American Towman Magazine - Sept. 2016

Enjoy your coffee at TowIndustryToday.com

When to Pay On-Call Dealing with Derelicts Proper Wheel Restraints

Departments Walkaround . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 News Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Road Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Tow Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Tow Boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

FEATURE CONTENTS

Tow Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 AD Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

28

Towman’s Market . . . . . . . . . . . .68

Consolidated Effort

My Baby. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70

Loyal Auto and Apple

Low Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74

Auto Body in Monroe, N.Y.,

Adventures of A.T. . . . . . . . . . . . .81

are finally together in one place creating efficiencies.

by Brendan Dooley

35

The Greatest Show of All Time Attendee Brochure for 2016 AT Expo is here!

Read all about it!

78

Breach of Peace Updates Consumer law changes may be coming in repo that hurt the process.

by Mark Lacek Loyal Tire and Auto and sister company Apple Auto Body have combined in one location in a former Ford dealership in Monroe, N.Y. (on the cover). Loyal and Apple’s combined fleet includes 13 wreckers and a service vehicle (this page).

4 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

Unsung Heroes of the Road

by Dennie Ortiz

First On The Scene!

Dennie Ortiz

As this industry Charles, with the guidance of the continues its forward woman, helped deliver the baby progress, we are safely on the side of the road, using sometimes bom- fresh towels and water he had on his barded by the con- tow truck. Charles even cut the umbilstant negative stories ical cord and tied it closed. If it wasn’t and criticisms of it. As for Charles’ initial concern over the such, it is always important to high- well-being of the vehicle occupants light a positive story when it comes to and his prudence in keeping up and our attention. stopping with them on side of road, This happened last month in Texas the story may not have had such a during the Tow Expo Dallas-Fort happy ending.

Worth when I met tower Charles HarThee characteristics of charity, rell of Tex Star Towing out of Fort public service and the willingness to Worth. He flagged us down on the risk their own safety for that of show floor and enthusiastically another person are common traits shared a recent, unique experience. found in towers … the unsung heroes While he of the road. was traveling These are the down the road aspects of the towing a cust o w i n g tomer ’s broindustry that ken-down need to be vehicle, he noted and n o t i c e d appreciated another car more by the that was drimotoring ving erratipublic. cally. At first he If any of thought that you have Charles Harrell, owner of Tex Star Towing in the woman and positive Fort Worth, Texas, talks with local news crew man in the car experiences about helping to deliver a baby on the road were having an to share with side. NBCDFW.com image. altercation of the towing sorts. He asked the customer in the community, please send them to us so cab with him if they minded if he fol- we may share the good and honorable lowed this vehicle in case there was sides of towing that are prevalent, yet physical abuse taking place so that he not reported in the mainstream headcould report the incident to the police. lines.

The customer obliged and he pulled As we continue to honor 100 years behind the vehicle in question, which of towing, we know it’s not just a comsoon pulled to the side of the road. The memoration of longevity and accompassenger quickly stepped out of the plishment of an industry made up of car cradling her belly; it was then obvi- vehicles and businesses, but also a celous that the woman was in the late ebration of the unique spirit of the stages of pregnancy. The woman was in individual men and women who the process of giving birth. encompass this industry.

6 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

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 Don Archer David Kolman Bill Simmons

Field Editor, Northeast Field Editor, Midwest Chassis Editor Safety Editor

Emily Oz

On Screen Editor

Mark Lacek

Repo Run Editor

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

Dallas, Texas Jefferson City, Mo. 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 Jimmy Santos Miriam Ortiz Henri Calitri Toni Vanderhorst William Burwell Peggy Calabrese Ryan Oser Helen Gutfreund Emily Oz Steve Calitri

Page Layout Artist Advertising Sales Mgr. Senior Account Exec.

VP of Accounts General Manager Subscription Manager Customer Service Publisher’s Assistant TIW Media Director Regional Advertising Sales iMarketing Manager Communications Mgr. ATTV Producer President

American Towman Media Headquarters 7 West Street, Warwick, NY 10990 800-732-3869 or 845-986-4546 E-mail: Publisher: dortiz@towman.com Editor-In-Chief: scalitri@towman.com Editor: bdooley@towman.com AT’S Digital Edition: itowman.com AT’S Website: americantowman.com AT’S Weekly: towindustryweek.com ATTV: americantowmantv.com Copyright ©2016 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.

100 Years... the Song Towing's Centennial Celebration in Baltimore will debut the latest Towman Ballad, “100 Years,” saluting the grit of towmen and their industry.

The ballad was co-composed by AT's Steve Calitri and towing's troubadour Mike Corbin.

Mike Corbin and the Band will perform 100 Years and other Towman Ballads (The Road Calls, Booms in the Sky), along with some American favorites (The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Born to be Wild) during the Celebration at Festival Night, Nov. 19 at the Marriott Waterfront Hotel.

American Towman is producing the Centennial Celebration.

"Every career towman wants to be at this event," said Steve Calitri, AT's Editor-in-Chief, and AT Expo founder. "It salutes the heritage of all towmen while honoring towing's heroes during the traditional American Towman Medal Ceremony."

The Centennial Celebration at Festival Night features the commemorative 100 Years Cap, a gift from American Towman. Festival Night tickets are $75 a head. Register online at ATExposition.com. .

Towman Killed on First Solo Run

KC Cantu, 28, of Amarillo, Texas, was struck by a vehicle and killed as he adjusted a towed unit on the side of the road in August.

The driver, Jose Hernandez, 22, was arrested on a charge of intoxicated manslaughter, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Cantu had only recently joined the family towing business, said his sister Nicole Cantu. The tow was his first solo pickup, and he was beaming with pride, she said.

A procession of tow trucks and motorcyclists made its way through Amarillo for Cantu’s memorial service.

Source: amarillo.com.

8 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

Yates Farm Rodeo Benefits St. Jude Continuing on the theme of towers doing good (Walkaround, p. 6), the 19th Annual St. Jude’s Rodeo at Yates Farm in Ringgold, Ga., wrapped up in early August with reports of standing-roomonly crowds in the Miller Arena. A great feat, especially considering 100 percent of proceeds go to the hospital, according to Doug Yates.

“If you live good in this life, you have to hand it back in some way,” Yates said. That’s why he started the rodeo two decades ago.

Last year, the rodeo plus a Miller Industries telethon raised more than $500,000 for St. Jude’s in Memphis, Tenn., he said.

There were more than 400 contestants in the rodeo and $40,000 in prize money for PCA-sanctioned event.

“Doug Yates Towing and

This year marked the 19th rodeo fundraiser benefitting St. Jude’s Hospital hosted at Yates Farm in Ringgold, Ga. Image courtesy Doug Yates Towing’s Facebook page.

Recovery runs everything to get things going,” Yates said. That includes 75-plus volunteers, rental companies for lighting, golf carts and other equipment, and more.

The three-day event has become the biggest rodeo in the Southeast, according to Yates.

Driveline Buddy

Wins ‘Tow Tank’ Outside the show floor at the Tow Expo-Dallas, the inaugural “Tow Tank” show was filmed, pitting several contestants against each other for a $10,000 prize in cash and services from Commercial Fleet Financing and OMG National.

Dave and Kim Barton, founders of Driveline Buddy in Stockton, Calif., won for Dave’s invention that eases the process of prepping the driveline in heavy-duty trucks for towing.

“This win means we will be able to get more exposure for our product,” Kim said. “We can get it out into the market more and advertise and promote our product.”

“The experience was scary to be in front of people in that capacity, but was worth the effort and definitely rewarding,” she said.

Tow Tank was spearheaded by

Dave Barton (center), founder of Driveline Buddy, won the inaugural Tow Tank prize during Tow Expo-Dallas. The shows judges presenting the check are (from left) Tim Bazor, Commercial Fleet Financing VP of Sales; Matt Manero, CFF president; Paul Stephens, National Education Leader at Allstate Roadside Service and Mike Rappaport, Chief Creative Officer of OMG National.

Commercial Fleet Financing, and meant to advance ideas and inventions in the towing industry much like ABC’s “Shark Tank.”

These practices reduce the chance of secondary crashes...

Injured Towman Dies

TIM Reaches 200,000 Trained

David L. Duchnik, 29, of Scott Township, Pa., was fatally injured in August when a tractor-trailer veered into a crash scene in South Abington on I-81, striking a pickup and pushing it into the young towman, according to state police.

A third-generation tower, David was to celebrate his second wedding anniversary with his wife, Marisa, that month. The two had just built a new home and were planning to move in soon.

State police were investigating what led truck driver Johnny Coelho, 64, to cross into a closed lane on I-81 and plow into the scene, striking four vehicles.

Troopers had parked cruisers with lights flashing and had been directing traffic away from the scene.

Source: thetimes-tribune.com.

Federal Highway Administration officials announced that the 200,000th emergency responder has completed the Traffic Incident Management responder training.

The life-saving training is part of a national effort to improve the safety of first responders and others on the scene of highway crashes.

“Besides protecting emergency workers AutoReturn’s John Borowski and ensuring crash victims receive immediaddresses a gathering to celebrate ate attention, these practices reduce the the 200,000th emergency responder completing the federal chance of secondary crashes and prevent Traffic Incident Management traffic jams by keeping traffic moving for training. U.S. Department of other drivers,” said U.S. Transportation SecTransportation photo. retary Anthony Foxx.

The TIM training is designed by and for responders and helps to build teams of well-trained police, towing professionals, firefighters, highway workers and emergency medical personnel.

John Borowski, of AutoReturn, a former American Towman magazine Towman of the Year and a two-time winner of the American Towman Medal, stated his appreciation for FHWA recognizing the importance of the towing industry in its training efforts. “[Since 1916], the tow industry has never been included in any planning, training or strategy with any other agencies or disciplines, working roadside incidents, until the Traffic Incident Management Training Program. My industry thanks the Federal Highway Administration for this.”

Source: transportation.gov.

Mass. Towing Bill Goes to Governor Legislation permitting operators of state-owned park and ride facilities to tow certain vehicles didn't make it to Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker's desk prior to the July 31 end of formal sessions, but lawmakers got it there in early August.

The bill authorizes facility operators to tow vehicles left unattended for more than 21 days and requires state transportation officials to pass regulations outlining the details.

The bill was approved by the Senate on July 21 and by the House on Aug. 4. Both branches enacted the bill on Aug. 8, sending it to the governor.

Source: newburyportnews.com Correction Todd Harless is the new Marketing Manager of Miller Industries.

His last name was misspelled in the July 2016 edition of AT.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Processional Honors ESTRA’s Roosevelt Warren Roosevelt Sr., a founder of the Empire State Towing & Recovery Association and a 1989 inductee of the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame, passed away July 15 after a long battle with cancer.

“The Association and the towing industry has lost a great man,” a statement from ESTRA said. “Warren's tremendous dedication to the industry led him to become part of a small group of N.Y. towers who founded ESTRA and he continued to work tirelessly for many years to promote its growth. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and colleagues.”

A humble man, Roosevelt twice demurred from receiving the American Towman Medal for a heroic act, not wanting to bring attention to himself just for doing what he felt anyone else would do.

Warren Roosevelt Sr.

A parade to honor Warren Roosevelt Sr. left Roosevelt’s Towing & Recovery in Canajoharie, N.Y., included this Western Star/Century 7035 carrying Warren’s cremains part of the way.

Images courtesy Roosevelt’s Towing Facebook page.

TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • 9

Check Out What’s NEW and HOT! LED Safety Vests Avondale Innovative Products’ new LED vests feature 16 waterproof LEDs, eight each front and back, to improve safety through enhanced visibility. The vests are available in yellow or orange and adjustable sizes from small to large. The vests are ANSI Class 2 compliant with 3M reflective materials. LEDs operate in three lighting modes: fast flash, slow flash or constant light. Powered by AA batteries.

In The Ditch SidePuller, Integrated Step

stop-lite.net

14-Piece Axle Cover Set The new 14-piece axle cover set from Olson and Co. in its Axle Caps product line. It includes the large and medium covers of the 22-piece set, without the smaller sizes. The set includes rubber gaskets.

axlecap.net

Muncie PTOs for Procision Muncie Power Products now offers power take-off options compatible with Eaton’s Procision Dual-Clutch Automatic Transmission. Available PTOs include the TG Series and RS Series options that allow all three mounting points on the transmission to be utilized. The TG Series is available with 10 speed ratios, 19 shift types and 19 output shaft options. The RS Series offers either a direct pump mount or a drive shaft output.

munciepower.com

I

n The Ditch Towing Products regained its full manufacturing rights to the SP Series SidePuller.

“Our manufacturing capabilities have grown tremendously over the last 10 years, and we are fully equipped and excited to manage all aspects of production and demand of the patented SP Series SidePuller,” said Chuck Ceccarelli, In The Ditch president.

Three models of SidePullers are available to accommodate any size wrecker or carrier; the SP9000, SP12,000 and SP20,000.

SP Series models are available in a standard

Tuff Coat black finish or optional PPG Primer Gray for color customization to match your truck. *** The company also released an Integrated Truck Step for International 4300 Series cabs. Due to the increased cab height on most International 4300 Series trucks with new emissions, the distance between the two steps on the passenger side is challenging for some passengers.

The ITD1571 Integrated Truck Step is an easy-toinstall panel that breaks up the distance between steps, making it easier to enter and exit the cab. The aluminum step features a non-slip surface.

intheditch.com

10 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • 11

Is On-Call Time Work?

by Don Archer

Almost every 24-hour towing business uses some sort of on-call system; the time your drivers spend waiting while on-call might be considered time worked.

L

ying in bed, John heard a dull, high-pitched clatter followed by a period of silence. It continued; clatter … silence, clatter … silence, over and over. Still half-asleep, he couldn’t quite make out what it was, but somehow knew it was important.

As his grogginess faded, the sound grew louder and louder, becoming more ominous and strangely familiar.

Finally, he realized it was his phone ringing.

He opened his eyes, sat up quickly, twisted at the waist and plopped his feet on the floor. It was the shop calling to send him on a tow.

John didn’t like being on-call, but his boss required it. It wasn’t so much the inability to sleep through the night, but the fact that he couldn’t relax entirely or go certain places. For instance, attending a professional football game, would mean, if he were called out, it might take 30 minutes just to get off stadium property. Over time, John questioned whether being on-call 12 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

was worth not being able to use his time freely.

Unless you’re running three shifts, almost every 24-hour towing business uses some sort of on-call system. But did you know that, in some cases, the time your drivers spend waiting while on-call might be considered time worked?

Are they engaged to wait, or waiting to engage?

“An employee who is on-call must be able to use the idle time for his or her own purposes or the on-call time is probably hours worked,” according to the Fair Labor Standards Act. “Whether hours spent on-call is hours worked is a question of fact to be decided on a case-by-case basis. All oncall time is not hours worked.”

Basically the act says that, depending on the circumstances of each individual case, you may or may not be breaking the law. The ambiguity to that statement in the FLSA is frustrating. It’s fodder for attorneys, and you might need one just to learn if you’re compliant or not.

But hold on. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Fact Sheet 22 makes a stab at clearing up this mess. They’ve got a “full-proof” test you can take to determine whether or not Wait Time is hours worked and must be paid. To ascertain if Wait Time is hours worked, the department poses this question: “Is the employee engaged to wait or waiting to engage?” If an employee is engaged to wait they are considered on the clock and must be paid.

So … how do you determine if your employees are engaged to wait, or waiting to engage? Well that’s not so easy either. The Labor Department considers a variety of factors in making this determination, like whether

the number and frequency of calls is too restrictive, and if you’re requiring drivers to respond within a certain time frame. They say you must be careful what you expect from your drivers, when on call. Do you require that they stay home? Can they go to the movies? Can they consume alcohol?

The more restrictions you impose, the more likely the Wait Time will be considered hours worked.

But how on earth can a towing company owner be expected to be compliant with this requirement while maintaining the ability to provide seamless service? If you can’t restrict

on-call driver behavior, you risk losing the capability to respond.

I’d mulled this over and read everything I could find on the matter—and still had no definitive answer.

Is this an area of concern for the towing industry? Is time spent waiting oncall considered hours worked?

Then I found a 2011 lawsuit brought against I-70 Towing where a group of former drivers claimed that, among other things, they were not paid for time spent waiting while oncall. The suit details that the towing company required on-call drivers to stay fairly close to town, that they

www.DeepSouthWreckerSales.com

respond within five minutes, and arrive within a reasonable amount of time. They were also required to abstain from alcohol, be well groomed and in uniform.

It’s typical of what most towing companies require; if you’re an attorney looking to make a case however, it sounds like a lot of restrictions.

Unfortunately we’ll never know what would have been decided in this case because it was settled out of court. But there are a few nuggets of insight to be harvested from the suit.

The details of the case include how the Supreme Court has defined work.

They say that work is time spent “predominately for the benefit of the employer.” So if the majority of the time spent waiting is spent in personal pursuits, then the employee is waiting to engage and you’re not required to pay him.

In Bright v. Houston Nw. Med., a biomedical equipment repair technician sued his employer, a hospital, for not being paid while waiting on-call.

The repair technician was required to be reachable by beeper, remain sober, and respond to the hospital within 20 minutes. And he was called in about 4 to 5 times a week. He lost the suit because the court concluded that he was able to use the on-call time “effectively for his own personal purposes.”

His on-call wait time was not considered hours worked.

In an effort to protect workers’ rights, the Labor Department has woven a legal web that, once you’re entangled, may require the efforts of an attorney to get you free. To avoid this type of trouble, and to continue to have the ability to respond, you should make an effort to minimize restrictions while maximizing incentives. And always ask the question, Are they engaged to wait, or waiting to engage?

Don G. Archer is a multi-published author, educator and speaker helping others to build and start successful towing businesses around the country at TheTowAcademy.com. Don and his wife, Brenda, formerly owned and operated Broadway Wrecker in Jefferson City, Mo. He is the Tow Business Editor for Tow Industry Week; email him direct at don@thetowacademy.com.

14 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

Getting Derelict RVs, Vehicles off the Lot

by Randall C. Resch

If you’ve responded to a vehicle fire via a request from law enforcement, you can’t turn down the call for fear of violating the contract. Image courtesy of Loyal Auto in Monroe, N.Y.

O

ne of those negative sides of the industry we tow owners frequently deal with is disposal of those salvage cars, derelict motorhomes, boats and trailers cluttering up the storage lot after they’ve cleared the processes of lien sale. What about that motorhome that’s been destroyed by fire and all that’s left is a pile of molten nothing?

They’re hard to sell, and even harder to give away. Auction buyers mostly don’t want them even if there’s a great deal to be had. They’re eyesores that no one wants. When a vehicle’s owner has no insurance … sometimes it’s nothing other than sheer luck getting paid.

16 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

If you’ve responded to a vehicle fire via a request from law enforcement, you can’t turn down the call for fear of violating the contract. Derelict impounds and tows are the down side to law enforcement and municipal contracts. In many cases, homeowners with junker boats or irreparable motorhomes decide they’re too costly to bring up to standard, so they dump ’em.

Moving them on and out requires a plan.

Abatement Abatement is a process where law enforcement provides a “junk slip” for derelict vehicles that fit specific criteria for removal and disposal. (Not all

agencies have these kinds of programs and not every vehicle qualifies under abatement guidelines or abandoned vehicle laws.)

Depending on the agency you serve, look for lawful ways and “instant satisfaction” of disposal through existing abatement programs.

Throughout America, a homeowner’s choice to park derelict boats, trailer, cars and motorhomes on the side of their houses could be illegal under vehicle code or municipal code laws.

Check with your city or county code enforcement or police/sheriff department to see if there is an abatement program that provides assistance under its guidelines. Otherwise,

those derelicts will have to go the path required of normal lien sale for lowvalue vehicles.

Trash The usual scenario is when Mr. Homeowner decides it’s time to dump their derelict; it’s also about the same time they clean out their garage, storage bin or yard by stuffing the derelict hulk with a whole extra pile of junk.

If the tow is initiated by law enforcement and deemed a legal abatement, taking the vehicle will be within the guidelines, but all that home and garage debris may not be.

Mattresses, furniture, bikes, trashcans, etc., may be part of the city, county or homeowner’s responsibility.

This is one area to know the specific wording of the contract.

When derelict vehicles, boats and motorhomes eventually go the way of salvage receipts, short lien sale or abatement, finding a place to dispose of them is getting harder and harder to find due to EPA issues, fluids and fluff

Options There are few boatyards around anymore who remove and sell dilapidated boat parts. Those that do might take a derelict boat off your hands, but they most likely won’t pay for it.

Landfills don’t want RVs whole, but may take the cuttings and fluff.

Use a Sawzall or rescue saw to cut the motorhome into manageable pieces and then pay to haul siding and fluff to the city dump. (A 40’ dump bin is costly and may also require fees per ton). Once cut down to bare chassis, scrap yards sometimes agree to buy at going scrap metal rates.

Trailers have weight value. If saddled with a bunch of boat trailers, stack them out of the way. Start with “a roller”—the largest one—on the bottom and put the junkier smaller ones on top of it. When you get five or six stacked, strap or chain them together as one and deliver them to the scrap pile for per-pound pricing.

You’ll most likely have to take any tires and wheels with you.

If you’re hauling from a burn scene, consider trying to deal with the vehicle’s owner then and there to pay you to take it directly to scrap, sign the title over, and pay a reasonable rate just to get rid of it immediately.

Networking with area towers is one way to find out where castaways might be taken. Although the urge may be hard to resist, never tow an unwanted motorhome, car, boat or derelict trailer back onto the city streets as an eventual paper trail may come back to get you. Doing so could land you and your municipal contract in hot water.

When a vehicle’s owner has no insurance … sometimes it’s nothing other than sheer luck getting paid.

A potential moneymaker, if you have time and space to work with, is to part out the vehicles and sell them on online auction and classifieds sites like eBay and Craigslist. There can be bigger bucks in selling the motor, transmission, hardware or a generator used rather than as scrap. A Dodge 440 engine has value to collectors and enthusiasts restoring Mopar muscle cars. (In a recent sale on eBay, a vintage 440 motor, claimed as running, with attached transmission sold for $1,800.)

Motorhomes are great for salvaging generators, cabinets, fixtures, etc.

You can email your local mechanics and shop buddies, or include all customers on your email list: “Free Motorhome.” We had one RV that was destined to be destroyed. By staying in touch, I learned that a local tower had an old Dodge motorhome he was trying to restore. After sending an email to all of my area companies, that driver called me asking about the motorhome. Days later, he brought his carrier down and took it away. His project for sure, but, our salvation in seeing it head off into the sunset.

18 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

Donations Churches and other charities looking for donated cars aren’t looking to take derelicts; just those in “saleable condition” that can be resold to generate income for the cause. Church members or pastors might know someone in their church family or community who possibly needs a home and may be able to bring you together on that RV. You may have to tow it to where it’ll be placed, but that’s far cheaper than having to cut it, haul it and pay to dispose of it.

My business was located in a rural town in Northern California where there were plenty of unemployed and those who were down on their luck. I was saddled with a 26’ two-axle camper. The trailer needed work, but was complete with some things working, in livable condition with a good bed and a solid roof. It made several trips through my auctions, but no one wanted it.

I contacted many area churches and met with their pastors telling them of the trailer I’d like to donate to

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

help the homeless and posted “LIVE HERE FREE” flyers around town. My only stipulations were that the RV not be placed back on public property right away and the taker had to provide enough information to complete California’s Release of Liability form.

Within two days, a homeless couple met me at the church and agreed to my stipulations.

Before end of day two, another church parishioner helped haul that trailer to a rural property. I felt really good being able to help them, and, the give-away cost me nothing. I’ve done this three times now, making it a winwin situation.

When the wildfires decimated California years back, fire consumed hundreds of homes and out buildings. I posted photos again on Craigslist for several items on the lot under “Free Trailer” or “Free Motorhome” headings. Within days, I arranged gift and delivery of 10 derelicts trailers and motorhomes to be used as out buildings, hay storage and even living quarters for ranch hands.

I remember a tow company saddled with an old 36-passenger school bus that was abandoned on city streets. It was complete, but non-running and had seen better days as an RV project never to be finished. Towing the bus required a big rig to get it to the yard and it sat there for nearly two years through numerous auction attempts. Eventually, an enterprising homeowner was looking to build a “Granny Flat” and thought the bus looked like a fun way to meet his needs. Five hundred dollars later, it was finally towed out.

I’ve had pretty good luck in wheeling and dealing these old derelicts to places other than the scrapyard. Remember, it takes work and effort to manage and dispose of those derelicts, but be creative and see where it takes you.

Operations Editor Randall C. Resch is a retired California police officer and veteran tow business owner, manager, consultant and trainer. He writes for TowIndustryWeek.com and American Towman, is a member of the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame.

Email Randy at rreschran@gmail.com.

TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • 19

Wheel Restraints 101

by Terry Abejuela

W

heel-restraint straps must be used on every wheel-lift tow. Most wheel-lift manufacturers require the use of two wheelrestraint straps on all wheel-lift tows.

Wheel-restraint straps restrict the vehicle from rolling out of the wheel-lift grid during normal operation of the equipment. Yet it is still a common sight to see a tower using only one or sometimes no straps. Two secondary attachment chains (safety chains) must be used in addition to the straps.

I recommend that towers use the wheel-restraint straps provided by the original equipment manufacturer. Following the manufacturer’s recommended procedures and using all of the manufacturers safety features ensures that you are using the equipment in the way it was intended and designed. If you modify the equip-

Make sure that your wheelrestraint straps and ratchets have a Working Load Limit that meets or exceeds the heaviest vehicle you would be able to tow.

20 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

Basket-style straps are preferred wheel restraints by some towers for their ease of installation.

ment or use it in a way that it was not intended or designed to be used, you potentially expose yourself to additional liability.

To function properly, the wheel-lift straps must be in proper working order. Recommended inspection and maintenance of the straps is critical to ensure they are safe to be used. Read and follow all manufacturer recommendations.

Visually inspect the straps prior to each use. At least once per month, perform a more detailed inspection of the strap to look for cuts, tears, melting, charring, weld spatter, loose or damaged stitching, acid or alkali burns and any signs of abrasion damage. Replace any straps that are in an unsafe condition.

Keep straps clean and free of any embedded foreign materials such as small rocks, pebbles or dirt. Make sure

the ratings tag is attached and legible.

When not in use, store straps in a cool and dry space away from direct sunlight. Some straps can be damaged by long-term exposure to direct sunlight.

Inspection of the wheel-restraint strap-ratchet is necessary. “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link” also applies to ratchets and straps. Look for any bent, loose, missing or otherwise damaged parts. Make sure the ratchet mechanism and all safety devices designed by the manufacturer are functioning properly. Use ratchets that have a security-locking device that prevents the ratchet from releasing when it is engaged, and ensure it is always engaged during the tow.

When pulling the slack out of your wheel straps, make sure to leave enough slack so the strap will wrap around the ratchet drum at least two full times. Just like maintaining five

wraps of rope on a winch drum to ensure holding power, the strap must wrap around the ratchet drum twice. If the strap is around the ratchet drum once or less, it can become loose during the tow. Avoid wrapping too much strap on the ratchet drum as well, as this may make it more difficult to release the mechanism.

Strap protectors are a good idea to reduce the potential for cutting or abrasion damage to your wheel straps.

Use protectors any time the straps may come in contact with sharp edges, suspension components, damaged wheels or tires.

When installing wheel-restraint straps, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. I recommend that the wheel lift be elevated just enough to lift the towed vehicle’s wheels off of the ground before installing the wheelrestraint straps. This will allow the weight of the vehicle to settle the tire further in the wheel-lift grid. Most wheel-restraint straps should be tight enough to partially compress the tires.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

If the straps are not tight enough, they may loosen during the tow from additional settling of the tires.

When installing choker-style straps, make sure that the portion of the strap behind the wheel does not make contact with parts of the towed vehicle that may be damaged, such as brake line brackets or hoses. The generally accepted procedure is to place a choker-style strap on the tire so that the straps cross the tire at 2 o’clock and 10 o’clock. Make sure that your ratchet

is not going to make contact with the rim or hubcap.

Some manufacturers utilize basketstyle straps. I prefer the basket restraints for their ease of installation.

Some use a ratchet to tighten the strap and some just hand-tighten with a chain. In the case of basket straps, it isn’t necessary to tighten the straps until the tire compresses, unless the manufacturer recommends it.

A single contact point strap over the top of the tire is common on auto-

TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • 21

I recommend that each wheel-restraint strap and ratchet be rated no less than 3,000 lbs.

With a choker-style strap and ratchet (top), make sure the ring on the strap doesn’t contact the hubcap and the ratchet is locked. A choker-style strap with the strap around the ratchet at least twice (middle); the ratchet handle is in the locked position and the ring is away from the hubcap. If you can still see any portion of the ratchet drum, the strap has not gone around the drum enough to maintain holding power. This strap (bottom) will loosen during the tow, creating an unsafe condition.

22 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

loader wheel lifts. Make sure you read and follow all manufacturer instructions on the installation of the wheel-restraint straps. There are many different ways that tow operators install this type of strap, but I recommend using the manufacturer’s designed procedure.

As with any towing equipment, you must make sure that your wheel-restraint straps and ratchets have a Working Load Limit that meets or exceeds the heaviest vehicle you would be able to tow with your equipment and the cab and chassis. Most light-duty towing equipment is rated to tow vehicles that weigh up to 7,500 lbs., but you may be limited to less due to the cab and chassis ratings. Based on the ratings of your truck, I recommend that each wheel-restraint strap and ratchet be rated no less than 3,000 lbs.

Two wheel-restraint straps along with two secondary attachment chains must be used on every wheel-lift tow regardless of the distance. Failure to follow this recommendation may result in citations, liability, damages, injuries and death. Operate your equipment safely Field Editor Terry Abejuela has 30every time you plus years of light-duty towing-anduse it so it recovery experience. He is also a becomes the light-duty Level 1 instructor for the California Tow Truck Association. norm and not the exception.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • 23

Worldwide Equipment Adds Staff Worldwide Equipment Sales (newtowtrucks.com) recently announced several promotions and additions.

Dave Gellinger was promoted to National Sales Manager in charge of all four locations (Chicago, Detroit, Las Vegas and Los Angeles).

Gellinger was a tower and tow company owner before joining Worldwide in sales.

Rich Palombo was promoted to National Parts Manager in charge of all four locations. He has 14 years of experience within the industry and joined Worldwide in 2006 in the parts and service department.

Dennis Richards was hired as General Manager of the Detroit location to lead all business operations there. His previous experience includes Agero and Allstate Roadside Service.

Dwayne Greene was hired as General Manager of the Chicago location after 26 years in various manager positions with Enterprise Rent-A-Car.

Rear View Safety Adds Sales Director Rear View Safety recently added Jean-Paul Weaver as Director of Sales to lead new sales initiatives with OEMs, dealers and customers (rearviewsafety.com). “With our recent partnership with Safe Fleet, Rear View Safety has been given the opportunity to enter new markets and foster new relationships, and we believe with the addition of JP, we can really harness and exploit the strengths of the partnership and continue the aggressive growth Rear View Safety has seen over the past couple of years," said Rear View Safety Executive VP Joseph Schechter.

Rear View Safety has been driving adoption of video systems in truck, trailer, commercial van, emergency, industrial and other vehicles.

24 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • 25

Jerr-Dan Touts Innovations In late July, Jerr-Dan Corp. (jerrdan.com) hosted media at its facilities for a “Show Our Strength” press event that included heavy- and light-duty recovery demos and a tour of the Greencastle, Pa., factory and assembly plant.

Senior Director of Sales and Marketing Jeffrey Irr led the way on a plant tour, showing the company’s dedication to safety, efficiency and product quality from the largest booms down to the smallest welds.

One of the additions Irr discussed was new financing programs for distributors and end users for new and used Jerr-Dan trucks to roll out in 2017.

He also highlighted the Tow Performance Calculator, introduced this year within the company’s SURE Method of ensuring towers are matched up with the right equipment, keying in on factors like region, intended use and common applications.

Irr also discussed an expansion of

Progressive Commercial Named No. 1 Progressive (progressivecommercial.com) topped the 2015 list of U.S. commercial auto insurers, according to data from SNL Financial, making it the No. 1 commercial auto insurer in the United States.

Each year, SNL Financial releases the Commercial Auto Competitor Report, ranking the country's top 50 commercial auto insurers by U.S. written premium. In just five years, Progressive went from No. 4 to No. 1 for continued growth in all of their business market segments, especially their "for-hire" segments, which include long-haul and specialty trucking risks.

“We look forward to continued growth by doing what got us here— taking the time to fully understand our customers' needs and providing them with the right coverage, at the right price, with service they can depend on,” said Progressive Commercial Lines President John Barbagallo.

26 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

the Towmance campaign, “Runs in the Family,” a nod to all the families in the towing business. The company is soliciting photos and stories of families whose DNA clearly includes strands of towing and recovery.

Heavy Duty Product Specialist Shane Coleman finished things with walkarounds of a selection of wreckers, highlighting various Jerr-Dan innovations, including JFB Body Series items like: • Poly body.

• Aluminum roll-up doors.

• Anti-slip top surfaces • LED-lighted steps and grab handles.

• Wide variety of tool management systems.

• Locking toolbox.

• Rotary chain rack.

• Stay-dry silo.

• S130 outriggers.

Irr and his team teased to lots more to come from Jerr-Dan over the next several months, and promised some big news coming at the American Towman Expo in Baltimore in November.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

During a July press event, Jerr-Dan gave a tour of its factory and assembly plant in Greencastle, Pa., including a stop at its Customer Training Center. A presentation in the center featured Vice President Richard Del Campo, Senior Director of Sales and Marketing Jeffrey Irr, Senior Director of Marketing-Product Management Jeff Soldner, Heavy Duty Product Specialist Shane Coleman (pictured) and Director of Aftermarket Support Mike VanAken. Jerr-Dan image.

TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • 27

The combined tow trucks of Loyal and Apple include a 2016 Freightliner/Century LCG 12 Series, 2014 Freightliner/Century LCG 12 Series with SP8000 side-puller, 2005 Freightliner/Century 10 Series, 2000 International/Jerr-Dan rollback, 2004 Ford 4x4/Chevron 410, 1999 International/Century EB-4, 1994 GMC/Challenger 4812, 1991 Peterbilt/Challenger 9055 and a 1991 Peterbilt/Challenger 20-ton with 50,000lbs. under-reach, as well as a 2008 Chevy HHR service vehicle and 2001 Landoll 660B.

A

s you drive south on Route 17M in Monroe, New York, you crest a hill just before crossing over into neighboring Harriman. As the trees clear a bit on the east side of the highway, the eye is drawn to the large car dealership that emerges there.

It’s a large and impressive building, about 41,000 square feet on some 11 acres of lot and land. Except, it’s not a car dealership … at least not anymore.

Loyal Tire and Auto Center and Apple Auto Body now occupy the space of the former Monroe Ford dealership, consolidating the sister companies in one location for the first time.

The Hagopian family businesses have moved into the space, at once combining and expanding their offerings. The site now features towing and recovery, auto repair, paint and body, Goodyear tire sales and service, Allstate insurance estimating and, coming soon, used car sales.

Mike Sr. began the business with a gas station/repair facility in 1978, and added Apple Auto Body, at a separate location, in 1982. Today his sons Mike Jr., Greg and Anthony help manage the enterprises.

The early days; Mike Sr. said Loyal was the first to have a flatbed in the area in 1979.

Loyal Tire and Auto Center and Apple Auto Body are reaping the benefits of a combined location in the former Monroe (N.Y.) Ford dealership (above). Pictured left, the company was started by Mike Hagopian Sr. and is managed now with the help of sons Mike Jr., Greg and Anthony (from left).

by Brendan Dooley

Consolidated Effort Loyal Auto, Apple Auto Body Combine Locations for Efficiency, Growth

28 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • 29

Loyal Tire is a Goodyear franchisee, but Mike Jr. (right) said they can get customers any brand of tire.

“As we’ve been getting more into heavy-duty towing and heavy-duty repairs, we were running out of shop space and floor space and knew we needed to do something,” said Mike Jr. “The older shops weren’t conducive to efficiency. … This building became available; dad pursued it.”

This was the third move for both Loyal and Apple, and finally the family’s auto repair, body shop, tire service and towing entities co-exist under one roof.

Dispatch The new location not only consolidated the businesses, but allowed for expansion. Both Loyal and Apple do towing, and each company has its own secure vehicle storage on-site, plus plenty of non-secured vehicle storage.

With the expanded space, and a recent addition of Fleetmatics GPS for dispatch, they are converting some of the open space in the building to a dispatch center. The future dispatch is attached to the break room that is being expanded into a drivers’ lounge.

Currently, all calls for towing go to service managers in the repair center, and roll over to Mike Jr. or Greg after hours (they do not use an answering service).

“We run two tow trucks out of Apple, but the main towing company 30 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

is Loyal with 11,” Mike Jr. said. “The phones go to me or my brother after hours for 24/7 dispatch.

“I run the body shop, Greg runs the repair shop, and we both collaborate on the tow side. We both dispatch – 24 hours a day. In the middle of the night they get us … and if I can’t get a driver, guess who’s going? We know when time is clicking, we need to get someone there. There’ve been times as I’m waiting to hear back, I’ll be getting dressed and ready to go if I have to.

“Now with Fleetmatics, when we get a police call at three in the morning, I know when that driver is rolling.

You can watch him on the live maps.”

Both companies have municipal and motor-club contracts; there currently are four full-time towers, and seven available including the three brothers.

“We use Fleetmatics GPS with our trucks, but we still dispatch the calls by phone or text,” he said. “We’re working up to convert and get two full-time dispatchers to run things during the day,” pulling it away from the service managers.

“We signed up with Fleetmatics at last year’s Tow Show in Baltimore, and we love it. … Now we don’t know how we did it without them.

Now you can see where your dri-

vers all are and what they’re doing.

You can coach them around traffic situations or problem areas. We can help them easily by seeing them [in real time on GPS]. … Guys aren’t sitting around idling as long.

“We should have added GPS capabilities earlier,” Mike Jr. said.

Seeing how it’s helped them become more efficient on the towing side of the business led them to the realization they needed to add dispatchers and grow.

Repair and Body In the repair area behind the customer service center, Loyal has a dozen repair bays for its four diagnosticians and four general-service mechanics.

“We still have a mechanic in the shop that's been with my dad and Loyal since 1982,” Mike Jr. said.

They have three quick lifts for oil changes and nine in-ground lifts; there also are two Hunter alignment lifts for tire service and several Hunter tire machines.

“We are a Goodyear dealer, but can order whatever you need. We’ve been a Goodyear dealer since 1989,” Mike Jr. said. “My dad’s always into franchising; into AAA, into Goodyear, big with the insurance companies; we always like to be part of a bigger network.

Apple Auto Body’s shop includes three paint booths (bottom), as well as space for frame-straightening equipment and more in the prep area (right). Loyal’s service bays are on the other side of the wall and include several Hunter tire and alignment machines and other service lifts (middle).

“It’s important how you use what those names can get you. You’re not going to get rich just doing AAA work, but if you use it for the advertising 32 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

aspects to build a customer base, it works. It’s a part of our business, but it’s not our whole business,” he said.

“At the end of the day, the high-profit

jobs and low-profit jobs need to average out. Then you’ve got good margins at the end of the month; at the end of the year, your business is successful.”

Across a shared wall with Loyal repair is the Apple body shop and secured lot.

“There are more opportunities for cross-selling and co-working,” Mike Jr. said. “Someone might come in for tires and decide to get their bumper fixed when they see we do body work too.”

Apple has three paint booths, including one tall enough to do buses and rigs. At the former Apple location, big trucks would need to be disassembled to paint part by part. They also paint their tow trucks here.

“We used to be a Challenger distributor (from 1988-’98), so we still will order bare bones trucks and do all the toolboxes, all the lighting here, and paint them ourselves.”

There are 11 employees in the paint and body area. Having all the towers, repair and body employees in one location adds efficiency across both companies. For starters, there’s no more towing cars between separate mechanical and body shops.

“We have some cross-training with mechanics and service personnel for towing,” Mike Jr. said. “If we get a major tractor-trailer recovery and need manpower, obviously we’ll just take someone out of the shop to get it done.

Between both companies, there’s 27 people here.

“If we’ve got to do it, we’ve got to do it.”

Loyal’s repair space includes bays for light- and heavy-duty repair (right). The new location has lots of space for unsecured storage, as well as two secured storage areas—one each for Loyal and Apple as required by municipal contracts (bottom).

Extra Space Even with dozens of employees, tire service, auto repair, towing and body work on site, Loyal’s new location has more room: • They host WreckMaster training twice a year in a conference room with plenty of lot space for live scenarios.

• They rent office space to Allstate for a representative to do estimating work.

• The front showroom that currently displays some of their toys (three 1981 Chevy Corvettes, Mike Jr.’s first tow truck) will soon become the showroom for used car sales.

“Allstate rents office space three days a week for estimating claims. It increases the work flow; yesterday they looked at nine vehicles and [Apple] got three of the jobs,” Mike Jr.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Since adding Fleetmatics GPS, Loyal has become so much more efficient in tracking drivers and truck data that they are working to convert space in the new location to a dispatch center and add full-time dispatchers to the team.

said. “It helps because they’re right here and the customer asks if we repair here, and the estimator can say, ‘Yes, they’re one of our preferred vendors.’ ” The WreckMaster trainings are for their own employees and other local companies.

“In fact, the last one we did was a 2/3 and none of our guys needed it, so it was for other companies’ drivers,” Mike Jr. said. “We don’t mind hosting even if we don’t attend.”

The showroom is expected to be a used-car department by year’s end, with its own dedicated sales team.

“We have a small inventory of stuff ready to go now,” Mike Jr. said.

Future Growth Growth is a mandate of the company, set in place by Mike Sr. It feels like they’ve finally got the right space to enhance it.

“I knew we were always going to be growing—that was the plan from Day 1. When I started working in a mechanic shop in 1972. … I knew I wasn’t going to do that for the rest of my life,” Mike Sr. said.

“We kept growing because in business my mentality is that I’m a racecar driver. I’m at 180 mph and stay focused on where I’m going to be—I’m not concerned with what’s behind.”

For Mike Sr., towing is just one part of the equation.

“Towing is only a fraction of the business. You’ve got to use it to bring business back to the shop. When I bought my first truck, it was to bring customers into the shop. You’ve got to look beyond towing.

“That was always the thought, just keep going. Still today, I’m always looking at growing and what’s next.”

TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • 33

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September 2016

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Ford Commercial Truck G. Stone Commercial Ginn Carrier & Wrecker Sales Hale Trailer Intek Truck Equipment/Leasing Kavanaugh’s Towing Equip.

Kenworth of South Florida Lift & Tow Landoll Loganville Ford Manufacturer Express Matjack Jumbo Safelift McMahon Truck Center Midwest Keyless Miller Industries New England Truckmaster North American Bancard Northeast Wrecker Sales NRC Industries Nussbaum Pacific General Insur. Agency Performance Advantage Phoenix USA Quick Draw Tarpaulin Recovery Specialist Ins. Group (RSIG) Renew Truck Body

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13 N 76 25 N 79 24 M 79 67 25 23 14 59 83 M 75 22 2, 3 N 80 5 N 76 57 26 M 78 M 77 18 56 66 N 75

Ricky’s Sales and Services N 80 Ricks Truck & Equipment MW 80 Safety Vision 15 Santander Bank 84 SavaCOMM 22 Savatech 31 Sea Crest Insurance Agency W 79 Select Truck & Equipment M 80 Smyrna Truck Center S 77 Specialty Veh. Eq. & Funding Group 7 Superwinch LLC 27 Tow Industries W 78 Tow Industry Week 65 Towman Hero Award 61 TowMate 19 Triple K Industries 24 Truck Body Sales W 75 TTSA & Wes Wilburn W 76 Utility Trailer Sales S.E.TX W 79 VTS Systems S 78 WMDA N 77 Western Truck Insurance 56 WorldClass Insurance Services W 77 Worldwide Equipment 62, 63

Kenworth Launches Essentials App Kenworth Truck Co. (kenworth .com) has launched its new “Kenworth Essentials” app for Apple and Android smartphones and mobile devices. The app provides easy access to Kenworth and industry news in real time. Users can explore Kenworth truck models, engines and technologies with videos, brochures and image galleries.

Looking for the nearest Kenworth dealer? The Kenworth Dealer Locator includes an automatic “Find Nearby” search, or search yourself by city, state or ZIP. Once you’ve found your dealer, there is a one-touch dialing feature to place a call.

Download the Kenworth Essentials app to your smartphone from the Apple Store or the Google Play Store. *** In other Kenworth news, the Kenworth Privileges customer

52 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

loyalty program (partsandservice.kenworth.com/rewards) recently celebrated 10 years.

“We are proud that after a decade our loyalty program continues to set standards for the industry,” said David Danforth, PACCAR VP and PACCAR Parts GM. “The Kenworth Privileges loyalty program is designed to drive customers to our dealers and provide them instant savings.”

Kenworth Privileges loyalty card promotions cover the full line of PACCAR Parts’ TRP all-makes, PACCAR Genuine and vendor branded parts; and dealer services for routine maintenance, repairs and inspection services.

The program is integrated with PACCAR Parts’ ecommerce platform, Online Parts Counter. *** Kenworth also announced it’s enhancing its T370 with new options for vocational customers. Now, the Kenworth T370—already offered with

heavy duty 16,000-lbs., 18,000-lbs. and 20,000-lbs. front axles—is adding a durable straight steel channel bumper, larger 385/65R22.5 steer tires, and thermoplastic fender extensions. The heavy front axles can be paired with 46,000-lbs. rear axles.

Isuzu Opens Pa. Training Center Isuzu Commercial Truck of America (isuzucv.com) recently opened its first Center of Excellence training facility in Jenkins Township, Pa. The complex— the first of its kind for Isuzu—includes a 100,000-sq.-ft. parts distribution center and a 30,000-sq.-ft. training and technical assistance facility.

The Center of Excellence puts parts distribution, training and technical assistance for supporting dealerships and customers in the region under one roof.

“This facility represents our con-

continue to page 54

SUPPLIER SCOOP continued from page 52 tinued focus on providing the best possible ownership experience for all Isuzu truck customers,” said Shaun Skinner, president of Isuzu Commercial Truck of America.

Plans are already underway to open a second facility in the United States.

ECCO Worklamp Recall ECCO is conducting a safety recall (eccolink.com/site/recall) of its firstgeneration EW2461-series worklamp—a portable, magnetic mountable, LED work/utility lamp powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Due to a suspected manufacturing issue with one of the components, the product may overheat and present a risk of fire. There have been no reported injuries.

This recall applies to worklamps manufactured on or before Nov. 19, 2015, with the following model numbers: EW2461, EW2461-NA, EW2461-CAMO, EW2461CA-NA, EW2461CR-NA, 7308216, 730-8217, 730-6225.

If the box has a green sticker or if

54 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

the label states “Rev. B,” it is not part of this recall. If neither of these are present, you must still check the date code to determine whether it falls within the recall range.

Owners of the recalled lamps should stop using them and return them to the place of purchase as soon as possible for a replacement (subject to availability) or refund.

Ford Shipping 2017 Super Duties Ford has begun shipping all configurations of its redesigned 2017 Super Duty trucks (ford.com/commercial-trucks/superduty-commercial) with higher-strength frames and lighter-weight bodies, a company spokesman said.

Ford revamped its 2017 F-250 through F-550 trucks by incorporating weight-saving aluminum body panels similar to the 2015 F-150 redesign. The cargo beds, front fenders and hoods will be aluminum.

Ford announced earlier this month

the 2017 F-250 through F-550 SuperCabs and SuperCrews would share cabs with the F-150 in a move that provides more interior room.

The move to aluminum on the Super Duty lineup will save about 350 lbs. Ford engineers added heavier frames to the Super Duty trucks.

New Owners for MTS Motor Club Motorcycle Towing Services (mtstowing.com), a roadside assistance service for motorcycle riders, is now under new ownership.

Jeff Riley is the new president/owner and will oversee all day-to-day operations and decisions.

His wife, Dawn, is the VP and will oversee all financial and accounting activities for the company.

Motorcycle Towing Services was started in 1987 for motorcycle riders, by motorcycle riders, to provide roadside assistance for the entire motorcycle community in the United States and Canada, including Alaska and Hawaii.

Cummins Intros Next-Gen X15 Series

Freightliner M2106 to Gain DD5

Cummins Inc. (cumminsengines .com) revealed its next-generation X15 heavy-duty engine, ready to exceed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2017 greenhouse gas and fuel-efficiency standards, with lower fuel consumption, extended service intervals and enhanced performance across a 400-hp to 605-hp ratings range.

The X15 introduces an innovative approach to duty-cycle optimization, with two configurations, available as the X15 Performance Series and the X15 Efficiency Series.

The X15 Performance Series, rated at 485 hp to 605 hp, provides an ideal power match for heavy-haul, vocational and emergency vehicles. The X15 Efficiency Series offers a 400-hp to 500-hp ratings range with up to 1,850lbs./ft. of peak torque available at 1,000 rpm.

“While today’s ISX15 is a highly popular engine, we are constantly searching for ways to improve our products. So we examined every critical component and system to see how it could be upgraded or improved,” said Amy Boerger, Cummins VPNorth American Engine Business.

A key design goal of the X15 was to reach a new level of uptime by reducing the number of components and simplifying systems wherever possible. A series of durability-focused upgrades were also made to components throughout the engine, including the camshaft lobes, piston cooling nozzles and air-handling system.

Daimler Trucks North America announced it will begin production of Freightliner M2106 trucks equipped with the DD5 engine (demanddetroit.com) beginning in October. The DD5 is the newest Detroit engine and is built off of the same principles and design of its heavy-duty platform engines DD13, DD15 and DD16.

The DD5 engine will first be offered in 210 hp/575-lbs./ft. torque

and 230 hp/660-lbs./ft torque ratings and testing has proven that it will provide increased fuel efficiency.

“As a testament to our confidence in the DD5, I am excited to announce we are backing it with a threeyear/250,000-mile engine and aftertreatment system warranty,” said Kary Schaefer, GM Marketing and Strategy, Daimler Trucks North America.

There are already plans to include

continue to page 56

New Rush Truck Center in N.C. Rush Enterprises (rushtruckcenters.com) moved its Rush Truck Center-Asheville (N.C.) to a new facility in July.

This new location includes 10 service bays, a $700,000 expanded inventory of parts and accessories and a large selection of new and pre-owned International trucks.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • 55

SUPPLIER SCOOP continued from page 55 PTO options and widen the DD5’s use within the DTNA portfolio in 2018.

Detroit also has plans to launch a larger displacement DD8 beginning in 2018.

The DD5 received EPA certification to meet 2017 greenhouse gas and fuel efficiency standards, as well as all onboard diagnostic and near-zero criteria pollutant standards.

Vanair Promotes Several Employees Vanair (vanair.com), the world’s largest manufacturer of vehiclemounted air compressors, generators, welders, battery boosters and power systems, recently announced several

promotions and a new hire. They include: • Donnie Stone is the new Strategic Accounts Manager for Vanair’s Truck Body OEM accounts.

• Dan Sekula is now Service Manager to directly manage the inside service department, technicians, warranty, and field operations.

• Tony Hlas is the Team Leader, KITS Department and will also support the Parts Department and the Truck Division.

• Jay Sittig is now Purchasing Manager for all procurement activities, including the management and direction of the purchasing team.

• Art Beyer is a Customer Service Representative in the Marketing Department and will assist dealers with general product questions and orders.

• Brian Meadows joined the company as a Field Service Technician.

Miller Sponsors Tow Celebration

Miller Industries (millerind.com) is sponsoring the 100-year anniversary of the Holmes tow truck with a celebration in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Sept.

10 at Ross’s Landing near the riverfront.

The highlight will be a 100-Year Tow Truck Parade cruising through downtown and ending with fireworks.

“Miller Industries’ roots run deep in Chattanooga and we are honored to share the centennial celebration of our Holmes brand with our friends and neighbors in the local communities,” said Miller Industries’ President/coCEO Will Miller.

Muncie Updates M-Power Tool Muncie Power Products updated its online product configurationtool, M-Power (munciepower.com/ mpower).

The Quick Reference and Power Take-Off Designer have been updated with new products and improved functionality. The Competitor Crossover tool features more competitor crossovers for PTOs. The My Account tool has been updated to save product searches, create folders, view the status of warranty claims and more.

56 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

Tow Expo-Dallas Sets Record Tow Expo-Dallas drew its largest crowd in the 20-year history of the Texas show in August. Attendance was up 25 percent over last year’s record draw in San Antonio. 130 exhibitors filled the Arlington Convention Center, making it the biggest tow show ever to take place in the Southwest.

“We expect attendance to grow over the next few years from a population base that is three times what San Antonio had to draw from,” said Doc Calitri, president of AT Expo Corp., the show’s producer. “That and the easy access into the Dallas-Fort Worth airport all point to a solid prospect of growth.”

The 2016 Tow Expo-Dallas was busy with activities for three days, including light-, medium- and heavyduty training, recovery demos from Miller Industries, educational seminars produced by American Towman magazine, and the traditional American Towman hospitality, including a Centennial Celebration saluting 100 years of Towing.

Tiered Rotation Causing Delays A wreck in Albany, Ga., recently caused some confusion for emergency operators as to which wrecker service to dispatch, adding time to the clearing of an accident that delayed traffic for hours.

The confusion came soon after the Albany City Commission voted at its July business meeting to rescind the part of its wrecker ordinance that required towing companies on the city’s emergency rotation to own large equipment. The city opted instead for a tiered system that requires E-911 operators to determine whether a wrecker service in the rotation has the proper equipment for the job.

A semi hauling a load of scrap metal overturned on the Liberty Expressway; debris was scattered along the roadside. According to 58 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

reports, police arrived on the scene and notified dispatch that a “Tier I” wrecker would be needed due to the size of the wrecked vehicle.

The wrecker service called by emergency dispatch arrived on the scene but was not a Tier I company. It did not have the proper equipment to handle a semi. So, a second wrecker service had to be called that could handle the job.

“That company did not have the proper equipment,” said Robert Lane, owner of Albany’s A-1 Wrecker Service. “The officer on the scene called his dispatch and asked for a Tier I wrecker, which is a large wrecker able to handle a tractor-trailer. Tier II is when it is small, 1,600 pounds or less.

“Dispatch responded that Shipp’s Wrecker Service was en route. The officer then got on the radio and told them that this is an overturned semi, a big truck, a tractor-trailer with a load scattered all over the highway. Dispatch told him again that Shipp’s was en route. Shipp’s goes up there, and then calls us to come handle the wreck.”

Traffic at the scene reportedly backed up for miles and was eventually rerouted while workers cleaned up debris on the busy highway.

“We started talking with city officials a couple of years ago because they kept adding people to the rotation who did not have the proper equipment,” said A-1 Service Manager Robert Gilliam. “We went to them asking for help, and instead we got shafted.”

Lane said his company followed the city’s existing rules to become part of the rotation by buying a large tow truck at considerable cost when he started his business in 1982. He now argues that the city’s failure to stick to its wrecker service requirements has opened the door for unqualified companies to join the rotation, which he thinks will lead to more delays in clearing accident scenes.

“I don’t think the commissioners understand the tier set-up, and they don’t understand the aggravation that they are putting on the 911 dispatch-

ers,” Lane said. “If you are dispatching police, fire, EMS and a wrecker, that’s several different agencies.

“You are responsible for covering the safety of the people with the police officers and the safety of the people in the wreck, because you have to get EMS out there. Then you’ve got to get fire out there, and you have to worry about what size wreck somebody can handle. It’s too complicated.”

A plan that required wrecker companies to own heavy-duty equipment was met with opposition, primarily from Ward II Commissioner Bobby Coleman. Coleman said the city should have an “inclusive” policy and that it should open the door to “businesses that are reflective of the taxpayers of this community.”

Source: albanyherald.com.

Increased Insurance for Towers Proposed The Emporia (Kansas) City Commission recently debated what to do when it comes to consistency of enforcement for towing vehicles that are illegally parked or are stranded on the highway.

Mayor Rob Gilligan proposed an increased insurance policy of $1 million for the towing companies. This insurance policy should help these companies pay for upgrades for equipment they need for their vehicles and other types of equipment.

The commission also talked about preference vs. non-preference tows.

Non-preference tows take up to 30 percent of the entire towing business for the city. Gilligan’s proposal was set to be discussed at a future meeting.

Source: kvoe.com.

N.C. Man Creates Move Over Tags A Wake Forest, N.C., man is urging people to move over and slow down when they see tow trucks and emergency crews on the side of the road.

Christopher Williams is a sales and customer relations with Vink

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TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • 59

Signs and Designs. He works with people in the towing industry and said he hears about the dangers roadside crews face, but said he saw little education for motorists, so he had the idea to create plates to go on cars.

With his boss at Vink Signs, they’ve created more than a half a dozen designs to spread the word.

“You know, you see the people out there every day, but you don’t know what damages they go through every time we need help, you just expect them to be there,” said Williams.

His designs have gone as far as Michigan and he received a special request there for a banner for use in parades.

Source: wncn.com.

Missouri Rotation Bill Vetoed Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon vetoed a bill that includes a provision that covers motor vehicle extended-service

60 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

contracts and the use of rotation lists for towing.

The bill, HB1976, would have made the Missouri State Highway Patrol responsible for setting up rotations to tow or remove disabled vehicles at accident scenes.

Troopers would have been prohibited from calling on tow operators from outside the state, except under certain circumstances that include the driver’s or owner’s request.

Tow operators already on the scene of wrecks when law enforcement arrives would be dismissed in favor of a listed wrecker. Additionally, towers who stop and tow a vehicle from the scene of a wreck without having been called by the vehicle owner or contacted from the rotation list would face fines and the possibility of the tow truck being impounded.

Nixon vetoed the bill based on the fact that the bill would eventually harm consumers who decide to cancel

their extended service contracts.

Sources: landlinemag.com; governor.mo.gov.

Trooper Saves Towman An Ohio Highway Patrolman saved a tower from serious injury during a three-vehicle crash along I-80.

The accident occurred as Trooper Ken Robbins was investigating an accident. The OSP cruiser and a tow truck were stopped along the median when a truck veered out of control, striking both vehicles.

Robbins heard the oncoming truck and pushed towman Anthony Jeswald out of harm’s way. Jeswald wasn’t seriously injured; however the trooper was struck by his own patrol car.

Robbins and the truck driver were taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

Source: wfmj.com.

Breach of Peace Changes Would Hurt

by Mark Lacek

I

have been attending repossession industry conferences for 25-plus years. One of the yearly conferences I enjoy the most is the Recovery Specialist Insurance Group annual event.

This year’s event was in June; one of the most important topics was the potential changes to the Uniform Commercial Code that were brought to light during the seminar.

Learning about these dangerous potential changes just days before the seminar, RSIG quickly gathered as much information as was available about the suggestions being made by the National Consumer Law Center in order to educate repossessors and lenders in attendance.

The National Consumer Law Center is a non-profit organization started in 1969 to work for consumer justice and economic security for low-income and other disadvantaged people, including older adults, in the U.S. The NCLC has introduced suggested changes in the Uniform Commercial Code laws which many in the repossession industry claim will put repossession companies out of business. Several of the important potential changes include: 1. Disallowing any “consumer goods” to be disabled, meaning subprime lenders and buy here-pay here dealers would no longer be able to utilize devices that prevent a debtor from starting their vehicle or devices that render a vehicle inoperable.

2. Modifying the UCC to include a restrictive definition of breach of the peace. (Usually this is determined by the court.)

3. A definition that a repossession 64 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

The National Consumer Law Center suggested changes to repo including that repossessors can no longer claim the repossession is completed because they have the vehicle on-hook or attached to the tow truck. Fox2detroit.com image.

is complete only when the secured party or its agent has moved the collateral to a fixed location that it controls. Loosely translated, this means that repossessors can no longer claim the repossession is completed because they have the vehicle on-hook or attached to the tow truck. Until the vehicle is at a fixed location controlled by the repossessor (the secured storage facility), the vehicle would not be considered repossessed. If this is adopted by all states, it would void any state law regulating that process.

4. Giving all consumers the right to cure before a repossession can occur.

This would mean the debtor has to be given advanced written notice of the lender’s intention with the opportunity to fix the problem … and it can happen up to three times in a calendar year before there can be any attempt to repossess the vehicle.

5. The changes also prevent the secured party from imposing any fee or condition on a debtor for redeeming personal property, including not having to recover their personal property more than 10 miles from the location where the vehicle was repossessed.

While the informative suggested changes in the UCC was one of the most important sessions presented, attendees were also given the opportunity for defensive driver training, training on resource management, employee compensation, background checks, repossession risk management and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau training.

Breach of Peace Many in the banking and repossession community believe the NCLC has gone too far over the top on these latest suggested changes in the UCC. I would agree. What has pushed the NCLC to issue these suggestions could be the increasing numbers of instances of injury and death during repossessions.

With the understanding of “breach of the peace,” a repossessor can conduct his duties without committing crimes against the consumer. The problem occurs when a repossession company owner puts an untrained employee behind the wheel of a tow truck and sends him on his way.

A repossessor must understand

the meaning of breach of the peace. If a debtor tells the repossessor, “No, don’t take my car,” then no means no. If a repossessor does not understand the meaning of breach of the peace, then he or she should have no business repossessing anything.

I spend much of my time reading depositions and writing expert witness opinions for the wrongful repossessions that take part across these United States. I have been called upon to provide expert testimony dozens of times. You’re probably thinking I represent the repossessor most of the time; the majority of the time, I find myself representing the debtor.

Most repossession lawsuits begin after a non-certified, unlicensed repo/thug confronts a debtor during a repossession attempt and blatantly violates the law. The debtor, or his loved ones depending on the severity of the event, hires an attorney and a lawsuit is filed against not only the repossessor, but also the repossession company, the forwarding company, the lien holder and the repossessor’s insurance company.

A repossessor must understand the meaning of breach of the peace. If a debtor tells the repossessor, 'No, don’t take my car,' then no means no.

When this lawsuit is filed in the local court, either the plaintiff or the defendant’s attorney hires me to provide expert witness testimony. I am an advocate of the professional, certified and well-trained repossessor. For years, I have spoken against the “repo thug”, the unreal reality-TV caricatures who portray the repossessor as thieves and thugs in the night. Certified training makes repossession more respectable.

RSIG also celebrated and recognized 90 members who have remained claim-free for three or more years, with more than 20 of those honored being claim-free for more than 10 years. With more and more carriers dropping out of the repossession insurance market and agents notifying their insured of non-renewal or loss of market, RSIG’s longevity in the market place and their commitment to education and training is laudable.

At its yearly meeting, RSIG provides certification and training as well as a great networking opportunity for their members. This year’s RSIG annual conference Repo Editor Mark Lacek authored the was one of the Certified Commercial Recovery Agent most informacertification program and has more than 30 years of recovery experience. tive and educaHe is the former editor of “Professional tional I have Repossessor” magazine. Email him at Mark@commercialassetsolutions.com. attended. I look forward to next year.

66 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

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TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • 67

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68 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

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631-531-0673 For info please call Craig R. Nadolny “CALL FOR DETAILS” on all units

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TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • 69

USA Wrecker Pageant Winners

A

s if Texas wasn’t warm enough in August, towers from around the southwest turned up the heat with a

selection of great-looking trucks in the USA Wrecker Pageant during the Tow Expo Dallas/Fort Worth August 5-6 at the Arlington Convention Center.

In case you didn’t make it to the Expo, the 2016 winners are here.

Best of Show 2011 GMC 3500 2011 Vulcan 810 Intruder All City Towing Kansas City, Kansas (picture from 2015 show)

Best of Show—Working Truck 2012 Kenworth W900L 2006 Kalyn Siebert trailer L.W.’s Towing Frisco, Texas

70 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

First Place: Vintage 1928 Ford Model A Weaver 2-Ton Auto Crane Alliance Towing & Road Service Fort Worth, Texas

First Place: Service/Support Vehicle 2004 Chevrolet Suburban Cathey Towing & Recovery Rowlett, Texas

First Place: Carrier 2016 Kenworth T280 Vulcan 22’ LCG L.W.’s Towing Frisco, Texas

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TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • 71

First Place: Light Duty Pre-2015 2014 Dodge Ram 3500 2014 Century 311 Crown Body Shop Houston, Texas

First Place: Light Duty 2015-’16 2016 Ford F-550 2016 Chevron Renegade 408T Ward’s Towing Temple, Texas

First Place: Medium Duty 2016 Dodge Ram 5500 Miller 12-ton Waller County Paint & Body Hempstead, Texas

72 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

First Place: Rotator 2016 Kenworth W900L 2016 NRC 40/50 CSR Isaacs Wrecker Service Longview, Texas

First Place: Heavy-Duty Tandem 2016 Kenworth T880 2016 Jerr-Dan 25-ton SAS Towing Georgetown, Texas

First Place: Heavy-Duty Single 2015 Kenworth T370 2015 B&B 2550 Silverstar Wrecker Service Weatherford, Texas

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • 73

Garage District Adds to AT Expo’s Lure

AT Expo, Baltimore Convention Center

T

he exhibit hall at the 28th annual American Towman Exposition in Baltimore is perhaps the most diverse of any automotive-related show in the country, featuring 220 exhibitors. That diversity reflects the broad profile of the towing industry, the work they do, and the service trades they tie into.

Sixty percent of American Towman readers not only tow, they own and operate auto and truck repair shops and body shops. Many, like Loyal Towing, featured on this month’s cover, do quite well integrating all the services; towing, tire service, auto repair and body work.

Over the years, suppliers to these repair shops have exhibited at AT Expo alongside suppliers of towing equipment and services. This year, many are clustered on the show floor into what we’ve called “The Garage District,” where one can find everything from car and truck lifts, frame straighteners, drill bit sets, tire changing tools, online inventory management systems of recycled parts, diagnostic equipment and more.

Of course, most towers will feel

74 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

by Steve Calitri

right at home in the Garage District inside the American Towman Exposition, whether they maintain and repair their own trucks, or look for new equipment needed to service their customers who break down.

Inside the Baltimore Convention Center, towers will thrill to the world’s biggest tow show, featuring more than a dozen wrecker and carrier manufacturers with corporate exhibits displaying their latest equipment. Plus, there will be manufacturers of flatbed trailers, truck chassis, service trucks. It’s a buyer’s market under one roof as these manufacturers (and distributors) come to sell! All told there are 50-plus equipment manufacturers among the 220 exhibitors.

The diversity on the show floor begs the attendee to be on the exhibit floor at least two of the three days. It’s an investment of the boss’s time that will pay off in the long and short term.

Exhibit days are Friday through Sunday, Nov. 18-20.

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TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • NORTH 75

NORTH 76 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

AAA: Modern Cars, More Tows Last year the American Automobile Association responded to more calls for help than ever before, as reported in Fortune magazine. AAA dispatched roadside service to assist 32 million drivers in 2015. The numbers are up due to a mixture of new design, new tech and drivers ignoring dashboard warnings, according to AAA. Another roadside service call pattern reported by AAA is the higher frequency of towing. One in five calls for late model vehicles results in towing to a service facility.

“Vehicles today are advanced more than ever, yet are still vulnerable to breakdowns,” said Cliff Ruud, AAA’s managing director of automotive solutions.

AAA points to tires and keys above all else. The organization stated that cars less than five years old were responsible for a disproportionate number of calls, largely due to a lack of spare tires and the keyless ignitions.

Source: yahoo.com.

Troopers, Towman Help Family Suzanne Beaupre said she and her son couldn’t afford to get back to New Hampshire from New Hampton, Vt., after their car had a flat tire.

Her pickup truck got a flat tire and she couldn’t dislodge the spare tire. That’s when the Vermont State Police stepped in.

Troopers called a tow truck and offered to front the $75 charge to replace the tire.

Towman Kyle Blakeman refused their money and changed the tire for free.

“I said, ‘No way.’ I was, like, so thankful. I just felt like crying,” Beaupre said. “So when he said that, it was a done deal. They had already done it. It just made me want to cry.”

Source: wmur.com.

NORTH 78 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

NORTH 80 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

CopyrightŠ2016 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

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • SOUTH 75

SOUTH 76 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

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TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • SOUTH 77

DNR Blamed for Dozens of Tows People came to the state Department of Natural Resources boat launch on the Muskegon River in Newaygo County, Mich., only to find the official parking lot filled to capacity.

They parked where they said they believed DNR officials directed them, only to find their cars towed away and $200 tow bills to get them back.

Several people said DNR agents at the launch directed them to park elsewhere as long as they didn’t block the road.

“I parked off in the grass, along with everybody else, and no signs were posted, no nothing, I went tubing I came back and my car was gone,” said Tristan McCullum.

By the time people found their cars gone, the DNR outpost at the launch was empty.

Once people found their cars, they were charged $200 for towing fees.

“And we’re actually discounting them, we’re not charging storage,” said Jake, a tower who moved some of the cars. “The DNR called us to remove a couple vehicles and while we were there, a property owner came out, his driveway was completely blocked and asked us to remove vehicles as well.”

There are signs, some more visible than others, warning against trespassing and parking.

“The DNR wouldn’t tell them to park on this road, this road has to be accessible in case there is an emergency,” said Greg Stratz, who owns a large chunk of property next to the launch. “That drive way was just full of cars. It was hard to get in and out of that driveway.”

Stratz said it was the worst he’s ever seen it in terms of people and cars.

The owners of the cars blame the DNR for allegedly directing them to park there and then allowing the cars to be towed away.

Source: woodtv.com.

SOUTH 78 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

Supervisor Covers Hotel for Stranded Motorists Two people were heading home to Canada when their car broke down in Wood County, Ohio. AAA of Northwest Ohio was called to tow the vehicle to a local car dealer.

The tower was concerned about their safety, so he called Fleet Supervisor AJ Nye and told him the story; “They were going to sleep in their car and when the driver told me that, I said that can’t happen. The heat index was over 100 degrees that day, so I got them a hotel room.”

Nye said even though he operates on a tight budget, there was no question about what to do.

“I have enough that I could help them and that’s what I did. One of the reasons I love this job and this company is that I get to help people every day,” he said.

“I hope people see there is still good in this world. It really doesn’t take a lot to do something big and hopefully someone sees this and takes it and runs with it,” Nye said.

Source: 13abc.com.

AAA: Modern Cars, More Tows Last year the American Automobile Association responded to more calls for help than ever before, as reported in Fortune. AAA dispatched roadside service to assist 32 million drivers in 2015, a record for the company. The numbers are up due to a mixture of new design, new tech and drivers ignoring dashboard warnings, according to AAA. Another roadside service call pattern reported by AAA is the higher frequency of towing. One in five calls for late model vehicles results in towing to a dealer or other service facility. The complexity of newer vehicles more commonly rules out roadside repairs, so towing is more frequent.

“Vehicles today are advanced more than ever, yet are still vulnerable to breakdowns,” said Cliff Ruud, AAA’s managing director of automotive solutions. “Sleek, low profile tires are highly susceptible to damage, electronic keyless ignitions can zap battery life, and, despite advanced warning systems, more than half a million drivers ran out of gas last year.”

AAA points to tires and keys above all else. The organization stated that cars less than five years old were responsible for a disproportionate number of calls, largely due to a lack of spare tires and the keyless ignitions.

Source: yahoo.com.

Troopers, Towman Help Family Suzanne Beaupre said she and her son couldn’t afford to get back to New Hampshire from New Hampton, Vt., after their car had a flat tire, but the help and generosity of some state troopers and a towman turned their luck around.

Beaupre and her son ran into problems when her pickup truck got

continue to page S 80 Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • SOUTH 79

NEWS continued from pg S 79 a flat tire and they couldn’t dislodge the spare tire. That’s when the Vermont State Police stepped in.

“We didn’t really want to leave them stranded there because it was about one in the morning and nothing’s open,” Trooper Stacia Geno said.

Troopers called a tow truck and offered to front the $75 charge to replace the tire.

“The troopers themselves said they would split the bill and pay me,” towman Kyle Blakeman said.

He refused their money and changed the tire for free.

“I said, ‘No way.’ I was, like, so thankful. I just felt like crying,” Beaupre said. “So when he said that, it was a done deal. They had already done it. It just made me want to cry.”

Troopers then followed the family to the interstate, making sure they were safely on their way back to New Hampton.

Source: wmur.com.

Tow Companies Honor Tower

Local tow companies in Picayune, Miss., turned out in support after one of their own, towman Jason Emmons Clark Beech, 35, passed away in June, leaving behind a wife and two young children.

He was a tower with Modern Auto Wreckers. Tow companies lined up trucks to block traffic for the family to exit the funeral home and “see how well he was thought of,” said Connie BourQuard, tow manager at Modern Auto Wreckers.

He is survived by his wife, Sarah Jensen; two sons, Clayton Clark and Coleton Clark; his parents, two brothers and a sister, and numerous other relatives.

SOUTH 80 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

Compassionate Response to Carjack Victim It was bad enough that he was assaulted and carjacked, but Richard Miner’s problem got worse when he was told he’d have to pay nearly $1,000 in towing fees after his car was found.

His luck changed when Berry Brothers Towing & Transport waived the fees and the 73-year-old North Oakland, Calif., man got his car back.

Miner was carjacked in the parking lot of a grocery store, police said.

After the car was processed for evidence, Miner was told he could pick it up. But by that time, towing and storage fees of almost $1,000 had accrued and Miner, who is on a fixed income, said that he couldn’t afford to get his car out.

So instead of driving his wife to her medical appointments, the couple took public transit.

When tow company owner Bob

Berry learned about Miner’s situation, he immediately waived all towing and storage fees.

“It was our pleasure to help him out of a very unfortunate situation,” Berry said. “We provided security until it was fingerprinted and safekeeping until he picked it up.”

Source: mercurynews.com.

Troopers, Towman Help Family Suzanne Beaupre said she and her son couldn’t afford to get back to New Hampshire from New Hampton, Vt., after their car had a flat tire, but the help and generosity of some state troopers and a towman turned their luck around.

Beaupre and her son ran into problems when her pickup truck got a flat tire and they couldn’t dislodge the spare tire. That’s when the Vermont State Police stepped in.

“We didn’t really want to leave

MIDWEST 76 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

them stranded there because it was about 1 in the morning and nothing’s open,” Trooper Stacia Geno said.

Troopers called a tow truck and offered to front the $75 charge to replace the tire.

“The troopers themselves said they would split the bill and pay me,” towman Kyle Blakeman said. He refused their money and changed the tire for free.

“I said, ‘No way.’ I was, like, so thankful. I just felt like crying,” Beaupre said. “So when he said that, it was a done deal. They had already done it. It just made me want to cry.”

Troopers then followed the family to the interstate, making sure they were safely on their way back to New Hampton.

Source: wmur.com.

AAA: Modern Cars, More Tows Last year the American Automobile Association responded to more

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • MIDWEST 77

calls for help than ever before, as reported in Fortune magazine. AAA dispatched roadside service to assist 32 million drivers in 2015. The numbers are up due to a mixture of new design, new tech and drivers ignoring dashboard warnings, according to AAA. Another roadside service call pattern reported by AAA is the higher frequency of towing. One in five calls for late model vehicles results in towing to a service facility.

“Vehicles today are advanced more than ever, yet are still vulnerable to breakdowns,” said Cliff Ruud, AAA’s managing director of automotive solutions.

AAA points to tires and keys above all else. The organization stated that cars less than five years old were responsible for a disproportionate number of calls, largely due to a lack of spare tires and the keyless ignitions.

Source: yahoo.com.

MIDWEST 78 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

DNR Blamed for Dozens of Tows People came to the state Department of Natural Resources boat launch on the Muskegon River in Newaygo County, Mich., only to find the official parking lot filled to capacity.

They parked where they said they believed DNR officials directed them, only to find their cars towed away and $200 tow bills to get them back.

Several people said DNR agents at the launch directed them to park elsewhere as long as they didn’t block the road.

“I parked off in the grass, along with everybody else, and no signs were posted, no nothing, I went tubing I came back and my car was gone,” said Tristan McCullum.

By the time people found their cars gone, the DNR outpost at the launch was empty.

Once people found their cars, they were charged $200 for towing fees.

“And we’re actually discounting

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • MIDWEST 79

them, we’re not charging storage,” said Jake, a tower who moved some of the cars. “The DNR called us to remove a couple vehicles and while we were there, a property owner came out, his driveway was completely blocked and asked us to remove vehicles as well.”

There are signs, some more visible than others, warning against trespassing and parking.

“The DNR wouldn’t tell them to park on this road, this road has to be accessible in case there is an emergency,” said Greg Stratz, who owns a large chunk of property next to the launch. “That drive way was just full of cars. It was hard to get in and out of that driveway.”

Stratz said it was the worst he’s ever seen it in terms of people and cars.

The owners of the cars blame the DNR for allegedly directing them to park there and then allowing the cars to be towed away.

Source: woodtv.com.

Supervisor Covers Hotel for Stranded Motorists Two people were heading home to Canada when their car broke down in Wood County, Ohio. AAA of Northwest Ohio was called to tow the vehicle to a local car dealer.

The tower was concerned about their safety, so he called Fleet Supervisor AJ Nye and told him the story; “They were going to sleep in their car and when the driver told me that, I said that can’t happen. The heat index was over 100 degrees that day, so I got them a hotel room.”

Nye said even though he operates on a tight budget, there was no question about what to do.

“I have enough that I could help them and that’s what I did. One of the reasons I love this job and this company is that I get to help people every day,” he said.

“I hope people see there is still good in this world. It really doesn’t take a lot to do something big and hopefully someone sees this and takes it and runs with it,” Nye said.

Source: 13abc.com.

MIDWEST 80 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

Work the non-traffic Side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • WEST 75

AAA: Modern Cars, More Tows Last year the American Automobile Association responded to more calls for help than ever before, as reported in Fortune magazine. AAA dispatched roadside service to assist 32 million drivers in 2015. The numbers are up due to a mixture of new design, new tech and drivers ignoring dashboard warnings, according to AAA. Another roadside service call pattern reported by AAA is the higher frequency of towing. One in five calls for late model vehicles results in towing to a service facility.

“Vehicles today are advanced more than ever, yet are still vulnerable to breakdowns,” said Cliff Ruud, AAA’s managing director of automotive solutions.

AAA points to tires and keys

WEST 76 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

Work the Passenger side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • WEST 77

above all else. The organization stated that cars less than five years old were responsible for a disproportionate number of calls, largely due to a lack of spare tires and the keyless ignitions.

Source: yahoo.com.

Compassionate Response to Carjack Victim It was bad enough that he was assaulted and carjacked, but Richard Miner’s problem got worse when he was told he’d have to pay nearly $1,000 in towing fees after his car was found.

His luck changed when Berry Brothers Towing & Transport waived the fees and the 73-year-old North Oakland, Calif., man got his car back.

Miner was carjacked in the parking lot of a grocery store, police said. After the car was processed for evidence, Miner was told he could pick it up. But by that time, towing and storage fees of almost $1,000 had accrued and Miner, who is on a fixed income, said that he couldn’t afford to get his car out.

So instead of driving his wife to her medical appointments, the couple took public transit.

When tow company owner Bob Berry learned about Miner’s situation, he immediately waived all towing and storage fees.

“It was our pleasure to help him out of a very unfortunate situation,” Berry said. “We provided security until it was fingerprinted and safekeeping until he picked it up.”

Source: mercurynews.com.

Troopers, Towman Help Family Suzanne Beaupre said she and her son couldn’t afford to get back to New Hampshire from New Hampton, Vt., after their car had a flat tire.

Her pickup truck got a flat tire and she couldn’t dislodge the spare tire.

That’s when the Vermont State Police stepped in.

Troopers called a tow truck and offered to front the $75 charge to replace the tire.

Towman Kyle Blakeman refused their money and changed the tire for free.

“I said, ‘No way.’ I was, like, so thankful. I just felt like crying,” Beaupre said. “So when he said that, it was a done deal. They had already done it. It just made me want to cry.”

Source: wmur.com.

Supervisor Covers Hotel for Stranded Motorists Two people were heading home to Canada when their car broke down in Wood County, Ohio. AAA of Northwest Ohio was called to tow the vehicle to a local car dealer.

The tower was concerned about their safety, so he called Fleet Supervisor AJ Nye and told him the story; “They were going to sleep in their car and when the driver told me that, I said that can’t happen. The heat index was over 100 degrees that day, so I got them a hotel room.”

Nye said even though he operates on a tight budget, there was no question about what to do.

“I have enough that I could help them and that’s what I did. One of the reasons I love this job and this company is that I get to help people every day,” he said.

“I hope people see there is still good in this world. It really doesn’t take a lot to do something big and hopefully someone sees this and takes it and runs with it,” Nye said.

Source: 13abc.com.

APTRA Hosts Awareness Day The Arizona Professional Towing and Recovery Association will be hosting a Move Over Awareness Day Saturday, Oct. 29., taking place at the Rush Truck Center in Tolleson. The event invites all towing companies across the state to participate and will take place all day. It will feature vendors, demonstrations, giveaways, a tow truck parade, beauty contest and various skill competitions. All proceeds from APTRA’s Move Over Awareness Day will go to support the work of APTRA on behalf of the Arizona towing industry.

WEST 78 • September 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOWMAN.COM - September 2016 • WEST 79