American Towman Magazine - October 2014

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Number 176 on Reader Card

First On The Scene

Since 1977

AT EXPO PROGRAM pages 45-76

FEATURE CONTENTS

28

Tunnel Vision Pearce Truck and Auto of Martin, Tenn., recovered a Caterpillar D6 dozer that was mired and submerged in a strip-mine clay pit.

Ray’s Towing was on-scene quickly to remove a rolled semi blocking a freeway tunnel just before rush hour.

by Mark Salentine

78

Mud Wrestling a Dozer Departments Walkaround . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 News Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Road Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Beacons On! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Tow Boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 AD Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 On the Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Tow Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 Repo Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 Tow Americana . . . . . . . . . . . . .114 Towman’s Market . . . . . . . . . . .118 My Baby. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120 Low Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122 Adventures of A.T. . . . . . . . . . . .129

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After a D6 bulldozer slid more than 75’ down a mine, the recovery required three heavies working together.

by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti

100

Drowsy Drivers Whether from moonlighting or just long standby hours, when your drivers are drowsy it’s a danger for everyone.

by Randall Resch

106

Fuel for Thought Negoshian’s Towing used its rotator to remove and replace some fuel tanks at a Citgo station.

by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti

Number 184 on Reader Card

Covering the Whole Industry I was speaking with a new supplier to the towing market recently and he had an interesting viewpoint about the editorial in American Towman.

“Dennie, I am surprised that your editorial is so mixed,” he said. “I am accustomed to reading articles in a trade publication that focus solely on making money.”

His myopic view gave me an opening to share our profile of the “towing professional.” My response was simply that our diverse editorial represents the vast scope of the towing industry. Each issue has business management articles focusing on increasing your bottom line, or features highlighting best practices to help save or make your company money.

However, the towing trade is more complex than numbers in a ledger. It’s not just a business to most. Towing encompasses your entire life, and, for many towers, the lives of the whole family. The industry is more akin to a community—similar to that of other emergency responders, police and firefighters—it’s a brotherhood, a sister-

Practice Safety

by Dennie Ortiz

hood and a large extended family.

AT covers all the facets of the profession: business management, politics, legislative challenges, recoveries, training, the community, equipment, everything. Just like the American Towman Exposition in Baltimore, Md., each November.

I invited the new supplier to visit the Expo to see firsthand what a tower is really all about, because the Monster Tow Show this year is a microcosm of the towing world.

The towers at the Expo as business owners find new ways to expand and grow their companies (AT Academy).

They investigate the new equipment and services to help their business succeed (Exhibit Floor). But that’s not all: they’re here to take pride in their vocation, such as honoring their fellow towers for heroic efforts (Towman Medal) and their community involvement (Towman Order) or their professionalism (ACE Awards).

As we embark on our 26th Exposition and our 39th year publishing American Towman, look at the attendee brochure in this issue. Come to the show and tell us what it is to be a tower and how suppliers can best meet your needs.

Dennie Ortiz Steve Calitri Brendan Dooley Charles Duke

Publisher Editor-In-Chief Editor Senior 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 Peggy Calabrese Ryan Oser 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 Regional Advertising Sales iMarketing Manager ATTV Producer President

by Brendan Dooley

Since the October issue—our annual Baltimore American Towman Expo extravaganza—is the largest of the year, I want to make sure you don’t miss our particular emphasis on safety this month.

From customers to drivers to repo agents, there are plenty of tips and advice for making things safer throughout towing and recovery.

First up on page 12, Field Editor Terry Abejuela covers the everimportant safety of customers on the roadside. He addresses customers in the work area, those who want to help and the controversy of customers riding in the towed vehicle.

Then on page 100, Operations Editor Randy Resch addresses drowsy driving by overworked towers. Resch shares a personal story of a nighttime drop off that had him dozing briefly on the return trip. Whether the problem is due to moonlighting drivers, poor time management or other factors, companies need to know their liability should a drowsy driver cause an accident or mishap on the clock.

In this month’s Repo Run column on page 50 from Mark Lacek, he relates how he promises his wife to be careful, and sometimes he wasn’t (but lucky). Whether hyperthermia under a Mack truck or finding a gun pointed at you, attention to personal safety covers many fronts. Be safe.

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First On The Scene!

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 Editorial Policy: the act of mailing or delivering a letter or article to American Towman Magazine, shall constitute permission to publish that letter or article or any portion thereof. American Towman Magazine reserves the right to edit any and all material submitted.American Towman Media does not test or review products submitted for inclusion in its publications. All included information, specifications and abilities are as claimed by the equipment manufacturer who is solely liable for any defects or misrepresentations in its products.

Number 216 on Reader Card

ESTRA Carrier Bill Passes The Empire State Towing and Recovery Association has been successful in its efforts to pass a bill in the New York legislature that allows for three feet of overhang on a car carrier, as well as allowing for the length of a tow truck or car carrier to be determined by its wheel-lift in a retracted position.

According to a statement, ESTRA said it had been working on the “overhang” issue for several years. Previously, New York’s length law stated that a truck could not exceed 40 feet in length “inclusive of bumpers and load.” As a result, car carriers that accommodate two vehicles on a deck could not operate legally when fully loaded, because the rearmost vehicle would extend beyond the limit.

ESTRA President Tom Brennan expressed gratitude to the bill’s sponsors, Rep. Andrew Lanza, former tower Rep. Michael DenDekker and to Governor Andrew Cuomo for coming to their support of ESTRA’s efforts in getting the bill signed into law. Source: www. estranys.com.

Man Charged in Tower’s Death Franklin Howard Davis Jr., 48, of Henderson, N.C., has been charged in connection with the death of Jennifer Williams, the tower killed roadside last month. He is charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle.

Williams, 37, was loading a car with a blown tire that was partially in the right-hand lane onto her tow truck on Aug. 19 when she was struck by a semitrailer. Her truck had its yellow warning lights on and Williams was wearing a reflective vest, but Davis failed to move into the left lane.

Towers in the area said they hope this helps emphasize how important it is for all drivers—especially big rigs—to follow the law and, if possible, move to the left lane to make room for tow trucks, EMS or law enforcement. Source: www.myfox8.com.

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George Stevens Passes Towing industry icon George Stevens died on Sept. 21 after returning home from the Tennessee Tow Show and Hall of Fame weekend. He was a regular volunteer and contributor to the industry, including serving on the TRAA board (Past President 1991-’93). He was inducted into the International Towing Hall of Fame in 1991.

George grew into the towing business through his father’s towing company. After serving in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1958 where he was involved with towing and recovery in a heavy tank battalion, George returned home to continue his career with heavy trucking as a fleet superintendent. In 1978, he opened his own towing and recovery business, Stevens Service Center, in Vicksburg, Miss., which still operates today.

"I’ve known George for 17 years, meeting him first as the commandeer

George Stevens during the 2014 Hall of Fame inductions in Chattanooga, Tenn. Photo by Dennie Ortiz.

of the Big Fish outing at the 1997 AT Expo in Baltimore,” said American Towman Publisher Dennie Ortiz.

"His dedication to the towing industry was tremendous and genuine, just like the man. His smile generated warmth and sincerity, which is apparent in a photo I snapped of him on September 20 enjoying the Hall of Fame Induction and the company of his peers.

The industry and the world has suffered a great loss.”

He leaves behind his wife, Carol, sons Michael and Mark, three grandchildren, a brother and three sisters.

Minneapolis Approves

New Contracts In an effort to improve response times during snow emergencies, the Minneapolis (Minn.) City Council approved new municipal towing contracts designed for better compliance by towing companies.

The city deemed the new contracts necessary after a local newspaper exposed that the contracts were not being equally enforced. The contracts contain more explicit language specifying that contractors must follow the direction of city staff. It also specifies the city can require the contractors to use its towing software, allowing staff to more easily see whether the companies have deployed enough trucks.

Five towing companies are under contract with Minneapolis until 2020, when the contracts can be renewed.

Wrecker Services Inc. and Rapid Recovery will handle year-round towing work for the city. Corky’s Towing, Twin Cities Transport and Recovery and Williams Towing will only work during snow emergencies and street sweeping.

The city expects to pay the five towing companies a combined $2 million annually. Source: www.startribune.com.

. . . Contracts were not being equally enforced . . .

Tower Arrested for Pocketing Funds A tower who allegedly pocketed money given to him by customers paying to have their cars removed from impound was recently arrested on a felony charge of communications fraud.

According to police, the Kaysville, Utah, the tower was arrested after it was found that he was one of two employees of the towing company pocketing money from customers.

The company reported last year to police that they found at least six vehicles missing from the lot for which they never received payment for towing and storage.

An investigation determined that several vehicles had been impounded and released, but no money was turned into the company.

Records revealed which employees were assigned to the yards and tow trucks associated with these incidents.

The loss was estimated to be at least $6,297.50, and spanned about a full year beginning in 2012. The employees were fired. Source: www.standard.net.

N.J. Businesses Balk at Regulations The Lawrence, N.J., town council tabled a proposed ordinance that provides for the licensing and regulations of tow truck companies operating in Lawrence Township at a recent meeting.

Some company owners objected to a provision that requires them to include a flatbed truck with a 21’ bed in their fleet for cars or trucks that cannot be towed. One owner noted that cars and trucks have become smaller because of the cost of gasoline. Owners also questioned a provision that would create a rotation list.

The proposed ordinance also calls for driver certification, criminal background checks and equipment requirements, among other things.

The Lawrenceville municipal manager explained that the new ordinance is needed as the current one is not in compliance with state law. There have been many changes in the state law aimed at consumer protection, he said. Source: www.centraljersey.com.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

12 Years for Killing Tower A Texas man pleaded guilty recently to a hitand-run vehicular homicide of a Breaux Bridge, La., tower and was sentenced to a dozen years hard labor, according to the St. Martin Parish district attorney.

Luis Gerardo Molina, 24, of Mission, Texas, will have no possibility of parole.

In June 2013, driver Blaze Louviere of Guy’s Towing was standing on the shoulder of I-10 in Breaux Bridge near his tow truck removing a disabled vehicle, when he was struck by a 2000 GMC Yukon driven by Molina.

Witnesses followed Molina, who fled from the scene, to the city limits. City police officers apprehended Molina until state troopers arrived.

Toxicology reports revealed that Molina was impaired at the time of the collision.

Louviere was transported to a local hospital in critical condition, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Source: www.katc.com.

“Move Over” Expands in Md. As of Oct. 1, the Move Over law in Maryland has expanded to include towers.

The state is urging motorists to practice moving over for tow trucks specifically, now that they are included in the safety barrier of the new law.

Motorists are required when approaching an emergency vehicle or a tow truck from the rear with its lights activated, to change into an available lane not next to the emergency vehicle or tow truck, when safe to do so. If there is no lane available, the motorists must slow down to a reasonable and prudent speed as they pass the emergency scene.

Failure to obey the Move Over law will be a primary offense with a fine of $110 and one point. If the violation contributes to a traffic collision, the fine will be $150 and three points. If the violation contributes to crash resulting in death or serious injury, the fine is $750 and three points. Source: www.wfmd.com.

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 9

Check Out What’s NEW and HOT! Soft Strike Conversion Kit With many vehicles now using aluminum, including the new Ford F-150 body, using everyday steel tools can cause galvanic corrosion on aluminum components. Steck’s Soft Strike Conversion Kit can maximize your existing steel body tool investment to also work on aluminum body components. The removable covers prevent cross contamination and galvanic corrosion.

www.steckmfg.com Number 200 on Reader Card

Actus Wireless Valve Control System Actus Manufacturing’s wireless valve control system is designed for use on rollback carriers with manual valves. The company said it’s quick and easy to install with no welding, cutting or rerouting of hydraulic lines, and no investment in an air compressor or air lines. Comes with a two-year warranty.

www.actusinc.com Number 201 on Reader Card

Wheel Mount for Euro Vehicles Access Tools’ Wheel Bullet makes performing wheel service on a European vehicle easier. The Wheel Bullets are designed for European vehicles that do not have the wheel studs that American vehicles do for mounting a wheel. The Wheel Bullets function like guide pins or wheel hangers, allowing the wheel to be easily removed and installed with no risk of dropping it, damaging the wheel or vehicle.

www.caropeningtools.com Number 202 on Reader Card

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Century 1150RXP

C

entury said its new1150RXP helps fill the need for tough side recoveries with minimal lane blockage in meeting the everincreasing demands for quick clearance.

The front RXP outrigger system adds two 35,000-lbs. winches to the 1150. It is available with a 35,000-lbs. or 50,000-lbs. deck winch for increased power and rigging.

The 50-ton three-stage recovery boom has 360 degrees of continuous boom rotation along with dual 50,000-lbs. two-speed planetary winches.

The greaseless, self-cleaning roller system allows the operator to travel the boom up to 60” on the newly designed sub-frame, even allowing the operator the ability to stop and start the travel under heavy loads.

www.millerind.com Number 203 on Reader Card

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 11

Customer Safety

by Terry Abejuela

Never let a customer help you on the scene.

A

s professionals in the towing and recovery industry we have an obligation to provide for the safety of our customers. We know that towing and recovery are often hazardous to the tow truck operator, but they are also hazardous to others at the scene including our customers. Towers have a responsibility to take the necessary steps to ensure that the job they do doesn’t create a hazard to others at the scene. Customers may not understand the hazards involved and are relying on us to conduct our operations safely and provide 12 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

assistance to them to ensure their wellbeing.

Customer safety begins with the initial call requesting assistance. Asking questions not only provides the information needed to respond with the appropriate equipment and driver, but also should be used to determine if there are any safety issues that may require additional precautions.

First, get a callback number in case the call is dropped. Next, get a location so you will know where the customer is. Ask if the vehicle is located in a safe location and if the customer has a safe

location to wait for the truck. Are they located in a bad neighborhood? Is there adequate lighting? Is there a safe, public place nearby where they can wait? Are they in the middle of the desert in summertime heat? Hazardous situations may require a call to law enforcement for assistance.

Once contact has been made with your towing company, as a professional you must follow through to ensure their safety. If you are not able to respond quickly, offer alternatives— even if it means referring them to a competitor.

Number 122 on Reader Card

Safe Placement Upon arrival at the scene, first locate the customer and any passengers and direct them to a safe place away from traffic. Monitor their position to make sure they do not move to a hazardous location. If children are present, make sure an adult has direct supervision of them and keeps them in a safe location. If you lose track of any of them stop and locate them before continuing. If it’s possible and safe, have customers wait in the cab of the tow truck or in their vehicle. Do not allow customers or their passengers to stand between the tow truck and the disabled vehicle or on the traffic side of the vehicles.

Offer assistance with entering and exiting the cab of the truck. Tow trucks are often much taller than the customers are used to and they may not be familiar with how to safely enter or exit the truck. Recommend the proper procedure to enter and exit the truck and point out the handrails. Customers that are wearing shoes that may pose a hazard should be notified (like women in high heels going up truck steps with holes in them).

When operating your equipment, there will often be blind spots that a customer may move into. Operate your tow truck from the side that offers you the best visibility to monitor the location of your customer. Make sure they are clear of any danger from moving equipment, wire rope, winches or any equipment that could pose a hazard if something fails under load. Do not allow them to stand behind a vehicle being loaded or unloaded on a car carrier.

Don’t let customers get between the carrier and a casualty, or stand behind the carrier when a vehicle is being loaded or unloded.

No Extra Help Do not allow customers to help with your job! They are not properly trained and are not wearing the appropriate

Number 139 on Reader Card

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safety apparel. If you need help, request the assistance of another tower. Carrier operators often ask a customer to help them load a motorcycle onto the deck. This has often resulted in damage to the motorcycle and injuries to customers. You should you not ask a customer for help and you should not allow them to help even if they start to or offer to help.

If they start to help, politely ask them not to help for their own safety. Incidents where a customer was helping a tower push or steer a car have resulted in damages and injuries. They should not be allowed to help you or be near any operating equipment.

If you troubleshoot a vehicle to place it in a safe driving condition, make absolutely sure it is safe for the customer to drive. I don’t recommend that you work on safety related components such as brakes, steering, suspension or the cooling system and just offer a tow. If you are changing a flat tire and the spare tire is unsafe, let the customer know that the tire is not safe and you don’t recommend they drive on it and offer them a tow. If they refuse the tow and request that you install an unsafe spare, document your invoice and notify your dispatcher. If you install a temporary spare make sure you notify the customer of any restrictions as to speed and distance for the temporary spare.

If you are unable to provide service for whatever reason, offer the customer a ride to someplace safe where they can wait for additional assistance. Don’t leave a customer in an unsafe location or stranded on the side of the roadway.

An often-debated subject is towing with customers in the towed vehicle. I think we can all agree that it is not a safe practice to let customers ride in a towed or transported vehicle. However in some situations it may be the safest option available. I am not suggesting that towers tow or transport vehicles with customers in them if the law prohibits it. In California, the law does not specifically prohibit it. Of course it is still unsafe and all other options should be exhausted before making the decision. Another option might be requesting another tow truck or law enforcement for assistance. If law enforcement is unable to respond ask for a recommendation from them. Towers will have to evaluate each situation individually, weigh all of the options and choose the safest course of action.

Your safety and the safety of all at the scene including your customers should be the No. 1 priority. Be prepared to perform your job in the safest manner possible.

Try to anticipate any potential hazards and take whatever precautions are necessary to provide a safe work environment for you and all at the scene. Practice safety every time you do your job so that Field Editor Terry Abejuela has 30plus years of light-duty towing-andoperating safely recovery experience. He is also a becomes the light-duty Level 1 instructor for the California Tow Truck Association. norm and not the exception.

Number 112 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 15

One Angry Mother

‘It’s a goner.’ An under-insured SUV that was totaled destined for a salvage auction to pay the towing bill.

by Don Archer

T

he video monitor revealed the anger in my customer’s eyes as she searched for the object of her frustration. It wasn’t me or anyone in particular she was looking for—just a whipping boy to release two days worth of anxiety caused by confusion and loss of control. Her baby boy had been in an accident, and his car was in our shed.

“My son is in the hospital, and I need to get some stuff out of his car.”

These were the first words out of her mouth as she pushed open my office door.

16 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

I was sitting at my desk until that moment and immediately rose to my feet to greet her.

“OK,” I said. “Which car is your son’s?”

She pointed to the mangled Chevy TrailBlazer that had been involved in a rollover. I remembered seeing this invoice cross my desk and asking the driver about the level of difficulty. It was rather involved and required finesse to remove from a cluster of cedars while avoiding a concrete culvert. I hoped it was fully covered.

We walked out to take a look.

There it sat on two wheels only—broken glass and twisted metal. She drew in a breath and looked inside. I cautioned her to be careful.

Ignoring my warning, she poked her hand in the driver’s side window and grabbed a few things. As she walked to the other side, she abruptly asked, “Why is my son’s car here?”

I explained that we bring wrecked vehicles to our shed for safe keeping until the owner can contact the insurance company and certain decisions can be made.

She angrily furrowed her brow

and shot back, “What kind of decisions?,” as she pried open the rear passenger door and began rummaging through the clothes in the back seat.

“Well, ma’am,” I was nervous and didn’t know why, “you know, decisions like what to do with the car: is it fixable, or is it totaled?”

She peered up at me from inside the SUV. Her distrusting gaze and a pause in the conversation suggested that we, the towing company, had done something wrong.

She then spouted, “It’s totaled, wouldn’t you say?” She didn’t even try to mask her sarcasm as she let out an audible grunt while wrestling with some sort of treasure from beneath the seat.

Immediately I felt like I was in the fourth grade, in front of the entire class, and the teacher had just asked me a question—the answer to which I did not know.

But I gained my composure, pulled myself back out of the classroom, slowly shook my head from side to side and said, “Yep, it’s a

When we remove distractions that could cause chain reactions, we’re saving lives. goner.” My aim was not be on opposite sides of the fence; there was no need. Then reality and experience told me that they had liability only.

She stood up and the look in her eyes communicated that my commiseration was not enough.

“Goner, huh?” She walked right by me.

In those two simple words she let me have it.

What I took to mean, and what I’m sure she implied, was that we (meaning all towing companies) were ambulance chasers whose only function was to prey on the unfortunate.

But the truth was I was the one

about to be preyed upon. The car was under-insured, and she was gathering her son’s belongings with the intention of leaving without paying the bill.

I’d had enough.

As I opened my mouth to defend myself and the industry; as I mustered the resolve to mount a counter-attack in the name of all that’s right and holy—the phone rang.

I shut my mouth. Before one word came out, I high-tailed it back to my office to take care of business. About 10 minutes later I’d finished the call, and she walked in and sat down.

No longer was my blood boiling.

This wouldn’t be the first time a bill went unpaid. “I’ll just sell it,” I thought.

I asked, “All set?”

Nothing. She just fiddled with her phone and her purse while I waited.

“How much is it?,” she asked, without looking up.

I was right.

I found the invoice and told her how much. She sighed. Not just a normal sigh like “wow” or “that’s a bit

Number 182 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 17

much.” This was one of those elongated, over-the-top, church-song-type of sighs. Then she shook her head, slowly and shamefully, back-and-forth

too many times, let out a heavy “woo hoo!” and stood up to leave. Her suspicions were all confirmed. She was exasperated, and needed to go.

I could have just let her go—I didn’t.

“Let me tell you a story,” I said.

“This is something that happened to me about 20 years ago. I was driving down Interstate 70 near Kansas City at about 75 mph. I was next to a Ford Ranger, and as we topped a small hill there was a sea of red lights in front of us. Hundreds of cars were stopped on the road. They were too close, so we couldn’t just tap our brakes and stop before hitting them, so I took the shoulder and avoided an accident.

“But the Ranger didn’t see the lights in time and couldn’t take the shoulder. On his side of the road, the shoulder disappeared and he ran up and over a guardrail. The guardrail was part of an overpass and he rode it for a short while, then nose-dived down into the traffic below. This all happened in a split second as I was attempting to get control of my car.”

She stood there listening with her hand on the doorknob, unimpressed.

“I was OK; but the guy in the Ranger didn’t make it. The next day I read that two other people died there in that rash of accidents along I-70, due to what was called a chain reaction.

Number 181 on Reader

Number 128 on Reader Card

18 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Nowadays, we call them secondary accidents.”

“That’s a sad story but what does that have to do with anything?,” she interrupted to ask.

“I don’t expect you to understand, but everyday I’m sending good men out there to risk their lives so that others don’t lose theirs. Besides freeing the roadway of obstructions, tow truck operators do what they do so that accident vehicles don’t become a spectacle: a driving distraction,” I said. “In essence, when we remove distractions that could cause chain reactions, we’re saving lives. It’s something I’m very proud to say I’m able to be a part of.”

Now the truth is, I’m sure that on the day this happened my words didn’t come out exactly as I’ve recounted, but I must have gotten my point across because she didn’t respond. She just opened the door and left.

I felt much better.

Don Archer lives and works in Jefferson City, Mo., where he and his wife, Brenda, own and operate Broadway Wrecker, a 12-truck operation that’s been in business since the 1950s.

He writes a weekly column for TowIndustryWeek.com. Email him at don@broadwaywrecker.com..

Number 127 on Reader

SERVING THE TOWING AND RECOVERY INDUSTRY SINCE 1966

30 Years of Isuzu Trucks in U.S. Isuzu Commercial Truck of America commemorated its 30th anniversary in the U.S. market this year. As part of the anniversary celebration, Isuzu (www.isuzucv.com) announced that it will continue the 24/60 Covered Maintenance Program for new Isuzu diesel trucks purchased in the first half of 2014.

The KS22, the first Isuzu truck in America, arrived in Jacksonville, Fla., on Nov. 10, 1984. It had no tilt cab and was powered by an 87-hp engine. In 1986, barely a year after their stateside launch, Isuzu trucks became the bestselling low-cab-forward truck in the U.S., a position held ever since, according to the company.

Isuzu said its current array of NSeries trucks is the only line-up of LCF trucks in the industry to offer a choice of two diesel engines plus a gasoline engine that’s both CNG and LPG capable.

Peterbilt Adds COE, Alcoa Wheels The first new Peterbilt mediumduty cab-over Model 220, a Class 6 and 7 truck is now in full production.

The cab features a completely redesigned interior that includes a curved dashboard with an interactive 5” color display module that provides information on vehicle and driver performance.

The company (www.peterbilt.com) said the new cabs are designed for durability; the new bumper is manufactured from galvanized steel, there’s a new radiator protection plate and the headlamps are protected by Lexan.

The Model 220 is equipped with the PACCAR PX-7 engine with up to 260 hp and 520-lbs./ft. of torque. The standard automatic Allison transmission has a push-button shifter.

Peterbilt also announced that Alcoa Ultra aluminum wheels—manufactured from a MagnaForce alloy that provides additional strength and lower weight—are now available as a 20 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

factory option for all Peterbilt heavyduty trucks.

The company said Alcoa Ultra wheels are 5 lbs. lighter than previous products, offer the same load rating of 14,600 lbs. and are compatible with airdisc brakes (standard on the steering axles of all Class 8 Peterbilts).

Minimizer Sweepstakes Minimizer is celebrating 30 years with 30,000 ways to say thank you to its customers. The company manufactures poly truck fenders, poly toolboxes, custom floor mats, custom mud flaps and truck accessories.

“We began manufacturing fenders and have expanded into other areas of the aftermarket heavy-duty trucking industry by offering an array of bracket kits, toolboxes, customized floor mats, LED lights, slick disks, decorated mud flaps and now a new maintenance line,” said Craig Kruckeberg, CEO. The Company is celebrating its 30 years with the Minimizer 30th Anniversary Sweepstakes that will award a total of $30,000 to two Minimizer customers.

Minimizer customers who spend $100 or more on Minimizer products are eligible to be entered. Customers can learn more at www.minimizer.com.

The Sweepstakes run through Dec. 31, 2014.

“Thirty years of successful product innovation and marketplace growth is a milestone we want to share with the truck operators who made it possible,” said Jason Rhoads, director of marketing.

Two Patents for SumoSprings SuperSprings International received two U.S. patents for its SumoSprings vehicle suspension enhancers.

The patents cover vehicular applications for two of the three SumoSprings designs, the Rebel and the Maxim.

The company (www.supersprings.com) said its SumoSprings “airless airbags” provide a progressive spring rate, which provides increasing support for the suspension as the vehi-

cle is loaded. SumoSprings enhance load-carrying ability, stabilize sway and improve overall driver control and comfort.

The newly patented SumoSprings Rebel features a two-piece design that fill the gap between a vehicle’s axle and frame and do not limit upward suspension travel. The top half of a SumoSprings Rebel is mounted to the frame, and the bottom half is mounted to the axle. The company said that as the suspension is loaded, the two urethane components meet, improving ride, reducing side-to-side body roll and eliminating sudden bottomingout.

WTRAA Scholars Announced The Women of the Towing and Recovery Association of America named its 2014 scholarship winners.

Since 1990, the auxiliary organization of the Towing & Recovery Association of America—under the Education Foundation—has awarded more than $125,000 in scholarships to students affiliated with the towing industry.

The 2014 WTRAA scholarship winners include Haley Grueber, Missouri Baptist University; Taylor Powell, University of Central Florida; Allison Gratzianna, University of Missouri-Columbia; Michaela Grosbeier, Bellin College School of Nursing; Kaylee Morgan, University of N.C.Wilmington.

WTRAA said its scholarship process is highly competitive and evaluated very closely on completeness of applications and meeting all criteria. Applications are reviewed for grade point average, community service, scholastic achievements and personal statements. Those who did not receive a scholarship this year are encouraged to continue to apply in the following years.

The Scholarship Fund welcomes donations at any time to “Pershing for WTRAA Scholarship,” c/o Committee Chairperson Stacey Tucker; 130 Tweed Lane NW, Suite 2; Bremerton, WA 98312.

Exotic, High Performance or Low Clearance vehicles are no problem for Chevron’s G Generation II LoadRite carriers. The LoadRite features a unique “drop deck” design with a sloped tail section that improves the load angle an additional 3 degrees. For ease in securing your load, the LoadRite option on a steel carrier features bidirectional chain locks down the inside rail every 12 inches.

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Jerr-Dan Seeks ‘Towmantic’ Pics Jerr-Dan thinks you and your tow truck are a lot closer than most people realize.

“Just like the relationship that car guys have with their favorite muscle cars, hot rods and contemporary sports cars, tow truck owners and operators can become equally connected to the mechanical prowess and functional beauty of their Jerr-Dan trucks,” the company said in a release. “But this special bond between man and machine often runs much deeper than that of a sports car or muscle car, because the pair come to depend on one another quite a bit in meeting the many challenges that come with life in the vehicle rescue/recovery business.

“The reality is, many owners and operators spend more time with their trucks than most couples spend together. So much time, in fact, they may consider it among the most important relationships in their lives. With this in mind, a humorous approach was chosen to bring this insight to life – a campaign called ‘Towmance.’ ” The company is seeking out fun, creative (legal) hi-res photos of you and your truck doing whatever you enjoy doing when you’re not on the job. All submissions receive Jerr-Dan swag, and the top 12, as selected by Jerr-Dan, will be featured in the 2015 Jerr-Dan calendar. Submit your Towmantic photo through www.JerrDan.com by Oct. 17.

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Visit us in booth# 1097 at the AT EXPO!

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22 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

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Number 121 on Reader Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 23

Green LPG Option Saves $$

Propane autogas is becoming the alternative-fuel choice in hundreds of fleets across North America, including UPS and DHL. The U.S. Department of Energy said propane autogas can reduce exhaust emissions by up to 50 percent vs. gasoline (and even more vs. diesel

fuels), and can save from 30 percent to 50 percent compared to gas (and more vs. diesel fuel).

ICOM North America and Green Pinnacle Energy have introduced a bi-fuel LPG system for the towing industry featuring Jerr-Dan equipment. ICOM (www.icomnorthamerica.com) currently has more than 12,000 systems in use in North America including approximately 1,000 units on the EPA-certified system for Ford V-10 engines.

The company said a 2014 Ford F-650 that currently runs 60,000 miles annually costs $29,998.50 in fuel (based on $3.50 per gallon and an average of 7 mpg). The company said there is some mpg loss with propane to about 6 mpg, but a per-gallon price drop to $1.95 for propane. The same truck using ICOM’s bi-fuel LPG system costs $19,500 in fuel per year for a savings of $10,498.50.

When the vehicle is being sold or taken out of the fleet, the ICOM system can be moved to a similar truck, so your investment in the system can return savings for many years and trucks.

ICOM said its systems are: • EPA certified.

• Don’t impact your OEM warranty.

• Come with two-year/70,000-mile limited warranty.

The system will be on display in ICOM’s booth at the American Towman Expo in Baltimore, Md., in November.

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24 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

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New Chain, Rigging Catalog Number 129 on Reader Card

Columbus McKinnon Corp. said its new CM Chain and Rigging Attachments Catalog is both a product directory and “ultimate rigging resource.” The catalog is available at the company’s website, www.cmworks.com.

“This catalog was a major collaborative effort … with feedback from a number of our channel partners and end-users,” said Steve Vitello, executive director of sales and marketing.

Gumout Launches New Website Number 163 on Reader Card

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Gumout Performance Additives completely redesigned its www.Gumout.com. The company said its new website was constructed to be the primary destination to learn about all of the products whether online or mobile.

The site includes: • In-depth science pages that explain its fuel additives and show the science behind Gumout.

• Product guide.

• Video demos.

• Motorsports page.

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Number 177 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 27

Inside an I-94 interchange tunnel in Milwaukee, Wis., a Vulcan V-60 rigs to the axle side of the tractor for uprighting to clear the blocked lanes.

nel captured a rather spectacular, almost action-movie view of the semi coming into Lane One in the curve of the tunnel, leaning to the right, flipping on its side, then sliding in a shower of sparks and dust past and around various cars (with presumably panicked drivers).

Luckily, despite rush hour and the obstacle course of other vehicles, no one else was involved in the accident.

I was the first operator to arrive on the scene and found the semi on its passenger side, across all three lanes of the Interstate, having rolled over and slid most of the way through a tunnel ramp that runs from I-94 northbound to I-894 westbound in the interchange.

The tractor was pulling a chassis that had a 20’ intermodal con-

tainer loaded with 44,000 lbs. of machinery parts from China. The driver was uninjured and later cited for failing to negotiate the turn and secure his load.

Mark Block, owner of Ray’s, arrived just a few minutes after me.

Mark and I have known one another since the 1970s and actually grew up in the towing and recovery business together. Knowing each other and our respective abilities so well, we had a short planning session and then went about rigging each of our tow trucks separately.

Mark used his Peterbilt with Century 60-ton rotator on the outside of the tunnel to rig for a lift of the container. I used my Freightliner with a Vulcan V-60 on the other side of the casualty inside the tunnel to hook one

The semi is rigged and ready to come up, just outside a tunnel, blocking all three lanes of an I-94 interchange.

Tunnel Vision Semi Blocks I-94 Interchange in Rush Hour

by Mark Salentine Ray’s Towing; Milwaukee, Wis.

28 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

O

n Aug. 5, 2014, just before 8 a.m. during rush hour in Milwaukee, Wis., a semitrailer loaded with metal parts rolled over on I-94 at the end of an interchange tunnel.

Raw footage from a Department of Transportation camera in the tunWork the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 29

The semi is uprighted just at the edge of the tunnel (above).

Transferring crates after the Interstate is cleared (below).

30 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Fortunately, the rollover happened so that the semi was at the entrance to the tunnel.

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For expediency, a third driver with a 50-ton Jerr-Dan hooked to the semi to tow it away.

line to the axle side of the tractor and a second two-part line to the top front of the container to help pull the unit over.

Fortunately, the rollover happened so that the semi was at the entrance to the tunnel. This left Mark open to use the Century’s boom to lift the casualty.

Recently, there had been two similar intermodal rollovers within the tunnel that came to a stop while still enclosed under the roof. In those cases, Mark

and I found we were able to get just enough reach with our booms between the I-beams of the tunnel roof for lifting.

For the sake of speed, another Ray’s operator with a Western Star and 50-ton Jerr-Dan unit hooked up and towed the semi away while Mark and I cleaned up and rewound cables.

From arrival to departure, we had just barely over one hour involved in rig-

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32 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

ging, uprighting and removing the semi.

Once off the freeway, we did have to transfer some of the 50 crates in the load and move others in order to transport the container and chassis safely. The load had made it a long way from China to Milwaukee and was only maybe 10 miles short of its final destination when this accident occurred.

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AD INDEX Page #

AAA 101 Access Tools 85 Advantage Funding 89 Agero 65 Akins Body & Carrier Sales 103 American Safety & Supply 116 Atlanta Wrecker & Carrier Sales S 123 Atlantic Emergency Solutions N 127 Austin Hinds S 123 Auto Data Direct 19 AW Direct 83 B/A Products 93 B & Z Sales S 125 Century 60, 61 Chase Insurance Agency S 127 Chester Point N 124 Chevron 21 Chevron Commercial 112 Coach Net 88 Condor Products 43 Crouch’s Wrecker & Equip. Sales 27 Custer Products 18 Dan-Am/Sata Spray Equipment 33 Danzi Brothers N 126 DewEze 112 Donnie Cruse Award 121 Dual-Tech 25 Dynamic Towing Equipment & Mfg. 81 East Penn Truck Equipment 38 Elizabeth Truck Center 104 Extreme Toys 105 Equipment Sales & Service N 127 Florida Wrecker Sales S 127 Freightliner 7 Ford Commercial Truck 2, 3 GEICO 131 Hanks Insurance Group W 124 Hino Trucks 57 Icom North America 32 IGTC 95 IMS Incident Mgt. Solutions 26 Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA) 67 Integrated Vehicle Leasing 26 Intek Truck Eq. Finance & Lease 41 Isuzu Truck 5 I Tow In, Inc. 113 Jerr-Dan Corp.

132 Kavanaugh’s Towing Equipment MW 123 Landoll Corp.

92 LDC Insurance 86 Lift & Tow 14 Lodar/LodarUSA 26, 63 Loganville Ford 43

34 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

RS#

101 102 106 114 126 210 179 153 111 127 209 108 170 143 180 146 143 217 142 167 177 128 164 140 147 206 192 165 185 123 187 152 107 216 176 125 218 214 178 212 144 110 129 145 184 175 124 134 174 150 139 163 207

Fax to: 888-847-6035 Page #

Lynch Chicago 97 MFR Express 89 Matheny Motors 77 MatJack/International Wreckers 99 Maryland Carrier & Wrecker Sales N 123 Metro Tow Trucks 22 Muncie Power Products 35 New England Truckmaster N 126 North American BanCard 87 Nussbaum Equipment MW 125 , N 128 Ohio Power Systems 113 OMG National 109 Pacific General Insurance Agency MW 125 Parker Chelsea 17 Phoenix USA tip-in 17 Police Towers of America 43 PowerHouse Ind. 40 Quest Roadside Service 41 Ramsey Winch 37 Recovery Billing Unlimited 42 Ricky’s Sales & Service N 124 R.P.M. Equipment N 125 Road America 96 Santiam Enterprises W 123 Santander Bank 73 SavaCOMM 38 Savatech 82 Smyrna Truck Center S 125 Sonetics 95 Specialty Vehicle & Equip. Funding 39 Steck Mfg. 94 Synergy Truck Equipment W 127 TCF Equipment Finance 42 The Order of Towman 113 TowBook 27 Tow Ramps 91 Towman Hero Award 98 TowMate 102 Tow Trucks of America (TTA) 13 Trail Eze Trailers 15 Triple K Industries 94 Twin Cities Wrecker Sales MW 123 TwinState Equipment W125 United Road Towing 22 USAC/MD 24 Utility Trailer Sales S.E.TX W 124 Verizon Networkfleet 31 Vulcan 44 Warn Industries 23 Wasatch Truck Equipment W 127 Worldwide Equipment 40 Zacklift International 23 Zendex Tools Corp.

18

October 2014

RS#

149 213 194 186 166 137 197 171 109 168 130 215 193 182 135 104 189 196 148 155 211 205 156 141 103 158 118 113 169 195 132 117 188 206 115 131 206 191 122 112 100 138 157 105 190 208 136 143 120 162 151 121 181

ADVERTISER

ACTION PAGE

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.

Form is valid for three months

Number 197 on Reader

What’s Your Rep—Online?

by Brendan Dooley

I

f you are invested in growing your company, you need to be managing your company’s brand in the real world and Internet. Increasingly that means paying attention to the web and dealing with your online reputation on social media and the exponential growth of consumer review websites.

Think about it: word of mouth always has been an essential part of a business’ character. Positive word of mouth builds a trusting customer base, while negative talk and complaints (valid or not) damage the bottom line exponentially. Today that word of mouth is happening increasingly online.

Protecting your company’s good name is becoming a constantly shifting and evolving target. You are judged by your search results. Misleading or inaccurate reviews from unhappy customers post instantly and can linger for years. Social media and online review sites mean that businesses have less power when it comes to their own marketing message.

One company that has been pioneering the management of towers' reputations on the the Internet, as well as your entire digital presence, is OMG National. The company has services that can help you from the first critical steps of finding out what is being said to synchronizing your efforts across all the review platforms and social media you choose.

OMG National produces video segments for American Towman TV; its history in towing dates back to 1989 when Chief Creative Officer Mike Rappaport attended the first American Towman Expo in Baltimore, Md., to add businesses to his On-Hold marketing efforts.

Over the years, the company has added video, web and marketing aspects to its business. Then in 2011, 36 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

When a potential customer is looking for a tower, the first place most people look now is online.

again at the AT Expo in Baltimore, Rappaport began developing an idea to influence the various online directories, search sites, social sites and review sites and help towers with their online reputations. OMG President Jesse Lubar said the idea developed after Rappaport talked with a tower who had a bad review online and wanted to know what he could do about it.

“We began to think about that, and it was around the time that review site Yelp.com was becoming a big thing along with the reviews that are integrated into Google+ and so on,” Lubar said. “Traditionally, someone’s not going to go on and do a positive review about a tower. So if there is a review, most of the time it’s going to be negative.”

OMG saw an ability to add reputation monitoring alongside its core products in audio, video and web to create a “marketing prescription” for

towers they call Reputation Intelligence.

Solving problems When a potential customer is looking for a tower, the first place most people look now is online where the last thing you want is the first several hits to be bad reviews or negative press. There are now so many voices out there, finding the negative ones is a cumbersome first step in the process— then comes dealing with them.

“We find the reviews and we start answering them individually. A lot of first instincts are to get upset and angry at negative reviews and wind up rolling around in the mud with the customer,” Lubar said. “We take the high road and let [the consumer] know there is a policy in place in a particular area and as a professional tower we work on behalf of the property owner: ‘We apologize you were illegally parked and invite you to call the office

to discuss it.’ … That way the tower is reaching out and not ignoring the bad review and invites them to discuss further and hopefully end the bashing online.

“If it turns out to be a competitor, something off the wall or just fake, then we petition the individual review site to remove it—often successfully.

We had one tower who had a review that said not only was the car damaged, but property stolen. In answering that review and inviting the customer to call the office, this particular tower got the reviewer to acknowledge that he made it up and was just angry at the time. We got him to edit and do a follow-up to the review.

“Unfortunately, so many reviews in this industry are going to be negative. So it’s just about monitoring it, dealing with anything that’s negative, and then promoting and helping to promote the things that are positive.”

There’s a multi-pronged approach to enhancing the positive reviews that do come about so they don’t become adrift in the sea of voices.

“The software we use enables us to produce the social media posting on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and Foursquare, if they wish, simultaneously,” Lubar said. “If there’s a positive review, we add a social media post like, ‘Check out how Betty Jones’ experience was with Bob’s Towing.

Thanks so much for your comments, Betty!’ We paste the review text below that and blast it out on social media every time there is a positive review.”

At times, sailing through cyberspace uncovers problems that aren’t as cut-and-dry as combating bad reviews. Helping a company’s online presence also means putting them in their proper place.

“We had one client, Arlington Wrecker in Jacksonville (Fla.) frustrated that smaller companies were dominating the area Internet in various keyword searches. In about three months time, with the Reputation Intelligence package and a little bit of on-page optimization of their site, they’re now dominating their market for search engines,” Lubar said. One of OMG’s advisors helped uncover the Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Social media and online review sites mean that businesses have less power when it comes to their own marketing message.

frustration through regular communication and updates with the company.

In Sync In addition to negative reviews, online reputation can be affected by how you present your business. Do you look and sound the same on the different sites that pop up in an online search?

On the first page of search results (which more than 90 percent of potential consumers won’t look beyond),

continue to page 38

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TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 37

ON THE NET continued from page 36 your company’s hits will be stacked on top of each other from the various directories, social media, actual company site, etc. Are the results consistent with each other? If not, that hurts your impact.

“One of the most important things we’ve found in being recognized on the search engines is consistency across the directories,” Lubar said. “For instance, if you have Bob’s Towing in Tupelo and he has his directories filled out, but some have him listed as Bob’s Towing and some as Bob’s Wrecker Service, some have a direct phone number, some have the motor club number … we go in and straighten that out so that it’s totally consistent across all the different platforms.”

Lubar said OMG’s online presence efforts grew quickly and have evolved much over the past 18 months.

The company employs a three-step process now to help towers fix and/or sync what they are doing online to market the business.

“Some towers are looking for hard sell, some want to put out news and information and others want things that are humorous,” Lubar said. “It’s their business and we want to follow their style.”

Most online packages do include video, though.

“When the package is built out and the video is in production, then it goes to a reputation advisor who will be communicating with the client, finding out what their

continue to page 41

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Visit us at Booth #1336

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38 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

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New Eaton Class 6-7 Automatic

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Eaton said its recently introduced Procision mediumduty dual-clutch automatic transmissions deliver up to 10 percent better fuel economy than a similarly equipped vehicle with a torque converter automatic. The Procision transmission is scheduled to be available in the North American market by mid-year in 2015.

The new seven-speed transmissions feature a dual clutch and electronic shifting that uses grade, vehicle weight and throttle input to provide optimal fuel efficiency and smooth, continuous delivery of torque under all shift conditions. Gear changes are made by swapping the engine torque between clutches with the next gear preselected.

The Procision includes mounts for PTOs on the driver side, passenger side or rear of the unit.

Eaton Dynamic Shifting allow the transmission to automatically switch between economy and performance shift schedules based on mass, grade and driver demand. Base shift results are modified dynamically based on available torque, engine acceleration and grade. Eaton (www.eaton.com) said economy and performance shift tables can be adjusted to tune an overall calibration to meet any customer’s specific needs.

The Procision’s field tests included the towing industry, and AT had the chance to ride and drive trucks with the new transmission in September at its launch. Look for indepth coverage and impressions of Procision in the November issue of American Towman.

ON THE NET continued from pg 38 challenges are, uncovering any other needs they may have … and act as confidante and marketing department for their towing companies.

“Some towers have told us they used office staff to manage the directories … and it usually lasts about an hour before the employees are ready to pull their hair out.” He said each directory, from Merchant Circle to YP.com, Kudzu and many, many others, is important and do different things for the company. But it’s difficult to manage the individual policies and parameters of each and “maintain forward progress,” he said.

Come visit with us at the AT Expo Booth 1121.

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OMG’s Mike Rappaport (left) and Jesse Lubar.

“OMG’s goal is to make them look as professional as possible—top notch. So that they have a video, and the video matches their web site, which matches the directories. Synchronize.

“We have hundreds of towers on the program now with tons of feedback on what works what doesn’t and—towers aren’t shy about sharing what they think or how they feel.

Online reputation management isn’t just for big brands. With the rise of social media, user-generated review sites and online directories, monitoring and managing your online reputation is more important than ever.

“So many towers are spending money on ways to get the phone to ring and they end up paying a lot for calls that aren’t great or go nowhere and it can be a wasted investment,” Lubar said. “We really like to write a prescription for what we would do if it was our company.”

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TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 41

New towPartners Site towPartners launched a new website, www.towpartners.com, that rides on a new membership database system and is designed to allow greater interaction with the towPartners members and support upcoming towPartners mobile apps.

The new site is focused on education, industry statistics and member savings.

The new mobile apps will provide tools for both member companies and for everyone involved in towing and road service.

The new towPartners website continues to provide content and some tools for non-members but most of the new system capabilities will be reserved for

members who login to interact with towPartners. The site will continue to focus on towing and recovery industry specific news, business management, safety, leadership, training and more.

sureFleet Upgrades Software FTI Groups recently released upgrades to its fleet maintenance software, sureFleet. The latest sureFleet version (www.surefleet.com) builds on core features of work order management, custom eDVIR capabilities, new mobile tools, driver qualification file management, extensive reporting and improved GPS and inventory integrations.

User interface improvements allow

for intuitive operation and ease of use enhanced by new training videos. The system now handles truck pairings, more report filters, vehicle specific inspections, PM Compliance management, purchase order generation, fuel purchase exceptions, enhanced fleet and sub-fleet tracking, and the ability to track company documents and manage all renewal dates including permits, licenses or certifications. sureFleet is specifically designed to help business operations with better tracking and reporting on fleet repair costs, downtime frequency, fuel purchases, and more. It provides data capture and reporting associated with fleet maintenance to record everything from oil changes and fueling information to engine overhauls and accidents. sureFleet mobile is a free mobile application that works in conjunction with the web based software allowing companies to manage effective communication with the drivers in their fleet. www.surefleet.com

Automated Certified Mailing Made Easy

Number 188 on Reader Card

Certified Mailing Solutions automates the notification process for Certified, Certificate of Mailing and First Class mail. Towers can quickly produce and track Certified Mail themselves using the CMS web-based portal, or they can outsource everything to the secure CMS facility.

CMS (www.certifiedmailingsolutions.com) is performance-based (no requirement for a long-term contract), web-based (no hardware or software required), charged per letter, with no upfront or support cost.

B/A Open House B/A Products Co (www.baprod.com) will hold its Eighth annual Open House on Nov. 21 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with shuttle transportation provided to and from the American Towman Expo in Baltimore, Md. There will be live product demonstrations, factory tours and destructive-testing demonstrations.

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TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 43

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Saturday 11/22

Sunday 11/23

8–11 a.m., Baltimore Convention Center

8 a.m.–Noon, Baltimore Convention Center

Recovery Billing Course

AT Academy Seminars

Baltimore Conv. Center/Camden Yards 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Baltimore Convention Center 8 a.m.–Noon

Rotator Training

AT Welcome Cruise

Spirit of Baltimore, Inner Harbor 6:30–9 p.m.

Captains of Industry

Renaissance Harborplace Hotel 7 p.m.

Rotator Training

conducted by WreckMaster Bruce Campbell, Jeff Martin, and Terry Humelsine.

Fee: $595 per person, $695 On Site You do not have to be WreckMaster Certified to participate.

Outdoor training session takes place in Camden YardsRavens Stadium parking lot.

Thurs., Nov. 20, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Fri., Nov. 21, 8 a.m.-noon

Skeet Shoot Welcome Cruise

Exhibit Hall Opens

Luxury Vehicle Training, Exhibit Hall

Allstate Roadside Services Luxury Vehicle Training

AT Academy Seminars Baltimore Convention Center 9 a.m.-12 noon; 5–7 p.m.

46 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

ACE Awards

4 p.m.

Exhibit Hall Closes

BMW 2:30 p.m.–3:45 p.m.

General Motors

International Feast

6 p.m.

4 p.m. Baltimore Convention Center Wrecker Pageant Hall

Wrecker Pageant Ceremony

Exhibit Hall Closes

4:30 p.m. during International Feast

Order of Towman

2–5 p.m. Baltimore Convention Center

Renaissance Harborplace Hotel 6 p.m. Watertable Ballroom

Bull & Pig Roast/Miller Rocks

Festival Night

Advance Register online @ ATExposition.com

12:00 p.m.–1:15 p.m.

1 p.m.–2:15 p.m.

DC Recovery Conference

Exhibit Hall

Mercedes Benz

Jaguar/Land Rover

4 p.m.–5:15 p.m.

Exhibits Preview: Hall Open

See Beer Stein Special on Registration Page.

11:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m.

Transport from Pratt St lobby of BCC 9 a.m. Prince George’s Skeet & Trap 12 Noon Luncheon, Baltimore Conv. Center

10:30 a.m.–11:45 a.m.

2 p.m. Baltimore Convention Center Wrecker Pageant Hall

Porche/Volkswagen/AUDI

Renaissance Harborplace Hotel 7 p.m. Maryland Ballroom

Luckie’s Tavern, PowerPlant 9-11 p.m.

Captains of Industry

Jaguar/Land Rover

11 a.m.

Level 3 Heavy Recovery Specialty 9 a.m. Baltimore Convention Center

Calitri’s Cuba

Allstate Roadside Services Luxury Vehicle Training

American Wrecker Pageant Opens

Testing, TRAA

Hard Rock Cafe 7:30–10 p.m.

Luxury Vehicle Training, Exhibit Hall

11 a.m.

Rotator Training

9–11 a.m.

10 a.m.

Exhibit Hall Grand Opening

Towman Hunt (Skeet) -

Testing, TRAA Level 1&2 9 a.m.

Schedule of Events, November 20-23, 2014

Friday 11/21

AT Academy Seminars

8 a.m.–Noon, Baltimore Convention Center

American Towman Exposition

Thursday 11/20

Recovery Billing Course

AT Accademy

Recovery Billing Course

Bob & Eric Fouquette of Recovery Billing Unlimited Fee: $1850, includes two company personnel, the Boss and billing clerk. This is the famous 8-hour course that teaches you how to charge the value of recovery work and collect from insurance co’s.

Sat., Nov. 22, 8 a.m.-12 noon • Sun., Nov. 23, 8 a.m.-12 noon Fee also includes the A.T. Academy Passport and breakfast Fri.–Sun.

Rotator Training

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Miller Rocks

Calitri Cuba

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 47

Exhibitor Roster AAA The AAA network of savings provides superior value to our hard-working highway heroes.

Over 200 Exhibitors and 900 Exhibits pack the hall There is no tow show like it in the world. Not in

AASP-PA (Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of PA)

Europe. Nor in Asia. Not in South America or Africa.

The largest automotive aftermarket repair association in Pennsylvania, serving mechanical, collision and towing businesses.

Indeed it’s the largest tow industry trade event on the

Access Tools

planet, well deserving of this year’s “monster” theme.

The undisputed leader in specialty tools since 1986.

The trade show floor hosts over 200 exhibiting com-

Actus Manufacturing

panies, some 900 exhibit booths in total, with the excitement of many new product introductions among the wrecker, chassis, and component manu-

Manufacturer of wireless valve control system for use on roll-back carriers with manual valves.

Advantage Funding

facturers. Walking into the hall at the Baltimore

Financing and leasing solutions for the towing industry, heavy-duty lease options and dealer custom programs.

Convention Center and seeing wrecker booms raised

Agero

to the ceiling sends chills through everyone.

A leader in roadside assistance, offering high volume dispatches, easy online billing and free dispatch software.

The exhibit hall is a place to do serious business

AHT Automotive Equipment

whether or not one is in the market for a new tow truck or trailer. Fourteen call providers, motor clubs and road service networking companies make the week-

Providing high quality equipment solutions for your parts, service, and structural repair operations.

all-Grip Vehicle Recovery Systems

end an opportunity for generating revenue; forging

Celebrating 43 years of supplying the Towing and Recovery Industry with the first lifting and tie down products.

new relationships and shoring up old ones. Simply

Allstate Roadside Services

put, if you ply the towing trade, you must be in Baltimore, November 21–23.

Our mission is to deliver the industry's best roadside assistance service to our valued customers. More service providers contract with Allstate Roadside Services than any other Motor Club.

AMDOR Inc. Manufactures premium custom roll-up doors and the Luma Bar® line of LED lighting products.

American Express Open Financial Services Products.

American Safety & Supply, Inc. High visibility clothing, gloves and vests.

American Towman Magazine The leading publication in the towing and recovery industry for over 38 years!

American Towman Standards Authority (ATSA) The towing and recovery industry’s exclusive organization for rating a towing operation for its level of professionalism.

48 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Advance Register online @ ATExposition.com

2014 EXHIBITORS An alphabetical listing of Exhibitors (as of September 14th) AmeriDeck

C3 Location Systems

Dangelo’s Custom Built Mfg.

Load two full dressed motorcycles or a trike from ground level. Stop by for a demo.

Providing fleet management and business intelligence through advanced GPS Telematics.

Your true custom built wrecker manufactuer.

Anchor Graphics

Car-Part.com

Internet marketing software.

Signs–Chorplast/Aluminum, parking permit decals, plastic hang tags, violation/warning regular/NCR stickers, visitor passes and more!

Card Connect

ARI-Herta Manufacturer of heavy duty vehicle maintenance equipment and accessories.

Astralease Financial services designed to assist tow owners in the purchases of their tow vehicles.

Auto Data Direct

Kentucky-based used auto parts marketplace.

Credit Card Processing Services. We help companies reduce their credit processing rates and fees.

Century From car carriers to rotators, Century is the number one selling brand of towing and recovery equipment worldwide.

Chevron

Demandforce Detroit Wrecker Sales Manufacturer of Low Loader and Little Herc Wheel Lift systems in Detroit, Michigan.

DewEze Mfg Preferred provider of clutch pump kits to the Tow Industry.

Digital Ally A technology driven company specializing in advanced digital video surveillance and fleet event recorders.

Providing web-based tools designed to expedite and simplify business processes for the towing industry.

Chevron has built their reputation for providing a complete line of quality car carriers to meet the tough demands of professional towers.

AW Direct

Chevron Commercial

America's leading supplier of towing and recovery equipment, supplies and support.

Eye candy of the industry. Home of the Vulcanator. Licensed applicator of special coatings.

Manufactures a full line of quality, low profile towing and recovery equipment.

Coach-Net

Dynamic Towing Equipment & Mfg.

Automotive Training Institute Coaching and training shop owner management.

B/A Products Manufactures the most complete line of chains, wire rope, and web sling products for the towing industry.

B&B Industries Manufacturer of medium and heavy-duty tow trucks.

Bad Dog Tools We’ve been making specialty and multi-purpose tools for cutting and drafting here in R.I. for 28 years!

Beacon Funding As a premier provider of equipment financing solutions, Beacon Funding focuses on helping businesses grow.

Beacon Software Desktop and mobile applications to give you the most comprehensive dispatch solution with motor club integration, automated billing, lot management, accounts receivable, and lien processing.

DP Winch/TWG Group Manufacturer of planetary winches and global leader in winches, gear boxes and swing drives.

Dual-Tech

Partner with a leading motor club providing light, medium and heavy-duty services.

Offers a full line of self-loading wreckers and carriers with three-year warranty.

Comeup USA

East Penn Truck Equipment

Manufacturer of winches.

Copart Auto Auctions Sells more than one million vehicles yearly

by VB2, patented two-stage Internet sales technology.

Full line Miller Industries distributor featuring sales, service, parts, restoration, paint and more!

ECCO

CPAAM

Worldwide market leader in safety lighting and audible warning equipment for commercial and emergency vehicles.

Our newest product, TCAP Calc: accurate tow estimates in seconds from anywhere.

Excel Sportswear

Crashfilm/Boxes4U A self adhesive film that protects from the outdoors. Long lasting, clean release and residue free.

Crouch's Wrecker & Equip. Sales Sales and support of full line Miller Industries tow trucks and tow accessories since 1989.

Locations in Tennessee and Florida.

Custer Products

Specializing in silk screen printing of t-shirts and sweatshirts as well as a variety of outerwear clothing.

Extreme Toys Specializing in die cast toy trucks for all ages including a brand new rotator tow truck!

EYE3DATA Provides in-vehicle video recording solutions for monitoring, tracking, & protecting your fleet.

Introducing the Eye3WitnessView Body Cam.

Innovating LED lighting for the towing, trailer, trucking & safety industries. Including wireless tow bars, work lights and other related products.

A premier provider of tow and recovery lighting, back-up alarms and cameras.

We educate companies on how to increase their bottom line while providing a safe and clean environment.

Custom Radio

FleetDown

Budget GPS

Dalton Bearing & Hydraulic

Birdsong Environmental Solutions, Inc.

A feature rich fleet and vehicle tracking service, big features; low price; no contracts.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Mobile Digital Recording – GPS – WiFi – 3G – Vehicle Tracking – Live View.

Offers product line of hydraulic cylinders and power units, both domestic and imports.

Federal Signal

Heavy duty breakdown service with two printed directories and three web sites.

FleetNet America The premier industry leading third-party vendor management company coordinating maintenance management services.

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 49

AT Expo Exhibit Highlights Exhibit highlights of American Towman advertisers

Exhibitor Roster Fleetway Capital

AAA

The AAA Network of savings provides superior value to our hard-working highway heroes.

See Our Ad on Page 101

Specializes in financing trucks and equipment for the towing industry.

We lend money!

Ford Commercial Truck See the newly designed F-650 and 750 conventional trucks.

Free State Nam Knights A non-profit organization raising money for U.S. veteran and law enforcement families in their time of need.

GEICO Emergency Road Service provider program.

Access Tools

GM Fleet/Commercial

One Hand Jack Set

At GM we offer a broad portfolio of commercial trucks. We’re always thinking ahead to move your business forward.

The One Hand Jack Set is the best selling Car Opening Tool Set in the world.

See Our Ad on Page 85

Hale Trailer Brake & Wheel A full service dealership, specializing in the tow industry offering sales, parts, rentals and service.

Hino Trucks Medium duty conventional and cab forward trucks.

American Safety & Supply, Inc. High visibility jackets & clothing.

See Our Ad on Page 116

Holmes The oldest and most recognized name in the towing and recovery industry, having built a reputation by supplying innovative and reliable equipment for close to 100 years.

Hooks Towing & Recovery Supply We sell towing and recovery supplies, full line distributor since 1999, located in Arkansas.

Ice-E-Liminator HWB’s automatic, self regulating manager system for heated windshield wiper blades.

I Tow In Inventor of the “Original Skates,” patented Control Arm Skate, plus full line of resistance reducing products.

B/A Products

2014 New Product Introductions

The most complete line of chain, wire, rope and web sling products for the towing industry.

Icom North America Manufactures the patented Icom JTG II Propane Liquid Injection System available in Bifuel or Monofuel. On-site fleet propane fueling available thru partners. Bifuel F650 and F250 on display.

See Our Ad on Page 93

Incident Management Solutions

DewEze

Clutch Pump Kit for 2015 Ram Diesel Engine

Clutch Pump kit for the newest 2015 Ram Diesel Engine See Our Ad on Page 112

50 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

An exceptional emergency response and environmental company focused on spills of hazardous and non hazardous fuels and products.

IGTC Provider of truck and commercial insurance for the tow business person.

Advance Register online @ ATExposition.com

AT Expo Exhibit Highlights Exhibit highlights of American Towman advertisers Extreme Toys LLC

We are excited to offer the first Landoll toy trailer. It’s available in a variety of colors in 1/64 scale.

See Our Ad on Page 105

Exhibitor Roster Industrial Netting Disposable netting to contain small, loose debris during the transport of wrecked or salvaged vehicles.

Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA) Auctions nationwide. Buyers worldwide.

With IAA, tow operators get more for impounded vehicles.

Integrated Vehicles & Equipment Leasing

East Penn Truck Equipment

Full line Miller Industries towing equipment dealer. Sign up for our rewards program and start saving money!

Since 1999 Integrated has been providing leasing & financing for the tow truck industry.

See Our Ad on Page 38

Intek Leasing A true family-run business since 1986, Intek provides superior one-on-one service for customized leasing and financing programs for new and used tow trucks and equipment.

Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA) Auctions nationwide. Buyers worldwide.

With IAA, tow operators get more for impounded vehicles.

See Our Ad on Page 67

International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame & Museum The only tow truck museum in the world, Hall of Fame and Wall of the Fallen.

Jerr-Dan Corp.

Redefining the towing & recovery industry by setting new standards for performance, quality, innovative technology and service.

Kalyn-Siebert Heavy-duty towing is a one-man operation with Kalyn-Siebert sliding axle trailers.

I Tow In, Inc.

Landoll Corporation

ITI All Purpose Skates

Manufacturer of traveling axle & detachable recovery and equipment transport trailers, powder coat – galvanize.

Where it all began. The invention of this simple product to locate immobilized vehicles, minimizing damage and resistance, now 18 products!

Lattimer’s Warehouse Axle Covers (Axle caps) for towing larger trucks once the drive axles are pulled.

See Our Ad on Page 113

LDC Insurance Services

Icom North America

Icom Propane Liquid Injection Systems for the Towing Industry

Reduce fuel costs 30% or more and utilize propane autogas a domestic fuel source.

See Our Ad on Page 32

Big or small we have tow truck insurance programs that tailor to your needs.

Lift And Tow Affordable hidden wheel lift system for pick up trucks.

Locksmith Resource Provider and purchaser of keys and keyless entry remotes.

Lodar/LodarUSA Lodar/LodarUSA features 2 – 40 function wireless controls built to keep your team safe from harm.

Integrated Vehicles Leasing & Financing

Let Integrated finance your next new or used truck, and we will give you an iPad!

See Our Ad on Page 26

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Lynch Chicago Distributor of Miller Industries & Talbert Trailers. With one of the largest new and used inventories, and full parts/service department, we can suit your needs.

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 51

at the American Wrecker Pageant Monsters are nothing new to the American Wrecker Pageant. The likes of fire spewing dragons, King Kong, the Incredible Hulk and other images have been painted on competing wreckers since the first Pageant back in 1989. And the tow trucks themselves, when you step into the Pageant Hall inside the Baltimore Convention Center they are all monsters. These wreckers and

52 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

their owners have been winning the awe and respect of AT Expo attendees, themselves seasoned towing professionals. This year’s entrees may be the baddest trucks of all.

Attendees can vote for their favorite entrees through an electronic ballot system.

Note: A Service Truck/Support Vehicle class has been added to the Pageant this year.

Advance Register online @ ATExposition.com

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

The American Towman Exposition has justly earned its reputation as the industry event for hardy eaters. Take the Bull & Pig Roast Friday night at the Hard Rock Cafe sponsored by Miller Industries. Meat carvers generously slice off portions of roast beef while waiters are weaving throughout the crowd with pulled pork on buns.

Throughout the weekend AT Academy participants are treated to hot breakfast, including assorted omelets prepared before your eyes.

Breakfast burritos, biscuits and breakfast pastries enhance the menu.

AT Expo culminates Sunday at 4 p.m. with its famous International Feast: the finest German sausages, juicy beef brisket, chicken tamales, roast suckling pig, and more!

Mike Corbin sings Towman Ballads on Welcome Cruise.

54 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

All you can eat! Compliments of American Towman Magazine. The beef brisket was so popular last year, AT has even more briskets in the smoker this year.

It's simple. AT Expo serves a 24/7 service industry. They deserve to feast.

AT Expo stands out among trade events of all industries for many reasons and one is its music! On Thursday night on board the Spirit of Baltimore towing professionals will feast to the Towman Ballads performed live by Mike Corbin. Friday night, Towing’s premier party, Miller Rocks!, features the Collect All 5 band.

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!

Advance Register online @ ATExposition.com

Saturday features the show’s Grand Opening at 11 a.m. with the American Towman Marching Band ahead of the famous attendee (stampede,) onto the show floor, as “The Saints Come Marching In!” And Saturday’s Festival Night features Howl at the Moon’s renowned Dueling Pianos, a performance by two opposing piano singers that gets the audience into the act!

The International Feast Sunday at 4 p.m. features both the American Wrecker Pageant winners’ ceremony and the live music of Part Harmony. An atmosphere of booms in the sky, the most colorful truck graphics in the world, and the band’s music in the air. Plus, all you can eat, you can’t beat it!

Collect All 5 plays at the Hard Rock during Miller Rocks!

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!

Grand Opening features marching band.

International Feast

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 55

AT Expo Exhibit Highlights

Exhibitor Roster

Exhibit highlights of American Towman advertisers Magic Massage Therapy

Intek Truck/Equipment Leasing

Massage therapy units to relieve body stress and tension.

A true family-run business since 1986, Intek provides superior one-on-one service for customized leasing and financing programs for new and used tow trucks and equipment.

Manufacturer Express Distributor of hooks, chains and tow accessories.

See Our Ad on Page 41

Marlow Ropes Wire Rope replacement with Marlow’s synthetic fiber ropes offer significant strength, handling and safety benefits.

Jerr-Dan Corporation

50/60 Ton Rotator, JFB Body Series

Fire-Service Body,140% more storage capacity over the standard body, with the ability to accommodate the Florida DOT Rapid Incident Scene Clearance (RISC) tools and rigging.

See Our Ad on Page 132

Marr Software Management software applications for tow business owners.

Martens Johnson Insurance Full service agency offering commercial insurance, bonds, employee benefits and loss control services.

Maryland Carrier & Wrecker Sales Towing and recovery truck dealership: sales, parts, service. Jerr-Dan body mounts and parts.

Landoll

Landoll Corporation is a world class manufacturer of quality trailers and more!

See Our Ad on Page 92

Matheny Motors Full line Miller Industries distributor: Ohio, West Virginia, Northern Virginia, parts service and experienced sales staff.

Lift And Tow

Auto Loader Wheel Lift

American made, heavy duty under the truck wheel lift for the “Repo” man.

See Our Ad on Page 14

Matjack International Wreckers Matjack, the only U.S. manufacturer of airlifting bags, cushions and landing bags.

Mercedes Benz Sprinter of Silver Spring, MD Introducing the new Quick Tow, featuring the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis, a Fassi crane, and Danco wheel lift unit.

Metro Tow Trucks Manufacturer of high quality light, medium and heavy-duty wreckers and rotators.

Mike Keith Insurance Offers tow truck insurance.

Lodar/LodarUSA

Lodar/LodarUSA has a back up Keypad on the Receiver.

Lose your Transmitter - not a problem. Instant back up for very little more money.

Miller Industries World leader in towing and recovery equipment manufacturing many of the industry’s leading brands including Century, Vulcan, Chevron and Holmes.

See Our Ads on Pages 26, 63

Minimizer Celebrating 30 years of manufacturing the industries strongest fenders, bracket kits, floor mats, and mud flaps.

Minute Man Wheel Lifts

Manufacturer Express

We manufacture the Minute Man XD Slide in Wheel Lift and the forklift wrecker attachment.

Stainless steel 3” x 7’ under lift ratchet strap with removable tool.

Montana Commercial Credit

Underlift Ratchet Strap

See Our Ad on Page 89

56 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Commercial lending at its best – Montana Commercial Credit and Stearns Bank – your partners in financing.

Advance Register online @ ATExposition.com

Number 214 on Reader

AT Expo Exhibit Highlights

Exhibitor Roster

Exhibit highlights of American Towman advertisers Muncie Power Products

Maryland Carrier & Wrecker Sales

Leading manufacturer of power take offs and hydraulic systems for mobile power applications.

Stop by our booth for a coupon code for special savings on a rollback or wrecker strap and ratchet set.

Nation Safe Drivers (NSD)

Strap and Ratchet Set Special

Founded in 1962. A motor club with a fresh new attitude.

See Our Ad on Page N 123

National Interstate Insurance Co. Offering creative insurance solutions designed specifically for towing operations since 2004.

Matjack Airbags & Cushions

Matjack high, medium and low pressure airbags, jumbo cushions, landing bags, underwater recovery cushions, plastic cribbing and fiber mats.

See Our Ad on Page 99

National Purchasing Partners NPP is a GPO, negotiating discounts, membership is free, there is no obligation to purchase.

NRC Industries NRC is the home of the slider & sliding rotators.

Ohio Power Systems Setting the standard in hydraulic and radio remote controls.

Metro Tow Trucks

Olson & Company

Manufacturer of high-quality light-, medium- and heavy-duty wreckers and rotators.

Axle Caps Axle Covers, Vitalife wire rope lubricant.

See Our Ad on Page 22

OMG National The towing industry’s ad agency is proud to be the co-producer of American Towman TV.

OnlineParkingPass.com

Miller Industries – Century Century 1150R

Century will display the latest Rotator technology including the 1150R with a boom that travels on a patented roller system and the new Raptor control station with joysticks.

See Our Ad on Page 60, 61

Dramatically increase productivity, safety, profitability, customer satisfaction. Monitor a property without leaving the truck.

Parker Chelsea Engineering your success with interactive products.

PassTime USA Provides GPS Solutions to help managers run more efficient and cost-effective fleets.

Penny Pockets

Miller Industries – Chevron

Embroidered jackets, sweatshirts, polos, printed T’s & vests.

Chevron LoadRite II

Chevron will show, display a series 12 L.C.G Carrier featuring a unique drop deck design that provides a lower load angle.

Penske Truck Leasing A global provider of logistics, transportation and distribution services.

See Our Ad on Page 21

Phoenix USA

Miller Industries – Vulcan V-70 with Third Winch Option

Vulcan will feature a V-70 equipped with a 22,000 lb. auxiliary winch for increased capacity and rigging applications during recoveries.

Manufacturer of towing accessories including wheel simulators, hub covers, tool boxes, emergency lighting and custom engineered products.

Photo Card Specialists Manufacturers of photographic promotional products using the customers’ photo for over 30 years.

See Our Ad on Page 44

58 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Advance Register online @ ATExposition.com

AT Expo Exhibit Highlights

Exhibitor Roster

Exhibit highlights of American Towman advertisers Pneu-Tek Tire Tools

Muncie Power Products

We sell a complete line of portable tire changing tools.

Muncie’s FR66 PTO offers a wide range of direct mount pump options and output torque ratings equal to the transmission.

Police Towers of America

FR66 PTO

An association dedicated to the sustentation of the industry niche of police towing.

See Our Ad on Page 35

Pop-A-Lock Offering franchises for road service and residential locksmiths.

PowerBilt Wrecker Mfg. Heavy-duty rotator tow trucks.

Phoenix USA, Inc. Galvanized Toolbox

Corrosion resistant toolboxes tested beyond 1,000 hours of exposure to calcium chloride. Have durability of galvanized coating with the cost savings of an all stainless body.

See Our Ad on Page 17

PowerHouse Industries Builders of Jiffy Jump Jump Starter, DC-Matic Hammer Torque winches & distributor of Val6 heaters.

Professional Dispatch Services Nationwide dispatch center dedicated to the towing and recovery industry.

Progressive Commercial Insurance Commercial auto insurance.

PRO-VISION Video Systems Manufacturer of rugged, reliable, simple and affordable rear vision and commercial video recording systems.

Ricky’s Sales & Service

Offering a large variety of high viz apparel.

Embroidery & silk screen available.

See Our Ad on Page N 124

Quest Towing Service Specializing in administering emergency roadside programs nationwide for the insurance industry.

Ramsey Winch A world class manufacturer of planetary and worm-gear industrial winches.

Ranger SST Call-taking, visual dispatch, storage lot, accounting (QB); robust mobile solutions for drivers; GPS tracking of trucks.

RP Recovery Consulting Sonetics headsets:

Wireless and hands free for an amazing experience in communication for professional towers.

See Our Ad on Page 95

RC Industries Manufacturer of high quality commercial grade storage compartments, tool boxes, bumpers and custom metal fabrications.

Recovery Billing Unlimited Advanced business management classes.

Ricky’s Sales & Service Premiere experts in emergency lighting, equipment, clothing, and towing accessories.

Try us FIRST! Family owned.

Road America – A Mapfre Company

Trail-Eze Trailers TE801-53

The Trail-Eze 40-Ton Sliding Axle Trailer is the most versatile trailer for the towing industry. Many Options available!

See Our Ad on Page 15

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

ERS, accident, secondary and salvage towing.

Join one of the fastest growing motor clubs in the industry.

Road Mate DVR Portable and Mobile DVR records video/audio to avoid liability claims. Live-view, GPS tracking and vehicle analysis data.

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 59

Number 143 on Reader Card

Exhibitor Roster Robert Young’s NRC Sales & Service

SuperSprings Int’l

Tow Ramps

Your one stop shop! New and used wrecker sales, parts and accessories.

SuperSprings Int’l – for all your fit–it–and–forget–it, maintenance free, USA made suspension solutions.

Manufacturer of lightweight extension ramps used for safely loading and unloading low profile vehicles.

Superwinch

Towing.com

R-O-M Manufacturer of compartment access solutions: Roll-up doors, cargo trays/slides, fuel tank steps, and LED lighting.

RP Recovery Consulting Sonetics headsets: Wireless and hands free for an amazing experience in communication for professional towers.

Santander Bank Offering financial solutions to help you expand/upgrade your fleet. Finance with a leader.

Savatech The towing and recovery professional's resource for all their towing and recovery needs.

Sky Patrol An Integrated GPS Tracking Solutions company that builds innovative software ideal for vehicle finance industry.

Slick Top Solutions Emergency lights, lightbars, dash lights, surface and grill lights.

Specialty Vehicle Funding Group Financing programs for tow truck purchases.

SpeedTech Lights SpeedTech Lights is an elite manufacturer/distributor of vehicle lighting.

A+ BBB and the most competitive prices.

Spireon

Our 44 years of experience is unmatched in winch engineering, designing, building and testing capabilities.

More than advertising. We're a complete toolkit to build your companies internet presence.

sureFleet

Towlot.com

Discounts for the industry on Sprint, Aramark, truck insurance, and more, including revenue opportunities.

Online auction service specializing in impound lots. Live, lightning round auctions tap huge Internet bidder-pool.

T.R.A.A. (Towing & Recovery Association of America)

towPartners

T.R.A.A. supports the industry nationwide through legislative efforts, exclusive member services, and national driver certification.

T.R.P. Maryland Towing and Recovery Professionals of Maryland, state association.

Talbert Mfg. Provides heavy haul trailers and specialized transportation equipment for the commercial, industrial and government sectors.

TCF Equipment Finance TCF Equipment finance provides flexible finance solutions for new/used equipment within the tow and recovery industry.

The Insurance Professionals Commercial tow truck insurance programs.

The RuptureSeal Company See how to seal fuel and chemical tank ruptures fast.

A trusted leader providing GPS Fleet Management Solutions for vehicles, assets and trailers.

Seated back, shoulder, neck and foot massage available.

SSCS

TOMAR Electronics

Call taking, dispatch program, bookkeeping program with the only authorized 2-way communications with AAA.

Stamp Works/Magnetworks Tow Truck Magnets. “Show Your Tow” custom die cut tow truck magnets full color imprint “FREE PROOF.”

Signal Vehicle Products/Star Headlight A wide range of light products including strobes, warning lights, Star Headlights.

Steck Mfg. The BigEasy Lockout Tool Kits have become the tools of choice for tow drivers to unlock vehicles in seconds without damage and accessories like I-Bolt and 4th Wheel Loader.

62 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Time-Out Seated Massage Corner

Manufacturer of light bar scene lights and directional light’s all are made in the USA.

TowMate Power Line Communication, Strobes, Track Bars (Lightbars) and Truck Lighting Products.

Tom Tom Telematics Integrate GPS vehicle tracking and navigation into your dispatch operations with all tow management software.

Tow Canada Bi-monthly trade magazine reaching tow and recovery business owners and operators in Canada.

Discounts for the industry on Sprint, Aramark, truck insurance, sureFleet, and more, including revenue opportunities.

TowProgram.com Full service Internet marketing firm providing effective online advertising programs for towing and recovery companies.

Tracker Management Systems Computer and management systems for the professional tow operator.

Trail-Eze Trailers For over 50 years Trail-Eze has built custom trailers to work hard like you do!

Travis Barlow Insurance Providing specialized insurance solutions for towing and auto transporter operations for over 30 years.

Traxxis GPS Solutions Full-service provider of wireless GPS tracking, dispatch and navigation solutions – offering seamless integration with Tow-Dispatch software programs.

Tri-State Trailer Sales Dealer for Kalyn Siebert and Landoll trailers.

Truck Crane Solutions/MercedesBenz Sprinter of Silver Spring, MD Introducing the new QuickTow tow body on a Mercedez-Benz Sprinter Chassis.

TwinState Equipment Your west coast heavy-duty headquarters.

Jerr-Dan, Zacklift, Landoll, Sava, EZTrac, Icom North America & more!

TXI (TowXchange) Provider of TOPS, a full service towing management system and budget GPS for all your fleet tracking needs.

UniFirst Corp.

Variety of rental programs of uniforms for today's towing fleet operator.

Advance Register online @ ATExposition.com

Number 163 on Reader

United Plastic Fabricating

Vulcan

The Will-Burt Company

Is your wrecker body a wreck? Replace it with the rust proof PolyBody® from UPFI.

Known for product innovations, Vulcan has lead the industry in integrated towing and recovery equipment from its popular Intruder (autoload) through the V-100 (50-ton).

Night Scan light towers provide 360 degrees of overhead lighting improving safety and recovery speed.

United States Auto Club, Motoring Div. (USAC/MD)

WorkSafe USA

Warn Industries

Emergency roadside service provider to heavy duty trucks, automobiles and motorcycles. A Driven Solutions company.

No-Jack lift system allows a vehicle to be lifted instead of using expensive service jacks for tire changes.

Warn Industries manufactures electric and hydraulic winches and hoists for commercial and industrial applications.

Urgent.ly

Worldwide Equipment Sales

WeldBuilt Wreckers & Carriers

Mobile applications for Smartphones and tablets.

New and used trucks and trailers; Jerr-Dan, Landoll, Cottrell, Driver locate GPS fleet tracking systems.

Manufacturer - hydraulic wreckers 8-55 tons, wheel lifts, flatbed carriers, heavy-duty custom industrial carrier bodies.

Velvac Produces cost-effective, differentiated vision systems and components supporting commercial vehicles, Class 8 trucks, RVs, buses, fire trucks, ambulances, walk-in vans, refuse & fleet vehicles.

WreckMaster

Weldex Offers variety of products from CCD cameras, DVRs, LCD monitors and emergency lights.

Towing and Recovery training, certification, training DVD’s, manuals and a full line of equipment & rigging.

West End Service

Zip's Truck Equipment

Full line Miller Industries dealer. New and used truck sales, parts, service and accessories.

Verizon Networkfleet Offering fleet management solutions that help you operate your fleet more efficiently.

Miller Industries distributor. Service, towing equipment, financing, parts & accessories.

Whelen Engineering Manufacturer of warning light systems, technologies used include halogen, strobe, LED and Super-LED.

Virgo Fleet Supplies Custom chrome and stainless accessories, aluminum rims, LED lighting, exhaust, tow straps/chains. Free Catalog.

Whiterail Media Offers internet marketing solutions and programs.

Special Event Sponsors CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY

FESTIVAL NIGHT

BULL & PIG ROAST “Miller Rocks!”

AMERICAN WRECKER PAGEANT

AMERICAN TOWMAN MEDAL SPONSOR

LUXURY VEHICLE TRAINING

AT ACADEMY Towing & Recovery Track

Revenue Opportunities Track

ACE AWARDS

BADGE INSERTS

CALITRI’S CUBA

LANYARDS

INFORMATION BOOTH

DONNIE AWARDS EXPO INFO CARD

SHOW BAGS

64 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

LEGENDARY HOSPITALITY

Advance Register online @ ATExposition.com

Number 114 on Reader Card

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!

Tow business owners from around the nation have cherished their experience at Festival Night; the feast, the ceremony (March of the Heroes), and the heroic stories behind the American Towman Medal.

Since 1989, the Medal has been awarded to towers who have risked their lives in the endeavor to save the lives of others. These stories have been amazing, spanning the extreme weather elements, snow blizzards to raging floods, and elements of unusual risk and danger; cliffside rescues, chassis cabs dangling from bridges, shot gun blasts and dancing live-wires, not to mention the usual car-hood fire and subsequent explosions.

The American Towman Medal has been a lightning rod for industry pride. For those who choose to celebrate Festival Night, it is a moment for company pride.

The evening is capped with the dueling piano shenanigans of Howl at the Moon, when everyone lets their hair down, boogies and bellows.

All that and a gourmet dinner from the Renaissance Hotel chef, you can’t beat the price or the magic.

Advance register while tickets last.

American Towman Medal Ceremony

Official Winch, AT Medal

66 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Advance-Register online @ ATExposition.com

Number 110 on Reader

$75 Passport: Access to all Tracks, all Seminars; includes Breakfast Fri. through Sun.

Seminars are about opportunities, efficiencies and profits.

Track 1: TOWING AND RECOVERY Roadside Safety

Track 1 Sponsor:

Operating on the side of a highway is challenging.

This seminar will explore techniques to increase your chances of survival on the highway, and discuss the “Move Over” law enacted in several states.

Terry Abejuela, American Towman Magazine; Fri., 9 AM

Don't Get Left on the Side of the Road

WreckMaster began teaching traffic incident management with single lane uprighting over 20 years ago. Now the government is directing that WreckMaster techniques and concepts be the standard in Quick Clearance.

See where the future is for your company by attending this seminar with the nation's leading training and certification company and the consultants guiding the programs in your state. John Weaver, WreckMaster and Brian Purvis, Parsons; Fri., 9 AM

Safely Transporting Lift Equipment

Handling loads upwards of 8,000 lbs. takes specialized equipment and knowledge. This seminar will explore techniques and procedures to do so using light-duty flatbeds. Dave Lambert, North American Towing Academy; Sun., 10 AM

Track 2: REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES 21st Century Rotation

Track 2 Sponsor:

Dispatching pioneers are showing the way for towers to steer their own bus with municipal towing contracts and state-of-the-art dispatch systems. Learn how towers in your town can sign a municipality to a long-term contract that makes towers more money, alleviates the police departments dispatch responsibility and keeps the city happy. John Borowski, Police Towers of America; Fri., 10 AM

Increase Profits Through Environmental Clean-Up

Scooby’s Mystery Theater

A theatrical review of aircushion jobs worldwide.

Howard Eagen, Matjack Int’l Wreckers; Sat., 8 AM

Tower Care and Responsibilities

Are you operating with necessary caution during Code 3 response calls? Randy Resch illustrates how tow-related or tow operatorcaused fatalities occur based on dangerous response behaviors, and how to avoid them. Randy Resch, American Towman Magazine; Fri., 11 AM

The Power of Air

Savatech presents modern air cushion techniques to insulate profits and increase your bottom line. Brian J. France & Frank Gentilquore, Savatech; Fri., 10 AM

Increase your profits and learn how to get started in the environmental clean-up industry on a low budget. Topics include what supplies/products/equipment are needed for the different types of spills and how to utilize employees and equipment you already have. Learn how to market your business, contract the job, take samples for testing, proper disposals and invoicing.

Darryl Birdsong, Birdsong Environmental Solutions; Fri., 11 AM

Repossess for Success!

The repossession business has been a great revenue stream for many tow business owners. Learn how to market yourself in a competitive market as well as receive information on safety and consumer protection. The seminar will also provide information on suppliers of products and services. Mark Lacek, Repo Times; Fri., 5-7 PM

Private Property Impound Towing

Recovery Theater

Some of towing’s most challenging recoveries are highlighted in this two-hour session with one of the industry’s foremost trainers.

Tom Luciano, Miller Industries; Fri., 5-7 PM

Safe Towing Capacity

Determining safe towing capacity is not as simple as some operators think. Learn about proper weight distribution and how to calculate other information in this informative seminar. Terry Abejuela, American Towman Magazine; Sat., 8 AM

As it stands today the biggest opportunity that a tow company has is in the private property towing and impound market. Towing companies increasingly feel the need to take hold of the business, drive a stake in it, and claim it as their own. Learn how not to limit your success by taking control of the revenue you can generate in this market. Dan Kendrick, Parking Enforcer; Sat., 9 AM

Realize the Value of Your Impound Assets

The challenges of hooking up coaches and high-end buses are discussed in this information-packed session.

Tom Luciano & John Hawkins, Miller Industries; Sat., 9 AM

Bus and Coach Towing

This seminar will cover the hidden value towers find when they show their unclaimed vehicles a little love and attention, and bring them to a public auction setting--as opposed to selling off inventory straight to salvage yards. Brandon Richard will speak about vehicle preparation, creating marketing campaigns, running your own auction both live at their lot and on their online platform. Brandon Richard, TowLot.com. Sat., 10 AM

Carrier Loading & Preventing Damage Claims

Don’t Leave Money on the Ground!

Understanding proper car carrier securement and roadside awareness while loading and unloading. This seminar will outline the most common forms of damage claims when towing or transporting a vehicle. Learn how to prevent the most common damages using effective and proven methods.

David Bouvia, WreckMaster; Sat., 10 AM 68 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

How would you like a proven business model to earn profits from spills and cleanup? This seminar will focus on how spills occur, their impact on the environment and the operational and business concepts that support this type of service. David & Judy Yeager, Incident Management Solutions; Sun., 9 AM

Advance Register online @ ATExposition.com

Don't Crush Your Cash

Facebook & Towing

Track 3: OPERATIONS Effective Succession Planning

Five Google Techniques Towers Need to Know

Learn how to buy and sell lightly damaged, high mileage, repossessed and abandoned vehicles at auction with a combined live and live-online bidding auction platform. Ray Rodecker, IAA Insurance Auto Auctions, Sun., 10 AM

Take a look at effective business succession planning. Whether you want to sell your business or get a second-in-command to run it for you, this session will help you get the free time and financial security you deserve. Matt Winslow, Automobile Training Institute; Fri., 9 AM

Telematics: Mitigate Liability, Maximize Safety

The use of cellphones is common in the tow industry—and can be dangerous. Telematics discusses potential solutions designed to decrease exposure and increase safety on the road.

Matt Gunzenhaeuser, Tom Tom Telematics; Fri., 10 AM

Gas vs. Diesel

This seminar will cover the basics of gasoline and diesel engines as well as how and when to best apply the two. Main topics include: output variances between gas and diesel and their influence on different duty cycles; alternative fuel and where gas and diesel fit in, and; emissions regulations and influence on pricing and functionality. Mark Lowery & Kevin Koester, Ford; Fri., 11 AM

Tracking Retail—Call Conversion

Learn a step-by-step process for calculating your retail phone sales conversion rate and discover how much lost revenue you have been overlooking. Daniel Ostrov, Whiterail Media; Fri., 5 PM

Improving Your Customer Service

A professional image in all aspects of your business is a vital part of business growth. This seminar discusses recommendations on how your company can achieve a professional image. Chris Griffin, Road America; Fri., 6 PM

NMVTIS Update: Your Obligation…Your Benefit

Get the latest information on Federal and state compliance efforts to mandate salvage vehicle reporting by the towing industry. Learn how the NMVTIS database can save you time and money in the lien notification process. Jim Taylor, Auto Data Direct; Sat., 10 AM

Chassis Investment: Cost or Value

Listen in as Jerr-Dan specialists explain key features and benefits when building a chassis. Shane Coleman, Jerr-Dan Heavy-Duty Specialist will lead this seminar to emphasize selecting best options for a greater return and adding to your bottom line.

Shane Coleman, Jerr-Dan; Sat., 10 AM

Deriving a Profitable Business

You’re in business to make money, not lose it! American Towman’s “Mr. Industry,” John Borowski, leads this highly informative session that discusses understanding what your costs are and where your proper expense percentages should be. John Borowski, Police Towers of America; Sun., 9 AM

Operators Insurance, Inside Out

In a tow-tally quick, prize-filled seminar, TOPP will hook you up on how to save on your towing operators insurance that only the insiders know. Insurance can be exhausting but there are ways you can drive down the cost and still get the right coverage.

Diane Burrow & Haley Kirchen, TOPP; Sun. 9 AM

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

This Facebook seminar will discuss how to improve your Facebook page, set up Google Alerts to get good local content sent automatically to your email inbox, and how to use an automated posting service to get content on there without spending hours doing it.

David Tulkin, Demandforce; Sun., 9 AM Drive more cash calls to your business using these powerful tips about the ever-changing online marketing world.

Dennis Wencel, TowProgram.com; Sun., 10 AM

Track 4: MANAGEMENT Towing Metrics

Are there things you can do to either increase your dollars per call or decrease the overtime paid? Tow Industry Week’s Contributing Writer Don Archer discusses these and other ideas designed to find the “tweaks” in each area of your business that will boost your bottom line. Don Archer, Tow Industry Week; Fri., 9 AM

Recovery Billing Alumni Special

Only for those who have taken the 8-hour Recovery Billing Course, this two-hour seminar will be a refresher in part on how to collect from insurance companies, but will in large part discuss new laws that work in favor for tow companies to get paid their fair rates; knowing these laws can save a lot of money in attorney fees. Bob Fouquette, Recovery Billing Unlimited; Fri, 11 AM-1 PM

Rear Bumpers Aren’t Hood Ornaments!

Your business is to help people who’ve been in an accident—not to be the cause of one yourself! Michael Harding leads this interactive session covering risk management strategies designed to manage driver exposure and optimize their performance. Michael Harding, Markel Insurance; Sat., 8 AM

Managing Drivers and Dispatchers…Anytime, Anywhere

A soup-to-nuts view of the latest mobile devices/GPS technologies, and how they integrate with the back office.

Todd Althouse, Beacon Software; Sat., 8 AM

Keeping ’Em: Building a Long-Term Crew

Driver retention is an issue that a lot of tow company owners face.

Here, Randy discusses many strategies designed to build a stable, long-term workforce. Randy Resch, AT Magazine; Sat., 9 AM

GPS Vehicle Tracking

Learn how GPS vehicle tracking capabilities can help towing companies raise productivity and lower costs through providing information that assists drivers to adopt more productive driving habits and other behaviors. Brian J. Madden, Verizon Networkfleet; Sat., 9 AM

Ring The Register via Your Online Presence

American Towman TV co-producer Mike Rappaport, will bring you a "real life" look into your online presence and reputation. Get a best practices peek into the successful strategies employed by America’s top tow operators. You’ll also learn how to leverage video to dominate search engines. Mike Rappaport, OMG National; Sun., 10 AM

Academy Passport includes breakfast Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings.

Repeat attendees to the American Towman Exposition expect to see the Towman Monument in front of the Baltimore Convention Center, the Towing Industry on Canvas spanning a city block on the show floor, the American Towman Chopper, “Hero,” in the Registration Lobby. They expect to hear the music of towing’s balladeer, Mike Corbin. They expect to see a unique piece of Americana, a.k.a. AT Expo, which may well be the most different trade event of any industry in the world.

Marching bands, stilt walkers, cigar smokers, all-you-can-eat feasts are part of it all amid the wrecker booms reaching to the ceiling, the carrier beds sliding to the floor.

They expect to see Magic Boy dazzling a crowd at the Miller Industries booth and strolling troubadours in the aisles, not to mention clowns, organ grinders and monkeys.

In amidst of it all is the greatest attraction: two towers from different parts of the country chewing the fat alongside a beautiful piece of

Lifelines– The Towing Industry on Canvas spans a city block.

“Hero”–The American Towman Chopper can be viewed on the show floor.

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Advance-Register online @ ATExposition.com

equipment, relating a war story from the recovery trenches. The camaraderie and the networking that takes place in Baltimore, in the Convention Center or around the Inner Harbor, creates an experience that makes the time in Baltimore priceless.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Miller Rocks at the Hard Rock Cafe.

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 71

What does it take to be the Monster Tow Show (American Towman Exposition)?

Well, it must be an event that takes your breath away, like King Kong took Manhattan, like Godzilla took Tokyo. So right off the bat you’ve got to have Monster Tow Trucks, from the big booms and goliath rotators to the creatures painted up the metal in the American Wrecker Pageant Hall. You need a lot of them, say 200 of the world’s finest tow trucks and trailers.

A Monster Tow Show must also captivate the humanity of towing professionals just as old monster movies enthralled moviegoers.

Connecting with one’s peers in the towing trade, sharing notes, swapping stories, making new friends and catching up with old friends is one of the dynamics that make AT Expo big. Bigger than you imagine it to be.

11,000 towing professionals running around the Inner Harbor makes AT Expo a Monster Tow Show.

AT Expo is an experience unlike any other.

While towers are networking in seminar rooms, on the exhibit floor, and in the many venues Baltimore’s Harbor offers, music is 72 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

playing, hungry towers are feasting, and simply enjoying the moment, be it on the American Towman Cruise, rockin’ at the Hard Rock Cafe, or blowing smoke at Luckie’s Tavern.

Towing professionals celebrate the industry’s greatest spirit on Festival Night, honoring its heroes, and then let their hair down to the dueling pianists of Howl at the Moon at the Renaissance Hotel, the must-attend celebration of the weekend.

The show ends with the greatest feast the towing industry has to offer amidst the colorful wrecker pageant.

One leaves Baltimore with unique images they cannot shake from their mind, much like having watched a sensational cinematic presentation. From the images of the Towing Industry on Canvas that spans a city block to the arresting Towman Monument at the Convention Center entrance, to all the supplier exhibits, the equipment, and the people…indeed your eyes will pop out.

AT’s Monster Tow Show may not scare you. But it will thrill you.

Advance Register online @ ATExposition.com

Number 103 on Reader Card

Baltimore’s Inner Harbor! There’s no place like it in America. Fish joints, ethnic cuisine, microbrew pubs, old frigate ships and submarines, water taxis, Dolphin shows at the Aquarium, the HarborPlace promenade along the water…

On the HarborPlace promenade is the Hard Rock Cafe, home of Miller Rocks, the Bull & Pig Roast Friday night. From there walk two blocks up to the Power Plant, an enclave of restaurants and nightclubs, including Luckie’s Tavern, home of Calitri’s Cuba. Also at HarborPlace are AT Expo’s headquarters hotel, the Renaissance, the Hyatt and Sonesta Harbor Place. All just two blocks from the Convention Center.

Baltimore Air Fares Roundtrip* Atlanta $298 Boston $135 Buffalo $245 Charlotte $204 Chicago $211

Cincinnati $267 Cleveland $229 Dallas $181 Denver $348 Detroit $226

Indianapolis $288 Jacksonville $241 Las Vegas $241 Los Angeles $436 Miami $214

Minneapolis $248 Milwaukee $248 Montreal $388 New York $261 St. Louis $238

San Francisco $378 Seattle $360 Toronto $388 Tucson $377 Houston $389

The Inner Harbor is a short walk to Little Italy and Fells Point, a unique Baltimore neighborhood on the water featuring great pubs and crab cakes. Everyone who visits Fells Point wants to buy a townhouse there. Given the restaurants, the pubs, the one-of-a-kind shops, its harbor perspective, one gets the desire to become a Baltimorean and drop anchor right there.

Baltimore’s Inner Harbor is the most visited site among professional towmen. A quarter million towers have visited this unique piece of Americana over the past 25 years.

AT Welcome Cruise: Special appearance by Mike Corbin Tickets limited: acquire through advance registration.

Calitri's Cuba: VIP Passports thru advance registration Imported Armenian cognac (Winston Churchill's favorite), plus AT Signature Cigars and Premium cigars from Savatech.

*Sample Air Fares

74 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Advance Register online @ ATExposition.com

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 75

Number 194 on Reader

Mud

Wrestling

a Dozer

Creative Rigging Recovers a D6 Operator Travis Sturkie preps the dozer.

by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti

I

n May 2014, a Caterpillar D6 dozer was mired and submerged in a strip-mine clay pit near Gleason, Tenn.

The dozer slid approximately 75’ down to the bottom of the pit and was completely covered in water after a levee gave way while the dozer was attempting to fill it in.

Pearce Truck and Auto, located in Martin, received the call. Eddie Pearce started the

78 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

The Cat D6 dozer was mired in a Tennessee clay-mine pit.

A military surplus double snatchblock is set on a pallet to keep it from sinking into the quagmire.

company in 1967 as a DX service station with one tow truck; sons Joe and Michael have since joined him in the business.

“The clay mine company called us because we did one a few years back in Kentucky for them,” Joe said. “This is a white-clay mine way out in the middle of nowhere, about an hour from home. They had to build a road for us to get to it. The mine company provided the pumps to lower the water level so we could Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 79

Coming up a steep grade.

reach the tie points. It took two days to get that done.”

The Pearce boys have three heavies: “Old School,” a 1984 Peterbilt 359 with a Holmes 1701 with Kemp spades, a 1990 Freightliner FLD with 40-ton NRC slider and a 1998 Peterbilt with a Jerr-Dan 35-ton. The Pearce fleet also includes a 2004 Freightliner M2/Century Right Approach medium-duty rollback, a light-duty 1995 Dodge/Challenger 4812, two service trucks and a 53’ Kentucky trailer with air cushions and spill cleanup supplies.

For this recovery they dispatched their three heavies; Joe and Buddy Sublet operated from the 35-ton Holmes, Michael and Travis Sturkie ran the NRC and Eddie and Chris Cantrell worked the Jerr-Dan.

They had to build a road for us to get to it. The mine company provided the pumps to lower the water level.

“We also used our 250-foot spool of 3/4-inch cable, as well as ‘The Man Killer,’ a military surplus double snatch-block. [It’s called] ‘The Man Killer’ because it takes two men to carry it,” Joe said.

Though the dozer only fell about 75’, the crew needed to bring it back closer to 125’ to get it to safe ground.

“We had to carry our extra cable for this reason,” Joe said. “The dozer was not operable at all, since it was completely submerged. This kept us from raising the blade and ripper. We had to put some old-fashioned muscle to it with no cheating.”

They backed the three heavies into position with the Holmes 1701 in the middle as a dead man. Using a floating snatch-block with a two-part line system through the double snatch-block, they rigged lines to both sides of the dozer blade. The massive military snatch-block was set on a pallet to 80 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

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The NRC, Holmes and Jerr-Dan units are rigged and ready.

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82 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

The dozer makes its way out of the muck, little by little.

keep it from sinking into the mud.

The blade wouldn’t float because it’s electronically controlled and after sitting submerged in the water for three days it won’t run. They rigged it to get it to come up the bank straight.

“Travis had to wear chest waders and a life vest to reach out to tie to the dozer,” Joe said. “I got stuck in the clay up to my hips twice while getting this thing out—it was like quicksand.”

I got stuck in the clay up to my hips twice while getting this thing out.

As they ran out of line with the different wreckers, they would stop and re-adjust. After getting the dozer completely out of the water, they were able to pull the axles in order to freewheel it up and prevent oil from getting in the lake. Once the axles were out of the dozer, they had to reposition the 1701 for the final pull.

“Our main concern was the centralized chain underneath the blade.

The blade was cutting into it and it was very possible that it would break the chain. We had to go very slow to keep control throughout the pull,” Joe said. “The D6 weighed about 50,000 pounds and the grade we were up against … it was steep! With the axles out, it pulled a lot easier in the soft slippery mud.”

The mining company sent out their lowboy trailer and Pearce loaded the dozer on it to haul away.

Time on-scene for Pearce was about three hours.

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

Number 209 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 83

Job Etiquette

by Randall C. Resch

A

s professional tow truck operators serving law enforcement or the motoring public, what does the phrase, “Using reasonable care,” mean to you and the manner you conduct day-to-day-operations?

I worked a driver-inflicted damage claim where a driver allegedly destroyed a vehicle impounded by the police. As part of my investigation, I’d normally review the facts of the tow, read the officer’s impound report and compare the driver’s invoice to all paperwork describing the vehicle’s condition and existing damages at the time of the tow.

My investigation included interviewing the driver to ask him about the vehicle’s condition to determine if he or she caused the damages, or if it was caused after it arrived at our facility.

Our company employed a driver and forklift with auto-loader to move cars within the facility. Eventually, the tower was proved innocent because evidence pointed towards the company’s forklift operator. Regardless, though, the company still was liable.

What elevated my dander was when the forklift driver flippantly said, “What’s the big deal? The car’s a piece of crap.”

Regardless to what condition he felt the car was in, I vigorously replied, “It might be a piece of crap, but it’s somebody’s piece of crap that doesn’t belong to you.” And next I asked, “If I put my golf shoes on and climbed atop the hood of your car and proceeded to dance an Irish jig, would you not be upset?”

I get crazy when employees show thoughtlessness towards someone else’s property. In a business where we’re entrusted with someone’s vehicle, a non-caring, “I don’t give a crap” attitude is downright unacceptable. If the 84 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Operators and all employees should treat each car with respect, as if it’s their own, regardless of what they feel the condition of the car is.

same lack of care were provided to them, wouldn’t they be upset?

There are acceptable standards that tow company employees must be aware of. When a vehicle gets towed by law enforcement, commercial tow, private-property impound or other means, towers and those handling the vehicle (during and after the fact) should treat the vehicle like they’re caring for their own car.

What’s the big deal? The car’s a piece of crap.

To carelessly and haphazardly mishandle someone’s vehicle is a violation of public trust and the company’s policies and procedures. If the matter were to result in the filing of a small claims action against the towing company, judges will be sympathetic to the plaintiff’s story, especially when they’ve

proved negligence and damages beyond reasonable doubt.

If you’re the employee who handles somebody else’s property in a haphazard manner, the common standard of care in today’s legal arena proposes you’d better handle property like you’re handling your own. In simple terms, you’re responsible and accountable to use your experience and industry-standard techniques with an attitude that suggests you’ll provide a reasonable standard of care. Anything less is downright unacceptable.

Editor’s note If you missed it, this article originally ran on TowIndustryWeek.com. Make sure you’re going there each week to keep up on the latest news and information. Miss a week, miss a lot!

Operations Editor Randall C. Resch is a retired California police officer and has been in the towing and recovery industry for more than 40 years as an owner, manager, consultant and trainer. He writes weekly for TowIndustryWeek.com, and is a 2014 inductee into the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame. Email Randy at rreschran@gmail.com.

Number 102 on Reader Card

Tower Questions Contract Process An Irwindale, Calif., towing company is questioning the legitimacy of the municipal contract process in light of the fining of the town’s former mayor.

“It looks like the process was tainted for the tow contract,” said Jan Qualkenbush, of Jan’s Towing in Asuza. “Our company attorney and the city attorney are talking.”

The city’s former mayor, David “Chico” Fuentes, was fined $2,000 by the Fair Political Practices Commission this summer after it was discovered his son solicited and accepted a donation from a competing towing company while the company was in contract negotiations with the city. It was ruled by the commission that the donation to Fuentes’ son was considered a donation to the mayor himself, who was still in office.

Qualkenbush said his company was the exclusive towing provider for the city of Irwindale for nearly a decade and had expected the arrangement would continue when the contract was up for renewal in September 2012. However, the city council unanimously voted to split the contract between Jan’s Towing and Royal Coaches & Towing of Bald-

win Park, against the police chief’s recommendation. Fuentes recused himself from the vote.

However, the commission determined the former mayor was actually involved in discussions that determined the city should share its contract with more than one company. The city attorney said he is reviewing Qualkenbush’s concerns. Source: www.pasadenastarnews.com.

New Name, Team for UIS UIS Agency LLC, formerly UIS Brokers East Ltd., has moved to Rockland County, N.Y., but continues to insure tow trucks, collateral recovery, auto haulers and used car dealers throughout the East Coast. The company adds a new principle, Lorelei “Lorie” Ramirez, who has more than 20 years in the industry with UIS. Call them at 914-3476660 or fax 914-347-6661.

New Kenworth T880 Brochure The new Kenworth T880 brochure features comprehensive information on Kenworth’s flagship vocational truck. The 26-page brochure, available at www.kenworth.com, provides detailed specifications on the engine,

Number 150 on Reader Card

86 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

transmission, axles and suspension, brakes, frame, electrical system, fuel and DEF tanks, bumpers and hood, wheels and tires, cab, seats, interior colors and trim levels, special equipment and available options

Impounded Van Crashes Gate A van towed to a fenced yard in south Fairbanks, Alaska, didn’t stay impounded long recently.

Alaska troopers were looking for a van that crashed through the gate of Badger Towing about 18 minutes after it was parked.

A local television station reported that University of Alaska-Fairbanks police ordered the van impounded, and it was moved inside the storage lot at 3:10 a.m. Eighteen minutes later, a security video shows the van driving rapidly backward and crashing through the gate.

The van collapsed the fence and struck four other vehicles. The unidentified driver then took off. Witnesses say the driver likely was hiding under blankets in the van as it was impounded.

Sources: www.webcenter11.com, www.therepublic.com.

Repo Business Picking Up Business is picking up for repo agents, as the repossession rate for vehicles financed by independent finance companies more than doubled, according to Forbes columnist Jim Henry.

According to Henry, repossessions in that segment rose to 2.75 percent in the second quarter of 2014 from 1.13 percent a year earlier. He said that the increase reflects the fact that loans are easier to get for customers with subprime credit, the prime audience for independent financers.

Henry also said that according to Experian Automotive, repos were actually down in the same time period for most other auto lender types. This includes banks, the “captive” finance companies that belong to the auto manufacturers and credit unions.

Source: www.forbes.com.

Number 109 on Reader Card

Tow Company Vandalized Police in Murfreesboro, Tenn., recently reported that someone used bolt cutters to get into a back fence at Robinson Towing and vandalized eight vehicles, spray-painting “KKK” and obscenities on them. Two vehicles were set on fire.

Owner Jeremy Robinson has been in the towing business for several years, but opened his West Main Street lot five months ago. He said he has no

idea who would target his business.

Fire officials and police are investigating, saying that the act wasn’t random and calling it arson. Robinson is planning to hire security and will leave his dog to watch the lot at night.

Source: www.wsmv.com.

Baltimore Towing Chief Charged Babatunde Yussuf, deputy chief of towing operations in Baltimore, Md.,

pleaded guilty to theft after an investigation found that he forged documents to give more than $22,000 to his friends and family—instead of the motorists who were owed the cash after the city auctioned their cars.

Under Baltimore rules, if monies obtained from the auction for the vehicle exceed the fees and expenses owed to the city, the excess is supposed to be refunded to the vehicle’s title owner.

The report charged that Yussuf changed city documents to indicate that his friends and family owned seven different vehicles. He originally tried to obtain refunds totaling more than $32,000; but investigators were able to stop two of the disbursements of about $10,000, the report said.

Yussuf, whose actions took place in 2013, was ordered to repay $22,507 to the city. Source: baltimoresun.com.

‘Scrappin’ for the Law’ The Richland County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Department has teamed up with Shroeder’s Towing to announce the start of the “Scrappin’ for the Law” program, an initiative to rid the community of abandoned vehicles and raise money for the Richland County Sheriff’s Foundation.

Sheriff Leon Lott said the program gives an opportunity for those who no longer want their vehicles to contact the sheriff’s department. The sheriff’s office will alert Shroeder’s to pick up the vehicle free of charge and sell it to local scrap yards.

According to Lott, each vehicle could yield as much as $500 and the money will be used by the sheriff’s foundation to buy new equipment, support deputies who want to further their education or support the families of deputies injured in the line of duty.

Source: www.thestate.com.

Repo Agent Attacked Police recently responded to an attack in Atlanta, Ga., that took place when a man’s car was being repos-

continue to page 92 Number 142 on Reader

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TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 89

Save a Life: Your Own

by Mark Lacek

A

s I left the house this morning, my wife said, “Promise me you’ll be careful.”

“OK, see you later,” I said.

She stopped me and said, “NO, say the words.”

“I … promise … I … will … be … careful,” I said.

Gun play During my years repossessing assets, on at least three occasions I found myself looking down the barrel of a gun—close enough to see the lead in the chamber. I can attest to the fact how fast you follow instructions while looking into the eyes of a man pointing a pistol in your direction. It’s truly not a time to turn and run, and certainly not the time to advance.

These are the moments where each lesson and every aspect of your life teaches you what to say next. I made a promise to one guy that if he put the gun away, I would not mention the weapon when law enforcement showed up. I kept my promise, too.

The second time a gun was pointed at me, the upset guy was yelling at me to lay down on the ground face first. I quickly decided it would be easier for him to shoot me in the back than looking into my eyes.

Making direct eye contact, I paused for a few seconds and told him, “No,” because my wife bought me the new shirt I was wearing and getting dirt all over the front would make her mad as hell. He laughed and put the gun away.

On the third, I was feeling like a target; I asked the man not to shoot the messenger, as it was the finance manager that sent me to pick up the car.

The man got in his car and left. I’m not sure where he went. I called the finance manager.

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During my years repossessing assets, on at least three occasions I found myself looking down the barrel of a gun.

In each of these life-threatening gun situations—I realize now—I was not being careful. On every occasion with the guns pointed in my direction, I chose the wrong time to attempt to repossess the collateral. I acted with

When I opened my eyes, I was in the back of a patrol car. haste instead of caution. The No. 1 rule of repossession is clear: The safest repossession is when there is no chance of a confrontation. There is always time to come back later.

Brrr About 35 years ago on I-77 in the frigid Cleveland, Ohio, weather, I was

off to the side of the road in a heavyduty truck hooking up to a brokendown semitrailer. I was training a new guy who had experience driving, but no experience towing.

I had popped out a couple axles on the tractor and ran an air line to a frozen air tank. I remember having to ram a screwdriver up through the valve hole to penetrate the ice to get the air to flow. Next I was between the rear of the tow bar and the front of the tractor, throwing chains over the axles.

(Back then we would hook the chain links into the tow bar and shove a 4x4 chunk of wood or a piece of angle iron above the chains to protect the bumper.) I felt something hit the back of my head and I pulled back just in time to see the tow bar slam into the bumper.

I still have no idea why the trainee decided to get in the cab and back up

the wrecker. I do know that I came very close to making that morning’s news.

A couple years later, on one of the coldest winter days in history (-80 degrees with the wind chill; you know the kind, with snow and wind blowing sideways and icicles on your mustache), I found myself on my back underneath an old Mack model B banging a mini sledge on the universal joint in my attempt to remove the drive shaft. I must have swung that hammer 20 times, making nothing but noise. I had been up all night working jack-knifes on a stretch of I-271. My arms were burning from swinging that hammer—I remember lowering my arms from swinging that hammer to take just a short break.

It’s funny what the cold weather will do to you. Freezing to death is said to be among the most comfortable ways to go. When I opened my eyes, I was in the back of a patrol car. I had fallen asleep and nearly froze to death until a passing sheriff stopped.

He told me later he’d been calling me and kicking my feet and I didn’t respond. The sheriff pulled me out by my feet and threw me in his car to warm it up.

Be Careful Every repossession and towing convention or conference includes a primary focus on safety. This November at the American Towman Exposition in Baltimore, Md., you will be given the opportunity to attend the American Towman Academy. There are four tracks of seminars and classes, and many will include lessons of caution.

Again this year, I will be offering the two-hour seminar, Repossess For Success (it’s in Track 2). A segment of my seminar will cover making better decisions, focusing on safety and a non-aggressive approach to the repossession process.

In my days as a heavy-duty wrecker operator, I was always in too much of a hurry. I was thinking about what I had to do next instead of concentrating on the task at hand. In time, I learned to be more careful, more focused.

The repossession business taught Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

me to be cautious and not courageous, attentive but not aggressive.

The repossession and towing businesses are dangerous enough when we concentrate; unknown factors can become deadly even when we follow all of the safety guidelines. We must take extra steps toward safety, more time becoming certified and less time taking unnecessary risks.

Inspect that truck before you leave the yard. Make sure your chains, cables and tools are maintained.

Repossess the car when the debtor is asleep or nowhere near the asset, even if it means a second or third trip.

Promise your wife you will be careful … and say the words.

Repo Editor Mark Lacek has more than 30 years of recovery experience and is the former editor of “Professional Repossessor” magazine. Email him at Mark@commercialassetsolutions.com

Performed Any Good Recoveries Lately?

If so, we want to hear about them!

Contact our Editor, Brendan Dooley Phone: 800-732-3869 ext 201 email: bdooley@towman.com Or write to him at: American Towman Magazine Attention: Editor, Recover y 7 West Street Warwick, NY 10990

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TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 91

NEWSFLASH continued from page 88 sessed. A neighbor heard screaming and thought his neighbor might be in trouble.

That neighbor went outside and shot his gun in the air a few times, according to police. The agent panicked and took off and hit a neighbor’s car in the process.

Police told a local television station that a man, who later said he went for cover in the truck when the shots rang out, wielded a crowbar and banged on the back of the tow truck of the repo man for two miles. Eventually the wrecker came to a stop. As police approached, the man who wielded the crowbar took off.

The neighbor who fired shots has been charged with reckless conduct, and an investigation of the matter is ongoing.

Source: www.myfoxatlanta.com.

Cleveland Approves Fee Hike The Cleveland (Ohio) City Council recently approved increases for municipal towing fees for illegal parking. The city last raised parking fees in 2012.

Base fees for illegally parked vehicles will increase from $100 to $125. The council also increased the fee for people whose cars are towed following an arrest from $150 to $175.

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NEWSFLASH continued from page 92 The city’s base impound fee remained at $30.

Owners of vehicles that have been towed after being stolen will still pay a $50 towing fee, plus a $10 impound fee. A city official said that the increase in towing fees is needed to cover the city’s rising towing costs. Source: www.cleveland.com.

Gun Fired During Repossession Lonnie Michael Ashford, 41, of Penn Township, Pa., was recently arrested after he allegedly fired three shots at two repossession agents who had hooked to his car.

He chased the employees on his motorcycle as they fled in the tow truck with the car attached, police said.

Officers were investigating an unrelated incident at a nearby home when they heard the gunfire, followed by the sound of a motorcycle starting and accelerating.

Ashford was later located by police and arrested for two counts of reckless endangerment. They also recovered a .380-cal. handgun. He was later released on $25,000 unsecured bail.

The agents were not injured. Source: cumberlink.com.

Towing in Kansas City May Increase

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In an effort to beef up enforcement, Kansas City, Mo., is setting policy to encourage towing the cars of people with three or more unpaid tickets.

Police already have authority under current ordinances to tow any vehicle after even one unpaid violation, but so far they have concentrated on towing vehicles that are illegally parked, blocking access or creating a hazard.

Public works officials will send a notice to people with three or more unresolved tickets. After that, those offenders are on notice that the police have the ability to tow.

As of late July, 2,037 people and 79 businesses had three or more parking warrants for unpaid tickets. The worst individual violator on the list had 73 violations, while the worst business violator had 42. Source: www.kansascity.com.

Towing Fees Raised

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The Hammond (Ind.) City Council recently passed an ordinance that will raise the city’s towing fees in 2015.

The mayor said the increased fees would be an opportunity for Hammond to raise revenue after having its property tax revenue decrease from what used to be $42 million a year to $22 million, “which is alarmingly low.”

As of Jan. 1, all police-ordered tow fees using a regular tow/flatbed tow will increase to $180, up from the previous fee of $125. Service calls will rise from $75 to $100.

Inside storage goes from $40 to $50 per day, while outside storage increases from $30 to $40 per day. Other fee hikes include oil drying ($35 to $40), winching ($60 to $75), use of dolly equipment ($60 to $70) and cleanup ($30 to $40).

Hammond will also put its towing contracts up for rebid. Source: www.nwitimes.com.

Action Hero Tower A quick-thinking Canadian tower employed action-hero efforts to thwart the efforts of a thief who tried to steal his rig.

Brody Leimer, 23, was working roadside in Calgary, Alberta, when his truck began driving away with him inside the disabled car that was partially loaded onto the back.

Leimer jumped from the vehicle onto the hood of his tow truck.

Climbing to the passenger side of his truck, he managed to open the passenger door of the truck and swing inside.

Once inside the tow truck, he was able to overpower the thief and forced him to stop, before kicking him from the cab.

Aaron Omeasoo-Stephens, 20, was arrested and charged with impaired driving, two counts of theft and driving without a license.

Source: www.huffingtonpost.ca.

Post Office Lots Begin Impounds

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The U.S. Postal Service and the Selma, Ala., police department have reached an agreement to tow vehicles from the post office parking lot at night.

The agreement looks to end the practice of drivers using the lot for after hours parking to tailgate or go to nightclubs on weekend nights in downtown Selma.

Selma Chief of Police William Riley said in a statement, “The Selma Police Department has obtained written permission to tow vehicles from the post office parking lot at night.

Once it is determined that there is no business being conducted at the post office, the vehicle will be towed at owner’s expense.”

The chief’s statement goes on to say that the post office property has signs that clearly prohibit parking unless conducting business.

Source: www.selmatimesjournal.com.

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TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 95

Tower Apprehended

Towing Fees Raised

A Clearfield, N.Y., man was accused of driving a tow truck recklessly on the interstate and fleeing from state police while intoxicated.

Weilin Song, 33, of Flushing, N.Y., was charged with fleeing and eluding an officer, use and possession of drug paraphernalia, DUI, careless driving, reckless driving, and other related offenses.

According to a police affidavit, state police were dispatched amidst reports of an operator of a black tow truck allegedly driving “extremely reckless.” State police pursued the tow truck, which was weaving from right to left on the Interstate.

Song allegedly failed to stop for seven miles once police activated their lights and siren. When he finally pulled over, police ordered him out of the tow truck at gunpoint. Drug paraphernalia was discovered inside the driver’s side door. Source: gantdaily.com.

The Hammond (Ind.) City Council recently passed an ordinance to raise the city’s towing fees in 2015.

Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. said the increased fees would be an opportunity for Hammond to raise revenue after having its property tax revenue decrease from what used to be $42 million a year to $22 million, “which is alarmingly low,” he said.

As of January 1, all police-ordered tow fees using a regular tow/flatbed tow will increase to $180, up from the previous fee of $125. Service calls will rise from $75 to $100. Inside storage goes from $40 to $50 per day, while outside storage increases from $30 to $40 per day.

Other fee hikes include oil drying ($35 to $40), winching ($60 to $75), use of dolly equipment ($60 to $70) and cleanup ($30 to $40).

Hammond will also put its towing contracts up for re-bid. Source: www.nwitimes.com.

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Stertil-Koni ‘We Care’ Video Series Stertil-Koni launched a new customer-focused video series spotlighting unique customer applications of the company’s lifting systems.

Entitled “We Care” (http://vimeo.com/104109734), each episode features Stertil-Koni heavyduty vehicle lifts at work, contributing to raising the level of efficiency, safety and performance in a broad range of maintenance shop locations.

The first installment of “We Care” zooms in on Patriot Fire, a leading EOne dealer in the Mid-Atlantic region that also services fire trucks and other emergency vehicles. The episode also focuses on LANta—the Leigh and Northampton Transportation Authority—which utilizes a broad range of Stertil-Koni lifts, including mobile column lifts, ECOLIFTs and SKYLIFTs, as well as related shop equipment.

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Offical Winch sponsor:

Peterbilt Displays Autonomous Driving Peterbilt recently displayed advanced technologies capable of autonomous driving to complement vehicle operators using a Peterbilt Model 579 concept truck (www.peterbilt.com) during the ITS World Congress in Detroit.

“The autonomous truck of the future is an extension of existing, individual systems already available for today’s commercial vehicles,” said Bill Kahn, Peterbilt principal engineer and manager of advanced concepts. “Heavy-duty trucks are an ideal platform for automated operation because, compared to motorists, commercial vehicles travel a majority of their miles on modern highways, at constant speeds and for extended periods of time.”

Kahn noted the automation technologies are not driver replacement tools but rather complement the truck operator. Among the existing technologies utilized by the vehicle are radar-based adaptive cruise control and lane-departure warning systems.

Kahn said the performance of these technologies is boosted by giving the LDWS the ability to self-correct the vehicle through integration with the electronically controlled steering system and the ACC the ability to use the cameras to bring the vehicle to a complete stop, if necessary.

Bridgestone Natural Rubber in Ariz.

Bridgestone Americas, a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corp., recently opened its Biorubber Process Research Center in Mesa, Ariz., a 10-acre research and innovation campus to extract natural rubber from guayule, a shrub native to the southwestern U.S. Guayule rubber has qualities almost identical to those of natural rubber harvested from Hevea rubber trees, making it a potentially valuable source for tire-grade rubber in commercial applications. Currently, more than 90 percent of the world’s natural rubber supply comes from Hevea rubber trees grown in Southeast Asia.

“The opening of the Bridgestone Biorubber Process Research Center is a significant milestone in Bridgestone’s journey to develop a new and domestic source of natural rubber,” said Bill Niaura, BSA director of new business development. “Through this innovation project and others like it, Bridgestone is positioning itself to meet the constant, anticipated growth in demand for natural rubber, while also moving closer to achieving its long-term vision of manufacturing products from raw materials that are fully renewable and sustainable by 2050.”

Guayule rubber produced at the center will be sent to Bridgestone’s technical centers in both Akron, Ohio, and Tokyo, Japan. At those facilities, engineers will work to optimize rubber performance within Bridgestone’s product line and explore the full potential for next-generation tires. Source: PRNewswire.

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TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 99

Drowsy Drivers

Your Company’s Vicarious Liability

T

wenty-six drivers attended a recent two-day towers’ safety course in northern California.

All but two drivers were seated and ready to go promptly at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning. I learned that both worked all week before class, the day before class and then during early morning hours up until class.

Neither driver was in shape to take the class. Although pre-class instruc-

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tions were sent to company owners and managers asking that drivers not work the night before, business goes on and attending class is one of those tasks that gets in the way of doing business.

Unfortunately, I dismissed one driver from class as being a danger to his safety and the safety of others. Soon after, an upset owner challenged my reasoning. He didn’t win that battle.

by Randall C. Resch

Asleep at the Wheel Whether it’s a matter of not enough drivers to cover calls or minimum staffing issues in a tough economy, some companies work drivers beyond what’s reasonable or prudent.

Ours is a business that never stops, and assessing a driver’s level of weariness is often waived. The bottom line, however, is that driving while sleepy could be cause of a negligent act that

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might be prosecutable by law.

We all have an asleep-at-the-wheel story. Years ago, I transported two exotic cars from San Diego, Calif., to Long Beach to be shipped to Hawaii. I worked all day—well beyond quitting time—the day of transport. I was admittedly tired and knew it was going to be a long round-trip. Northbound traffic was heavy and the usual dockside politics caused a longer delay in off-loading my customer’s vehicles. To make matters worse, it was winter and I had the heater turned up full blast. Long story short, somewhere approaching 2 a.m. on I-5, I dozed off in the No. 6 lane only to be awakened by the rumble-strip near the center divider. I don’t know how long I was asleep, but it was long enough to make a lasting impression.

Though I knew I was sleepy, I chose to keep driving because I wanted to get back home. And yes, that’s a common mistake in our industry.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, more than half of America’s 100 million-plus drivers admit to

driving drowsy; nearly two in five confessed they’d actually fallen asleep while driving a motor vehicle. The U.S. Department of Transportation identifies fatigue as the No. 1 safety problem in truck and transportation operations costing more than $12 billion annually. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said sleepy drivers are as much a danger as alcoholimpaired drivers. Studies have shown that being awake for 18-plus hours produces impairment equal to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05 percent and 0.1 percent after 24 hours (0.08 percent is considered legally drunk).

For companies sending drivers into the field in a weary and lethargic state, there are serious consequences similar to sending employees into the field who’ve been drinking or are under the influence of drugs. For drivers who know they’re tired and push safe limits, responding to calls while tired and drowsy violates safe driving statutes.

Doing so relates to a conscious decision made by the individual employee and is further complicated by manage-

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ment insisting drivers take calls or be subject to disciplinary actions.

According to NHTSA and other studies, approximately 11,000 deaths were attributed to drowsy driving from years 2000 to 2010. Experts suggest that driving while drowsy is a problem not easily enforced or solved as proving sleepiness is a difficult process and one that requires perhaps social change.

Vicarious Liability There’s a second consideration possibly more important than just a driver being prosecuted for an accident or accidental killing of another due to driving drowsy; that of your company’s vicarious liability.

As business and driver schedules commonly push the limits of driver fatigue based on call volume, minimum staffing requirements and handling that next call, if it’s shown that companies forced or demanded drivers respond to calls by adding hours to their schedules, companies are now accountable for driver actions.

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Most states have existing laws where drivers and companies can be charged civilly and criminally for causing a crash or fatality after falling asleep at the wheel.

Owners, this is a topic that should interest you. Take time to review the readily available information having to do with being asleep at-the-wheel.

You’ll see judgments and multi-million-dollar settlements awarded to plaintiff families when found guilty for their actions.

Moonlighting A California tow driver completed a service call and cleared over the radio. For four hours, the company’s dispatch tried reaching the driver to no avail. They even filed a stolen vehicle report. A few hours later, a beat cop in another city found the tower parked behind a restaurant, truck running, and its driver fast asleep. When the officer awakened the driver, he said he was tired from his other job and needed to sleep. The driver was

terminated. Was this a wrongful termination?

In the world of low driver pay, drivers oftentimes take an outside job.

Should this be the case, rest assured that your driver who’s coming to work from another job will arrive already tired from the first job.

Accordingly, what does your company’s employee manual state regarding outside employment?

The following is an example from my policy and procedure manual relating to outside employment: “An employee may hold a second position at another company, except not that of a tow truck operator with a local competitor company unless approved by senior management. Any other position may be held as long as the second position does not inferfere with the employee’s schedule, ability to arrive to work on time, remain awake throughout the shift, or the ability to stay after-hours where necessary. If a second job causes problems with the employee’s primary position

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within the Company, a decision by the employee must be made to eliminate the employee’s outside position or they resign their primary position.”

If outside employment is allowed, the company should be legally specific as to what is or isn’t allowed. Some companies allowing outside employment initiate creative scheduling during slower days of the week, or work periods where outside employment doesn’t mean employees are fatigued at the onset of arrival to work. The potential of being drowsy is greater when drivers have worked previous hours before their normal shift.

Time Management As it relates to managing your driver’s time behind the wheel, or atwork hours calculated, federal standards mandate the number of hours that commercial or for-hire drivers can attain in a daily period.

In the U.S., the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulates hours of service for commercial dri-

vers as, “Commercial motor vehicle drivers are limited to 11 cumulative hours driving in a 14-hour period, which must then be followed by a rest period of no less than 10 consecutive hours. Drivers employed by commercial carriers in daily operations may not drive more than 70 hours within any period of eight consecutive days.”

Management is tasked with monitoring the number of hours an employee attains, so it makes perfect sense to regulate that drivers develop a reasonable and prudent balance of behind-the-wheel time vs. resting time away from driving.

Recognize that there are reasons for working drivers sometimes to the max, but also realize that doesn’t make it right or safe. Making the decision to not drive is a huge responsibility. In today’s world of vicarious liability, the risk becomes too great to overwork drivers.

An overworked and constantly tired employee is a danger to themselves and the safety of others. Just like responsible drivers choose not to drive while intoxicated, not driving while Operations Editor Randall C. Resch is a retired California police officer and has been in the drowsy is a towing and recovery industry for more choice every than 40 years as an owner, manager, contower and tow sultant and trainer. He writes weekly for TowIndustryWeek.com, and is a 2014 owner should inductee into the International Towing & consider.

Recovery Hall of Fame. Email Randy at

rreschran@aol.com.

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TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 105

Fuel for

The 2014 Peterbilt 389 twin-steer with a Century 1075S rotator lifting the first of the 10,000-gal. fuel tanks.

THOUGHT W

Rotator Diversity, Versatility

by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti

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e all know what a valuable tool a rotator can be when it comes to dealing with difficult recovery scenarios. Many highway authorities request them when it comes to handling incident management situations because of their ability to do the job without blocking lanes.

But more and more, tow companies are showing that rotators are not just for recovery work.

Negoshian’s Towing Service, based in Newton, Mass., was established in 1979 and still operates their main office out of the Elliot Street Sunoco in Newton with satellite offices in Needham and Norwood. Negoshian’s has grown from one truck to a fleet of more than 50 pieces of the most modern equipment available serving many federal, state, local law enforcement agencies and many private businesses.

Negoshian’s is known for handling some tough recoveries and situations that many companies won’t or can’t. Such was the case in June when they were called to a Citgo station in Norwood to move three 10’ x 40’ 10,000-gal. fuel tanks. Moving these tanks is a very sensitive process. Tim “TNT” Travers, Negoshian’s general manager, has moved many fuel tanks and was called by the Citgo owner for his expertise.

I first met Travers at a show American Towman magazine held in Boston some years ago; he was working as a heavy operator for Negoshian’s at the time. We hit it off from jump because of our mutual love for motorcycles, trucks, cars and wreckers. Following a lifelong tradiSwinging the tank into position.

Placing the tank on the blocking.

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The third could not be reached with the excavator, so they dug out from both ends of it.

The third tank being lifted out and stabilized with hay bales.

110 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

tion of giving nicknames to brothers, I labeled him “TNT” because this intense young man is dynamite when it comes to anything related to heavy recovery.

All of these years later our friendship has grown and Tim has held many positions in the industry, including working for both Miller Industries and Jerr-Dan. His first love is the heavy work and he is doing just that at Negoshian’s again.

Tim is a WreckMaster and TRAAcertified heavy recovery specialist with many more certifications. He is also HAZWOPER certified. (Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response refers to many types of hazardous waste operations and emergency services conducted around the world, especially those conducted under the auspices of the federal government of the United States.)

Travers headed to the scene in a

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mammoth 2014 Peterbilt 389 twinsteer with a Century 1075S 75-ton rotator on the business end. He designed this rig along with company owner Edward Negoshian Jr. and Miller’s Tom Luciano.

“It is the first Miller twin-steer up here,” Travers said.

The situation was that the three brand new fuel tanks had been put in the ground incorrectly. The station owner needed them pulled out and pressure tested, then to be put back in the ground correctly.

“To run a rotator in Massachusetts, you have to be a licensed crane operator. You have to have a Mass Hoisting Engineer license. I’m licensed to run everything but the tower crane,” Travers said.

“The Citgo station owner called us because he knew we could do it. I went to do it because of the sensitivity of these types of tanks. They can be as strong as steel or as fragile as an egg. I was the most experienced in handling this kind of situation. I once did a 20 that was pretty big, like a zeppelin.”

The first two tanks were uncovered, lifted and moved.

“The tanks have eyes to attach to, so I rigged to them and then it was just a matter of lifting them out carefully and gently placing them,” Travers said.

The third tank couldn’t be reached with the CAT excavator, so they had to dig out on both ends of it.

“Lifting it half-inch by half-inch, the pea gravel floated the tank up as I lifted it. These tanks are buoyant,” Travers said. “It just takes time, patience and finesse.”

Saddles were made to set each tank down; bales of hay secured the tanks until the pressure testing was complete and Travers would be able to place them back in the ground.

Think outside the box and look for other options to keep your equipment working. Your rig may look pretty, but it doesn’t make any money sitting in your garage.

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

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Assaulted Woman Killed by Tow Truck A woman, left on a parking garage ramp after being assaulted, was run over and killed by a tow truck at a Brockton, Mass., parking garage.

Sebrena McLean, 53, of Brockton, was killed when a tow truck driver was backing the flatbed truck down a ramp into the garage when she was run over. The tow truck, owned by George’s Service Station in Brockton, uses the private parking garage to store the truck overnight.

According to police, George Rhodes, 48, assaulted and robbed McLein and then left the scene minutes before the tow truck arrived.

Rhodes was charged with aggravated assault and battery and robbery. Sources: m.wcvb.com, www.whdh.com.

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TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 113

New and Old at the Museum

A replica of the original 1913 Cadillac/Holmes wrecker was delivered in September for extended loan to the International Towing & Recovery Museum in Chattanooga, Tenn., in advance of Holmes' 100th anniversary.

by Brendan Dooley

T

here were two fun additions that debuted at the International Towing & Recovery Museum and Hall of Fame recently during the Hall of Fame Induction weekend on Sept. 18-21. Both of the intense projects centered on towing’s past and present; one is a restored replica of Holmes’ first wrecker, the other is a scratch-built working wooden model of a current Century rotator.

In the Beginning Coming for extended loan to the museum is a 1913 Cadillac with a Holmes wrecker; it’s a replica of the first Holmes tow truck. The wrecker is owned by Dick and Jean Pellow; Roddy Pellow, president of Twin Cities Wrecker Sales in St. Paul, Minn., said they are lending it to the museum for the upcoming Holmes 100th Anniversary.

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Twin Cities restored the vehicle, and Roddy said that Dick bought it when Holmes went out of business in the 1980s, along with a lot of the company’s inventory.

“The vehicle was manufactured by Holmes in the early 1960s as a reproduction of the original 1913 wrecker,” Roddy said. He said the original Cadillac Holmes used to build a wrecker in 1916 was a 1913 model.

The Cadillac/Holmes wrecker was based on a 1913 touring car chassis with a 365.8-cid motor and a 120” wheelbase. The Cadillac registry shows 1913 was a banner year for the marque, with 15,018 total Cadillacs sold before production began (due to the company’s 1912 introduction of electric start).

“The wrecker needed a new top and some pieces repainted, but the let-

tering is still original,” Roddy said. “It is fairly in tact. We got it running and it’s been in my father’s museum since.”

Next stop: it’s original home in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Woodworking A piece of contemporary art also showed at the museum the same weekend on a somewhat smaller scale: 1/16 to be exact.

Wes Knecht is a retired truck driver from Connecticut who has taken up model building “to keep his mind occupied.” His son Kurt is a tow operator at Zore’s in Indianapolis, Ind., and two years ago Wes scratch-built a wooden model of Kurt’s 85-ton JerrDan rotator.

“I always liked working with wood; my dad was a carpenter,” Wes said. That Jerr-Dan was built primarily

from Spanish cedar and featured more than 70 working moving parts. It’s now on display at Zore’s.

Wes is familiar with the industry and the museum through his son’s career at Zore’s; he’s decided to build Kurt’s current workhorse: a Kenworth with a Century 75-ton rotator.

“The goal is to build three identical models: for the museum, another for my son and one for me,” Wes said.

“I’ve built 10 wood models or so and have none in the house.”

Each model takes more than 150 hours of Wes’ “spare time.” When he visits his son each spring, he takes a legal pad, tape measure and camera and spends about 3-4 hours documenting and measuring the wrecker for scale.

“A lot of the detail that goes into the model is something only a truck driver would see to do detail on— things the average person might miss,” he said. The winches work, and he dyes 35-lbs.-test fishing line for the wire rope.

“The only thing I buy are the wheels – everything else I make,” Wes said. “I do not paint anything. I try

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and find wood as close as possible to the color of the truck itself.” Zore’s trucks are red, and Spanish cedar is much more affordable than mahogany, he said.

Just days before he took the model to the museum, Wes was finishing the

Model builder Wes Knecht in his workshop (above) with the Century rotator in early stages of building. When Kencht’s working wooden model of a Zore’s Kenworth with Century rotator was donated to the International Towing & Recovery Museum in Chattanooga, Tenn., during the Hall of Fame weekend ceremonies in September, the full-scale version was in attendance as well (below).

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 115

Museum board members receiving donation of wooden replica. From left to right: Andy Hovanes, Ron Parrish, Donna Mesaros, Troy Barnett, Jeff Godwin, Shannon Yates, Kevin Fox, Quinn Piening, Bill Gratzianna, Terry Warford, Wes Knecht, Norbert Bertling, Tom Tedford, Dennie Ortiz, Patrick Nahoum.

last little bits: the boom heads and mirrors and clearance lights and final finish.

“Everything works how it should; the boom, outriggers, winches and

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everything does what it’s supposed to—all the D-rings on the tailboard move,” Wes said.

When Wes donated the 1/16 Cen-

tury model to the museum, son Kurt and the full-scale Zore’s truck were also in attendance.

“It’s all a labor of love,” Wes said.

USED TRUCKS FOR SALE 2007 Ford F650, Jerr-Dan 21ft Carrier, 218,351 Miles 2012 Dodge 4500, Vulcan 810, 112,605 miles 2012 Dodge 4500, Vulcan 810 Wrecker, 45,134 miles 2013 Ford F-550, Century 19ft, 39,873 miles 2008 Ford F450 XL, Holmes 440 Auto Loader, 142,494 miles 2011 International 4300, Century Wrecker, 106,604 miles

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118 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

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robertyoungtrucks.com Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

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Call 800-732-3869 E. Rosengart x 203 erosengart@towman.com D.Ortiz x 213 dortiz@towman.com TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 119

The Savior

by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti

W

recker 1 in McDonough, Ga., is a 100percent female-owned business, opened in 2007 by Stacy M. Richardson, the daughter of a long-haul trucker. It was her father’s stories from the road that inspired her business.

“My dad was a long-haul over-theroad trucker for 30 years and I was a daddy’s girl. I remember waiting for him to come home after days of being on the road and the stories he told about breakdowns and accidents causing delays,” Richardson said. “He would tell me that he and other truckers would sometimes have to wait for 24 hours before receiving assistance.

Time is money in trucking and delays also means time away from their families. I wanted to make a difference, so I started Wrecker 1.

120 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

“We understand the importance of treating our customers with dignity and respect and recognize that exceptional service begins with quality people. We are family here—most all of my drivers have been with me since I started the

Tech Highlights Chassis:2009 Kenworth T-800.

Wrecker: NRC 50/65-ton sliding rotator.

Engine: Cummins 525.

Trans: Fuller 18-speed.

Winches: Dual 50,000-lbs. planetary two-speed; two 20,000-lbs. planetary two-speed.

Graphics : Rick Vinkle at Image Signs in Morrisville, N.C. Built by: Matthews Garage.

company. We spend quite a bit of time together on and off the job.”

Along with quality people, Richardson has an extensive fleet including “The Savior,” her 2009 Kenworth T-800 with an NRC 50/65 sliding rotator. A Cummins 525 engine mated to a Fuller 18-speed transmission powers it down the road.

This recovery unit was built by Jeremy Matthews and the crew at Matthews Garage in Cartersville, Ga., a towing and recovery outfit and full-line distributor for NRC Industries. The 65ton hydraulic wrecker has a 128” sliding V-shaped boom with dual 50,000-lbs. planetary two-speed winches. It also has two 20,000-lbs. planetary two-speed winches.

Stacy came up with the design concept and brought it to Rick Vinkle at Image Signs in Morrisville, N.C., to do the vinyl wrap job.

“This is our standout heavy recovery unit,” she said. “My inspiration for this design is my Christian beliefs and this truck being ‘The Savior ’ for stranded truckers.

“We are located in McDonough, literally minutes away from I-75, I-285, I20, I-85 and I-475. We pride ourselves in providing prompt service and try to give the most accurate ETAs possible.

Having the right equipment to get the job done is key,” Richardson said.

“Purchasing this sliding rotator allows us to deliver timely service and get the roads cleared as efficiently and safely as possible.”

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

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • 121

Go Where the Intelligence Is

by Steve Calitri

I

f being on the town rotation for nonconsensual tows is an important business segment for you, you want to be in Baltimore just for John Borowski’s seminar, “21st Century Rotation.” John addresses current developments of third-party dispatch managing police rotation and the alternatives towers have. He also discusses how to secure a contract with your city, one that protects your investment in equipment and personnel.

Tow business owners have to be actively engaged with their police department, town council and often its politics to be successful in police towing. During the American Towman Expo in Baltimore, tow bosses are able to share notes with towers from other areas. This kind of networking is invaluable.

AT Expo has done a good job of presenting towers with the latest diversification opportunities that are a good fit for towing operations. This year’s academy again addresses accident cleanup and how to profit from it, and will again discuss profiting from your unclaimed vehicles through auction services offered by Insurance Auto Auctions and TowLot.com. In addition, AT Repo Editor Mark Lacek presents a seminar on how to succeed in the repo business, a timely topic as repo action has spiked recently.

The Academy addresses the most stimulating aspect of being in business: intelligence. We have to use our intelligence to get ahead in this world, and more so to run a profitable business. The towing trade is certainly a challenging one on many levels. The ability to win new business and operate efficiently is an ongoing endeavor.

122 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

The 37 seminars of the Academy offer avenues to achieve just that.

The Academy is a main reason why hundreds of tow bosses enter the exhibit hall with a high spirit. The men and women are thinking of moving forward in their business, using some of the ideas and practices they just learned.

My favorite comment from a seminar goer was, “My competitors cringe when I come back from AT Expo in Baltimore; they know I’ll be at the top of my game putting new things in place to keep me ahead of them.” If you run into Bill Beyers from Michigan on the show floor or upstairs, you can ask him to elaborate.

Often a tow boss comes up to me at the show, telling me how the seminars over the years have been a primary reason for his company’s growth and success. When that happens, I know I can go to my grave thinking about my time in the towing industry with a smile.

Most of us don’t rush to a classroom, of course. We had enough of that when we were young. We want to be out, doing. But, some of us over time realize that what we have gained by trial-and-error through experience could be short-cut by listening—truly listening—to those who have learned ahead of us and have their lessons to share. Much of that kind of sharing goes on at the American Towman Academy, where some 25,000 towers have participated in the past quarter century that AT Expo has been serving this industry.

I hope to see you at the Baltimore Convention Center in the Academy corridors this November. You may check out the Academy seminar lineup at ATExposition.com.

We’ve got the big show covered in a Monster way. American Towman Magazine’s Brendan Dooley will be in the Baltimore Convention Center to talk with towers about their business challenges, their recent recoveries, and about anything towing or not. American Towman TV’s Emily Oz will be on hand, cameraman in tow to interview the un-shy towers in the hall.

Charles Duke of Tow Industry Week will be there as well, notebook in hand, not to mention Mark Lacek, AT’s Repo Run writer.

Speaking of Repo… on RepoTimes.com, repo agents may now sign up for free inclusion on the site’s Repo Run search and find engine.

Of course, covering the American Towman Exposition is easier said than done; ten special events, 30 seminars, the world’s biggest tow show and wrecker pageant.

Still we’ll be looking over the exhibit debuts on the show floor and extracting words of enlightenment from the seminar presenters, not to mention the wisdom of the towers on the floor and about the Inner Harbor.

Number 166 on Reader Card

Township Impound Fee Sees $45 Increase

Number 211 on Reader Card

Redford, Mich., raised the town’s impound fee to $65 a vehicle, according to a recent vote. The fee represents an increase in the town’s previous fee of $20, set in 2007.

However, the town’s board debated whether or not the fee should be higher and if the town should open its municipal towing for bids.

One company, North Redford Towing, currently handles all the township police department’s towing—but without a contract.

Redford Police Chief Eric Pahl told the board that the Michigan Towing Association is against bidding out for towing “as it opens it up to unethical companies.” Pahl also stated that the township is “better positioned to not have a contract,” citing that the township could “walk away.”

Two other town trustees thought the process wasn’t transparent enough, and felt soliciting proposals would allow the township to make sure the fees are appropriate.

Source: www.hometownlife.com.

Fla. Deputy Shoots Man at Tow Yard A Florida sheriff's deputy is currently being investigated after he fatally shot a man who allegedly suffered from hearing loss recently.

The incident occurred in Daytona Beach at Fryer's Towing Service after the 52-year-old victim got into an argument with the company's employees.

According to police, Miller was being loud and rude because he was upset over fees. Workers at the towing yard also told officers that they feared for their lives because the victim had a gun, the report said.

The deputy, who was in plain clothes at the time of the shooting, says that he identified himself as a deputy before he opened fire. The deputy said he then fired six shots because the victim was "brandishing a firearm.”

The victim's relatives say that he was deaf due to a childhood illness and could not understand the officer's commands. Source: www.latinpost.com.

Number 146 on Reader Card

NORTH 124 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Number 205 on Reader Card

Busted for Towing Illegally

Number 140 on Reader Card

Number 171 on Reader Card

NORTH 126 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

A Portland, Ore., man faced a 50count indictment accusing him of running an illegal tow business, conducting illegal salvage procedures, and possession of numerous stolen vehicles.

Patrick Michael Huckins, 47, is accused of multiple counts of unauthorized use of motor vehicles, possession of stolen vehicles, first-degree theft, operating an illegal tow business, and illegal salvage procedures between August and December 2013.

Huckins is not a licensed tower, according to a prosecutor working the case.

Investigators caught him on surveillance video bringing the stolen vehicles to West Coast Car Crushing in Portland, and confiscated paperwork from West Coast that listed Huckins as being paid cash for stolen vehicles taken to the business.

State records show Huckins is a principal representative of Roadrunner Auto Salvage in the city. Source: www.oregonlive.com.

Number 152 on Reader Card

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Number 153 on Reader Card

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • NORTH 127

Tower Stole $1,500 from Arrested Stripper

Number 168 on Reader Card

A Westfield, Mass., woman found drunk and unconscious at the wheel of her car on the Massachusetts Turnpike in February said $1,500 went missing from her car during her arrest, and Massachusetts State Police say the tow truck driver took the cash.

Clifton Nash, 36, has been charged with larceny of more than $250. At his arraignment, the judge set bail at $1,000. Nash’s arraignment was originally scheduled in June, but he failed to appear.

Katherine Bauer, 32, of Hudson, N.Y., called the state police to report that money was stolen from her during or after her arrest a few days prior. A month-long investigation ensued, and video surveillance of the Red's Towing lot in West Springfield, who Nash worked for at the time, shows Nash beaming a flashlight on the backseat of Bauer’s car prior to entering the lot and parking the car.

Nash said he didn't remember checking the back seat, saying he found the money in a red purse in the front of the car. He faces up to five years in prison, two years in jail or a fine up to $25,000. Source: www.masslive.com.

Crowley Rejects Rotation Change

Download music on iTunes and Amazon.com NORTH 128 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

The Crowley, Texas, city council recently denied an ordinance to amend the city's towing service contracts.

The council voted 4-2 to deny the proposed ordinance in the wake of the police chief’s request to have one vendor be made the sole towing service for the city.

The chief felt that a single vendor would be faster and would streamline the process; however, the council stated that by maintaining three vendors, city dollars would flow to more local businesses. Source: www.crowleystar.net.

Number 111 on Reader Card

Number 179 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • SOUTH 123

Trade Show s p Ti Getting the Most from This Year’s Expo

At the 2013 AT Expo, Miller Industries’ Tom Luciano goes over the features on one of the company’s heavy wreckers.

by Susan A. Friedmann

G

etting the most out of a trade show requires careful preparation. With important tasks to balance between training classes and the show floor, planning is important. To get the most from attending a trade show, you have to have a clear strategy in mind.

Knowing what you need to accom-

SOUTH 124 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

Include a list of “must see” booths and “want to see” booths.

plish before, during and after the show is the first step toward success.

Before the show Make a list of the goals you want to achieve by visiting the show. Include your own personal goals and those of

continue to page 126

Busted for Towing Illegally A Portland, Ore., man faced a 50count indictment accusing him of running an illegal tow business, conducting illegal salvage procedures, and possession of numerous stolen vehicles.

Patrick Michael Huckins, 47, is accused of multiple counts of unauthorized use of motor vehicles, possession of stolen vehicles, first-degree theft, operating an illegal tow business, and illegal salvage procedures between August and December 2013.

Huckins is not a licensed tower, according to a prosecutor working the case.

Investigators caught him on surveillance video bringing the stolen vehicles to West Coast Car Crushing in Portland, and confiscated paperwork from West Coast that listed Huckins as being paid cash for stolen vehicles taken to the business.

State records show Huckins is a principal representative of Roadrunner Auto Salvage in the city. Source: www.oregonlive.com.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Number 170 on Reader Card

Number 113 on Reader Card

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • SOUTH 125

TRADE SHOW TIPS continued from page 124

Proper planning before you get to an Expo is essential to making the most of your time in training, seminars and especially on the show floor.

your company. Every subsequent decision that you make should put you closer to achieving your goals.

Read through the promotional materials carefully. Use the knowledge you’ve gleaned to make a plan for attending the show. Include a list of “must see” booths and “want to see” booths. Spend a little time researching the vendors, so that you’ll have a clear idea of whom you need to see, and what you need to learn from them.

That way you’ll have useful questions to ask, and will have to waste a minimum amount of time with small talk.

Decide how much time you want to spend at the show, and then allot an appropriate amount to each booth, making sure to schedule the “must see” booths first. That way if your day is abruptly cut short, you won’t miss the most vital exhibits. Consider making appointments with those exhibitors you really want to meet with.

If co-workers are attending the show with you, divide the show up into sections. Each team member can sit in on different seminars to maximize the amount of information gathered by the entire team.

Once you’ve decided whom you need to see, get a map of the show floor and prioritize your route. Walking a trade show is certainly exercise, so make it easy by securing a hotel room close to the convention center.

Booking your room well in advance will allow you to enjoy Expo discounts.

Pre-register for the show. Save time and energy at the start of your Expo experience by taking advantage of the online pre-show registration opportunities.

When you’re packing, be sure to bring a comfortable pair of walking shoes and plenty of business cards.

You’ll want a light carry-all bag for the materials you gather during the show.

Avoid plastic bags, as they will cut into your hands after hours of walking.

During the show Upon arriving in the convention city, obtain a map of the locality. It will make your life much easier and save you valuable time.

The next thing you’ll want to do is consult the latest version of the trade show directory and revise your carefully made plans. New exhibitors will have been added at the last minute, or seminar times may have changed.

Check your coat and bags before stepping onto the show floor—you won’t want to lug them around for hours.

Don’t just grab every brochure that’s offered to you. Collect the information that is of interest to you or that could be valuable to others in your company. Many exhibitors will gladly mail literature and samples, which relieves you of having to carry them

SOUTH 126 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

around the exhibit hall. Use a small notebook to record the most vital information.

Let exhibitors know that you are on a tight schedule. They want to make the best use of their time as well, and will gladly cut to the chase with you. You might have to push a little bit to get the answers for questions you really want.

Trade shows are often the first glimpse you’ll get of new product releases, special programs or fresh marketing initiatives. Make a point to talk with the booth staff; a simple “So, what do you guys have in the pipeline?” may reward you.

Keep your eyes open for networking opportunities. Industry leaders haunt trade shows, and they’re great people to know. Be social at workshops—now is the time to hand out some of those business cards you’ve brought along.

Take regular breaks to hydrate and make notes. The notes will help you jog your memory, and the water will keep you healthy and moving. Convention centers can be dry, hot environments—be prepared.

After the show Long hours on the trade show floor are enough to wipe anybody out.

But before you flop down on the bed for 40 well-deserved winks, take some time to organize the information you’ve gathered.

If it’s for co-workers back at the home office, sort it into envelopes and address them to the relevant person. If the information is for you, sort it by priority, affixing sticky notes to jog your memory after you’ve returned from the show.

Be sure to follow up with new contacts and vendors after the show. Having a clear plan of action will make sure that the time you spent at the show was a worthwhile investment.

About the author Susan A. Friedmann, CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, N.Y., is a trade show training expert working with companies to increase their profitability at trade shows. Best selling author of “Riches in Niches: How to Make it BIG in a small Market” and “Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies.”

Tower Stole $1,500 from Arrested Stripper A Westfield, Mass., woman found drunk and unconscious at the wheel of her car on the Massachusetts Turnpike in February said $1,500 went missing from her car during her arrest, and Massachusetts State Police say the tow truck driver took the cash.

Clifton Nash, 36, has been charged with larceny of more than $250. At his arraignment, the judge set bail at $1,000. Nash’s arraignment was originally scheduled in June, but he failed to appear.

Katherine Bauer, 32, of Hudson, N.Y., called the state police to report that money was stolen from her during or after her arrest a few days prior. A month-long investigation ensued, and video surveillance of the Red's Towing lot in West Springfield, who Nash worked for at the time, shows Nash beaming a flashlight on the backseat of Bauer’s car prior to entering the lot and parking the car.

Nash said he didn't remember checking the back seat, saying he found the money in a red purse in the front of the car. He faces up to five years in prison, two years in jail or a fine up to $25,000. Source: www.masslive.com.

Number 180 on Reader Card

Crowley Rejects Rotation Change The Crowley, Texas, city council recently denied an ordinance to amend the city's towing service contracts.

The council voted 4-2 to deny the proposed ordinance in the wake of the police chief’s request to have one vendor be made the sole towing service for the city.

The chief felt that a single vendor would be faster and would streamline the process; however, the council stated that by maintaining three vendors, city dollars would flow to more local businesses. Source: www.crowleystar.net.

Number 107 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • SOUTH 127

Trapped

Tanker

Fast Lane Towing; Bethlehem, Pa.

A dry bulk cement truck took a CO2 tanker through the guardrail and came to a rest on top of it in Pennsylvania.

Fast Lane Towing got the call.

by Heidi Rotondo Fast Lane Towing; Bethlehem, Pa.

I

n fall of 2009, two tractor-trailers were running side-by-side on Route 33 in Easton, Pa. They collided and both units careened through the guardrail and down an embankment.

The dry bulk cement tanker wound up jack-knifed and lying atop the other truck, which was loaded with carbon dioxide.

The CO2 was partially transferred to another tanker and the rest was vented (if the CO2 tank had ruptured during the recovery, it would have displaced all the oxygen in the immediate area and frozen everything instantly).

The top truck was then lifted and winched simultaneously up the hill and towed. The CO2 tanker was then uprighted and winched up the hill and towed.

Equipment included a Jerr-Dan 25-ton wrecker, NRC 40-ton sliding wrecker and KW tractor. More pics are at the company website at www.fastlanetowing.com.

SOUTH 128 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

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

Busted for Towing Illegally A Portland, Ore., man faced a 50-count indictment accusing him of running an illegal tow business, conducting illegal salvage procedures, and possession of numerous stolen vehicles.

Patrick Michael Huckins, 47, is accused of multiple counts of unauthorized use of motor vehicles, possession of stolen vehicles, first-degree theft, operating an illegal tow business, and illegal salvage procedures between August and December 2013.

Huckins is not a licensed tower, according to a prosecutor working the case.

Investigators caught him on surveillance video bringing the stolen vehicles to West Coast Car Crushing in Portland, and confiscated paperwork from West Coast that listed Huckins as being paid cash for stolen vehicles taken to the business.

State records show Huckins is a principal representative of Roadrunner Auto Salvage in the city. Source: www.oregonlive.com.

Number 134 on Reader Card

Number 138 on Reader Card Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • MIDWEST 123

Trade Show s p Ti Getting the Most from This Year’s Expo

At the 2013 AT Expo, Miller Industries’ Tom Luciano goes over the features on one of the company’s heavy wreckers.

by Susan A. Friedmann

G

etting the most out of a trade show requires careful preparation. With important tasks to balance between training classes and the show floor, planning is important. To get the most from attending a trade show, you have to have a clear strategy in mind.

Knowing what you need to accom-

Include a list of “must see” booths and “want

MIDWEST 124 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

to see” booths.

plish before, during and after the show is the first step toward success.

Before the show Make a list of the goals you want to achieve by visiting the show. Include your own personal goals and those of

continue to page 126

Tower Stole $1,500 from Arrested Stripper A Westfield, Mass., woman found drunk and unconscious at the wheel of her car on the Massachusetts Turnpike in February said $1,500 went missing from her car during her arrest, and Massachusetts State Police say the tow truck driver took the cash.

Clifton Nash, 36, has been charged with larceny of more than $250. At his arraignment, the judge set bail at $1,000. Nash’s arraignment was originally scheduled in June, but he failed to appear.

Katherine Bauer, 32, of Hudson, N.Y., called the state police to report that money was stolen from her during or after her arrest a few days prior. A month-long investigation ensued, and video surveillance of the Red's Towing lot in West Springfield, who Nash worked for at the time, shows Nash beaming a flashlight on the backseat of Bauer’s car prior to entering the lot and parking the car.

Nash said he didn't remember checking the back seat, saying he found the money in a red purse in the front of the car. He faces up to five years in prison, two years in jail or a fine up to $25,000. Source: www.masslive.com.

Number 193 on Reader Card

Crowley Rejects Rotation Change The Crowley, Texas, city council recently denied an ordinance to amend the city's towing service contracts.

The council voted 4-2 to deny the proposed ordinance in the wake of the police chief’s request to have one vendor be made the sole towing service for the city.

The chief felt that a single vendor would be faster and would streamline the process; however, the council stated that by maintaining three vendors, city dollars would flow to more local businesses. Source: www.crowleystar.net.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Number 168 on Reader Card

TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • MIDWEST 125

TRADE SHOW TIPS continued from page 124

Proper planning before you get to an Expo is essential to making the most of your time in training, seminars and especially on the show floor.

your company. Every subsequent decision that you make should put you closer to achieving your goals.

Read through the promotional materials carefully. Use the knowledge you’ve gleaned to make a plan for attending the show. Include a list of “must see” booths and “want to see” booths. Spend a little time researching the vendors, so that you’ll have a clear idea of whom you need to see, and what you need to learn from them.

That way you’ll have useful questions to ask, and will have to waste a minimum amount of time with small talk.

Decide how much time you want to spend at the show, and then allot an appropriate amount to each booth, making sure to schedule the “must see” booths first. That way if your day is abruptly cut short, you won’t miss the most vital exhibits. Consider making appointments with those exhibitors you really want to meet with.

If co-workers are attending the show with you, divide the show up into sections. Each team member can sit in on different seminars to maximize the amount of information gathered by the entire team.

Once you’ve decided whom you need to see, get a map of the show floor and prioritize your route. Walking a trade show is certainly exercise, so make it easy by securing a hotel room close to the convention center.

Booking your room well in advance will allow you to enjoy Expo discounts.

Pre-register for the show. Save time and energy at the start of your Expo experience by taking advantage of the online pre-show registration opportunities.

When you’re packing, be sure to bring a comfortable pair of walking shoes and plenty of business cards.

You’ll want a light carry-all bag for the materials you gather during the show.

Avoid plastic bags, as they will cut into your hands after hours of walking.

During the show Upon arriving in the convention city, obtain a map of the locality. It will make your life much easier and save you valuable time.

The next thing you’ll want to do is consult the latest version of the trade show directory and revise your carefully made plans. New exhibitors will have been added at the last minute, or seminar times may have changed.

Check your coat and bags before stepping onto the show floor—you won’t want to lug them around for hours.

Don’t just grab every brochure that’s offered to you. Collect the information that is of interest to you or that could be valuable to others in your company. Many exhibitors will gladly mail literature and samples, which relieves you of having to carry them

MIDWEST 126 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

around the exhibit hall. Use a small notebook to record the most vital information.

Let exhibitors know that you are on a tight schedule. They want to make the best use of their time as well, and will gladly cut to the chase with you. You might have to push a little bit to get the answers for questions you really want.

Trade shows are often the first glimpse you’ll get of new product releases, special programs or fresh marketing initiatives. Make a point to talk with the booth staff; a simple “So, what do you guys have in the pipeline?” may reward you.

Keep your eyes open for networking opportunities. Industry leaders haunt trade shows, and they’re great people to know. Be social at workshops—now is the time to hand out some of those business cards you’ve brought along.

Take regular breaks to hydrate and make notes. The notes will help you jog your memory, and the water will keep you healthy and moving. Convention centers can be dry, hot environments—be prepared.

After the show Long hours on the trade show floor are enough to wipe anybody out. But before you flop down on the bed for 40 well-deserved winks, take some time to organize the information you’ve gathered.

If it’s for co-workers back at the home office, sort it into envelopes and address them to the relevant person. If the information is for you, sort it by priority, affixing sticky notes to jog your memory after you’ve returned from the show.

Be sure to follow up with new contacts and vendors after the show. Having a clear plan of action will make sure that the time you spent at the show was a worthwhile investment.

About the author Susan A. Friedmann, CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, N.Y., is a trade show training expert working with companies to increase their profitability at trade shows. Best selling author of “Riches in Niches: How to Make it BIG in a small Market” and “Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies.”

Trapped

Tanker

Fast Lane Towing; Bethlehem, Pa.

A dry bulk cement truck took a CO2 tanker through the guardrail and came to a rest on top of it in Pennsylvania. Fast Lane Towing got the call.

by Heidi Rotondo Fast Lane Towing; Bethlehem, Pa.

I

n fall of 2009, two tractor-trailers were running side-by-side on Route 33 in Easton, Pa. They collided and both units careened through the guardrail and down an embankment.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

continue to page 128 TOWMAN.COM - October 2014 • MIDWEST 127

TRAPPED TANKER continued from page 127

After transferring some of the CO2 load, Fast Lane was able to remove the jack-knifed cement tanker by simultaneously winching and lifting it before uprighting and towing the CO2 tanker.

The dry bulk cement tanker wound up jack-knifed and lying atop the other truck, which was loaded with carbon dioxide.

The CO2 was partially transferred to another tanker and the rest was vented (if the CO2 tank had ruptured during the recovery, it would have displaced all the oxygen in the imme-

diate area and frozen everything instantly).

The top truck was then lifted and winched simultaneously up the hill and towed. The CO2 tanker was then uprighted and winched up the hill and towed.

Equipment included a Jerr-Dan 25-ton wrecker, NRC 40-ton sliding

MIDWEST 128 • October 2014 - TOWMAN.COM

wrecker and KW tractor. More pics are at the company website at www.fastlanetowing.com.

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

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Busted for Towing Illegally

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A Portland, Ore., man faced a 50-count indictment accusing him of running an illegal tow business, conducting illegal salvage procedures, and possession of numerous stolen vehicles.

Patrick Michael Huckins, 47, is accused of multiple counts of unauthorized use of motor vehicles, possession of stolen vehicles, first-degree theft, operating an illegal tow business, and illegal salvage procedures between August and December 2013.

Huckins is not a licensed tower, according to a prosecutor working the case.

Investigators caught him on surveillance video bringing the stolen vehicles to West Coast Car Crushing in Portland, and confiscated paperwork from West Coast that listed Huckins as being paid cash for stolen vehicles taken to the business.

State records show Huckins is a principal representative of Roadrunner Auto Salvage in the city. Source: www.oregonlive.com.

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Trade Show s p Ti Getting the Most from This Year’s Expo

At the 2013 AT Expo, Miller Industries’ Tom Luciano goes over the features on one of the company’s heavy wreckers.

by Susan A. Friedmann

G

etting the most out of a trade show requires careful preparation. With important tasks to balance between training classes and the show floor, planning is important. To get the most from attending a trade show, you have to have a clear strategy in mind.

Knowing what you need to accom-

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Include a list of “must see” booths and “want to see” booths.

plish before, during and after the show is the first step toward success.

Before the show Make a list of the goals you want to achieve by visiting the show.

Include your own personal goals and

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Work the Passenger side–Stay Safe!

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TRADE SHOW TIPS continued from page 126

Proper planning before you get to an Expo is essential to making the most of your time in training, seminars and especially on the show floor.

those of your company. Every subsequent decision that you make should put you closer to achieving your goals.

Read through the promotional materials carefully. Use the knowledge you’ve gleaned to make a plan for attending the show. Include a list of “must see” booths and “want to see” booths. Spend a little time researching the vendors, so that you’ll have a clear idea of whom you need to see, and what you need to learn from them.

That way you’ll have useful questions to ask, and will have to waste a minimum amount of time with small talk.

Decide how much time you want to spend at the show, and then allot an appropriate amount to each booth, making sure to schedule the “must see” booths first. That way if your day is abruptly cut short, you won’t miss the most vital exhibits. Consider making appointments with those exhibitors you really want to meet with.

If co-workers are attending the show with you, divide the show up into sections. Each team member can sit in on different seminars to maximize the amount of information gathered by the entire team.

Once you’ve decided whom you need to see, get a map of the show floor and prioritize your route. Walking a trade show is certainly exercise, so make it easy by securing a hotel room close to the convention center.

Booking your room well in advance will allow you to enjoy Expo discounts.

Pre-register for the show. Save time and energy at the start of your Expo experience by taking advantage of the online pre-show registration opportunities.

When you’re packing, be sure to bring a comfortable pair of walking shoes and plenty of business cards.

You’ll want a light carry-all bag for the materials you gather during the show.

Avoid plastic bags, as they will cut into your hands after hours of walking.

During the show Upon arriving in the convention city, obtain a map of the locality. It will make your life much easier and save you valuable time.

The next thing you’ll want to do is consult the latest version of the trade show directory and revise your carefully made plans. New exhibitors will have been added at the last minute, or seminar times may have changed.

Check your coat and bags before stepping onto the show floor—you won’t want to lug them around for hours.

Don’t just grab every brochure that’s offered to you. Collect the information that is of interest to you or that could be valuable to others in your company. Many exhibitors will gladly mail literature and samples, which relieves you of having to carry them

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around the exhibit hall. Use a small notebook to record the most vital information.

Let exhibitors know that you are on a tight schedule. They want to make the best use of their time as well, and will gladly cut to the chase with you. You might have to push a little bit to get the answers for questions you really want.

Trade shows are often the first glimpse you’ll get of new product releases, special programs or fresh marketing initiatives. Make a point to talk with the booth staff; a simple “So, what do you guys have in the pipeline?” may reward you.

Keep your eyes open for networking opportunities. Industry leaders haunt trade shows, and they’re great people to know. Be social at workshops—now is the time to hand out some of those business cards you’ve brought along.

Take regular breaks to hydrate and make notes. The notes will help you jog your memory, and the water will keep you healthy and moving. Convention centers can be dry, hot environments—be prepared.

After the show Long hours on the trade show floor are enough to wipe anybody out. But before you flop down on the bed for 40 well-deserved winks, take some time to organize the information you’ve gathered.

If it’s for co-workers back at the home office, sort it into envelopes and address them to the relevant person. If the information is for you, sort it by priority, affixing sticky notes to jog your memory after you’ve returned from the show.

Be sure to follow up with new contacts and vendors after the show. Having a clear plan of action will make sure that the time you spent at the show was a worthwhile investment.

About the author Susan A. Friedmann, CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, N.Y., is a trade show training expert working with companies to increase their profitability at trade shows. Best selling author of “Riches in Niches: How to Make it BIG in a small Market” and “Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies.”

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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