American Towman Magazine - September 2023

When a pickup crashed into flowing water, it took precise teamwork between Milne’s Towing Services and the Reno, NV, Fire Department’s wet team for rigging and recovery.

Photos courtesy of Milne’s Towing Services

by Steve Temple

The Walkaround

With Deep Appreciation

Dennie Ortiz Publisher

Personal tragedy and upheaval may shape a life, but it doesn’t have to define it. My family and I recently experienced a serious misfortune with a house fire that left our home uninhabitable. I am thankful beyond measure that none of my family or pets were harmed.

I can’t begin to express the depths of my appreciation for everyone that has offered me help, hope,

and love during this difficult time. My faith in humanity has been restored. My belief in the general kindness of others has been renewed, and I’m met with reaffirmed faith in our neighbors and country. Regardless of religious or political leanings, at the end of the day we are a society that shares more in common than the differences that set us apart.

Having so many of my “Towing Family” come to my aid has left me humbled as we are a close-knit community that takes care of one another.

Thank you all for your continuing support. Our editor will now walk you around this issue, and, even more fittingly in light of my recent experience—STAY SAFE OUT THERE!

Can You Hear Me Now?

Steve Temple Editor

After reading through this issue’s Masters of Chaos accounts, I was struck by how critical clear communication is when handling a multi-vehicle pileup, a toxic waste spill, a train wreck, or a rig dangling off an overpass, among other difficult scenarios. In addition to close coordination between towmen when safely rigging up their wreckers, there’s also the need for clear communication

with other tow companies that might be involved.

Hence the reason for an incident commander who gives clear instructions to all involved. This includes, of course, coordinating with other agencies, such as first responders, police and the fire department.

That was the also case with Milne Towing Service’s recovery near Reno, NV, featured on the cover of this issue. They initially had to coordinate with both NDOT and NHP public agencies to divert traffic away from a bridge closing after a pickup crashed into the Truckee river. Then, the Reno fire department’s Search and Rescue “wet team” arrived on scene to assist with rigging the pickup in the rushing waters. Milne’s towmen admitted that this operation was the most time-consuming and challenging aspect of the recovery. Looking back on it, however, everyone involved realized how well they can function unitedly as a team with various public agencies.

As for the rest of this issue, I always appreciate practical advice, such as Terry Abejuela’s tips on toolboxes in Hands-On Tech, and Brian Riker’s advice on improving impound profits. Also, Rob Benson breaks down new technology that simplifies PPI (Private Party Impounds). Lastly, there are also a couple of touching tributes, one to Danco’s Daniel Reynolds, and the other to Mark Gutman, the father of Joe, who customized a wrecker “In Loving Memory of Dad.” So, there’s plenty of material to reflect on this month.

Dennie Ortiz

Steve Calitri

Steve Temple

Randall Resch

Terry Abejuela

David Kolman

John Borowski

Mark Lacek

Brian Riker

George Nitti

Henri “Doc” Calitri

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

Contributing Editor

Contributing Editor

Contributing Editor

Editorial Board

Tommy Anderson

Roy Carlson

Debbie Collins

Belinda Harris

Bill Johnson

Kurt Wilson

Dallas, Texas Saint Paul, Minn. Las Vegas, Nev. Greensboro, N.C. South Hadley, Mass. Creve Coeur, Ill.

American Towman Staff

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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Prohibiting Mandates on Speed-Limiting Devices

U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R – Montana) introduced the bill, “Deregulating Restrictions on Interstate Vehicles and Eighteen-Wheelers (DRIVE) Act.” If passed, it would prohibit the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) from implementing any rule or regulation mandating large commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) engaged in interstate commerce be equipped with a speedlimiting device set to a maximum speed.

Studies have shown that speedlimiting devices on large CMVs make our roads less safe, increasing congestion and creating dangerous speed differentials among vehicles, leading to higher crash rates.

“Overreaching, out-of-touch D.C. mandates oftentimes make truckers’ jobs harder and can even put their lives at risk,” Daines said. “I’ll keep fighting for Montana truckers and against big government.”

The towing industry, led by the efforts of TRAA, stands behind the DRIVE Act.

Source: TRAA

TRAA Opposes Federal Report on Consent Towing

TRAA has submitted a formal letter to the House Committee on Appropriations on behalf of the towing industry in opposition to language that encourages the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to consider implementing a “consent towing fraud prevention outreach campaign.” This campaign would inform the public about excessive consent towing fees charged by dishonest tow truck operators and educate them on resources to protect themselves from these predatory practices.

TRAA made efforts to prevent that provision from being included in the infrastructure bill that was eventually signed into law last year.

Source: TRAA

Minnesota Court Upholds Search at Impound Lot

A gun was found in the car, in addition to drug paraphernalia, heroin, and methamphetamine. Schell and his passenger were arrested, and the vehicle was impounded.

After the passenger posted bail, she asked to remove some personal items from the impounded vehicle while communicating with Schell via text. The deputy accompanying the passenger, suspicious of his activity, further searched the car and the passenger, and found contraband.

In a court decision in Minnesota involving searches of impound lots, a court of appeals affirmed the legality of reasonable searches, including admitting evidence discovered from a vehicle days after it was first impounded.

The case involved defendant Andrew Schell, who was stopped for brake light and license plate violations.

Schell claimed it was unlawful search and seizure because the search was conducted after the fact. However, the state struck down this argument, finding the search was lawful under probable cause and Schell was found guilty of further charges and sentenced to 110 months in prison. (The source for this news item did not state if additional charges were filed against the passenger as well.)

Source: minnlawyer.com

Judge Throws Out Case Against Maine Towing Companies

A federal judge has dismissed a civil lawsuit against several towing companies that included law enforcement and state agencies. The suit claims that they were part of a multi-county scheme to illegally seize and sell vehicles. Towing companies named in the suit were Therriens Used Cars Towing & Recycling, Dave’s Auto Repair & Towing, and All Time Towing & Automotive.

The complaint was filed by suspended lawyer, Scott Fenstermaker for three plaintiffs who had their cars taken by law enforcement officers following traffic stops and a minor crash.

“Because the plaintiffs have not appeared or otherwise responded since the initial filing of their complaint in February 2023, and because they failed to comply with the court’s order, dismissal

is warranted,” wrote U.S. District Judge Jon Levy.

In each case, it claimed that law enforcement used the private towing companies to remove the plaintiffs’ cars following infractions and crashes and gave the plaintiffs various reasons why they couldn’t get their cars back. The complaint then alleged that the towing companies were taking advantage of the BMV’s title transfer law to get ownership of the vehicles and sell them.

Source: finance.yahoo.com

A case against several Maine tow companies was dismissed by a judge and deemed “friviolous” by a lawyer representing the Sheriff’s department.

A Minnesota Court affirmed evidence found at an impound lot involving criminal activity was justified as admissible evidence.

Florida Tow Company Suspended from Rotation

ASAP Towing, located in Jacksonville, FL, was suspended from its rotating list. A letter was sent by Jacksonville’s Sheriff’s Office (JSO) to the tow company, saying that the company was warned in January about its practices and has not followed the city’s municipal ordinance.

According to the letter, JSO investigated several complaints about ASAP Towing involving towing dozens of cars from private property without approval. As a result, the firm was forced to return the cars.

In a statement, ASAP President Vince Serrano has disputed the charges. In a letter of response, Serrano said

that they would seek counsel in court and may seek financial restitution for losses incurred by what he stated is the “retaliation” of Sheriff J.K. Waters.

Source: actionnewsjax.com

South Dakota Tow Company Denied Towing Permit

After buying a lot with the hope of conducting a towing business, Lowell Langstraat, owner of Outlaw Repair and Recovery of Mitchell, South Dakota, was denied a conditional use permit to use the property for his towing business in a split vote held by the four county commissioners.

Although the area that Langstraat purchased the property includes other businesses with permits, residents expressed safety concerns due to the street’s high volume of truckers going in and out of Mitchell.

“There are places zoned for businesses,” said Karen Lunn, who lives on the same side of the road as Langstraat’s lot. “Everything that goes on at Outlaw Repair and Recovery is a danger to the kids and the pets and the old people in the neighborhood.”

County Commissioner Dennis Kiner, who was against the permit, stated: “I’m definitely pro-business — if it’s compatible with the area where it’s

International Towing Museum Names Lauren Colón Executive Director

The Board of Directors of the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum announced its new Executive Director, Lauren Colón, who will join the museum by September 1, 2023. As the Executive Director of the towing museum, Lauren will work with the staff and the Board to execute the museum’s mission and overall strategic plan. In her new role, Lauren will lead all aspects of the museum including its collections and programs as well as marketing, sales, and growth responsibilities.

“We are pleased to have Lauren join our work at the museum,” said Bill Gratzianna, President of ITRHFM. “Our future is bright and with the addition of Lauren to the team, we can accomplish so much more for our constituency.”

Colorado Expands Move Over Law

Colorado will become one of 19 states to enhance its Move Over Law by requiring motorists to slow down and move over for all disabled vehicles flashing their hazards.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed the bill into law on March 17, and declared August 7, the day the new law went into effect, as “Slow Down, Move Over Day” in Colorado.

being placed,” he said.

Langstrat stated, “It’s not the American way,” arguing that the current businesses in the area have set an example that should be stuck to.

Another county commissioner sided with Langstraat, noting, “We do a lot of conditional use permits. So, if we’re going to be pro-business, we’ve got to be consistent about that.”

Source: mitchellrepublic.com

“With the updated Move Over Law, we are taking a significant stride toward our goal of zero deaths on Colorado roads,” said Matthew C. Packard, chief of Colorado State Police. “Slowing down for disabled vehicles shows respect for every road user, and together, we can create a safer driving environment for everyone.”

Almost 350 people are struck and killed outside a disabled vehicle along roads in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Source: denver7.com

ASAP Towing owner Vince Serrano, whose company was suspended by Jacksonville, Florida’s rotation, will fight the charges leveled against his company.

County Commissioners in a South Dakota community deliberate over a conditional use permit requested by Outlaw Repair and Recovery.

road Tools

Light ‘Em Up!

Custer Products offers an array of high-quality beacon lights that can act as effective signals for warning or attracting attention. They can be installed on tow trucks, emergency vehicles, farm equipment, boats, buildings, and other structures or vehicles. The company’s newest beacon is bright and versatile because it has four color options in just one light. It can switch between displaying any of four individual colors—amber, white, red, or blue—depending on the needs or circumstances. This five-inch-tall strobe boasts 64 high powered LEDs, and operates on 12 to 24 volts with 15 possible flash patterns. Offering either magnetic or permanent mounting options, this light can be placed virtually anywhere. It includes a 13-foot cable for connecting the light to an auxiliary power plug, along with a dual switch for on/off and flash pattern changes.

custerproducts.com

Talk to Me

David Clark has launched its first Smartphone application for heavy-duty towing companies that handle multi-truck recoveries on critical job sites. This flexible mobile application provides easy, hands-free communications for tow operators without the need for either internet or cell phone service. It connects up to 10 operators using a smartphone, a portable Audio Gateway, and a free smartphone app called DC ConneX CREW. This flexible group communication solution runs on an iOS or Android operating system, and can connect with any Bluetooth earbud or headphones, including David Clark’s green dome, hearing-protection headsets. Tow and recovery teams can use the items they already own— their phones and their listening devices. The ConneX CREW mobile app improves the efficiency and safety of team communications in recovery environments as well as a variety of towing applications. The CREW app uses Embedded Voice Over IP (VoIP) technology which opens the door to higher levels of scalability in portable communications while maintaining private network coverage and security. Made in the U.S., the David Clark team provides unlimited onboarding training and support with the Worcester, Massachusetts-based team for 45 days after purchase.

connex.davidclark.com

Touch-Pad Illumination

Hamsar designs and manufactures custom lighting and electronic solutions for specialized vehicle markets. The company’s latest series of LED accessory lights provides illumination at your fingertips. The touch-switch E strip lights are turned on and off by lightly pressing on the sensor pad, and they have an auto function that turns the lights off after five minutes. An excellent solution for a tow truck’s tool compartment lighting, they are readily available in 12”, 24”, 36” and 48” lengths, with nine LEDs per 12” section. The LEDs are protected with a polycarbonate extrusion, so they are extremely resistant to moisture, dust, and impact. Mounting the lights is made simpler with a peel-and-stick application.

Ram 3500 ProMaster Cargo Van EV Roadside Assistance

It’s obvious that EVs (electric vehicles) are on the rise. In 2022, the sales of electric cars rose by at least 55%, reaching a total of 10.5 million units, according to the EV Volumes

sales database. While EVs pose several technical challenges for tow operators, these vehicles are also a new revenue stream. Just like conventional vehicles, EVs need roadside assistance, hence

the need for a service van that caters to their specific needs.

That’s where Worldwide comes in with its Ram 3500 ProMaster Cargo Van - EV Roadside Assistance. It comes equipped with Vanair’s EPEQ (Electrified Power Equipment), a quiet, zero-emission system that uses a Smart Controller to communicate with a specifically developed line of ELiMENT Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries (safer and more durable than a lithium ion type). In addition, the EPEQ allows a towman to turn off a vehicle’s engine and still run equipment needed on scene.

Worldwide’s EV Roadside Assistance van, powered by a 3.6L V6 VVT engine, is also fitted with two EPEQ batteries, a Level 2 EV charger, and three inverters (one 3kW 120 and a two 5kW 240 units). Other service equipment includes a 20-gallon air tank, battery shelving, shore power chargers, and a chassis charge. (Custom setups are also available.) All told, this EV Roadside Assistance van has just about everything that a tow operator needs to service a disabled EV, and other casualties as well. Should an EV require a special tow, however, Worldwide also offers customized flatbed car carriers, plus other recovery solutions and wreckers.

More Hooking, Less Looking

New Camera Tech Improves Private Party Impounds

By Rob Benson

It’s clear that advances in technology have resulted in more efficient and streamlined processes for a wide variety of industries. For towmen, the Private Party Impound (PPI) sector is no exception, with three standout technologies in particular: digital permits, mobile LPR (License Plate Recognition) enforcement, and fixed cameras integrated with video analytics. These innovations have emerged as transformative forces in PPI operations, and towers can benefit by becoming familiar with them.

BENEFITS OF DIGITAL PERMITS

Replacing old-school hang tags and window stickers with digital permits provides a practical improvement in parking management. Old-school physical permits have various drawbacks, such as the expense of production, the logistical hassles of distribution, and the potential for loss, theft, or damage. Also, they can be copied illegally, leading to unauthorized parking. By comparison, digital permits have emerged as a more efficient and less expensive alternative. Digital permits, being entirely online, eliminate the need for physical production, distribution, and replacement. This fact alone leads to significant cost savings for management, and simplifies matters for users, who no longer need to worry about misplacing their permits or forgetting them in another vehicle.

The advantages of digital permits extend well beyond just cost savings though,

as they provide improved functionality, greater flexibility and immediate validation. Users can manage their permits online, making changes or adding new registrations that are instantly updated in the system—including guest permits. This feature affords a significant advantage in settings where parking turnover is high, or visitor parking is common, and waiting for physical permit validation could lead to unnecessary fines or disputes.

"When we shifted to digital permits, we experienced greater efficiency, and I became more confident in our tows,” stated Tamara Rodrigue, owner of Cedar Towing & Auction, Inc. in Minneapolis, MN. “It’s certainly beneficial to have residents manage their own permits online.” When asked if there are any downsides to this technology, Tamara acknowledged that, “This transformation is not without challenges,” she admits.

Rob Benson is the CEO at Parkva Corporation. Using the power of artificial intelligence and computer vision, Parkva is at the forefront of crafting industry-leading video analytics solutions tailored for detecting parking occupancy and violations. Rob can be reached at rbenson@parkva.com.

Guests register for parking via QR code

ADVANTAGES OF MOBILE LPR

The next piece of the efficiency puzzle is mobile LPR (License Plate Recognition) enforcement. Parking enforcement in apartment complexes has traditionally been demanding and time-consuming, but LPR is a game-changer. With its capacity to automate and streamline the process of identifying parking violators, mobile LPR enforcement has quickly become an indispensable tool in managing parking spaces in residential settings. How does it work?

Mobile LPR functions automatically, scanning and verifying license plates against a digital permit database. This technology equips tow drivers and patrolling companies with the ability to identify parking violators in real time, negating the need for manual permit checking. This instant validation speeds up identifying violations, reduces the manual workload, and increases the number of properties one can patrol within a given timeframe. Just ask Brock Dion, General Manager at Ranger Tow, Inc. in Houston, arguably one of the

parking violations.

“It demands more from residents, and not everyone is at ease navigating the digital landscape."

Not Your Father’s Mobile LPR

License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology has come a long way since its inception. Its early versions were expensive, complex, and unreliable, as with most technologies. Early LPR systems were typically bulky, difficult to install, and required significant computational power. The user interface was often challenging, and the systems were not as adept at reading plates, especially in less-than-optimal conditions. Fast forward to the present, and we’re clearly dealing with “Not your father’s LPR.” Today’s mobile LPR systems are lightyears ahead of their predecessors in accuracy, affordability, ease of use, and efficiency.

Modern mobile LPR technology uses sophisticated algorithms and AI to accurately read and identify license plates from various countries, states, and formats. They can recognize and process plates in real time, even at high speeds or low-light conditions. These systems are now portable and more straightforward to install, fitting seamlessly onto tow trucks or patrol cars. User interfaces have also evolved to be more intuitive and user-friendly, allowing for easy configuration, quick searches, and real-time alerts. They also integrate easily with third-party digital permit and tow dispatch systems, enhancing the overall enforcement process. The accuracy of these modern systems significantly reduces false positives, making parking enforcement jobs easier and more efficient.

What are the initial reactions of government agencies to LPR? After a February 2020 meeting with representatives from the Montgomery County, Maryland, Office of Consumer Protection, they invited me to provide insights into the functioning of our fixed-camera product, Parkva Watch. Their objective was to assess the compatibility of our system with their ordinance against predatory towing.

Although no official position was established at that time, they perceived our system as a tool that could provide consistent, unbiased, and vigilant monitoring. They noted that our product’s real-time violation detection capability could potentially reduce disputes arising from human error and oversight. They also highlighted that an effective and impartial solution like Parkva Watch could safeguard consumer rights and cultivate a more peaceful and fair parking environment for all involved parties.

most experienced users of mobile LPR cameras. Even so, he includes some practical suggestions as well.

“While digital permits and mobile LPR facilitated a three- to four-fold rise in PPI tows for us, it’s crucial to remember that technology is just one part of the equation for achieving such results,” he points out. “The success we've seen wouldn't have been possible without our drivers' holistic

thinking, the right team composition, robust operational procedures, and adherence to best practices. Relying on technology alone will simply lead to disappointment." This sentiment is right in line with general experiences in the industry.

DELIVERING DATA

Mobile LPR enforcement adds a level of accuracy that manual

checking can't match. It eliminates the risk of human error, ensuring more reliable and fairer enforcement of parking rules. Moreover, the data collected by these systems is used to analyze parking patterns, providing useful insights for property managers and PPI tow management. For instance, understanding such patterns can assist in more effective enforcement of parking rules and regulations. By knowing where and when violations are most likely to occur, PPI towers can more efficiently allocate their resources.

The real-time, accurate, and wideranging capabilities of mobile LPR enforcement make it a significant asset in enforcing parking rules in apartment complexes. By increasing efficiency and freeing up resources, this technology paves the way for improved management and a smoother parking experience for residents. As a result, mobile LPR enforcement is not just a gamechanger; it's shaping up to be the future of apartment complex parking enforcement.

CANDID CAMERAS

The final piece in this technological triad is fixed cameras equipped with video analytics. Imagine the challenge of monitoring urban commercial parking lots round-theclock, identifying parking violations, and enforcing the rules. Traditionally, this would require extensive staffing and resources, such as manual patrols and human spotters, which may not be entirely efficient, feasible, or even legal. However, with the advent of fixed cameras equipped with video analytics, this daunting task has been simplified, made more effective, and is performed in compliance with local predatory towing ordinances. Fixed cameras with video analytics are like tireless, efficient, and highly observant sentinels or spotters that work 24/7,

Parkva’s LPR cameras more accurately verify plates against the permit list.

providing uninterrupted surveillance of parking lots. They employ sophisticated software that detects, analyzes, and reports parking violations in real-time via text message, email, and/or your preferred tow dispatch software. This not only helps to identify violations such as overstaying, parking in no-parking zones, or customer-only (aka, walk-off) parking, but also makes it possible to respond swiftly and decisively.

William (Bill) Nestos, General Manager of Rendered Service, Inc. out of Chicago, shared his thoughts on the matter. Reflecting on the impact of fixed cameras automating the detection and notification of parking violations, he noted that, "The cameras save my drivers time and make them more efficient. They eliminate mistakes, and the client loves them because it provides proof of the parking violation."

Nestos’ comments prove the transformative role of digital technology in modern businesses. Unlike humans, these fixed cameras do not get tired, distracted, or biased. They can monitor multiple spots simultaneously and flag violations promptly. Video analytics also allows for pattern recognition and prediction, enabling proactive management, i.e., identifying where and when the violations are most likely to occur.

Additionally, these cameras offer a new level of enforcement coverage, with the ability to monitor multiple parking spots simultaneously, offering a bird’seye view that would be impossible to achieve with a human spotter.

All told, embracing these technologies is increasingly becoming a necessity rather than a choice in the PPI industry. Digital permits, mobile LPR enforcement, and video analytics will soon be the new norm, making PPI operations more efficient, productive, and profitable. The future of PPI is here, and it's digital, mobile, and persistently watchful.

Integrating permitting with enforcement provides a significant time savings by enabling the shift from stickers to license plates as the permit. Rather than a manual patrolling process looking for vehicles without stickers, Ranger SST employs spotter vehicles equipped with state-of-the-art LPR camera systems.

Load it or Move it?

Best Practices in Towing Safety

By Randall C. Resch

For towmen attending the national Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Course, an on-scene arrival assessment includes the consideration of moving a recovery to a different location. While doing so might facilitate the reopening of traffic flow, there are other factors to consider. The potential of an errant vehicle entering the recovery site, or a DUI driver making their way around responder vehicles, still exists.

In light of tow operators killed by DUI or distracted motorists driving around barriers or closed lanes, the question of whether to load a vehicle or move it elsewhere comes into play. This pivotal determination requires operators to make immediate decisions about onscene safety and survival.

Two serious questions must be addressed. First, when faced with an unsafe, on-highway recovery, should the disabled or wrecked vehicle be dragged or moved to a safer location? Second, is on-scene safety the prime consideration, or is working to restore traffic flow more important?

Even though towers don’t receive focused training related to on-highway

safety, the choice to load it or move it shouldn’t be overlooked. This is true for all types and sizes of tow trucks responding to on-highway scenarios.

The sad reality is that traffic safety hasn’t made its way into the industry’s mainstream. The root of the problem can’t always put the blame on distracted drivers, but instead on operators who unintentionally place themselves in harm’s way. On-highway safety gets ignored or is not fully understood by operators working the highways. That’s why it’s so important to train them to avoid traffic-side hazards, and not send novice operators to on-highway calls.

HEAD IN THE SAND?

When an operator is struck on a city street, or on a multi-lane highway, these tragic incidents are typically reported as, “pedestrian accidents.” Quite the contrary, though, as there’s always an identifiable secondary reason why the hit occurred, and whether or not the action of the motorist or (pedestrian) operator was preventable. Should strikes even be considered accidents when a fatality could have been prevented

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.

if the pedestrian (towman) had simply worked away from traffic?

Learning how to (potentially) avoid pedestrian strikes has been a career-long project of mine. Based on numerous visits to tow forums and industry safety conferences, a significant percentage of towers are blind to on-highway safety. To those who might disagree, more than 600 operators have been killed working traffic-side and shoulder incidents. A larger percentage of operators killed on the highway didn’t involve details such as rigging or safe working load limits. Which means that not teaching towing safety and recovery for on-highway operations equates to a “head in the sand” mentality.

The industry’s long history of tragic incidents demonstrates that towers aren’t usually focused on nearby dangers when they handle recoveries. For every amber light bar, ANSI-vest, cone, flare, sign, cop on scene, and even new phone/dash-app announcement, they may well be providing an illusion of security to operators by falsely allowing them to think they’re protected. Think again. For safety’s sake, towers must reconsider how they view on-highway safety.

CARRIER CAUTIONS

For the towing and recovery industry, a basic premise indicates that flatbed carriers are equipped with winch capability for loading and offloading non-running or wrecked vehicles. Rather than winching them on or off, some tow operators will drive the disabled vehicle onto a tilted carrier’s deck, claiming speed as a reason, or perhaps they’re just too lazy to load vehicles properly. Is the process of driving on and off dangerous? The following incident is a telling example that this is indeed a hazardous practice.

In April 2013, a Houston tow operator responded to a vehicle assist, parking his carrier in front of the customer’s Toyota Corolla on a service road known for speeding motorists. The tower was seated in the Corolla’s driver seat when an intoxicated motorist, driving a full-size Toyota Tundra, slammed the Corolla.

The carrier’s deck hadn’t yet been tilted when the impact violently pushed the Corolla forward and under the carrier’s deck, completely crushing it and killing the operator instantly. Even though a second wrecker was on-scene in a blocking position, the DUI driver dodged the blocker-truck. This account illustrates why towers should not get into any vehicle with the intent of driving onto a carrier’s deck.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Even with vehicles moved to wider locations, there's always the potential of a deadly strike. It’s crucial ◀

to deliberately work away from the traffic side where tow operators aren’t openly exposed to approaching traffic. This is a necessary, conscious decision that’s often overlooked.

Especially true to carrier operators, best practices recommend that the winch cable is lever locked (readied) and positioned at the passenger-side rear corner of the carrier’s deck. If additional cable is needed, the cable is reversed-out from the non-traffic

side controls, rather than the deadly practice of working near dangerous approaching traffic.

For on-highway scenarios that include a motorist being arrested, the ignition keys to an impounded vehicle are typically with the officer, or in the vehicle’s ignition. In the interest of safety and limited time spent on scene, another option to non-traffic side loading is to attach heavy J-hooks of a loading bridle to the passenger side suspension and winch the vehicle onto the deck without entering the vehicle. Sidestacking cable is minimal, and cable isn’t damaged. By adding skates, the car remains in gear and the Ebrake on.

This procedure is conducted from the non-traffic side and is afforded the protection of the carrier's mass should a wayward vehicle strike occur. If the load location is dangerous, attach only the nontraffic side tie-down straps and haul the vehicle to the closest wide ramp or off-ramp to complete the tie down.

Ticket be damned, don’t get killed by walking, working, or standing on the white-line or traffic side. While this practice goes against the grain of getting that complete four-point tie-down, the more than 600 operator strikes on highway shoulders suggest that there’s got to be a safer way.

Before driving away from the load location, discuss your plan with the highway patrol officer letting them know what you intend to do. And, for additional safety getting off the highway, ask them to follow behind (escort) in leapfrog fashion, with red and blue lights on until the carrier gets up to speed.

WHY NOT DRAG IT?

Because safety is always the number-one consideration, dragging an immovable casualty out of mainstream traffic should be given first priority. There are

Every tower’s best chance of survival comes from within, by developing a solid safety mindset.

situations typical to heavy recovery where a semi and its trailer are lying on their sides in locations under bridges, construction zones, lane pinches, and other obstacles, creating an unusually dangerous work environment. In such a situation, does moving the casualty versus working the recovery make good sense? If a jackknifed semi and trailer is stuck atop a railroad crossing, isn’t moving it the smarter choice versus attaching an under-reach atop the tracks? Answer the following question: “What’s the quickest way to get out of a hazardous environment in order to decrease the potential of an operator strike?

While dragging is forever controversial, relocating a casualty should be part of a recovery plan to attain a higher level of safety. Dragging the casualty to a safer location should only occur when,

a) approved by the Incident Commander; (b) approved by the officer on-scene; or c) when safety demands such.

Shoulder work and “quick clear” is a game of speed and one that requires practice and refinement. For light-duty scenarios, is it smarter to drag a wrecked vehicle to wide shoulder locations versus installing dollies on a casualty as it sits in traffic lanes? These are the scenarios towers must consider while working through an “Arrival Assessment.”

CHANGE YOUR THINKING

Towers, know that distracted and intoxicated driving is here to stay. If our industry has hopes of seeing fewer incidents of operator fatalities, towers must actively work away from the traffic side whenever possible.

Survival requires a dramatic culture change in how towers view on-highway safety. Accordingly,

stop blaming the motoring public for failing to SDMO as distracted driving is entrenched in our motoring society. Every tower’s best chance of survival comes from within, by developing a solid safety mindset that demonstrates one’s willingness to survive.

The numbers of tow operator deaths will continue to rise if drastic measures are not taken. As far as age and experience goes, there are far too many recorded incidents where experienced and seasoned tow operators were struck while working on-highway events. Sadly, sometimes with experience comes complacency. Experienced or not, if you’re not 100 percent aware that highway environments are dangerous places to work, you might be your own worst enemy. Moving it instead of loading it could be the better choice—and might just save your life.

River Run

How Reno’s Wet Team and Milne Towing Services Pulled Together

By Steve Temple

The crew at Milne’s Towing Services has plenty of experience handling recoveries in various bodies of water near Reno, NV. What made this particular one different, though, was the need for close cooperation with the Reno Fire Department’s Search and Rescue “wet team” to haul out a submerged pickup from rapidly flowing waters.

oil

A wire rope from one of the heavies held the pickup in place in the running waters, while the wet team deployed a contamination boom to contain any possible

and fuel spills.

An elderly driver of a Ford F-150 suffered a medical episode on July 5, 2023, and veered off Highway 40 and landed about 35 feet down in the Truckee River. Milne, with the closest operator available, got the call at 8:30 a.m., and was on scene within 15 minutes in a Ford F-550 wrecker. Fortunately, first responders had already taken the driver to the ECU for medical treatment. The pickup truck, however, was still underwater, several yards downstream from the bridge crossing, and recovering it would require coordination between a few different agencies.

Firstly, the NDOT and NHP agencies closed the highway, and rerouted traffic. Next, the Reno Fire Department’s wet team, clad in safety gear, launched rescue kayaks into the river, along

RESPONDING

Robin Angle, Operations Manager

Cody Dallimore

Casey Henry

Paul Wade Jenkins

OPERATORS

The truck was then winched-in closer to the bridge to attach the rigging.

RESPONDING EQUIPMENT

Ford

2014 Peterbilt 388 Vulcan V70; 35-ton straight stick

2020 Peterbilt 389 Century 7035

NRC spreader bar

with a contamination boom to contain any possible oil and fuel spills.

After assessing the recovery challenges of the situation, Milne’s Cody Dallimore called in a couple of heavies, a 2014 Peterbilt 388 Vulcan V70 and 2020 Peterbilt 389 Century 7035, which were strategically positioned on the bridge, overlooking the pickup. Once on scene, Milne’s crew was loaned one of the wet team’s radios for communicating precise coordination of the recovery.

“It took quite a while to rig it up, and explain it to the wet team,” related Cody. “That was the most challenging aspect, to rig the recovery the way

F-550 Century 408 TA

Close communication with the wet team was needed for carefully positioning the rigging in the river’s rapidly flowing waters.

The nose was elevated first, in order to drain out all the water.

NRC’s spreader bar was used to distribute the loads evenly.

Company Profile

Milne towing was founded in 1954, and the current owners have had it since 2011. The company operates light-duty, medium-duty, and heavyduty wreckers, and does specialty transporting of toolboxes, sheds, and classic cars. It also has the capability to move up to 53-foot sea containers. Milne’s fleet consists of the following:

6 International 4300 Jerr-Dan flatbeds

3 International 4300 Century flatbeds

1 Dodge 500 Vulcan 807

2 Chevy 3500 Vulcan 810 and Century 300

1 Chevy 5500 Century 312

2 Ford F-550 Century 408 TA and 300

2 Dodge 4500 Vulcan 812 and Jerr-Dan

5 Dodge 5500 Century 312

1 International 4300 Century 3212 medium-duty wrecker

2 Peterbilt heavy-duty wreckers, Vulcan V70 and Century 7035

After the water was emptied out, Milne’s two heavies were able to easily lift the truck up the bridge level.

we wanted it. The situation and terrain made it difficult.” Smooth cooperation facilitated a faster retrieval than originally estimated, requiring only about two hours in all. But the amount of time required was not a priority.

As pointed out by Milne’s Operations Manager Robin Angle, “Safety was the biggest concern.” So, after the wet team attached rim slings both front and rear, along with a spreader bar from NRC, no personnel were allowed near the pickup truck as it was being raised.

With the two heavy tow trucks each handling one end of the pickup, only the nose was raised, allowing all the water to drain out through the opened doors. That process took about 20 minutes, which was followed by winching the pickup truck up to the bridge rail. Both drivers then slowly pulled away from each other to rotate the truck onto the bridge deck. After loading the damaged front end on a pair of dollies, Cody used the underlift on the Ford F-550 to elevate the rear of the pickup for towing back to

After the pickup truck cleared the railing, the tow trucks pulled away from each other to rotate the truck onto the bridge deck.

Milne’s storage yard.

Robin summed up the close cooperation involved in this way: “We learned how well we can work together, the importance of communication. The day you quit learning is the day you get out.”

Once on the bridge deck, the Ford F-150 pickup was disconnected from the rigging and then hauled away.

Tips on Tools Neatness Really Counts

By Terry Abejuela

Organizing your toolboxes involves way more than just making things look tidy. A well-thought-out plan for an orderly toolbox layout optimizes your operational efficiency, safety and professionalism. On the other hand, a sloppy setup can lead to accidents. When developing a plan, keep in mind traffic flow, frequency of use, secure storage, and ease of access. It’s important to make the most of the available space without impeding access. In addition to organizing the interior of the tow truck’s toolboxes, some of the larger equipment mounted on the wrecker body is equally important and should also be strategically organized.

TUNNELS FOR SAFETY

First and foremost, traffic safety must be considered when deciding where to store tools and equipment. When possible, frequently used tools and equipment should be stored on the passenger side of the truck (assuming most of your calls are on the right shoulder).

Even better, but not always possible, is to have access from either side of the truck. Tunnel toolboxes and equipment mounted on the deck of the truck may be able to be secured in location that is accessible from both sides of the truck. Long tools and equipment such as the prybar, broom, shovels and lumber can be stored so you

have access to them from either side. Also, it’s a good idea to add reflective tape to the inside edges of toolbox doors so they are visible to motorists when they are open.

VARIOUS ADVANTAGES

There are many options available for your toolbox doors, along with their lighting and locking systems. Traditional tow truck toolbox doors open widely, and sometimes in narrow spaces they may not open enough to allow access to equipment or stick out into your buffer zone. One solution to this problem, commonly used on heavy-duty trucks, is to use roll-up doors instead. These doors will fully open even when you have limited shoulder space, or an obstacle such as a guardrail is too close to the side of the truck. Some companies have added a chain on their car carriers’ toolbox doors that allows the tow truck operator to stop the door half-way to avoid sticking it out too far.

Lighting options available include LED strip lighting, dome lights or direction beam lights. They can be wired to turn on when the toolbox door is opened. Of course, lighting will help tow truck operators locate equipment more quickly at night.

There are also various options available for toolbox locking systems, such as electric locks that lock and unlock all of the tool box doors at the same time with the push

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.

Tool box lighting is an obvious aid to help operators locate equipment more quickly at night. The chain on the left keeps the door from fully opening in an area of limited space, but still allows ready access to equipment.

of a button. This setup eliminates fumbling for keys, especially with gloves on, while you are standing outside the truck to unlock each box that you need to access.

LIKE WITH LIKE

When possible, organize tools and equipment by their type or particular job or function. Keep your incidentmanagement equipment such as cones, flares, and advanced warning signs stored together. Accident scene equipment such as brooms, shovels, prybars, and sledge hammers should be kept together. Store rollover and recovery equipment such as snatch blocks, synthetic and chain slings all in one place.

When the tow truck tools and equipment are well organized, an operator is able to perform an effective and efficient pre-trip inspection in minimal time. Providing each piece of equipment with a specific

location makes it easier to see when something is missing. Drivers then won’t have to waste precious time searching for equipment.

Some companies use round or square tubing to organize their smaller tools and equipment, such as straps and ratchets, or small power tools. Alternatively, operators

make compartments using lumber, wire baskets or ammo boxes. There are also manufactured toolbox compartment organizers available.

SHIFTY BUSINESS

If you carry a significant amount of hand tools, you may want to utilize traditional rollaway

Note the PVC pipe mounted under the wrecker body to store advanced warning signs. Make sure you have the ground clearance needed so it will not contact any moving parts on the truck.

drawers mounted inside the tow truck. Hand tools can be organized in the drawers with same setups used by automotive mechanics. One difference for the towing industry, though, is if individual tools are not secured in the drawer, they tend to shift during transit and are no longer organized.

Simple tool securing techniques such as drawer liners, foam cut-outs or magnetic strips will keep hand tools from getting cluttered. If you use foam cut-outs, consider either painting the floor of the drawers a light color, or using two layers of the foam. The top layer should be dark and as thick as needed for the tools. The bottom color should be a light color like orange or yellow. The dark color should have the cut-out and the bottom layer can be a thinner foam pad, so when a tool is removed the bright color will make it plainly visible that a tool is missing.

Don’t forget to cut finger holes to make it easier to remove tools. Also label the drawers to make is easier to find a specific tool. Some operators forgo a toolbox altogether and utilize the walls or tool box doors and magnetic strips to hold hand tools.

Securing your tools and equipment includes theft deterrence, protection from the elements, and preventing equipment or tool damage. The tow truck toolboxes must be lockable and water resistant. Dry-deck type flooring on the toolbox floor can help keep your tools and equipment dry if some water pools at the bottom of the tool box.

Equipment and tools in the toolbox should be secured in some fashion to avoid shift and possibly cause damage to other equipment. Brackets can be attached to the inside of doors or on the roof of the toolbox to optimize all available space. Small tools can be held in place on the doors or roofs with magnets.

HERE’S YOUR SIGN

Labeling will undoubtedly make it easier to identify specific equipment and sizes. For safety’s sake, include a chart listing all loadbearing equipment, sizes, grades and working load limits.

If you store a fire extinguisher in a tow truck toolbox, it must have “Fire Extinguisher Inside” labeled on the outside of the toolbox door and be secured by a bracket. Make sure the extinguisher is easily accessible without having to move other equipment, and is mounted in a location that protects it from damage when taking other equipment in and out of the toolbox. Also, fire extinguishers are required to be checked once a year by a qualified inspector, and keeping a posted schedule and record of these inspections should be part of your toolbox maintenance.

In addition to the reasons mentioned in this article, maintaining your tools and equipment in a well-organized manner projects a professional image of the tow truck operator and the towing company. Take care of your toolboxes and they will take care of you.

Small storage bins can keep air fittings, nuts, bolts, pins, spare tool parts organized and easily accessible while utilizing the wall space as well.

These sliding trays mounted in a wrecker toolbox are strong enough to handle 225 pounds each, and make lifting heavy equipment easier and safer.

Strip clips not only secure hand tools, but also makes it easier both to identify and notice if any are missing.

This toolbox makes the most of available space on the doors, walls and roof, and clear labeling identifies drawer contents.

Stephanie Marchese is the newest member of the American Towman Editorial Staff and brings nearly a decade of publishing experience, most recently in the book publishing sector, as well as a 25+ year history collecting classic cars with her husband, a former NYPD Sergeant. In addition to writing features for AT, Stephanie is functioning as the in-house proofreader for the monthly publication of American Towman magazine and directly assists the publisher with marketing campaigns, AT Exposition essentials and publication details.

DANCO’s Golden Anniversary

A Legacy 50 Years in the Making

By Stephanie Marchese

When you consider examples of business longevity and what it takes to grow and thrive over a 50-year timespan, look directly to Danco Products as the company celebrates its Golden Anniversary. As a boy growing up on the family farm in Waynesboro, PA, Danco founder Daniel Reynolds was a talented machinist, who later utilized his skills to co-create the Jerr-Dan Corporation. Dan followed the path of free enterprise when in 1973, he purchased the Grove Agricultural Division from Jerr-Dan and began producing hydraulic farm equipment under the name of Danco Products.

Even though Dan passed away in 2022, the company bearing his name is now headed up by his wife Darlene as Owner, President, and C.E.O., continuing the vision of her late husband. While several types of wreckers and carriers are currently in the production line, the latest offering is a 14-Ton Integrated Wrecker, created to help towers move more and earn more.

Danco Products formed with the purchase of the Grove Agricultural Division of Jerr-Dan.

Danco’s 14-Ton Integrated Wrecker draws from five decades worth of manufacturing experience.

Dan and Darlene celebrating their anniversary in 1999.

Improving Impound Profits

Making the Most Money From Unclaimed Vehicles in Your Lot

By Brian J. Riker

If your towing operation does any work for law enforcement or parking enforcement, chances are you have a bunch of unclaimed vehicles taking up valuable real estate inside your storage lot. In most cases, though, it doesn’t have to be this way.

How often do you look at the inventory in your lot and ask yourself, “What should I do with all of these vehicles?” Before you can dispose of a vehicle, you must know a few things first. Most importantly, determine when it first arrived, and from what source.

SPEEDY SOFTWARE

Law enforcement-initiated storage may need to be handled differently than PPI, and likewise for a consent tow that was later abandoned in your lot. The ideal way to manage this information is with a reputable dispatch software program that automatically captures most, if not all of these data points when the call is received. Some of the better programs will even automatically generate alerts to remind your administrative staff to create and send notices, or complete other required paperwork to streamline the disposal process.

A defined and managed process is a must for the modern tow storage lot. Gone are the days of just dropping off a car out back and then hoping to recall the details days or weeks later when the customer or their agent comes looking for the vehicle. Effective dispatch software will have a storage-lot component built in just as it will the notification and reminder processes.

A well-managed storage program will provide the office staff with the immediate knowledge of how many vehicles there are, and in which lot, how long they have been there, their general condition and any special release stipulations such as a police hold. Your lot management program should be able to tie a specific vehicle to the tow ticket, invoice, and driver with a click of a button, as well as help you identify the vehicle when someone goes out back to find it.

It’s also wise to mark all vehicles as they come into the lot with a unique number such as the tow ticket, call or invoice number, as well as the date and the driver that dropped it. This practice makes for a good backup system should the software fail or if a vehicle is incorrectly entered into the system.

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

Consider selecting a few of the best unclaimed vehicles in your lot and offer them for retail sale in order to increase your revenue. Also, be sure to mark all vehicles as they come into the lot with a unique number and other details as a backup system should the impound software fail or if a vehicle is incorrectly entered into the system.

GETTING PAID

Sometimes, turning an unclaimed vehicle into a paid invoice is as simple as notifying the proper person with an interest in the vehicle. But without a good software program and access to the registered owner’s information, this is almost impossible.

These notifications, friendly at first, are the second step in managing your storage lot and a critical step in being able to legally dispose of unclaimed vehicles. Make sure you are sending these notices within the legally required timeframe and using the method prescribed by the law in your area.

The ability to dispose of unclaimed vehicles relies upon the lien process as permitted by your state laws. Every state is different, although there are general issues that are common among most lien laws.

In general, the most important thing to consider when applying for a lien on an unclaimed vehicle is the proper notification of interested parties. How many notices must be sent and through what means? What is the process if a notification is returned as undeliverable? What, if any, stays or holds have been put in place due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on debt collection in your state?

MANDATORY NOTIFICATIONS

An interested party is anyone with a claim to the vehicle such as the last known registered owner, a financial institution or even a bankruptcy receiver. It is your responsibility as the person storing the vehicle to research the title and notify anyone with an interest in the vehicle within the time frame mandated by your local laws. Even when your local law enforcement agency does this service for you, it is still your ultimate responsibility

to ensure that all interested parties are properly notified.

Without following the legal procedure exactly as required, a tower can find themselves on the wrong side of the law after obtaining title and disposing of an unclaimed vehicle. This happens most often with vehicles that are involved in bankruptcy filings, divorce proceedings or service member vehicles. Keep in mind that the process of disposing of unclaimed vehicles is a type of debt collection and is subject to several state and federal regulations beyond the process of obtaining a title or permission to scrap a vehicle.

Liens, sales or disposal of vehicles as a debt collection process is not something to attempt without help, or training in the applicable regulations. This is applicable to more than just abandoned and PPI tows. Even collecting on an accident tow and storage can expose you to lawsuits if a bankruptcy has been filed by any interested party (common with small trucking companies after a major crash), or if you failed to notify everyone that is legally associated with the property you are attempting to sell or dispose of.

Imagine a truck crash with a halfdozen interested parties and ask yourself, does my state allow me to sell the contents of the vehicle as part of the lien process, or am I liable to store and protect those contents? This is just one of the many questions that should be answered to effectively process lien sales.

RELIABLE RESOURCES

A relationship with an attorney or lien-processing service that understands these rules in your area, combined with a good software program with a database search service, will make this process a breeze. This will help you

process lien notices while meeting the ever-growing list of requirements that protect the vehicle owner and other lien holder’s interests in the unclaimed vehicle.

The days of simply waiting a few months and then filing for ownership are long-gone. There are law firms that specialize in recovering damages from towers who improperly take ownership of abandoned or unclaimed vehicles, waiting until just before the statute of limitations has run out, and hoping the tower does not have good documentation

of their prep work. This leaves the tower as an easy target for a quick settlement in favor of the former owner of the vehicle in question.

AUCTION ACTIONS

What is the next step? After proper notifications have been sent and the prescribed waiting period for a response has elapsed, you will then need to decide the best course of action for disposing these vehicles, while at the same time capturing the maximum amount of revenue. This can be tricky, especially in a state that

does not allow a tower to use any method other than a public auction to dispose of unclaimed vehicles.

Even when auction is your only option for disposal, you should still take the time to determine a fair value for the vehicle and take a few actions to maximize the return you will receive from the auction. Often, something as simple as airing-up flat tires and hosing the grime off of a vehicle will add hundreds of dollars to the auction price. If you can obtain a set of keys and check that the vehicle runs, you may add thousands of dollars to the value.

The bigger question surrounding auctions is whether to hold them in-house or off-site? With the onset of virtual bidding technologies, online auctions have quickly become a formidable competitor to the traditional live on-site auction model that’s been used for decades. For instance, one large salvage

Holding regular auctions onsite can attract large crowds of potential buyers. This tow company also holds online auctions in order to maximize the revenue from the sale of unclaimed vehicles.

auction firm used to offer 300 vehicles a week on-site. Today, however, this company sells many more vehicles, and at a much higher return, without ever having to set foot in the yard on the sale day, all thanks to technology.

PARTNERING WITH THE PROS

Towers can also benefit from this by partnering with one or more of the large auction houses. With a few pictures and a detailed condition report, these auction services can market and sell your unclaimed vehicles right from where they sit in your lot, which leads to secondary revenue in the form of loading fees or transport fees to deliver the sold units to the buyer. Or perhaps you prefer the old-fashioned off-site model where the vehicles are transported to the auction house. If so, maybe you can acquire the transport work to move your own inventory to their lot?

It usually makes more sense to use a professional auction company rather than try to conduct your own auction, unless you sell a large volume of unclaimed vehicles on a monthly basis. The benefits of using a professional auction service include better marketing of your inventory to just the right buyers, auction staff that are intimately familiar with the potential value of special vehicles, and experts regarding the title process across the nation.

Another consideration of online or off-site auctions is the reduced liability of your company because you are no longer allowing dozens of buyers inside your lot on sale days. The risk of theft or injury are real possibilities on auction day, as it’s impractical to keep a close watch over a large group of buyers during the sale. This is especially true with a public sale where the buyers are not accustomed to how a live auction works inside an

active tow storage facility.

ALTERNATIVE REVENUES

It never hurts to explore these options. You may even want to use more than one auction method depending on the predicted value and condition of the vehicle. Or, consider selecting a few of the best unclaimed vehicles in your lot and offer them for retail sale (depending on your local laws; note sidebar) or donate them to a local charity in exchange for publicity. Other options include giving unclaimed vehicles to employees in need or offer them as service loaners for mechanical or collision repair customers.

It may even be possible to partially disassemble some of these unclaimed vehicles for parts or scrap, although most local ordinances prohibit all but the most basic auto dismantling without a special permit. In this age of sensitivity to environmental ◀

Disclaimer

This article does not constitute legal advice. Not all states allow the remedies suggested in this article. Please check with your state towing association and legal counsel familiar with the vehicle storage and disposal regulations in your area. It is important to note that several states do not allow a warehouseman to profit from the disposal of abandoned property. If this is how the policy in your state works, you may be required to return any proceeds above your invoice, and reasonable costs incurred to the vehicle owner or law enforcement agency that initiated the tow.

impacts, many states require stormwater sampling and monitoring, special fluid containment and storage, and a laundry list of other requirements to operate as a dismantler. Be sure to check with an expert on these regulations before you begin dismantling unclaimed vehicles.

Although individually the components that make up a vehicle have a higher total value, especially such items as catalytic converters, along with batteries and aluminum components, this extra value compared with the “whole car” scrap price may quickly be lost to the additional compliance requirements and labor required to legally dismantle the vehicles.

When disposing of unclaimed vehicles from your storage lot, challenge yourself to think outside the box. Consider all angles of the vehicle disposal process and see if there are areas where you can improve. Diversifying your business includes finding new revenue streams. As the old saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Skilled Towers Restore Order On The Roadway

Each year, at the Masters of Chaos celebratory dinner, American Towman Magazine recognizes tow truck companies and operators that have handled chaotic, multiplevehicle incidents, and managed complicated recovery efforts.

This year, the event was held at the annual TowXpo in Fort Worth, Texas on July 13, where we praised the superlative efforts of eight heroic tow companies. Their feats ranged from recovering massive pileups on blizzard-blown highways,

to a tractor-trailer impaled by a mammoth locomotive; from a toxic tanker fire to suspending a tower from the very top of a three-tiered highway to secure a dangling rig.

The commitment of these towers in restoring order to situations which can only be described as hazardous and unpredictable, often risking their own safety, are unrivaled and they deserve to be celebrated every day. American Towman is proud to honor these towers’ selfless dedication to the

CARL’S AUTO CARE & TOWING

Date of Incident: January 6, 2022

Location of Incident: Elizabethtown, KY

Several inches of snow blanketed the ground in Elizabethtown, KY on the afternoon of January 6, 2022, which led to a major traffic pileup that left motorists stranded for hours.

According to Kentucky State Police, roughly 20 to 30 cars were involved in a domino-effect crash on the eastbound lanes of the Western Kentucky Parkway.

While no serious injuries were reported, one driver exclaimed, “You looked up, and cars were flying everywhere!” He went on to add that in his immediate vicinity, one car was in a ditch, a semi had crossed into another lane, cars were visible with windows and doors blown out and airbags deployed, and several cars had run under a semi-truck directly

behind him.

While the snow continued to fall heavily, emergency crews, including Carl’s Auto Care & Towing, worked diligently on the scene for hours. Traffic was diverted to the westbound lanes to afford responders room to clear the highway, and plows worked alongside emergency vehicles battling the extreme elements to clear and treat the roadways which in all, took more than 24 hours.

welfare of others in their communities and our nation’s highways.

Drivers were stranded on this snow-blanketed roadway for more than 24 hours in a 20 to 30 vehicle domino-effect crash.

At least one jackknifed tractor-trailer can be seen blocking nearly the entire span of the eastbound lanes.

Carl’s Towing receives the prestigious Masters of Chaos award presented by American Towman.

DEWEY’S TOWING

Date of Incident: January 18, 2023

Location of Incident: Beloit, WI

A massive 85-vehicle pileup occurred on January 18, 2023, amid blizzard-like weather on I-39/90 between Janesville and Beloit, WI. Snow, ice, and whiteout conditions caused a cascade of crashes that blocked the interstate for hours and sent 27 people to the hospital with crash-related injuries.

According to a local reporter, a laundry-list of crashes spanning over a 50-yard stretch on the interstate included 21 wrecked vehicles, multiple jackknifed and otherwise wrecked semi-trailers, and several vehicles wedged underneath semitrailers, were awaiting assistance from the more than 10 tow trucks on the scene. Adding to the mayhem, additional vehicles could be seen that had slid down a snowy embankment and crashed through a fence into an adjacent field.

JORDAN TOWING, INC.

Date of Incident: September 8, 2014

Location of Incident: Plano, TX

In the early afternoon hours of September 8, 2014, a flatbed trailer carrying a 20-ton rig slid on a ramp at the George Bush Turnpike and Dallas North Tollway, causing the rig it was hauling to shift. Consequently, the big rig overturned, catapulted from the flatbed, and landed on the cement barrier at the very top tier of this three-tier highway. For several hours, the rig dangled there precariously, awaiting salvation, and causing a nightmare of traffic congestion.

In addition to requiring HazMat worthy fuel spill clean-up from the roadway, NTTA spokesman, Michael Rey explained that “It’s a physics problem they have to solve on weights, loads, and stress.” The

With blizzard-like conditions leaving motorists stranded for hours, the city of Janesville sent a city bus as a warming vehicle for anyone not requiring medical assistance. Despite the harsh weather, emergency crews, including Dewey’s Towing, worked tirelessly for more than seven hours in the cold chaos to evacuate people and tow away mangled semis and cars.

strategy included harnessing a bold and daring rescuer from Jordan Towing and then lifting him into place to secure the wayward rig.

Traffic was backed up for miles and side streets were choked with cars while the scenario unfolded over the course of four hours and emergency crews worked to safely remove the ominous rig.

A cluster of crashes made it nearly impossible for emergency crews to access the scene.

Vehicles slid completely off the main roadway into a snowy embankment.

The 20-ton rig catapulted from its flatbed and landed in a treacherous position roughly 60 ft. from the ground.

Local news broadcasts the harnessed rescuer from Jordan Towing being lowered onto the rig to secure it for hauling.

The runaway rig is secured and ready to be extracted from its perch.

This massive 85-vehicle pileup stranded drivers for nearly seven hours in the freezing cold.

MISSION WRECKER SERVICE S.A., INC.

Date of Incident: August 7, 2022

Location of Incident: San Antonio, TX

As temperatures soared near 95 degrees on a steamy Sunday in August of 2022, and with the threat of thunderstorms looming on the horizon, drivers were stranded as Interstate-Highway 10 East was shut down for nearly 24 hours as the result of a crash.

The wreck involved a lone tanker

that was loaded with 7,000 gallons of a highly flammable and toxic solvent that crashed and rolled over the guardrail of this major traffic corridor.

Due to the risk of fire, both east and westbound lanes were closed while emergency crews awaited a specialized team and transfer pump to arrive from Houston. Although eastbound lanes were reopened after several hours, rubberneckers caused continued delays throughout the duration of the wreck.

ROAD RUNNER TOWING SERVICE

Date of Incident: April 26, 2023

Location of Incident: Cibolo, TX

A tractor-trailer is no match for the lead engine of a freight-train, as evidenced in the predawn hours of April 26, 2023, when a train demolished a tractor-trailer that inadvertently got stuck on its tracks.

First-responders on the scene discovered that the heavily damaged tractor-trailer was wrapped around the lead engine of the train and had spilled most of its fuel. Furthermore, the trailer’s cargo, a Ford F750 heavy-duty truck, was completely knocked off the trailer and thrown approximately 200 yards from the crossing and spilled its cargo all across the adjacent roadway.

This multi-vehicle recovery demanded the attention of several agencies, including Union Pacific to

guide the cleanup of the fuel spill. Once given the go-ahead to proceed, Road Runner Towing Service expertly managed the complicated, split-scene recovery of both the Ford F750, as well as the tractor-trailer from the train’s engine.

The challenges included not only the massive size of the train, the tractortrailer, and the F750, but also the

Once the threat of a fiery explosion was removed, Mission Wrecker Service jumped into action to remove the damaged tanker and get the highway reopened. potential environmental impact of a diesel fuel spill. The close collaboration of the multiple disciplines involved resulted in a flawless recovery just shy of four hours.

The tractor-trailer (now minus its cargo) was no match for this train’s lead engine.

A lone tanker filled to the brim with a toxic chemical lies exhausted on its side.

Thrown almost 200 yards from the scene of the accident, the Ford F750 bursts open and scatters its contents over the roadway.

With gasmasks in place, a specialized team offloads the noxious, highly-explosive solvent.

A shell of its former self, the once-glorious tractor-trailer is hauled away.

Mission Wrecker Service is on the scene to haul away the empty, mangled container.

It’s a Family Affair as Mission Wrecker Service enjoys the spotlight at the Masters of Chaos award dinner.

RYCHLIKS AUTO, LLC

Date of Incident: March 23, 2018

Location of Incident: Mount Pleasant, TX

Mount Pleasant, TX was anything but pleasant on the evening of March 23, 2018, when multiple 18-wheelers failed to stop for a single-vehicle crash along I-30. The initial accident triggered additional crashes when three 18-wheelers failed to stop for it about an hour later, clipping one another. A fourth 18-wheeler subsequently plowed into a minivan, which ended up sandwiched between the third and fourth trucks. The impact of the crash was heard throughout the surrounding areas, with several people reporting that they felt the ground shake.

The chain-reaction crash resulted in the tragic death of four people in the same family, including three children and their mother, as well as one semi-truck driver.

Rychliks Auto was on the scene and proved to be an essential part of the

recovery, getting the highway cleared and reopened in about four and half hours. Though the highway was eventually cleared, the devastation of that accident will forever remain in the hearts and minds of all those involved.

TEGELER WRECKER & CRANE

Date of Incident January 8, 2023

Location of Incident: Iowa City, IA

Sometimes, a thin sheet of ice can be more deadly than six inches of snow. This all too familiar reality came to pass on the cold winter morning of January 8, 2023, when a multiplevehicle, weather-related crash shut down a portion of I-80 in Iowa City, IA.

The chain-reaction crash involved a slew of vehicles: one jackknifed truck, two rolled tractor trailer units, one trailer split in half and detached from the tractor, two severely damaged units that had rear-ended each other, one tractor trailer that hit a tree, four cars, and one badly damaged U-Haul. Though most people involved in the compound crash walked away, one fatality was reported when a passenger was caught between the

barrier wall and a tractor.

Tegeler Wrecker & Crane worked relentlessly for more than six hours to clear the roadway, using heavy-duty tow trucks, roll-off dumpsters, and an excavator to collect the debris. To further ensure environmental safety, Tegeler operated in conjunction with the DOT to absorb and transport the spilled and excess tanker fuel quickly and efficiently. By evening, the roadway reopened for travel and the exhausted recovery team headed home.

Rychlik’s Wrecker Service hauls away the tractor-trailer from this devastating scene.

Multiple tractor-trailers pile up on the highway in Mt. Pleasant, TX.

Rychlik’s respectfully accepts the Masters of Chaos award from American Towman.

A vision of mayhem captured by a highway camera.

Tegeler Wrecker is on the scene to disonnect the crushed trucks.

Rescuers evaluate the remains of a burnedout truck.

A chain-reaction crash accordions several tractor trailers.

TEXAS TOWING

Date of Incident April 18, 2023

Location of Incident: San Antonio. TX

A picture-perfect sunny day turned into a nightmare inferno on IH35 South at the New Laredo Highway in San Antonio on April 18, 2023. An errant tractor-trailer struck a guardrail, ruptured a fuel tank, caught fire, and burned in its entirety.

The roadway, which is a major traffic corridor for commercial trucks traveling to and from Mexico, remained closed for nearly 10 hours while several crews, including Texas Towing, collected the incinerated remains of the tractor-trailer and cleaned up the large diesel fuel and motor oil spill. Once the crew finished, the DOT was on scene to repair the roadway and reopen the highway for traffic.

Fire and black smoke engulf the highway obscuring the highway camera’s view.

The infamous King-Kong is called in to aid with the removal.

The monumental removal leaves behind a torched field.

The tractor-trailer’s incinerated carcass is hauled away piece-by-piece.

supplier scoop

Roadside Assistance Market to Reach $47.6 Billion

According to Allied Market Research’s report,“Roadside Assistance Market by Service” the global roadside assistance industry generated $28.9 billion in 2022 and is anticipated to generate $47.6 billion by 2032. The major impacting factors in the growth of the roadside assistance market include growth in vehicle ownership, increase in consumer awareness and convenience, and a rise in the need for safety and security of supplying activities.

However, increases in technology complexities and an upsurge in insurance and fuel prices hamper the growth of the market. Furthermore, increases in the aging vehicle fleet and adoption of advanced technologies are factors expected to offer growth opportunities during the decade-long forecast period. Post-pandemic, the increase in demand for vehicles, mobility, and road traffic has encouraged market players to deliver enhanced roadside assistance services to cater to increase in market demand.

Based on service, the towing segment held the highest market share in 2022, accounting for nearly one-third of the global roadside assistance market revenue and is estimated to maintain its leadership status during the forecast period. The battery assistance segment is expected to register the highest CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 6.8% from 2023 to 2032. Based on vehicle, the passenger vehicle segment held the highest market share in 2022, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the global roadside assistance market revenue and is also estimated to maintain its

leadership status during the forecast period. The commercial vehicle segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 5.7% from 2023 to 2032. Roadside assistance provides financial protection to commercial vehicles and covers the business from any losses and damages. To obtain the full research report, go to: alliedmarketresearch.com/ roadside-assistance-market/purchase-options

Ford Super Duty’s New Towing Features

The 2024 Ford Super Duty XL and XLT will have the Onboard Scales and Smart Hitch features as an available option for the new year. These features are designed to make the act of hauling and towing heavy loads a bit easier by incorporating advanced technology.

Onboard Scales measure and display the approximate weight of the payload in the truck, while load information is displayed in the center touch screen, on a mobile phone through the FordPass app, or in graphics within the truck’s smart taillights, which operate like the battery charge indicator on a mobile phone, displaying the percentage of payload capacity by illuminating LEDs arranged in a built-in vertical bar.

Smart Hitch measures the tongue weight of a trailer being connected to help users distribute the load correctly. After calculating tongue weight, the feature provides guidance on weight distribution or hitch overloading via the trucks’ infotainment screen, on the FordPass app, or within the smart taillights. Order banks for the 2024 Ford Super Duty are now open.

Fusion Reaction

A Heartwarming Response to Combining Elements of Dad’s Old Wreckers

By George L. Nitti

Like watching a classic movie again and again, the appeal of a beautifully decorated tow truck is that when revisiting it, you can peel back yet another layer to discover something new. That’s the case with Aimes Collision’s 2014 Ford F550 with a Chevron 408 TA Back Autoloader. Owner Joe Gutman, based in Freeport, New York, acquired this wrecker in 2019, and turned it into an awardwinning beauty. A variety of forces were at play, and served as the catalyst for this unique design. According to Joe, one central force was his father Mark, who started the business in 1985, when he opened an auto body

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.

Note the lettering on the boom, a tribute to Joe’s father Mark, who founded Aimes Collision in 1985.

shop in Brooklyn and then migrated the business to Long Island in 2002.

As a tribute to Dad, who had passed away just prior to the purchase of the truck, Joe and his brother Paul, ensured that their father’s presence would not be forgotten. Note the green script on the wrecker’s purple boom: “In Loving Memory of Dad.”

“I was working with him as a young kid and fell in love with the business,” Joe related. “As a tribute, I wanted to incorporate some of his old trucks into one and dedicate it to him.”

Laying those eternal words down on the boom would gain even greater prominence on a foundation of body colors consisting of various hues of green and purple, masterfully painted by towing industry famed

TECH HIGHLIGHTS

Truck: 2014 Ford F550

Engine: 6.7L Power

Stroke diesel

Body: Chevron 408 TA

Back Autoloader

Custom Features: Lettering on boom, S&B Cold Air Intake for engine, starlight headliner, extensive exterior lighting, Roger and Jessica Rabbit toons.

Paint and Lettering: Cecil Burrowes

artist Cecil Burrowes. Joe met Burrowes through another tow owner and good friend who had commissioned this artist for several of his custom-painted tow trucks.

Joe flew Burrowes up from Florida

to New York to complete the design in a rapid-fire three days, just in time to showcase it at the American Towman Wrecker Pageant in 2019, where it won Best in Show in a lightduty class.

The cracked-earth graphics add an unusual treatment, reminiscent of ‘80s fads.

Roger and Jessica Rabbit toons adorn the hood.

An extensive array of lights creates a dramatic display at night.

“I had a vision and told Cecil what I wanted, sending him a design,” Joe related. “Normally it would have taken two weeks to complete something like this.”

Named “Breaking Ground,” this unique visual treatment, which also won best of show at the 2022 American Wrecker Pageant in

Baltimore, exhibits a cracked earth, mud-like effect on the green and purple airbrushing that serve as the truck’s core background. What inspired these special graphics?

“I have always loved airbrushing,” Joe enthused. “I took it in high school. I observe Cecil’s work and look at all of the crackles for inspiration.”

Although many tow companies shy away from customized air brushing due to damages sustained on the roadway to the paint job, Joe maintains that any scratches can be covered up by simply adding more of those black lines that give this themed truck its cracked effect.

As for the aspects that relate to Joe’s dad, on the hood there’s a eyecatching graphic of Roger Rabbit and a sultry, voluptuous Jessica Rabbit, sitting on a black background.

“One of Dad’s inspirations was a love for Roger Rabbit,” explained Joe.

The front of the wrecker in particular stands out, with a purple accent around the green grille, while the company name, Aimes Collision, pops in two-tone hues of green on the doors.

“My Dad came up with the company name when he saw a slogan that stated, ‘We Aims to Please,’” Joe added. “It just stuck.”

The truck is also heavily decorated with a rich array of green strobe and amber body lights, while the inside matches the exterior.

“All the dashboard pieces are green with the same airbrush effect used on the outside,” Joe points out. “It has a starlight headliner chock full of fancy little lights, a full interior system with subwoofers, and lights under the dash to make the interior glow.”

Despite all of its awards, Joe emphasizes that the truck, with a 6.7L Power Stroke diesel and S&B Cold Air Intake, works everyday: “I get it dirty. It picks up accident cars. It tows cars that are smashed and crashed. It also pulls box trucks. Whatever I can throw on the back of it.”

The company recently bought another auto body shop, keeping their father’s “legacy going—and going strong,” Joe noted. “My Dad would say that ‘doing a truck and making it look pretty is never easy.’ He was right about that.” But he just keeps on truckin’!

Black non-skid coating on the fenders and rear panel offset all the vivid colors.

Even with pretty paint and graphics on the truck body, this Chevron still pulls its weight.

Star lights illuminate the cabin headliner.

More Than Meets the Eye

By Steve Calitri

It is impossible to soundly set one’s tow rates without knowing the cost per tow. You may have heard this before. Over the years, the American Towman Academy has presented seminars about determining what the cost per tow is. But delve into this task and you may find a moving target.

One tow boss called me over ten years back. He had created an easy rate calculator on the Internet to help with the task of setting one’s rates. But it was too simple a formula. I told him that and didn’t hear from him again.

The obvious costs to take into account are gas expense, driver pay, and the cost of the wrecker. But how do you figure in the cost of the wrecker?

Do you figure in what it costs you to have that wrecker by the day (no matter how many tows per day that wrecker performs), or by the hour (and the time it takes for the tow)?

While you’re chewing on that, consider if it makes sense to calculate the cost of that wrecker per day or per hour based on your total fleet costs. In other words, let’s say, on a given day, calls coming in keep only two thirds of your operators and wreckers busy, while the others play cards and sit idle. Should your costs per tow include those trucks and operators that are not pulling in revenue but still costing you money?

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

How big a picture and what kind of perspective does one take in calculating one’s costs and rates?

Many a business owner sets rates keeping

close to a competitor’s rates. Is this a sound practice? How has he calculated his costs and rate? How do his costs differ from yours?

And what about obvious costs that often don’t get considered? Other overhead costs, like the expense of having a dispatcher and the computer and program utilized as just one example. And let’s not forget the guy in the yard moving and washing vehicles.

What about the cost of the building and property? How should that cost be factored in?

Most important, what is the cost of being profitable? You’re not going to set a rate based only on the cost per tow. How much money do you want to make beyond those costs? Are you content living modestly and being able to keep up with your bills? Or, do you want more usable revenue to expand the business, or perhaps buy a new house?

Finally, when you’re considering all the costs that go into putting a wrecker on the road, surely you remembered to calculate truck maintenance, insurance, and the legal fees necessary to operate the business. All told, there’s more than meets the eye here.

Media Leaders Team Up to Promote WRECK WEEK

Premiering in 2024 For Collision and Auto Repair Shop Owners

Body Shop Business and American Towman magazines have formed a marketing alliance on the promotion of a new trade show and conference for body shop and auto repair business owners.

Wreck Week, the Exposition for Collision and Auto Repair, will debut June 2022, 2024 at the Fort Worth Convention Center. The trade show will feature suppliers to the collision and repair markets while a conference segment will focus on shop owners’ management skills and increasing their business success. Conference will be conducted by DRIVE, a leading consulting and coaching firm for collision and repair shop owners.

Body Shop Business is designated as the Official Sponsor of Wreck Week.

“We are excited to partner with American Towman on their event next June, to help shops find efficiencies and more

ways to improve their bottom line,” says Dean Martin, Publisher of Body Shop Business,” We look forward to a long partnership with Wreck Week.”

DRIVE joins the show’s Official Sponsor, Body Shop Business magazine, as pre-eminent companies joining American Towman to present Wreck Week.

“Increasing one’s success in the collision and repair shop markets is the ultimate goal of those who will attend the 3-day sessions, says Bill Kilpatrick, Founder of DRIVE. “We believe every owner, can acquire the skill sets to positively impact their shop’s success and achieve any other growth, management and ownership goals.” Kilpatrick adds, “Teaming up with American Towman and Body Shop Business carries tremendous potential for the event and we see big developments ahead as we plan the conference portion of the show.”

“Teaming with Body Shop Business and DRIVE, helps anchor Wreck Week as a premium resource for body shop owners,” says Henri “Doc” Calitri, president of A.T. Expo Corp., American Tow-

man’s show division. “Body Shop Business is the preeminent publication in the auto body repair industry. DRIVE is the leader in shop owner and management education.”

“Dallas-Fort Worth’s growth will soon overtake Chicago as the nation’s third largest metropolitan area,” said Calitri. “In fact, all the cities in the Texas triangle are booming, giving Wreck Week a strong base of collision and repair centers close by. The many direct flights into Dallas-Fort Worth are another key ingredient for building a broad attendance base.”

American Towman produces the world’s largest trade shows and conventions for the towing and recovery industry in Baltimore, Las Vegas, and Fort Worth. TowXpo, American Towman’s 26-year old tradeshow, will be located in halls adjacent to Wreck Week inside the Fort Worth Convention Center. All attendees will have easy access to each hall. “Both shows,” says Calitri, “will enhance each other’s draw.”

American Towman surveys indicate 60% of tow business owners also

operate auto body or mechanical repair shops. Most independent towing operations have a working relationship with collision repair shops. “There are business relationships and commonalities between the two trades that feed each other’s success,” states Calitri. “While TowXpo attracts tow-business owners (many operating body and auto repair shops) Wreck Week will target all collision and auto-repair shop owners in the nation.”

A comprehensive advertising and marketing program has been designed for Wreck Week to take advantage of the unparalleled impact Body Shop Business has on its market. “It will include print, digital, direct mail and social media marketing through Body Shop Business channels to reach shop owners across the country,” Calitri said.

Body Shop Business, with a monthly circulation of more than 32,000, is published by Babcox Media, one of the nation’s leading publishers of automotive service magazines. American Towman Magazine is the towing industry’s oldest and largest circulated monthly trade publication with more than 33,000 print and 40,000 digital readers. Exhibit information may be found at WreckWeek.com.

Media Leaders Team Up to Promote WRECK WEEK Premiering in 2024 For Collision and Auto Repair Shop Owners

Body Shop Business and American Towman magazines have formed a marketing alliance on the promotion of a new trade show and conference for body shop and auto repair business owners.

Wreck Week, the Exposition for Collision and Auto Repair, will debut June 20-22, 2024 at the Fort Worth Convention Center. The trade show will feature suppliers to the collision and repair markets while a conference segment will focus on shop owners’ management skills and increasing their business success. Conference will be conducted by DRIVE, a leading consulting and coaching firm for collision and repair shop owners.

Body Shop Business is designated as the Official Sponsor of Wreck Week.

“We are excited to partner with American Towman on their event next June, to help shops find efficiencies and more ways to improve their bottom line,” says Dean Martin, Publisher of Body Shop Business,” We look forward to a long partnership with Wreck Week.”

DRIVE joins the show’s Official Sponsor, Body Shop Business magazine, as pre-eminent companies joining American Towman to present Wreck Week. “Increasing one’s success in the collision and repair shop markets is the ultimate goal of those who will attend the 3-day sessions, says Bill Kilpatrick, Founder of DRIVE. “We believe every owner, can acquire the skill sets to positively impact their shop’s success and achieve any other growth, management and ownership goals.” Kilpatrick adds, “Teaming up with American Towman and Body Shop Business carries tremendous potential for the event and we see big developments ahead as we plan the conference portion of the show.”

“Teaming with Body Shop Business and DRIVE, helps anchor Wreck Week as a premium resource for body

shop owners,” says Henri “Doc” Calitri, president of A.T. Expo Corp., American Towman’s show division. “Body Shop Business is the preeminent publication in the auto body repair industry. DRIVE is the leader in shop owner and management education.”

“Dallas-Fort Worth’s growth will soon overtake Chicago as the nation’s third largest metropolitan area,” said Calitri. “In fact, all the cities in the Texas triangle are booming, giving Wreck Week a strong base of collision and repair centers close by. The many direct flights into Dallas-Fort Worth are another key ingredient for building a broad attendance base.”

American Towman produces the world’s largest trade shows and conventions for the towing and recovery industry in Baltimore, Las Vegas, and Fort Worth. TowXpo, American Towman’s 26-year old tradeshow, will be located in halls adjacent to Wreck Week inside the Fort Worth Convention Center. All attendees will have easy access to each hall. “Both shows,” says Calitri, “will enhance each other’s draw.”

American Towman surveys indicate 60% of tow business owners also operate auto body or mechanical repair shops. Most independent towing operations have a working relationship with collision repair shops. “There are business relationships and commonalities between the two trades that feed each other’s success,” states Calitri. “While TowXpo attracts tow-business owners (many operating body and auto repair shops) Wreck Week will target all collision and auto-repair shop owners in the nation.”

A comprehensive advertising and marketing program has been designed for Wreck Week to take advantage of the unparalleled impact Body Shop Business has on its market. “It will include print, digital, direct mail and social media marketing through Body Shop Business channels to reach shop owners across the country,” Calitri said.

Body Shop Business, with a monthly circulation of more than 32,000, is published by Babcox Media, one of the nation’s leading publishers of automotive service magazines. American Tow-

man Magazine is the towing industry’s oldest and largest circulated monthly trade publication with more than 33,000 print and 40,000 digital readers. Exhibit information may be found at WreckWeek.com.

Utah Police Derelict in Filing Towing Paperwork

In a report conducted by Fox News 13, police departments in select Utah cities were criticized for breaking the law by refusing to do paperwork that helps people find out where their car has been towed. Senator Mike McKell (R) sponsored a bill last year requiring police officers to fill out a Vehicle Impound Report (TC540) for every law-enforcement tow as of October 15, 2022.

The report cited 573 cases from October 2022 through June 2023 in which a complaint was filed with the Utah State Tax Commission against police, usually by a tow company. Some state officials estimate the true number of cases is perhaps double or triple the reported figure because some don’t know how or where to report complaints and tow companies fear repercussions from police departments if they report them.

Allan Shinney, the Senior Director of Enforcement for the Utah State Tax Commission, sent a bulletin to all law enforcement agencies in November 2022 reminding police of the law.

“This procedure is necessary to

A towing law in Utah requires police to file paperwork helping motorists locate their car; yet hundreds of complaints indicate that has not been done.

assist citizens to recover their vehicles, if necessary, in a timely manner and to reduce impound fees,” Shinney stated. “It is also necessary to assist in the insurance company’s recovery of the motor vehicle if it is declared a total loss.”

Tow companies often receive “cold calls” from crash victims looking for their vehicle. Since Utah has 1,510 registered impound yards, locating impounded vehicles could pose significant challenges to their owners.

“It’s not good. That is frustrating for our industry,” said Barbara Christensen, president of the Utah Professional Towing Alliance. “Without that form filled out, a vehicle can sit in a tow yard easily for five years without proper paperwork...I take phone calls every day from people trying to find their cars, calling random companies in their area.”

Source: fox13now.com

Freight Hauler Yellow to Cease Operations

Yellow, the debt-burdened freight hauler that employs nearly 30,000 workers, ceased operations and will seek bankruptcy protection. The company reported debt of more than $1.5 billion and an unpaid $700 million Covid-19 rescue loan from the federal government during the pandemic.

Barrons reported that with nearly 30,000 workers, including about 22,000 Teamsters union members, it would be the trucking industry’s biggest collapse in revenue and jobs.

Source: nytimes.com

Man Convicted for Towman’s Death

The man who struck and killed Saratoga, NY towman Alex Bleikhardt on Sept. 15, 2022 was convicted of aggravated vehicular homicide and a host of other charges by a Saratoga County Court jury. Although acquitted of second-degree murder, Justin P. Rodriguez faces up to 25 years in state prison after being found guilty of 14 of the 16 counts against him.

Bleickhardt had been working underneath a broken-down Penske box

truck on the northbound side of I-87 when he was hit by Rodriguez’s truck.

The prosecution extended their case for 12 days involving hours of video evidence and 30 witnesses sharing accounts of Rodriguez’s intoxicated state the night of the tragedy involving Bleikhardt. Rodriguez’s blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit of .08. He was also under the influence of marijuana and cocaine.

“This case was 100% preventable by him making the choice and listening to the people that implored him to not get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle because of his intoxicated and impaired state,” said Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen.

Source: dailygazette.com

California Court Strikes Down San Francisco Towing Policy

San Francisco will no longer be allowed to tow vehicles with unpaid

parking tickets, unless they have a warrant to do so, since a California Court of Appeals has ruled the practice unconstitutional.

The court said the practice violates the Fourth Amendment, which protects citizens against unreasonable search and seizure by requiring warrants. The City of San Francisco argued that their towing practice qualified for an exception from the warrant rule because the vehicles presented a threat to public health. The court rejected that argument.

San Francisco regularly tows vehicles with five or more unpaid tickets. If the owner still does not pay

A California court ruled San Francisco’s practice of towing cars with unpaid parking tickets was unconstitutional.

the fine for parking tickets after the vehicle is towed, the city sells it at a junk auction.

The Coalition on Homelessness, a nonprofit organization focused on advocacy for impoverished and houseless people, filed an appeal against the city over their towing practices, claiming that it targeted low-income individuals.

Jennifer Friedenbach, executive director of the Coalition said, “Poverty tows are one of those events, where the loss of a car leads to the loss of the transportation needed to get to work.”

Legislation banning “poverty tows” for unpaid parking tickets has cleared the California Assembly.

Source: kalw.org

Colorado Tow Company Targeted for Loan Program

Colorado tow company Wyatts Towing was pressed by Colorado lawmakers about alleged loan prac-

tices.Under a towing ordinance implemented in 2022, Colorado towing companies are required to release cars from nonconsensual tows if owners pay 15% of the total fee, up to $60. Then they would have time to pay off the rest of the balance so that a large towing fee wouldn’t inhibit their ability to pay rent and other bills.

Lawmakers and other stakeholders, however, have raised concerns that Wyatts Towing compelled people to agree to a loan program with high interest in order to get their car back at the reduced rate, which the attorney general’s office says is unautho-

rized by the ordinance to Colorado’s Public Utilities Commission.

“Neither the plain language nor legislative intent of HB 22-1314 permits such a practice. The intent of this statute was to allow consumers to retrieve their vehicles quickly and avoid (as much as possible) the devastating collateral consequences that can accompany a nonconsensual tow,” the letter reads.

Wyatt’s owner, Trevor Forbes, pushed back on the suggestion that Wyatts engages in a predatory loan practice. He said that there was confusion about allowable repayment options and Wyatts has reached out for guidance. Forbes also said that Wyatts does not have a high expectation that many of the people who signed a loan agreement will actually pay them back, and in practice the company is not tracking the loans. He said Wyatts doesn’t intend to pursue collections on any of the loans.

Source: coloradonewsline.com

Wyatts Towing has been pressed about administering an unauthorized loan program.

News flash

Media Leaders Team Up to Promote WRECK WEEK Premiering in 2024 For Collision and Auto Repair Shop Owners

Body Shop Business and American Towman magazines have formed a marketing alliance on the promotion of a new trade show and conference for body shop and auto repair business owners.

Wreck Week, the Exposition for Collision and Auto Repair, will debut June 20-22, 2024 at the Fort Worth Convention Center. The trade show will feature suppliers to the collision and repair markets while a conference segment will focus on shop owners’ management skills and increasing their business success. Conference will be conducted by DRIVE, a leading consulting and coaching firm for collision and repair shop owners.

Body Shop Business is designated as the Official Sponsor of Wreck Week.

“We are excited to partner with American Towman on their event next June, to help shops find efficiencies and more ways to improve their bottom line,” says Dean Martin, Publisher of Body Shop Business,” We look forward to a long partnership with Wreck Week.”

DRIVE joins the show’s Official Sponsor, Body Shop Business magazine, as pre-eminent companies joining American Towman to present Wreck Week. “Increasing one’s success in the collision and repair shop markets is the ultimate goal of those who will attend the 3-day sessions, says Bill Kilpatrick, Founder of DRIVE. “We believe every owner, can acquire the skill sets to positively impact their shop’s success and achieve any other growth, management and ownership goals.” Kilpatrick adds, “Teaming up with American Towman and Body Shop Business carries tremendous potential for the event and we see big developments ahead as we plan the

conference portion of the show.”

“Teaming with Body Shop Business and DRIVE, helps anchor Wreck Week as a premium resource for body shop owners,” says Henri “Doc” Calitri, president of A.T. Expo Corp., American Towman’s show division. “Body Shop Business is the preeminent publication in the auto body repair industry. DRIVE is the leader in shop owner and management education.”

“Dallas-Fort Worth’s growth will soon overtake Chicago as the nation’s third largest metropolitan area,” said Calitri. “In fact, all the cities in the Texas triangle are booming, giving Wreck Week a strong base of collision and repair centers close by. The many direct flights into Dallas-Fort Worth are another key ingredient for building a broad attendance base.”

American Towman produces the world’s largest trade shows and conventions for the towing and recovery industry in Baltimore, Las Vegas, and Fort Worth. TowXpo, American Towman’s 26-year old tradeshow, will be located in halls adjacent to Wreck Week inside the Fort Worth Convention Center. All attendees will have easy access to each hall. “Both shows,” says Calitri, “will enhance each other’s draw.”

American Towman surveys indicate 60% of tow business owners also operate auto body or mechanical repair shops. Most independent towing operations have a working relationship with collision repair shops. “There are business relationships and commonalities between the two trades that feed each other’s success,” states Calitri. “While TowXpo attracts tow-business owners (many operating body and auto repair shops) Wreck Week will target all collision and auto-repair shop owners in the nation.”

A comprehensive advertising and marketing program has been designed for Wreck Week to take advantage of the unparalleled impact Body Shop Business has on its market. “It will include print, digital, direct mail and social media marketing through Body Shop Business channels to reach shop owners across the country,” Calitri said.

Body Shop Business, with a

◀

monthly circulation of more than 32,000, is published by Babcox Media, one of the nation’s leading publishers of automotive service magazines. American Towman Magazine is the towing industry’s oldest and largest circulated monthly trade publication with more than 33,000 print and 40,000 digital readers. Exhibit information may be found at WreckWeek.com.

Freight Hauler Yellow to Cease Operations

Yellow, the debt-burdened freight hauler that employs nearly 30,000 workers, ceased operations and will seek bankruptcy protection. The company reported debt of more than $1.5 billion and an unpaid $700 million Covid-19 rescue loan from the federal government during the pandemic.

Barrons reported that with nearly 30,000 workers, including about 22,000 Teamsters union members, it would be the trucking industry’s biggest collapse in revenue and jobs.

Source: nytimes.com

Media Leaders Team Up to

Promote WRECK WEEK

Premiering in 2024 For Collision and Auto Repair Shop Owners

Body Shop Business and American Towman magazines have formed a marketing alliance on the promotion of a new trade show and conference for body shop and auto repair business owners.

Wreck Week, the Exposition for Collision and Auto Repair, will debut June 20-22, 2024 at the Fort Worth Convention Center. The trade show will feature suppliers to the collision and repair markets while a conference segment will focus on shop owners’ management skills and increasing their business success. Conference will be conducted by DRIVE, a leading consulting and coaching firm for collision and repair shop owners.

Body Shop Business is designated as the Official Sponsor of Wreck Week.

“We are excited to partner with American Towman on their event next June, to help shops find efficiencies and more ways to improve their bottom line,” says Dean Martin, Publisher of Body Shop Business,” We look forward to a long partnership with Wreck Week.”

DRIVE joins the show’s Official Sponsor, Body Shop Business magazine, as pre-eminent companies joining American Towman to present Wreck Week. “Increasing one’s success in the collision and repair shop markets is the ultimate goal of those who will attend the 3-day sessions, says Bill Kilpatrick, Founder of DRIVE. “We believe every owner, can acquire the skill sets to positively impact their shop’s success and achieve any other growth, management and ownership goals.” Kilpatrick adds, “Teaming up with American Towman and Body Shop Business carries tremendous potential for the event and we see big developments ahead as we plan the

conference portion of the show.”

“Teaming with Body Shop Business and DRIVE, helps anchor Wreck Week as a premium resource for body shop owners,” says Henri “Doc” Calitri, president of A.T. Expo Corp., American Towman’s show division. “Body Shop Business is the preeminent publication in the auto body repair industry. DRIVE is the leader in shop owner and management education.”

“Dallas-Fort Worth’s growth will soon overtake Chicago as the nation’s third largest metropolitan area,” said Calitri. “In fact, all the cities in the Texas triangle are booming, giving Wreck Week a strong base of collision and repair centers close by. The many direct flights into Dallas-Fort Worth are another key ingredient for building a broad attendance base.”

American Towman produces the world’s largest trade shows and conventions for the towing and recovery industry in Baltimore, Las Vegas, and Fort Worth. TowXpo, American Tow-

man’s 26-year old tradeshow, will be located in halls adjacent to Wreck Week inside the Fort Worth Convention Center. All attendees will have easy access to each hall. “Both shows,” says Calitri, “will enhance each other’s draw.”

American Towman surveys indicate 60% of tow business owners also operate auto body or mechanical repair shops. Most independent towing operations have a working relationship with collision repair shops. “There are business relationships and commonalities between the two trades that feed each other’s success,” states Calitri. “While TowXpo attracts tow-business owners (many operating body and auto repair shops) Wreck Week will target all collision and auto-repair shop owners in the nation.”

A comprehensive advertising and marketing program has been designed for Wreck Week to take advantage of the unparalleled impact Body Shop Business has on its market. “It will include print, digital, direct mail and social media marketing through Body Shop Business channels to reach shop owners across the coun-

try,” Calitri said.

Body Shop Business, with a monthly circulation of more than 32,000, is published by Babcox Media, one of the nation’s leading publishers of automotive service magazines. American Towman Magazine is the towing industry’s oldest and largest circulated monthly trade publication with more than 33,000 print and 40,000 digital readers. Exhibit information may be found at WreckWeek.com.

Utah Police Derelict in Filing Towing Paperwork

In a report conducted by Fox News 13, police departments in select Utah cities were criticized for breaking the law by refusing to do paperwork that helps people find out where their car has been towed. Senator Mike McKell (R) sponsored a bill last year requiring police officers to fill out a Vehicle Impound Report (TC540) for every law-enforcement tow as of October 15, 2022.

The report cited 573 cases from October 2022 through June 2023 in which a complaint was filed with the Utah State Tax Commission against police, usually by a tow company. Some state officials estimate the true number of cases is perhaps double or triple the reported figure because some don’t know how or where to report complaints and tow companies fear repercussions from police departments if they report them.

Allan Shinney, the Senior Director of Enforcement for the Utah State Tax Commission, sent a bulletin to all law enforcement agencies in November 2022 reminding police of the law.

“This procedure is necessary to assist citizens to recover their vehicles, if necessary, in a timely manner and to reduce impound fees,” Shinney stated. “It is also necessary to assist in the insurance company’s recovery of the motor vehicle if it is declared a total loss.”

Tow companies often receive “cold

A towing law in Utah requires police to file paperwork helping motorists locate their car; yet hundreds of complaints indicate that has not been done.

calls” from crash victims looking for their vehicle. Since Utah has 1,510 registered impound yards, locating impounded vehicles could pose significant challenges to their owners.

“It’s not good. That is frustrating for our industry,” said Barbara Christensen, president of the Utah Professional Towing Alliance. “Without that form filled out, a vehicle can sit in a tow yard easily for five years without proper paperwork...I take phone calls every day from people trying to find their cars, calling random companies in their area.”

Source: fox13now.com