SCREAMING Yellow Zonker

A-1’s Jerr-Dan Rotator is a Wrecker of a Different Color

By Steve Temple

Picking the right hue of paint for a tow truck is not done lightly, as it can have a big impact on the success of a towing business. In the case of A-1 Towing Service from Allentown, Pennsylvania, however, there’s an interesting history to relate as well, culminating with the addition of a bright yellow and green

Jerr-Dan HDR1000 rotator.

In business since 1965, Ross Body and Frame purchased A-1 Towing

Service in September of 1998, not only because A-1 was faltering, but also to have a name higher in the alphabet (which back in the day ensured you were one of the first list in the phone book). Since then, A-1 has been providing towing services to Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Saucon Valley, Northampton and the surrounding Lehigh Valley.

That same year, when Mike Ross was only 11 years old, he helped out around the shop, sweeping and washing cars, until he finished high school and was finally old enough to drive a tow truck. Mike moved up through the ranks to eventually become president, and has recently semi-retired.

Back in the 1960s, A-1’s tow truck colors were a dull red with purple lettering. In 2004, that all changed when the company secured a state contract. The state vehicles were yellow and green, so A-1 adopted them, but went bolder in the presentation for better visibility on roadside recoveries.

The company currently runs several heavy-duty trucks, mostly Freightliner and International, along with nine rollbacks, and various support vehicles. The present staff of 35 or so employees includes several relatives: Mike’s daughter Christina (president) and son Steve (light-duty towing and salvage jobs). Mike’s brother David is in charge of the garage and heavy-duty operations, and his sons Scott and Patrick also work in the garage. David’s other son Sam operates the Jerr-Dan rotator featured here.

This 2021 Mack Granite twin-steer truck was actually the first one ever built to accept a Jerr-Dan HDR1000 rotator (also designated as a JD50/60). Assembled in McConnellsburg, PA, it has a 360-degree rotating boom with a lifting capacity of 120,000 pounds. The boom has an extended reach of 42 feet with four winches; the pulling power is 140,000 pounds, plus a rear drag winch of 50,000 pounds. The truck is 35-feet long, and weighs 35 tons, and is equipped with the latest emergency lighting, scene lighting, and recovery equipment, with assistance from Fallsway Equipment Company in Akron, Ohio. Mike gives a nod to Dale McLaughlin at Fallsway for his help in spec’ing out the wrecker, along with Richard Gutman from Jerr-Dan. Marc

Corradina of Classic Design applied all the glittering metallic graphics.

It its first week of operation, this rotator was put to good use when a semi hauling a load of milk crashed over a high-top Jersey barrier, smashed a few vehicles and then caught fire after breaking in half. Fortunately, everyone involved in the accident survived, but it took some heavy lifting to free the fullyloaded trailer. (Mike explained that the milk needed to be contained since it’s considered a hazardous material for fish in waterways.) The recovery took all night, and the Jerr-Dan was scheduled to head to the factory that morning for testing and training.

“We told Jerr-Dan it’s already been tested,” Mike pointed out. “Holding that burnt trailer up in the air, to put dollies underneath it.”

Other duties for the Jerr-

Dan haven’t been as dramatic, yet no less valuable, such as loading Medevac helicopters for transport to a repair shop. It also has been on the show circuit, displayed at a few events a year, where its vivid color scheme draws lots of admiring spectators.

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