American Towman Magazine - October 2016

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Awareness-Eight Steps Situational Awaerness-Eight _ rz Towing Vehicles from the Rear Get that Airplane Out of the House j

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

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News Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Road Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Tow Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Tow Boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

FEATURE CONTENTS

Tow Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 AD Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Beacons On! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 High Gloss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110

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Utilizing the slider on their NRC 50/65, Edington’s Wrecker Service was able to preserve evidence for federal investigators.

Repo Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114 Towman’s Market . . . . . . . . . . .118 My Baby. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120 Low Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122 Adventures of A.T. . . . . . . . . . . .129

28

Plane Crashes into a House After a plane crashed into a house, the casualty had to be recovered intact.

by Lee Edington

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The Greatest Show of All Time Everything you need to plan your time at the AT Expo in Baltimore.

94

Save on Your Next Truck Shopping tips and financing advice for your next wrecker.

by Don Archer

104

Official Show Program pages 57-92 4 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

Airborne Explorer Adley’s Towing uses wheel lift to help get SUV over a guardrail.

by David Adley

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It Takes a Cool Hand in Baltimore

by Dennie Ortiz

Festival Night ticket purchasers receive the Centennial Cap.

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efore I got into advertising sales with the magazine and before my promotion to Publisher, I was the event coordinator for the American Towman Exposition. By the end of each show, I was often asked how we managed once again to pull it all off without a hitch. Well let me tell you, I was blessed with a cool head and a cool hand (deal me a deck and I’ll show you) and that’s what was needed.

The Expo was, and is, always a whirlwind of activity. Commandeering more than 20 special events, including 30-plus seminars, taking place in several locations inside and outside of the Baltimore Convention Center keeps you on the run from early morning to late at night—something our average reader can understand.

This year, Helen Gutfreund, our Communications Manager, is involved with event coordination with all the staff pitching in, and the Exposition today, as the Greatest Show of All Time, is bigger and more restless than ever before. Whether you opt into the Rotator Training out at Camden Yards, bus it out to the Skeet Shoot, party down on the Harbor at Miller Rocks or Calitri’s Cuba, or boogie over to the Centennial Cel-

6 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

First On The Scene! ebration on Festival Night in the Marriott Waterfront, know that we’re running ahead of you.

Now, when your fleet operation has a few days of wall-to-wall incidents, you don’t have the luxury of advance planning like we do with all our events. You have to be prepared and ready to handle anything at any moment. The fact is, we know we’re putting on an event for the ultimate event (incident) managers; thousands of them looking at this Exposition with a kind, but critical, eye.

Orchestrating a banquet must be akin to child’s play in the eyes of the towman when compared to clearing a multi-car accident.

All that said, towmen experiencing AT Expo never cease to marvel at the colossal venture in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, with the multitude of activities: the Welcome Cruise, Captains of Industry Conference, Skeet Shoot, Seminars, breakfast hospitalities, gatherings at the Hard Rock, Power Plant and Marriott Waterfront, and the ceremonies from the Donnie Cruse Recovery Awards to the Towman Order and March of the Heroes.

This Nov. 17-20, we are celebrating Towing’s Centennial. It was 100 years ago that Ernest Holmes built the first commercial wrecker, igniting the towing and recovery industry and 40 years ago when American Towman published its first issue.

More than 240 exhibitors will be on hand to celebrate with some 14,000 towmen and tow women. Be a there. It’s going to be the Greatest Show of All Time v of any industry.

I’m not bluffing.

Dennie Ortiz Steve Calitri Brendan Dooley Charles Duke

Publisher Editor-In-Chief Editor Senior Editor

Randall Resch

Operations Editor

Terry Abejuela

Field Editor, West

Jim “Buck” Sorrenti 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.

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Collaborating with the tow industry to desi gn the easy-to-upfit M2106 .

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and productivity. And Freightliner individuall y tailors every truck chassis down to the wheels, from fuel tank locations and power takeoff pumps, to suspensions and wheelbases.

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See why the M2 106 is one of the leading medium duty trucks available at FreightlinetTrucks .com/M2106 .

Competkiv e Onancing avalable through Da nder Truck Financial. For the Freghtllnor Trucks dealer nearest you, call 1-800-FTL - HELP. FTL/M1C-A - 1396. Specifications are subject to change without notice. Copyright e 2016 Dania Truck, Nor0iAmonca U.C. All rights roserved. Frei hllner Trucks s a drvision of Daimler Trucks North Amotlca LLC, a Daimler company.

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‘Awareness Week’ Is Official The week from Sept. 9-16, 2016, officially was designated “National Towing Industry Awareness Week” and entered into the Congressional Record last month.

A statement from Rep. Charles J. “Chuck” Fleischmann of Tennessee read in part, “Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the invaluable contributions of the towing and recovery industry in the United States, the Towing and Recovery Association of America, the International Towing Hall of Fame and Museum, towing associations around the world, and the members of those associations, and to celebrate them.”

The proclamation was presented

by Fleischmann at the annual Wall of the Fallen ceremony in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Sept. 10.

Source: TRAA.

Another Truck Hits Michigan Bridge Triangle Towing of Ann Arbor, Mich., came to the rescue of yet another truck that hit a railroad bridge over Felch Street. A 13’-tall moving truck smashed into the overpass, which has a posted clearance of 11’ 10”.

“It is fairly common,” said Bill Shaw, GM at Triangle Towing.

“We’re out here 10 or 12 times a year. … Theoretically, a professional truck driver is trained to look at the bridge clearances, so I’m not sure what else they could do differently that wouldn’t be obnoxious and unsightly.”

Stewart Beal said he has seen about 20 trucks hit the Felch Street railroad bridge; the worst one being years ago when a driver who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt partially went through the windshield.

Source: mlive.com.

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Clay Passes in Arizona “As an Raymond industry of Eugene Clay, towers, we are 66, owner of truly sadRC Towing, dened by his died in loss. … The August and industry has was honored lost a legend,” by dozens of said Donna Arizona towRandall of ing companies Dozens of towers turned out to honor RC Randall’s in a procesTowing owner Raymond Clay with a large Towing. sional. processional of wreckers in Arizona City, Survivors He estabAriz. RC Towing image. include his lished RC wife, Lynda L.; daughters Amy Towing in 1983 and received six Beaudoin and Crystal Carlberg; sons ACE Awards for excellent service, Aaron Neumann and Tony Clay; and was named to the Order of two sisters and seven grandchildren.

Towman in 2012.

Towman Called Hero

on I-95 Accident A towman is credited with preventing injuries in the harrowing moments after a semi carrying inchthick sheets of glass lost its load on I-95 in Petersburg, Va. Those who saw the glass come smashing down onto the roadway were surprised Towman Mark Palmer alerted drivers to no one was hurt. shattered glass that spread across both sides of Bubby Bish, with SouthI-95. WTVR.com image. side Virginia Emergency Crew, believes the quick thinking of Mark Palmer from B&T Towing in Colonial Heights likely prevented accidents since broken glass was scattered across three southbound lanes as well as nearly 600’ down the northbound lanes.

“Looked to me like, at first, smoke,” Bish said. “Then all of a sudden I felt the glass debris hit my vehicle.” Bish turned on his red lights and surveyed the area. Then he spotted a B&T tow truck in the northbound lanes.

“I merged over to the left shoulder,” Palmer said, “came around traffic and blocked two and a half to three lanes of traffic, just to keep people from driving through it.”

Bish said, “To me, he made a big difference in the scene. To me, he’s a hero.”

Source: wtvr.com.

. . . To me, he’s a hero. . . .

N.J. Sets Tow Fees New Jersey Turnpike Authority commissioners recently voted to regulate fees for towing disabled vehicles to a destination in state other than the towing company’s garage.

Under the agreement, approved

by Turnpike commissioners, drivers would make their own arrangements with the towing company, but the rate they’re being charged would be based on the per-mile rate set by the authority.

Those rates increased last November. Drivers of a disabled passenger vehicle on the toll roads would pay a $72 hook-up charge and $3.50 a mile while being towed on the Parkway or Turnpike. Once off the toll road, drivers would pay an initial $10 for the first mile and $7.50 for each additional mile.

That change has a few more hurdles to clear and it’s estimated that the regulations won’t go into effect until early next year.

Source: nj.com.

Texas Towman Fights for Deputy An unidentified towman assisted in the arrest of a driver who crashed his car in Humble, Texas. Deputies said that a man driving his car at a very high rate of speed crossed an intersection that had a slight hump in the middle.

The car went airborne, skidded off the road and slammed into a wood power pole, deputies said. An offduty officer saw the accident and went over to help as the towman arrived, deputies said. When the security guard got out of his car, the suspect got out of his, and for unknown reasons attacked the off-duty officer.

The towman ran over to help, hitting the suspect with his flashlight, getting him off the officer. They subdued the suspect, who was eventually arrested.

Source: khou.com.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Wall of the Fallen Adds 22 Names The International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum added 22 names to the Wall of the Fallen during an annual ceremony in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Sept. 10.

Since it was built in 2006, 414 names have been placed IJyp on the wall.

I.I:Igr Jason Schultz was one of 22 I people inducted this year.

Schultz, 28, died Jan. 15 when The International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame he was hit by a car in Fort Graand Museum added 22 names to the Wall of the tiot, Mich. He was the owner Fallen in September ceremony. ITRHFM image. of Preferred Towing, his family’s business.

Jason’s younger brother Jake said it was cathartic to hear the stories of other tow truck operators—his family had a sense of comfort at the ceremony knowing they are not alone.

“We’re not the only ones,” he said. “The 22 other ones this year — hearing all their stories, you realize we’re not the only family that goes through this.”

Sources: wdef.com; thetimesherald.com.

Flooded Cars Towed to Miss.

Many tow operators help_______ ing the Louisiana federal disaster-response effort were hauling thousands of cars that will never hit the streets again.

“Right now we’re bringing two a day from Louisiana over here to Mississippi,” said Adam Taulbee of Competition Towing in Amarillo, Texas.

Thousands of salvage cars needed towing “We’ve got, I don’t know, after recent flooding in Louisiana. about [40,000] to 50,000 cars WDSU.com image. just sitting somewhere between Baton Rouge and all that area around there that are coming out,” he said.

Many trucks are being towed to an expansive field in Moss Point, Miss., operated by Insurance Auto Auctions. The vast majority of cars towed to Mississippi likely will be sold for parts.

“The governor in Louisiana made a declaration for this event that these flood total-loss vehicles have to have a certificate of destruction, so they can only be sold for parts only,” said Rick Wring of State Farm Insurance. “Each car pulled to the field tells pretty much the same story. Some are still laden with debris, wet papers and mold, with water in the engines.”

Source: wdsu.com.

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TOWMAN.COM - October 2016 • 9

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B/A Skookum 15-ton Snatch Block B/A Products said its new Skookum 15-ton lightweight snatch block is the culmination of more than two years of research and development with Skookum. Made in the USA, the 44-lbs. block can pair with 3/4” to 7/8” wire or synthetic rope. Features include: • Latched forged swivel hook is standard.

• Lightweight hook combines a custom high-strength alloy with a lowprofile design.

• Lightweight composite sheave designed for strength and durability.

• Should any marring of the sheave tread occur, the composite material won’t abrade the wire rope.

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Parker Chelsea’s new 272F Series PTO simplifies installation and is quieter, according to the company. The 272F Series features a patentpending Noise Suppression System and a compact housing that reduces clearance issues. High capacity bearings and unique gear designs provide torque ratings up to 300 lbs./ft. It features 18 shift options, 12 of which are integrated into the PTO housing.

The hoses are included with the PTO, and Electronic Overspeed Control is available.

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arn Industries updated and improved its Hydraulic Series winches to increase productivity and reduce downtime.

The company said its Hydraulic Series winches are now 50-percent easier to unspool, especially in cold weather, due to a redesigned end housing and aircraft-grade gear lubricants. This means less time spent pulling rope off the drum and more time getting the job done.

The winches are now 20-percent stronger through improved mold flow and casting geometry. In addition, tie-rods are now twice as strong, helping to resist breakage from wire rope piling up on one side of the drum during off-angle pulls. In the event a tie-rod does break, Warn said its shear-bolt technology allows quick, inexpensive repairs.

The hydraulic motors feature external mounting.

The new motor adapter plate places access bolts on the outside of the winch for fast servicing; no need to disassemble winch to remove the motor. Stainless steel fasteners improve corrosion resistance.

warn.com Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

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by Terry Abejuela

When towing a pick-up truck with a load in the bed from the rear with a conventional tow sling, the frame rails may flex enough to cause contact between the bed and the cab of the truck.

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henever possible tow operators should tow or transport vehicles from the front.

When towing with a wheel lift or a conventional tow sling, it is common for tow operators to decide which end to tow from based on what drive it is.

Front-wheel-drive would be towed from the front and rear-wheel-drive from the rear.

Most four-wheel-drive and allwheel-drive vehicles can be towed from either end by using tow dollies under the trailing axle of the towed vehicle. This is primarily to avoid damage to the transmission.

However, professional tow operators must identify potential damages that can occur when towing or transporting vehicles facing backwards and either tow or transport them from the front or take measures to prevent damage if towed from the rear.

When vehicles are located alongside the highway or freeway, they are usually facing forward with the flow of traffic; towing or transporting them from the front is easily accomplished.

According to the 2016 AAA Tow and Service Manual, of the 684 vehicles listed in the towing procedure index there are 243 FWD, 190 RWD and 251 12 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

4WD or AWD drive models. The majority of the vehicles on the road are FWD, so often towing or transporting from the front is the best option.

When towing 4WD or AWD vehicles with a wheel lift or conventional tow sling, they should be towed, when possible, from the front with tow dollies under the rear axle.

When he got to the end of the tow, the front windshield of the towed vehicle was missing.

Sometimes we are faced with a scenario where towing or transporting the vehicle from the front is more difficult or is not feasible. Vehicle location, damage, flat tires, turned wheels, or transmission speed and distance restrictions are just a few possible reasons that may require towing or transporting from rear.

Whether you are towing with a wheel lift, a conventional tow sling or

transporting it on a car carrier, you will need to take into consideration the effects of air resistance on the towed vehicle. Air resistance at high speeds can cause damage. Vehicles are designed to travel at high speed forward but have components that don’t fare well at high speeds when the vehicle is facing rearward. Just a few examples would include open sunroofs, bug deflectors, rear window louvers and side window wind deflectors. You may need to avoid freeway speeds, if there is no other solution, to prevent damages When towing or transporting a van or a pickup truck with a camper shell there may be vent caps on the roof.

When the vehicle is towed or transported facing rearward, these vent caps are susceptible to wind damage if they are not closed properly—they must be checked. The bed liner in the bed of a pickup truck must be secured or it may be lifted out of the bed by the wind. Bed covers must be checked for secure attachment and that they are latched and locked properly.

Whether towing or transporting from the front or the rear, all of the windows in the disabled vehicle should be closed. I had a student in one of my classes tell me that he towed

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GRADE STEEL TAIL-LIGHT & CONTROL BOXES

a vehicle from the rear with all of the windows down. When he got to the end of the tow, the front windshield of the towed vehicle was missing. (I have only heard of this once and I have never heard of anyone who lost a rear window while driving with the windows open, so this could have been a onetime fluke.) Whether it was a fluke or not, it can be prevented simply by towing with the windows closed.

Fortunately there are very few vehicles on the road today that use knock-off hubs instead of lug nuts to fasten the wheels to the axle. If you encounter one of these vehicles, know that the passenger side hubs will be reverse threads. If you must tow these vehicles from the rear, you must make sure the hubs are tight. If you tow them for more than five or 10 miles, I recommend that you stop to check the hubs during the tow.

When towing a pick-up truck with a load in the bed from the rear with a conventional tow sling, the frame rails may flex enough to cause contact between the bed and the cab of the truck. If this happens, the load must be removed or the truck must be placed on a car carrier of sufficient capacity.

Another benefit of towing from the front is you don’t have to worry about the tracking of the vehicle.

Towed vehicles must follow substantially within the path of the tow truck and cannot swerve from side to side. Unless you are towing a four-wheel steering vehicle with its wheels turned, the rear wheels will track straight. If you must tow the vehicle from the rear, use a steering wheel clamping device to keep the steer wheels in a straight-ahead position. Do not trust the steering column lock.

Vehicles loaded on a car carrier should, whenever possible, be loaded facing forward. In addition to the problems caused by the aerodynamics of the vehicle, the front end is usually the heavier end. Loading the heavy end of the vehicle forward places the heavier end of the vehicle forward of the rear axle of the car carrier. This will transfer some of the transported vehicle’s weight from the rear axle to the front axle of the car carrier. If the vehicle is loaded facing rearward, some of the front axle weight of the car carrier will transfer to the rear axle resulting in a lighter steer axle and possible overloading of the rear axle.

With all of the potential problems associated with towing vehicles from the rear, it is best when possible to tow and transport vehicles from the front. When you must tow or transport a vehicle from the rear, you must identify all potential problems and take necessary preField Editor Terry Abejuela has 30cautions to plus years of light-duty towing-andprevent damrecovery experience. He is also a light-duty Level 1 instructor for the ages or acciCalifornia Tow Truck Association. dents.

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Lease or Buy?

by Michael Arida

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When you’re looking to add equipment, like this 2014 Kenworth/Challenger heavy-duty rig, an experienced financing company can help you work through different buying and leasing options.

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oing a web search for “Lease vs. buy equipment” yields 1.4 million results. That’s 1.4 million articles to wade through, 1.4 million opinions. Trying to find a straight answer in today’s world of bloggers and social-media “experts” means hours of research and frustration with no guarantee of understanding.

Owning a towing business almost ensures that at some point you will need new equipment; it also ensures you won’t have 1.4 million hours to research buying options. Luckily, it

16 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

doesn’t have to take 1.4 million anything to decide whether to buy or lease the equipment your towing business needs. Here are a few main things to consider before leasing or buying.

Time in Business Starting a business is expensive.

There is no way around that, but leasing reduces the upfront cost of equipment, giving you the ability to get the amount of equipment you need without losing all your funds.

The biggest peril of starting a new

business is the inability to predict the future. If, for some reason, you no longer need the equipment you leased, the economic hit won’t be as bad. If the business is a success, there are often buyout options when the lease ends that allow you to keep the equipment you have invested in.

For established businesses, buying is more feasible. Since the business has proven profitable, buying equipment is less of a risk and an easier process to tackle.

However, leasing isn’t completely

off the table. Even for experienced business owners, expanding holds risks. Breaking into new markets or taking on more work proves unprofitable at times. Leasing the necessary equipment makes it easier to experiment financially.

In most cases, start-ups benefit from leasing equipment, while buying can sometimes win out for established businesses.

Equipment Type Each business has unique needs, despite being in the same industry.

When deciding between leasing and buying, assessing what kind of equipment is needed takes a vital role.

Equipment that becomes obsolete quickly makes a great leasing candidate. Leasing allows you to upgrade more often without shelling out large quantities of money.

More technologically stagnant equipment, though also great for leasing, can be bought outright.

Also, consider the maintenance needs of the equipment. Leasing may make more sense if the equipment requires frequent maintenance. Usually, the leasing company is responsible for caring for and fixing the equipment. If buying, be sure to account for maintenance costs when creating a budget.

Buying is a better fit for equipment that requires fewer upgrades and takes longer to advance technologically. Anything that will need to be changed out every few years and is rapidly improving falls into the leasing category.

When funds are tight, carefully consider leasing.

It allows you to get equipment with

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Financing

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Deciding between leasing and buying requires you to think about various factors, but no matter which you choose

upfront cost.

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Cash Flow Is King Cash flow is perhaps the most import thing to consider when deciding between buy and lease. Evaluating your business’s cash intake and expenditures determines what upfront costs you are able to pay.

Leasing requires a lower upfront cost than buying. If your business needs to save cash or needs equipment, but doesn’t have time to save for a down-payment, leasing is the best option. Essentially, leased equipment is able to earn its keep. Buying equipment requires a larger down-payment, but saves you money in the long-term.

Knowing what your business can afford both at the time of purchase and in the long-run is usually what determines if you lease or buy.

When funds are tight, carefully consider leasing. It allows you to get equipment with a smaller upfront cost.

For financially stable businesses, buying reduces costs long-term.

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TOWMAN.COM - October 2016 • 17

financing helps to make your equipment dreams a reality.

Financing not only gets you the equipment you need sooner, it also allows you to deduct all or part of your purchase using the Section 179 Tax Deduction. On top of that, you receive industry expertise.

Choosing to finance puts you in good company; 85 percent of businesses use financing to acquire equipment in the U.S. Seeking out an equipment financing company might be what saves you the most money.

Whether buying or leasing, by working with an industry-specific equipment financing company, you are able to afford pricier equipment.

Both leasing and buying come with pros and cons.

When you lease, you pay a low up-front cost, receive flexible payment plans, and you can upgrade more frequently. However, leasing also comes with a higher long-term cost. Buying saves you money eventually, but also requires a higher down payment and ties you to one piece of equipment.

You know your business best, but these guidelines will help you make the right decision. Remember, you don’t have to be on your own when making these decisions. From sellers to financing companies, qualified experts are at your disposal.

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New Location for Tow Expo Dallas Tow Expo Dallas is moving to a new location in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex market for 2017. It will take place Aug. 17-19 at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center located in Grapevine, a stone’s throw from the DFW Airport.

“We could not be more excited about the move to the Gaylord Texan,” said AT Expo Corp. president Henri “Doc” Calitri. “It is a beautiful facility with a first class exhibit hall. It is one of Texas’ top summer vacation spots with tons of activities for families to enjoy themselves while attending the show.”

Show Director Tommy Anderson added that the resort “provides us with over 100,000 square feet of space next year as well as more for future growth. In addition, the wrecker pageant and live recovery demos will also be held indoors in the exhibit hall giving our attendees a great show under one roof.”

1998 Vulcan 3025 Rebuilt from ground up Super dean

Casino Night deals all in for attendees at the 2016 Tow Expo Dallas at the Arlington Convention Center. For 2017, the Expo is moving to the Gaylord Texan.

Expo Corp., a division of American Towman Magazine, the towing and recovery industry’s oldest and largest circulated monthly trade publication. The magazine is celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year.

Source: towexpodfw.com.

This year’s show was held at the nearby Arlington Convention Center.

“While we enjoyed our show this year in Arlington, we, quite frankly, outgrew the facility in just the first year there,” Anderson stated.

Tow Expo Dallas is produced by AT

388 Century 5130 single axle w pusher 178kmiles

460hp N14 Cummins/13 spd Vulcan V70 Miller spec 365 k miles

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Navistar, VW Announce Alliance Navistar International Corp. (navistar.com) formed a strategic alliance with Volkswagen Truck & Bus that includes a $256-million equity investment in Navistar by VW, framework agreements for strategic technology and supply collaboration, and a procurement joint venture.

VW will invest in Navistar at $15.76 per share and have the right to appoint two directors to Navistar’s board. The collaboration and joint

venture allows VW a 16.6-percent stake in Navistar. Through the agreement, Navistar expects to realize cumulative synergies of $500 million over the first five years.

“Starting in the near term, this alliance will benefit our purchasing operations through global scope and scale,” said Troy Clarke, president/CEO of Navistar. “Over the longer term, it is intended to expand the technology options we are able to offer our customers by leveraging the best of both companies.”

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AutoReturn

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Law enforcement agencies nationwide are rap idl y adopting AutoReturn 's logistics solution to streamline dispatch communications and reduce administrative costs.

To learn more about how to be part of this in your area please contact John Borowski at: ,,

jborowski @autoreturn.com

22 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

B/A Hosts 10th Annual Open House B/A Products (baprod.com) is hosting its 10th annual open house on Nov. 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The event will include live product demos, factory tours, destructive testing demos, food and more. Shuttles will provide transport to and from the AT Expo.

Win a Tacoma from KEEN This fall, KEEN Utility introduces its Tacoma series, a collection of safety footwear that offers non-metallic, heavy-duty protection for workers. To support the launch, the Tacoma Rugged Ride Sweepstakes will be rolling into participating KEEN Utility retailers nationwide.

For the entire month of October, customers who try on a Tacoma boot will be entered to win a new Toyota Tacoma truck and other prizes. The grand-prize winner will be announced on Nov. 15. Learn more about entering at keenutility.com.

Vanair Launches New Site Vanair’s new website went live in September at vanair.com. The new website was developed to ease navigation for visitors, improve accessibility on all mobile devices and enhance the Dealer Portal.

The Dealer Portal includes a streamlined Product Selection Guide that allows dealers to quickly find only the Vanair products that meet their customer’s requirements based on the search criteria the dealer inputs. *** Vanair also added Blair Larson as a Sales Manager to head its regional sales team. Larson will develop sales strategies to maintain and grow sales, as well as direct the day-to-day activities of the sales team.

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Respect—Just a Little Bit

by James Roudon

S

ince 1988, when I started in the towing industry, I have worked for more than my fair share of companies. I am not an exception, but rather just one example of the fact that many employees in towing and recovery hop from company to company looking for the right fit.

It didn’t occur to me that I was changing jobs excessively until I was talking with my father about seeking a new job and he said it didn’t surprise him. It was then that I started to closely examine why I never felt satisfied at any one company for long.

The truth is that the general nature of the towing industry leaves many employees to feel they are treated poorly. Drivers are expected to work longer hours than in many other industries—usually for far less compensation—while facing far more danger in the workplace. Promotions to higher positions are sparse. This all leads to a high turnover rate.

Now that I am in management, I see remedies that can be easy, painless, and save the company money in the long run. You can improve your turnover rate by ensuring your staff is treated with respect inside the company, no matter what they get from the outside from careless motorists, angry customers and gruff law enforcement personnel.

Scheduling Schedule staff so that they can get some rest and have some free time to enjoy. No one is happy if they can only work, sleep and repeat. This is admittedly a difficult achievement, especially for the smaller companies with a smaller staff.

If you have on-call drivers at night, one idea is to implement a rotating “up system” where you have two or 24 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

Saying you have an open-door policy isn’t the same as actually fostering back-and-forth communication between staff and management.

three drivers on call and the “First Up” driver handles the majority of the overnight calls. If the first up becomes backed up, new calls are assigned to the second-call driver, and so on. Drivers are rotated on this system—a week as first call, then second, then third, etc.—throughout the month.

While this system doesn’t give drivers 100-percent time off, it does allow them to make some plans based on the

likelihood of being called out.

If you don’t have enough drivers on staff to cover the schedule, it might be time for the manager and/or owner to take a shift or two to give some much-needed time away to drivers.

Scheduling is always a difficult task, but by watching your business trends closely it can be done with a great deal of accuracy.

Equipment Don’t force staff to look the other way with regard to equipment condition. Your trucks and equipment should be safe to operate and safe for your customers to ride in.

I vividly remember the first flatbed I operated. The truck was in such poor condition that in order to park I had to jump out and quickly throw wheel chocks under the tires. The emergency brake cable was broken, but it wasn’t a concern of the owner. I only lasted at that company for two weeks before moving on. I wasn’t able to talk about the truck’s needed repairs with the company since my job, as they said, was to tow cars.

for employee input is a good start.

Invite your staff to discuss things with you and truly pay attention to what they have to offer. Give them your attention, don’t do the “walk-andtalk” thing where you’re only half-listening. An employee that feels respected will do far more for you than one that feels that they are regarded as “just a driver.”

An employee that feels respected will do far more for you.

Communicate

$$$

Create a true open-door policy for staff concerns and actively work to remedy them. It seems most companies’ Open Door consists of saying they have one. It’s important to truly foster communication that goes both ways between staff and management.

Weekly meetings that include time

Offer a competitive wage for the job, taking into consideration the danger of the position. It’s fairly plain that the first place an employee feels valued by an employer is in their paycheck. An employee who feels worthwhile will work harder and to a higher standard.

Talk to other owners— through your local association, at a Tow Expo, online—to accurately gauge how your wages stack up.

Remember Most importantly, never forget what it was like to be in the position of your staff members. Most of us were drivers or dispatchers at one point or another in our careers; as management we need to remember the hard work, day-to-day challenges and dedication it takes to do the job well.

Improving staff relations reduces turnover, which improves overall morale and saves money on training, overtime in understaffed periods and more. The effects of a happier staff add up to more profit in the long run.

About the author James Roudon has been doing light-, medium- and heavyduty towing since 1988, has been general manager of five tow companies and currently operates TowBiz Consulting Group. You can reach him at jroudon@live.com or jroudon.com.

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TOWMAN.COM - October 2016 • 25

WeldBuilt Opens New HQ WeldBuilt Wreckers & Carriers recently opened new headquarters in Deer Park, N.Y. For nearly 70 years, WeldBuilt (weldbuilt.com) had operated out of its original Brooklyn and then Wyandanch facilities.

WeldBuilt said it is the oldest, privately owned towing and equipment manufacturer in the United States, and was started in 1947 by Arthur W. Nelson and Joseph J. Milan— both Towing Hall of Fame members. The company was purchased in 2012 by the ABLE Group of Companies.

“WeldBuilt has come a long way, and I hope to not just continue their legacy of quality craftsmanship, but to stand out in the industry as a leader to which others are compared,” said owner Steve Laganas.

WeldBuilt continues to specialize in customization, the company said in a release. When various bridge and tunnel municipalities decided they needed custom towing vehicles to operate in the confined spaces within tunnels in the 1960s, they came to WeldBuilt who designed and engineered the first tunnel wreckers. A short wheelbase allowed them to turn around inside the tunnels; the highly customized units were produced for tunnel authorities across the country.

“We strive to build a solid product that will perform.

The towing industry is tough, and towers need a tough unit

Approaching 70 years in business, WeldBuilt recently moved into a new headquarters in Deer Park, N.Y. WeldBuilt image.

to keep them safe and make them money,” said Pablo Nolasco, plant supervisor.

Recent product innovations include a patented low-profile carrier design, anodized aluminum bolt-on blade rails, an all-new aluminum carrier body design built with friction stir welding, marine-grade stainless steel taillight boxes, backlit control panels and more.

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Master Lessons From One the Most Reco g nized Names in Trainin g Tow operator , owner , instructor , wri ter and editor of the AAA Towing Manual , Dave Lambert has packaged his 35 years of road service experiences in an affordable on-line format for light-duty operators. Share his knowled ge of towing and recovery, in 16 compact videos , at your office or on your mobile device.

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olice escorted our team, including blocking intersections, to the scene of a plane that crash-landed into a house with entrapment. We dispatched our 2009 Kenworth T800/2009 NRC 50/65 sliding rotator and our 2016 Peterbilt 389/2016 Jerr-Dan JFB rotator to the scene.

The plane was roughly 100 yards from the airport where it was supposed to land. It clipped some trees as it came down and soared into the house. Luckily, the homeowner had just left when the plane crashed into his bedroom.

Paramedics and fire crew had extracted the people out of the plane by the time we arrived.

After the people were extracted, the plane was to be untouched until Federal Aviation Administration officials finished their initial investigation, leaving the recovery until next morning.

28 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

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TOWMAN.COM - October 2016 • 29

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The plane was very light and could have folded like a pop can. With only two good lifting points, we used a spreader bar to extend the rigging from the engine cradle to the landing gear. (Lifting around the tail would have broken it, and the plane was to stay in one piece for the continuing FAA investigation.)

Inspectors wanted the plane to be

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Fabco Power 27 Florida Wrecker Sales S 125 Freightliner 7 G. Stone Commercial N 131 GEICO Inside Back Cover Ginn Carrier & Wrecker Sales 115 GPS Insight 33 GPS Pro 41 Hale Trailer Brake & Wheel N 123 Hino Trucks 15 Holmes 56 Hub International 93 I Tow In 98 IGTC 103 Integrated Vehicle Leasing 103 Intek Truck Equipment/Leasing 108 Jerr-Dan Corp.

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Awareness: Much of today’s training teaches safety principles developed years ago that have been continually refined.

by Randall C. Resch

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had a conversation with a retired U.S. Navy SEAL Master Chief regarding his experiences with war and patrol. As a former Mobility instructor, he was vastly experienced in operational field patrols and mobility of troop movements in hostile territory. As I listened to his every word, I found it closely related to the nature of the towing and recovery industry.

Not that our business is similar to a SEAL Team’s, but I found a parallel in the need to always be aware of the dangers of a hostile environment. No matter how old or experienced any individual tower is, or which niche you serve within this industry, there is a universal truth that towing and recovery is a dangerous industry, capa40 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

ble of injury or death at any moment.

As I’ve mentioned many times, as soon as we have boots on the ground we step into dangerous territory … on every call. Situational awareness should be practiced by all towers, yet many towers still use careless actions.

Why do they continue on-scene practices that place them in harm’s way? I don’t get it.

What’s Does It Mean?

Searching for “Situational Awareness” hits plenty of sites that center around a mindset of safety. There are many kinds of situation awareness based on the type of activity. I studied the many descriptions to develop a suitable version for the towing and

recovery industry. The following is a basis of training, but may not cover all aspects of administrative, operational or survival considerations for our broad industry.

Typical situational awareness includes: • Internal awareness. Being alert to your own level of vigilance to enhance personal safety.

• External awareness. Watching your surroundings and spaces near and around you for trends, triggers and behaviors.

Internal and external awareness are two sides of the same coin upon evaluation, leading to an ability to scan the environment and sense danger, opportunities and challenges. Basi-

cally, pay attention to on-scene surroundings and get in and out. By the time you arrive, park and exit your tow truck, you should have made a mental assessment of directions and actions. Obviously, the more experience in making safety assessments, the faster and more accurate the ability becomes.

Every call should include four critical and important components: • Safety … always the first and utmost process.

• Environment.

• Proper technique, method and application.

• Rate of speed.

Training frequently discusses varying elements of external situational awareness, but can sometimes neglect (or undervalue) those internal aspects that could be the big difference to the overall success of the recovery. Consider these eight guidelines intended to enhance your mindset on scene: 1. What’s your action plan? Based on what you see, your arrival assessment should initiate best practices of tools, techniques and protocols to complete the job in a safe and efficient manner. All plans of action should include minimalized risks in favor of safety, insignificant additional damage to vehicles or property and no injuries.

2. Arrival assessment. When working highway scenarios as a service provider, whether on a service call or rotation response, remember that the highway is extremely dangerous and requires your utmost attention. However, inner city areas may be just as dangerous, but for different conditions. These considerations must be immediately assessed: • Law enforcement presence.

• Time of day.

• Type of tow equipment used.

• Tow vehicle placement.

• Assisted vs. non-assisted roadway conditions.

• People in danger zones.

• Weather.

3. Use all of your senses. By using all of your senses, you adjust to what actions are happening around you.

Typically taught to police officers, Cooper’s Color Code (policeone.com /police-trainers/articles/2188253Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Coopers-colors-A-simple-system-forsituational-awareness/) explains the subtle differences in self-awareness and perceived level of danger. They fit here. The four levels of Cooper’s Color Code are: • White: Relaxed and oblivious.

• Yellow: Relaxed and alert.

• Orange: Heightened and alert.

• Red: Mayday/survival mode.

If your gut feeling is that something’s wrong, stop and evaluate or make an immediate change.

4. Anticipate and react. Based on arrival assessment, you should be thinking of what-if scenarios and considerations: “What if the load shifts?,”

“What if the cable lets go?,” “What if I’m standing where I shouldn’t be?”

Those anticipations could be the difference between life and death.

5. Modify routines. Use tactics and methods that fit, like the right tool for the job or the proper response for the action. An ability to modify routines, work practices and on-scene tactics is what makes for professional and competent towers. Having the ability to think outside the box when appropriate is operationally handy.

6. Anticipate escape routes. Onscene awareness is key to survival.

Towers must be aware of where they’re standing in relation to the

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Training to Survive

WHITE Switched off, totally relaxed

YELLOW Heightened state of awareness

ORANGE Danger spotted, make plan of action

RED Body engaged, action must be taken

Cooper’s Color Code explains the subtle differences in self-awareness and perceived level of danger.

8. Adapt to changing conditions.

No matter what the service, tow or recovery scenario, the on-scene moving parts are always changing: Customers who fail to follow instructions, day rolls to night, it starts to snow, a snagged pull or anything that can possibly change can do so with little to no notice. Professional, competent towers react by recognizing the change, stopping to evaluate and adjusting to the new reality. This adaptability is difficult to teach, but it prevents making a bad scenario worse.

casualty they’re working, the load they’re lifting, the direction they’re sweeping, etc. When some distracted vehicle skids toward you or the load bridle lets go during critical lift, will you have a pre-determined path to escape?

7. Remember each scenario is different. Every scenario is different because there’s always the possibility of miscalculation, worn equipment, load swing or myriad other potentially fatal incidents. Never think that just because it hasn’t happened to you before, it can’t and won’t happen now.

How you mentally approach towing and recovery could be the difference between surviving a life-and-death scenario. Much of today’s training teaches safety principles developed years ago that have been continually refined. I believe there is a joint responsibility between tow company owners and individual towers when it comes to total and professional safety.

If you haven’t learned the meaning and value of situational awareness, you’re simply wandering in the dark.

Those careless towers out there need to cure their careless manner and avoid the proverbial vortex of danger.

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.

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CTTA Honors Chappel Leaders

Angie’s List Launches Provider Sweepstakes

The California Tow Truck Association (ctta.com) will honor several towing industry professionals who have dedicated their lives to the betterment of the industry at the upcoming Western States Tow Show in San Diego, Calif., on Oct. 13-15 (westernstatestowshow.com).

The Industry Leaders & Awards Night ceremony will be Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. This is the second year for the CTTA’s Rich Chappel Industry Leaders award.

The 2016 recipients include Frank Andrews, Alta Sierra Towing; Donna Bookout Coe, Highland Towing/Speed’s Towing; Leon Ginn, Doc’s Towing; Evelyn Harden, Jim’s Towing; Bill McCarty, McCarty & Sons Towing; Glenn Neal, Vacaville Tow/Truck Body Sales; Earl Peterson, Phil’s Automotive & Towing; Harold “Hal” Present, Crescenta Valley Towing; Harry Saehlenou, Anaheim Fullerton Towing; Pat Sweeny, Alviso Towing/Pat’s Lien Service.

Angie’s List recently launched its “Work with the Best” sweepstakes (angieslist.com/workwiththebest), rewarding current and newly registered service providers with opportunities to win one of four monthly drawings for DeWalt tool kits and a grand prize of a 2017 work truck.

The sweepstakes comes shortly after the launch of the company’s freemium tier, which allows consumers to access more than 10 million of the verified reviews for home service professionals for free. The company said contractors registered on Angie’s List are now exposed to more customers than ever.

Service providers with completed profiles on Angie’s List are better positioned for growth than those that do not participate. Registration is free-ofcharge and enables contractors to manage their reputation by monitoring and responding to reviews, customize their profile to better showcase

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offerings and expertise and access business tools designed to help them grow.

Winners of the monthly tools prizes, valued at $3,500 each, will be announced in the months of October, November, December, and January 2017. The grand prize winner of the 2017 work truck, valued at $45,000, will be announced in mid-January 2017.

There is no fee to enter.

Speedco Opens Spokane Store Speedco, a national provider of onhighway preventive maintenance and tire service to the commercial trucking industry, recently hosted a grand opening of a retail store location in Spokane, Wash.

This is the first Speedco location in Spokane and the business’ 52nd store in the U.S. Speedco (speedco.com) is owned and operated by Bridgestone.

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Bendix (bendix.com) supports the goals of Brake Safety Week through information and training that help improve highway safety.

“The road to safer vehicles may begin with new technologies and improved braking components, but it also requires supporting them through proper maintenance and ongoing, proactive training and technical knowledge,” said Fred Andersky, Bendix director of government and industry affairs. “The best-equipped vehicle out there is not running at its safest

without the right upkeep and knowhow both in the garage and on the road.”

Driver inspections should begin with focused knowledge and observation. Familiarity with the vehicle systems’ blinking light fault codes, and knowing how to address them, helps ensure safe operation. For example, antilock-braking system warning lights convey key information on problems with components such as wheel speed sensors. On vehicles equipped with traction control and stability control systems, issues are indicated via the traction control/stability control lamp.

Blinking light codes for both systems can be accessed using the dashboard diagnostic switch or a remote diagnostic unit, allowing drivers and technicians to pinpoint and address issues by using the fault code information in the system’s service data sheet.

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tests should be a regular part of any safe driver’s practices.

To check for leaks, Bendix recommends a 90 to 100 psi brake application, followed by a walk-around vehicle inspection that includes listening for audible leaks. (CVSA inspections included testing the vehicle’s low air pressure warning device, and measuring the air loss rate if a leak is detected.)

During visual inspections, check the air system carefully for loose hoses; and at the wheel ends, make sure that the air chambers, pushrods and slack adjusters are not damaged or hanging loose. For air disc brakes, check the guide pin boots and tappet boots —to make sure they are intact, without cracks or tears that could allow moisture inside.

Although it’s not necessary to get under the vehicle every trip, Bendix recommends that once or twice a week, drivers check air disc brake rotors for cracks, and inspect the lining wear on drum brakes without dust shields, since this can be done without removing the wheel.

“Year-round knowledge and equipment support is a key piece of Bendix’s approach to helping improve highway safety,” Andersky said. The Bendix On-Line Brake School is available at brake-school.com.

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Rear View Safety (rearviewsafety. com) recently added Jean-Paul Weaver as Director of Sales to lead new sales initiatives with OEMs, dealers and customers.

“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 Executive VP Joseph Schechter.

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New Cascadia Reflects Innovation Freightliner (freightliner.com) said its new Cascadia is the most advanced truck the company has ever designed, and will lower the cost of ownership for customers.

“The original Freightliner Cascadia set unprecedented standards for aerodynamic, lightweight and maintenancereducing features,” said Richard Howard, SVP of Sales and Marketing for Daimler Trucks North America. “With the new Cascadia, we have not just updated past successes.

Every aspect of the truck has been re-imagined. We are raising fuel efficiency, connectivity, safety, quality and uptime performance.”

Freightliner said it leveraged the global expertise of parent company Daimler AG, as well as conducted hundreds of hours of testing in Daimler Trucks North America’s proprietary wind tunnel and millions of miles of real-world onhighway testing, to evaluate and design the new Cascadia.

The new Cascadia is available with the integrated Detroit Powertrain (demanddetroit.com), which combines the downsped 400 hp/1,750-ft./lbs. of torque Detroit DD15 or DD13 engines with the Detroit DT12 automated manual transmission, Intelligent Powertrain Management

and corresponding Detroit steer and rear tandem axles.

The new Cascadia has a fresh, aerodynamic shape with dozens of sleek new updates, selected specifically to push fuel efficiency to the next level.

“Now more than ever, driver satisfaction, safety and comfort are essential to our customers’ success. Giving drivers a vehicle they are proud to operate—one with the latest safety features, productivity enhancements and creature comforts—was a priority,” said Howard.

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That changed at 5:39 a.m. when museum employees responded to the burglar alarm. What they found was worse than they could have imagined.

Several cars were missing … swallowed by a massive sinkhole.

Within an hour of the incident, Ben Baldock and his team of engineers found themselves staring down at a giant hole in the floor of the museum’s 140’-diameter Skydome display area.

The sinkhole measured around 60’ wide and 60’ deep. In total, it swallowed eight cars with a combined value exceeding $1 million.

Baldock is the civil construction project manager for Scott & Murphy, a regional contractor that does civil and concrete construction work for commercial, industrial and highway pro-

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Talbert manufactured a specialized trailer for Scott & Murphy as they completed the 16week job of securing the foundation and recovering classic automobiles at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Ky. Talbert Manufacturing image.

jects. A few days earlier, Baldock had received a new custom trailer from Talbert Manufacturing (talbertmfg. com) through Truckworx Kenworth, a Talbert dealer.

The trailer was a 55-ton tri-axle trailer with a 26’ long by 9’ wide deck and pin-on fourth axle. The 26-footlong deck allows the company to haul as much as three smaller pieces of equipment at a time.

Retrieving classic Corvettes from a

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massive sinkhole inside a museum would be daunting in the best circumstances, but to add even more stress, the company had to work under the watchful eyes of the national news media.

“There was more media coverage on this than anything we’ve ever done,” Baldock said. “It was very nerve-wracking and made the job more challenging.”

Baldock says the Talbert was instrumental in getting the right machines there when his team needed them.

“The Talbert trailer really helped us move all the equipment and coordinate the job,” Baldock said. “It allowed us to quickly mobilize cranes, excavators, long-reach excavators, backhoes and other materials we used to get the cars out.”

Not including time spent securing the foundation, the job took 16 weeks to complete.

GPS Insight Makes Inc. 5000 Inc. magazine ranked GPS Insight No. 3,668 with three-year sales growth of 85 percent on its 35th annual Inc. 5000, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies.

This is the seventh consecutive year that GPS Insight has been named to the list.

“GPS Insight is happy to be included on the Inc. 500/5000 list for our seventh year in a row. We appreciate Inc. for honoring growing privately held companies and detailing their

50 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

impressive accomplishments,” said Robert Donat, founder/CEO of GPS Insight.

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Daimler Gets $20M Toward SuperTruck II Daimler Trucks North America has been selected to receive a $20 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy for the SuperTruck II program. The new award is part of a multimillion dollar, multi-year program to increase the fuel economy of mediumand heavy-duty vehicles while decreasing carbon pollution.

The program will build on the success of the first SuperTruck initiative and accelerate the development of technologies to more than double the efficiency of trucks across the United States.

DTNA and its project partners exceeded program goals by designing a truck that demonstrated more than 115 percent improvement in overall freight efficiency over a 2009 baseline truck and achieved more than 50 percent engine-brake thermal efficiency.

SuperTruck II is supported by the DOE under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

DTNA began work on the SuperTruck program in 2010, together with Detroit and other partners, including national labs, universities and suppliers. For more information about the DTNA SuperTruck, go to freightlinersupertruck.com.

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Pro-Vision Makes Inc. 5000 For the sixth consecutive year, Inc. magazine ranked Pro-Vision Video Systems (provisionusa.com) on its annual ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies.

The Inc. listing has positioned the company as one of the top 40 manufacturers in the country.

Pro-Vision also secured the title of the fastest-growing mobile video system manufacturer in the country for the sixth year in a row. Out of nearly 30 million businesses in the U.S., only 233 have made the Inc. 5000 six times or more.

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Peterbilt Joins SuperTruck II Program Peterbilt (peterbilt.com) announced it will work with Cummins to develop technologies under the U.S. Department of Energy SuperTruck II program.

The technologies will double freight efficiency to achieve Greenhouse Gas Emissions requirements set forth for model years 2021, 2024 and 2027.

“Peterbilt is proud to support the DOE’s SuperTruck II program in cooperation with Cummins,” said Darrin Siver, Peterbilt GM/PACCAR VP. “We will work together to build on the success of our original SuperTruck program.”

Peterbilt will work to improve aerodynamics by 15 percent in all wind directions, which will provide customers up to 7.5-percent improvement in fuel economy. This enhancement will decrease aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance.

Peterbilt will work to improve fuel economy and efficiency through technologies including auxiliary systems such as air compressors, power steering pumps and cooling pumps. To reduce rolling resistance, Peterbilt will team with tire manufacturing partners to investigate alternative compounds and tire configurations for optimized surface contact.

Peterbilt is proud to support the DOE’s SuperTruck II program in cooperation with Cummins.

The SuperTruck II program is a five-year program between Peterbilt and Cummins. The team hopes to not

only meet, but exceed the goal of the doubling the baseline truck’s efficiency. *** Peterbilt also announced it is adding the Bendix Wingman Fusion system as an option on Models 579 and 567 highway tractors and vocational trucks. Wingman Fusion integrates and advances a road-tested suite of Bendix safety technologies— radar, camera, the vehicle’s brake system—into a comprehensive driver assistance system.

Wingman Fusion combines and cross-checks information from multiple sources to deliver enhanced rearend collision mitigation, alerts when speeding, and braking on stationary vehicles. Bendix Wingman Fusion also helps drivers avoid additional crash situations, including rollovers, loss-ofcontrol, and sideswipe crashes while prioritizing alerts to help reduce driver distraction.

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Towers Give Family a Car Tanya Lillie finally has a vehicle again thanks to the generosity of 3 Zero 3 Towing of Denver, Colo., and a local TV newscast.

The Denver towing company donated a free vehicle to the Lillie family after hearing about their plight in a “Problem Solvers” story on Denver’s KDVR-TV. It all started when the Lillies’ 1990 Honda Civic was stolen in April.

The family found the car a couple of days later, but the Westminster Police Department asked them to hold off retrieving it so investigators could do a surveillance and catch the thief.

Police later got into a shootout with the suspect, and killed him in the Lillie’s vehicle, which was destroyed with nearly 50 rounds fired into it.

The car was impounded all summer for the investigation. In late August, Westminster police called the Lillies and told them they could get the car—but they would have to pay hundreds of dollars in towing and storage fees.

The family couldn’t afford that, let alone a new vehicle, and called the television station.

The city agreed to waive the tow fees and give the family a $2,500 insurance check, but the Lillies still needed a car.

continue to page 54

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NEWSFLASH continued from page 53 In September, 3 Zero 3 Towing gave the family a free vehicle.

The Lillies said there are not words to express their gratitude. They plan to “pay it forward” by pushing to change policies so other victims do not have to pay to retrieve their own property.

Source: kdvr.com.

GSTA’s John Glass Honored John Glass, owner and operator of Morristown Auto Body, was awarded the second annual Dave Jones Leadership Award, named after the late towing and recovery pioneer Dave Jones of Florida.

The award was presented to Glass during the annual International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame reunion in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Glass has been president of the Garden State Towing Association for more than 15 years, and has helped to get important pieces of legislation governing the towing and recovery industry in New Jersey passed.

Glass also provided key input in developing the National Driver Certification Program, developing New Jersey incident management procedures and developing overweight/length legislation, now a model for the country.

“Issues came up locally and

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nationally, and somebody had to fix them,” Glass said, adding, ”I’ve worked with a lot of good people over the years who saw problems and tried to fix them.”

Source: digitaljournal.com.

Companies Oppose Limiting Policy Representatives from local towing companies in Round Rock, Texas, spoke out against an amended city ordinance that could limit the number of companies the city could use for towing services.

City council members recently unanimously approved eliminating the current rotation and instead contract with a single provider of wrecker and impound services. The selected entity must have an impound yard within 10 miles of City Hall, the document states.

Representatives from local towing companies said they were not made aware of any issues with services and the new format could take business away from Round Rock.

Patricia Diffee, owner of Bulldog Towing and Recovery, said police did not reach out to towing companies to let them know of any issues. “Please, I implore you to reconsider, work with us, we can fix our problems,” she said.

Trey Sizemore, with Eagle Towing and Recovery, said there is not a company in the city big enough to take the contract, and it would likely go to a company in Austin.

“I don’t know if y’all have taken into consideration how many jobs will be affected, how much revenue would be lost here, how many tax dollars would be going to Austin instead of Round Rock,” Sizemore said.

Diffee said local towing companies have a combined total of 30 trucks at their disposal, and when her company can’t get there, another local company can. She asked who would respond when roadways are iced over or shut down and Austin towers are unable to reach Round Rock.

Mayor Alan McGraw said council members and city staff are re-examining the changes after hearing community input.

Source: statesman.com.

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The Time & Place for Towmen to Be THURSDAY 11/17

FRIDAY 11/18

Passport required

Rotator Training Baltimore Conv. Center/Camden Yards 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Must advance-register

AT Welcome Cruise Spirit of Baltimore, Inner Harbor 6:30 p.m. Boarding

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Marriott Waterfront Hotel 6:30 p.m. Must advance-register

8 a.m. – 11 a.m., Baltimore Convention Center/3rd Floor

8 – 12 noon, BCC, room 342

Testing, TRAA Level 1&2

8 – 10 a.m. BCC Passport required li

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AT Academy Seminars

American Wrecker Pageant Opens

Luxury Vehicle Education, Exhibit Hall

Baltimore Convention Center/3rd floor 9 a.m. – 12 noon; 5 – 7 p.m.

11 a.m. Sponsored by American Towman Magazine

Maserati

Exhibit Hall

Towman Hunt (Skeet)

10 a.m. Exhibits and Pageant Conducted by Allstate Roadside Services

10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

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Luxury Vehicle Education, Exhibit Hall C Mercedes-Benz -

Conducted by Allstate Roadside Services

Paul’s Technical Corner

Miller Rocks Baltimore Convention Center 12 noon Luncheon, Sponsored by B/A Products, AW Direct, WreckMaster

ACE Awards

1 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

Co–Sponsored by GEICO, Nation Safe Drivers, Pinnacle Motor Club

2 p.m. Baltimore Convention Center

BMW

2:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Luxury Vehicle Education

General Motors

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4 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Exhibit Hall Closes

3 p.m. – 4 p.m. Paul’s Technical Corner

Towman Monument

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Co-Sponsored by Savatech & AutoReturn Luckie’s Tavern, PowerPlant 9 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Towman Chopper on display in the Pageant Hall

Calitri’s Cuba

November 18-20

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Centennial Celebration/Festival Night r

Sunday Pie

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Order of Towman

Bull & Pig Roast/Miller Rocks

Sunday Pie

Wrecker Pageant Winners’Ceremony

6 p.m.

Conducted by Allstate Roadside Services

12 noon – 1:15 p.m.

11:10 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.

Jaguar/Land Rover

Recovery Luncheon

Hard Rock Cafe-Sponsored by Miller Industries 7:30 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Exhibit Hall Opens

Baltimore Convention Center

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58 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

AT Academy Seminars

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Exhibit Hall Grand Opening 11 a.m.

Calitri’s Cuba Captains of Industry

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Among some 50 manfuacturers on the exhibit floor, fourteen are wrecker and carrier manufacturers with trucks for sale in their corporate exhibits. On top of this are several more exhibitors of tow equipment distributors. There are also manufacturers of truck chassis and

AT Expo’s exhibit hall is the place to do business with 20 call providers and motor clubs looking to maintain reliable networks of service providers.

Each year over $100 milion of call business is cultivated on the show floor between tow business owners and call-provider reps. Reason alone to be in Baltimore on November 18-20.

service trucks, transport trailers and wheel lift add-ons.There are component manufacturers of engines, transmissions and PTOs. Repair shop owners among the attendees will find car and truck lifts, diagnostic equipment, and tire service product. From dispatch systems to GPS products and services to insurance and finance companies, rearview camera systems to all kinds of towing accessories, there are 240 exhibitors in all!

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Sell salvage vehicles on CarPartSalvage.com.

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Automotive Training Institute

The most recognizable name in towing and recovery. Solutions from car carriers to 75-ton rotators and everything in between.

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Coaching and consulting auto repair management training.

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20 Motor Clubs & Call Providers Exhibiting

all-Grip Vehicle Recovery System

AAA Agero Allstate Roadside Services AutoReturn Better World Club Copart Auto Auctions FleetNet America GEICO Honk Technologies Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA) National Automobile Club (NAC) Nation Safe Drivers (NSD) Penske Truck Leasing Pinnacle Motor Club Quest Towing Services Road America TTN Fleet Solutions United States Auto Club Motoring Division (USAC/MD) United Road Towing Urgent.ly

Dedicated to providing the towing operator with the finest products and tools to get the job done safely.

American Safety & Supply

Whether you are looking to significantly increase your motor club call volume, pick up secondary calls or build relationships with club reps, the American Towman Exposition offers a once-a-year opportunity to meet with all the clubs and call providers under

High-visibility clothing and Safety Equipment.

Get a FREE pair of Safety Sunglasses with each jacket bought at the AT Expo.

American Towman Magazine The leading publication in the towing and recovery industry for 40 years!

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Coco Absorb

Manufacturers of quality towing & recovery equipment for over 45 years. Wreckers from 8 to 80 tons.

Bad Dog Tools For 29 years we’ve been making specialty and multi-purpose tools for cutting and drilling. We guarantee ‘em for life!

Badger Glove & Safety

Anchor Graphics Parking permits, decals, signs – custom printer for the towing industry for over 25 years!

ApartmentPermits.com Completely customizable parking permits printed on-site with software for towing, managers, residents and visitors.

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Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Leading provider of business management solutions. Expertise in worker's compensation, risk and safety programs and human resources.

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Chevron and Vulcan car carriers, wreckers and transporters.

Spill absorbant.

COMEUP Industries ComeUp Winch, the choice of OEM’s and Tow Professionals, offering pulling capacities of 8,000-50,000 pounds.

Commercial Fleet Financing Financing tow trucks since 1995 with amazing rates and terms.

Copart Auto Auctions Remarkets salvage/clean title vehicles through internet sales utilizing VB3 technology around the world.

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

Beacon Funding

Crouch’s Wrecker & Equipment Sales

Superior service, fast approvals, and industry expertise, with flexible equipment financing for the tow truck industry.

Sales and support of full line Miller Industries tow trucks and tow accessories since 1989.

Beacon Software

Providing wide variety of LED lighting and wireless products with excellent service. Brighter is Better.™

Desktop and mobile applications, comprehensive dispatch solution with motor club integration, automated billing, lot management, accounts receivable, and lien processing.

Best Tools

November 18-20 60 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

B & B Industries

BBSI

American Express Open offers products and services that help you turn opportunity and growth.

Offering a wide variety of car carriers and small wreckers that are built tough to keep up with the demands of professional towers.

Chevron Commercial

Amdor

American Express Open

Distributors of automotive service and collision repair equipment.

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

Facilitates safety products of Hi-Vis workwear, gloves, glasses, and all aspects of safety products of the tow industry.

Manufacturer of AMDOR® Roll-Up Doors, Luma Bar® LED Lighting, & ArtLIFT™ Lifting Devices.

one roof. Look over the names of clubs and call providers exhibiting on the floor and map out your strategy. They are always looking to meet quality service providers and always looking to fill gaps or shore up certain geographical areas where they dispatch service.

B/A Products

Committed to you. Committed to the future. A technology driven customer experience.

Allstate Roadside Services

Clubs & Call Providers Pervade Hall

The leading manufacturer of power takeoffs & power transformation products.

Chesapeake Automotive Equipment – Pro-Spot Welding System

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

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Chelsea Products Division of Parker

Not happy with tow distribution in your municipality? AutoReturn can restore a fair and transparent distribution and maintain your current rate or higher on long-term contract.

The undisputed leader in specialty tools for towing and repo professionals worldwide.

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Towing, Transport, Road Service, Repair: 240 Exhibitors & 900 Exhibit Booths

Exhibitor Roster

as of 9/18/16

Manufactures quality lockout tools, sells wireless tow lights & towing equipment.

Better World Club

Custer Products

Custom Radio Mobile digital recording systems • wireless observation systems.

Dangelo’s Custom Built Mfg. American manufacturer of heavy wreckers from 15-tons to 80-ton rotators.

Auto and Bicycle Roadside Assistance.

Detroit Wrecker Sales

C3 Location Systems

Home of the Low Loader Car Carrier, Lil' Hercules Wheel Lift and Gladiator Wheel Lift.

GPS fleet tracking and maintenance management including PTO notifications in real-time and much more.

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Exhibitor Roster

AT Expo Exhibit Highlights Exhibit highlights of American Towman display advertisers

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Flitz International

Preferred provider of clutch pump kits to the tow industry.

Safety & environmental training & compliance management software.

Flitz polishes, waxes, buffers, cleansers, protectants, kits and microfibers.

DK2 Warrior Winches

Enovative Technologies

Force America

Industrial hydraulic winch manufacturer building products that exceed the highest North American recovery standards.

Massage therapy units.

The Leading Innovator in Mobile Hydraulic Solutions and your National source for Chelsea PTO’s.

Crash film 3 & 4 mil, high quality puncture resistant, true thicknesses, with extended UV protection.

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4 State Trucks

Bawer Toolboxes Your leading distributor for quality aftermarket heavy-duty truck parts, newly expanded line of Bawer toolboxes, chrome and accessories.

All top quality towing industry products. Service you can count on. Made in the USA.

AAA

Access Tools

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

The One Hand Jack Set, the world's top selling lockout kit, includes the essentials needed to open most vehicles quickly and effectively.

See Our Ad on Page 101

See Our Ad on Page 111

See Our Ad on Page 51

Driveline Buddy Patent pending tool to secure the driveline in a big rig without completely removing it.

Dual-Tech Manufacturer of quality dependable towing equipment. Carriers, wreckers, parts and service available.

Dynamic Tow Equip. & Mfg.

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Advantage Funding Advantage Funding knows your industry and the forces that drive it. We're passionate about getting you the funds you need. Whatever your challenge, get the advantage of our creative loan structuring.

Agero RoadsideConnect™ FREE GPS-enabled digital dispatching software. Visit the Agero booth for a free demo.

See Our Ad on Page 35

Akins Body & Carrier Sales Visit our booth #547 to see our 2016 Ford F550 Regular Cab with a 19.5’ Chevron bed.

Show Special $60,900.

See Our Ad on Page 45

Custom designed imprinted and embroidered sportswear.

Whether your business is larger or small, it’s your business to control your costs.

Manufacturers of vehicles that the top commercial, govt, and rental companies purchase.

The country’s second largest automobile insurance company which provides its own outstanding Emergency Road Service.

FCar Tech USA

GM Fleet/Commercial

Manufacturers of truck and engine powered equipment diagnostic scan tools able to access all electronic control modules.

Fleetmatics

ECCO A worldwide market leader in safety lighting, scene lighting and audible warning equipment for commercial vehicles.

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American Safety & Supply

Atlanta Wrecker Sales Visit our booth for giveaways and let us thank you for keeping us Jerr-Dan's #1 Dealer all these years!

See Our Ad on Page 48

Our 75-1313 Black-Bottom Waterproof Bomber...normally $39 Show Special $35 plus a free pair of Safety Sunglasses with every jacket bought.

Home of the $3.99 custom printed t-shirts. We also embroider caps, beanies and jackets.

GPS Insight

Fleetmatics Group PLC is a leading global provider of mobile workforce solutions for service-based businesses.

The leading provider of tailored GPS fleet tracking solutions for towing businesses.

GPS PRO

FleetNet America FleetNet America® excels in vehicle maintenance and repair solutions for commercial and private fleets.

No hassles! No hidden fees! No contract! No equipment cost! Only $19.95! Satisfaction Guaranteed!

Fleetsharp

Hale Trailer Brake & Wheel Full service trailer dealership, offering sales, parts, rentals, financing and service.

A GPS tracking solution that increases productivity, reduces fuel, labor costs and improves fleet safety.

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Easy online Registration @ ATExposition.com

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November 18-20

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Got Shirts.org

A premier provider of tow truck warning lights and back-up safety products.

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Allstate Roadside Services

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We offer a broad portfolio of commercial trucks. We're always thinking ahead to move your business forward.

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FCA / Ram Trucks

Miller Industries, Century

62 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

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A non-profit organization raising money for U.S. Veteran and law enforcement families in need.

In car video recording solutions, cameras, body cameras.

Manufacturer’s Spotlight:

See Our Ad on Page 27

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Free State Nam Knights

Eye3Data / MAI Media Group

East Coast Truck & Trailer Sales

Full line Miller Industries dealer, as well as various service and dump body applications. Two locations!

Built Ford Tough, synonymous with the rugged capability, outstanding performance and dependability of Ford trucks.

See Our Ad on Page 26

Digital Dispatch Provider using digital dispatch say they save an average of 3-5 minutes per dispatch!

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Ford Commercial Vehicles

ExxonMobile Fleet Card Program

Federal Signal

East Penn Truck Equipment

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Excel Sportswear

Designs, manufactures, and distributes selfloading wreckers, carriers, and slide-in units domestically and internationally.

Full line Jerr-Dan & Cottrell Dealer. Supplies for the Towing & Car Hauler Industries.

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The Exposition’s Jewel

he American Wrecker Pageant is the world’s largest and most amazing truck pageant. Held inside the Baltimore Convention Center in halls adjacent to the exhibits, the Pageant is full of color, attitude and music. Eying all the artistic paint jobs, the chromed wheels and accoutrements, the trucks from cab-hood to wrecker booms, sparkle like jewels.

The Pageant is full of graphic character, whether the truck was painted with eye-catching patterns by Cecil Burrowes, as was last year’s best of show winner (Non-Stop’s Century 312), or with a fanciful theme like circus tents and comic superheroes, often portrayed.

One of last year’s show stoppers was a Reading Utility Body from K&S Towing of Havertown, Penn. The graphics included representations of the other trucks of K&S’s fleet.

While big rotators and the graphics of the wreckers generally have been the eye-pleasers, the carrier-class entries have shined in recent years with the cars showcased on the beds, everything from funny cars to racing cars, vintage autos to vintage trucks.

For veteran AT Expo attendees, the Pageant has offered a change of atmosphere from the bustling exhibit area which demands one’s exalted concentration. The Pageant hall seems more laid back, one often hears the music

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from the live band playing in the food court, the wrecker owners proudly standing by happy to talk to the attendees. This year’s Pageant Ballot will showcase the Best of Show choice for the voters, while official judges will be voting on all the classes. At stake is the prestige of winning the legendary Silver-Plated Trophies.

The American Wrecker Pageant culminates with the Winners Ceremony. Grab a slice of Sunday Pie and enjoy the moment!

Hino Trucks

Intek Truck/Equipment Leasing

Magic Masseuse

Medium-duty conventional and cab forward trucks.

Financing source since 1986. Customized, flexible lease & finance options for all trucks & equip.

Exclusive finance programs up to 10 yrs.

Massage Equipment.

Holmes Celebrating 100 years as the original name in the towing and recovery industry. Holmes continues to provide innovative and reliable equipment.

Int’l Towing Recovery Hall of Fame & Museum

Honk Technologies

Jerr-Dan Corporation

The leading motor club alternative that connects towing/roadside providers to customers 24/7, nationwide.

Hooks Towing Supply Providing you with Quality Towing supplies Since 1999!

Hunter Engineering Company Manufacturer of wheel service products/ wheel alignment, tire changers, wheel balancers, brake lathes and inspection lane equipment.

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ITI Skates products, control arm, container. All purpose, machinery, etc.

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A “do-it-for-you” marketing platform combining social media, web, mobile and email marketing.

Manufacturer Express Distributor of hooks, chains and tow accessories.

Marlow Ropes

Leading industry innovator offering an extensive range of standard, medium and heavyduty wreckers, carriers and rotators.

Wire rope replacement with synthetic fiber ropes offers significant strength, handling and safety benefits.

Martens Johnson Insurance

Landoll Corporation Manufacturer of specialized equipment transport trailers, traveling axle and detachables.

Galvanizing and new HOSS hydraulic systems.

Leedall Metal Co. Manufacturer of cargo control; ratchet tie down, towing strap one way lashing, and webbing sling.

LED Lights

IGTC

Vehicle lights, unique warning lights, electronic road flares, thrifty flares, flashlights, work lights, Beast Bar Light Bars.

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

Lift And Tow

Insurance Auto Auctions

Inexpensive alternative Tow Truck for your Pick up truck.

Auctions nationwide. Buyers worldwide. With IAA, tow operators get more for impounded vehicles.

Lodar USA

Integrated Vehicle & Equipment Leasing

Lynch Chicago

As a nationwide direct lender since 1999 Integrated has been providing leasing and finance for the tow truck industry.

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Preserving the history of the towing industry for over 21 years!

Main Street Hub

Your local insurance agency specializing in towing and transportation insurance since 1984.

Maryland Carrier & Wrecker Sales Towing and recovery full service dealership and Jerr-Dan distributor: sales, parts, service, body mounting.

Massage Corner (Time Out Seated Massage Corner) Seated massage and fast massage; one dollar a minute, 10 minute minimum.

Matheny Motors

Manufacturer of wireless remote controls suitable for many applications across many industries.

Miller Industries and Talbert Trailer dealer.

Large new and used inventories and full parts / service departments.

Miller Industries Presidents Club Winner: #1 Heavy duty sales! & #1 parts sales! Huge inventory - best selection - New/Pre-owned equipment & trailers.

Matjack Jumbo Safelift Jumbo air cushions, landing bags, Matjacks, underwater cushions, chain kits, lights, plastic cribbing.

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November 18-20 64 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

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MercurySend.com

Muncie Power Products

Ningbo Beyong Development Co.

Provides customer text message communications for dispatch, saves time on phone calls, reduces complaints.

We are a leading manufacturer of power take-offs and hydraulic components for mobile applications.

Runva & BeYoung produces hydraulic winches for tow industries since 1989, service and stocks in USA.

Metro Tow Trucks

Mr. Key Tag

Ningbo Jingyi Machinery Manufacturing Co.

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

Midwest Keyless dp i {

A nationwide supplier of new and high-quality refurbushed and replacement automotive remotes.

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Mile Marker Industries

AW Direct®

Beacon Funding

Stop by our booth and check out the NEW LiftAll® RuStop Ratchets. Enter drawings for great products & freebies all weekend!

See Our Ad on Page 54

Equipment Financing With Superior service, fast approvals, and industry expertise, Beacon Funding provides flexible equipment financing for the tow truck industry.

See Our Ad on Page 25

Chelsea Div. of Parker

272F Series Power Take-Off This is Creating More Power, patent pending noise suppression system, compact housing, torque ratings up to 300 lbs-ft.

See Our Ad on Page 47

ComeUp USA

CRASHFILM

Your one stop shop for Chevron and Vulcan Car Carriers, wreckers & parts. We are the eye candy of the Industry!

The ComeUp Bison series hydraulic winches feature our Multi-Disc Brake and built-in air clutch. Available in 20,000 – 50,000 pound capacities.

A blue self-adhesive film. It's easily applied by one person and protects the vehicle's interior from the elements.

See Our Ad on Page 117

See Our Ad on Page 52

Nanjing Pangu Rigging Co.

Nation Safe Drivers (NSD) A forward thinking motor club working to make a positive change to benefit our partners and clients.

National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium

Minimizer

The NAFTC offers more than 35 courses/workshops on alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles.

A straight forward answer to; satisfied customers, improved revenue and it’s easy!

Chevron Commercial

Dedicated to be a solution for towing industry with our products and service.

Cutting tools, grinding tools, drill bits, fabrication tools.

Mobile Battery Solutions

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Nanjing Miao Run Sen

SLINGMAN brings Sling, Lashing & Towing products to the world.

Manufacturer of poly semi truck fenders, custom-molded floormats, work benches, tool boxes and products for the Heavy-Duty Aftermarket.

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Ningbo Snowaves Mechanical Equipment Co.

Miller Industries The World Leader in towing and recovery equipment. Manufacturers of the industry leading brands Century, Vulcan, Chevron, and Holmes.

Mobile Computing Solutions Providing mobile video and data systems for safe and efficient fleet management.

A leading manufacturing of Trailer Coupler, Hitch Ball, Jack, Ball Mount, Hand Winch, Safety Lock, Safety Chain.

Insurance program including workers compensation.

Tie down products and cargo control products such as rachet assembly.

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Myers, Benner Corp.

30 year industry leader providing recovery equipment and winches for military, towing and commercial applications.

Millner-Haufen Tool Co.

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Introducing: new full color digitally printed metal “Towing” key tags. Exceptional detail at a great price!

National Automobile Club For 90+ years NAC has been committed to our customers, service providers and to being the best.

National Purchasing Partners Enjoy discounts with companies like Verizon Wireless, Expedia, Air Gas, Sherwin Williams, Impac Fleet and more!

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NRC Industries Manufacturer of towing and recovery equipment renowned throughout the world for their strength and reliability.

Olson And Company Axle Caps axle covers for towing buses and trucks.

Omadi A mobile workforce management software that can be configured to match your towing operation's current best practices.

OMG National OMG National has just launched our all-new OMG Partner Marketing Program, personalized for your operation.

OnlineParkingPass.com Brings a much needed service improvement to create a trouble-free Parking Management Environment.

See Our Ad on Page 51 Manufacturer’s Spotlight:

Detroit Wrecker Sales (carrier)

Crouch's Wrecker & Equipment Sales Stop by our booth to check out the Century 1150R (Rolling 50-Ton Rotator) that provides you with a Sleeper without Sacrificing Tool Box space. Best of All Worlds!

Detroit Wrecker Sales

DewEze

The Low Loader is the lowest load angle rollback carrier on the market. It's innovative design using a forklift platform transforms the load capacity and angle capability of the bed.

Ease of installation continues with the DewEze Kit for the 2017 Dodge 6.7L Cummins delivering the flow and pressure required to do the job.

See Our Ad on Page N 134

See Our Ad on Page 98

See Our Ad on Page 109

66 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

November 18-20

Easy online Registration @ ATExposition.com

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

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AT Expo Exhibit Highlights Exhibit highlights of American Towman display advertisers

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Pinnacle Motor Club

Qingdao X&H Webbing Co.

Designs and manufactures OEM-specified radio remote controls and integrated machine control systems.

Offers light, medium and heavy duty motor club services to roadside professionals.

Specializes in manufacturing and exporting a range of tow straps & winch straps.

Pneu-Tek Tire Tools

QuakeLED

Optimo Electronics

We sell a complete line of portable tire changing tools.

LED lighting and accessories for trucks and other off road vehicles.

Pop - A – Lock

Quest Towing Service

Offering franchises for road service and residential locksmiths.

Dispatching towing and roadside events nationwide for over 50 clients.

PowerBilt Wreckers

Ram Mounts

Comparable to anything else on the market.

Manufacturer and customization of heavy duty wreckers and rotators.

JP SERIES Tough and compact, the JP Series are heavy duty hydraulic winches designed and tested for the toughest applications.

Leading manufacturer in rugged, durable mounting systems and docking systems for mobile electronics.

Powerhouse Industries

Ramsey Winch

12/24 Volt heavy-duty jump start equipment, DC-Matic 1000 Footpound hammer torque wrench.

See Our Ad on Page N 124

Leading manufacturer of Hydraulic/Electric, Worm & Planetary Winches & Hoists. Using advanced processes & premium materials.

PRO-VISION Video Systems

Ranger SST

Rugged, reliable, rear vision and commercial video recording systems with a 5-year warranty.

Fully integrated, tow management solution – GPS, lot management, transport scheduling and a link to QuickBooks.

Penny Pockets Custom embroidered jackets & shirts.

Driveline Buddy Driveline Buddy designed to safely secure driveline while in tow for medium and heavy duty trucks.

See Our Ad on Page N 136

Dual-Tech Wreckers & Carriers Manufactures a full line of quality, low profile towing and recovery equipment.

See Our Ad on Page 107

Penske Truck Leasing A global leader in truck rental/leasing, fleet management, logistics, transportation, and distribution services.

People's United Equipment Finance Corp.

Offering a wide range of retail financing and leasing programs of heavy / light duty wreckers and carriers and equipment - new or used.

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Performance Advantage Company

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Dynamic Towing Equipment & Mfg II

Dynamic Radius Rotating Rollback Dynamic’s NEW Radius rotates 240 degrees, has minimal moving parts, designed for recovery with little road blockage, 4 year warranty.

East Penn Truck Equipment

GEICO

Full Line Miller Industries towing equipment dealer. Stop by our booth to see our custom built trucks!

GEICO’s Emergency Road Service Come see how you can join the elite in providing exceptional customer service to GEICO’s 14.5 million customers and 22 million automobiles.

See Our Ad on Page 105

PAC has been producing top performing tool and equipment mounting systems for nearly 25 years.

ProLift

Phoenix USA

ProLine Tool & Supply

Wheel simulators & accessories, light bars, lighting products, emergency lighting, storage products. Alcoa wheels & Accessories.

Photo Card Specialists Manufacturing photo business products for 30 years. Business cards, post cards, calendars, greeting cards & more.

Catch bags, wrecker lifting bags, underwater lifting bags, custom inflatables, made in the U.S. Motor City Lift King and all of the accessories and dollies.

Prospect Genius Online marketing solutions that actually work, from people who actually care.

Purpose Wrecker Sales Distributor for Miller Industries wreckers and rollbacks; new and used towing equipment.

See Our Ad on Inside Back Cover

See Our Ad on Page 32

Metro Tow Trucks

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RC Industries Tool boxes, storage boxes, bumpers and metal fabrication.

RealWheels Corp.

American made wheel simulators, axle covers, grilles, billet and LED AirGuard Tire Pressure Monitors.

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Recovery Billing Unlimited Advanced business management classes.

Renew Truck Body Polymer replacement body for tow / wreckers.

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GPS Insight The leading provider of tailored GPS tracking solutions for towing businesses. Increase revenue, reduce costs, and reduce risk.

See Our Ad on Page 33

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Manufacturer’s Spotlight: B&B Industries 68 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

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November 18-20 Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

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Optimo Electronics delivers a comprehensive suite of video-based driver safety technology for the towing industry.

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No hassles! No hidden fees! No contract! No equipment cost! Only $19.95! Satisfaction Guaranteed!

Presents the first Faymonville MegaMax with steerable axles built for the US market. This 50 Ton trailer extends to 42’ and has a deck height of 14”.

The invention of this simple product to locate immobilized vehicles, minimizing damage and resistance, now 19 products!

See Our Ad on Page 98

Independent Garage and Towing Contractors Services , Inc.

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

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Steril-Koni, USA

Heavy duty mobile lifts for vehicle repairs and shop accessories. Proudly manufactured in US.

Heavy duty vehicle lifts. Bus lifts to truck lifts, we do it all.

Sky Patrol

SuperSprings International

Road America Since 1978, a leading motor club with strong focus on light duty & heavy duty services.

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

Leaf and coil suspension solutions for work & recreation trucks, vans, minivans, buses' & rv's.

RoadMate DVR

Sosmetal Products

4-CH Mobile DVR provides 24X7 video recording to avoid liability claims & document tows.

Automotive/Industrial distributor of highest quality fasteners, chemicals, abrasives, cutting tools and shop supplies.

Superwinch is the largest, privately held winch manufacturer.

Integrated Vehicle & Equip. Leasing

Intek Truck/Equipment Leasing

As a nationwide direct lender since 1999 Integrated has been providing leasing and finance for the tow truck industry.

Offers customized and flexible lease & financing options for all new and used towing equipment. Exclusive finance programs for up to 10 years available in the heavy-duty market.

See Our Ad on Page 103

Rotary Lift

SpeedTech Lights

Rotary Lift offers a full line of vehicle lifts and accessories for virtually any application.

Emergency & warning LED Vehicle Lighting

Spill Tackle

RP Recovery Consulting

Absorbent products proven to save time on the road and money for your towing company.

Safety Vision

SpillVak All-Natural fluid absorbent, can be used up to 5 times and exceeds EPA leachate standards.

Mobile video surveillance solutions.

Stamp Works / Sup. Magnets

Santander Bank N.A.

We make promotional magnets customized to look just like your truck. In business 27 years!

Savatech Worldwide leader in lift bag and air cushion technology & solutions. Full duplex headsets by SavaCOMM. The new Sava Spreader bar provides “safety through innovation” and technology.

See Our Ad on Page 108 Manufacturer’s Spotlight:

Superwinch

SwoopMe Towing management software.

T-Max Hangzhou Technology Co.

NRC wrecker sales & towing accessories.

Robert Young NRC Sales

Offers financial solutions to help you expand/upgrade your fleet. Finance with a leader.

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Specialty Vehicle & Equipment Funding Group Specialty Vehicle finances tow trucks and specialty equipment. Easy application process.

Quick turnaround financing.

Distributor of Sonetics Wireless Hands Free Headsets. A better way to communicate on recovery scene.

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SLEC

Premier experts in emergency lighting, equipment, clothing, and towing accessories.

Family owned.

R•O•M roll-up doors, cargo trays and slides, scene lighting, fuel tank steps, compartment lights, and grating.

GPS Pro

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Ricky's Sales & Service

R•O•M Corp.

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The Chinese manfacturer of electric & hydraulic winch, special and reliable.

Talbert Manufacturing Manufactures high quality heavy haul trailers and specialized transportation equipment including lowbed and travel axles.

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T.R.A.A. (Towing & Recovery Association of America) The industry’s only national membership association, offering leadership, representation and the gold standard in certification.

TCF Equipment Finance Widely recognized as one of the premier equipment finance companies in the US.

TTN Fleet Solutions

Star Headlight A wide range of lighting products including strobes, warning lights, Star Headlights.

Steck Manufacturing BigEasy Lockout Tool Kits allow tow drivers to unlock vehicles in seconds without damage. IBolt and 4th Wheel Loader.

Industry partner assisting tow and repair partners with increased local opportunities through national sales program.

TOMAR Electronics Leading manufacturer of LED warning lights.

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Landoll Corp.

Lift And Tow Versatile & quality tow system with new upgraded features.

See Our Ad on Back Cover

855 HD Detachable & 440A Traveling Axle Landoll The new NGL series Landolls are equipped with the Rexroth hydraulic valve providing greatly improved operational speed and a high-visibility lighting package.

Roll up ready!

Jerr-Dan 35-Ton Wrecker, durable, non-corrosive body backed with a limited Lifetime Warranty, ensuring no vehicle is left behind.

70 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

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See Our Ad on Page 55

November 18-20

Easy online Registration @ ATExposition.com

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Manufacturer Express

Small compact radio remote unit ideally used for single function applications such as winch control. Introducting Lodar 3 AMP Mini System.

Full line of Miller Industries towing equipment.

The finest towing equipment available. The right equipment at the right price.

In keeping on the cutting edge of the towing industry, we have continued our Stainless Steel line with a 2''x5' Underlift Axle Strap.

Maintenance Free!

See Our Ad on Page 93

See Our Ad on Page 31

See Our Ad on Page 43

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22” MD Flag Wrapped Wireless TowMate Light bar Offering great deals on towing equipment and parts including some of the lowest prices on TowMate wireless rechargeable tow lights.

Matheny Motors

Matjack Jumbo Safelift

One of the largest selections of quality equipment from Miller Industries with the Matheny Motors custom touch. #1 heavy duty sales!

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

See Our Ad on Page 19

See Our Ad on Page 95

See Our Ad on Page N 133

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Miller Industries

OMG National

See Our Ad on Page 44

See why the Century 12-Series LCG™ is the most popular carrier in the industry. Low center of gravity with Right Approach option is a winning combination for the #88 Xfinity Series racecar!

OMG Crush – Paid Search. Done Smart.

OMG Crush offers tow pro's premium level payper-click ads across Google, Bing, and extended networks. Top placement. Flat fee model.

EZ Cash Remotes We buy used remotes and smart keys. Bring your Remotes to AT Expo in Baltimore.

Midwest Keyless Booth #958. We pay cash.

74 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

See Our Ad on Page 2, 3, 56

See Our Ad on Pg N 132, S W 124, M 123

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merican Towman's legendary hospitality has helped to make AT Expo the greatest show of all time. Academy participants are treated with breakfasts Friday through Sunday.

Attendees are invited to Friday night's Bull & Pig Roast at the Hard Rock Cafe for Miller Rocks! Sponsored by Miller Industries with American Towman, towers can catch the action inside the Hard Rock with live music and food or inside the tent by the water where the Miller magician marvels the crowd.

Then up the street to Luckies Tavern at the Power Plant for Calitri's Cuba.

Enjoy hospitality from Savatech featuring premium cigars and American Towman's own Signature cigar. The VIP package picks up your favorite drink to

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enjoy the smoke with, thanks to AutoReturn.

The hospitality doesn't stop there.

The Centennial Celebration at Festival Night gives a commemorative 100 Years of Towing hat to ticket purchasers and entertainment compliments of American Towman, including a wild Houdini escape act and the Mike Corbin band singing "100 Years", composed for the occasion, and other towman ballads like Booms in the Sky and The Road Calls.

Sunday brings the sweetest moment of the show with Sunday Pie. Enjoy an assortment of pies and coffee on the show floor. And let's not forget the live music on the floor at the food court, all part of the legendary hospitality that helps makes AT Expo the greatest show of all time.

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Performance Advantage Co.

Phoenix USA

PAC has been producing top performing tool and equipment mounting systems for nearly 25 years.

Galvanized Powder Coated Steel Toolbox Available in 36 L x 18 D x 18 H and 48 L x 18 D x 18 H corrosion resistant tested beyond 1,000 hours of exposure to calcium chloride.

See Our Ad on Page N 125

See Our Ad on Page 38

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Ramsey Winch

Infared, radiant heaters no-smoke, no-smell, no-noise, own the sun! Outside, inside 99% efficiently burns diesel offroad kerosene.

Ramsey changed the towing & recovery industry forever with the introduction of the hydraulic winch and remains the most recognized brand.

See Our Ad on Page 97

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Powerhouse Industries See Our Ad on Page 18

PB50SR/ 50-Ton Powerbilt Integrated Built for performance and longevity. Keep you tackling the toughest recoveries with a safe and a quick clearance.

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Custom Polymer Body With a Renew Truck Body you get what you want: extreme durability with more space, more compartments and specialized storage.

See Our Ad on Page N 129

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Ricky's Sales and Service

Apparel; Silkscreen & Embroidery Specializing in high viz apparel we do unique to order designs – embroidery or silkscreen, use your own truck picture.

See Our Ad on Page N 126

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

Road America

Santander Bank N.A.

Since 1978, Road America has been a leading Motor Club with strong focus on light duty & heavy duty services. Weekly pay through direct deposit.

Santander offers a simple application process, quick credit decisions, flexible programs and customized payment schedules. Finance with a leader.

See Our Ad on Page 107

See Our Ad on Page 75

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Sava Spreader Bar

Savatech is a worldwide leader in lift bag and air cushion technology & solutions. Let us help you find yours.During an emergency effective communication is vital. Full duplex headsets

by Savacomm ensure your team safely communicates.

The new technology spreader bar fron Savatech provides "safety through innovation" and technology see you Savatech rigging distributor.

See Our Ad on Page 83

Specialty Vehicle and Equipment Funding Group Specialty Vehicle finances tow trucks and specialty equipment. Easy application process.

Quick turnaround financing.

See Our Ad on Page 5

See Our Ad on Page 39, 116

Exhibitor Roster TomTom Telematics

TowTrax

Truck Crane Solutions

Business Unit of TomTom dedicated to fleet management, vehicle telematics and connected car services.

The next generation roadside assistance platform. Increase tows, profitability and customer satisfaction.

A Baltimore world class Fassi/Erkin dealer: sales, service, specialized upfitting, engineering and fabrication.

The Tow Academy

TOPS® by towXchange

TruckClaws

The leading provider of online tow company marketing. Get found where customers are looking.

Full service towing and impound management system. Mobile tools, Motor Club, GPS, lien, auction.

A multiple award-winning traction device to get drivers unstuck and moving again.

Tow Life

Tracker Management

Wearing apparels for drivers and family members who proudly display their profession and passion.

Towing & dispatch software driver apps on Android & iOS. Cloud and Enterprise 24/7 Support. Exceptional customer service.

Winches and components to lift, pull, rotate & monitor loads.

Towbook Management Software

Trail-Eze Trailers / Dakota Mfg.

Cloud-based towing software for motor club calls, digital dispatching, mobile apps, impounds and private properties.

For over 50 years we have built custom trailers to work hard like you do!

Towing Payment Solutions

America’s largest qualified vendor network to provide services to medium & heavy duty trucks, trailers & specialized equipment.

Personalized Xpress-Pay portal, earn residual income on credit card payments, keep your current processor!

Towing.com Out to help towing companies win. Win more business and win with marketing tools to simplify your business.

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Superwinch

Easy to store in your trucks, this lightweight spill kit is the effective solution for spills in your recovery operations.

Allow drivers to load and secure vehicles up to 5 tons with broken ball joints and locked wheels on roll back wreckers.

Superwinch pushes the industry forward with a complete redesign of industrial winches with a capacity range of 8,000 – 18,000 lbs.

See Our Ad on Page 43

See Our Ad on Page 26

See Our Ad on Page N 134

United Plastic Fabricating Learn more about how you can make your old rusted wrecker body look brand new!

United Propane Autogas Group/ ICOM North America

Transit Pros

Propane use in vehicles, viable, safe, clean, affordable alternative fuel for the future.

United Road Towing

Providing insurance for over 30 years to the towing and recovery and auto transporter industry.

Urgent.ly Urgent.ly is the premier on-demand roadside assistance app. Earn more, get paid faster.

Traxxis GPS Solutions

The leading membership organization in the industry driving business through valuable resources and savings.

TomTom Telematics, Networkfleet GPS, VehiclePath GPS, Omnitracs Telematics Solutions – All wireless GPS tracking, navigation and/or dispatch.

TowProgram.com

Trinity Transport Service

Vulcan

Full-service Internet marketing firm providing powerful online advertising programs for towing & recovery companies.

Managing General Agency – Offering total packages for towing & auto transporter Insurance.

Everything from car carriers, the popular Intruder (autoload), and the 50-ton heavy-duty V-100. Innovation, durability and all around toughness.

USAC / MD Emergency roadside provider to heavy duty trucks, automobiles and motorcycles.

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78 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

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The Tow Academy

Towbook Management

The leading provider of online tow company marketing. Get found where your customers are looking. We are your internet experts.

Cloud-based towing software for managing motor club calls, digital dispatching, mobile apps for iPhone and Android, impounds and private properties.

See Our Ad on Page N W 126, S 128, M 127

See Our Ad on Page 13

Easy online Registration @ ATExposition.com

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URT Disaster Response Team - network of towers responding to floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, snow storms, etc.

Travis Barlow Company

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4040TA Travelling Axle Lowbeds of all types; mechanical & hydraulic removable gooseneck trailers, extendable, east/west spread axle, plus many more.

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Celebrate the Centennial with Heroes

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T Expo XXVIII is the greatest show of all time, of any industry, and that’s no small statement Nor is this; Festival Night XXVIII will be the greatest night the towing industry has ever experienced. This year’s Festival Night features the Centenial Celebration, saluting 100 Years of Towing since Ernest Holmes built his first wrecker, jumpstarting our industry.

Festival Night ticket purchasers will receive the American Towman 100

Years of Towing hat as a commemorative gift.

American Towman readers are getting the works: March of the Heroes and the Towman Medal Ceremony, highlighting courageous stories of heroism; an amazing Houdini act only towers could bare to watch; the Mike Corbin Band performing the musical premiere of “100 Years” composed especially for this Centennial Celebration, and the Towman Ballads: Booms in the Sky, The Road Calls, I’ll Return

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

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WeldBuilt Wreckers & Carriers Manufacturer – hydraulic wreckers 8-55 tons, wheel lifts, flatbed carriers, custom heavy duty Industrial Carrier bodies.

and Mighty Malone, plus American favorites like The Night They Drove Dixie Down and Born to be Wild.

On the evening of November 19th, there’s only one place to be for American towmen, Festival Night at the Marriott Waterfront. Don’t wait for the bi-centennial. Order your tickets through online registration at ATExposition.com or through this program’s registration form. Act now while tickets last.

Exhibit Hours: Friday, 11-18, 2 - 5 pm Saturday, 11-19, 11 am - 6 pm Sunday, 11-20, 10 am - 4 pm

West End Services Miller Industries full line distributor of wreckers and carriers.

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

The Will-Burt Company Offers a full line of lighting towers designed for the towing and recovery industry.

Worldwide Equipment Sales Full service Jerr-Dan, Landoll, Cottrell dealer. Four locations to serve you better.

WreckMaster WreckMaster offers operator training and certification along with a wide selecting of rigging and recovery products.

American Towman Medal Official Tow Truck • Jerr-Dan Official Winch • Superwinch

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Zhejiang Runva Mechanical & Electrical Co. An Aerialist and Escape Artist will wow Festival Night revelers.

Zip's Truck Equipment Everything to tow, rig, recover and haul. We can meet all your towing equipment, parts and accessories needs.

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Allstate Roadside Services is one of the 20 Motor Clubs and Call Providers exhibiting.

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he American Towman Exposition is so powerful, the event has established and boosted thousands of tow operations across all 50 states of the Union as well as 20 nations around the world. Whether it is scouting for business among the 20 call providers and motor clubs on the show floor, being enlightened to new practices in the seminars of the Academy, conferring with potential allies among the 240 suppliers of products and services on the show floor, or just mixing with one’s peers throughout the myriad of special events, AT Expo is a powerhouse of networking opportunities that helps the tow boss gain greater success.

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There's nothing better than enjoying a premium cigar with a fellow tow boss; networking at its best, during Calitri's Cuba, Luckies Tavern inside the Power Plant.

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Save with Xpress-Pay! Keep your current credit card processor and reduce the high fees involved. Simple, secure, accessible!

Poly-Gen™ replacement bodies are durable, strong, and can be customized to fit any truck make and model. No more rust!

Urgent.ly pays you more! Earn more money and get more jobs through our on-demand roadside assistance service.

See Our Ad on Page 43

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See Our Ad on Page 53

Vulcan

Warn Industries

Vulcan continues to live up to the high level that you expect for innovation, durability, and all around toughness. See the Vulcan V-70 heavy-duty unit with third-winch option for increased recovery capabilities.

Warn Industries increases Hydraulic Series Winches’ performance and durability allowing for increased productivity and more money in workers’ pockets.

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Visit us in booth number 1493.

See Our Ad on Page 14

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2017 White Pete 389X 6x4 / Century 5130 (25 ton) wrecker.

Night Scan HDT light towers Turn night into day with 120,000 lumens of overhead light! Be safe, fast and make more money.

Full service Jerr-Dan, Landoll, Cottrell dealer. Four locations to serve you better.

See Our Ad on Page N 124

See Our Ad on Page 72, 73

See Our Ad on Page 14

84 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

Easy online Registration @ ATExposition.com

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JW4ep oss The Mission In all its color, imagery, and symbols, the Spirit Ride across America launching in April of 2017,

endeavors to honor all first responders who have sacrificed their lives: not least of all tow operators. Of some 100 responders killed each year, about 60 of them are towers.

Over 100 towers will relay the Spirit Casket starting in Hawaii, then via ocean freighter to the

West Coast , where it will relay from car carrier to carrier zigzagging its ways across the nation

in honor of those who have fallen .

The Sp irit Ride is an ambitious project, orchestrating ceremonies and publicity along the way

to help raise awareness of the Slow Down, Move Over laws and the risk and sacrifice of those working the roadways.

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Upon the casket is painted the symbol of the grab hook swinging across the star, which was first seen on the American Towman Medal in 1989. For nearly three decades this symbol has represented bravery and rescue to our industry. The hook and star now graces the Spirit Casket.

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The painting of first responders (police, fire, ems, and tow) gathered on the street, their shadows before them , first appeared on a Move Over poster promoted by Southwest Tow Operators.

The original inscription, pulled out below, speaks for itself. The bars of color also have a definitive meaning and are explained below. And of course there is the American Flag motif, a source of pride to all first responders working to keep America rolling when a vehicle has broken down.

Custom Built The Spirit Casket will be custom crafted at approximate length of ten feet and heig ht of four feet.

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"The spirit inside pushes us to do good then at last soars,never saying farewell"

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Want to be part of it? Sign up at ATSpiritRide.com

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Sharing Experience & Knowledge Inspiring Conference Seminars; Enjoy Breakfast Hospitality! $75 Passport: Access all Seminars!

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MOTOR CLUBS CONFERENCE “Getting Paid by the Clubs” What is required, time frames, proper invoicing procedures and other pertinent information regarding expediting payment to your company.

Clubs presenting: Nation Safe Drivers; Friday, 9 am USAC/MD; Friday, 10 am Road America; Friday, 11 am FleetNet America; Friday, 5 pm GEICO; Saturday, 9 am Pinnacle Motor Club; Saturday, 10 am

TOWING & RECOVERY Towing Equipment that Goes "Boom" Covering truck and equipment ratings, and the capabilities and limitations of both. Dave Lambert, NATA. Friday, 9 am

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What is your vision for 2020?

Where is your company today? Where will it be in 2020? Are you making the right decisions for your future in this everchanging market?

John Borowski, AutoReturn.

Friday, 10 am

Independent Courses RECOVERY BILLING This is the famous 8-hour course that teaches you how to charge the value of recovery work and collect from insurance companies. Fee includes two company personnel, the Boss and billing clerk. Bob & Eric Fouquette Fee also includes the A.T. Academy Passport and breakfast Fri.–Sun. Sat. & Sun., 8 a.m.-12 noon $1,850

Effective Succession Planning Seventy-one percent of entrepreneurs plan to retire in the next 10 years, but most are woefully unprepared. Join Jim Silverman from ATI as he shares how to create the life you want in your golden years. Jim Silverman, Automotive Training Institute.

Friday, 5 pm

Towing Alternative Fuel Vehicles/Personal Responsibility

Spec’ing Your Truck A soup-to-nuts look at what to consider in getting the right unit for your needs utilizing the Jerr-Dan’s S.U.R.E.® formula (applicable for all brands of tow trucks).

Shane Coleman, Jerr-Dan. Friday, 11 am

Recovery Theater

The Physics of Towing & Recovery A discussion of Newton’s Laws of motion, simple machines, and mechanical advantage and how to apply these theories to the job. Terry Abejuela, American Towman Magazine.

Sunday, 8 am

Respecting Extreme Resistance in Recovery

Legendary trainer dissects actual recoveries. Tom Luciano, Miller Industries.

Friday, 5-7 pm

A detailed examination of track vehicle resistance.

Bruce Campbell, WreckMaster.

Sunday, 8 am

Bus & Coach Towing; It’s a lot more than using the right wrecker for the job. Tom Luciano & John Hawkins, Miller Industries.

Saturday, 8-10 am

Load Forces Generated in Vertical Lifting

Scooby’s Mystery Theater

Calculating how the forces are being applied to your rigging. Kurt Wilson, WreckMaster.

Sunday, 9 am

An entertaining theatrical review of air cushion jobs worldwide. Howard “Scooby” Eagan, MatJack.

Saturday, 10 am

OPERATIONS Lower Your Premium Rates like an Insurance Insider

ROTATOR RECOVERY TRAINING WreckMaster Instructors Bruce Campbell and Jeff Martin conduct a special 12-hour training course on rotator recovery, classroom and hands on outdoors. $595 Thursday & Friday

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Tips designed to save tow operators money and put you in the driver’s seat to insurance savings. Haley Kirchen, TOPP Ins. Friday, 9 am

The Cash Call Challenge Get "under the marketing hood" at some of the most successful towing operations in the U.S. and come away with a 7-part strategy for success in 2017! Mike Rappaport, OMG National.

Friday, 10 am

Telematics Equals Money–for YOU! Most people think of telematics for fleet tracking as just dots on a map, but telematics is so much more. Thinking three-dimensionally about all the ways telematics can impact your business in the real benefit of fleet management systems.

GPS PRO & Ahern/IT. Friday, 11 am

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You know a lot but not all there is to know.

When working with new technologies like alternative fuel vehicles, it is paramount that proper procedures and safety protocols become the responsibility the towing company AND the employee. Micheal Smyth, Judy Moore; National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium. Friday, 6 pm

Improving Economics Through Tech Efficiency An overview of the latest features and platforms for modern towing software applications for desktop, mobile phone and tablets.

We will be focused on features found in many of the leading software products on the market today that will greatly improve the efficiencies. Todd Althouse, Beacon Software.

Saturday, 8 am

Using GPS Tracking Software Data This session will discuss the importance of properly setting up the software to reduce data. GPS Insight will investigate how to keep it simple and tackle one metric at a time as well as how to stay on top of the data over time. They’ll also present ideas as to how your peers handle the data they receive from GPS tracking. GPS Insight.

Sunday, 8 am

Winning The Online Battle for Cash Calls How to effectively drive cash calls to your business and increase your profitability with websites, customer reviews and pay-per-click advertising. Dennis Wencel, TowProgram.com.

Sunday, 9 am

Leading Customer Service Achieving a professional image through customer service. Miguel Cifuentes & Patrice Painson, Road America.

Sunday, 9 am

November 18-20

86 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

Easy online Registration @ ATExposition.com

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

TOW MANAGEMENT The Future of Roadside?

How to make sure you’re ready for the changing roadside world brought on by apps, technology and increased regulation. Corey Brundage, HONK. Friday, 11 am

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The Operating Manual A Policies and Procedural manual creates a better working environment and can decrease damages, driver turn-over, improve communication and attitudes and ultimately attract more customers. Don Archer, The Tow Academy. Saturday, 8 am

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Getting Approved for Financing Highlighting some of the top things lenders look for, and what tow businesses, especially startups and those looking to expand, can do to more easily obtain financing. Specialty Vehicle and Equipment Funding Group.

Saturday, 11 am

POLICE TOWING Protecting Your Business/Law Enforcement Networking How to protect your business and comply with statutes and/or regulations, as well as the advantages of networking with law enforcement to create alliances and lay the groundwork for long-term relationships.

Les Cravens, Auto Data Direct.

Saturday, 9-11 am

SURVIVAL CONFERENCE Roadside Safety Topics will include positioning of the truck, working the non-traffic side, customer safety, correct aiming of work lights re- entering traffic flow safely, among other issues related to safety.

Terry Abejuela, American Towman Magazine.

Friday, 9 am

“Expedite Mode” Response All about the risks tow operators take when their mind is in the "Expedite Mode,” and the liabilities owners face when their personnel operate tow trucks in a careless and dangerous manner. Randall Resch, American Towman Magazine.

Friday 10 am

Effective Use of Flares and Cones Program requirements, sizes and types, safety, and proper use of patterns for flares and cones that allows the towman to work effectively.

Terry Abejuela, American Towman Magazine.

Saturday, 8 am

The Importance of Tow Operator Safety Meetings How having regular meetings on safety is imperative to the survival of your tow company.

Randall Resch, American Towman Magazine.

Saturday 9 am

DIVERSIFICATION CONFERENCE New Money Through Diversification From accident remediation to carreplacement, how you can increase the revenues of your business through diversifying into other areas that are a natural for towing companies. Bill Johnson, Hampshire Towing.

Friday, 6 pm.

Private Property Towing & Technology How to increase productivity and profitability using available technology to solve problems regarding private property towing.

Rick Chambers, Online Parking Pass; Sunday, 9 am

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Metro Tow Trucks Miller Industries Century, Chevron, Holmes, Vulcan NRC Industries Powerbilt Wreckers WeldBuilt

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The Bull & Pig Roast at the Hard Rock Cafe. Or when you go to rub shoulders with your peers at Luckies Tavern in the Power Plant and enjoy a cigar at Calitri's Cuba. Heck, you'll be there if you're staying at one of the eight American Towman Hotels. It's all there; the hotels, the Convention Center, the pubs, shops and museums by the waterside. The Harbor is a key reason why American Towman Exposition attendees come back year after year.

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The Water Taxis ... a variety of small boats taking Baltimoreans and visitors to enchanting ports of call around Baltimore’s Inner Harbor; such as Fell’s Point, Harbor East, and Fort McHenry and some old favorites, like the National Aquarium, Maryland Science Center and the Emporiums at Harborside, and the marketplaces of Federal Hill. All of these destinations are walkable, but you’ll break your FitBit with too many steps! Take to the water instead to save your feet for AT Exposition’s exhibits, and enjoy beautiful city views from a perspective not everyone gets to see but that shouldn’t be missed. Take the Water Taxis!

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AT Expo: Fax: 845-986-5181 Mai: 7 West Street,Warwick , NY 10990 Phone: 800-732-3869 x214

REGISTER HERE: By advance-registering, the B s " andare guestare admittedtree to Et hi t Hap.$5 fee appaes to all others. lOds under 14 hee.

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Address: City: Phone:

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PLEASE CHECK BOXES BELOW

First time at Expo:

2. Secondary, business (check those that app ly): ii tialc A ut o Part , _1 "rotculg Rr r overt' L] A u to Rep ur Scrv. ( ' tr .

Iruck licpair Repossession _ Auto Body Shop 'I'rlnsixlrtltiailerSenL o Service Station

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Yes

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Dealership Vehicle Leasing = Lquipmerit Distributor other

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PRICING FILL IN PRICE EVENT SIGN-UP AT EXPO: Thursday through Sunday, Nov. 17-20 AMERICAN TOWMAN ACADEMY '' EXHIBIT HALL Fri ., 2 5 pm . Sat., 11 am - 6 pm Sun., 10 am-4 pm , 11/18-11/20. Your badge is valid for all days Yes, advance register me for the exhibit hall. 1st & 2nd registrants are free: addt'l S5 each. $5 PP ......................... .

SURVIVAL CONFERENCE Roadside Safety Effective Use of Flares & Cones Expedite Mode" Response The Importance of Tow Operator Safety Meetings

ACADEMY PASSPORT All Conference Seminars , 11/18-11/20 $75 PP ...............................................................$ 1st registrant 2nd registrant 3rd registrant 4th registrant Register now & save : fee is $150 on-site.

RECOVERY BILLING COURSE 8-hour course. Sat. & Sun. 8-12 noon, $1 ,850 ( 2 people Per co.) . ... .... ... ... ... ... .. .. . .$ HEAVY DUTY RECOVERY WITH ROTATOR TRAINING WM instructors, 12-hours, Thurs. 8-5 pm Fri. 8-noon

$595 advance, $695 onsite. Recovery Billing Course & Rotator Training includes Academy Passport........ $

DIVERSIFICATION CONFERENCE

New Money Through Diversif ication

AMERICAN WRECKER PAGEANT Fri. -Sun ., 11/18-11/20 $100/$150 ............. . .. . .................................................. $ One vehicle per class/three per company. Trucks enter Fri., stay in hall until Sun., 5 pm $100: Light (pre-2015) Rotator Carr ier Light (2015- 16) L Med Vintage (He-1990) Service/Suoport Truck S150: HD Sirgle Axle - HI)Tandem CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY DINNER & CONFERENCE Thurs . 11/17, 6:30 pm. Sponsored by American Towman, Marriott Waterfront; Surf ' n' Turf Dinner & LegendaryLong Table. Jacket & Tie req. Limit 2 per co. # of ppl $75 PP . ... ...... $ A.T. WELCOME CRUISE Thurs., 11/17,6:30 pm Board, Cruise 7 pm , Dinner & Show. # of People _ $75 PP ...................$ TOWMAN SKEET SHOOT Fri., 9 am , 11/1 8. Includes fees , lunch & transp. # of People $75 PP ..........................$ RECOVERY LUNCHEON Balt. Conv . Ctr ., Fri., 11/18. 12:00 noon, Donnie Cruse Awards Luncheon.

All towers welcome. Co-Sponsored by B/A Products & AW Direct # of People $35 per person .........................$ $20 PP .... $ L] CAUT1 'S CUBA-VIP Passport Luclde's Tavern Sponsored by Savatach & AutoRetun. Fri., 11/1119 pm If of pp

Private Property Towing & Technology

POLICE TOWING CONFERENCE

Protecting Your Bu siness/ Law Enforcement

Networking

MOTOR CLUB CONFERENCE

Getting Paid by the Clubs Fleetfiet America

GEICO

Nation Sate Drivers Pinnacle Motor Club USAC/ MC

Road Am erica

OPERATIONS CONFERENCE Winnin g the Online Cash Calls er Your Rates likee ann IInsurance Insider Lower Telemarketing Equals Money

Passport includes. (1) Premium AT Cigar (1) Premium Cigar & Special Gift from Savatech. ( i) Premium-Aged Cognac Drink from AutoReturn

Marketing Your Way Towards Heavy Profits!

CeimiiaIL CELBRArKKATSTPJU. NIGHT Diener, Medal Ceremony, Mile Corbin Band, Marriott Waterfront., Sat , 11/19, 7 pm. $75 per person. Includes Centennial hat If of People - $75 PP . . .................. . .. . .. . . ... . ...... . .. . .. . ................................ $ AT SUBSCRIPTION W/EXPO BEER STEIN* Order : 1 year/one stein : S50 2 years/ two steins S95 ...........................$ 'A T Expo Beer Stein(s) must be picked up Friday thr ough Sunday at the AT Store inside Conventson Center.

TOTAL.......$ BULL & PIG ROAST - FREE Miller Rocks ! at Hard Rock Cafe: Sponsor: Miller Industries , Fri., 11/18: 7:30 Pm ........... # J CAIJTRI 'S CUBA - Cigar Smoker Luckie's Tavern (1) free cigar compliments of Savatech. Fri., 11/1 8: 9 pm ................#

Eff ective Succession Planning Recycling Alternative Fuel Vehicles

Linking Your Dispatch Systems for Private Proprty Impound Capt uring the Cash Calls

T win & RECOVERY CONFERENCE Towingg Equip ment th at Goes "Boom " T Scocby 's Mystery Theatre Spec '!ng Your Truck The Physics of Towing & Recovery What Is Your Vision for 2020?

Load Forces Generated n Vertical Lifting Recovery Theater Bus & Coach Towing

PAYMENT INFO: E Credit Card #: Name on credit card: L

HOTEL RESERVATION REQUEST Arrival Date.

Exp. Date: Si gnature:

Check(s) Enclosed $

(Registration, Event & Item fees payable to AT Exposition)

Make out separate hotel check to Visit Baltimore /American Towman if not using credit card (1st night amount only)

j Hotel check enclosed $

21116 Depart Date.

, 2016

It reserving more than one room please ist dames fcr each room:

Guarantee reservation to credit card above

Special Requests

# of Rooms

Room #1

# of Guests in each room

# of beds

Room #2

Room #3

HOTEL CHOICE - Please write in your 1st , 2nd, & 3rd choice hotels below. You will be emailed your confirmation. '

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4-Star , rooms w/ harbo rview , fitness center . restaurant/bar . connected to Mall . Two blocks from Conv. Ctr FREE INTERNET . SHOW YOUR BADGE AND RECEIVE 10% OFF FOOD / MEAL PURCHASES AT HOTEL RESTAURANTS . TOWMAN BAR OR COFFEE SHOP SPECIALS ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT WIT H BADGE .

Marriott Inner Harbor

$183 SgI/ DbI one block from Conv. Ctr ., fitness center . restaurant Complimen tary Internet. Towman Specials when you show your bad ge.

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Owner Charged with Overbilling An Indiana, Pa., tow company owner has been accused of overbilling insurance companies for services related to three traffic accidents in 2015 in Armstrong County.

State police charged the man with insurance fraud, theft of services and related charges.

The complaint stated the company billed insurance companies more than $18,000 in excess of normal charges for moving vehicles and controlling traffic at the scenes of traffic accidents in March, April and May. For each of the wrecks, insurance companies were billed $1,200 for emergency response to an accident at the request of the state police.

“There is no such charge and is excessive to a minimum standard charge for a large wrecker to respond to a crash for two hours or less,” investigators said.

In one instance, the billing included separate charges of $2,325 for a heavy wrecker operator and $1,237 for an on-scene supervisor when one individual performed those duties, police said.

“The on-scene supervisor was operating one of the two trucks and therefore was unable to manage the crash scene appropriately,” said a trooper.

In the complaint, troopers accused the company of billing insurance for $1,600 for traffic control at the three accident scenes when local volunteer firefighters actually handled those responsibilities.

The volunteer work is not billable, according to police.

The fraudulent billing included charges for heavy equipment service provided by Rayburn Township street workers and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Source: indianagazette.com.

Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

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\ti TOWMAN.COM - October 2016 • 93

$

ave on Your Next Truck Adding to Fleet Could Reduce Tax Payment

by Don Archer

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f you’re like a lot of the owners I’ve talked to lately, you’re having a good year … that’s great. You’ve worked hard to build your business and in 2016 you’re going to make substantially more money than you did last year. You should throw yourself a party.

But wait, what about taxes? Are you doing everything you can to avoid handing over too many of your hard-earned dollars to the Internal Revenue Service? You thought avoiding taxes was illegal? No, that’s just election-year rhetoric. (Tax avoidance is wise; it’s tax evasion that’s criminal.)

One way to avoid paying too much in taxes and save a bunch of money when you buy your next truck is to use depreciation expense to kick those taxes down the road. Because trucks and equipment inevitably go down in value over time, the IRS allows business owners to deduct this unseen expense from their taxable income.

When you use depreciation, each year you get to keep a chunk of the money you would have otherwise sent to the IRS. Let’s say you did have a windfall year and your taxes are going to be substantial—I’m talking into five figures—and you’ve already fully depreciated the trucks in your current fleet (at least, according to the IRS). If that were the case, then adding to or updating some of the fleet would be a wise move.

Miller Industries booth at AT Expo.

NRC booth at AT Expo.

New Rules When you do buy those trucks, you have a few options when it comes to depreciation. Dependent on many factors, your accountant may suggest that you expense your trucks out over a multiple year term, normally three to five years. Doing that for this year will only decrease your taxes by a small amount though, so you’ll still be writing a big check. That is unless you use IRS Code Section 179.

When it comes to taxes and the IRS, many business owners leave it up to the accountant to figure out. What you need to know is this: The rules have changed. The old rules were arbitrary. You never knew how much you could expense (depreciate) until December—right before 94 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

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Jerr-Dan booth at AT Expo.

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Dynamic Towing Equipment & Mfg. booth at AT Expo.

the end of the year. The new rules, as of 2016, allow you to purchase trucks and equipment any time during the year.

But the best part is you can expense up to $500,000—in the first year.

Again: This is the first year that the government isn’t going to monkey with the Section 179 tax code. And you are free to expense all or a portion of the cost of your newly acquired trucks and equipment—up to $500,000—in the first year. Used trucks and equipment qualify too. The trucks and equipment must be placed in service the same year you depreciate them.

Here’s an example of the savings you could see (courtesy of Beacon Funding): • Equipment cost: $75,000.

• Section 179 deduction: $75,000.

• First-year depreciation: $0.

• Total first-year deduction: $75,000.

• Tax savings (money you keep): $26,250.

(Based on 35-percent tax bracket.)

• Equipment cost after tax savings: $48,750.

are my options for getting the truck back home? How do I know I’m getting a good deal?

First off, buying at the Expo shouldn’t be intimidating; dealers on the show floor want to work with you.

“It can be to the towers’ benefit to purchase at the shows.

Because dealers have incurred all those expenses [of] getting the trucks and equipment to the show, do you really think they want to take all that equipment home? Dealers will deal, especially if it’s second day during the closing hours,” said John L. Hawkins III, Miller Industries VP of Heavy Duty Sales.

Even if you can’t find the perfect truck, you can get the deal done.

“Most buy at the shows because they need a truck now and accept the fact that it might not have exactly what they’re looking for,” Hawkins said. “If it’ll get the job done … they’ll take it. But if their needs are that specific, they can easily place an order for a truck while they’re attending— and take delivery at a later date.”

Actual financing is a bit different though. If you will be shopping for trucks at the Expo, contact your insurance agent beforehand. One of the difficulties is securing a certificate of insurance on a weekend because buyers can’t get in touch with their agent. Be sure you get a temp plate or dealer plate from the seller as well. Getting pre-qualified on your credit is best, but don’t despair if you’re not.

“If they weren’t planning on buying beforehand, and find something that fits—we can still accommodate them,”

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Seems like now would be a good time for truck shopping. Where are the best deals?

Time to Buy When buying tow trucks, most owners deal with one or two towing equipment dealers—mostly based on geography. Most distributors will take trades on any brand of wrecker, but they usually only carry one or two lines of new models. One way to expand your reach to all the manufacturers is … at a Tow Expo.

At the upcoming American Towman Expo in Baltimore, for instance, you’ll have the opportunity to talk with multiple dealers and all the major manufacturers. You can see the trucks up close, learn about each design and the improvements from previous models. The AT Expo gives you the chance to compare each model vs. the competition.

Of course, purchasing trucks and equipment at an Expo brings about its own set of challenges: What if the truck I like doesn’t have a specific feature I’m looking for? What documentation do I need to get financed at the show? What 96 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

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said Brian DeClesis, Regional Business Manager for Specialty Vehicle & Equipment Funding. “We’ll need a signed credit app, which they can fill out at our booth, and three months’ worth of bank statements, which most banks have available online.”

The paperwork side of things will be similar from company to company.

“For most transactions, all we require is a completed and signed credit application, a copy of the vendor’s invoice and a copy of the applicant’s driver’s license,” said Ann Davis, Santander Senior Media Relations Advisor. “During our credit review process, we will obtain all the needed credit reports. … We typically have credit staff available to process applications and provide credit decisions during the show dates (including Saturdays and Sundays).

“If an application [is] received at a show, we normally provide a credit decision that same day.”

Much like comparing the different wrecker brands, the Expo also gives you the opportunity to talk to various lenders in one place. Be sure to talk about more than just rates.

“You can save a few dollars per month by shopping for funding, but you need to be careful,” DeClesis said.

“There are other ways lenders compete besides rates, one being service.

After the papers are signed, will you be dealing directly with the individual who wrote the loan, or some other company your loan was sold to? And does your lender allow you to pay down the principal? …

“These are important things to consider.”

So if it’s been a good enough year, consider the possible tax breaks in updating and/or expanding your fleet—and take advantage of the last Expo of the year, the biggest one out there, to compare manufacturers, distributors and banks.

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.

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Towman Helps Nab Suspect A towman helped lead authorities to arrest a suspect in a fatal DUI crash that killed a grandmother and a toddler in San Diego, Calif., in September.

California Highway Patrol officials said Erin Hughes, a tower who works for Pacific Auto Center in Fontana, did not know the suspect was involved in a fatal hit-and-run when he towed his vehicle to Vista.

Hughes said he could tell the driver had been drinking and was clearly very upset.

“Even when he got up he was kind of staggering,” Hughes told a local television station.

According to CHP, the suspect was driving a silver Cadillac CTS when he crashed into the Honda carrying a family of four. The driver allegedly stopped for a moment and then took off. A different pickup truck also slammed into the victims’ car and remained at the scene.

Meanwhile, the suspect exited the interstate, drove to a gas station and called the towing company to have his car taken to his residence in Vista.

Soon after he left the residence, Hughes saw a news report and realized the car was part of the crash.

“They gave a description of a silver CTS. That was the car I just towed, so I called it into CHP,” said Hughes.

Within a few hours, law enforcement made an arrest. The suspect, 31year-old Grant Thoren, is facing multiple charges including DUI, felony hit-and-run and homicide, the CHP confirmed.

Source: nbcsandiego.com.

Tow Business Expands Ace Towing and Berg’s Towing’s new 28,000-sq.-ft. facility opened in Bismarck, N.D. With the expansion, the company is adding product sales of safety and environmental lines, said owner George Kuntz.

Tailored to commercial drivers, products include lighting and safety clothing, tie-down straps and environmental cleanup for oil messes.

“We’re really looking at the future as far as environmental,” Kuntz said.

The business is also taking on more of a public service aspect, according to Kuntz, noting a plan to host demonstrations of clean-up products with the local fire department and holding a kids’ day to showcase equipment, such as their all-wheel drive heavy wrecker dedicated to fallen police officers and a machine used to recover stuck farm equipment.

“We’ve got the room now to do that,” he said, in an effort to increase public awareness that the business is there to help.

The business will also host training for towers across the state in its new facility.

Source: bismarcktribune.com.

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*NOTE: Describe the incident and include the name, company, phone number and address of the nominee.

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Auto Loan Losses at Six-Year High Banks’ loan losses from car financing have risen to a six-year high, according to Fitch Ratings, as the labor market and the mining slump cause more borrowers to fall behind on their payments.

Fitch says the proportion of automobile loans that suffered a loss after lenders sought to repossess the vehicle rose to 0.62 percent in the June quarter, the highest level since the index started in 2010.

Even though the loss rate is relatively low—it has risen about 10 basis points in the last year—the credit ratings agency expects higher losses for the rest of 2016.

Major banks have also confirmed that a higher share of consumer borrowers are in default in recent months, with the trend most apparent in mining regions.

Source: blog.cucollector.com.

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Towers Re-Zoning Petition Denied A petition by a towing company to change the zoning for a lot it's occupying in violation of county regulations was denied by the Yorkville (Ill.) City Council.

The property, which houses Jet's Towing and Services and includes a truck repair operation, also houses residents. The zoning matter came to the city's attention after a 1.5-mile review of special uses in unincorporated Yorkville was recently completed.

"The issue here is the property is currently in violation of county regulations for an agriculturally zoned property," Community Development Director Krysti Barksdale-Noble said.

"This was brought to the county's attention and then the petitioner requested to be rezoned to manufacturing."

No one representing Jet's was at the meeting, but its requests that have been submitted to the county were discussed. They include a variance to a requirement that the surface be paved, that it be allowed to store vehicles and not be required to erect fencing.

Source: chicagotribune.com.

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Airborne Explorer

Wheel Lift Helps Get SUV over the Guardrail

By David Adley Adley’s Towing and Recovery; Rumford, Maine

A Ford Explorer went into a ditch, hit a stump and went airborne into a tree; one rear wheel got caught up leaving the SUV hanging down.

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ne morning in November of 2015, we were called out to a recovery of a Ford Explorer in a ditch.

The SUV’s driver fell asleep at the wheel on her way home from work and descended into the ditch before the guardrail started. The Ford careened into a stump that caused it to go airborne. One of the tires caught in a tree and left the Explorer hanging about 10’ off the ground.

104 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

Law enforcement was positive we would have to winch it all the way to the end of the guardrail.

Our Dodge 5500/Chevron 408 Renegade was first on scene. By then, the driver was out of the Ford, having jumped out on her own.

We rigged two 3/8” J-hooks to the Explorer’s rear end and pulled it off the tree; it was just barely hung up and kind of “popped” right off. From there, it was a straight winch up to the guardrail, but then we needed to get it over.

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Using the wheel lift on a Chevron 408 Renegade and a Chevron 512 to lift, the crew hoisted the Explorer over the guardrail rather than go around (left). Pulling the Explorer with two J-hooks “popped” it off the tree (below). Using the wheel lift in getting the Ford over the guardrail was estimated to have saved at least an hour of winching (bottom).

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By this time, our GMC 6500/Chevron 512 was also on scene.

Law enforcement was positive we would have to winch it all the way to the end of the guardrail, a little more than 200’ away.

Instead, we chained the front of the Explorer to the wheel lift on the Renegade and used that along with our Chevron 512 to lift the SUV up and over the guardrail. We extended

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the Chevron 408’s wheel lift over the guardrail and used the Chevron 512 to lift the SUV up and onto the wheel lift.

We then chained it down; the Ford’s roof was caved, so we ran two cables over the top as well. The Chevron 512 then lifted the back end of the Explorer to take weight off the smaller wrecker.

We probably saved at least an hour of winching time because the slope of

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106 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

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the bank wouldn’t allow a straight pull.

(I’ve done this in the past; I first thought of it and tried it on a Subaru Forester that went down into a bog and would have needed to go more than 300’ around a guardrail. Once the front end is chained down to the wheel lift, you can remove winch lines and re-hook over the rails to the end that is still down. The wheel lift does some lifting, but the majority then is winched up and over the guardrail.)

We loaded it onto our International 4300/Chevron 21’ rollback and returned to the shop.

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TOWMAN.COM - October 2016 • 107

Cost Control Bill Signed in Ill. Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner recently signed a bill aimed at controlling administrative towing fees in Illinois.

The bill limits municipal administrative fees to actual towing costs and gives owners 48 hours to move their vehicle from illegal parking places before impoundment.

The new law also prevents authorities from impounding a vehicle an owner was unable to move because of an emergency situation. And, if a car is wrongfully impounded, the county or municipality will be responsible for accrued attorney fees.

Source: thetelegraph.com.

Towmen Honor Driver Killed in 2012 Dozens of towmen came out to Richard L. Berkley Park in Kansas City, Mo., Aug. 27 to honor Blake Gresham, an 18-year-old tower who was hit by a

truck and killed while on the job in 2012.

Even though Gresham worked for his family's tow truck company, GT Tow Service, towers from competing companies came out to remember him.

Family members said Gresham had just started working as a tower and was loving his new job.

They started a non-profit in his honor called "Move Over for Blake."

The organization raises money to help put up billboards that remind people to slow down and move over for towers and emergency responders.

Source: fox4kc.com.

‘Move Over’ Event Tow truck operators, first responders and local law enforcement gathered in Chippewa Falls, Wis., recently to remind drivers to slow down and move over.

Area towers say it's a law that helps them go home safe to their families and save lives.

"We've had numerous events where tow truck drivers are hit and

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this is just something that's near and dear to me. Before our last rally, one of my friends’ truck was hit, and it just keeps getting closer and closer," said Joshua Nicholson, a local towman.

The event also collected school supplies for students in need.

Source: weau.com.

Proffitt Found Guilty in Towman Shooting A Shelby County, Tenn., jury found Joseph Proffitt guilty of shooting and paralyzing Memphis towman Scotty Arnold in 2012.

Prosecutors say Proffitt fired shots at Arnold and his passenger after a confrontation in an apartment complex. He was charged on seven counts, including attempted second-degree murder and deploying a firearm during a felony.

Proffitt's brother David was involved too and pleaded guilty earlier.

Source: localmemphis.com.

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ow Illustrated” is a featured column each week on American Towman’s TowIndustryWeek.com site. Regular contributor George L. Nitti covers this segment for the site, and turns up a unique collection of various companies’ tow trucks and truck graphics.

In case you missed it, some recent trucks included a lime green 2015 Dodge 5500/Chevron Renegade from Ace Tire in Waterville, Maine; black 2014 Peterbilt/Century 5030 at Bruce’s Commercial Truck Services in Wrentham, Mass.; 2013 Peterbilt 388/Century 9055 at GT Tow Service in Kansas City, Mo.; and a 2015 Kenworth T370/B&B Industries 2550 from Silverstar Wrecker in Fort Wayne, Texas.

At Ace Tire, extra lights and reflective materials accentuate the truck’s bright colors. Manager Rob Hersom said there aren’t many trucks that “stand out like ours.”

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This Pete/Century 9055 at GT Tow Service memorializes one of their own.

by Brendan Dooley

The pride and polish stood out on the Peterbilt/Century 5030 at Bruce’s Commercial—their attention includes thorough weekly cleanings. “We spent 12 hours polishing our truck for this [John Martins Foundation] show,” said owner Bruce Young.

At GT Tow Service, owner James Gresham used the Century 9055 to memorialize his towman son, Blake, who was killed on the roadside four years ago. The wrecker ’s hood includes angels’ wings, a “42” for Blake’s truck number and “In Loving Memory.”

Silvertar’s B&B was notable for recently winning First Place in the USA Wrecker Pageant at the 2016 Tow Expo Dallas. “We wanted to do a color nobody was doing, so we chose maroon,” owner Barry Metzing said.

“The unique color makes it stand-out, setting us apart.”

This B&B Industries rotator won a first place trophy at the 2016 Tow Expo Dallas.

a ry .

The pride and polish shine deeply on Bruce Commercial’s Century 5030 … so much that the wrecker next to it is clearly visible in the clear coat.

Aid Lights and bright graphics set Ace Tire’s Chevron Renegade wrecker in Maine.

110 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

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Town Wants Central Impound Lot Gary, Ind., Councilman Herb Smith said he thinks there are inconsistencies in the way companies that tow for the city operate, and he thinks the losers are Gary residents who have to pay what he considers to be excessive fees to get their cars back.

"They are charging pretty much what they want," Smith said of the three tow companies that have contracts with the police department.

Under the existing contract, a person whose car is towed is charged a $140 fee, or $150 if a flatbed truck is

used. A $160 fee is charged to tow motorcycles. Added to that is a $50 fee for the release of the vehicle and a $30per-day storage fee.

But Smith, who chairs the council's towing committee, said he has heard of instances in which people were charged $40 per day for storage, and he also questioned the need for charging more money to tow a motorcycle.

Republic Frame & Axle Service, Bennie's Towing and Affordable Towing & Associates are the city’s contracted towers.

Affordable manager John Williams said the police tows are actually a small share of their overall business.

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Bennie's Towing officials declined to comment. Republic officials were not available to comment.

Councilwoman Ragen Hatcher would like to see payment to the city changed for municipal tows.

Currently, residents pay the entire fee to the towing company when they reclaim their vehicle. The companies then provide the city with a share of the proceeds.

She thinks it ought to be people paying money to the city, which would then provide the towing companies with reimbursement for the vehicles they handle. So far in 2016, officials said $87,160 has been collected by the city from the towing companies.

Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson suggested one change could be to require towing companies to bring vehicles they tow for the police to a city-controlled lot so that the city would have more control.

"It would be nice if people could walk to the place where they could recover their car once they get a release order from the police, rather than having to make a long trip," she said.

Smith said he's actually more concerned about the fact that towing company facilities are not open around the clock, making it inconvenient for some people to recover their cars in a timely manner. He thinks they should be required to have people on-call at all hours.

But Smith also admitted that the tow companies are businesses that are important to the local economy. "I don't want us to be there to put businesses out of business," he said.

Source: chicagotribune.com.

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see it all the time: A former 20-year client who switched to a national service provider finally calls and asks me for help. He explains that trucks are more difficult than ever to locate and repossess.

“What is going on?” he asks.

My explanation seems a surprise to him when I explain the problem is two-fold.

First, his national service provider promises him too much, for too little.

To stay competitive, the national servicing company sends his repossession assignments to companies that low bid contracts just to get the assignments. Once the voluntary trucks and other “low-hanging fruit” assignments are recovered, any assignments proving difficult aren’t worked. Local recovery agents conduct a drive-by of the debtor’s residence once or twice, then report the assignment as “not showing.” Because of low fees, the local recovery agency isn’t getting paid enough to do anything more than a few of these drive-by runs.

Second, the national service provider seldom conducts a comprehensive analysis of the delinquent customer before sending the assignment to its local affiliate. There are many data brokers who provide comprehensive reports with the newest and upto-date information on the debtor. The national service provider will not purchase the data from the data providers because of the narrow margins, and sends poor or old customer information to the local recovery agency. The local affiliate becomes irritated with checking bogus addresses and does not prioritize assignments from national service providers who provide dated information.

The solution is for the national provider to verify information from the lender and study the customer through new and updated data, pro-

114 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

Gone are the late nights following a target three, four and five states away, waiting for the driver to step out of the truck long enough to affect a successful repossession. Jeff Turner image.

vide quality and verified information to the local agent, and, most importantly, the local agency must be paid enough to prioritize the assignment.

Unfortunately, this will not happen.

Lenders don’t want to pay for high recovery percentages. For reasons that most don’t understand, leaving assets undiscovered, never to be picked up, is the new norm.

Back in the day, 95-percent recovery was the norm. Agents left no stone un-turned to locate and recover the collateral. We checked corporate records, talked to ex-partners and exwives, we looked at county permitting

offices for work locations and we checked property records. We covered all of the bases to locate and recover the collateral. The collateral was located and recovered because there was profit involved.

To any lenders reading this: Your collateral is not lost; the assignment just isn’t being worked properly. If the assignment is not a voluntary surrender, or if the collateral has any degree of difficulty, the assignment is more than likely sitting in a stack behind the printer because your national service provider is not paying the local affiliate enough to cover all the bases.

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TOWMAN.COM - October 2016 • 115

Boots on the Ground

Top 10 Reasons Agents Fail

The old school truck repossession pros are long gone.

Pros like Shorty Barrett, Pete Gunn, Steve Trees, Don Cunningham, Ed Story and Walt Fennington are names of the past. These guys are fishing, golfing or just sitting back enjoying their retirement. Gone are those old-style tricks of the trade: payoffs and late nights following a target three, four and five states away, waiting for the driver to step out of the truck long enough to affect a successful repossession.

In the past, it was common practice to arrive at the residence at 5 a.m. to follow the debtor to where he parks his truck. If the asset is a dump truck, you knew you had better be there by 4 a.m. On one particular assignment consisting of 20 pieces of equipment, I can remember following the company service truck around for three days just to determine the location of every bulldozer, excavator and vibratory roller. After those three days, we had the location of 20 freshly oiled pieces of construction equipment just waiting to be recovered and transported to our secure yard. Then we went back to the office and repossessed the service truck.

Surveillance became routine. After a few times on the job, some lessons stay with you: • Don’t drink a couple cups of coffee and expect to sit in your car without side effects.

• Don’t park in a spot where the subject will pass your car when he leaves his residence.

• Never make eye contact with your subject.

• And last, but not in the least, stop thinking the subject has spotted you. Chances are he has no idea your

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1. Repossessor is given old information. Client sends aged information to the recovery company from the original docs. Repossessor checks a few addresses for the asset then places the account in a dusty corner.

2. Repossessor is not experienced in commercial accounts. Most repossessors drive by given addresses and repossess automobiles. Repossessors are given a list of addresses to check every night. Commercial accounts are seldom at the residence.

3. Repossessor is not paid enough. Forwarding companies often retain 70 percent of recovery fee while the actual repossessor working the account is left with peanuts. This caused the repossessor to lower the account’s priority.

4. Repossessor often must wait over 60 days to be paid.

While the client may pay the recovery invoice within 15 days of recovery, the forwarding company pays the repossession company in 60 or 90 days. This causes the recovery agency not to prioritize the account. A repossessor will always prioritize the assignment which pays him more, and pays him fast.

5. Repossessor is short on investigative skills. Many forwarding companies utilize the services of towers who are not experienced repossessors. Often, the tower does little more than drive by the address provided. Some forwarding companies choose agents based on lower fees instead of productivity.

6. Lenders or forwarding companies inform the debtor a repossessor is on the way. Client will ask the debtor to voluntarily surrender the asset or he will send someone to pick it up. The debtor now will hide or strip the asset.

Some forwarding companies will contact the debtor and attempt to convince the customer to voluntarily surrender the asset. This gives the forwarder the ability to pay the repossessor less because the account is a voluntary surrender still charging the lender for a non-voluntary repossession. Again, the customer hides the asset.

7. Debtor keeps asset on the road. Debtor knows he is behind on his payment and works 24/7 in an attempt to bring the account current. It is very common for the customer to stay on the road 3-4 weeks at a time. An experienced commercial recovery agent can determine where the truck will load or unload for recovery purposes.

8. Debtor used title of non-existent asset as down payment. The lender fails to visually inspect assets used as collateral only to learn later the title is all that remains.

This happens very often.

9. Asset is in a repair shop somewhere on the planet.

When a commercial account becomes delinquent, the maintenance schedule is first to suffer. The debtor will take the asset to a repair facility with nothing but hopes and dreams. Or the asset was involved in a collision because of faulty equipment and was towed to a tow yard.

10. Asset has been sold. Lender is notified of a pending sale of the asset for a storage or repair lien and fails to act on the notice. The asset is legally sold and the client’s lien is null and void.

tailng him, unless your really being obvious.

But this story is not about surveillance or tricks of the trade. This story is about trying to get your recovery agent to do more than drive by the address and send an update that the asset is a no-show.

Back in the days when the old pros were in their prime and working the assignments, there was no question if it would be worked properly. The agent worked the assignment until the collateral was located, recovered and brought to the yard. That was the deal.

Today, expecting an agent to spend any amount of time on surveillance is next to impossible. Repossession percentages are near 60 percent and lower and clients are being forced to charge off more and more loans. I can tell you that the low recovery percentages are not because debtors are smarter. They don’t hide assets better, or work below the radar, as some forwarding companies will lead you to believe.

No, the reason is very simple.

Agents are not being paid enough to put in the extra time on an assignment.

Back then, the client had a direct relationship with the repossessor and there wasn’t a middleman taking 60 percent of the recovery fee for managing the assignment. There weren’t any untrained phone reps calling the debtor trying to turn every assignment into a voluntary surrender (so the middleman can pay the agent even less).

And if the debtor doesn’t want to surrender the asset, now he knows the repossessor is coming.

Many of you old-school lenders know me from back in the day. Over the years we have repossessed thousands of trucks and trailers together. If you think this is my “swan song,” no way Jose. I will be repossessing trucks until I’m 99, God willing.

Repo Editor Mark Lacek authored the Certified Commercial Recovery Agent certification program and has more than 30 years of recovery experience.

He is the former editor of “Professional Repossessor” magazine. Email him at Mark@commercialassetsolutions.com.

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Buying a white truck didn’t slow Anderson down. He discovered the truck on the Worldwide Equipment Sales site, a dealer he’s used before, and called owner Pat Winer “immediately.” “[Winer] gave us a price and we discussed our trade. After discussing numbers we wanted to see it right away Monday morning,” Anderson said.

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“With locations in Oshkosh and Appleton, and having customers such as Oshkosh Corporation and Pierce Manufacturing, brand identification is very important,” Anderson said of buying Jerr-Dan equipment. … Eight of our 11 wreckers and flatbeds are Jerr-Dan; it shows we believe in the product and features they offer.”

Anderson said the three-stage recovery boom on this 50-ton integrated unit “really comes in handy for the difficult recoveries, loading of equipment, and boom height. … Some other local towing companies even call us to assist because they know we have that capability, and we are glad to assist.”

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hill

The Spirit Descends on AT Expo XXVIII

T

ow bosses from all 50 states and 20 countries are coming to “The Greatest Show of All Time,” curious as to how it will celebrate towing’s Centennial. As I am penning this, Mike Corbin is composing “100 Years” to perform with his band on Festival Night.

Meanwhile towers who’ve signed on for the odyssey to honor towing’s fallen, the Spirit Ride that will crisscross the nation, are traveling to Baltimore for the Ride’s initial preparations. You’ll be able to identify them inside the Baltimore Convention Center.

The spirit of this year’s Exposition has its greatest foundation ever with more than 240 exhibitors and 200-plus wreckers, carriers, trailers and truck chassis on the exhibit floor Nov. 18-20.

It’s the most diverse roster of suppliers ever presented worldwide and they are coming to do business. The show will preview for three hours on Friday afternoon and then have an electric grand opening on Saturday.

The American Towman Legion of towmen and tow women in Baltimore will be wearing souvenir “100 Years of Towing” buttons as they enter the world’s biggest tow show. Other Centennial souvenirs will be on sale at the American Towman booth. The great thing about the 100 years celebration, attendees will realize, is that they are here now in the present riding the wave of towing’s history. One can justifiably say, this is the most interesting time to be a tower.

However you look at it, American Towmen and the Legion will be celebrating.

There will be many new attractions at XXVIII. Another hall has been

122 • October 2016 - TOWMAN.COM

by Steve Calitri

added for exhibits, and in that hall a “Garage District” can be found with suppliers to the car and truck repair trade, which should interest the many repair shop owners among the towers attending. Expect to see new product offerings among the 50-plus manufacturers on the floor, particularly among the dozen or more wrecker and carrier manufacturers exhibiting.

The Exposition of course has a tradition of spirit, from the ceremonial spectacle of the American Towman Medal Ceremony on Festival Night to Sunday Pie and the American Wrecker Pageant’s celebration of its winners. A remarkable spirit can be felt inside the Baltimore Convention Center, in the hotels, and all about the Harbor, where just about every person you bump into is a tower.

The Exposition is a cornucopia of more than 20 special events, from recovery to luxury vehicle education, an Academy of more than 30 seminars, legendary hospitality like the Bull & Pig Roast and Calitri’s Cuba and Sunday Pie, and the musical bands AT brings to the show floor.

All the familiar icons are there: the Towman Monument, the American Towman Chopper, the Mural–Lifelines spanning a city block, and all the banners and pageantry. For the thousands of towers who come back each year, there is the thrill of meeting up with old friends. Throughout the greatest show of all time there is the jewel of familiarity and friendship that is the true treasure that one keeps after they return home, perhaps more precious than the many new things they have seen and learned or acquired.

t 'r Medito American Towman Media will be covering the Greatest Show of All Time with five writers, three photographers, one videographer, and ATTV editor and anchor Emily Oz. With over 240 exhibitors and 20 special events, there's a lot to cover. Like the Olympics with events happening simultaneously, there's always something going on morning, day and night.

The best way to keep up on the action of course is to be there.

Short of that, Tow Industry Week will have highlights of the American Towman Exposition XXVIII with articles and video, and American Towman Magazine wll present an AT Expo In-Print in February.

In today's world those attending will be doing their own recording of the Greatest Show of All Time with their smart phones and posting on Facebook and Twitter. You'll find a lot of reporting on AT's Facebook page.

If you're there say hello to Emily. She'd like to put you on camera in casual fashion to say a few words you'd like to share with others about the American Towman Experience.

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“This is the holy grail of my RoundUp week,” said Clark, who operates Blue Mountain Towing & Recovery.

“This is what I’ve been waiting for.”

The Pendleton Round-Up keeps him busy around the clock, responding to any number of wrecks, DUIs and people locked out of their cars.

But on Friday morning, his top priority is to clear the way for America’s largest non-motorized parade.

Earlier in the night, Clark counted 52 vehicles left along the route after police put up the “No Parking” signs. Officers run the plates and try to get in touch with the owners first, but if all else fails,

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Clark will load them up on the back of his flatbed and haul them to one of several city lots where they can be picked up later—free of charge.

Most people leave their cars because they don’t want to drink and drive, Clark said. That’s a big reason why Blue Mountain Towing, in partnership with the city, does not charge impound fees leading up to the parade. Clark said they don’t want to punish anyone for being safe.

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Towman Chris Clark secures an SUV to the bed of his flatbed tow truck to clear a parade route in Pendleton, Ore. Eastoregonian.com image.

Still, the show must go on, he said.

“Everybody wants a parade,” Clark said.

His backups include Dave Lindell, of Lindell’s Auto Salvage, and Tanner Bellamy, both of whom drive around in separate trucks. They meet up for Cowboy Breakfast at Stillman Park, and figure out how they will divvy up the route.

“We don’t really want to tow cars,” Lindell said. “We want the cars to move on their own. They aren’t all going to move on their own, so we move them for free.”

As the parade draws near, Clark must move quickly while also watching out for spectators and carriages in the street. He is careful not to spook the horses, a thought which makes him uneasy.

After several hours, Clark is sweating hard and ready for a nap.

Yet despite the odd hours and heavy lifting, Clark said he would go insane working a regular desk job.

“This is what I’m good at,” he said.

“Everything I do is to help people.”

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Arizona Move Over Day The Arizona Professional Towing & Recovery Association scheduled its annual Move Over Awareness Day & Tow Truck Parade for Oct. 29 in Phoenix. The day will start with a tow truck parade at 8 a.m.

“Public awareness to the Move Over laws and that towers are part of it, is the only way to help save our lives,” said Gary Cooley, chairman of the event committee. “There will be something for everyone; a lock-out, tire change and light-duty driver obstacle course competition, as well as numerous booths from industry vendors.

“We could not make this event happen without our supportive sponsors: AAA Arizona, Rush Truck Centers, Sanderson Truck Equipment and the Phoenix Truck Driving Institute.”

All are invited. For more information, contact Cooley at gary@barnettsaz.com or call 602-863-3373.

Move Over Awareness Day events in Phoenix, Ariz., will include lock-out and tire-change contests. APTRA photo.

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The mother of a 22-year-old Reed College graduate who died after a tow truck turned in front of his bicycle in Portland, Ore., has filed a $4 million lawsuit against the driver and the company.

Mark Angeles had the right of way at the time of the noon crash on May 27, 2015, according to the newly filed lawsuit.

Angeles was in the bike lane and was traveling west on Southeast Gladstone Street in Portland, according to the suit. The North Oregon Towing truck was eastbound as it pulled a Volvo sedan. That’s when driver Jolene Friedow, 40, made a left-hand turn in front of Angeles and onto Southeast Cesar Chavez Boulevard.

Angeles died at the scene. Police said he was wearing a helmet.

After prosecutors reviewed the

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evidence in the case, they decided not to pursue criminal charges against Friedow. A report found that Friedow had started turning left across the intersection as the light turned from green to yellow, and Angeles began to cross the intersection while the light was already yellow.

The collision occurred while the light was still yellow.

The seconds leading up to the incident were partially caught on video by the tow truck’s camera and a nearby gas station’s surveillance camera.

Prosecutor Laura Rowan determined that neither Angeles—at 28 mph an hour—nor Friedow—at 10 mph—were traveling at an “excessive speed” in the 25-mph zone.

Angeles crashed into the front passenger side of the tow truck.

After the DA’s office closed its criminal investigation, Portland police ticketed Friedow for making a dangerous left turn, a civil infraction.

The suit faults Friedow for her driving and the towing company for allegedly failing to train her on “how to drive its tow truck safely in urban areas where bicyclists are likely to be present.”

The suit seeks $7,400 for Angeles’ burial and funeral expense, $3 million for the pecuniary loss to his estate and $1 million for his mother’s loss of companionship and services.

Source: oregonlive.com.

Towman Killed in Crash A tower died recently after crashing into a pillar on the LBJ Freeway in far northeast Dallas, Texas.

Crews had to extricate James Sterry III, 32, who was pinned, about 2:15 a.m. after he crashed into a concrete support under an overpass.

He was pronounced dead at the hospital. A Go Fund Me account was setup to benefit Sterry’s 2-year-old son at gofundme.com/jamessterryiii.

The Texas Department of Transportation will send engineers to inspect the bridge pillars.

Source: dallasnews.com.

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RABF Raffle for Dynamic Slide-In The Recovery Agents Benefit Fund has disbursed $36,100 to eight different families so far in 2016, families whose lives were turned upside down as a result of the death of a loved one. With four months left in 2016, RABF is on pace for a record year of disbursements—a sad statistic.

The RABF is asking for monetary help from the repossession industry by selling raffle tickets for the Dynamic Slide-In Unit donated by Anthony Gentile of Dynamic Manufacturing.

Tickets are $25 each, or five for $100, and can be purchased at recoveryagentsbenefitfund.org/raffle. The winning ticket will be drawn at the Dynamic Booth during the American Towman Exposition in Baltimore, Md., this November. The winner does not need to be present to win, but he or she does need to buy a ticket for a chance.

Source: recoveryagentsbenefitfund.org.

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A log truck turned over and spilled its load, blocking a street in Fife, Wash., recently forcing a full closure.

Police were called about 9:15 a.m. and found a semi had tipped over and scattered several logs across the roadway.

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Jerry Walker with Northwest Towing removes debris from a log truck accident in Fife, Wash. Thenewstribune.com image.

Police closed the road in both directions to clean up and investigate the accident.

Northwest Towing was called out to clear the scene.

No one was injured.

Source: thenewstribune.com.

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Move Over Awareness Day events in Phoenix, Ariz., will include lock-out and tire-change contests. APTRA photo.

Arizona Move Over Day The Arizona Professional Towing & Recovery Association scheduled its annual Move Over Awareness Day & Tow Truck Parade for Oct. 29 in Phoenix. The day will start with a tow truck parade at 8 a.m.

“Public awareness to the Move Over laws and that towers are part of it, is the only way to help save our lives,” said Gary Cooley, chairman of the event committee. “There will be something for everyone; a lock-out, tire change and light-duty driver obstacle course competition, as well as numerous booths from industry vendors.

“We could not make this event happen without our supportive sponsors: AAA Arizona, Rush Truck Centers, Sanderson Truck Equipment and the Phoenix Truck Driving Institute.”

All are invited. For more information, contact Cooley at gary@barnettsaz.com or call 602-863-3373

Parade Route Cleared for Free At 6 a.m. on a recent Friday morning in Pendleton, Ore., Chris Clark was already patrolling Court Street for the second time counting the vehicles he needed to move off the Westward Ho! Parade route.

“This is the holy grail of my Round-Up week,” said Clark, who operates Blue Mountain Towing & Recovery. “This is what I’ve been waiting for.”

The Pendleton Round-Up keeps him busy around the clock, responding to any number of wrecks, DUIs and people locked out of their cars.

But on Friday morning, his top priority is to clear the way for America’s largest non-motorized parade.

Earlier in the night, Clark counted

52 vehicles left along the route after police put up the “No Parking” signs.

Officers run the plates and try to get in touch with the owners first, but if all else fails, Clark will load them up on the back of his flatbed and haul them to one of several city lots where they can be picked up later—free of charge.

Most people leave their cars because they don’t want to drink and drive, Clark said. That’s a big reason why Blue Mountain Towing, in partnership with the city, does not charge impound fees leading up to the parade. Clark said they don’t want to punish anyone for being safe.

Still, the show must go on, he said.

“Everybody wants a parade,” Clark said.

His backups include Dave Lindell, of Lindell’s Auto Salvage, and Tanner Bellamy, both of whom drive around in separate trucks. They meet up for Cowboy Breakfast at Stillman Park, and figure out how they will divvy up the route.

“We don’t really want to tow cars,” Lindell said. “We want the cars to move on their own. They aren’t all going to move on their own, so we move them for free.”

As the parade draws near, Clark must move quickly while also watching out for spectators and carriages in the street. He is careful not to spook the horses, a thought which makes him uneasy.

After several hours, Clark is sweating hard and ready for a nap. Yet despite the odd hours and heavy lifting, Clark said he would go insane working a regular desk job.

“This is what I’m good at,” he said.

“Everything I do is to help people.”

Source: eastoregonian.com.

Towman Killed in Crash A tower died recently after crashing into a pillar on the LBJ Freeway in far northeast Dallas, Texas.

Crews had to extricate James Sterry III, 32, who was pinned, about 2:15 a.m. after he crashed into a concrete support under an overpass.

He was pronounced dead at the

SOUTH 126 • October 2016- TOWMAN.COM

hospital. A Go Fund Me account was setup to benefit Sterry’s 2-year-old son at gofundme.com/jamessterryiii.

The Texas Department of Transportation will send engineers to inspect the bridge pillars.

Source: dallasnews.com.

$4M Lawsuit Against Operator, Company The mother of a 22-year-old Reed College graduate who died after a tow truck turned in front of his bicycle in Portland, Ore., has filed a $4 million lawsuit against the driver and the company.

Mark Angeles had the right of way at the time of the noon crash on May 27, 2015, according to the newly filed lawsuit.

Angeles was in the bike lane and was traveling west on Southeast Gladstone Street in Portland, according to the suit. The North Oregon Towing truck was eastbound as it pulled a Volvo sedan. That’s when driver Jolene Friedow, 40, made a left-hand turn in front of Angeles and onto Southeast Cesar Chavez Boulevard.

Angeles died at the scene. Police said he was wearing a helmet.

After prosecutors reviewed the evidence in the case, they decided not to pursue criminal charges against Friedow. A report found that Friedow had started turning left across the intersection as the light turned from green to yellow, and Angeles began to cross the intersection while the light was already yellow.

The collision occurred while the light was still yellow.

The seconds leading up to the incident were partially caught on video by the tow truck’s camera and a nearby gas station’s surveillance camera.

Prosecutor Laura Rowan determined that neither Angeles—at 28 mph an hour—nor Friedow—at 10 mph—were traveling at an “excessive speed” in the 25-mph zone.

Angeles crashed into the front passenger side of the tow truck.

After the DA’s office closed its criminal investigation, Portland police

ticketed Friedow for making a dangerous left turn, a civil infraction.

The suit faults Friedow for her driving and the towing company for allegedly failing to train her on “how to drive its tow truck safely in urban areas where bicyclists are likely to be present.”

The suit seeks $7,400 for Angeles’ burial and funeral expense, $3 million for the pecuniary loss to his estate and $1 million for his mother’s loss of companionship and services.

Source: oregonlive.com.

Md. Towers Discuss Boundary Issues In a larger discussion of tow rates regulations imposed by the Ocean City, Md., government, local business owners brought up a practice they say is undercutting their operations.

“There is M.A.G Towing & Auto Service Center in Roxana, Delaware, and they’re towing cars out of here left and right,” said John Derrickson of John’s Autobody Repair & Tow in Berlin, who served as a spokesperson for the towing companies during a Police Commission meeting. “That tax base of those tows is going back to Delaware, Sussex County.”

Although city officials were quick to point out that M.A.G Towing meets all of the insurance requirements with a business license and truck tags, the tow owners responded that in the state of Maryland it is illegal to tow for police agencies without meeting state requirements: trucks must have Maryland tags, the business must have a Maryland business license and an impound lot within the state.

“I know from experience because I wanted to tow for Delaware State Police, and they told me, ‘When you own property and pay taxes, then you can get a chance to be on the Delaware State Police tow list,’ ” Derrickson said. “I spent a million dollars in Selbyville and now I can tow in Delaware.”

According to state legislature, that policy works both ways.

Although the Ocean City Police Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

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Source: oceancitytoday.net.

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Greg Fulton, president of the Colorado Motor Carriers Association, said he always hopes there’s not a tractor-trailer in need of a tow at the end of the month.

“I used to get worried when it got toward the end of the month when there had been really good weather in the winter,” Fulton said. “If it had been and there was an accident, God forbid because there had been no tows earlier in the month. The business model for some of these guys was to dump all the cost of their entire business into that tow. So they could literally pay for the entire business through one tow.”

The CMCA, along with the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, is among the entities trying to change that. Section 5514 of the FAST Act gives states complete authority to regulate nonconsensual towing and recovery operations.

Fulton and others have weighed in as Colorado is in the process of creating regulations and maximum rates when nonconsensual tows are concerned. The OOIDA claims it has discovered many towing bills with “overcharges of $10,000 or more.”

“When a law enforcement officer comes up to the window and asks if you’d like them to call a tow truck from their rotation, we think there should be some expectation on the public’s part that their rights as a consumer are being protected,” Fulton said. “We looked at identifying maximum hourly rates for different classes of tow trucks. The intent is to allow tow companies to be profitable but not allow for price gouging.”

The Colorado Public Utilities Commission is expected to make a proposal regarding towing regulations in the next couple of months.

Source: landlinemag.com.

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The Recovery Agents Benefit Fund has disbursed $36,100 to eight different families so far in 2016, families whose lives were turned upside down as a result of the death of a loved one. With four months left in 2016, RABF is on pace for a record year of disbursements—a sad statistic.

The RABF is asking for monetary help from the repossession industry by selling raffle tickets for the Dynamic Slide-In Unit donated by Anthony Gentile of Dynamic Manufacturing.

Tickets are $25 each, or five for $100, and can be purchased at recoveryagentsbenefitfund.org/raffle. The winning ticket will be drawn at the Dynamic Booth during the American Towman Exposition in Baltimore, Md., this November. The winner does not need to be present to win, but he or she does need to buy a ticket for a chance.

Source: recoveryagentsbenefitfund.org.

Towers Clear Literal Logjam A log truck turned over and spilled its load, blocking a street in Fife, Wash., recently forcing a full closure.

Police were called about 9:15 a.m. and found a semi had tipped over and scattered several logs across the roadway.

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MIDWEST 124 • October 2016- TOWMAN.COM

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Jerry Walker with Northwest Towing removes debris from a log truck accident in Fife, Wash. Thenewstribune.com image.

Police closed the road in both directions to clean up and investigate the accident.

Northwest Towing was called out to clear the scene.

No one was injured.

Source: thenewstribune.com.

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Move Over Awareness Day events in Phoenix, Ariz., will include lock-out and tire-change contests. APTRA photo.

Arizona Move Over Day The Arizona Professional Towing & Recovery Association scheduled its annual Move Over Awareness Day & Tow Truck Parade for Oct. 29 in Phoenix. The day will start with a tow truck parade at 8 a.m.

“Public awareness to the Move Over laws and that towers are part of it, is the only way to help save our lives,” said Gary Cooley, chairman of the event committee. “There will be something for everyone; a lock-out, tire change and light-duty driver obstacle course competition, as well as numerous booths from industry vendors.

“We could not make this event happen without our supportive sponsors: AAA Arizona, Rush Truck Centers, Sanderson Truck Equipment and the Phoenix Truck Driving Institute.”

All are invited. For more information, contact Cooley at gary@barnettsaz.com or call 602-863-3373

Parade Route Cleared for Free At 6 a.m. on a recent Friday morning in Pendleton, Ore., Chris Clark was already patrolling Court Street for the second time counting the vehicles he needed to move off the Westward Ho! Parade route.

“This is the holy grail of my Round-Up week,” said Clark, who operates Blue Mountain Towing & Recovery. “This is what I’ve been waiting for.”

The Pendleton Round-Up keeps him busy around the clock, responding to any number of wrecks, DUIs and people locked out of their cars.

But on Friday morning, his top priority is to clear the way for America’s largest non-motorized parade.

Earlier in the night, Clark counted 52 vehicles left along the route after

police put up the “No Parking” signs.

Officers run the plates and try to get in touch with the owners first, but if all else fails, Clark will load them up on the back of his flatbed and haul them to one of several city lots where they can be picked up later—free of charge.

Most people leave their cars because they don’t want to drink and drive, Clark said. That’s a big reason why Blue Mountain Towing, in partnership with the city, does not charge impound fees leading up to the parade. Clark said they don’t want to punish anyone for being safe.

Still, the show must go on, he said.

“Everybody wants a parade,” Clark said.

His backups include Dave Lindell, of Lindell’s Auto Salvage, and Tanner Bellamy, both of whom drive around in separate trucks. They meet up for Cowboy Breakfast at Stillman Park, and figure out how they will divvy up the route.

“We don’t really want to tow cars,” Lindell said. “We want the cars to move on their own. They aren’t all going to move on their own, so we move them for free.”

As the parade draws near, Clark must move quickly while also watching out for spectators and carriages in the street. He is careful not to spook the horses, a thought which makes him uneasy.

After several hours, Clark is sweating hard and ready for a nap. Yet despite the odd hours and heavy lifting, Clark said he would go insane working a regular desk job.

“This is what I’m good at,” he said.

“Everything I do is to help people.”

Source: eastoregonian.com.

Towman Killed in Crash A tower died recently after crashing into a pillar on the LBJ Freeway in far northeast Dallas, Texas.

Crews had to extricate James Sterry III, 32, who was pinned, about 2:15 a.m. after he crashed into a concrete support under an overpass.

He was pronounced dead at the hospital. A Go Fund Me account was setup to benefit Sterry’s 2-year-old son

MIDWEST 126 • October 2016- TOWMAN.COM

at gofundme.com/jamessterryiii.

The Texas Department of Transportation will send engineers to inspect the bridge pillars.

Source: dallasnews.com.

$4M Lawsuit Against Operator, Company The mother of a 22-year-old Reed College graduate who died after a tow truck turned in front of his bicycle in Portland, Ore., has filed a $4 million lawsuit against the driver and the company.

Mark Angeles had the right of way at the time of the noon crash on May 27, 2015, according to the newly filed lawsuit.

Angeles was in the bike lane and was traveling west on Southeast Gladstone Street in Portland, according to the suit. The North Oregon Towing truck was eastbound as it pulled a Volvo sedan. That’s when driver Jolene Friedow, 40, made a left-hand turn in front of Angeles and onto Southeast Cesar Chavez Boulevard.

Angeles died at the scene. Police said he was wearing a helmet.

After prosecutors reviewed the evidence in the case, they decided not to pursue criminal charges against Friedow. A report found that Friedow had started turning left across the intersection as the light turned from green to yellow, and Angeles began to cross the intersection while the light was already yellow.

The collision occurred while the light was still yellow.

The seconds leading up to the incident were partially caught on video by the tow truck’s camera and a nearby gas station’s surveillance camera.

Prosecutor Laura Rowan determined that neither Angeles—at 28 mph an hour—nor Friedow—at 10 mph—were traveling at an “excessive speed” in the 25-mph zone.

Angeles crashed into the front passenger side of the tow truck.

After the DA’s office closed its criminal investigation, Portland police ticketed Friedow for making a dangerous left turn, a civil infraction.

The suit faults Friedow for her driving and the towing company for allegedly failing to train her on “how to drive its tow truck safely in urban areas where bicyclists are likely to be present.”

The suit seeks $7,400 for Angeles’ burial and funeral expense, $3 million for the pecuniary loss to his estate and $1 million for his mother’s loss of companionship and services.

Source: oregonlive.com.

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Md. Towers Discuss Boundary Issues In a larger discussion of tow rates regulations imposed by the Ocean City, Md., government, local business owners brought up a practice they say is undercutting their operations.

“There is M.A.G Towing & Auto Service Center in Roxana, Delaware, and they’re towing cars out of here left and right,” said John Derrickson of John’s Autobody Repair & Tow in Berlin, who served as a spokesperson for the towing companies during a Police Commission meeting. “That tax base of those tows is going back to Delaware, Sussex County.”

Although city officials were quick to point out that M.A.G Towing meets all of the insurance requirements with a business license and truck tags, the tow owners responded that in the state of Maryland it is illegal to tow for police agencies without meeting state requirements: trucks must have Maryland tags, the business must have a Maryland business license and an impound lot within the state.

“I know from experience because I wanted to tow for Delaware State Police, and they told me, ‘When you own property and pay taxes, then you can get a chance to be on the Delaware State Police tow list,’ ” Derrickson said. “I spent a million dollars in Selbyville and now I can tow in Delaware.”

According to state legislature, that policy works both ways.

Although the Ocean City Police Department cannot prevent M.A.G. Work the non-traffic side–Stay Safe!

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www.towtruckinsuranceusa.com MIDWEST 128 • October 2016- TOWMAN.COM

from coming into the resort and conducting business, it cannot legally work for law enforcement agencies.

Source: oceancitytoday.net.

Association Targets Colo. ‘Overcharges’ Greg Fulton, president of the Colorado Motor Carriers Association, said he always hopes there’s not a tractor-trailer in need of a tow at the end of the month.

“I used to get worried when it got toward the end of the month when there had been really good weather in the winter,” Fulton said. “If it had been and there was an accident, God forbid because there had been no tows earlier in the month. The business model for some of these guys was to dump all the cost of their entire business into that tow. So they could literally pay for the entire business through one tow.”

The CMCA, along with the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, is among the entities trying to change that. Section 5514 of the FAST Act gives states complete authority to regulate nonconsensual towing and recovery operations.

Fulton and others have weighed in as Colorado is in the process of creating regulations and maximum rates when nonconsensual tows are concerned. The OOIDA claims it has discovered many towing bills with “overcharges of $10,000 or more.”

“When a law enforcement officer comes up to the window and asks if you’d like them to call a tow truck from their rotation, we think there should be some expectation on the public’s part that their rights as a consumer are being protected,” Fulton said. “We looked at identifying maximum hourly rates for different classes of tow trucks. The intent is to allow tow companies to be profitable but not allow for price gouging.”

The Colorado Public Utilities Commission is expected to make a proposal regarding towing regulations in the next couple of months.

Source: landlinemag.com.

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RABF Raffle for Dynamic Slide-In

Parade Route Cleared for Free

The Recovery Agents Benefit Fund has disbursed $36,100 to eight different families so far in 2016, families whose lives were turned upside down as a result of the death of a loved one.

With four months left in 2016, RABF is on pace for a record year of disbursements—a sad statistic.

The RABF is asking for monetary help from the repossession industry by selling raffle tickets for the Dynamic Slide-In Unit donated by Anthony Gentile of Dynamic Manufacturing.

Tickets are $25 each, or five for $100, and can be purchased at recoveryagentsbenefitfund.org/raffle. The winning ticket will be drawn at the Dynamic Booth during the American Towman Exposition in Baltimore, Md., this November. The winner does not need to be present to win, but he or she does need to buy a ticket for a chance.

Source: recoveryagentsbenefitfund.org.

At 6 a.m. on a recent Friday morning in Pendleton, Ore., Chris Clark was already patrolling Court Street for the second time counting the vehicles he needed to move off the Westward Ho! Parade route.

“This is the holy grail of my Round-Up week,” said Clark, who operates Blue Mountain Towing & Recovery. “This is what I’ve been waiting for.”

The Pendleton Round-Up keeps him busy around the clock, responding to any number of wrecks, DUIs and people locked out of their cars.

But on Friday morning, his top priority is to clear the way for America’s largest non-motorized parade.

Earlier in the night, Clark counted 52 vehicles left along the route after police put up the “No Parking” signs.

Officers run the plates and try to get in touch with the owners first, but if all else fails, Clark will load them up on the back of his flatbed and haul them

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Towman Chris Clark secures an SUV to the bed of his flatbed tow truck to clear a parade route in Pendleton, Ore. Eastoregonian.com image.

to one of several city lots where they can be picked up later—free of charge.

Most people leave their cars because they don’t want to drink and drive, Clark said. That’s a big reason why Blue Mountain Towing, in partnership with the city, does not charge impound fees leading up to the parade. Clark said they don’t want to punish anyone for being safe.

Still, the show must go on, he said.

“Everybody wants a parade,” Clark said.

His backups include Dave Lindell, of Lindell’s Auto Salvage, and Tanner Bellamy, both of whom drive around in separate trucks. They meet up for Cowboy Breakfast at Stillman Park, and figure out how they will divvy up the route.

“We don’t really want to tow cars,” Lindell said. “We want the cars to move on their own. They aren’t all going to move on their own, so we move them for free.”

As the parade draws near, Clark must move quickly while also watching out for spectators and carriages in the street. He is careful not to spook the horses, a thought which makes him uneasy.

After several hours, Clark is sweating hard and ready for a nap. Yet despite the odd hours and heavy lifting, Clark said he would go insane working a regular desk job.

“This is what I’m good at,” he said.

“Everything I do is to help people.”

Source: eastoregonian.com.

Move Over Awareness Day events in Phoenix, Ariz., will include lock-out and tire-change contests. APTRA photo.

Arizona Move Over Day The Arizona Professional Towing & Recovery Association scheduled its annual Move Over Awareness Day & Tow Truck Parade for Oct. 29 in Phoenix. The day will start with a tow truck parade at 8 a.m.

“Public awareness to the Move Over laws and that towers are part of it, is the only way to help save our lives,” said Gary Cooley, chairman of the event committee. “There will be something for everyone; a lock-out, tire change and light-duty driver obstacle course competition, as well as numerous booths from industry vendors.

“We could not make this event happen without our supportive sponsors: AAA Arizona, Rush Truck Centers, Sanderson Truck Equipment and the Phoenix Truck Driving Institute.”

All are invited. For more information, contact Cooley at gary@barnettsaz.com or call 602-863-3373

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$4M Lawsuit Against Operator, Company The mother of a 22-year-old Reed College graduate who died after a tow truck turned in front of his bicycle in Portland, Ore., has filed a $4 million lawsuit against the driver and the company.

Mark Angeles had the right of way at the time of the noon crash on May 27, 2015, according to the newly filed lawsuit.

Angeles was in the bike lane and was traveling west on Southeast Gladstone Street in Portland, according to the suit. The North Oregon Towing truck was eastbound as it pulled a Volvo sedan. That’s when driver Jolene Friedow, 40, made a left-hand turn in front of Angeles and onto Southeast Cesar Chavez Boulevard.

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The suit faults Friedow for her driving and the towing company for allegedly failing to train her on “how to drive its tow truck safely in urban areas where bicyclists are likely to be present.”

The suit seeks $7,400 for Angeles’ burial and funeral expense, $3 million for the pecuniary loss to his estate and $1 million for his mother’s loss of companionship and services.

Source: oregonlive.com.

Angeles died at the scene. Police said he was wearing a helmet.

After prosecutors reviewed the evidence in the case, they decided not to pursue criminal charges against Friedow. A report found that Friedow had started turning left across the intersection as the light turned from green to yellow, and Angeles began to cross the intersection while the light was already yellow.

The collision occurred while the light was still yellow.

The seconds leading up to the incident were partially caught on video by the tow truck’s camera and a nearby gas station’s surveillance camera.

Prosecutor Laura Rowan determined that neither Angeles—at 28 mph an hour—nor Friedow—at 10 mph—were traveling at an “excessive speed” in the 25-mph zone.

Angeles crashed into the front passenger side of the tow truck.

After the DA’s office closed its criminal investigation, Portland police ticketed Friedow for making a dangerous left turn, a civil infraction.

Md. Towers Discuss Boundary Issues In a larger discussion of tow rates regulations imposed by the Ocean City, Md., government, local business owners brought up a practice they say is undercutting their operations.

“There is M.A.G Towing & Auto Service Center in Roxana, Delaware, and they’re towing cars out of here left and right,” said John Derrickson of John’s Autobody Repair & Tow in Berlin, who served as a spokesperson for the towing companies during a Police Commission meeting. “That tax

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base of those tows is going back to Delaware, Sussex County.”

Although city officials were quick to point out that M.A.G Towing meets all of the insurance requirements with a business license and truck tags, the tow owners responded that in the state of Maryland it is illegal to tow for police agencies without meeting state requirements: trucks must have Maryland tags, the business must have a Maryland business license and an impound lot within the state.

“I know from experience because I wanted to tow for Delaware State Police, and they told me, ‘When you own property and pay taxes, then you can get a chance to be on the Delaware State Police tow list,’ ” Derrickson said.

“I spent a million dollars in Selbyville and now I can tow in Delaware.”

According to state legislature, that policy works both ways. Although the Ocean City PD cannot prevent M.A.G. from coming into the resort and conducting business, it cannot legally work for law enforcement agencies.

Source: oceancitytoday.net.

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