration fees for trucking companies, brokers and freight forwarders for 2019, 2020 and beyond have been reduced from 2017 levels so as not to exceed the statutory maximum set by Congress.

Registration fees in 2019 are reduced by 18.62 percent to range from $62 for carriers with up to two trucks to $59,689 for carriers with more than 1,000 trucks. The reductions are between $11 and $10,282, based on the number of trucks in a fleet.

Registration fees in 2018 were reduced by approximately 9.1 percent.

Under the UCR Plan and Agreement, a maximum amount of revenues that can be collected from carriers is established at $107.78 million by statute. Fees collected in 2017 exceeded this maximum by $7.3 million. The fee reductions for 2019 and 2020 are to ensure registration fees don’t exceed the maximum in the next two years.

Source: ccjdigital.com.

Owner Uses Business to Fund Non-Profit For 15 years Ashley Barnett, owner of Ashley Towing in Lakeland, Florida, has run a labor of love and care out of her home.

In 2003 she incorporated the nonprofit Bastet Little Cat Rescue.

“I got it started by going to junkyards that were overrun with feral cats,” she said. “It started when I took one mom and her babies from one shop. These car lots will now tell you that they no longer have issues with feral cats.”

Barnett, a business owner of 23 years, has run the rescue out of her home since its founding. Although the nonprofit can be expensive and labor-intensive, Barnett said she has no desire to slow down at the rescue.

“I don’t pick and choose what cats we take in,” she said. “We take them all in—broken legs, blind in

Continued on p. N 94...

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • NORTH 93

... continued from p. N 92 one eye—and we care for the ones no one wants. The great people that I’ve come across willing to take these cats into their homes, it just warms my heart. It’s so rewarding.”

Source: theledger.com.

WTA Founder Menzl Dies Ludwig “Lud” Menzl, one of the original founders of the Wisconsin Towing Association, passed away Dec. 27, 2018. He was 86 years old.

Menzl was the founder of Menzl Towing and Service in Milwaukee and very active in legislative issues at the state level on behalf of the towing and recovery industry. He served the Wisconsin Towing Association as its chairman, board director, and honorary director. During his time, Menzl actively sought to improve the towing and recovery industry at both the state and local levels.

He was a recipient of the Frank W. Babbitt Award (now known as the Wisconsin Motor Carriers Hall of Fame), and was inducted into the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame in 1991.

Sources: WTA; legacy.com.

Two Companies Awarded City Contracts The Portage (Indiana) Board of Works recently approved contracts with two towing companies to provide services to the city. The vote approving Midnight Blue and Precision Towing allows the towing companies to charge up to $60 for services such as battery jumps, changing tires or lockouts, and both will have the same rates for tows.

The companies can charge $175 for light-duty tows, $235 for medium-duty tows and $300 an hour for heavy-duty tows.

The new ordinance also laid out storage fees of $30 a day during business hours, from 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for outside storage, and they can charge $40 daily for inside storage. Those rates may rise for heavier vehicles.

Source: chicagotribune.com.

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • SOUTH 91

Wheelie Wizardry I wanted to go to work in an antique truck every day.

Chelsea Wrecker Service owner Roger Melson restored and modified this red ’49 International KB7 with two Ramsey electric winches. The wrecker is still in working shape.

by George L. Nitti

T

here’s a long-standing creed at Chelsea Wrecker Service of Chelsea, Oklahoma: “If it’s not old, it’s not any good!”

Owner Roger Melson, who owned Chelsea for 29 years before retiring, was referencing his passion for collecting, restoring and retrofitting antique cars, hotrods and tow trucks.

One of his amazing restorations has included a red 49’ International KB7 with two Ramsey electric winches.

“I was nicknamed ‘The Wizard’,” Melson recently recalled. “I built racecars and fast cars. You name it. My daddy was chief of police and used to borrow this truck in 1959 to sell watermelons. I was five years old then. I had no idea that I would own it. I traded for it about 20 years ago and fixed it up. It could pull anything out

of a lake and a house if it needed to be moved.”

The wrecker is still in working shape. It operates with many of its components like the suspension springs, pedals, steering wheel, dashboard, original headlights, and more.

Melson claims to have had the oldest tow trucks in Oklahoma’s history.

“I wanted to go to work in an antique truck every day,” he said, “and I did not want to spend a whole lot of money on new tow trucks because it’s a small town where somedays you make money and some days you don’t. I didn’t want a struggle. I think it helped my business. Nobody ever rode in a ’30 or ’40 model (truck).

It only lacked air-conditioning.”

Part of the retrofitting included shortening the frame, putting a back

SOUTH 92 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

seat in, adding a swiveling bed and most extraordinarily, a heavy winch box that has enabled it to do wheelies.

“The winch box added about 5,500 pounds of weight,” Melson said. “You can put it in different positions and wheelie down the road. It’s very forgiving and goes straight.”

Editor’s note: This story originally ran on AT’s sister site, towindustryweek.com, which features industry news, training, recoveries, new products, events and more. Don’t miss out—make sure to read it each week.

George L. Nitti has written for American Towman since 2009.

He started out as a news writer and now writes a weekly feature on TowIndustryWeek.com, Tow Illustrated, which spotlights the tow truck graphics.

WTA Founder Menzl Dies Ludwig “Lud” Menzl, one of the original founders of the Wisconsin Towing Association, passed away Dec. 27, 2018. He was 86 years old.

Menzl was the founder of Menzl Towing and Service in Milwaukee and very active in legislative issues at the state level on behalf of the towing and recovery industry. He served the Wisconsin Towing Association as its chairman, board director, and honorary director. During his time, Menzl actively sought to improve the towing and recovery industry at both the state and local levels.

He was a recipient of the Frank W. Babbitt Award (now known as the Wisconsin Motor Carriers Hall of Fame), and was inducted into the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame in 1991.

Menzel is survived by his wife of 55 years, June; daughters Cheryl (Michael) Perdzock and Dina MenzlRusso; grandchildren Chris, Jenni and Alex; brother Robert and a host of other relatives and friends.

Sources: WTA; legacy.com.

Towman Gets Woman to Safety A Saginaw, Michigan, woman is counting her blessings after a towman helped her escape a house fire recently.

Jon Boehm with Gobeyn’s Bridgeport Towing and Repair was driving by Yolanda Aguirre’s home and saw a problem.

“I (saw) smoke coming out of the vents there and I’m like, ‘That’s not where smoke comes from,’ “ Boehm said. “Those are air vents, so I stopped; I knocked on her door.”

Aguirre opened the door and Boehm alerted her to the fire.

“So he says, ‘Ma’am your roof is on fire. You gotta get out of the house.

I gotta get you out,’ “ Aguirre said.

Boehm also called 911. Saginaw firefighters called in extra help from Buena Vista Township, as the fire was hard to locate initially.

“This goes to show that there’s the spirit of goodness, charity and good Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

will—and I gotta thank God for that,” Aguirre said.

“Just doing my duty I guess. That’s what we’re supposed to do for each other, I guess,” Boehm said.

Source: abc12.com.

Vigil for Towman Killed in NM Dozens of people gathered to honor towman Pat Cisneros, who was killed helping police on I-40. Cisneros was standing outside his vehicle when a semi hit him recently.

More than 120 tow trucks from all across New Mexico packed an empty lot Friday night to remember him.

“When something happens, somebody’s down, somebody’s sick, something like this where somebody gets killed, we all come together,” Melissa Tafoya, a friend of Cisneros, said. New Mexico State Police officers were also there, including the officer who Cisneros pulled over to help.

Cisneros was honored with a candlelight vigil.

“Patrick is the type of person who would help anybody,” Tafoya said.

“First you think, surely not another one,” Linda Unruh said. Her son Bobby, also a tow-truck driver, was killed two years ago. Shortly after she helped get “Bobby’s Law” passed, expanding the state’s “Move Over Law” to include tow trucks.

Source: krqe.com.

Son Honors Struck Towman Father A Stockton, California, family honored a towman who was killed Christmas Day by a suspected drunken driver.

Morga was loading a car onto his truck on the shoulder of I-5 when the CHP says 25-year-old driver Kyle Thomasson, who officers suspect was drunk, fatally crashed into him.

Some community members remember Thomasson as a contestant on seasons 10 and 15 of “American Idol.”

Pictures were hung throughout Morga’s company, Bob’s Tow Yard, Jan. 3. Son Jorge, a high school senior, said he is now dedicating his life to saving others.

“My father has always been that type of guy who doesn’t like to have everything focused on him,” he said.

“So I thought it was a great idea to bring awareness to drunk driving and to all these tow truck operators and construction workers who are killed daily because of laws that are not enforced.”

Source: fox40.com.

No Contest Plea in Towman’s Death Sybil Warrick pleaded no contest to the charge of criminally negligent homicide in the death of towman Scott Bowles.

Bowles was killed on May 11, 2017, while loading a disabled vehicle onto the back of his tow truck off Interstate 14 in Harker Heights, Texas.

His widow, Stephanie Bowles, said the plea brings the case “one step closer” to a resolution.

“She pled no contest and said in court if she could take back what happened, she would—that she was truly sorry,” Bowles said.

Bowles has poured her efforts since the incident into spreading awareness of the Move Over law and urging closer enforcement.

“Now, I can focus on future awareness, stricter penalties for those who break that law and the changes to the Slow Down or Move Over law. I can focus my efforts with congressmen and the people to make the changes that need to be made,” she said.

Bowles said she doesn’t hate Warrick. Change has to come through concern and care, she added.

Warrick, 56, was charged with criminally negligent homicide, a felony, in connection with Bowles’ death.

Her sentencing was to be conducted as of press time; it could result in probation or jail time of up to two years, but could be as little as 180 days, according to the Texas Penal Code.

Source: tdtnews.com.

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • SOUTH 93

UCR Fees Reduced for 2019, 2020 Unified Carrier Registration fees for trucking companies, brokers and freight forwarders for 2019, 2020 and beyond have been reduced from 2017 levels so as not to exceed the statutory maximum set by Congress.

Registration fees in 2019 are reduced by 18.62 percent to range from $62 for carriers with up to two trucks to $59,689 for carriers with more than 1,000 trucks. The reductions are between $11 and $10,282, based on the number of trucks in a fleet.

Registration fees in 2018 were reduced by approximately 9.1 percent.

Under the UCR Plan and Agreement, a maximum amount of revenues that can be collected from carriers is established at $107.78 million by statute. Fees collected in 2017 exceeded this maximum by $7.3 million. The fee reductions for 2019 and 2020 are to ensure registration fees don’t exceed the maximum in the next two years.

Source: ccjdigital.com.

Owner Uses Business to Fund Non-Profit For 15 years Ashley Barnett, owner of Ashley Towing in Lakeland, Florida, has run a labor of love and care out of her home.

In 2003 she incorporated the nonprofit Bastet Little Cat Rescue.

“I got it started by going to junkyards that were overrun with feral cats,” she said. “It started when I took one mom and her babies from one shop. These car lots will now tell you that they no longer have issues with feral cats.”

Barnett, a business owner of 23 years, has run the rescue out of her home since its founding. Although the nonprofit can be expensive and labor-intensive, Barnett said she has no desire to slow down at the rescue.

“I don’t pick and choose what cats we take in,” she said. “We take them all in—broken legs, blind in one eye—and we care for the ones no one wants. The great people that I’ve come across willing to take these cats SOUTH 94 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

into their homes, it just warms my heart. It’s so rewarding.”

Source: theledger.com.

Two Companies Awarded City Contracts The Portage (Indiana) Board of Works recently approved contracts with two towing companies. The vote approving Midnight Blue and Precision Towing allows the towing companies to charge up to $60 for services such as battery jumps, changing tires or lockouts, and both will have the same rates for tows.

The companies can charge $175 for light-duty tows, $235 for mediumduty tows and $300 an hour for heavy-duty tows.

The new ordinance also laid out storage fees of $30 a day during business hours, from 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for outside storage, and they can charge $40 daily for inside storage.

Source: chicagotribune.com.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • SOUTH 95

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • MIDWEST 91

WTA Founder Menzl Dies Ludwig “Lud” Menzl, one of the original founders of the Wisconsin Towing Association, passed away Dec. 27, 2018. He was 86 years old.

Menzl was the founder of Menzl Towing and Service in Milwaukee and very active in legislative issues at the state level on behalf of the towing and recovery industry. He served the Wisconsin Towing Association as its chairman, board director, and honorary director. During his time, Menzl actively sought to improve the towing and recovery industry at both the state and local levels.

He was a recipient of the Frank W. Babbitt Award (now known as the Wisconsin Motor Carriers Hall of Fame), and was inducted into the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame in 1991.

Menzel is survived by his wife of 55 years, June; daughters Cheryl (Michael) Perdzock and Dina MenzlRusso; grandchildren Chris, Jenni and

Alex; brother Robert and a host of other relatives and friends.

Sources: WTA; legacy.com.

UCR Fees Reduced for 2019, 2020 Unified Carrier Registration fees for trucking companies, brokers and freight forwarders for 2019, 2020 and beyond have been reduced from 2017 levels so as not to exceed the statutory maximum set by Congress.

Registration fees in 2019 are reduced by 18.62 percent to range from $62 for carriers with up to two trucks to $59,689 for carriers with more than 1,000 trucks. The reductions are between $11 and $10,282, based on the number of trucks in a fleet.

Registration fees in 2018 were reduced by approximately 9.1 percent.

Under the UCR Plan and Agreement, a maximum amount of revenues that can be collected from carriers is established at $107.78 million by statute. Fees collected in 2017

exceeded this maximum by $7.3 million. The fee reductions for 2019 and 2020 are to ensure registration fees don’t exceed the maximum in the next two years.

Source: ccjdigital.com.

Two Companies Awarded City Contracts The Portage (Indiana) Board of Works recently approved contracts with two towing companies to provide services to the city. The vote approving Midnight Blue and Precision Towing allows the towing companies to charge up to $60 for services such as battery jumps, changing tires or lockouts, and both will have the same rates for tows.

The companies can charge $175 for light-duty tows, $235 for mediumduty tows and $300 an hour for heavyduty tows.

The new ordinance also laid out storage fees of $30 a day during business hours, from 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for outside storage, and they can charge $40 daily for inside storage. Those rates may rise for heavier vehicles.

Source: chicagotribune.com.

Towman Gets Woman to Safety A Saginaw, Michigan, woman is counting her blessings after a towman helped her escape a house fire recently.

Jon Boehm with Gobeyn’s Bridgeport Towing and Repair was driving by Yolanda Aguirre’s home and saw a problem.

“I (saw) smoke coming out of the vents there and I’m like, ‘That’s not where smoke comes from,’ “ Boehm said. “Those are air vents, so I stopped; I knocked on her door.”

Aguirre opened the door and Boehm alerted her to the fire.

“So he says, ‘Ma’am your roof is on fire. You gotta get out of the house.

I gotta get you out,’ “ Aguirre said.

Boehm also called 911. Saginaw firefighters called in extra help from Buena Vista Township, as the fire was hard to locate initially.

“This goes to show that there’s the MIDWEST 92 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

spirit of goodness, charity and good will—and I gotta thank God for that,” Aguirre said.

“Just doing my duty I guess.

That’s what we’re supposed to do for each other, I guess,” Boehm said.

Source: abc12.com.

No Contest Plea in Towman’s Death Sybil Warrick pleaded no contest to the charge of criminally negligent homicide in the death of towman Scott Bowles.

Bowles was killed on May 11, 2017, while loading a disabled vehicle onto the back of his tow truck off Interstate 14 in Harker Heights, Texas.

His widow, Stephanie Bowles, said the plea brings the case “one step closer” to a resolution.

“She pled no contest and said in court if she could take back what happened, she would—that she was truly sorry,” Bowles said.

Bowles has poured her efforts since the incident into spreading awareness of the Move Over law and urging closer enforcement.

“Now, I can focus on future awareness, stricter penalties for those who break that law and the changes to the Slow Down or Move Over law. I can focus my efforts with congressmen and the people to make the changes that need to be made,” she said.

Bowles said she doesn’t hate Warrick. Change has to come through concern and care, she added.

Warrick, 56, was charged with criminally negligent homicide, a felony, in connection with Bowles’ death.

Her sentencing was to be conducted as of press time; it could result in probation or jail time of up to two years, but could be as little as 180 days, according to the Texas Penal Code.

Source: tdtnews.com.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • MIDWEST 93

Towman Finalist for Writers’ Award Author Jesse Sensibar is a Flagstaff, Arizona, Viola Awards finalist in storytelling for his book, “Blood in the Asphalt: Prayers from the Highway,” a poignant look at highway death memorials he would encounter as a towman.

“They weren’t just these weird distractions on the road. I mean to some people they’re just a distraction, and to other people, they’re kind of folk art,” Sensibar said in an October interview with a local newspaper. ”But to me, they really came to have kind of a profound meaning.”

The Viola Awards celebrates excellence in the arts and sciences in Flagstaff. Thirty-eight finalists were chosen by a panel of former winners from a pool of nominations made by community members. The finalists have made positive contributions to their fields and encompass an essential aspect of Flagstaff’s culture, according to a report.

Source: azdailysun.com.

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AMERICANTOWMAN.COM - February 2019 • WEST 91

UCR Fees Reduced for 2019, 2020 Unified Carrier Registration fees for trucking companies, brokers and freight forwarders for 2019, 2020 and beyond have been reduced from 2017 levels so as not to exceed the statutory maximum set by Congress.

Registration fees in 2019 are reduced by 18.62 percent to range from $62 for carriers with up to two trucks to $59,689 for carriers with more than 1,000 trucks. The reductions are between $11 and $10,282, based on the number of trucks in a fleet.

Registration fees in 2018 were reduced by approximately 9.1 percent.

Under the UCR Plan and Agreement, a maximum amount of revenues that can be collected from carriers is established at $107.78 million by statute. Fees collected in 2017 exceeded this maximum by $7.3 million. The fee reductions for 2019 and 2020 are to ensure registration fees don’t exceed the maximum in the next two years.

Source: ccjdigital.com.

Vigil for Towman Killed in NM Dozens of people gathered to honor towman Pat Cisneros, who was killed helping police on I-40. Cisneros was standing outside his vehicle when a semi hit him recently.

More than 120 tow trucks from all across New Mexico packed an empty lot Friday night to remember him.

“When something happens, somebody’s down, somebody’s sick, something like this where somebody gets killed, we all come together,” Melissa Tafoya, a friend of Cisneros, said. New Mexico State Police officers were also there, including the officer who Cisneros pulled over to help.

Cisneros was honored with a candlelight vigil.

“Patrick is the type of person who

WEST 92 • February 2019 - TOWMAN.COM

would help anybody,” Tafoya said.

“First you think, surely not another one,” Linda Unruh said. Her son Bobby, also a tow-truck driver, was killed two years ago. Shortly after she helped get “Bobby’s Law” passed, expanding the state’s “Move Over Law” to include tow trucks.

Source: krqe.com.

No Contest Plea in Towman’s Death Sybil Warrick pleaded no contest to the charge of criminally negligent homicide in the death of towman Scott Bowles.

Bowles was killed on May 11, 2017, while loading a disabled vehicle onto the back of his tow truck off Interstate 14 in Harker Heights, Texas.

His widow, Stephanie Bowles, said the plea brings the case “one step closer” to a resolution.

“She pled no contest and said in court if she could take back what happened, she would—that she was truly sorry,” Bowles said.

Bowles has poured her efforts since the incident into spreading awareness of the Move Over law and urging closer enforcement.

“Now, I can focus on future awareness, stricter penalties for those who break that law and the changes to the Slow Down or Move Over law.

I can focus my efforts with congressmen and the people to make the changes that need to be made,” she said.

Bowles said she doesn’t hate Warrick. Change has to come through concern and care, she added.

Warrick, 56, was charged with criminally negligent homicide, a felony, in connection with Bowles’ death.

Her sentencing was to be conducted as of press time; it could result in probation or jail time of up to two years, but could be as little as 180 days, according to the Texas Penal Code.

Source: tdtnews.com.

Work the Passenger side–Stay Safe!

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CopyrightŠ2019 American Towman Magazine. Characters and stories are fictitious; no resemblance to real life characters is intended.

Send your thoughts/suggestions on the Adventures to scalitri@towman.com or American Towman, 2 Overlook Dr #5, Warwick NY 10990