American Towman Magazine - April 2024

AT SHOWPLACE - LAS VEGAS APRIL 30 - MAY 2

The Road Calls

DOUBLE TROUBLE

RECOVERIES

BUYERS REPORT LATEST TOWING SAFETY EQUIPMENT WORKING WITH POLICE & FIRST RESPONDERS

ON-SCENE PROCEDURES

TowIndustryWeek.com

APRIL 2024 AmericanTowman.com

$10

Contents

Cover Feature

Volume 48 Issue 4

April 2024

36

Double Trouble

Features

20

Latest Towing Safety Equipment Plus: Cool Tools

by Terry Abejuela

43

Departments 8

The Walkaround

by Northwestern Towing

10

News Share

What started out as a reported shoreline recovery of a solo semi with tandem trailers turned into a challenging pair of underwater extractions after a tanker truck plowed into the scene.

12

Road Tools

13

Zoom In

14

Towing Legislation

20

Hands-On Tech

Photo courtesy of Northwestern Towing

28

Classic Wrecker

34

Ad Index

60

Tow Boss

68

Tow Manager

78

Towman’s Market

80

My Baby

82

Lowdown

N,S,M 89 W93

Adventures of A.T.

Buyers Report Firsthand feedback on all the products and services a tower needs

by George Nitti

60

Working With Police and First Responders

On-Scene Procedures

by Randall C. Resch

6 • April 2024 | Towman.com

First on the scene since 1977

Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 7

The Walkaround Unbiased User Feedback Springtime is a season of renewal. For the towing industry it means buying time!

Making purchasing decisions can be challenging, finding positive reviews on products/services that businesses require is an extremely helpful tool. (After all, don’t we all check reviews on the internet?) In the Dennie Ortiz annual Buyers Report our editors speak directly with Publisher the customers. This way you get these consumers uninfluenced opinions on the suppliers they dealt with and were satisfied.

Another source to gauge the value of items you may be searching for can be found in Terry Abejuela’s article, Tow Stuff. Terry meticulously evaluates various safety products on the market today which he deems beneficial.

Also in this issue, Randy Resch continues with his coverage on how to secure and service police and/or municipal contracts. You can gather good intel in this area from his firsthand experience as a former police officer.

From the photo on the cover, you can imagine that this recovery was a challenging one. On scene you’re trained to expect the unexpected, and Northwestern Towing received a fast lesson in this aspect while on the job, and fortunately no one was injured.

As an owner or manager, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind and headaches of running a towing business. Some simple yet effective management techniques to keep your team happy and company running smoothly are offered in our Tow Manager department.

A truly one-of-a-kind tow truck is the featured Classic Wrecker this month, a unique wrecker creatively named “Captain Hook” which was offered briefly by GMC back in 1979. You won’t find many of these tooling around some 45 years later.

Lastly, on a lighter note, Red River’s car carrier has a festive color scheme in keeping with an upbeat mantra from the owner’s father: “Everything’s Gonna be Alright.”

Hope you enjoy the read and as always, stay safe out there!

Jolting Reality of EVs The performance and sleek looks of today’s EVs are impressive, but the recent Hill Day brought to light a shocking fact about them. One detail brought out in Brian Riker’s thorough feature on towing legislation is how underprepared the responder community is when dealing with on-highway EV emergencies. Also, the Steve Temple TRAA feels that towers are not sufficiently educated Editor or properly equipped to handle these high-voltage vehicles on the roadways. Moreover, a lack of industry standards for each vehicle type, even within the same manufacturer, poses a problem for all responders and tow operators.

While our tow shows regularly host seminars on how to handle EVs, and we’ve covered this topic in several articles, the reality is that many operators are still in the dark about the technical differences in towing EVs. As just one example, a close friend of mine owns a Cadillac Lyriq, a wonderful luxury ride—when it runs. He’s had to have it towed to the dealer three times in the few months that he’s owned it due to software snafus.

Surprisingly, one tow operator wanted to drag the car sideways to get it on his carrier. Obviously, not a recommended factory procedure, and my friend averted serious damage to his regenerative brakes by declining this particular recovery. So, we strongly encourage any towers unfamiliar with EVs to get hands-on training for these technically challenging vehicles.

8 • April 2024 | Towman.com

Dennie Ortiz Steve Calitri Steve Temple Randall Resch Terry Abejuela David Kolman John Borowski Mark Lacek Brian Riker George Nitti Henri “Doc” Calitri Paul Stephens

Publisher & President Editor-In-Chief Editor Operations Editor Field Editor, West Chassis Editor Safety Editor Repo Run Editor Contributing Editor Contributing Editor Contributing Editor Contributing Editor

Editorial Board Tommy Anderson Bill Johnson Kurt Wilson Tasha Mora Ron Meyers

Dallas, Texas South Hadley, Mass.

Creve Coeur, Ill. Austin, TX. Cambridge, OH.

American Towman Staff President AT Expo Corp.

Art Director Advertising Sales Mgr. Senior Account Exec.

Regional Advertising Sales iMarketing Manager Finance Manager Conferences & Events Sr. Mgr. Events Manager Publisher’s Assistant Registration & Subscription Mgr. ATTV Producer Customer Service

Henri “Doc” Calitri Anne Ruzsilla Dennie Ortiz Ellen Rosengart Peggy Calabrese Ryan Oser Lisa Ciraldo Ilce Negri Bryna Stankiewicz Stephanie Marchese Andrea Wynn Emily Oz Henri Calitri

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Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 9

News Share Tower Booked for Unsolicited Tow A Florida towman was booked for an unsolicited tow after showing up at the scene of an accident and hauling away a car. The towman, Marc Charles, was booked for violating Florida law.

The incident happened after four vehicles collided along I-95 near West Palm Beach.

According to the trooper’s statement, after the stranded vehicle’s owner confirmed he had not called anyone about getting his car moved, FHP enlisted a tower to transport the gray Honda Accord. The company called was selected using the FHP rotation schedule, which determines which tow company from an authorized list will move a vehicle.

Before the authorized tow truck arrived, according to the report, Charles pulled up in his wrecker and offered to transport the Honda. The car’s owner reportedly paid the driver $149 using his credit card to haul away his Honda, telling the trooper he did not know which company had been assigned.

The owner of the Honda remembered the name of the company on the side of the tow truck and the trooper was able to track down the company and question the tower and dispatcher. Both denied any wrongdoing, claiming they were licensed.

The trooper said the dispatcher and the driver were both told they violated the state law that barred unauthorized tow trucks that drive by a crash scene and offer to move the vehicle before an authorized wrecker arrived.

Source: cbs12.com

Police Chief Seeks to Waive Tow Fees A police chief in the St. Louis Metro area is seeking to partner with a tow company that will be willing to waive charges for people who have had their vehicles stolen. Under the current contract, tow companies charge for their services to tow a vandalized vehicle, which motorists are responsible to pay.

Ferguson Police Chief, Troy Doyle, addressed the auto crime wave in the area and is looking to help those impacted.

“I’m seeking a company ready to step up and make a difference,” Doyle stated. He then asked, “Who’s willing to partner with us to create a waiver program, waiving or cutting fees for verified car theft victims?

Suffering from theft shouldn’t lead to more financial pain.”

Source: firstalert4.com

10 • April 2024 | Towman.com

Bill Passage Would Bring Blue Lights to Michigan

A new bill is underway that would allow Michigan tow companies to use blue lights when working an emergency scene. The bill was spurred by the death of 25-year-old Keagan Spencer, who was struck and killed in Caledonia, Michigan while rescuing a stray dog.

Spencer was parked on the median of the highway when a driver veered out of her lane and hit Spencer head on.

House Bill 5418, otherwise known as “Keegan’s Law,” if passed, would allow the use of blue lights on tow trucks.

Keegan’s father, Matt Spencer, a second-generation tower out of Hastings, Michigan, helped spearhead the initiative while working hard to bring awareness to the SDMO laws.

“Give us the same courtesy as the police,” he said, “because we are working on the side of the road just as much as they do,” As of right now, police are the only emergency vehicles in the state of Michigan to run red and blue lights.

Towman Keegan Spencer, who was struck and killed in Michigan, has helped spur a new bill on blue lights.

Rep. Gina Johnsen (R), who represents Michigan’s 78th District in the state house, introduced House Bill 5418.

“It raises awareness. You add another contrasting color, and it raises the level of seriousness (that) something’s going on,” said Rep. Johnsen.

“It’s not just blue and red,” Matt noted. “Those are the lights that people seem to know, they associate that with law enforcement.”

Other states have passed similar laws that allow blue lights on wreckers, including New York, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Kansas, and Missouri.

Source: wzzm13.com

Florida Legislation Aims to Curtail Predatory Towing Florida’s Governor, Ron DeSantis, is expected to sign into law a bill to curtail predatory tow practices impacting truckers. If approved by DeSantis, the law will go into effect July 1.

House Bill 179, sponsored by Republicans in the Florida House and Senate, was approved unanimously by the two chambers. The reforms have been a multiyear effort and a priority for the Florida Trucking Association, the group stated in a press release.

“This is a huge victory for trucking in Florida, the trucking industry nationally, [which has] seen invoices as high as $200,000, and the motoring public, who fall victim to predatory towing companies,” commented FTA President and CEO Alix Miller.

The new law, if signed, will revise provisions relating to: • Towing and storing of trucks, including requiring counties to establish maximum rates for certain cleanup

Florida legislation to impose further regulations on tow companies to thwart predatory tow practices. and disposal.

• Excluding or failing to designate certain wrecker operators.

• Authorizing fees.

• Requirements regarding removal of vehicles.

• Requirements for liens, notices of lien, sale, notices of sale and types of payment.

• Requiring towing operators to accept and maintain certain documents, rate sheets and invoices.

• Criminal penalties for noncompliance.

Source: freightwaves.com

News Share

SDMO Operation

Exposes Motorist Ignorance

West of Vancouver, in an operation to educate drivers on SDMO (Slow Down Move Over) legislation, British Columbia Highway Patrol officials said almost 200 drivers were caught violating the law in less than three hours.

The legislation requires drivers to reduce speed Motorists outside a Vancouver community got a dose of and move over for all education as the highway patrol pulled over drivers for ignoring stopped vehicles with the SDMO law. flashing red, blue or highway maintenance workers. and yellow lights. tow operators,” said Inspector Chad Police officials said the nearly 200 Badry, Officer in Charge of Kootenay drivers were given a warning and an Highway Patrol. “We are asking drivers educational pamphlet, rather than the to ‘slow down and move over’ to make $173 violation ticket that could have our highways safer for emergency been issued. responders and roadside workers.”

“The goal of the operation was to Source: myeastkootenaynow.com improve the safety of first responders,

Pennsylvania Bridges Stressed and Underfunded Repairs on Pennsylvania bridges are woefully inadequate and fraught with oversight negligence, indicated a recent report. One such instance led to the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge in 2022 due to corrosion, injuring several commuters.

In addition to not addressing deterioration, the absence of enforcing load limits further exacerbated the issue.

As the bridge gradually deteriorated, officials should have lowered its load rating, board members pointed out. In 2014, the city posted a maximum load of 26 tons, but by the time the bridge caved in, the proper load rating would have been three tons, meaning it wasn’t safe to carry much traffic at all.

As part of its comprehensive investigation, which is expected to be released fully next month, the NTSB found the city’s bridge inspection program was “ineffective,” calling it “poor quality,” and far outside the bounds of federal and industry standards.

To prevent future tragedies, the

Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

Utah Police Accountable for Tows The Utah Legislature passed a law that goes into effect July 1, requiring state police to inform drivers of the whereabouts of their towed vehicles. The legislation was brought forth after an investigative report aired by local media station Fox 13 indicated that police departments across the state had more than 1,000 complaints made against them.

Lawmakers say officers across the state violated state law by failing to fill out paperwork that is supposed to help people find their cars after a tow. In some cases, fines racked up to thousands of dollars before people found their vehicles. Some drivers described a “scavenger hunt” for their own cars, calling tow companies until they got lucky.

“There is no excuse. Everybody should know where their vehicle goes,” said driver Anthony Sanchez, who was involved in a crash and transported to a hospital by ambulance prior to his car being towed in 2023. He said there were, ”No letters in the mail saying, ‘Hey, here’s where your vehicle’s been towed.’”

In response to the investigative report, Rep. Matthew Gwynn (R) followed through on his promise with a bill that will ease the burden on police officers. It passed with unanimous support. In most cases, the original half-page form will no longer need to be filled out.

Instead, officers will simply be required to provide a case number to the tow company.

Source: fox13now.com

Sierra Snowstorm Brings out Towers A crane operator assisted to clear a bus after Pennsylvania bridge collapse.

NTSB recommended several changes at all levels of government. The city needs to keep more detailed records of repairs, and work with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to develop a routine bridge maintenance program. Also, PennDOT should publish yearly data on bridge deficiencies and repair recommendations. Lastly, the Federal Highway Administration should conduct a targeted review of safety issues.

Source: ttnews.com

The Sierras around Truckee, CA got dumped on with a heavy snowstorm, bringing out towers who worked around the clock in 12-hour shifts to clear cars stuck along Interstate 80.

Some towing companies estimated that they’d have to pull out 200 cars when everything was said and done. Mike Ram, a driver with North Valley Towing, joined nine other North Valley fleet drivers on Interstate 80 pulling cars off the road.

“There’s a lot of people in these cars,” said Ram. “Some of them were there overnight, others were rescued and sent to the hospital or to the nearest hotel.”

“They are happy when we get there to get them out; they are not happy when they get the bill,” Ram added.

Source: abc10.com

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 11

Road Tools High-Visibility Vest TowMate has unveiled two safety lighting products incorporating its patented HINVII technology: the SS470UVA and the TM-LS-UVA. These products enhance the visibility and safety of roadside workers without compromising their field of vision. The SS470UVA, a unique UV light head, dramatically increases the visibility of roadside workers’ vests. This breakthrough product emits a non-visible light that causes workers’ vests to glow intensely so they are clearly visible to passing motorists. While the vests appear brightly lit to drivers, the light itself is non-distracting and non-visible to the workers, allowing them to focus on their tasks without any impairment to their field of vision.

Complementing the SS470UVA, the TM-LS-UVA is a rechargeable, traffic-cone mounted system that is also portable, ensuring worker visibility wherever it’s needed. The HINVII light capability ensures maximum visibility in various lighting conditions and traffic scenarios, making it an indispensable tool for roadside safety.

TowMate.com

No Distractions

When a tow company’s operators are behind the wheel, their focus should be solely on driving. Of all reported collisions, 25 percent are caused by the dangerous distractions of cell phone usage. Avoid them with the NoCell platform. This commercial-grade solution limits cell phone interaction while a tow truck is in motion. NoCell’s customizable system allows fleet managers to limit applications such as texting, alerts, and social media apps, and enforces a company’s cell phone policy to protect both the public and drivers. It will alert a fleet manager if the phone is being operated while a wrecker is in motion, and also possibly prevent a lawsuit

if an operator is accused of distracted driv- supporting your efforts to limit unsafe driving. Compatible with both Android and iOS ing behaviors, track compliance, and reduce smartphones, NoCell can be integrated with risk, loss, and liability. in-vehicle telematics and camera technology,

NoCell.com

Raising the Light Bar To simplify operation of Custer’s wireless light bar, it now has an external 20-volt battery and charger, so there is no longer the need to change the two batteries inside the case.

Simply take the discharged battery off the battery plate and replace it with a fresh battery. Designed to accept both M18 and DeWalt-style batteries, these new wireless light bars still have the same warranty and customer service included with every purchase. In addition, the external battery light bars can be purchased without the battery and charger to allow use of a tower’s preexisting equipment. The LED light bar is now available in lengths of 36, 48, and 60 inches. Available options include flashers or strobes, and a seven-pin transmitter is included.

custerproducts.com 12 • April 2024 | Towman.com

Zoom In

Jerr-Dan Adds MPL-60 Wrecker to Medium Duty Line The new MPL-60 model from JerrDan is the company’s latest integrated medium-duty tow truck. This 12-ton

wrecker boasts a 6,000-pound rated under-lift, along with key features such as a modular aluminum body, optimal

storage and deck space, and fully proportional, dual-side, electro-hydraulic (EH) controls. In addition, hydraulic rear spades include a multi-position, groundcompacting foot design.

This new wrecker comes with an integrated recovery boom boasting an extended capacity of 8,000 pounds, and a retracted capacity of 24,000 pounds.

The MPL-60’s hydraulic rear spades that feature a ground-compacting foot design are standard. They add strength and stability to ensure that medium-duty recoveries are handled with safety and precision.

Options include either 10,000- or 12,000-pound dual winches. This new wrecker can also be coupled with JerrDan’s Side Recovery System. Wired or wireless remote controls are available, and additional aftermarket upgrades include aluminum dress-up kits, 24-inch aluminum lighted tunnel boxes, polished stainless rails, and a tow sling with mounting brackets.

jerrdan.com Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 13

Towing Legislation

action from The Towing and Recovery Association of America (TRAA), and their lobbyist group, Tremont Strategies.

This was not the first time Senator Van Hollen has attempted to introduce towing related legislation, nor will it be the last we hear from his office on this matter. In 2015 Senator Van Hollen, along with Representative Don Beyer from Virgina, were instrumental in the changes that allowed for greater state regulation of towing fees and services.

BLINDSIDED BY OPPOSERS TRAA 1st Vice-President and Chairman of the Legislative Committee Bill Johnson (left) and John Direnzo, President of Statewide Towing Association (MA) (right) present Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA-02) the TRAA Appreciation Award for his tireless support of the towing industry.

Struggles on the Hill Fighting For Towers’ Rights

By Brian J. Riker

T

he towing industry is facing growing pains. Although Ernest Holmes built the first wreckers over 100 years ago, in reality the industry as we know it today is only about 30 or 40 years old, and is facing its first major crisis. Yes, the industry has been assaulted previously, however nothing has been as well coordinated as the current attack aimed at regulating the rates and services of towers on a national level.

The towing industry flew under the “national radar” for many years as the federal government was focused on the passenger and freight industries. Towing enjoyed being a local service, which gave the industry autonomy to function as desired with little real interference.

INCREASING RESTRICTIONS Brian J. Riker is a third-generation towman, with 26 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

Nowadays, however, the pressure to rein in towing rates for non-consent towing and recovery services has increased to the point that the pot has boiled over. On August 3rd, 2021, Senator Chris Van Hollen introduced an amendment designed to return to the States the right to fully regulate towing, including consent services. This measure was stopped before it made it to the Senate floor by swift

14 • April 2024 | Towman.com

The TRAA, in coordination with many state towing associations, has been fighting for the rights of towers for more than 40 years. Billing itself as “The Voice of the Towing Industry”, the TRAA is the only industry association that maintains a regular presence in Washington, DC, a critical feature that no other group representing the industry has. With TRAA leadership sitting on many federal agency committees and advisory boards, TRAA has access to the beltway insiders necessary to protect the industry.

Despite this access, the TRAA was blindsided by the shift in tactics from industry opposition, mainly the American Trucking Associations, Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association, and the insurance industry.

While TRAA understands that current billing practices have been under fire for more than 20 years, the actions of Transportation Secretary Buttigieg and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Acting Administrator, Sue Lawless, were unexpected. It is not normal for the top leader of one federal agency to ask another federal agency to assume regulatory authority over a group they are clearly charged with regulating. Yet, that is exactly what the Secretary and Acting Administrator did when they filed comments at the 11th hour on an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking by the Federal Trade Commission. This move was political marksmanship at its finest, and undeniably a coordinated effort supported by enemies of the towing industry.

In this letter, and the associated official comments, the US DOT is asking the FTC to include many of the current billing practices employed by much of the towing industry in the “junk fees” regulation they are

◀

Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 15

proposing. At its core this means the towing industry would be limited in which fees are itemized, and what must be amortized across all of the services provided, an action that TRAA believes unfairly burdens every customer of the industry. Imagine having to include the cost of operating your heavy-duty wreckers and specialty equipment such as air bags into the routine tow of the average passenger car. As unfair as this may seem, it is only the beginning of the regulations the US DOT will implement upon the towing industry.

GOOD TIMING

While being blindsided is never welcome, the timing couldn’t have been better for the industry to respond. The FTC issue blew up just two weeks prior to the TRAA’s annual Legislative Action Workshop and Hill Day, where towers from 24 states descended upon Capitol Hill to conduct 103 individual meetings with Members of Congress and Agency leaders. In its sixth year in this format, the industry representation is finally gaining steam and recognition on the Hill. It takes time to make anything happen in politics, and being recognized as the “go-to” group for a specific industry is no different.

Using the influence TRAA maintains with the FMCSA, they were able to arrange an in-person meeting on the Tuesday prior to Hill Day. Bill Johnson, Chair of the Legislative Committee, flew into DC to meet with DOT officials to discuss the issue of “junk fees” and work towards a plan that includes the towing industry in the discussion. Progress was made, with the FMCSA agreeing to work on a Towing Transparency Task Force Committee (which is expected to be announced any day, if not already by the time this article is published).

Building on this momentum, TRAA quickly shifted gears with their Hill Day priorities, making the “junk fee” regulation the top priority for all 103 meetings. The unified message delivered by the attendees was that the industry believes that the current state level regulation is the most appropriate for the industry, as it provides a local approach to consumer protections and accounts for the vast regional differences in operations the industry faces.

Towing is not a “one size fits all” industry easily regulated using a broad brush, but that is the only brush the federal agencies can paint with!

Further expanding upon this message, the attendees effectively made the point that the US DOT is overstepping its mission of safety by asking the FTC to develop regulations related to rates and service, since Congress had intentionally left that authority to the States in 1994, 1995 and again in 2015. Congress also clearly appointed the US DOT, specifically the FMCSA, the federal agency charged with regulating motor carriers, including towing services. As such, the FMCSA is skipping out on its 16 • April 2024 | Towman.com

responsibility to oversee the towing industry by asking the FTC to take the lead.

The heart of the message was that, in the TRAA members opinion, towing does not need federal oversight as there simply is not a systemic problem with predatory practices or overcharging on invoices. However if Congress determines that federal oversight is warranted, then they should enact the laws related to oversight, rather than the FTC using a regulatory approach.

Or, they should direct the FMCSA to develop the regulations given that transportation is their area of expertise, which is simply not true of the FTC.

OTHER CRITICAL ISSUES

Despite the urgency of responding to the “junk fees” issue, towers understand that business must continue as normal. It is what towers do, respond to crisis while simultaneously maintaining a sense of normalcy. In this forum, TRAA

Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

members also spent considerable time educating lawmakers and agency officials on three other critical issues facing the towing industry.

Roadside responder safety was item number two on their list, thanking members of the House of Representatives for their support last year for the National Slow Down Move Over resolution introduced by Representative Jim McGovern (DMA). This measure brought attention to the dangers of working roadside for all emergency responders.

Constituents also asked both Senators and Representatives to consider similar resolutions and support for roadside responder safety again during this session of Congress.

Without constant attention to the SDMO issue, and widespread public education campaigns, roadside workers will continue to be injured and killed at alarming rates. As the attendees reported on their individual meetings during the

Thursday wrap-up session, one thing was clear: members of Congress are still predominantly unaware of the risks being taken by responders of all disciplines to keep the highways open and safe throughout the US. Their eyes universally went wide when the loss statistics were revealed, especially when it was pointed out that nearly 40% of all law enforcement deaths are caused by highway incidents.

SHOCKING DEVELOPMENTS

The next major issue that was discussed with the Members of Congress and their staff was the rapid deployment of electric and other alternative fuel vehicles, and how underprepared the responder community is when dealing with these particular on-highway emergencies.

TRAA is neutral on the relevance and necessity for alternate fuel vehicles, but they are not neutral on the fact that towers, along with all other responders, simply are not sufficiently educated

◀

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 17

or properly equipped to handle the current level of these vehicles on the roadway. Notwithstanding concerns raised about safety and regulatory frameworks, some leaders in congress are advocating for an accelerated pace in deploying these vehicles.

The message though, was simple—consider how the responder community should handle breakdowns, fires, collisions, storage, and transportation of these specialty vehicles as they become a larger percentage of the fleet. A lack of industry standards for each

vehicle type, even across the same manufacturer, is problematic for all responders. Simply put, the towing industry is asking that serious consideration is given concerning the servicing and handling of these vehicles before any more pressure is put on speeding up their availability.

SERVICING BIG TRUCKS

Last, but certainly not least, was educating Members of Congress on the difficulties that larger trucks create for the towing industry. TRAA expressed its support for the Coalition

Against Bigger Trucks in opposition to recent efforts to increase the overall length of tractor trailer combinations, especially dual trailers, and to increase the maximum gross weight above the current maximum of 80,000 pounds.

While this may sound counterproductive, given the industry’s need for size and weight relief, it is not.

The towing industry is not asking to introduce larger vehicles to increase productivity and profitability as the trucking industry is, rather, towing is simply asking to be able to legally service the vehicles that are currently on the roadways. Furthermore, drawing attention to the fact that the larger the vehicle, the more difficulty towers will encounter in servicing these vehicles safely.

The simple message was, to safely service the vehicles currently on the roadway, towers require axle and overall length exceptions so they can respond with a properly sized truck capable of handling these radical recoveries. Further, to comply with law enforcement demands and the pressure to open roadways as expeditiously as possible, tow trucks have grown, both in size and weight, to safely increase their lifting capacity.

Therefore, size and weight exceptions similar to those afforded to other emergency response equipment is warranted.

FINAL RESULTS

The messages of the week were well received overall, with lawmakers from both sides indicating support and understanding. The TRAA successfully targeted meetings with members of key committees such as the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the House Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Building and Emergency Management, House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, and the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

The impressive outcome was that several key members, either the 18 • April 2024 | Towman.com

Chair, Vice-Chair or Ranking Member of these powerful and relevant committees, took time out of their hectic schedules, which included active sessions voting on spending measures to keep the government open, to discuss the towing industry concerns with the TRAA. Surprisingly enough, Larry Minor, Associate Administrator for Policy and Program Development at the FMCSA, came to speak to the group, knowing full well of their displeasure with the clandestine methods deployed just a few weeks earlier related to junk fees. It is important to note that the actions of the Secretary and Acting Administrator were very politically motivated and not a reflection of the Agency’s usual way of doing business.

Mr. Minor seemed eager to work with towing for a reasonable solution to the issue of regulation.

Bottom line, almost half the nation was well represented by active and progressive towers voicing the

Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

message that the towing industry is prepared to fight unfair regulations.

Towers remain hopeful that next year will be even better as this event has grown annually.

Even so, lobbyists alone cannot affect change. Legislators need to hear directly from their constituents on the issues that affect them, and the most effective way to do this is having faceto-face meetings, both in DC and at the local level when lawmakers host local events. Be heard and become known as the expert in your area, as it will make a difference.

This is your call to action, your chance to support change that will make a difference. Please consider joining and supporting your state and national towing associations, and getting involved in the political process. It doesn’t take much from each individual, and as part of a collective, your individual voice and effort can become a roar and a force to be reckoned with.

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 19

Hands-On Tech

Tow Stuff New Equipment and Cool Tools

By Terry Abejuela

A

t any given American Towman Show, a favorite thing for many attendees is to browse through the aisles, looking at all the equipment on display.

Tow operators exploring the show are like kids in a candy store, wishing they had access to the wide variety of equipment.

Even more exciting is when they come across equipment they’ve not seen before.

To facilitate this browsing process, we’d like to share some of the new safety equipment and cool tools that are available and will save time on the job, along with increasing effectiveness, efficiency, and safety.

We have not personally tried or tested all of these products, so if any of them spark your interest, do some research before deciding to purchase. Start by visiting the company websites and contact them for additional information, product brochures, product videos, customer testimonials, and pricing.

All of these products are worth a closer look to see if they may be useful for a towing operation. However, make sure the equipment meets the requirements of any specific towing programs, such as law enforcement rotation tow, motor clubs and/or freeway patrols.

ONE LEGGED

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

The light-duty towing and recovery industry has long utilized a piece of equipment commonly referred to as a “Rollover Stiff Leg.” Commonly made of a 4x4” piece of lumber or PVC pipe, it is used to help upright automobiles, and light-duty pickup trucks and vans.

SafeAll’s Roll King brings the towing industry to the next level of professionalism with a piece of equipment designed, intended, and manufactured to overturn

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a vehicle resting on its roof. Thanks to a donation from Paul Rottinghaus, president of Zip’s’ AW Direct, we have personally used the Roll King in several of our towing classes.

Due to the double-wall steel tubing, the Roll King is both strong and easily adjustable, from 29 inches for easy storage to 42 inches for maximum leverage, and works effectively on most vehicle sizes. The claw foot on one end resists slipping, while the other end has an anchor ring for the winch wire rope hook, and grab hooks on each side for the attachment chains. These three points of contact keep the Roll King in place during the uprighting process. zips.com/awdirect

BRIGHT IDEA

The UV Light Head from TowMate, that utilizes HINVII (High Visibility Non-Visible Intelligent Illumination) technology, is a very cool piece of safety equipment, reminiscent of the old black light posters (for those towers old enough to remember them).

This innovative piece of equipment emits a non-visible ultraviolet light that illuminates the high visibility material in a tow truck operators uniform and or safety vest without impairing the tow operator’s visibility.

The unit includes

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the option to alternate between amber and UV LEDs for enhanced visibility in traffic, as well as different lighting conditions. There are three pattern settings that include steady on UV, flashing UV, and alternating flash and UV. Always verify federal, state, and local laws pertaining to lighting on a tow truck to ensure this device can legally be utilized in your area.

This light is available in a truck mounted (SS470UVA) version and a portable, rechargeable traffic conemounted version (TM-LS-UVA).

Yet another type available has a cone-mounted light displaying three lights mounted on a cylindershaped mount with the light heads facing opposite directions to provide 360-degree lighting options. The lights facing traffic can be set for an amber hue to warn oncoming traffic of the hazard, and a UV light facing the tow operator illuminates a high visibility uniform or safety vest to alert motorists. towmate.com

of what tow operators already face from passing traffic and operating heavy equipment.

This system can be programmed to automatically raise and lower, or deploy in a specific direction and angle. Every function of the light tower can be controlled using a simple controller while the light tower positioning is displayed graphically on a 4.3-inch LCD screen.

Additional control of the light tower can be achieved by adding Atherion IQ LED lights. This provides complete control of the light output from the 30,000 lumen LED lamps as well as the ability to change from spot to floodlight, or any combination in between. The Night Scan Powerlite Dual Tilt action lets the operator independently control each of the two banks of lights. One bank of lights can be set to floodlighting to light up the wider scene, while the other bank of lights can be set to spot lighting to illuminate a specific location or casualty. willburt.com

LIGHTING UP A WORK SCENE

HEAVY-DUTY DOLLY

Will-Burt’s Night Scan IQ Light Tower System provides illumination that improves safety for all first responders working the scene. During inclement weather and darkness, poor visibility creates additional hazards on top

Tow dollies are typically rated to safely transport vehicles weighing up to 4,500 pounds. But, with Big D’s Fabrication’s heavy-duty truck dollies, it can be as much as 44,000 pounds. This company offers a 25,000-pound rated dolly for single-axle casualties, and up to a 44,000-pound unit for tandem axle casualties.

Each of the dollies has an inside width of 103 inches, inside pan width of 103 inches and 134 inch outside width. The 44K dolly weighs 4,200 pounds, the 40K dolly 2,400

pounds and the 25K dolly 1,750 pounds. Each one can be used rightside up or upside down, depending on the height of the casualty, and can be transported to the scene on the back of a heavy-duty wrecker or on a car carrier. bigdsfabrication.com

COOL NEW TOOLS

The entire team at B/A Products has consistently demonstrated their helpfulness by providing equipment to use in seminars at the American Towman Exposition in Baltimore.

Since B/A Products has way too many cool tools to mention in a single article, the focus here will be on three items of particular interest.

The twist lock shackle can be quickly unlocked and locked without the use of any tools. The springloaded pin is simply pushed-in and turned by hand to unlock and lock.

The pin stays attached to the shackle in the fully open position and acts as a stable handle. These forged, alloy steel shackles have a 4-to-1 design factor and are proof tested to twice the working load limit.

Another simple yet effective tool that B/A sells is called Line Eyez.

These are highly visible reflective markers that are easily attached to a winch line to provide greater visibility of the line for motorists nearing an incident scene during low light, inclement weather, or reduced visibility. Line Eyez are available in six distinctive colors which allows easy color coding of winch lines.

The B/A Products MagLok Long Handle Tool is an

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interchangeable tool system allowing one tool to replace multiple tools, effectively saving both space and weight. This tool pairs industrial-grade handles with interchangeable tool heads that are quickly and easily changed. Simply choose the appropriate item from a 46-inch fiberglass or steel handle, a 28-inch D-grip handle, or a 36-inch striking handle, and select the tool head from an assortment. The tool heads available include a round shovel, square shovel, aluminum scoop shovel, pick axe, pry-bar, road rake, pike hook, sledgehammer, and more. baprod.com

QUICK FIREFIGHTERS

Most tow trucks are equipped with a five-pound ABC fire extinguisher that has worked the same way for many years. But, there are other ways to extinguish fires that merit consideration, such as Fire Extinguisher Ball and the Element Fire Extinguisher, both from Elide Fire. The former unit caught our attention back in 2019 when a float in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade ignited.

Because the fire started in the driver’s compartment, the driver was forced to jump from the vehicle and had no time to grab the fire extinguisher.

When seeking a solution to prevent the ensuing melee caused by the burning vehicle from occurring in future parades, tournament officials discovered the fire ball. These self-activating balls of fireretardant chemicals have the ability to extinguish A, B, and C type fires, and immediately activate when they come in contact with flames.

Unlike a conventional fire extinguisher, fire balls do not require maintenance, servicing, or inspections.

They can be rolled or thrown into a fire from a safe distance, or mounted in high fire risk areas of a shop. They automatically activate upon coming into contact with flame without any human intervention whatsoever, and deploy with a load noise to alert anyone in the vicinity that there is a fire.

The dry chemical used is non-toxic and safe for humans, pets, and the environment. Although highly efficient, these balls are intended to supplement, and not replace conventional fire extinguishers. As with any products, it is the responsibility of the user to

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make sure they comply with all federal, state and local laws, as well as specific towing program requirements.

The Element Fire Extinguisher is another great idea.

This piece of equipment resembles a road flare and is activated in much the same way. The cap is removed at one end, then the striker cap is removed at the other end and subsequently used to strike the working end of the fire extinguisher. The Element is available in two sizes that includes the E50, which lasts 50 seconds, and the E100, which lasts 100 seconds. (Note that a conventional five-pound fire extinguisher lasts only about 15 seconds).

The Element is both compact and lightweight, and easily fits in all the places a conventional fire extinguisher will not. This unit’s discharge is non-toxic, non-corrosive and is safe for humans, property, and equipment. The Element uses vaporization technology that is not pressurized, so it will not spread liquid fires, and also does not require maintenance, service or inspection and does not expire. Note, however, that neither of these two fire extinguisher products are currently certified in the United States. elidefire.com

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Classic Wrecker

A sales brochure from 1979 shows how Captain Hook looked when new.

The wrecker body was a Holmes hydraulic 1100 boom with a Universal Tow Sling.

Check out those stylish custom mud flaps, too.

GMC’s Captain Hook No Fairytale From Neverland, It’s a Real Can-Do Unit

The Captain Hook wrecker caught the attention of Revell, which offered an accurate scale model that even had a telescoping boom.

By Steve Temple

F

ollowing Dodge’s program with Nomar in the 1970s to offer a factory wrecker package, in 1979 GMC Truck decided to move forward with a competitive offering.

Called the “Captain Hook” wrecker, it was organized by J.B. McLane, Sales Promotion Manager of GMC Truck, in conjunction with Donald J. Thornber of Marine City, Michigan and Mark Body Co. of Mt Clemens, Michigan.

The basic specs consisted of a twowheel-drive C3500 Sierra Grande powered by a 350 CID engine backed by a four-speed transmission. All of the wreckers had the same RPO 25 metallic blue paint, and options included air conditioning, tilt wheel, a custom vinyl seat, and a heavy-duty Z82 trailering package.

Chassis were shipped

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During a light restoration, the push bumper’s rubber insert Thehad Captain wrecker to beHook replaced, andcaught the airthe attention of Revell, which offered an accurate scale model that even had a telescoping boom. horns needed fixing as well.

BA Products

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Under the hood of the C3500 Sierra Grande is a 350 CID engine and backed by a four-speed transmission.

from the Pontiac, Michigan GMC plant to the Captain Hook operation in Marine City, Michigan. Also, the Holmes hydraulic 1100 boom and fiberglass sports body was shipped from Holmes in Chattanooga, Tennessee to Mark Body Co. for final paint and installation.

Custom Captain Hook additions included the raised twin sonic lightbar cover, cast-aluminum dual exhaust outlets in the sport bar, custom paint and striping, Captain Hook mud flaps, and a special lighting package.

Completed units were then shipped to the selling dealer.

Sales literature from back then noted that the Captain Hook cost about $300 less than a basic wrecker which

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was built on a piece-by-piece basis.

Described as “a real can-do unit…

Captain Hook is MORE wrecker for LESS than the competition,” Thornber proclaimed.

Production estimates ranged from 100 to 200 trucks, but very few have survived intact. While many might have ended up in wrecker graveyards, one original unit was displayed in Baltimore at American Towman’s 2021 Tow Exposition. This truck had been acquired in 2020 by Stan Chciuk of Panek’s Service Center in Livingston, NJ, who did a light restoration. He buffed out the body and straightened the bumper, along with replacing the rubber, and getting the air horns working again.

He later sold his Hook wrecker to Alex Millar of Sparwood, BC, Canada who had previously bought some Holmes mud flaps and other vintage items from Stan. Alex cherishes his current collection of classic

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Note the sporty-looking, cast-aluminum dual exhaust outlets in the sport bar.

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wreckers, and keeps a chronicle of old Holmes units on his website (www. holmeswreckers.com), and welcomes input from fellow restorers.

He points out that most of the remaining Captain Hook wreckers have been restored with a replacement chassis, and can be identified by the raised light bar and the exhaust outlets in the sport bar.

Also, the serial plate on the Holmes wrecker body will have the model number of 407CH (the CH stands for Captain Hook).

This wrecker package also attracted the attention of Revell that made an accurate scale model, many of which are still available on eBay. Several of the Captain Hook rigs were also used on the popular CHIPS television show back in the day. Fortunately, the one shown here escaped a fateful encounter with a crocodile or a sword duel with Peter Pan in Neverland.

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AD INDEX AAA...........................................65 Access Tools..............................35 Akins Body & Carrier Sales.........77 All American Jerr Dan..... N,S,M 83 All Roads Trucks........................74 Allstate Roadside.......................63 American Soc. For Asset Prot.....66 Ascentium Capital......................66 AT Showplace...................... 40-42 Atlanta Wrecker Sales................72 Austin Insurance......................S84 Auto Data Direct........................69 B/A Products..............................29 Big D’s.....................................S86 Captian Recovery....................M86 Chevron Commercial..................69 Command Light.........................32 Crouch’s Wrecker & Equip. Sales... 67 CSTH/Dynamic...........................34 Custer Products.........................74 Deweze Mfg...............................16 Dri-Dek......................................31 Driver Locate..........................W84 Dual-Tech Wreckers & Carriers....71

East Coast Truck & Trailer.......W83 Edgetech...................................55 Elizabeth Truck Center...............73 ESTRA..................................... N86 First Business Bank....................27 G.stone Commercial................ N85 GM Consultants..........................19 Guniwheel..................................24 Hino Trucks.................. Back Cover ICW Group.................................26 Integrated Vehicle & Equipment...17 Intek Truck & Equipment............76 ITI..............................................61 Jerr-Dan............ Inside Front Cover Khasim Insurance...................W90 Landoll Corp..............................21 Len Zermenos.......................... 4-5 Lodar USA..................................25 Lube-A-Boom............................30 Lubnau Gonzalez Insurance.....W88 Lynch Truck Group.....................75 Matjack.....................................73 Mcmahon Truck Center...........M85 Metrocom..................................72

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April 2024 Midwestern................................38 Mike Keith Insurance...............S85 Miller Industries.........................15 Mobile Control Systems..............16 New England Truckmaster....... N85 NoCell Technologies...................57 North American Bancard............33 Northeast Wrecker Sales......... N84 OMG Tow Marketing...................29 Pacific General Insurance........M84 PDSI..........................................32 Peak Wrecker Sales................W90 Performance Advantage Company...31 Progressive Commercial Insurance.... 9 Quick Draw Tarpaulin Systems...30 Safeall.......................................18 Safety Vision..............................26 Santander Bank...Inside Back Cover Sea Crest Insurance Agency....W86 Select Truck & Equipment.......M84 Sepson US.................................39 ShopXpo/WreckWeek...N,S,M 87, W89 Sirens & Emergency Beacons...S85 Specialty Vehicle Equip. Fund.....47

Steck Manufacturing..................62 Talbert Manufacturing..... N86, S84 TDI Repair Facility......................61 TEC Equipment..........................64 Tipton Sales & Parts................M86 Tow Industries........................W88 Towbook Management Software...3 Towing.com...............................71 Towmate....................................27 TowXpo... 79, N, S, M 88, W91, W92 Trail King Industries...................63 Traxero North America...............55 Twin City Wrecker Sales.............57 USFT..........................................76 Utility Trailer Sales Southeast...W87 Warn Industries............................7 Will-Burt Company.....................19 Winches Inc............................W87 Wrecker Warehouse................W85 Xinsurance.................................23 Zacklift......................................51 Zip’s AW Direct..........................70

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Double

Trouble

Divers from United Search Corp were brought in for rigging the submerged trailers. Ironically, one of them was partially loaded with washing machines.

The entire crash scene was surveyed by drones to ensure nothing was overlooked.

James Jerome operated a 2019 Century 1140 Rotator to pull out the sunken trailers.

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Down by the River a Couple Times Over

By Northwestern Towing hat started out as a reported shoreline recovery of a solo semi and tandem trailers turned into a challenging pair of underwater extractions after another truck plowed into the scene. This riverside “double trouble” began on August 25th, 2023 at 9:40 pm. Northwestern Towing was contacted by a customer to retrieve a Freightliner Cascadia hauling doubles that struck a parked vehicle on the side of I-84 near mile-marker 104, and supposedly ended up on the shore of the Columbia River.

W

Adding to the complexity of the recovery, one of the trailers fell over on its side, but was uprighted on shore.

Northwestern Towing assembled a Team and was rolling on the 100mile journey to scene within 20 minutes. Upon arrival, however, the crew discovered the tractor and trailers were actually submerged in the Columbia River.

The responding operators, James Jerome, Stephen Jerome, Kale Dutton, and Dylan Teeter, had a brief conference with ODOT (Oregon Department of Transportation) Incident Response to go over the game plan. After 15 minutes of discussion, both Incident Response and James determined that this job would best be done during daylight and with a lane closure. The Oregon State Police’s dispatch was then informed of the plan, but then another surprise suddenly ensued.

While the Incident Response team was speaking to OSP, a tanker truck hauling a tank trailer swerved off the road, striking the ODOT Incident Response Truck. Narrowly missing all personnel on scene, the tanker ended up about 1000 feet away from the Freightliner, floating in the Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

same section of the Columbia River (fortunately the tanks were empty, so they were only partially submerged).

After a few moments of seeing no movement within the tanker truck, Kale Dutton of Northwestern Towing quickly responded , rushing down to the bank and into the water, finding a half-conscious driver. Dutton promptly aided the driver back to the shore and up the steep slope to the road as the crew awaited OSP. The next morning at 7:00 am, ODOT and OSP met with the Northwestern Towing Crew and the Purdy’s Towing Crew. Purdy’s Towing of Brightwood, Oregon had been contacted by their customer to retrieve the tanker truck.

The prepping of the scene began once Environmental Emergency Services provided by Republic Serves arrived. Both tow crews cleaned up the wreck debris, removed the remaining guardrail along with posts, with everything neatly stacked for reinstalling by ODOT at a later date.

Once divers arrived, both trucks

were tied off to wreckers on scene, fuel lines were plugged, and all fuel tanks were removed. David Isaak from Northwestern Towing responded to aid with this environmental and safety prep work.

After the on-scene prep was completed, both tow crews and ODOT deemed a full highway closure was the safest way to extract both vehicles. Due to staffing issues on Sunday, ODOT chose Monday morning as the recovery day.

Prior to this planned operation, Doug Bishop from United Search Corp was contracted by Northwestern Towing based on his years of underwater rigging and towing experience. Starting with the Freightliner fully secured, Northwestern Towing used a 2017 Vulcan V70, operated by Kale Dutton, as the lead truck hooked to the tractor’s nose. James Jerome placed a 2019 Century 1140 Rotator east of the Vulcan. Facing eastbound was Brandon Robbins in a 2020 JerrDan 25-ton wrecker. The 1140 and the Jerr-Dan were used as pull trucks,

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RESPONDING OPERATORS James Jerome Kale Dutton Brandon Robbins Stephen Jerome James Kester Jacob Epton Dylan Teeter David Isaak Ethan Jerome while the V70 served as the lead and had the primary job of keeping the unit elevated, to minimize any shore damage as anticipated by the state of Oregon. Upon extraction, the rear trailer came out on its side but was quickly uprighted. Jacob Epton and James Kester served as shoreline riggers to re-rig if necessary.

On the road, Ethan Jerome

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Extra care was taken to elevate the winch lines in order to avoid further damage to the shoreline.

and Dylan Teeter assisted with equipment running and roadside rigging. Glyn Jones and his drones were used to watch the recovery from the air and make sure nothing was missed during the initial assessment. It took roughly three hours before all units were up and tows were in progress. All told, it was no trouble at all!

RESPONDING EQUIPMENT 2019 Century 1140 Rotator

2017 Vulcan V70 2020 Jerr-Dan 25-ton 2014 KW T660 Tractor Sonetics Headsets Big D’s Fabrication 25k Dolly Converter Dolly 2023 Chevron Flatbed

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APRIL 30 - MAY 2, 2024

SOUTH POINT HOTEL CONVENTION CENTER

Exhibitor Roster

Exhibits as of March 20: For up-to-date roster go to ATShowplace.com *Supplier names in bold are display advertisers in this issue with their ad page number cross-referenced A-P Equipment Financing Access Tools Booth# 1008 - pg. 35 Advanced Track Solutions Agero Alliance Funding Group Allstate Roadside Booth# 104 - pg. 63 Alt Enterprises American Transportation Insurance Group Anchor Graphics Apache 2 Way ARI-Hetra Arizona Prof. Towing & Recovery Association Arroyo Tires Ascentium Capital Booth# 116 - pg. 66 Auto Data Direct Booth# 1106 - pg. 69 Automobile Club of Southern California Azuga, A Bridgestone Company B/A Products Booth# C8 - pg.29 Beacon Funding Big D’s Fabrication Booth# 729 - pg. S86 Bissell Commercial Blue Star Customs Chergey Insurance Collins Dollies Commercial Best Insurance Services Copart Transportation CTTA/ERSCA Curbside SOS Curtis J Vernon Insurance Agency Custer Products Booth# 1223 - pg. 74 Delta Absorbents of America DewEze Mfg. Booth# 609 - pg. 16 DRIVE Dual-Tech Wreckers & Carriers Booth# 604 - pg. 71 East Coast Truck & Trailer Sales Booth# 1025 - pg. W83 Emergency Road Service Coalition of America / ERSCA

Environmental Chemical Solutions Epulse Expo Enterprise FCar Tech USA Federal Signal First Business Bank Booth# 819 - pg. 27 FleetNet America Freeway Service Patrol (FSP) Fullbay Repair Shop Software G.L. Anderson Insurance Services Gaston & Sheehan Auctioneers GEICO Golden West Towing Equipment Greasweep Gulf Atlantic Supply Guttman Energy Haas Alert Healthy Feet Huntington Bank Hydraulic Shop i Buy Remotes IAA Holdings ICW Grp Insurance Booth# 120 -pg.26 In The Ditch Towing Products Isuzu Commercial Truck of America iTow IWS James Parker Insurance JB Towing Kalyn Siebert Khasim Insurance Agency Booth# 1000 -pg. W90 Landoll Corporation Booth# 1517 - pg. 21 Lien Enforcement Lodar USA Booth# 1122 - pg. 25 Lubnau Gonzalez Insurance AgencyBooth# 719 - pg. W88 Lynch Denver Booth# G1 - pg. 75 McCandless International Trucks

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MIDCO SALES Mike Keith Ins. Booth# 1615 - pg. S85 Miller Industries Booth# 418 - pg. 15 Mobile Road Service Solutions Mobile Video Computing Solutions Murphy Bank National Automobile Club Nevada State Tow Association Nite Beam Products NRC Industries NSD +Questx OMG Tow Marketing Booth# 1006 - pg. 29 OnCallGPS Video Peak Auto Auctions Peddle Penny Pockets Phoenix USA Pruuvn Ranger SST RC Industries RealWheels Corp.

RLX Roadside Protect RoadSync Robertson Ryan Tow Truck Insurance Robinson Oil Rocky Mountain Wrecker Sales RP Recovery Rush Towing Systems Safety Vision Booth# 1009 - pg. 26 Salvato Santander Bank Booth# 510 - Inside Back Cover Sea Crest Insurance Agency Booth# 918- pg. W86 Service Member Data Southern California Tow Equipment Specialty Vehicle Equip. Fund. Grp Booth# 1112 - pg. 47

Steck Manufacturing Booth# 1118 - pg. 62 TEC Equipment Booth# 210 - pg. 64 Telecom Tech Solutions The Exchange Tie 4 Safe TJR Equipment Todd Equipment TOMAR Electronics Tow Industries Booth# 217 - pg.W88 Tow World Towbook Management Software Booth# 1102 - pg. 3 TowToolz Tradeline Trail King Industries Booth# 1604 - pg. 63 Trail-Eze Trailers Traxero North America Booth# 904 - pg. 55 Truck Body Sales USFT Booth# 508 - pg. 76 Utah Professional Towing Alliance Verdant Commercial Capital Warrior Winches Wasatch Truck Equipment Wellnex Group Whelen Engineering Co. Whiterail Will-Burt Booth# 1215 - pg. 19 WorkWear Outfitters WreckMaster XINSURANCE Booth# 1213 - pg. 23 Ynot Services Zacklift International Booth# 1621 - pg. 51 Zellner Insurance Zip’s AW Direct Booth# 1119 - pg. 70

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Buyers Report

what the users say

Product reviews of participating advertisers compiled by AT Staff in speaking directly with the users themselves.

American Towman’s annual Buyers Report is the go-to source for firsthand feedback on the companies, products and services that can enhance your towing business.

If you think it’s “just another advertisement,” that would not be accurate. To assemble this detailed section, we go to great lengths to reach out to real users by phone calls, texts and emails, in order to get real-world commentaries.

It’s a task several months in the making, as tracking down all this information from tow operators, managers and business owners working 24/7 can be a challenge. Why go to so much effort? We do it for the benefit of towers to help them make informed decisions that directly affect their livelihood.

AAA: Takes Care of You With AAA Roadside of California in San Diego County, we service about 7500 calls a month. They keep us busy, put money on the table, and give us bonuses for doing the job. They do most of the dispatching. Calls come in and are automatically dispatched to the drivers. Their system is unique. They are a non-profit organization and do their best to make their providers happy. They take care of us.

Sunin, Quality Towing, Kenda Truck Center Escondido, California

See Ad Page 65

ACCESS TOOLS: Quick and Efficient We use Access lockout tools for all types of vehicles including commercial vehicles. They make our job a lot easier with no damage to vehicles. I would highly recommend lockout kits with the airbags. We currently have one kit in all of our 12 trucks with an extra kit here at our shop, totaling 13 kits in all! I highly recommend these kits if lockouts are a part of your service!

Clint Cooper, Coopers Towing & Trailer Sales, Vidalia, Georgia

See Ad Page 35

AKINS BODY AND CARRIER: The Best Deal All the Time I buy a truck every year from Akins and haven’t bought from anybody else since 2017. They have great prices, there’s no haggling, and they always give me the best deal I can find. And, anytime I have a question, I call them, and they quickly provide me with the answers.

Ricky Bay, A Bay Towing, Tallahassee, Florida

See Ad Page 77

ALL-AMERICAN JERR-DAN: Service, Quick and Easy I’ve been dealing with All-American since I bought my first truck seven years ago. They have been absolutely fantastic. Erin and Randy are phenomenal. Everything’s simple, direct, and to the point. Zero issues. We make the phone call and if the truck’s in stock, we get it the next day. I can’t say enough about them.

Rich Hackett, Hackett’s Towing and Recovery, Morrisville, Pennsylvania

See Ad Pages N,S,M 83 Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

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“

ALLSTATE ROADSIDE has the Volume and Pays Quickly We are one of the biggest providers for Allstate Roadside, if not the biggest. We get a lot of calls from them.

The volume is good. And the best thing about them is that they are never late on payments. As soon as we finish a job, they pay us.

Abraham Said, National Roadside/North, Houston, Texas

See Ad Page 63

ALL ROADS: Phenomenal Service for All Your Needs All Roads is doing a phenomenal job as a full-line distributor of wreckers and carriers. I bought my first tow truck from them 30 years ago and I’ve stayed with them all of these years. Their service is second to none.

Ordering parts from them is easy and they can get you just about anything you need. They are a family-type business and very friendly, and whether you are buying a two-dollar spark plug or a 1.3-million-dollar tow truck, it’s always the same exceptional service and personal touch.

Tom Showalter, Charley’s Crane Service, Landover, Maryland; The Auto Barn Towing, Baltimore, Maryland

See Ad Page 74

ASCENTIUM CAPITAL: Smooth and Easy Todd at Ascentium Capital has always been so accommodating. He’s super easy to talk to and get information from. We don’t have to wait for a call back. He drops everything on a dime. He makes things happen rather quickly. It’s always a pretty smooth transition getting any type of loan through them. As soon as he gets the information he needs, he makes it happen. We have developed a great relationship.

what the users say

Karen Caprara, AC’s Towing & Recovery, LLC., Schenectady, New York

See Ad Page 66

ATLANTA WRECKER SALES: Big Savings, Great People I have purchased six trucks from Atlanta Wrecker Sales in the last year and a half. Anything I need from the Giles family, they are johnny on the spot in terms of reliability, dependability, and response time. We just bought a 2024 International MV and they added extra boxes and extra lighting without question. If we need something, they bend over backwards to make it happen. As far as my rollbacks go, Atlanta Wrecker is my go-to!

Buyers Report

Ted Baldwin, Alpha Towing, Spartanburg, South Carolina

See Ad Page 72

AUSTIN INSURANCE: Dramatic Efficiency Improvement It’s all about the people, and the people at Austin are fantastic. I’ve sent tons of my tow colleagues over there and once they go, they never leave. They always answer the phone and are extremely helpful. They save you a lot of money too. I don’t even shop around anymore. I go with whatever they say. They are so easy to work with. It’s a total win.

Dave Smith, Round Rock Towing, Round Rock, Texas

See Ad Page S84 44 • April 2024 | Towman.com

Wes’s Service streamlines operations with Auto Data Direct’s Tow Lien Notification process, and DirectPost-Office via Omadi, improving efficiency and compliance while eliminating errors. It’s a game-changer!

Brian Booker, Wes’s Service, Calumet City, Illinois

See Ad Page 69

B/A PRODUCTS CO: Quality All the Way

what the users say

All of my tow trucks are equipped with B/A products. They have superior quality. The container I-link is absolutely the best design. We use their links every day. Their round sling is another great design. On our heavies, we run all of their web shackles. Their customer service is exceptional and the fact that they are in Maryland makes it even more convenient for us to pick something up. You can’t go wrong with their products.

Victor Appolonia, Baltimore Towing, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland

See Ad Page 29

BIG D’S FABRICATION: Go with the Best At Suburban Towing we have three of Big D’s heavy-duty dollies. They have proven themselves to be an essential tool in our industry for trucks, buses and trailers. We have used our dollies on jobs that wouldn’t be possible without them. The craftsmanship and the durability of Big D’s are second to none. Always insist on the best, and that’s Big D’s!

Justin Schaffer, Suburban Towing Inc, Louisville, KY

See Ad Page S86

CHEVRON COMMERCIAL: Gives You What You Want A couple of products I bought from Chevron Commercial in the last year are Miller’s V70 and V30 on a Kenworth T880. They help design your truck the way you want it from the chassis to the winch pulls, or anything in between. I like my trucks to be different in terms of the lighting or paint schemes, and Chevron Commercial always gives me what I want. They are not a cookie cutter company. The number one reason I keep going back to them is the personal experience I get with them. They make you feel important as a customer.

Adam Hatton, Hatton’s Towing and Recovery, Canton, NC

See Ad Page 69

COMMAND LIGHT: Durability and Ease of Use We have had the Command Light Shadow RT mounted on our airbag trailer and have never had a problem with it. It’s been 10 years that we’ve owned it. And in the Texas sun, it still looks good. We like the fact that it doesn’t use air to raise it. Most of the lights require air. It’s easy to use. You just grab the remote and put it into position.

Steve Bell, Euless B&B Wrecker Service, Dallas/Ft.Worth, Texas

See Ad Page 32 Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

Buyers Report

AUTO DATA DIRECT: Improves Efficiency and Compliance

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 45

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CROUCH’S WRECKER AND EQUIPMENT SALES: It’s About the Relationship I’ve been with Crouch’s for seven years, first meeting Zach who was a salesman and we’ve continued to grow together. He helped develop my relationship with the dealership. He always knows what I need and doesn’t force anything upon me. I feel very comfortable working with all of them.

Anthony Mojica, Jr., Towlando Towing & Recovery Inc, Orlando, Florida

See Ad Page 67

CSTH/DYNAMIC: Unmatched Service and Quality I’ve been in business in the repo industry for 33 years, and we’ve always purchased our trucks strictly from CSTH/Dynamic. We know Anthony well, and he’s been the go-to-guy for parts and problems. The level of customer service is unmatched. That’s a primary reason we’ve always chosen Dynamic. The ease of repairs on the trucks, and the accessibility of parts, are other pluses. The product is well built, holds up great, and they are constantly improving upon it every year.

Max Pineiro, Elite Collateral Recovery, Elizabeth, NJ

See Ad Page 34

CUSTER PRODUCTS: From Service to Product, it’s a No-Brainer

Buyers Report

what the users say

We do a lot of business with Custer and I have known the people in the company for a long time. It’s a pleasure to call them, knowing that they appreciate my business and are always willing to work together to build an even better relationship. They have a 36-inch light bar, the LIW 36-7R, which has a lot of great features. I like the fact that it comes with a serial number which the end user can register, making the light useless if it’s stolen or misplaced. It goes without saying that their products, which they stand behind, are awesome.

David Boone, Wrecker Warehouse of Texas, Garland, Texas

See Ad Page 74

DEWEZE: The Industry’s Best As a distributor of DewEze pumps, they are the go-to product for the industry. We sell quite a few of them.

They work well. Everybody that works there is nice, friendly, and always willing to help. I have nothing but good things to say about them.

Wayde Donley, Twin Cities Wrecker Sales, St. Paul, Minnesota

See Ad Page 16

DRIVER LOCATE: Tracks with Expertise I’ve been with Driver Locate, a GPS unit for your trucks that integrates with Towbook Management Software, for 12 years. It helps a lot to be able to track where your drivers are at. I have 17 trucks and they are all equipped with it. Everybody looks around for price, but I’ve established a good relationship with Victor and all the guys there, and when I need something, it gets done and we move on.

Danny Bradshaw, Midnight Special, Hickory, North Carolina

See Ad Page W84 46 • April 2024 | Towman.com

Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 47

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DUAL-TECH: Performance and Reliability We have been using Dual-Tech exclusively for 11 years. I like the fact that they are a family owned, Mom-andPop shop. If you have an issue, they take care of you immediately. The Dual-Tech bed is a phenomenal product, which we use for moving a lot of rental equipment. It doesn’t matter what you are doing with it, you can always count on it to be reliable, and have confidence that it is going to work and perform well.

Scott Griffis, Courtesy Towing, New Hill, North Carolina

See Ad Page 71

EAST COAST: Meets All Your Needs East Coast Truck and Trailer is responsive to the needs of our company, especially when it comes to the after-purchase service warranty work. They keep a wide supply of parts readily available. In the past, when no one else had trucks, they were able to deliver trucks for me. Now, they always have a good selection of inventory readily available for delivery. In terms of pricing, they are very reasonable.

Fred Scheler, Henry’s Wrecker Service and Windsor Towing, Virginia and Maryland

See Ad Page W83

We Roll Along with EDGETEC The guys at EdgeTec are really great to work with. And they’ve got everything. They are a one-stop-shop, which simplifies things for us. Instead of calling 40 people, we call one person and are done with it. With one phone call or text message, we get what we need—a tow truck or equipment. We just picked up an extended-cab International with a fancy Century bed. I said to Joel, “What do you got?” He picks it and we roll along with it.

Buyers Report

what the users say

Kevin Winchester, Denali Towing, Nicholasville, Kentucky

See Ad Page 55

ELIZABETH TRUCK CENTER: Customizes With Impeccable Service Since 2006, we’ve purchased several trucks from Jim at Elizabeth Truck Center. We value their honesty, and they spec a great truck. If you want something customized, they will do it, always going above and beyond to fulfill your desires. We just took delivery of a 2023 Freightliner with a Century 25 ton and they customized the light brackets and bumper covers. Their service is impeccable, and whenever you call them, they deal with your issues immediately.

Tim Hauser, Hausers Truck Service, Allentown, Pennsylvania

See Ad Page 73

Only G-STONE COMMERCIAL in Every Way For the last nine years, G-Stone Commercial is the only tow company that we have bought from. The sales team has always been there for us. They have been able to deliver and locate equipment for us. The parts department is top notch—they really care about getting us what we need, as fast as they can, to get us back on the road. They are great people and great to work with.

Erik Johnson, Johnson Towing and Auto Repair, Canton, New York

See Ad Page N85 48 • April 2024 | Towman.com

GuniWheels come in handy and make my job easier. Before I knew about the wheels, I was using spare tires and never got any calls. Now I do four or five calls a week with them because I’m known in my area for these wheels. They are tools worth investing in.

Tedrick McNeil, SOS Towing, Stockton, California

See Ad Page 24

HINO’s Reliability and Loyalty Equals Success

what the users say

We’ve been running Hinos since 2011. Their reliability is unparalleled, and their loyalty is truly stand-out. I remember they extended their warranty during an emission issue, which was unheard of, and because of this we remain loyal to them. Their customer service wins hands-down. When you have a manufacturer that stands behind their product the way they do, along with a great distributor, it is nothing but success.

Dave Resendez, Apollo Towing, Corpus Christi, Texas

See Ad Back Cover

INTEGRATED LEASING: No One Compares I love working with Integrated. I won’t go with anybody else. Doreen is awesome. So personable. With her, things get done. The best thing about Integrated is that I have a direct line. I don’t have to leave a message or wait for a call back. It’s the quality of service that I get from them that makes the difference.

David Smith, Triton Towing, Austin, Texas

See Ad Page 17

INTEK TRUCK AND EQUIPMENT LEASING: Best Rates, Easy to Work With Intek is a preferred money lender for us. They have been working with us for years. They are good people and easy to work with, and John Wohltmann is phenomenal. They always provide us with our best rates and get the financing through.

Heidi and Jake Richcreek, HJ Towing & Recovery, Carlisle, Pennsylvania

See Ad Page 76

JERR-DAN: You’ve Gotta Love ‘Em I’ve purchased two Jerr-Dan snatch trucks and one Jerr-Dan rollback in the last year. The wheel lift is strong, we can drag cars out without strapping them in, it works fast, has the negative tilt, and a great capacity to lift up vehicles. We’ve towed tow trucks with our tow trucks—that’s how strong they are. As far as the JerrDan goes, we love them.

Mike Lopez, Advanced Asset Recovery, Farmingdale, New York

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Buyers Report

GUNIWHEEL: Wheels Worth the Investment

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 49

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We Stick with KHASIM INSURANCE For All Our Insurance Needs Khasim has been doing our insurance for the last 13 years. They provide every policy that I have—trucks, cars, life. Richard, the owner, is a great guy. He gives exceptional service, is always personable, easy to get a hold of, and will find answers to questions he can’t answer right away. Renewing policies are seamless.

Lance McEwen, North County Corporate Management, Vista, California

See Ad Page W90

LANDOLL: Does it All I have been purchasing Landoll trailers since 2004. I currently have six Landolls in my fleet, and most recently purchased a 455B-53 with all options. Landoll is a leader in the industry – their engineering, sales, and customer service teams are top notch, and their products are built to last. We rely on Landoll trailers to take care of our customers.

Brad Arrowsmith, Arrow Towing, Inc., Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Arrow Towing of Omaha, Inc., Omaha, Nebraska

See Ad Page 21

Only LEN ZERMENOS For a Kilar Bed For the last 15 years, we’ve been buying Kilar beds from Len Zermenos. The beds are durable, structurally wellbuilt, and uniquely put together, which truly makes a difference, and you can’t beat the price! Their galvanized subframes hold up well, the controls are easy to use, and parts are easy to get. What’s great is that we deal directly with Lenny, the owner, and don’t have to wait for service like you do from the bigger outfits.

Buyers Report

what the users say

Robert Rouse, Wayne County Towing, Wooster, Ohio

See Ad Page 4-5

Lube and Shine with LUBE-A-BOOM As a crane repair shop, we understand the importance of lubrication to prevent damage and extend the life of components. Lube-A-Boom products are our go-to whether we are applying grease to a boom or Lube-AGear to the rotation bearing. The Lube-A-Wipes and Lube-A-Shine ensure cranes are returned to customers looking better than when they came in. Jo Roberts has extensive knowledge of the petroleum industry. She understands that our customers want products that maintain their application and consistency. We recommend the Lube-A-Boom line to all our customers!

Tom Flaherty, Flaherty Equipment Repair Corp, Chelmsford, Massachusetts

See Ad Page 30

LUBNAU GONZALEZ INSURANCE: Has the Personal Touch The personal attention from the folks at Lubnau Gonzalez Insurance Agency, like Rob and Jasmine, is outstanding. We frequently get check-in calls, and calls just to say “Hi.” Occasionally, they will stop by if they are in town. Although I like to get the best rates, especially when it comes to towing insurance, if there is a difference in cost, I would still stick with them. Rob’s experience and knowledge of how it all works, especially of the towing industry, is great.

Nate Liodas, Catalina Towing & Recovery, Tucson, AZ

See Ad Page W88 50 • April 2024 | Towman.com

Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 51

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LYNCH TRUCK SERVICE: Excellent Customer Service All the Way Lynch’s customer service is truly excellent. They get you what you need, and get it shipped out right away. Jim Rooks, the salesman at Lynch Truck Service, is always available to take my phone calls, even after 5 p.m., or to bring parts down for trucks to help get them back up and on the road. And we are 130 miles from their location!

It’s no small thing to give that kind of customer service.

Bruce Pedigo, Joe’s Towing and Recovery, Bloomington, Illinois

See Ad Page 75

MATJACK: Airbags Like No Other In our book, a big selling point of Matjack is that it’s made in the U.S.A. Big John and Little John take care of things right away as far as repairs and replacement parts. The speed of the air-up and the air-down on their latest and greatest hurricane system is the best in the industry. Once we get all the airbags in place, we can upright a tractor trailer in five minutes. I don’t think there is anyone else in the market that can do that. If you want the best, you pay for the best!

Wes Kochel, Wes Kochel, Inc., Rockdale, Illinois

See Ad Page 73

MCMAHON TRUCK CENTERS: Satisfies Customers

Buyers Report

what the users say

Over the last three years we’ve purchased one Kenworth tandem axle rollback, one Peterbilt tri-axle rollback, and a Kaylyn Seibert Lite 50 tri-axle detach trailer from McMahon Truck Center, and everything has been great. They didn’t need much customization, as they were spec’d out really well. I’ve been working with Paul Blackstone for about four years, due to him performing a demo on a Jerr-Dan rollback and working with us to spec out trucks and a trailer. Paul has a lot of knowledge about his products and has been very helpful.

Doug Bryson, Leppo Rents, Canton, Ohio

See Ad Page M85

METROCOM: Can’t Live Without Them Metrocom is our two-way radio provider and we’ve been using them for a long time. I don’t know where we would be without our two-way radios. What I like about them is that you are on and off the phone quickly. Conversations are short and sweet, and our dispatchers aren’t tied up, making us more available to our customers.

We are very happy with the service. The owner answers the phone no matter what time I call. If I have any questions or issues with the equipment, he’s always available.

Sal Khan, Nelcon Towing & Recovery, North Haven, Connecticut

See Ad Page 72

Can’t Compete with MIKE KEITH INSURANCE We’ve been doing business with Mike Keith Insurance for fourteen years. Curtis Cooper and Amy Berry understand the towing industry very well, and do a phenomenal job of taking care of us. Every year they shop our insurance, making sure that we get the most affordable package, ensuring that we don’t pay for coverage we don’t need, while meeting or exceeding the minimum requirements. Dollar-per-dollar and service-per-service, Mike Keith and team always win.

Luke Olenick, Sunflower Tow Service, LLC, Kansas City, Kansas

See Ad Page S85 52 • April 2024 | Towman.com

Miller has been our primary supplier of choice for 30 years. The product is excellent, and the service is second-to-none. You simply pick up the phone, and talk to the executives of Miller and discuss ideas with them. Their advice has prevented us from taking several wrong turns over the years.

Most recently, we purchased a 50-ton Miller rotator, which was built to meet California’s strict standards and restrictions. The rotator’s simplicity, ease of use, and great lifting capacity stands out. As an owner, I feel my guys are not going getting in over their heads if they use the tools on that truck.

Brian Banks, First Line Road Solutions, Redwood City, California

See Ad Page 15

MOBILE CONTROL SYSTEMS: Best Service on the Spot

what the users say

I use my Mobile Control Systems every day and love it. Joe, the VP of the company, has bent over backwards to service them no matter what. I had problems with one and he flew in and fixed it right there. I’ve called him at 10:30 at night to get his help on something. You don’t get better service than this company. I won’t buy another remote control from anybody, and am tickled to death by their service. It’s been spot on.

Tony and Bear, Hutch’s Wrecker Service, Handley, West Virginia

See Ad Page 16

NEW ENGLAND TRUCKMASTER: Customizing and Servicing with Excellence New England Truckmaster’s heavy-duty trucks are custom, specially built to order. We recently took possession of a 2023 Peterbilt Twin Steer 75-ton Century rotator from them and are not disappointed. They go over and above on customization like lights and user-friendly toolboxes that incorporate all the things we need to save us time. I have been working with Chris Lambiase for 30 years. Their commitment to quality and service is excellent!

Gennaro-Jay Angiulo, G/J Towing Incorporated, Revere, Massachusetts

See Ad Page N85

NOCELL TECHNOLOGIES: A Solution to Distracted Driving NoCell is a cellular-use blocking technology, so that when you are driving it blocks the capability to drive distracted using your cell phone. It’s customizable, allowing one-touch work apps to be easily accessed, like navigation or scale apps. With so much distracted driving on the road, we need our drivers to be at their utmost attention. In a risky business, we coach up the best behavior we can. NoCell Technologies helps us do that.

Cole Stevens, Stevens Trucking, Reno, Oklahoma

See Ad Page 57

PDSI: Indispensable for Your Life We are going on 19 years with Professional Dispatch Services, Inc. They helped us get our life back together after Hurricane Katrina, which helped me raise two kids and sleep well at night. Prior to them, like so many tow companies, we took every single call—carried the phone with us at dinner, Christmas time, birthdays, etc. Tow Dispatch Service allowed us to raise our two little girls, make all their events, and go on vacations.

PDSI has always had our back.

Randy Muscarello, R&S Towing, New Orleans, Louisiana

See Ad Page 32 Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

Buyers Report

From Product to Service, MILLER INDUSTRIES Hits it Out of the Park

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 53

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QUICK DRAW TARPAULIN SYSTEMS: Gets It Right It’s hard to find a tarpaulin system that works best on tow trucks. One of our most popular selling rollbacks is the Century Right Approach. The tarp system from Quick Draw features a rolling canvas that slides forward towards the headboard, giving you full tie-down access to the car on both the driver and passenger sides.

After safely loading the vehicle, you simply roll the tarp closed where it is now secure and weather protected.

Here at Elizabeth Truck Center, we feel Quick Draw is the only choice for the towing industry.

Jim Powers, Elizabeth Truck Center Inc, Elizabeth, New Jersey

See Ad Page 30

SAFEALL: Really Makes a Difference The SafeAll Traffic Commander works exceptionally well in my area. Whenever I turn it on, traffic moves over and gives me the right of way. I notice a difference every time I use it, and so do my drivers. The first time I used it, I was at an accident scene at night. I turned it on, and the police officer got out of his car and thanked me, telling me what a difference he noticed it made in traffic control. It’s definitely a great piece of safety equipment.

Jeremy Hoogerhyde, Otsego Lake Service, Gaylord, Michigan

See Ad Page 18

SANTANDER BANK: Ease of Use and One-Stop-Shop Santander and our company have an age-old relationship. We are very loyal to our merchants and don’t break what’s not broken. We have a fleet of close to 100 trucks and most of them are financed through Santander.

They make things very easy for us. I just say to them, “We need another truck” and they say, “Okay, Joe. I’ll get with your accountant.” The next thing I know, I’m signing documents. It’s that easy with Santander.

what the users say

Jose Acosta, Pepe’s Towing, Los Angeles, California

See Ad Inside Back Cover

SELECT TRUCK & EQUIPMENT: Goes Above and Beyond I have a great relationship with Select Truck & Equipment. They always have parts on-hand and anytime a truck goes down, they get us in right away. They are currently building me a new Dodge 3500 Autoloader MPL from the ground up, customizing it with all kinds of additions. They always figure out how to get it done, one way or another. They continuously go above and beyond.

Buyers Report

Tyler Doyle, Tiger Towing, Columbia, Missouri

See Ad Page M84

SPECIALTY VEHICLE EQUIPMENT FINANCING: Hometown Feel with Competitive Rates I have been with Pete Jr. at Specialty for 25+ years. When I interact with them, I still get the hometown banker feel. Their rates are great, and we have passed them on to several people who have bought used equipment from us. Specialty has made that work for them. Pete Jr. makes things so easy, providing whatever documentation we need to finance trucks. We buy an average of four trucks a year, and he has created a process that is extremely streamlined. Above all, the rates are competitive out in the market.

Craig Baker, Cupertino Towing, Cupertino, California

54 • April 2024 | Towman.com

See Ad Page 47

Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 55

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STECK: Gets the Job Done With Ease We sell Steck’s Big Easy Lockout Kits and their Big Easy Wedges. Customers love them because they allow easy access to tight spaces. They are efficient, precise and get the job done. Steck is great to deal with. Always friendly and prompt. Everything arrives when they say it will. We’ve never had an issue with them.

Anthony Smith, Lynch-Chicago, Alsip, Illinois

See Ad Page 62

TALBERT MANUFACTURERING: Tried and True The things we love about Talbert are the quality of their trailers, and the customer service that goes along with it. Whenever we’ve had an issue, it’s always resolved. Being able to spec and get what you want, like a D-ring or a tow eye positioned in a certain spot, is very important.

The 4053 Traveling Axle Trailer works well for moving equipment in and out of existing job sites. It’s versatile.

We use it for everything, from recovering pickup trucks and broken-down tractors, to hauling back trailers to load and unload containers. For the type of work we do, Talbert is tried and true.

Brett Bowers, The Beaver Excavating Company & Beaver Constructors, Inc., Canton, Ohio

See Ad Pages N86, S84

TDI REPAIR: Does Everything Right the First Time TDI does it right the first time. They do everything: replace engines, transmissions, rear-end and body work, truck washouts, and more. I don’t have to keep bringing them back, and their turnaround is quick. When my stuff breaks down, they come and get it. If a job is going to take more time, they tell you the truth.

Timothy Vilbrin, Consolidated Communications, Milton, Vermont

See Ad Page 61

Buyers Report

what the users say

TEC EQUIPMENT: All-Around Excellence Since TEC Equipment became a Jerr-Dan distributor two and half years ago, I have purchased a few trucks from them. I bought Freightliner Cabin Chassis with Jerr-Dan Car Carriers. All my trucks are custom ordered, custom built, with specific specs and equipment, and they have done an excellent job handling that. The service is also excellent. They call and stay in touch. When I need parts, they will deliver or ship direct. And they have been very responsive on warranty work.

Quinn Piening, Central Towing & Transport LLC, Fremont, California

See Ad Page 64

TIPTON TOWING: Customizes All Your Desires I highly recommend Tipton’s. We’ve been dealing with them for close to 40 years and have bought all our trucks from them! They are a Jerr-Dan distributor. They will do anything and everything when it comes to customizing your truck: specialized lighting, remote controlled winches, dovetail beds, side pullers, extended chassis, and more. They are phenomenal.

Tina Case, Case Towing, Lebanon, Ohio

See Ad Page M86

Transform your Business with TOWBOOK MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE I am one of Towbook’s original customers. I have been with them for ten years and watched them transform into a dominant company. Why? Because they listen to the needs of their users, rather than just tell you what you need.

Towbook has transformed my business by keeping track of everything and enabling my company to be more transparent, efficient, and effective. It also has allowed me to work remotely. I can view payroll, truck reports, photos for damage claims, driver’s commissions, and active and pending calls anywhere at any time, even from my cell phone.

I am always connected to my business.

Mark Denson, On Site Towing, Humble, Texas

56 • April 2024 | Towman.com

See Ad Page 3

Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 57

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TOW INDUSTRIES: Awesome Work and Honest We’ve been buying trucks from Tow Industries since the 1980s and have grown together in the industry. Today, they are our neighbor, located only a couple of blocks away from us. Over the last three years, our expansion has led us to purchase over 40 service utility trucks from them. They are great to deal with as they are straight shooters, do what they say, and do awesome work customizing each truck to exactly how we like it. They make people happy. Their staff is dedicated to serving the towing community while providing exceptional customer service, and they always make us happy.

Bill Salazar, Royal Coaches Towing & Recovery, Baldwin, California

See Ad Page W88

TOWING.COM: A Go-To For Marketing Your Business Towing.com is a good form of advertising, as we do get quite a few calls from our listing in their directory. They do a good job pushing their website to the top page of Google. If you are in a Google search page and you search “towing near me,” it pulls up the towing.com website. I would recommend this site for towing companies looking for an online presence.

Virginia Hernandez, Trailer Sales and Service, Inc., Madison, Florida

See Ad Page 71

TOWMATE: Top-Notch Service and Warranty Among the eight products that we use, the wireless version for our 36-inch light bars is a must-have. The TowMate warranty and customer service are always top notch. If we have a problem, they will send out a new battery or diagnose the problem over the phone. I have never called and gotten off the phone with them without the issue getting resolved Mike Tadlock, Boomin’ Around, Phoenix, Arizona

See Ad Page 27

Buyers Report

what the users say

TRAIL KING INDUSTRIES: Trailers that Separate the Men from the Boys I have great memories of Trail King. The Trail King trailer my father had many years ago held up great, despite its hard life. When I was shopping for a trailer, I looked at several brands, but I felt they weren’t built nearly as well as the Trail King—the fabrication quality, the size of the toolbox, the simplicity. Ever since I made the switch to Trail King, my trailer problems have vanished. It’s the best thing I’ve purchased in terms of trailers. As far as I’m concerned, if you want a man’s trailer, buy a Trail King.

Jacob Lorenz, L bar L Excavation, Gales Creek, Oregon

See Ad Page 63

TRAXERO SOFTWARE: A One-Stop Shop We use Tops Dispatch for everything-from private to police tows to our Hydro Vac business. It keeps track of accounting and collections. Auction Simplified takes all the worry out of trying to sell cars. It has brought a lot of buyers from other states to our auctions and made us more visible to the public. Tow Pay, a game changer for us, makes it easy for a customer to pay through a secure link to their phone. Customers love it when they can use apple or google pay. Traxero has been our saving grace when it comes to all our software needs.

Brooks Tanner, Pro Tow, Columbus, Ohio

See Ad Page 55

TWIN CITIES WRECKER SALES: Great Service and Customization I have a great relationship with Twin Cities. Roddy is top notch, very passionate and innovative. I had a truck with tons of extra lights that needed rewiring and Roddy said, “Bring it over. I’ll have it fixed .” He put me up in a hotel, paid for my fuel to make the 10-hour trip, and gave me his personal truck.

They are great at building customized trucks. I wanted a four door, four-wheel- drive Dodge Ram 5500, flatbed, and they did it. It turned out beautiful! They build a phenomenal truck.

P.J. Daly, PJ’s Towing, Lansing Michigan

See Ad Page 57 58 • April 2024 | Towman.com

We really like USFT’s GPS and Camera systems, and have had no issues with them. The camera addition has been a protector for us. There were a couple of bad accidents involving our employees and the cameras showed us what happened and that we were not at fault. The GPS system has really helped us with dispatch.

The company is local and very responsive.

Laurie Johnston, Arrow Wrecker, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

See Ad Page 76

WARN INDUSTRIES: Holds Up and Stands Up Warn Industries supplies our winches for our rollbacks and car carriers, which date back to the late 80s and early 90s. We have a good rapport with them. If we ever have an issue, they stand behind their product. Every time we use their winch, it does exactly what we need it to do; it never fails us. We don’t have warranty claims and if we do, they are on top of it. Their product speaks for itself and so does their customer service.

See Ad Page 7

WILL-BURT: Simple and Highly Recommended We are a vendor for Will-Burt and like selling their product to other towing companies and emergency services like fire companies. We do the warranty work, servicing, and installation. Our company has four Will-Burt light towers to help us with big recoveries. You get to the scene, hit one button on your light tower, and it’s done. You don’t have to run cords. Their product is simple to set up and move around. I highly recommend it to all towing companies, big and small.

Grant Jackson, Null’s Sales and Service, LLC., Cochranville, Pennsylvania

See Ad Page 19

XINSURANCE: Covers You When Other Won’t For a start-up company, XInsurance was one of the few that gave me a shot. I had called up to 10 other insurance companies, and XInsurance was the first to work with me. Insurance is very expensive for a high-risk area like repossessions.

Their customer service is also excellent. They are there whenever I need them. They answer the phones and my questions, and are very helpful and knowledgeable.

See Ad Page 23

Nate Serna, Final Notice Recovery, LLC., Big Lake Minnesota

ZACKLIFT INTERNATIONAL: Two-in-One Brilliant Design The Genesis is a full-on, detachable wrecker. I pull mine off every couple of weeks to turn it into a low-bed trailer. It takes 10 minutes to pull it off and put it back on. It allows me to use my tractors to pull trailers and do heavy wrecker recoveries with only the cost, insurance, and maintenance of one truck, rather than having multiple trucks doing the same job and having one sitting in the yard. There is nothing out there that has the capability of a Genesis.

Casey LaDelle, Cascade Heavy Rescue, Bend, Oregon

See Ad Page 51

ZIP’S AW Direct: One of the Best ZIP’S provides us with every part that we need. Compared to other vendors, their pricing is either the same or better. They ship overnight. They are always there to help. They stand behind their product. They simply are one of the best in the business.

James Trantina, CBT Towing & Recovery, St. Cloud, Minnesota

See Ad Page 70 Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 59

what the users say

Lindsay Felver, Dual-Tech, Bean Station, Tennessee

Buyers Report

USFT (US FLEET TRACKING): Saves the Day

Tow Boss

Great Expectations Recommended Behaviors for Tow Operators Serving Police and Government Contracts

By Randall C. Resch

L 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.

ast month we focused on the complicated process of becoming a contract provider for police and government agencies. Part Two of this feature highlights the major expectations and behaviors required of responding operators. Since there’s no source or document specific to serving formal contracts, tow companies can get creative in how they serve contracts once RFPs (Request for Proposals) are awarded.

Consider the following recommendations as those most common and appropriate when dealing with law enforcement and governmental officials.

As noted in our previous article, serving formal contracts demands a distinct breed of tow and recovery professionals.

The employing entity or agency will hold tow companies and operators to higher standards and expectations. While management is tasked with day-to-day

60 • April 2024 | Towman.com

operations, towers should demonstrate qualities of professionalism and competency that emulates those of their office counterparts.

BEST FOOT FORWARD

On arrival to incidents, towers are expected to listen, communicate, and then react to on-scene officers or Incident Commander (IC) instructions. Because tow and recovery scenarios are complicated, towers must fully recognize and anticipate the complications they might encounter.

Also, during an arrival assessment, know when to say, “No,” if the recovery is beyond the operator’s experience, equipment ratings, or tow truck’s capabilities.

When tasked with unusual or difficult situations, it’s paramount that operators are prepared to offer alternative recovery plans. But, never attempt out-of-theordinary moves or techniques without first discussing them with the officer or IC on scene. In particular, when preparing to load vehicles onto flatbed carriers, wait for officers to complete a cursory inventory report. For their safety, keep them off a carrier’s tilted deck.

To further protect officers from injury or death during winch-on, winch-off scenarios, or cable separation during extreme pull, relocate officers away from deadly rollaway and whiplash zones.

Promote proper safety procedures by directing them to locations beyond active work zones.

When faced with something that is not deemed to be safe, avoid outwardly refusing the request. Instead, offer other solutions intended to gain the same results in a safer manner.

KEEPING OFFICERS ON SCENE

Some incidents may require police to remain on-scene, whether for blocking or merely keeping red-andblue lighting active to promote a SDMO reaction from approaching traffic.

However, where safety protocols indicate that the highway patrol, DPS, or other agency should stay on scene, don’t intentionally put yourself in harm’s way.

Make your safety needs known.

Request that a unit respond via dispatch, or ask the officer on-scene to remain until you’re rolling with the towed vehicle. Communication is essential.

HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE VS ONLINE INSTRUCTION

Experienced operators are like “Varsity Players.” This is a mentality all experienced and veteran operators acknowledge. Serving formal contracts demands that towers are qualified and competent. True to today’s contracts, tow administrators and RFP responses typically expect towers to meet or qualify for professional requirements by completing online training.

On the other hand, online training, YouTube, and internet videos don’t consist of hands-on education. Internet training doesn’t provide practical, realworld experiences that enlist on-scene senses (e.g., to feel, hear, visualize, and physically interact with actual tow and recovery procedures). Towers must strive to be their very best by participating in graduated levels of proven industry practices.

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AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 61

Bigger is not necessarily better, either. Sometimes the worst, lightduty tow operators are heavy-duty operators who “slip seat” into smaller class tow trucks when not working heavy calls. Just because you operate a “big stick wrecker,” you might not have the skills to work that “car from hell” rollover.

Don’t let a “big rig mentality” get in the way of lower-class training.

CLASS IS IN SESSION

Regardless of the tow class being served, risk management and vicarious liability demand that tow owners ensure their responding operators attend both Traffic Incident Management (TIM) and formal training, documented by a “Certificate of Completion” included in the tower’s personnel jacket. When unfortunate incidents of property damage, injury, or fatality occur, operator training is the first aspect that aggressive attorneys will address.

Even so, a certificate is not a surefire testament to ability. Officers on-scene expect towers to have the skills and competencies best learned from hands-on training and “timein-grade experience.” This directly correlates to officer safety. Inevitably, though, damages are bound to occur during towing and recovery procedures. If any type of property is damaged as a result of the tower’s actions, it’s always recommended to be forthright and immediately advise company management of said damage.

All towers, under police contract or not, are responsible for protecting vehicles, along with their contents, during periods of impound, storage and subsequent releases to the vehicle’s rightful owner or agent.

Towers must treat vehicles as though they were their own and steadfastly resist any urge to steal from towed or stored vehicles. A “Zero 62 • April 2024 | Towman.com

Tolerance—Theft Policy” covers towers’ accountability, making them subject to prosecution, immediate dismissal, and even incarceration for incidents involving theft.

JUST SAY “NO”

At no time should tow operators consume or operate equipment and motor vehicles while under the influence of controlled substances, medical marijuana, or alcohol. True to commercial CDL requirements, most tow companies maintain a “Zero Tolerance—Drug and Intoxication Policy.”

Wording found in formal contracts include criteria indicating that, “A tow company shall have tow truck drivers involved with rotation tow operations participate in a controlled substance and alcohol testing (CSAT) program.”

SETTING THE STAGE

Staging provides the best response times when tow trucks are positioned at locations specific to police activity, based on traffic patterns, officer enforcement and special details. Because modern police dispatch is GPS supported, company dispatch can position tow trucks in locations to provide the quickest response.

WHEN CALLS CANCEL

There are many reasons for calls being canceled, especially when officers don’t pre-determine whether motorists are auto club members. If another company hooks the vehicle you’re called to tow, unless otherwise directed, contact the officer and advise you were dispatched to the scene. The officer will then decide who will tow said vehicle. If it’s determined your services aren’t needed, advise dispatch and “return to service,” or stage and be ready for the next dispatch. Towers should never

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AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 63

engage in arguing with an officer or other on-scene supervisor.

AVOIDING HAZARDOUS TRAFFIC

Nearly all states require operators to complete the following pre-tow (or load) criteria: 1) two safety chains are attached to towed vehicles, 2) a four-point tie down (securement) to transported loads, and 3) extension lights are applied to towed vehicles.

To gain compliance, towers often work the traffic side of the tow truck. Obviously, there is no formal contract that requires tow operators to put themselves in a situation that would result in being injured or killed while performing tow-related services. Be smart—work non-traffic side controls.

Tow operators shall not stand, walk, or work in live traffic lanes. Whenever possible, conduct wheel lift and carrier operations from the non-traffic sides.

When entering and exiting tow trucks on arrival or departures, move quickly towards a path that’s direct and immediate. Never turn your back to traffic.

Towers must recognize all possibilities of being struck as a pedestrian worker while standing, walking, or working the traffic side.

FIRST RESPONDER MENTALITY

Tow trucks typically aren’t recognized as, “First Responders,” and generally aren’t allowed to run, “Code Three.” This topic isn’t new, yet has a brutal personality of its own. There’s an egotistical, “disrespectful battle of wits” with towers claiming to be “First-Responders,” even though legal definitions vary state to state. Accordingly, know all the “allowable” or “prohibited” laws pertaining to emergency (blue) lighting and sirens mounted on wreckers and carriers in the areas being serviced.

For towers who have a “First Responder Mentality,” note that operators aren’t law enforcement. They have zero authority and zero powers of arrest.

Towers with a badge supplied through big box training, or purchased online, should never identify themselves using a badge as identification. Doing so may wind-up being a “quick ticket” to jail. Badges are is best left in a jump bag.

DANGEROUS EXPOSURES

It’s no secret that towers run the risk of violence.

When operators expedite a job, there’s always the potential for initiating road rage. Also, when law enforcement isn’t on scene, pay attention to your “Spidey Sense.” If something feels wrong, be smart and depart, even if it means requesting law enforcement come to the location. Night-shift towers should be

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64 • April 2024 | Towman.com

especially aware and wary of being set-up for a robbery.

Tow and recovery events expose towers to deadly hazardous materials, spills, drugs, explosions, bodily fluids, and other deadly hazards. Being readily equipped with nitrile gloves, work gloves, long-sleeved shirts, jackets, eye protection, and N95 face masks will go a long way in fortifying safety.

Avoid entering crashed or rolled vehicles looking to shift transmissions or apply E-brakes.

Here’s where expertise comes into play. As often as possible, use dollies, skates, and techniques to load or recover vehicles while remaining outside a vehicle’s interior. Never short-cut the proper application of “best practice” techniques.

OSHA, NIOSH, and other investigating entities describe industrial fatalities not as,

66 • April 2024 | Towman.com

“accidents,” but as “preventable incidents.”

Always practice industry safety, remembering that “Nothing’s routine!” Spontaneous occurrences can happen at any time.

In a perfect world, the best scenario consists of being greeted by an officer on-scene, discussing a “safety appropriate” recovery plan, and then the officer returns to police work. Now is the time to work your magic by proudly and efficiently performing the tasks required of the job, and proving you are a “Varsity Player.”

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AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 67

Tow Manager

DRIVE’s Jim Saeli will be presenting a seminar on this article topic at the upcoming DRIVE EXPO/WreckWeek event on Friday June 21st at 8am. Don’t miss it!

Top 10 Everyday Tips How Towing Business Owners Succeed

By Carolyn Gray, DRIVE

T

he demands of running a successful tow business can be overwhelming, and important tasks might be overlooked while dealing with the daily chaos. To ensure sustained growth and success, many prosperous owners have identified key actions that, when incorporated into their daily routine, contribute to a more focused and efficient operation. Let’s consider these ten essential tasks that can make a significant impact on your business.

GREET YOUR STAFF

Carolyn Gray of DRIVE has an extensive background in marketing, media strategy, creative and branding – including Vice President of Marketing at Fox Broadcasting and Co-President of Filmaka Studios. She brings that wealth of knowledge to DRIVE.

The importance of fostering a strong connection between the owner and their team cannot be overstated. A simple "Good Morning" along with a personalized inquiry about their lives can go a long way in creating a positive and productive work environment.

Employees who feel valued and appreciated are more likely to be engaged, motivated, and committed to their work.

This in turn, contributes to a positive work culture, where individuals feel

68 • April 2024 | Towman.com

they are members of a supportive and interconnected team.

As the owner, the time devoted to these simple morning interactions improves the overall health and success of your business.

It fosters a positive work environment where employees feel seen, heard, and valued. The ripple effect of this positive atmosphere can be observed in increased productivity, better teamwork, and a higher level of job satisfaction among your staff. You don’t need to be their best friend, but recognizing them as a person will inevitably result in a stable business.

“As a former shop owner, I know that nothing has more punch then a simple and sincere ‘Hello’ to each team member,” observes Jim Saeli, Sr. Speaker, Instructor & Inspection Manager for DRIVE.

EVALUATE YOUR SHOP

A routine inspection of your towing operation each morning is not just a task; it’s a deliberate and strategic practice that holds the keys to maintaining the excellence and success of your business. This daily walk-through is not a mundane chore, but a critical component of your commitment to upholding the high standards you have set for your company.

The significance of this inspection extends beyond the surface-level evaluation. It represents a proactive approach to ensuring that every aspect of your operation meets or exceeds the values and expectations that you have established.

For example, are tools neatly organized in your tow trucks? Is the rigging equipment on each wrecker in the correct location?

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AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 69

Does your office and dispatch areas have an orderly appearance?

While the physical appearance is a tangible aspect of the inspection, an inspection also considers functionality, efficiency, and the overall customer experience. This commitment to continuous improvement positions your shop a destination that customers trust and respect. By consistently holding your business to the standards you've set, you instill a sense of pride among your team, fostering a culture where everyone is invested in maintaining excellence.

CHECK PROGRESS TOWARD GOALS

Setting and achieving goals are the backbone of a successful business.

Regularly reviewing weekly, monthly, and yearly goals is crucial for tracking progress.

Daily reviews provide insights into short-term progress, enabling timely adjustments. Monthly reviews offer a broader perspective, helping analyze trends and assess overall performance.

Annual reviews provide strategic planning for the upcoming year. They help your operation stay adaptable and on a sustainable path to success.

BE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT YOUR SHOP

Passion is contagious. When shop owners are genuinely excited about their business, it creates a positive environment for both employees and customers. Demonstrating commitment to excellence fosters trust among customers, ensuring repeat business and positive word-of-mouth marketing.

It's a strong indicator that the business isn't stagnant, but is always striving to be better, to offer more and to exceed expectations.

PRIORITIZE YOUR DAY

As your busy day of towing jobs unfolds, it's easy to get caught up in the chaos. Taking a moment to review

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AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 71

the schedule for the day and prioritize tasks helps a tow manager to stay organized and focused. Create a list of top tasks, distinguishing between urgent and less time-sensitive matters. This physical reminder will keep a company on track even when faced with unexpected challenges.

“Knowing what absolutely has to get done and what can wait until tomorrow is a key component of owning a successful business,” Saeli points out.

PLAN YOUR SCHEDULE

Flexibility is crucial in business, but planning your days and weeks in advance can minimize problems.

For instance, do you have tow truck maintenance days marked on your calendar? This can prevent mechanical issues, and allocate time for needed repairs to keep your wreckers on the road.

On the other hand, in the dynamic

72 • April 2024 | Towman.com

and sometimes volatile landscape of a tow business, where unforeseen challenges are inevitable, flexibility emerges as a crucial attribute.

The ability to pivot in response to unforeseen circumstances is essential.

EXPAND YOUR NETWORK

Establishing connections with fellow tow company owners in your local community is an invaluable asset for the growth and development of your business.

Rather than perceiving them solely as competitors, it is beneficial to think of them as fellow operators with shared objectives.

Engaging with other tow business owners allows for a cooperative exchange of ideas and experiences, enabling you to share insights into effective methods and potential pitfalls within your specific market.

Cultivate a network within your industry where knowledge and

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AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 73

best practices are shared, contributing to the effectiveness of all involved.

COACH YOUR STAFF

Devoting time and energy to the training and development of your staff is a strategic commitment to the future success of your business. Provide employees with opportunities for skill enhancement and professional growth.

This not only empowers them to excel, but also lays the foundation for a longterm commitment to your company.

When team members see a clear and attainable path for advancement within your organization, it fosters a sense of loyalty and dedication.

TRUST YOUR TEAM

Recognizing the drawbacks of handling every facet of a business singlehandedly is a key realization for any owner. Trusting your team members to shoulder responsibilities, and delegating tasks based on their individual strengths, is an efficient

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AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 75

managerial approach. It not only empowers your team, instilling confidence and enhancing productivity, but also frees you to concentrate on more significant issues crucial for a company’s effectiveness.

“No one can do it all,” Saeli points out. “And if you think you can, you won’t reach the level of being a truly operational business.”

LOOK FOR INPUT

When faced with difficult business decisions, tapping into a range of perspectives is useful for any tow business owner. Consultation with your own staff, and possibly with fellow shop owners and leaders from other industries as well, can provide insights for effective choices. Drawing on the experiences of others can help you steer away from potential pitfalls.

All told, using these 10 tips can result in a efficient and productive tow business.

76 • April 2024 | Towman.com

Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 77

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My Baby

A party pontoon boat festooned with graffiti-style graphics inspired the look of this Jerr-Dan carrier.

It’s Showtime!

Wild Wrecker Graphics for Really Getting Noticed

By George L. Nitti

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.

Red River’s latest eye-catching, festive wrap is a striking departure from the company’s previous graphics. They were inspired by a party pontoon boat festooned with a graffiti-style treatment designed

by Digital Effects Signs and Graphics of Texarkana, Arkansas.

“It was my wife Rebecca’s idea,” explained Red River owner David Akins.

“She had seen some graffiti painted on the side of a building and really liked it.”

David took hold of the company reins in 1998 from his father Wayne, who started the company in 1979 and passed away in 2013. Since taking over the company, it has grown from four units to an impressive 34 wreckers and has also added an additional seven locations in

80 • April 2024 | Towman.com

and around Texarkana, Arkansas.

Standing out in prominence is the company tag, Red River, written in large red, yellow, and white letters slanting downwards on both sides of their 2020 Freightliner with a 21-foot steel-deck JerrDan rollback. The driver of the unit, Brad Sinyard, provided input on this artsy piece as well, describing it as “Bold and colorful.

It makes a statement of who we are,” he noted, pointing to the lively layout bursting with colors.

“It’s something you would see on trains,” added Sinyard, who has been friends with Akins since they were, “little itty bitty.”

Sinyard also weighed in on its interior

My father’s

daily mantra to

customers was to make sure to always tell them that ‘Everything’s

Gonna be Alright.’

TECH HIGHLIGHTS Truck: 2020 Freightliner M2 Body: Jerr-Dan 21’ steel bed with 8000-pound winches Engine: 300hp Cummins Custom Features: Starlights in the headliner, Underglo lights, Sound System, Interior design matching graphics Graphics: Digital Effects, Texarkana, Arkansas

A great statement for a colorful carrier.

Every detail of the cabin got a stylish treatment.

The company name still stands out when the sun goes down.

You can’t miss this bold company logo on the hood.

Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

embellishments. He said that the seats, dashboard, and other areas inside the truck were redone, giving it a neo/retro feel, meant to give customers good feelings, particularly when listening to the new sound system that was put into the truck.

Also on the exterior is a memorial to David’s father, Wayne, located underneath the rear doors of the cab.

“My father’s daily mantra to customers was to make sure to always tell them that ‘Everything’s Gonna be Alright,’” recalled Akins.

“It just stuck with us. Now we tell our customers that. We know that it’s not the best situation at the time. But things will get better.”

As a spirited finale, the backside of the rollback states that it’s, “Showtime.”

Even though this wrecker looks like the life of the party, it’s not all fun and games. This steel-bed carrier is ready to get down to work and do what it does best: load ‘em up and lock ‘em down.

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • 81

Lowdown

Wanted: Steely Nerves

By Steve Calitri

R

Steve Calitri Editor-in-Chief scalitri@towman.com

eading over Tow Industry Week this morning, I noted several reports of violence. In one case, a repo driver was shot and killed by a car owner; nothing new there. In another, a towman had been dispatched to tow a car illegally parked, and was assaulted by the car owner after winching the car atop his carrier (nothing new there, either). The towman punched the man to the ground and that injury proved fatal. Another incident involved a great fog, and a tower plowing into a car stalled behind several accidents, killing the driver of that car.

Anyone working in this industry for more than a week must have steely nerves.

It’s not work for those who get rattled easily. Of course, I’ve realized this much having known many towmen over the years.

“Cool-Headed Men and Women Wanted” should be the headline of the helpwanted ads on the Internet or newspaper of choice. Randall Resch has written often on ways to defuse an angry motorist. Every tow operator and dispatcher should be trained in this art. Any abrasive moment could turn into a matter of life or death. A tow operator not only needs to have a cool

82 • April 2024 | Towman.com

head, but also a smart one to deal with the volatile situations he comes across.

Steely-nerved and cool-head towmen stand out in Journey of Angels, the epic novel of the towing industry by A.T. Armada. Scenes abound in the story where skilled towmen face risks that most recovery specialists have faced. A towman never knows exactly what challenge will come next until he arrives on scene.

In one episode in the book, a towman comes across a car overturned on an iced-over river with the driver trapped inside. The towman feels the risk of the ice cracking beneath his feet as he moves to rescue the female driver. He resorts to using the deadman maneuver to winch the car to the other side of the river.

Situations like that one will keep veteran towers captivated by the action, and the average motorist enthralled. I spoke to one reader who was amazed at what towers did in the story, awakened to the world of towing and recovery far beyond having one’s car towed from a fire hydrant. He said he had a new appreciation of tow truck operators.

Towers who read this book may be fascinated with the industry forces at play.

One character, Henri Rickter, plots to take over the industry.

Another tries to strengthen the lot of the independent towman. There is romance, humor, and tragedy in the story that is unique to the fabric of this industry. There is the spirit of God and the violence of man.

For those of you who aren’t inclined to reading novels, the familiar elements of this one may be too irresistible to ignore.

Journey of Angels can be purchased on Amazon.

Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • North 83

News Flash

The Acosta Bridge in Jacksonville, Florida buzzed with a procession of tow trucks to honor fallen towmen.

Procession Honors Fallen Towers and Brings Awareness

The memory of Austin Gayne, a 24-year-old Florida tower who was struck and killed in 2021, continues to live on. Towers united to drive in procession over the Acosta Bridge in Jacksonville, Florida to bring further awareness to the SDMO law, which was recently expanded to include moving over for all disabled motor-

North 84 • April 2024 | Towman.com

ists.

According to AAA, from 2016 to 2020, 350 people a year on average lost their lives outside of disabled vehicles, with a couple dozen tow truck drivers and emergency responders included in that number.

Carmie McInarnay, who was hit by a car in 1995 and lost her leg, works in the tow truck industry and she said deaths like that are preventable.

“It breaks my heart,” McInarnay said. “It’s just very hard just knowing that our drivers are out there on the side of the road every day, it scares me.” The expansion of the bill is something she says will help save lives.

Source: news4jax.com

license plate off a crashed car and keep it until either the insurance company or the owner pay for the tow.

Senate Bill 1743 also prevents the registered owner of the car from getting a new tag until the fine is paid.

Senator Roland Pederson (R ) said he has been working on the bill for a few years. He said it has support from Service Oklahoma, an organization that facilitates registering a vehicle.

“They [the wrecker companies] were just not getting paid for their services,” said Pederson. “Some of them were even going out of busi-

◀

Tow Bill Would Allow Seizure of License Plates

Legislation has passed through a committee in Oklahoma that would allow towing companies to take a

A proposed tow bill would allow towing companies to seize license plates of wrecked vehicles until owners pay towing and storage fees.

Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • North 85

ness because they weren’t getting paid like they should.”

Many of the wrecked cars hold little value for the towing companies, except as scrap metal, so storing them has become a losing proposition.

The bill will have to be passed by both the House and Senate in order to become law.

Source: yahoo.com

Towmen Brutally Assaulted in Arson Attack

Two Ontario, Canada towmen, each resting in the early morning in parked tow trucks, were brutally assaulted when two men deliberately doused their trucks with gasoline. One truck burst into flames when one of the perpetrators ignited it. Both drivers escaped death.

The incident is one of countless incidents of violence perpetrated against members of the province’s tow truck industry in the last few years, despite reforms that aim to mitigate criminal activities against tow companies.

A minute-long security clip showed two hooded figures emerging from a dark blue four-door sedan, and sneaking up to the two white GMC tow trucks that were parked next to one another at a plaza.

One of the suspects can then be seen pouring a bottle of flammable liquid onto the front of one vehicle (into the cowl panel specifically) while the other perp, who was also carrying a bottle, goes out of frame toward the other truck.

Officers note that one truck was fully engulfed in flames while the other one "was also doused in a liquid but did not ignite."

As seen in the video, one driver was able to pull away before the fire spread, while the other managed to open his door and escape without injury nearly 20 seconds after his truck was set alight.

Source: blogto.com North 86 • April 2024 | Towman.com

Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • North 87

North 88 • April 2024 | Towman.com

Episode 36

Copyright©2021 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

North 90 • April 2024 | Towman.com

Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • South 83

News Flash

The Acosta Bridge in Jacksonville, Florida buzzed with a procession of tow trucks to honor fallen towmen.

Procession Honors Fallen Towers and Brings Awareness

The memory of Austin Gayne, a 24-yearold Florida tower who was struck and killed in 2021, continues to live on. Towers united to drive in procession over the Acosta Bridge in Jacksonville, Florida to bring further awareness to the SDMO law, which was recently expanded to include moving over for all disabled motorists.

According to AAA, from 2016 to 2020, 350 people a year on average lost their lives outside of disabled vehicles, with a couple dozen tow truck drivers and emergency responders included in that number.

Carmie McInarnay, who was hit by a car in 1995 and lost her leg, works in the tow truck industry and she said deaths like that are preventable.

“It breaks my heart,” McInarnay said.

“It’s just very hard just knowing that our drivers are out there on the side of the road every day, it scares me.” The expansion of the bill is something she says will help save lives.

Source: news4jax.com

Tow Bill Would Allow Seizure of License Plates

Legislation has passed through a committee in Oklahoma that would allow towing companies to take a license plate off a crashed car and keep it until either the insurance company or the owner pay for the tow. Senate Bill 1743 also prevents the registered owner of the car from getting a new tag until the fine is paid.

Senator Roland Pederson (R ) said he has been working on the bill for a few years. He said it has support from Service Oklahoma, an organization that facilitates registering a vehicle.

“They [the wrecker companies] were just not getting paid for their services,” said South 84 • April 2024 | Towman.com

A proposed tow bill would allow towing companies to seize license plates of wrecked vehicles until owners pay towing and storage fees.

Pederson. “Some of them were even going out of business because they weren’t getting paid like they should.”

Many of the wrecked cars hold little value for the towing companies, except as scrap metal, so storing them has become a losing proposition.

The bill will have to be passed by both the House and Senate in order to become law.

Source: yahoo.com

Towmen Brutally Assaulted in Arson Attack

Two Ontario, Canada towmen, each resting in the early morning in parked tow trucks, were brutally assaulted when two men deliberately doused their trucks with gasoline.

One truck burst into flames when one of the perpetrators ignited it. Both

◀

Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • South 85

drivers escaped death.

The incident is one of countless incidents of violence perpetrated against members of the province’s tow truck industry in the last few years, despite reforms that aim to mitigate criminal activities against tow companies.

A minute-long security clip showed two hooded figures emerging from a dark blue four-door sedan, and sneaking up to the two white GMC tow trucks that were parked next to one another at a plaza.

One of the suspects can then be seen pouring a bottle of flammable liquid onto the front of one vehicle (into the cowl panel specifically) while the other perp, who was also carrying a bottle, goes out of frame toward the other truck.

Officers note that one truck was fully engulfed in flames while the other one “was also doused in a liquid but did not ignite.”

As seen in the video, one driver was able to pull away before the fire spread, while the other managed to open his door and escape without injury nearly 20 seconds after his truck was set alight.

Source: blogto.com

South 86 • April 2024 | Towman.com

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Episode 36

Copyright©2021 American Towman Magazine. Characters and stories are fictitious; no resemblance to real life characters is intended.

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News Flash

The Acosta Bridge in Jacksonville, Florida buzzed with a procession of tow trucks to honor fallen towmen.

Procession Honors Fallen Towers and Brings Awareness

The memory of Austin Gayne, a 24-year-old Florida tower who was struck and killed in 2021, continues to live on. Towers united to drive in procession over the Acosta Bridge in Jacksonville, Florida to bring further awareness to the SDMO law, which was recently expanded to include moving over for all disabled motorists.

According to AAA, from 2016 to 2020, 350 people a year on average lost their lives outside of disabled vehicles, with a couple dozen tow truck drivers and emergency responders included in that number.

Carmie McInarnay, who was hit by a car in 1995 and lost her leg, works in the tow truck industry and she said deaths like that are preventable.

“It breaks my heart,” McInarnay said.

“It’s just very hard just knowing that our drivers are out there on the side of the road every day, it scares me.” The expansion of the bill is something she says will help save lives.

Source: news4jax.com

Tow Bill Would Allow Seizure of License Plates

Legislation has passed through a committee in Oklahoma that would allow towing companies to take a license plate off a crashed car and keep it until either the insurance company or the owner pay for the tow. Senate Bill 1743 also prevents the registered owner of the car from getting a new tag until the fine is paid.

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A proposed tow bill would allow towing companies to seize license plates of wrecked vehicles until owners pay towing and storage fees.

Senator Roland Pederson (R ) said he has been working on the bill for a few years. He said it has support from Service Oklahoma, an organization that facilitates registering a vehicle.

“They [the wrecker companies] were just not getting paid for their services,” said Pederson. “Some of them were even going out of business because they weren’t getting paid like they should.”

Many of the wrecked cars hold little value for the towing companies, except as scrap metal, so storing them has become a losing proposition.

The bill will have to be passed by both the House and Senate in order to become law.

Source: yahoo.com

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Episode 36

Copyright©2021 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

Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • West 83

News Flash

The Acosta Bridge in Jacksonville, Florida buzzed with a procession of tow trucks to honor fallen towmen.

Procession Honors Fallen Towers and Brings Awareness

The memory of Austin Gayne, a 24-year-old Florida tower who was struck and killed in 2021, continues to live on. Towers united to drive in procession over the Acosta Bridge in Jacksonville, Florida to bring further awareness to the SDMO law, which was recently expanded to include moving over for all disabled motorists.

West 84 • April 2024 | Towman.com

According to AAA, from 2016 to 2020, 350 people a year on average lost their lives outside of disabled vehicles, with a couple dozen tow truck drivers and emergency responders included in that number.

Carmie McInarnay, who was hit by a car in 1995 and lost her leg, works in the tow truck industry and she said deaths like that are preventable.

“It breaks my heart,” McInarnay said. “It’s just very hard just knowing that our drivers are out there on the side of the road every day, it scares me.” The expansion of the bill is something she says will help save lives.

Source: news4jax.com

Senate Bill 1743 also prevents the registered owner of the car from getting a new tag until the fine is paid.

Senator Roland Pederson (R ) said he has been working on the bill for a few years. He said it has support from Service Oklahoma, an organization that facilitates registering a vehicle.

“They [the wrecker companies] were just not getting paid for their services,” said Pederson. “Some of them were even going out of business because they weren’t getting paid like they should.”

Many of the wrecked cars hold little value for the towing compa-

◀

Tow Bill Would Allow Seizure of License Plates

Legislation has passed through a committee in Oklahoma that would allow towing companies to take a license plate off a crashed car and keep it until either the insurance company or the owner pay for the tow.

A proposed tow bill would allow towing companies to seize license plates of wrecked vehicles until owners pay towing and storage fees.

Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

AmericanTowman.com | April 2024 • West 85

nies, except as scrap metal, so storing them has become a losing proposition.

The bill will have to be passed by both the House and Senate in order to become law.

Source: yahoo.com

Towmen Brutally Assaulted in Arson Attack

Two Ontario, Canada towmen, each resting in the early morning in parked tow trucks, were brutally assaulted when two men deliberately

doused their trucks with gasoline.

One truck burst into flames when one of the perpetrators ignited it. Both drivers escaped death.

The incident is one of countless incidents of violence perpetrated against members of the province’s tow truck industry in the last few years, despite reforms that aim to mitigate criminal activities against tow companies.

A minute-long security clip showed two hooded figures emerging from a dark blue four-door sedan, and

sneaking up to the two white GMC tow trucks that were parked next to one another at a plaza.

One of the suspects can then be seen pouring a bottle of flammable liquid onto the front of one vehicle (into the cowl panel specifically) while the other perp, who was also carrying a bottle, goes out of frame toward the other truck.

Officers note that one truck was fully engulfed in flames while the other one “was also doused in a liquid but did not ignite.”

As seen in the video, one driver was able to pull away before the fire spread, while the other managed to open his door and escape without injury nearly 20 seconds after his truck was set alight.

Source: blogto.com

CTTA Elects New President to Foundation

The Board of Directors of the California Tow Truck Association Foundation (CTTA) elected Mike Paim as

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its new President. Paim has been active on both the CTTA Foundation as a Board Member, and on the CTTA Executive Board as one of the State Affiliate Vice Presidents for the Emergency Road Service Coalition of America.

“Paim has surpassed last year’s goals, working tirelessly to orchestrate the Las Vegas Tow Show and to bring our vendors into the arena to help our organization grow,” said Craig Baker, president of CTTA. “I am honored to work side by side with Mike on his new appointment.

The Foundation will flourish under his leadership.”

Terry Warford, the outgoing Foundation President, will continue to support the Foundation. The CTTA Foundation is a 501(c)(3), which was established to provide funding and support for education within the towing industry.

Source: CTTA press release

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Episode 36

Copyright©2021 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

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