American Towman Magazine - January 2014

Montana Tower, Joanne Blyton

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Number 143 on Reader Card

FIRST ON THE SCENE SINCE 1977

FEATURE CONTENTS

24

Towman of the Year Tow boss and Montana legislator Joanne Blyton has made an impact on Montana towing.

by Brendan Dooley

30

No More After Shocks

Departments Walkaround . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

In Japan, emergency preparedness runs the gamut from earthquakes to volcanoes and tsunamis, so recovery cross-training is key.

by Jim “Buck“ Sorrenti

42

News Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Tow Americana

Road Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

In the harsh northern climate of Maine, the "Can Do" spirit still is essential at Beaulieu's Garage after four generations in towing.

by Jim 'Buck' Sorrenti

AD Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Beacon’s On! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Tow Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Repo Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Towman’s Market . . . . . . . . . . . .48 My Baby. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Low Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Adventures of A.T. . . . . . . . . . . . .53

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Montana House Representative Joanne Blyton and her husband, Donald, have run Billings Towing & Repair, their second tow business, since 1998.

Number 124 on Reader Card

Spirit of the Season With the holiday spirit in full swing and the sharing of joys by many families made me think of the American Wrecker Pageant Ceremony this past November in Baltimore.

How do those two events possibly tie together? For me it’s the spirit embodied in both of them. The definition of spirit being 1. the nonphysical part of a person that is the seat of emotions and character; the soul. 2. those qualities forming the definitive elements in the character of a person or group.

During the Pageant ceremony I was reminded of the unique spirit of towers; their unparalleled pride that they have towards their trucks and how attached they are to them. Not just a tangible interdependence, but a connection that runs much deeper. For most it's not just a piece of equipment that performs a job, it's part of their family. It's their baby.

I was also reminded of the closeness of the families that make up our industry.

Each competing company had many family members and employees there to share and join in the celebration of a 1st place win or to give comfort in the event of a loss. The tightly knit groups (and I mean groups: Hawks of New Jersey had a whopping 25 people) are some of the most supportive kinfolk I’ve ever seen.

The excitement and raw nerves of the competing towers was palpable; from the tears to the cheers, this pageant was one I won’t soon forget.

Towman of the Year

by Dennie Ortiz

One particular family as they made their way onto the stage (three sons along with Mom and Pops) not only had tears in their eyes but the youngest was breathless as he was handed the 1st place Silver Cup trophy. Mom, so overcome with emotion she could barely speak, remarked to me in the barest whisper; “Thank you so much, you don’t know what this means to our family!”

If that wasn’t enough to have me sniffling and wiping my own eyes on came Paul Stephens of Coleman Motor Co. Paul shook each hand offered him and returned each warm embrace as he walked onto the stage to accept the Silver Cup in remembrance of his brother-n-law, Cary Coleman, who died tragically at 32.

This was the first time Coleman’s had entered the pageant since. It was entered at the behest of Cary’s 7-year old daughter Cameron who asked Uncle Paul, “How come we don’t have any more of these silver cups?” Well Cameron you have a new one now.

This is no competition for the faint of heart. It's demanding, challenging and unites the towing community is such a special way it truly warms the soul. The manner in which the competitors come together is a powerful display of the pure generosity of spirit and the strength of the bonds that the towing community shares just as families share during this time of year.

Happy New Year to all our readers, rejoice in your unique spirit, to which the road calls…

by Brendan Dooley

The January issue of AT every year is one of my favorites, because I get to interview and write about our Towman of the Year. (Granted, the smartphone last year didn’t’ have much to say on its own behalf, but other industry insiders spoke enough for it.)

The opportunity to talk with a singular leader in the industry and pick their brain about towing and recovery and its history and where it’s going is one of the plum assignments of the year. (And, as editor, I get to give it to whomever I wish.)

This year’s selection was a pleasure to interview, and our first selection of a sole woman for the title. She deserves it and I hope to read more in the future about her time as a senator in Montana (her run for the position recently kicked off).

The annual feature starts on p 24. Enjoy, and have a great, safe New Year!

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First On The Scene!

Dennie Ortiz Steve Calitri Brendan Dooley

Publisher Editor-In-Chief Editor

Randall Resch

Operations Editor

Terry Abejuela

Field Editor, West

Jim “Buck” Sorrenti David Kolman Bill Simmons

Field Editor, Northeast Chassis Editor Safety Editor

Emily Oz

On Screen Editor

Mark Lacek

Repo Run Editor

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

Dallas, Texas Jefferson City, Mo. St. Paul, Minn.

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

Warren, N.J. Creve Coeur, Ill.

American Towman Staff Ann Marie Nitti Dennie Ortiz Ellen Rosengart Norma Calitri Neila Smith Miriam Ortiz Henri Calitri Toni Vanderhorst William Burwell Jim “Buck” Sorrenti Emily Oz Steve Calitri

Page Layout Artist Advertising Sales Mgr. Senior Account Exec.

VP of Accounts VP Communications Subscription Manager Customer Service Publisher’s Assistant TIW Media Director Contributing Editor ATTV Producer President

American Towman Media Headquarters 7 West Street, Warwick, NY 10990 800-732-3869 or 845-986-4546 E-mail: Publisher: dortiz@towman.com Editor-In-Chief: scalitri@towman.com Editor: bdooley@towman.com AT’S Digital Edition: itowman.com AT’S Website: towman.com AT’S Weekly: towindustryweek.com ATTV: americantowmantv.com Copyright ©2014 American Towman Magazine is published 12 times a year by American Towman Media, Inc. Subscription: $50–1 yr; $95–2 yrs • US $65 and $105 • International

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... 'They need a commercial property' ...

Provo Talks Tow Amendment After more than a year of regulating vehicle towing and booting that happens around Provo, Utah, Mayor John Curtis was ready to have a vote on an amendment to the towing ordinance.

However, towing companies and a couple of municipal council members with looming questions thwarted the mayor’s efforts. During a work session, Curtis was caught off guard when council members questioned his desire to have property owners be the ones to determine who should be towed and not the contracted towing companies.

The amendment would put the responsibility on the property owners with two ways of approaching the towing and booting. The one track is property owners call for a tow to occur. The other option is they are responsible to devise a plan that would include visitor parking solutions, signage, and a list of other concerns that would alleviate “aggressive” tows.

Source: www.heraldextra.com.

Car Falls Off Flatbed, Injures One A mishap related to a tow truck resulted in the hospitalization of one person in Sharon, Mass.

Capt. Bryant Simpson of the Sharon Fire Dept. said one person was transported to Boston Medial Center with non-life-threatening injuries when he was caught between his own vehicle and a state police cruiser.

Simpson said the victim’s disabled vehicle was on a tow truck on the side of the road and rolled off, striking the male victim and catching him between his car and the police cruiser, which was parked behind the tow truck. The result was a lower body injury.

Nobody else was injured in the accident.

Source: www.sharon.patch.com.

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Tow Texting and Driving An Illinois woman claims she suffered disability and disfigurement after a tower who was allegedly texting while driving struck the back of her vehicle.

The plaintiff claimed she drove a 2012 Nissan Altima when the tower struck the back of her vehicle. In addition to her disability and disfigurement, she said she endured pain and suffering, incurred medical costs and lost income. She also lost her normal life, the suit states.

She blames the tower for causing the collision, saying he negligently drove in excess of the posted speed limit, failed to reduce his speed to avoid a collision, failed to drive attentively, failed to keep his vehicle under control, failed to keep a proper lookout, failed to use ordinary care to avoid a collision and texted while driving.

In her complaint, she seeks actual damages of more than $300,000, plus costs.

Source: www.madisonrecord.com.

A contentious issue in a North Bend, Ore., neighborhood goes back years, but does it all boil down to a misunderstanding of the choice of working in a decades-old ordinance?

North Bend granted a homeoccupation permit to North Bend Towing Co. in 1986 to “receive phone calls and keep a tow truck at home, in the course of operating their towing business.”

Some neighbors have felt that the company has been exceeding the boundaries of that permit. A complaint made its way through City Hall.

The city planner received a report of two trucks at the site and went to investigate. He determined, after talking with the owners, that this was a brief and temporary situation. He did not issue a violation.

“They need a commercial property and it can’t be on Meade Avenue,” a neighbor said.

Source: www.theworldlink.com.

Help Sought in Hit-and-Run

Tower Shot

Outside Truck A Texas wrecker driver was shot by a man who was trying to break into his truck, Houston police said.

The shooting was reported around 2:30 a.m. Police said the driver was sitting in his tow truck outside the apartment complex where he lives when an unknown man walked up and started trying to break into the vehicle.

The driver jumped out and confronted the crook, who then pulled out a gun and shot several times at the driver before running away.

Neighbor Targets ‘Home’ Tower

The tower was shot once in the chest and was sent to the hospital in serious but stable condition. The suspect got away.

Police said the truck’s windows were heavily tinted, so it was unknown if the gunman knew the driver was in the truck when he started to break in. Source: www.khou.com.

Two Kansas chapters of Crime Stoppers are forming a partnership to help solve a hit-and-run accident that left a Wichita tower dead.

Scott Christopher Burton was struck and killed by an unknown vehicle as he was trying to tow a bus.

The crash is under investigation.

Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest. Burton’s employer, Tow Service Inc., is adding a supplemental reward of $2,500.

“The goal is to solve this crime so Mr. Burton’s family can move forward,” said a Crime Stoppers spokesman.

Source: www.kake.com.

Record Crowd for AT Expo’s 25th The 25th anniversary American Towman Exposition drew a record crowd all three days in Baltimore this past November 15th, 16th and 17th. According to AT Expo’s founder Steve Calitri, “Record crowds for each day added up to the biggest all-time draw.

This year we reached a new plateau.”

Tow business owners came from all 50 states and 20 nations. The traffic was so thick all three days that exhibitors reported they had a hard time taking a break for the restroom. Attendees have given a thumbs-up to the Friday afternoon opening, which was added in 2012. “Exhibitors are getting more face time with more tow business owners with the added Friday afternoon,” said AT Expo’s President Doc Calitri. “And the show was busy until the end on Sunday when the Int’l Feast hosted the Wrecker Pageant Winners Ceremony.”

“Busy all three days,” said Randy Olson, VP of Marketing at Miller Industries, “and it was the best Sunday ever.”

Said Montana tow business owner Joanne Blyton, “American Towman is a great place to be if you want to be in the towing industry…and absorb everything.”

12,000 towing professionals were driven to Baltimore, Maryland’s Inner Harbor through advertising and publicity in American Towman Magazine.

“It’s like being an American Towman advertiser,” said AT Publisher Dennie Ortiz. “The show is a good product and American Towman Magazine delivered the audience.”

AT’s February issue will present the official recap of the Exposition.

Wrecker Loses Garbage Truck In Anderson Township, Ohio, parts of I-275 closed recently following an incident involving a truck towing a garbage truck.

Officers say that a heavy-duty wrecker was towing a trash truck marked for scrap. The wrecker was traveling east while the accident occurred.

Authorities say that the vehicle being towed began to sway, causing it to become unsecured from the wrecker.

Officers say that the old garbage truck traveled off the right side of the highway and struck a guardrail. No one was injured in the accident.

Police say that drugs and alcohol were not factors. Source: www.fox19.com.

TOWMAN.COM - January 2014 • 9

Check Out What’s NEW and HOT!

Jerr-Dan’s Incident Management Body

Steck Super Easy Wedge Many of today’s new vehicles may require additional pressure and surface area to spread the force along the door when performing unlocks.

Steck’s new Super Easy Wedge, No. 32923, is a larger version of the Easy Wedge to be used as an accessory with its BigEasy Lockout kits.

The Super Easy Wedge is inserted to create a controlled opening of the vehicle door, and it provides more power and a bigger opening to be able to maneuver a lockout tool. The 7” x 9” inflatable wedge is made from ballistic nylon preventing slippage in extreme weather. A contact area of 2-1/2” x 4-1/2” gives the wedge 168.75 lbs. of force.

www.steckmfg.com Number 200 on Reader Card

Ramsey 35,000-lbs. Winch Ramsey Winch’s new HDP-35 Heavy Duty Planetary Winch features a 35,000-lbs. first-layer line pull. This compact towing and recovery winch weighs 504 lbs., conserving your GVW. The HDP-35 uses a high-efficiency gear set and delivers a fast line speed of up to 46 ft/min under full load. The winch is rated for-40 degrees F, comes standard with a two-speed motor and meets SAE J-707 standards.

www.ramsey.com Number 201 on Reader Card

EyeRide Live Monitoring EyeRide’s real-time live-video mobile solutions for towing includes an unlimited data plan. Special features include two-way audio communication, panic buttons, GPS with live video, Wi-Fi on board, credit-card processing, alarms for control, speed control, Geo-fencing, printers on board and more. EyeRide’s expandable items give a high level of protection against crime and liability claims brought against your company. All activity can be recorded and stored for up to three months with an option to increase the hard drive and have recordings for up to six months.

www.EyeRide.us Number 202 on Reader Card

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J

err-Dan showed its new Incident Management body at the 25th American Towman Expo in Baltimore this past November. The 50/60-ton rotator features an Incident Management body designed to increase storage capacity and provide dedicated storage solutions for towing and recovery.

The polypropylene-constructed body is weather tight, low maintenance and highly impact resistant with lockable roll-up aluminum doors and 140-percent increased storage capacity over their current rotator body. It provides storage for all of the tools and equipment required by one of the most demanding contracts in the Florida DOT Rapid Incident Scene Clearance program.

Storage includes specifically designed solutions for items like shovels/brooms, DOT cones, cribbing, hand tools, axes/hammers, oil dry, wheel chocks, all types of rigging and more. Storage areas feature a mechanics’ toolbox, pull-out tool board, adjustable shelves, pull-out storage trays and a specially designed chain carousel that allows various lengths and sizes of chain to be neatly stored and easily accessed.

The body features LED interior and exterior lighting, and steps and handles for access to the top of the body.

The polypropylene body features a lifetime warranty.

www.jerrdan.com Number 203 on Reader Card

TOWMAN.COM - January 2014 • 11

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AD INDEX

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Access Tools 39 Akins Body & Carrier Sales 21 Auto Return 15 AT ShowPlace Las Vegas 28, 29 B/A Products 17 Beacon Software 13 Century 2, 3 Crouch’s Wrecker & Equip. Sales 13 Custer Products 38 Daniel’s Wrecker Sales 38 Eartec 47 Elizabeth Truck Center 19 Equipment Sales & Service 33 FlowStop 46 GPS Secured 46 Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA) 23 Intek Truck Eq. Finance & Lease 19

12 • January 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

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Jerr-Dan 5 Lift & Tow 47 Loganville Ford 37 New England Truckmaster 45 North American BanCard 7 NRC 55 OMG 12 PWOF 34, 35 Santander Bank 56 Smyrna Truck Center 27 SnappyBox 23 Sonetics Corporation 27 TowLot.com 40, 41 TowMate 17 TwinState Equipment 47 Worldwide Equipment 23 Zacklift International 19

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January 2014 For more product info, go to www.towman.com and click on the FREE Product info icon.

Or circle the corresponding reader service number on the Action Card to the right, and send it in.

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TOWMAN.COM - January 2014 • 13

Transporting Additional Passengers

by Randall C. Resch

T

ransporting additional passengers in towed or transported vehicles conitinues to be a topic that’s historically contested by towers on industry forums. Opinions divide and undoubtedly elevate some readers’ blood pressures.

It’s certainly a topic for discussion at safety meetings to determine the best safety practices when responding to calls when there are more riders than available seatbelts.

Transporting additional riders is full of critical “What if?” scenarios, like: • “What if the car comes loose?”

• “What if the tow truck or carrier is hit by another vehicle?”

14 • January 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

• “What if the people in the car mess with the controls?”

• “What if I get a ticket doing this?”

Forums are alive with comments on transporting additional riders. A selection of comments (for and against) includes: • “It’s illegal and we’re not a taxi service.”

• “I’ve only ever done it twice, both times were completely justified.”

• “In my state, it’s illegal to carry human passengers (pets are OK) in a vehicle that’s being towed.”

• “As a last resort, doing this is authorized to get them to safety.”

• “I personally don’t make a habit of doing so, however, there have been times when it was absolutely necessary.”

• “Not legal here, as far as I know, and we won’t do it.”

• “In Washington, it’s legal as long as the vehicle being transported is on a rollback and not being towed.”

Transport vs. Tow Herein lays a questionable practice where the definition between two

styles of tow trucks strikes importance.

A tow truck (by type) is commonly a boom and/or winch truck with a wheel lift. A vehicle carried on a flatbed carrier is “product” that’s transported totally off the ground.

In most cases, when properly and solidly attached via four-point (or more) tie-downs, transported vehicles are considerably safer than towed vehicles.

Although either truck is capable of being struck, towers and law enforcement officers alike might agree that if extra people were to be transported from the highway, a flatbed carrier is the safer vehicle … the lesser of two evils.

All states have seatbelt laws. The motoring public often travels with more passengers in their vehicles than tow trucks and carriers might have seatbelts. The demand on towers often goes beyond the letter of the law; that’s when liabilities, increased responsibility and accountability become major concerns.

A portion of the California Vehicle Code states, “No person shall operate a motor vehicle on a highway unless that person and all passengers 16years of age or over are properly restrained by a safety belt.”

Specifically in California, tow operators can transport no more passengers than the tow truck has seatbelts.

According to the CVC, “No person driving a pickup truck or a flatbed motor truck on a highway shall transport any person in or on the back of the truck.”

At face value, this section prohibits drivers from transporting passengers.

However, in certain scenarios where there are numerous passengers onscene, transport can be made: “Subdivisions (a), (b) and (c) do not apply if the person in the back of the truck or flatbed is being transported in an emergency response situation by a public agency or pursuant to the direction or authority of a public agency.”

In Washington, revised legislation states, “A tow truck operator may allow passengers to ride in a vehicle that is being carried on the deck of a flatbed tow truck under certain conditions, including that passengers are using seatbelts and child restraints, if they are otherwise required by law.”

When directed by a police officer’s lawful instructions, and under their escort, this method is acceptable.

When no officers are present, drivers should contact dispatch and advise how many passengers there are and relay to the agency the circumstances regarding special transport needs. The agency’s response should dictate what actions to take. In the event an officer provides assistance by transporting some of the passengers, the tow objective is completed.

If an officer authorizes all parties to ride in a flatbed-carried vehicle, drivers need to load and secure, then carefully drive to the first, immediate

safe location off the highway where taxi or bus services can be obtained.

When officers aren’t available, tow companies must get creative to fulfill the objective of getting roadside passengers off the highway in the safest and most expedient manner possible.

Basic guidelines to make transport reasonably safe include: • Critical and explicit safety instructions must be told to all persons riding in the transported vehicle.

• Get the keys first from the customer to eliminate accidental shifting or vehicle starting.

• All riding parties should be

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TOWMAN.COM - January 2014 • 15

seated, with seatbelts on, and in seats other than the driver’s seat (away from controls and emergency brake handles).

• Advise all riders to remain in the vehicle with seatbelts on until they’re assisted from the vehicle.

• Instructions must be clear and concise always ending with, “Do you understand what I’ve told you?”

True Story In June 2013, an Indianapolis church bus carrying 15 children became disabled on an area highway where law enforcement was on-scene and managing the incident. Because of perceived danger on the roadside, the officer decided to tow the bus with kids inside off the highway rather than bringing another bus onto the highway and off-loading the children to it.

A big-rig tow truck was towing the bus and was struck at an off-highway signal by a vehicle that ran a red light.

None of the children were injured. In this scenario, the officer decided to transport from the highway. Accordingly, the tow operator was responding to the officer’s safety instructions.

When exigent circumstances are present, police officers or emergency officials are authorized to take reasonable and prudent actions to prevent injury or further accidents. Because pending or imminent danger is present in these kinds of scenarios, the officer on-scene must quickly decide an alternate plan with best intent to protect the disabled vehicle’s passengers.

Don’t Ask Me When irregular scenarios occur, does the tow company have the right to refuse service and are they subject to disciplinary action?

Per the California Highway Patrol’s 2013-2014 Tow Service Agreement for rotation providers, “While involved in CHP rotation tow operations or related business, the tow operator and/or employee(s) shall refrain from any acts of misconduct including, but not limited to, any of the following; Item Two; ‘Lack of service, selective service, or refusal to provide 16 • January 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

"When vehicles are disabled or crashed on the highway, it’s the tower’s responsibility to provide for their customer’s safe transport." service which the operator is capable of performing.’ ” Within the same document, it states, “Tow truck drivers shall perform all towing and recovery operations in the safest and most expedient manner as possible.”

If a tow owner or driver refuses an officer’s order to tow or transport a vehicle from the highway, does the refusal violate the Highway Patrol’s contract?

In California’s Motor Vehicle Handbook for Bus Drivers, it states, “Do not tow or push a disabled bus with riders aboard the vehicle, unless discharging the passengers would be unsafe. Follow your employer ’s guidelines on towing or pushing a disabled bus.”

What other options are there?

Request law enforcement to respond.

What if no officers are available?

• Never tell customers to walk to the next ramp.

• Request a taxi to respond.

• Request another truck and driver from your company to respond.

• Consider purchasing a crew-cab carrier for these situations.

When vehicles are disabled or crashed on the highway, it’s the tower’s responsibility to provide for their customer’s safe transport in circumstances of emergency. Nearly all states have written laws that authorize tow truck operators to load vehicles with passengers, and tow or transport them off the highway under direction of a law enforcement officer.

When serving law enforcement, tow operators should respond to the lawful directions by the officer onscene. For company owners dead-set against this procedure, it could be a violation of the agency’s contract resulting in a disciplinary action, suspension, or removal for failing to follow directions.

We’re Not Taxis If an officer chooses to call a taxi, let them make the call. Taxi companies aren’t trained in on-highway response.

If they caused an accident, or if a rider were to be injured or killed, you could be liable for their actions because they were working as an agent for you (if you made the call).

Some towers believe that in transporting passengers we should be allowed to charge for services provided. But you might be violating municipal or county codes because you weren’t permitted for such.

The bottom line is we have a job to do. But, if your company’s policy and procedures prohibit transporting passengers in towed or transported vehicles, or when your insurance provider says no to the procedure, your company must have an alternative plan in which passengers aren’t left on their own on the side of the highway.

This is an extremely important topic for monthly safety meetings.

Drivers, if you don’t know your state’s vehicle code laws regarding transporting additional passengers, you’ve got some researching to do. In fact, more than half of forum comments stated they (the towers) didn’t know what the laws were in their states.

We have an obligation to protect our roadside customers by not leaving them on the highway; there shouldn’t be any question as to what actions should be taken when customer safety is your ultimate responsibility.

Randall C. Resch is a retired California police officer and has been in the towing and recovery industry for 40 years as a tow business owner, manager, consultant and lightduty trainer. Email Randy at rreschran@aol.com.

Number 191 on Reader Card

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TOWMAN.COM - January 2014 • 17

Executing a California Roll

by Terry Abejuela

T

here are many different ways to upright an overturned vehicle, so a tow operator must choose the most appropriate technique to use in each particular situation. Knowing more than one way to upright a vehicle increases a tow operator’s chances for success.

The California roll is generally credited to Steve Cardinale, “The Godfather of Towing.” The ideal situation in which to utilize the California roll is when an overturned vehicle is located in a traffic lane next to a shoulder of the highway and the tow operator is able to position the tow truck on the shoulder. When performed correctly, the California roll allows the vehicle to be uprighted behind the tow truck and be loaded on the wheel lift or tow sling immediately after the roll—without repositioning the tow truck.

This technique can sometimes be difficult to perform depending on the casualty vehicle, road surface and type of tow truck available. I strongly encourage tow operators to practice this technique at the yard before trying to perform it in a live situation. Practice this technique often on various types of vehicles and surfaces.

If the tow truck is positioned correctly, the uprighted vehicle will land on the shoulder directly behind the tow truck and the traffic lane will be cleared. When performed correctly, this is the quickest way to clear the traffic lane.

Step by Step To execute a California roll, park the tow truck on the shoulder forward of and parallel to the overturned vehicle with enough room for the vehicle to land behind the tow truck without landing on the wheel lift. Don’t position your tow truck too far forward as this may cause the vehicle to roll forward once it is up on two wheels.

Secure the tow truck by placing an automatic transmission in park or standard transmission in neutral, set the emergency brake and apply any supplemental brakes that the tow truck is equipped with. Lower the wheel lift close to the ground but keep it retracted.

Use a short piece of 5/16 Grade 7 chain (about 3’-4’) to attach a 12’ to 14’ nylon strap to the frame or sturdy suspension component of the overturned vehicle on the side closest to the tow truck and forward of the rear wheel. (If a longer piece of chain is used, just place the extra length of chain inside the fender well so the body of the overturned vehicle does not roll over the chain during the upright causing unnecessary damage.)

Route the strap from the rear axle forward of the rear wheel and under the rear of the overturned vehicle so it 18 • January 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Practice the California roll at the yard before trying to perform it in a live situation.

comes out on the other side midway between the front and rear wheels. A 12’ to 14’ strap will work on most vehicles (some vehicles may require a longer strap). A chain can also be used, but it will cause damage.

If using a dual-winch truck, free spool the winch closest to the overturned vehicle and pull enough wire rope out to reach the nylon strap. I recommend that the second winch be placed in free spool during the rollover process to avoid pulling the wire rope termination up into the cable guide when extending the recovery boom.

Route the strap so it comes out midway between the front and rear wheels.

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TOWMAN.COM - January 2014 • 19

When the casualty is on its side, make sure that the nylon strap isn't caught behind the rear window.

Lower the boom and attach the wire-rope hook from the winch closest to the overturned vehicle to the nylon strap.

Lock the winch that will be used to execute the rollover and reel in the wire rope until there is tension on the rope. At this point keep a close eye on the overturned vehicle as you continue to reel in the wire rope. The overturned vehicle will either start to lift—or it may start to pivot.

Done correctly, the California roll will place the vehicle behind the tow truck ready to attach without repositioning the tow truck.

20 • January 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

When you winch in, the vehicle will either begin to roll or may pivot. If it pivots, you'll need to readjust the strap.

If the end of the overturned vehicle closer to the tow truck starts to pivot, stop immediately and reposition the nylon strap more to the rear. If the end of the overturned vehicle further from the truck starts to pivot, move the nylon strap more forward. Reel in the wire rope again and watch to see if the vehicle starts to roll or pivots again.

Readjust the strap as necessary. When the casualty vehicle starts to roll, don’t stop reeling in the wire rope until it is partially on its side. Once in this position the boom can be elevated to continue the rollover.

When the overturned vehicle is on its side, make sure that the nylon strap has moved over onto the roof and is not caught behind the rear window. If the strap gets caught behind the rear window it may cause the casualty to roll towards the tow truck once it is on the two downside wheels.

Once full elevation is reached if the overturned vehicle has not rolled completely to its wheels, use the winch to continue the rollover process until the wheels of the overturned vehicle drop to the ground.

The California roll is a great technique to have in your bag of tricks when the appropriate situation presents itself, but it takes some practice to perfect. Practice this technique often so when you perform it in real life situations you will know what to expect. I have performed this technique many times in my classes over the past 15 years; most of the time it works great, but once in a while it doesn’t work as planned. The more you practice the better the chances are you will have an issue and be able to figure out how to correct it before you encounter that problem in the field.

Terry Abejuela has 30+ years of light-duty towing-and-recovery experience. He is also a lightduty level 1 instructor for the California Tow Truck Association since 1998.

Number 126 on Reader Card

The Voluntary Repossession Myth

by Mark Lacek

Y

ou pick up the ringing phone and on the other end of the line is a very nice man introducing himself as the collection manager for a finance company.

Let’s call him Dennis. Dennis explains he has a “very easy” tow and asks for your help.

When you ask Dennis if this is a repossession, Dennis answers with a very fast “no” and tells you it is a voluntary surrender. Dennis continues to explain the customer has called in and said the car is at the house and to “just come and get it.” There is a good chance you are about to be cheated by a bank or repossession forwarding company.

Let me jump forward a bit and talk about the differences between a voluntary surrender and an involuntary repossession.

A real-life voluntary surrender is when the customer (registered owner) has driven the car to where it was purchased, walked in and handed over the keys. The dealership calls the lender and explains the car is at the dealer and to come and get it.

An involuntary repossession is when the registered owner has possession of the car and the lender wants your company to go and retrieve the car and deliver it to a destination, like an auction, your lot or a selected dealer location.

This is kind of simple isn’t it? Well not exactly. Very often, with the idea of saving money, the forwarding company will refer to a repossession as voluntary with the intent of paying you less and charging its client more.

For those of you who are not familiar with the definition of a repossession forwarding company: A national repossession company is usually a national company which accepts repossession assignments all across the country and then re-assigns the case to a repossession company on their approved list. Repossession companies send in their applicable insurance and/or state license info to the forwarding company to receive the assignments. When the national repossession company gets a repo order in their area, the assignment is forwarded to them.

You might be surprised to learn there are some forwarding companies who receive more than 10,000 recovery assignments per month. The idea is to send the assignment out to the listed agency and get them to agree on the lowest fees possible. The forwarding company makes their profit by paying their agent less than what is eventually invoiced back to the financial institution. The repossession forwarder will always negotiate a lower fee paid to the repossession agent if the assignment is a “voluntary” repo.

22 • January 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

It takes the same effort, the same amount of time and the same manpower whether the account is deemed a voluntary or involuntary repossession. continue to page 38

Number 110 on Reader Card

Number 151 on Reader Card

Number 161 on Reader Card

TOWMAN.COM - January 2014 • 23

TOWMAN YEAR of the

Change Starts at the Top

by Brendan Dooley

W

ay up in Big Sky country in Montana, there’s plenty of real estate to get lost in if you don’t want to be found. For Billings Towing & Repair co-owner and state legislator Joanne Blyton, blending into the background has never been her way.

From growing up in a tow business to running tow companies in Maryland and Montana, to helping the industry through national and state towing associations (she is president of the Yellowstone Valley Tow Truck Association), Joanne consistently strives to improve the industry for all.

But it is her work as a state legislator that made a marked impact on the Montana towing industry, and for this reason Joanne Blyton is the 2014 Towman of the Year.

In particular, her history in towing helped her introduce and sponsor some towing-positive bills that are now law in Montana. In fact one bill, HB 455, reduced the amount of time towers need to retain salvaged and abandoned vehicles by 30 days. Terry Morrison, president of the Montana Tow Truck Association, said that alone could potentially save tow companies in the state $5 million per year.

Joanne Goes to Helena Joanne didn’t plan to run for a state representative spot, “It wasn’t on my bucket list,” she said, but then former four-term house rep Joan Andersen asked her to run.

“Montana is a great state. … It took a lot of time to make this commitment,” Joanne said. “It took family time, time with God, and time to attempt to ana24 • January 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Joanne Blyton: Montana State Legislator, tow business owner, state association president, WreckMaster certified.

lyze how running for office, and if you win, the impact it has on your life. After much deliberation, I decided to run.”

Montana has “part-time” legislators; beyond campaigning, the commitment requires Joanne to move to Helena for 90-day sessions every other year as a house rep.

“While campaigning, I still maintained time at work which was 45 miles from home. The legislative district is a

large one, approximately 10,000 great folks. One puts a lot of miles on a vehicle covering the turf,” she said.

“Our Montana Tow Truck Association current and past presidents came to me and asked for help with some bills. A female senator from Billings also was carrying a bill (while serving in the House she carried all the tow truck bills).”

Joanne, husband Donald Sr. and son Donald Jr. work together at the Billings towing business. Donald Jr. brought his family from Maryland.

One of the successful bills, HB455, revised the law for acquiring titles to abandoned vehicles and was signed into law last April.

Another bill, HB422, revised the payment process for removing abandoned vehicles and was signed into law last March. It eases payments to towers by allowing the responsible law enforcement agency to directly pay the company hired to remove an abandoned car.

Joanne was the primary sponsor on both these bills, as well as HB421, that would have reduced the time it takes to impound an abandoned car to three days (from five). HB421 died in committee.

“The failure of this bill was a lack of understanding by the public as to the process for removal of a vehicle from the public roadway,” Joanne said.

The process is “a bill is drafted, picked up by the legislator, returned to legislative services, then scheduled for committee. Hearing in committee, it may pass, fail, or die in committee. If it passes it then goes to the scheduler for the House floor for second and third reading and voting; then it goes to the Senate through a very similar process.

So it is time consuming to get a bill through the process and to get is passed,” she said.

“Towers from across this great state … traveled to our Capitol to testify on these bills when they were presented in committee. That meant several trips and they were vigilant,” Joanne said.

Joanne discovered in her first term that the learning curve in the state house is “like drinking from a fire hose.

“Even with orientation it takes awhile to get the schedule together, read bills, serve on committees, carry bills and report home to constituents through weekly updates, and to prepare for all that you need to accomplish.”

And despite the “part-time” status, she said there is near-constant research and committee work between sessions, plus “you are still the people’s representative even when you are not in Helena.

Joanne emphasized that she is a representative for all her constituents as a legislator and hasn’t specifically trumpeted just the towers’ causes at the state Capitol. However, she does feel privileged to have helped some tower-spe-

cific legislation along to become law in the state.

After two terms in the house, Joanne is planning to run for state senate this year; the primary is in June, election in November. That means she’s planning to take on an even bigger constituency and will be out on even more Montana roads meeting more people for this run.

“It’s a bigger district, and more work to juggle and balance,” she said. “It is very humbling and rewarding to serve people in any capacity.”

Moving forward, she plans to work with the MTTA to gain publicity and recognition of towers within the state’s Move Over laws; currently towers are not recognized as emergency personnel on the roadside there.

An advantage of working on that as a state senator would be the ability to do more drafting and writing of legislation between sessions to carry over what house reps can’t do.

“I want to give best possible representation to all people as a senator, not just towers. I need to serve all the people.” Just like towers are called to do.

She said she feels the same satisfacTOWMAN.COM - January 2014 • 25

tion in her work helping people whether it’s as a legislator in Helena or on the side of the road as a tower.

Back in Billings American Towman isn’t alone in recognizing all that Joanne is doing for towing and the image of the industry. Last year the Women of the Towing & Recovery Association of America named her the 2013 Tow Woman of the Year.

“I was so surprised and humbled, I was reduced to tears when I learned of my selection,” Joanne said. “As a female in the towing world, I have worked alongside my husband, son and daughter, and I have worked together to tow when necessary. …

“You know the old saying, ‘Behind every successful man, there’s a woman.’? Well, the women of the world are stepping up and out in this industry,” she said.

Joanne said that as soon as she was able to drive, she began running parts for her dad’s business—a towing and repair shop.

She said this was when the importance of on-the-job education became apparent to her when she began matching old parts to replacements to avoid duplicating runs.

Later, she worked for NASA and as a transportation supervisor for the board of education in Prince George County, Md., before starting a service station and towing business in 1984 with her husband, Donald.

“We purchased a Texaco gas station with three bays and one tow truck. … We grew our towing from one wrecker to adding two flatbeds, one additional wrecker, one medium-duty truck and one heavy-duty truck,” Joanne said. “We were and still are a family owned and operated business.”

Their kids Donald Jr. and Sheryl Ann helped in the business in Maryland; Donald Jr. moved with his wife and son to Montana to help with the Billings-based tow business that opened in 1998. With the successive tow businesses, the Blytons currently rank at No. 484 on the Towman 500.

In Montana, the new challenge became “the massive size and terrain of the state,” Joanne said. They have a larger fleet than what they needed in Maryland, consisting primarily of Jerr-Dan, NRC and Holmes wreckers. Their 11 trucks range

Interstate Towing & Recovery is one of Blyton's companies that is leased to Billings Towing & Recovery.

26 • January 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

from light to heavy, including two tractors to pull trailers, a sliding-axle trailer, an equipment trailer for air cushions and compressor, a Bobcat and a dump truck.

Joanne is very hands-on at Billings Towing & Recovery. In addition to “pushing plenty of paper around,” she is WreckMaster certified, maintains a CDL and is perfectly comfortable hopping in a truck to get more equipment to a scene, haul what needs to be hauled and do whatever needs to be done.

“I’m a Joanne of all trades, master of none,” she joked.

In addition to the business, when Joanne returns from Helena to Billings she has plenty to do as president of the local Yellowstone Valley Tow Truck Association.

“This past election, the local guys and gals voted me in as president,” she said. “We are a small association, but meet monthly to share concerns and issues.” She said they often host guest speakers, including law enforcement personnel and a CPA to talk about tax concerns.

As she speaks of often, education is a growing part of the YVTTA. “We believe in education and towers have been involved locally with the Traffic Incident Management Training Program with fire, police, and all first responders,” Joanne said. “All towers are welcome to attend and hear the latest.

We also allow time for war stories as needed.”

When it comes to education, Joanne sees it as critical for every tower to learn what they can, where they can from the shop to local events and up to national

trade shows. She’s even served on the Education Committee of the Towing & Recovery Association of America.

“Towers need to go home to their loved ones, after the job is done. Reading safety tips and articles in trade magazines is time well spent,” she said. “Getting to know your competitor is a good thing. You never know when you will be working alongside them on the highway.

“The American Towman Exposition in Baltimore is like having your cake and eating it also. … The educational opportunity is one that you cannot set a value on. I believe that we are charged to learn one new thing everyday.

“Learning and sharing with others is one of the best values in the American Towman; we never need to re-invent the wheel. We perhaps can save making some of those mistakes we call experience.”

“Our industry is one that is much like the Energizer Bunny, we go and go and go and go and go! Let’s make sure we do it safely.”

For the example of leadership Joanne has set for this industry, and the impact her legislative work has had on towing in Montana, American Towman salutes Joanne Blyton as Towman of the Year.

Editor’s note By naming Joanne Blyton our “Towman of the Year,” you may say we’re putting the word “woman” back into the “man” or that AT is not ready or willing to negate the word “mankind” which incorporates both sexes. Yes, we could have called Joanne the “Tow Person of the Year,” but we simply like the term “Towman” better. Maybe it has something to do with the name of this magazine. Here “man” means “person” and we think the reader understands that. We also didn’t want to segregate Joanne’s accomplishment by calling her “Tow Woman of the Year.”

Number 172 on Reader Card Number 113 on Reader Card

TOWMAN.COM - January 2014 • 27

Featuring American Towman Events and Conferences

Number 206 on Reader Card

No More Aftershocks

Catastrophe Training in Japan

by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti

Century 1140 Rotator from Akatsuki Towing Co. of Osaka participated in the cross training.

Brandon Glass (left) and Tom Luciano (center) from Miller Industries assist during the recovery using a Century 1060.

J

Tom Luciano working with local operator overturning tractor-trailer with Century 1140.

30 • January 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

apan lies on the infamous “Ring of Fire,” a line of frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions that encircles virtually the entire Pacific Rim. It is one of the most seismically active areas on Earth. The country accounts for about 20 percent of global quakes of magnitude 6.0 or greater, and seismometers record some kind of event every five minutes, on average.

Since 1891, there have been seven quakes rated at 8.0 or greater; in 2011, there was an 8.9 tremor off the coast of Honshu. The dramatic news footage of Honshu showed city workers hanging on to their desks as everything rocked around them and buildings on fire being swept across farmland as tsunami waters washed inland.

Whenever a disaster strikes, being prepared is necessary. Due to the crowded, congested highways in Japan, quick clearance is crucial.

As the largest manufacturer of towing and recovery equipment, Miller Industries puts a great emphasis on not only selling quality equipment, but also training their customers in the most up-to-date recovery methods for using the equipment. The Miller team has made many trips to train recovery professionals around the world.

“Miller Industries is a staunch supporter of training and education,” said Randy Olson, Miller’s VP of marketing. “We offer seminars and demonstrations to help operators maximize the potential of their equipment in a safe, productive manner.”

TOWMAN.COM - January 2014 • 31

When Disaster Strikes

Rescue workers with overturned bus.

Fire and rescue crews work along side tow operators for the training.

32 • January 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

• In many post-disaster situations, there is no food, shelter, services or gas to spare. Even the Gulf Coast states after Katrina or states affected by Sandy, had to be absolutely self-sustaining for days, even weeks.

• Just because you have the right equipment does not mean you know how or are ready to use it in a disaster situation. Inexperienced people have been killed after hurricanes and other disasters, by falling tree limbs and live electrical wires, during their DIY clean up efforts.

• In disaster situations, you are going to be encountering disaster victims. They are going to be stressed, maybe desperate, and maybe angry. As a trained professional working with a credible organization, you need to know how to comfort these people and direct them to where they can get assistance. Emergency personnel without specific training can actually cause more problems than they alleviate in a disaster situation.

• To cut to the chase, if you are untrained you are a liability. Training is necessary to be ready for any eventuality. True catastrophe response begins long before a disaster strikes.

On a recent trip in October 2013, Miller trainers made their way to the Land of the Rising Sun for a training exercise at the port in Kobe. The task was to simulate the occurrence of four accidents on the interstate during a major catastrophe such as an earthquake.

Century 1140 lifts the rear of an overturned tractor-trailer to allow rescue workers access to a crushed auto underneath.

Cross-Training This wasn’t just recovery training—it was catastrophe cross-training to be able to keep roadways clear for emergency personnel in case of earthquakes or other natural disasters .

Tom Luciano, Miller’s director of training and northeast district manager, led the training operations. He conducts numerous training seminars in light- to heavy-duty towing and recovery for operators and associations across the country and around the world. Training assistants included Brandon Glass, Miller sales manager, and Howard Kritzer, national sales manager at B/A Products Co. This catastrophe cross-training was

extensive and involved more than 800 fire, rescue, medical and recovery operators. Emergency personnel had to extract casualties from the vehicles and rescue; fire and even a helicopter all participated along with the towing

and recovery operators. The program was put on by Japanese Highway Recovery, which is similar to our quick-clearance entities in the U.S.

continue to page 36

Number 152 on Reader Card

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Number 136 on Reader Card

NO MORE AFTERSHOCKS continued from page 33

The second rotator participating was this Century 1060S from Todoroki Wrecker Co., Ltd.

Equipment On-Scene Two established Japanese towing companies participating in the crosstraining brought units used in the exercises. Akatsuki Towing Co. of Osaka brought their Century 1140 rotator, painted in the company’s blue and white and adorned with a photo image of a Japanese temple. The second rotator was a Century 1060S from Todoroki Wrecker Co. of Osaka, painted in their company’s red and yellow with tasteful touches of chrome. Both trucks are graphically amazing.

There were a variety of simulation scenarios that these rotators were used in, like the Todoroki Century 1060 rotator’s reverse roll of a refrigerated box van. The Akatsuki Century 1140 was used to lift an overturned tractortrailer to allow rescue workers access to a crushed auto underneath and in the uprighting of the overturned tractor-trailer.

As with traffic-incident management in the United States, the goal was 36 • January 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

to move the recovery vehicle as little as possible to keep traffic flowing.

Luciano used the Akatsuki Century 1140 40-ton rotator in the uprighting scenario. First, the 1140 was used to lift the rear of the overturned tractortrailer to allow rescue workers access to a crushed auto underneath. Then Luciano worked with local operators to overturn the tractor-trailer using the 1140.

To help “stick” the tractor-trailer when righting it, both turret-mounted winches were used. The lines were run down through a snatch block that was attached using a shackle at the outriggers (the front line at the front outrigger and the back to the rear outrigger) to achieve the lowest pull point with the 1140. To achieve maximum mechanical advantage, the front line went to the top tractor wheel and the rear line was attached to the top outside trailer wheel. Both the front tractor and rear trailer axles were first chained to the frame to secure them during the pull.

The rear main boom winch line was used as a catch line using two endless loop straps in a “V” configuration attached to the trailer frame at the front and rear of the trailer. The second main boom winch line was run through a snatch block attached at the front of the container, back through a second snatch block located at the end of the 1140 recovery boom, down through a third block located at the rear of the container, and finally terminating with the line hooked back at the recovery boom. This provided a constant pull at both the front and rear of the casualty when bringing it over.

The objective was for all of these emergency professionals to be fully outfitted, trained, and qualified to handle an event that has yet to happen. Mission accomplished.

Editors Note Photos for this article are courtesy of Miller Industries and Japanese Highway Recovery.

Century 1140 uprighting a tractor-trailer.

Number 207 on Reader Card

TOWMAN.COM - January 2014 • 37

REPO RUN continued from page 22 What the forwarder does next is where they make the big bucks. The forwarding company will call the registered owner and ask them if they will consider turning the car in voluntarily. About 25 percent might agree, the remaining 75 percent will now make sure they lock or block the car or even hide the vehicle. The point here is the forwarding company can now pay the repossessor about $100 less than the normal fee because it was termed by the forwarder as a “voluntary surrender.” Multiply the $100 times 2,500 (which is about 25 percent of the

assignments the national forwarder converts into a voluntary surrender) and you have $250,000 per month of pure profit. This nice little chunk of change is a result of a couple of calls to the bank’s customer.

If you think the forwarder is passing on these savings to their client, I have some beachside lots in Nevada I would love to sell you.

The most obvious problem I see with contacting the bank’s customers is the customers who are not willing to turn over the car peacefully are now preparing for a visit from the repos-

Number 167 on Reader Card

sessor. Another idea to consider is what percentage of those customers willing to turn in the collateral are being honest.

I can tell you that the past has taught me to treat every repossession as a non-voluntary situation. Many times I have been told to contact the customer with a supplied phone number only to find the contact number is disconnected or the customer does not show up or I have to jump through hoops to make the appointment. Many times the customer changes his mind back and forth and will cause you to make more than one trip to pick up the car.

Consider this scenario: The forwarding company calls the registered owner and attempts to convince him to surrender the car. The customer screams back at the caller and with sarcasm says, “Go ahead and send your repoman over here, tell your repoman the ^&*% car will be in the driveway waiting for him.” Now the forwarding company contacts the repossessor and advises him the customer has left the car in the driveway with the keys in it.

Would you want to be this repossessor? Believe it or not, this happens more often than you think.

My advice is an easy one. When asked to reduce the fee because the assignment is a voluntary, I explain to the client in the most simple of terms.

It takes the same effort, the same amount of time and the same manpower whether the account is deemed a voluntary or involuntary repossession.

In fact, a voluntary repossession will cause me to actually meet with the debtor which in some cases is nothing more than fuel on the fire. Let us always remember: the safest repossession is when there is absolutely no contact with the registered owner.

Author Mark Lacek is a 30-year recovery industry veteran and former editor of Professional Repossessor magazine.

Mark@commercialassetsolutions.com Number 128 on Reader Card

38 • January 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Number 102 on Reader Card

Number 159 on Reader Card

Towman 500 Working Maine

by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti

The crew of Beaulieu’s Garage & Body Shop in Caribou, Maine, a Towman 500 company

T

he towing and recovery industry epitomizes the American “Can Do” spirit and tradition of problem solving with creative solutions to difficult situations.

Throughout the country many tow companies are family-run businesses—in many cases handed down from generation to generation. One company that has withstood the test of time—and the elements—is Beaulieu’s Garage & Body Shop in Caribou, Maine.

Beaulieu’s is a family-owned and operated garage/body shop/towing and recovery service that has been servicing Aroostook residents and businesses for more than 70 years.

This is Tow Americana at it’s finest.

Brothers Dan and Sam Robertson proudly represent the fourth generation of the family business and now run the company started by their great grandfather.

42 • January 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Grandfather Joe

“My great-grandfather Peter Beaulieu started the company in 1941. His daughter, my grandmother, married a Robertson, my grandfather Joe, and they took over the business, but kept the Beaulieu name,” Dan said. “My father, Jeff Robertson, then took over and is still the company president. Now my brother and I run it and my wife works in the office as well.

“Four generations later we are still going strong as one of the oldest family businesses in the industry. We were No. 74 in the original Towman 500 in 1989.”

Beaulieu’s has a full-service garage and body shop that does mechanical repairs, service and bodywork for all kinds of vehicles. They have built their reputation on exceeding standards of quality, service and promptness, and have been rewarded with the trust of their customers.

A past location of Beaulieu’s Garage sometime in the 1950s.

Great grandfather Peter Beaulieu performing a lake recovery with his Chevy/Holmes rig.

TOWMAN.COM - January 2014 • 43

“We are a Certified State Vehicle Inspections center and equipped to appraise, repair, maintain or tune any vehicle. Our mechanical repair services include … just about everything.”

Beaulieu’s offers professional wrecker services and have been handling towing and recovery for police and fire departments, car dealerships, other businesses and residents in the area for 70-plus years. They handle

Beaulieu’s Holmes 750 25-ton split-boom workhorse.

44 • January 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

everything including local and longdistance towing, vehicle jumps and flat tire repair, towing for AAA and Cross Country customers, mobile-home moving, and heavy recovery.

“All of this in a pretty rugged environment,” Dan said. “Caribou, Maine, is the most northern city in the continental U.S. We’re up there!”

The Beaulieu’s crew features WreckMaster-certified operators, who take great pride in their chosen profession.

“I am a WreckMaster 6/7A-certified operator. I truly believe that I am blessed by God to be a wrecker operator. I have enjoyed it since I was very young,” Dan said. “Besides WreckMaster, our crew has learned so much attending the AT Expo and its seminars every year in Baltimore. It is the place to be for education and cama-

raderie. The best show in the industry!”

Company president Jeff Robertson became a member of the Towman Order in 2009 at the American Towman Exposition in Baltimore.

“We, as a family, and as a business have been so blessed by God,” Dan said. “After all, it’s all His anyway, we just get to play with the equipment for a while!”

Editor’s note See this issues My Baby page 50 for a detailed description of Beaulieu’s Holmes 750 25-ton split-boom workhorse.

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

A heavy-duty Mack wrecker built by dad Jeff Robertson and grandfather Joe Robertson in the early ‘80s.

Number 171 on Reader Card

TOWMAN.COM - January 2014 • 45

Peterbilt 567 in Production Peterbilt’s vocational Model 567 (www.peterbilt.com) is now in full production. The rugged truck or tractor can be configured to meet a wide range of heavy- and severe-duty applications.

The Model 567 is standard with the PACCAR MX-13 Engine with up to 500 hp and 1,850-ft./lbs. of torque and can be ordered as a day cab or with Peterbilt’s complete line-up of detachable sleepers.

Kenworth Makes Bendix Standard Kenworth Truck Co. (www.kenworth.com) will make Bendix front air disc brakes standard on its Class 8 tractors and trucks. According to Bendix, the ADB22X design significantly reduces brake fade with no degradation of stopping power.

Snappy Box Dealer Program Snappy Box offers its Portable SelfStorage business opportunity for tow bosses to diversify their business and create a revenue stream that complements existing operations. The Snappy Box model can use a standard rollback truck and storage yard to create a mobile storage business.

Snappy Box (www.snappybox.com) sells 16’ and 19’ containers and provides management over the portable storage wing of the business so towers can focus on existing tow operations.

PassTime Launches Fleet Division PassTime recently launched a fleet division and selected Geotab’s fleet management technology as the major foundation of its solution portfolio. PassTime Fleet (www.passtimeusa.com) will offer comprehensive hardware and software solutions designed for any size fleet.

From fleet and vehicle tracking, to driver safety, productivity and performance, PassTime Fleet has the tools needed to help customers manage their assets while saving time and money.

‘Turkey Tows’ Help Homeless Shelter Five Watsonville, Calif.-based tow companies combined their resources to raise money for a homeless shelter recently.

Hundreds of people came out for the second annual Turkey Tows fundraiser in the Kmart parking lot. The event was run by the Chaz, JV, Bay City, Auto Care and Speed of Light towing companies.

For $10, hungry participants got a smoked turkey leg, salad and roll, all ready to eat. The event raised $2,800, all of which went to Pajaro Rescue Mission.

“We’re somewhat competitive, but we get along,” said Richard Cassero, owner of Bay City Towing. “This unites us even further. … The point is to give back to the community. We want to show the community we care.”

Pajaro Rescue Mission Family Services Director Pat Borden said the shelter is gearing up for the cold winter months and slowed agriculture industry, which normally causes a large influx of homeless people seeking services.

“We’re full steam ahead and we appreciate the support,” she said. Source: www.register-pajaronian.com.

New Date for Wis. Show The Wisconsin Towing Association’s annual show in Wisconsin Dells has been moved for 2014.

Normally taking place on Father’s Day weekend, the show was pushed back one week due to circumstances beyond the association’s control, a source said.

The Wisconsin Tow Show will be June 20-21 in 2014.

Correction

Number 153 on Reader Card

46 • January 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Number 101 on Reader Card

Mike Sena of Mike’s Towing and Recovery in Bridgewater, N.J., was miscast in the December 2013 issue of American Towman. He is the president/owner of Mike’s Auto Service. His wife, Dina, is the president/owner of Mike’s Towing and Recovery.

Number 133 on Reader Card

Number 139 on Reader Card

Number 157 on Reader Card

TOWMAN.COM - January 2014 • 47

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TOWMAN.COM - January 2014 • 49

Workhorse 750 in Maine

by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti

T

his Holmes 750 isn’t the pretty custom rig you may be used to seeing on these pages. There is no question that this is a working rig. It is the everyday workhorse for Beaulieu’s Garage & Body Shop in Caribou, Maine. (Read more about Beaulieu’s in Tow Americana on page 42.)

Dan Robertson of Beaulieu’s explained, “This is our off-road workhorse, but we do use this truck on road as well,” said Beaulieu’s Dan Robertson. “We bought it from another tow company, T/A Service Center in Presque Isle, Maine, the next town over. He was getting out of towing and this was his last truck to sell.

“We as a company had not had a heavy in our fleet for 10 years. Dad was working on growing the mechanical and body shop sides of our business and there hadn’t been time to build another truck.

“Roughly five years ago, my brother Sam and I started getting more invested in the family business and one day Dad told us we needed to go with him. We drove quietly in his pickup to the former owner’s business and bought the truck. It was rusty and needed work but to

50 • January 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Tech Highlights Chassis: 1986 Western Star.

Wrecker: Holmes 750.

Engine: 400 Cummins Big Cam 3.

Trans: 15-speed w/overdrive.

Weight: 34,000 lbs.

Length: 265” wheelbase.

Winches: 750 Holmes 25-ton.

Graphics: Sign Tech.

Builder: T/A Service Center.

Paint: Beaulieu’s.

(us) it was a huge deal. My brother and I had wanted Dad to get a heavy and it was kind of like he bought us this truck.”

This 1986 Western Star has a Holmes 750 25-ton square split-boom wrecker on the business end and was originally built by the former owner. A 400 Cummins Big Cam 3 engine mated to a 15-speed transmission with overdrive takes it through its paces. It weighs in at 34,000 lbs. and has a 265” wheelbase.

“Our 750 has enough equipment to do just about any job. We carry a full card of 1/2-inch chain, 5/8-inch chain, snatch blocks, 100 feet of 1-inch cable, 150 feet of 5/8-inch wire rope on each drum, full card of straps and shackles.”

Sign Tech in Caribou did the graphics and the Bealieu’s crew painted this workhorse in house.

“It’s a work in progress and still has a long way to go!” Dan said. “To many businesses this was a long-since outdated unit, but we all have to start somewhere and we felt blessed just to have somewhere to start. I would encourage anyone trying to get into the market to do the same. There is no shame in starting out with less and building upon it.

“We slowly have worked on the truck; in essence we have been rebuilding the entire truck. But neverthe-less it earns money like a new one.

I really feel that older trucks like this can have a new life in off-road settings.

Sometimes we might be called out to a location over an hour away. We literally have to try to carry everything in this truck. It weighs in at a meager 34,000 pounds so it really is not that heavy of a truck. I feel that even though this is not

some huge 6x6 hydraulic animal, we can accomplish the same job due to the high weights of such large hydraulic trucks. Even a traditional triaxle hydraulic would be 60maybe 70,000 pounds—that’s quite a lot of weight to try to take down potato-field roads.

“The other side is the truck’s wheelbase. It comes in at 265-inch front axle to center of tandems. Any larger and its about near impossible to turn on a narrow field road or narrow camp road. We use this truck up north quite a bit for small townships that have plow trucks go off and into the ditch.

With a 300-inch wheelbase truck, you’d be backing all the way out on some of the roads we end up on.”

Holmes 750 Legacy Older Holmes 750s have perimeter-driven winches and maintain upwards of 80-percent capacity even with a full drum. This is one of

the reasons they are a favorite still with established companies that do a lot of heavy winching. These units

have lineage dating back to the ’50s, yet modern equipment is still compared to them.

Holmes 750 split-boom wreckers have one winch for each side to lower the booms—not to lift anything.

The main winch is a powerhouse and if you could hook something it would move it.

In its time the 750 Holmes set the benchmark on performance in heavy-duty towing and there are still a great many doing service across the country. Today’s new planetary heavy winches are fast and powerful, but the old 750 still has a place when you need pure brute winching power.

“I bet it would surprise you and me to how many older trucks are still running out there today,” Dan said.

“But like WreckMaster says ‘You do the best you can with the tools you have to work with.’ Running an older mechanical just takes a little more finesse.”

TOWMAN.COM - January 2014 • 51

The Words on the Cover

by Steve Calitri

W

hat’s in a tagline, the motto of a publication, if not its soul?

Certainly this can be said of American Towman’s new phrase beneath the cover masthead, “The Road Calls.”

AT has had a few taglines over its 38-year existence. One that stuck for years was “Independent and Proud,” one that would still strike a chord today.

“First on the Scene” has been used for near 20 years and we liked it for its double entendre. American Towman was the first national towing publication in the U.S. and tow operators are often first on the scene of an incident.

For several years we also used “A Rare Breed,” because towers are indeed that.

Editors love to play with words and love thinking up names for things, but the latest change in the tagline was right in our face for the past year.

We wrote the first Towman Ballad, “The Road Calls,” in October of 2012 and Mike Corbin recorded it. The ballad’s narrative describes a tow operator who is called out twice one evening to accident scenes and en route to the second call the unexpected happens. It is nothing short of heroic—though not uncommon— among acts that towmen have performed.

“The Road Calls” speaks to towing professionals because that is what their work is all about, being called to

52 • January 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

the road; sometimes by a police dispatcher, sometimes a motor-club dispatcher, sometimes by a stranded motorist. Lifelong towers will tell you it’s in their blood, that it’s what they have to do, or that it’s a calling.

So “The Road Calls” has a romantic, even spiritual, meaning as well as a practical one for those towmen, and with a ballad by that name and hits on all the above, and a music video just out on YouTube, it was clear it was time to change the tagline again.

Every issue will still state to readers that AT was “First on the Scene” since 1977, right on the Table of Contents page. But the words beneath the cover masthead which sets the tone on the magazine’s character and content is henceforth, “The Road Calls.”

Still it’s a double entendre, as the road calls to American Towman and it’s staff as it does to towmen who hop in their wreckers. In a real sense we are out there with you. The Monument, the Medal, the Chopper, the Mural, the Exposition that have been created in your honor are proof of our passion for covering this industry on your behalf.

The good thing is we editors don’t have to get up at two in the morning when The Road Calls. We can simply enjoy writing about it over a hot cup of coffee while you’re bleary eyed and burnt out.

But we hope you love us for the way we cover this great industry. We love you for the ways you take to the roads.

It was at American Towman Magazine’s Captains of Industry Conference in Baltimore that AT picked up some of the details of Joanne Blyton’s efforts as a Montana State legislator. As always, the Captains dinner was full of the industry’s movers and shakers, and certainly Joanne is one of them. The pic here shows her being interviewed at Captains by American Towman TV’s Emily Oz. You can watch that interview at TowmanTV.com, which will bring you to the ATTV page on TowIndusryWeek.com.

Joanne Blyton

ATTV has been incorporated into TowIndustryWeek.com for the past several months, making TIW the most visited site by towers on the Internet. Video, articles, news, and the everyman’s towman, Boomer Hayes, illustrated

by Don Lomax. You’ll appreciate Don’s humor every week on TIW’s home page.

Copyright 2014 American Towman Magazine. Characters and stories are fictitious; no resemblance to real life characters is intended.

Send your thoughts/suggestions on the Adventures to scalitri@towman.com or American Towman, 7 West St, Warwick NY 10990

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