Tow Professional - Volume: 5 Issue: 8

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TOW PROFESSIONAL Volume 5 • Issue 8 2016

CONTENTS I ND US T RY NEWS OW WI IN NG G& &R REEC CO OV VEER RY Y TTO

6 |Jerr-Dan 8 | Dynamic / Casanova Towing Equipment 10 |NRC 14 |Schaffer Towing 16 |TRAA 17 |Tracker Management / Whiterail 18 |TRAO 20 |Trail-EZE 21 |USAC/MD 22 |Gray’s Towing 24 |Riding on Insulin

www.towprofessional.com

Feature: Service Bodies & storage 44| IMT / Iowa Mold Tooling, Co. Inc

46| In The Ditch

Fuel 4 thought 30 | Thinking of Words

Insightful talk 34 | New Revenue Sources

Feature: Snatch Blocks 38| A Better Way to Winch

Feature: Service Bodies & storage 40| Dynamic’s New Service Truck

Feature: Compliance 50| eComply 52| DPF Remedy

Feature: Motor Clubs 54| Road America 55| NSD 56| URGENT.LY 58| INA Towing Network IN EVERY ISSUE 4 | Publisher’s Letter 59 |Dealers Place 2

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63 | Market Place 64 | Ad Index

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PUBLISHER’S

LETTER

TM

Professional Your Resource for Towing & Recovery

Volume 5 • Issue 8 2016

PUBLISHER

www.towprofessional.com

Darian Weaver President & Publisher darian@towprofessional.com

Change is on the Horizon

Tim Smith V.P. Sales tim@towprofessional.com __________________________

Change is normally not met with happy feelings, and people are generally scared of change, but in many cases, it can be good. The leaves change color, and it makes the scenery more beautiful. They eventually fall and make room for new growth. Political offices change too: sometimes for the good, sometimes for the not so good; and sometimes they fall making more room for new growth.

This year in our industry, the Western States show has closed its doors for the foreseeable future. We enjoyed working with the folks there and had exhibited several times. We love our west coast readers and companies, and we have always enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with them.

There is a lot of new growth in the industry to look forward to as you can see by the amount of industry news in this issue. Of course, there is a new trade show this year, The Southern Tow Expo & Beach Bash; and, by early looks, it will be a huge success! Attendee registration has been way ahead of schedule; the exhibitor spots are filling up crazy fast; and the beach front hotels are running out of rooms! If you haven’t registered or reserved your booth yet, don’t wait--go to www.southerntowexpo.com.

In this issue, we will go thru a bunch of new and exciting things coming to our industry.

We will hear from Dan and DJ learning from their “Insights” and seeing what “Fuel for Thought” they have to grow our businesses. We will learn about some new products that can make a difference in your bottom-line while giving you information on some of the top motor clubs in the market. We also will be talking about some of the good people in our industry and what they are doing to give back. Thank you for all you do!

PRODUCTION Dana Maxfififfiiefild Creative Director dana@towprofessional.com Gene Eudy Proof Editor gene@towprofessional.com __________________________

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Paul Ederer - AW Direct DJ Harrington Dan Messina

__________________________

Stay Safe and keep reading, Executive and Advertising Offices

Timothy A Smith Vice President Tow Professional Magazine

2007 Old Montgomery Hwy, Suite B Birmingham, AL 35244 Toll free: 888-802-8544 Fax: 205-978-1550 www.towprofessional.com Tow Professional is published nine times a year by Over The Mountain Media, Inc., P.O. Box 26308, Birmingham, Alabama, 35260, USA. Tow Professional is distributed free to qualified subscribers. Nonqualified subscription rates are $57.00 per year in the U.S. and Canada and $84.00 per year for foreign subscribers (surface mail). U.S. Postage paid at Birmingham, Alabama and additional mailing offices.

Tow Professional is distributed to qualified Towing & Recovery's Top Decision Makers. Publisher is not liable for all content (including editorial and illustrations provided by advertisers) of advertisements published and does not accept responsibility for any claims made against the publisher. It is the advertiser’s or agency’s responsibility to obtain appropriate releases on any item or individuals pictured in an advertisement. Reproduction of this magazine in whole or in part is prohibited without prior written permission from the publisher.

For a new free subscription, address changes or corrections, please visit www.towprofessional.com and click on the “subscribe” tab.

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I ND US T RY NEWS OW WI IN NG G& &R REEC CO OV VEER RY Y TTO

The JERR-DAN Rigging Carousel Jerr-Dan Corporation Announces Issuance of a New U.S. Patent: US 9,434,321 B2 The Rigging Carousel provides yet another feature in the product line to support operator efficiency and organization. The patented Carousel features convenient access and organized storage for chains, shackles or snatch blocks. It is available on all Jerr-Dan JFB Rotators and Heavy-Duty Wreckers. This storage solution option can be added to any Jerr-Dan JFB Wrecker or Rotator and can be purchased from Jerr-Dan Tow Support Distributors.

"The Rigging Carousel was introduced at the 2013 Baltimore Tow Show on a Rotator that set the standard for organized tool and rigging storage through innovative storage solutions. Our Engineering team credited with this patent used voice of the customer feedback to design solutions focused on improving operator efficiency and rigging accessibility. This patent is a testament to JerrDan's focus on continuous improvement and innovation," said Jerr-Dan Senior Director of Product Development, Jeff Soldner.

Jerr-Dan is always striving to bring new product innovations to the market - the invention of the Carousel incorporated with the JFB Body Series, enables Jerr-Dan to continue its position as the innovation leader in the towing and recovery industry. www.jerrdan.com

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I ND US T RY NEWS OW WI IN NG G& &R REEC CO OV VEER RY Y TTO

Dynamic Towing Equipment Has a Solution for Snowy Areas

For those of you in cold and snowy areas and gearing up for autumn and winter, Dynamic’s high impact polypropylene body just might be exactly what you need! The poly option helps eliminate corrosion. The Dynamic 701 Lightning body, the 755

Series, and the Fusion all have the option to be made with high impact polypropylene instead of steel. Call Shelly with questions or interest! 1-800-831-9299. www.dynamicmfg.com

Casanova Towing Equipment – A New Dynamic Dealer for Southern California Dynamic Towing Equipment is proud to announce the recent dealer partnership with Casanova Towing Equipment of Compton, California. Casanova Towing Equipment is a familyowned and operated towing company that now offers Dynamic towing equipment, service, and parts for the southern California area. They are dedicated to high standards and employ a staff that is experienced in the towing and vehicle transportation industry. Prior to working with their company, Casanova’s employees have been previous towing operators, equipment 8

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builders, and even sales associates for towing wreckers and carriers. The Casanova staff is professional, knowledgeable, and friendly. They are a great fit to represent the Dynamic product line and feel certain that Dynamic’s customer base in southern California will receive excellent customer service and have the opportunity to fulfill all of their towing equipment needs. www.dynamicmfg.com www.casanovatowequipment.com

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I ND US T RY NEWS OW WI IN NG G& &R REEC CO OV VEER RY Y TTO

NRC Gives Chattanooga, Tennessee a Little Lift

On September 6th & 7th, 2016, NRC Industries and several NRC dealers held a two-day hands-on rotator training class in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Forty attendees were given the chance to operate all different types of NRC equipment including the one of a kind NRC “sliding rotator.” Mace’s Heavy-Duty Towing, Matthew’s Garage, Inc., and Tommie’s Auto & Diesel Repair & Towing provided their 65-ton rotators. The attendees even got the chance to operate the “HIM,” NRC’s 80-ton sliding rotator which was provided by Robert Young’s NRC Sales & Service out of Roanoke, VA. The NRC team worked to put together real-life casualties including a rolled over tractor and trailer, a mid-air roll over of a tanker, and a large bus lift. They even lifted an S-10 pickup truck out through a building!

The group was broken down into teams to insure proper communication and safety while training was provided to each individual. NRC works closely with many towing manufacturers including SAVA, B/A Products, Advantage Funding, and many others. SAVA participated in the day with a handson demo of their recovery air cushions. SAVA also provided the COMSTAR headsets which were used by the group for 10

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I ND US T RY NEWS OW WI IN NG G& &R REEC CO OV VEER RY Y TTO

communication in the recovery incidents.

The guys also did a little laundry by performing the “Close-line lift” on a 1940 Antique Ford provided by Albert Battelini with Battelini’s Transport Towing & Wrecker Sales out of New Jersey.

After two long hot days, the hard work paid off and each graduate was presented with a certificate of training. NRC also hosted the Rotator Relay Demo for all to attend. Norbert Pigeon himself worked the controls as a large bus was passed from rotator to rotator through a total of four rotators including the three 65-ton rotators and finishing with the 80ton Rotator. This lift demonstrated just how powerful and easy to use the NRC equipment is. As always, the NRC family is thankful for the opportunity to work with towing companies around the world providing proper safety and training.

Safety training rotator courses are held all year throughout the United States so be on the lookout for the next one! www.nrc-industries.com

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I ND US T RY NEWS OW WI IN NG G& &R REEC CO OV VEER RY Y TTO

Schaffer’s Little Giant Schaffer Towing is a family-owned and family-run business that was born out of hard work, character, compassion for others, a love for family, and a desire to enjoy the good things of life-the same things that forged a great nation! My name is Jeff Schaffer, and I want to share our story with you.

The roots of our company were put down in 1936 by our grandfather, John, and great grandfather, Ray Schaffer.

Originally the family business was started as a Standard oil gas station then became Sohio and then eventually BP. With the passing away of his father, young Don Schaffer took over the business at the age of 18. Don was a very ambitious visionary adding mechanical bays and towing in the mid-sixties pioneering one of the first carry-out stores in the state.

Don not only had natural business drive, he also had a passion for farming taking care of live-stock and approximately 2300 acres of crops. He didn’t just take care of the farm either he raised four boys- my brothers John, Jim, Jerry, Justin, and me, Jeff. We saw the type of work ethic our dad modeled for us on a daily basis.

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by Jeff Schaffer

He didn’t just teach us how to grow a crop; he taught us how to grow our characters, that is, how to be honest, compassionate and loyal toward our families, our friends and our customers. In September of 1992, our business lost a good man, but we lost a good dad, one of the hardest days in our lives.

During the time of helping our mother, Virginia Schaffer, run the company, we purchased Delhi Towing in the year of 2000. Eventually we would purchase the Schaffer company and currently Jim,

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Justin, and I owned and managed both companies. As of today, built by the sweat and love of family, we have approximately thirty-five pieces of equipment that we use on a daily basis. We thank our mom and dad for laying down the foundation of the company, but we're not done building the walls just yet!

Now family and hard work is not all the story; there are two more things I want to mention: good equipment and having creative fun. One example of good equipment I'd like to tell you about is the 2016

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Kenworth T800 with a Century 1150R. My Brothers and I kicked the idea around about ordering a rotator for quite some time. In March of 2015 we ordered Unit #50 from Hedinger's Equipment and took possession of it in August just in time for the September 2015 Midwest Tow Show.

After seeing the work potential of having such a great piece of equipment, we are completely satisfied in our decision.

Now it’s time for the creative fun part.

In April of 2016, I had a friend (Bruce Brock/ Brock Automotive) tell me an interesting story of someone building a golfcart rotator, the Unit #50.5 which is for half pint. After seeing pictures and hearing some of the story of the builder, I requested to talk to him, Jerry Lippert from Bills Towing out of Salesville, Ohio. I spoke with Jerry on the phone at first and then

made plans to travel three hours to meet with him and then see this unique hobby he had going on. He told me he had worked on the rotator for approximately seven years off and on. He also said that everything was custom-built from the hood all the way to the door hinges. The body is aluminum; the out riggers, boom, and under-reach are fully-functional hydraulic; and it has tilt steering wheel, turn signals, brake lights, and electric winches. I was very impressed with the craftsmanship of this unit. On the way home, all I kept thinking about was the time I spent speaking with Jerry and his passion for building this one-of-a-kind golf cart. We negotiated a deal, and he began painting and finishing it. The unit has already been in local parades and, of course, was in the Midwest Tow Show .

We plan on using this at fund raisers, golf outings, and truck events. Heck, we even picked up a six person cart and towed it, now all we need is one on its side!

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A Proclamaton Honors the 100th Anniversary of the Towing Industry

The Towing and Recovery Association of America, in conjunction with its ongoing effort to improve the image of towers and the towing industry to the general public, would like to recognize a history-making event that took place on September 6, 2016.

The Honorable Charles J. "Chuck" Fleischmann of Tennessee presented to the United States House of Representative a proclamation honoring the 100-year anniversary of the towing industry. The proclamation recognizes the invaluable contribution of the towing and recovery industry to the country, honors those towers killed on the roadways, and designates a National Towing Industry Awareness Week to be held in conjunction with the ITRHFM induction ceremony and the Wall of the Fallen ceremony annually.

This proclamation was made possible through the hard work of the staff of TRAA and members, Joanne Blyton of Billings, MT, and Larry Cernosek of Pasadena, TX. Each initially worked on a similar effort, and they later combined forces. During the TRAA Association Forum in Texas, Larry and Joanne spoke about this and generated support that prompted calls to legislature that helped to get this over the goal-line in time for the 100th anniversary events at the museum in September. At the museum’s annual fundraising auction, Larry announced the results of the efforts and read the proclamation.

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The Towing and Recovery Association of America is thankful for the efforts of Joanne and Larry as well as to the United States Congress House of Representatives for the positive recognition this proclamation has brought to the towing and recovery industry. Joanne and Larry are continuing their work in an effort to make this a joint resolution and a permanent record for years to come. Their efforts over the past year allowed this truly great day for the towing and recovery industry to become a reality, and TRAA is working with them on their continuing endeavors for the industry.

The Congressional Record can be found online at http://bit.ly/2dEAMWe. Following the events where the proclamation was presented to the towing industry on September 15, 2016, Senator Corker of Tennessee introduced Senate Resolution 568 before the U.S. Senate, and it was passed by unanimous consent. S. Res. 568. This is yet another step in the process to bring positive attention and recognition to the towing industry and TRAA is proud to be a part of it.

The Towing and Recovery Association of America endeavors to pass along positive news about the towing industry and places press releases in conjunction with these efforts. This release is a part of that effort. News submissions can be sent to: jgodwin@ftigroups.com.

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Tracker Management System adds Whiterail Review Tracker Management Systems is pleased to announce the release of a new powerful, strategic partnership with Whiterail Reviews to give its clients a competitive advantage. Since 1986, Tracker has paved the way as the tow industry's leader in towing and dispatch software. Whiterail Reviews is a customer survey, employee measurement, and online reviews system designed for the towing industry.

By joining forces with Whiterail Reviews, Tracker now empowers clients with new, highly-competitive advantages that enable domination of local markets via a wealth of positive, online reviews.

Ninety percent of cash and corporate customers read a tow company's reviews before they even make a phone call.

Towing companies suffer greatly from an imbalance of negative reviews. Now tow operators can obtain a constant stream of real, positive Google and Yelp reviews –

automatically!

Whiterail Reviews enables Tracker clients to automatically monitor their online reviews and intercept most negative reviews before they ever get posted to social media. Subscribers gain the same advantage as Rusty Russell of S&R Towing in Oceanside, California, who reports: “The day we turned Whiterail on, I feel we went to the next level. I don't have time to call every customer or to babysit every employee; Whiterail does it for me.

Now with Tracker automatically sending out feedback requests, it’s even easier.

Our internet presence has been substantially improved because it's very easy to get feedback and online reviews from our customers. Also, Whiterail has helped us police our company to make sure employees treat people with respect because our employees know that if something goes wrong I’m going to find

out, and there will be repercussions. I don't know how we could continue to be at the level we are without Whiterail.”

Whiterail Reviews and Tracker integrate seamlessly to make it simple to: • Proactively identify client account problems before they become damaging.

• Automatically document customer feedback for each of your employees and accounts to help you manage your people.

• Get positive reviews and prevent most negative reviews from ever getting posted online. Improve your business and make more money.

Tracker and Whiterail Reviews make it easy! www.whiterailreviews.com www.trackermanagement.com

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TRAO Does It Again Each year Darian and I venture up to the Great Wolf Lodge in Mason, Ohio to attend the Midwest Tow Show. Ms. Donna always does a great job, and you always come away with the same feeling while you are there--the TRAO does it right! Whether it’s the model show, the concert, the auction or the trade show itself, it all goes off without a hitch. I think that says a lot about the folks who manage it. As someone who is finding out firsthand how hard it is to operate and manage an event like this, I can tell you-it’s not easy.

The trade show was well attended, and the exhibitors we talked to had the opinion that the quality of the attendees was fantastic. At some of the shows we go to, you do see heavy traffic, but very few who can or would be in the market for the products and services that the exhibitors are offering. Other shows we have gone to had very light traffic, but generally the quality was good. With this 18

by Tim Smith

show, you got a little of both: the traffic was heavy at times, and the quality of the attendee was good.

We were there primarily to invite people to our show in Orange Beach next year, and we experienced a terrific show.

We had several new exhibitors sign up on the spot and hundreds of attendees who want to come down and attend our show

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and the Beach Bash. We also got to see our old friends and have a good time, enjoy good food, and maybe hang out at a few parties. If you have never been to this show before--you need to put it on your

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schedule for next year. The Tow 411 party normally has a nice spread, and you have to make it to the Beacon Software party and watch Mike Haney show off his awesome bartending skills; he always puts on a good show.

When we got the chance to get away from the booth for a few minutes and cruise the show, there was all kinds of stuff to see: A school bus had been converted to a full-scale hot rod. It was still yellow but that was about where the similarities to a school bus ended. It was outfitted with a stroked small-block engine that gave it a sweet hum when it fired up, and under the hood was wall-to-wall chrome beauty. Darian, our resident hot rod aficionado, spent more than a minute checking it out, and I am sure, wondering how bad his car could beat it—ha! My understating is that this bus is being considered for the front cover of Jegs Magazine-good luck Darian!

We also saw this awesome golf cart made to look identical to one of Shaffer’s

rotators! This thing was awesome, and everything worked like it should. Mr. Shaffer was awesome and took us out to see what it looked like beside its big brother. We couldn’t help it--a photo shoot followed. You can see the evidence and read a little more about it in this issue.

Darian was selected to give the invocation at the candlelight vigil that was put on to support the men and women that we have lost. Boots, vests, and hard hats hung on road cones were a sobering reminder of the ones lost and the important work that the “Survivor Fund” does for our industry. It also makes you think how different it would be if people would properly observe the “Slow down, Move Over” law. I give Darian a hard time sometimes, but Donna picked a great guy to lead the prayer, and he did a great job of honoring the memories of the towers we lost and their families. The vigil was well attended and was very powerful--not too much of a surprise though since Donna and the TRAO always do it right!

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I ND US T RY NEWS

Giving Back

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TRAIL-EZE Donates $1,500 to Survivor Fund The International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum today announced that TRAIL-EZE presented a donation of $1,500 to the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum’s Survivor Fund during the recent towing industry weekend

as the industry gathered to attend the Wall of the Fallen event. The funds will provide financial support to families of those lost in the line of service.

The Survivor Fund helps provide immediate financial help to families affected by tragedy in the line of service,

and TRAIL-EZE has established a program to provide on-going support for the efforts of the Survivor Fund.

“We are proud to have TRAIL-EZE as a continuing supporter for the Survivor Fund as they provide donations based on trailer sales into our industry,” said Jeffrey Godwin, ITRHFM Board Member and Survivor Fund Committee Chairman.

“This generous effort will work to support our fund as we endeavor to provide a valuable benefit to the families of the men and women lost in our industry.”

On average, close to 60 road service professionals are killed each year assisting stranded motorists on the side of busy roadways or performing their duties in towing and recovery. The Survivor Fund, founded in 2006 and managed by the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum, was started to offer financial support to the families that have lost a loved one in the line of service within industry. Since its inception, the Survivor Fund has approved and paid out over 150 claims to support families in their time of need due to tragic accidents.

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giving back

USAC/MD Reaches $100,000 Milestone

International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum today announced that the United States Auto Club, Motoring Division, Inc. (USAC/MD) reached a coveted milestone. Over the nine year history of the USAC/MD Charity Golf Classic, USAC/MD raised a cumulative total exceeding $100,000 for the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum’s Survivor Fund. At the recent celebration of the 100th anniversary of the towing industry, USAC/MD was recognized with an award and a presentation check marking the milestone at the “Wall of the Fallen” monument. The donated funds continue to provide financial support to families of those lost in the line of service.

Next year will mark the 10th Annual USAC/MD Charity Golf Classic and The International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum's Survivor Fund is thankful for the continued generosity of sponsors, players, and others in attendance. The event will be held on Thursday, April 20, 2017 at Celebration Golf Club in Celebration, FL in conjunction with the PWOF Tow Show.

The annual event draws well over one hundred players, a large list of sponsors, and other participants. The format is a four-person scramble, and the teams always have a blast playing and winning prizes as well as earning bragging rights all while raising money for the International Towing & Recovery Museum’s Survivor Fund.

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TAKING AWARENESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL I ND US T RY NEWS OW WI IN NG G& &R REEC CO OV VEER RY Y TTO

Founded by Mason Gray, Gray’s Towing is coming up on their 50th anniversary next year. The business started out as a full-service gas station named Gray’s Texaco and has evolved to G&H Tire and Auto, Inc. DBA Gray’s Towing, which is a full-service, twelve-bay tire and automotive facility with sixteen tow trucks varying from light to heavy-duty.

With Mason’s passing ten years ago, the business is now owned by his son, Mike Gray, with the service department being run by his daughter, Ashley, and her husband while the towing department is run by his son, Michael, and his wife. We take pride in being a true family business having employees with multiple people of their families working with us as well.

Being from a small town, we like to find ways to give back to the community.

Up until a couple years ago, we did it the only way we knew how-donating to the schools, football team, band, little league,

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Giving Back

etc…. Yet we still wanted to be able to do more. We were constantly being told, “I see your tow trucks everywhere I go!” We knew we had rolling billboards, and Michael came up with the idea to use the trucks as a way to create awareness.

Coming up on October at the time with everyone’s craze to turn everything pink, we decided to wrap one of the trucks for breast cancer. There are several women who we love who have courageously fought this fight, and we wanted to give them our support. In connection with Crystal Coast Graphics in Jacksonville, NC, we came up with a design we loved, had T-shirts and banners made, and flooded social media telling everyone to request the “pink tow truck.” Then we donated a portion of every tow and all proceeds from the T-shirts. With the truck having such a positive outcome, we knew we could do more. We have gotten inspiration for our wraps from various places and things that

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giving back the laws. For our latest truck, our inspiration came from a very special young lady and a long time tow truck driver. Jen and Jay Rossi are of a military family, and both of them have worked as part-time employees with our company for many years. Just like all of our employees, they

“hit home” for us. The company we purchase most of our tow trucks from, Atlanta Wrecker Sales, is also a family-run business and our sales rep, Martin, has a child with autism. Also, our “move over” truck is dear to us for ALL roadside workers who have been injured or killed because of drivers’ lack of knowledge on

the Rossi’s response to the truck. Jen is so excited that she has already lined it up to be at a Diabetes Walk in Greenville, NC on November 12th. We are extremely pleased that our trucks are able to get the word out there and just hope that we can continue to make a positive impact on the community.

are family to us. A few years ago their daughter, Alexandria, had a rough run in with diabetes. She has overcome so much, and we have all learned a lot from her. We wanted to be able to raise awareness for what diabetes actually is and for those that have it. We are so thrilled by

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Giving Back

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Riding on Insulin

by Pat Cahill

Type 1 Diabetes is a genetic autoimmune disease which carries a life-long sentence of dependence on outside insulin. Insulin is a hormone made in the pancreas which regulates blood glucose levels. Basically, the pancreas stops making insulin requiring Type 1 Diabetics to rely on injections for the hormone. Insulin works like a key which opens the doors to the cells of your body. Your food is broken down into simple sugars called glucose.

When the doors swing open, the sugar in our bloodstream enters our cells, and our body uses that sugar for energy. Type 1 diabetics are born with the disease, but some still have the ability to make insulin for a short while so the disease is not detected. Jay Cutler, NFL quarterback, was not diagnosed until he was 24 years old, whereas former NBA all-star Ray Allen’s son, Walker, was at 17 months old. My sister, Mary, was diagnosed at 11 and my own son, Connor, was at 15. Just

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because someone is diagnosed with diabetes does not mean they can’t enjoy their lives; just the opposite is true, and I am here to raise that awareness.

You become immersed in things that affect your family. My son, Connor, loves snowboarding so I was determined to limit any barriers from him enjoying his life to the fullest since I had learned from my sister’s experience who told me,” I don’t have a disease called Diabetes; I have to live my life as a diabetic.” I was surprised attending major fire and towing industry shows that there is no public awareness about Type 1 Diabetes affecting over 3 million people today. My wife, Laurie, found a common bond with a program called “Riding on Insulin.” It was founded by Pro Snow-boarder, Sean Busby, who made it his mission to offer a non-profit program that children ages 3-17 can come together and learn to ski or snowboard. The kids are put in groups based on their age and skill level and spend the day together on the mountain. Parents and siblings can volunteer or even join. Those without diabetes

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are referred to as Type 3! The children bond together by checking their glucose meters together before they ski down and before they go back up. The group shares a common goal of showing each other that they are not alone with dealing with highs and lows.

I wanted to help raise awareness in our industry and put together First Responder T-shirts. This winter season “Riding on Insulin” is offering snowboarding/skiing camps in ten different states with another one in Canada. There are different tier costs depending on your budget including scholarships based on need. I will work with the organization to assist any First Responder child attend one of their camps. For any child that wants to be a junior coach, there are special twoday instructional venues. I’ve set up a new First Responder’s donation page for this year at ridingoninsulin.kindful.com.

For more information, please go to ridingoninsulin.org or if you would like to donate, please refer to the above special link for first responders.

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Fuel 4 thought

By D.J. Harrington, CSP

Thinking

After leaving the Midwest Regional Tow Show, I started thinking how in the world can the Southern Tow Expo out-do itself next year in beautiful Orange Beach.

Oh, by the way, mark your calendar for these dates, May 4th through the 6th, 2017.

There are tons of tow shows every year, and I attend all of them. The performing band in Ohio was the best I have ever heard. Yes, they have already rebooked them for next year’s show.

Somehow, as Southerners, we are going to out-do the Midwesterners in Orange Beach. Let’s talk about THINKING first.

My older brother, Bill, better known as “Deep Pockets” because he owned lots of companies, would always say, “What were you thinking?” when one of his many team members would mess up.

This month, I want you to think differently from others so that you can achieve your dreams.

First Tip: Give yourself the time to think! Most people keep themselves much too busy. They confuse activity with accomplishment. If you want to perform well, you need to think well. You can’t do that unless you set-up a time for thinking.

Second Tip: Find a place to be creative! I believe that a person who possesses mental discipline can think anywhere. However, I also know that some environments are particularly conducive to creative thinking. I have a particular chair in my living room that is my favorite place to think and read. You have to figure out what works for you.

Third Tip: Force yourself to think! If thinking was so easy, everyone would be 30

of

Words

good at it, and everyone would be successful. The truth is that thinking can be hard work. It is good for you to give yourself a certain amount of time to think every day.

Fourth Tip: See problems as opportunities! Being derailed by obstacles should not happen. We need to see problems as opportunities. I think that is what the towing industry is all about. It is how you look at the glass – is it HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY? How do you look at challenges?

Fifth Tip: Challenge assumptions!

One of the most insurmountable obstacles to successful thinking is a phrase that I hate, “But we’ve always done it this way….” It was Robert Kriegel who said, “Sacred cows—make the best burgers.”

You can buy into the same assumptions as everyone else and think differently as successful people do. Don’t take anything for granted.

Sixth Tip: Explore every option!

What I mean here is unsuccessful people think there is only one right answer to any problem. Successful people understand there are dozens. The trick is to find as many answers as possible so you can use the best one for that given moment.

Seventh and Final Tip: Recruit other good thinkers to work with you!

Nobody ever achieved a big dream alone.

Successful people know that they are not big enough, smart enough or strong enough to do everything themselves--they get help. If you want to succeed, work with others, join TRAA and your State Towing Association. Get involved. Set plans now to be at the Southern Tow Show & Expo next May 4th – 6th, 2017.

All of us were put on this earth for a rea-

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son. Think outside the box. When talking about thinking outside the box, most of us trip over the box. The last thing I want to mention is the words we use.

Our words are like seeds: the more we water them, the more they grow. They will produce EXACTLY what we’re saying.

If you say, “I can’t remember names,” guess what, after a while you will not remember names. Whatever you think about will come about. You’ve probably heard me say that line before.

Years ago, I attended a Catholic college in Florida known today as St. Leo University. On one particular day when I was president of the student body, Father Fidelis taped one of my student government meetings. It wasn’t customary to do that, but he had a purpose. After the meeting, he wanted me to hear what others heard. As I listened, I discovered that I didn’t like what I heard. With the same tongue that God gave me, I praised one classmate; and with the same tongue, I cut-down a freshman class president, who I did not like at all, to the core!

What’s worse, I did it in front of the student government meeting with 70-80 people present.

Words are like electricity. They can be used for light, air conditioning, and heating up dinner, but they are dangerous if used wrongly. Words can do damage as well, and sometimes the damage from our words can’t be undone.

The longer you talk in negative terms, the longer you will walk in defeat. Don’t use your words to explain your situation; use your words to change your situation!

WOW, that was a good line! I might want to “sideline” that phrase to use in an

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upcoming talk, seminar or workshop.

Great quarterbacks will speak first, “Go ten yards down, harsh left,” and the ball will be there. Like quarterbacks, we must first speak our thoughts and then follow through.

If you really want to change your world, change your words. If you have a negative life, “put a fork in it,” and then start over. It will come to pass, BET ON IT! People say things like “I’m so slow I will never be successful.” We talk so negatively about ourselves. Please stop it.

However, when I was a young man, my dad showed me that a small tug boat could pull a big, steam ship liner out to sea. I’m certainly not a sailor or know much about boats. It was an amazing teaching moment between my dad and me. He wanted me to see that a smaller tug boat had a smaller rudder which did all the work on the direction of the boat.

Your small rudder is your tongue. Watch

what you say because your tongue will dictate how well you do. Watch what you speak. Whatever you talk about will come about!

During this up-coming holiday season, keep an eye out for employees who don’t have family nearby. Invite the single person in dispatch or a driver to your home for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. We need to remember the real meaning of the season. I say, “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays,” not “Happy Xmas.”

There’s a reason for the season. I wish you and your family the very best for a holiday season, and let’s make 2017 our best year yet.

I hope to see you at the next tow show or state convention. We need to support our state associations to make our industry great. Thanks for reading my column.

See you next time. Oh yes, remember May 4th – 6th, 2017.

The Tow Doctor

Until next time.

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Insightful talk

A few years back, I wrote an article about tow company owners doing a variety of different things to generate additional revenue. By using their storage lot or their office building, they got creative with some of the following ideas: 1. Open up a nail and tanning salon in the front office of your storage lot (A wife of a tower in Shepard, Texas did this.).

2. Open a U-Haul Rental from your storage lot.

3. Tow junk cars and run them across the scales.

4. Open RV and boat storage.

5. Provide new car storage for car dealers.

6. Store cars for other tow companies.

7. Open storage units at your storage yard.

8. Provide overnight parking for tractortrailers as they pass through town.

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By Dan Messina

Learn to implement things at your office like being opened 24-hrs., installing security cameras, hiring bi-lingual staff, and strategically lighting your property. If you have room on your storage yard, there are ways to make money with it.

I recently talked with a large company that was going into the grocery delivery business. People would e-mail their orders in, and this company would deliver the groceries. The pay was actually more than some fees the tow companies were getting for some of their tow contracts.

When I got into towing, I immediately started to hold my own auctions, and that was a big revenue source for me. I can remember sending out proposals to over twenty-five law enforcement agencies trying to get them to sign my paper work for the vehicles sold. I had a good response because it was a source of revenue for small-town law enforcement. I remember

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going to body shops and getting cars from them to sell in my auction and splitting the money with them. I sent a letter to Auto Nations dealers and asked them if they had cars that they got stuck with.

People would bring their cars in for repair and leave them. One dealer was moving and had two cars with no paper work. I picked them up and sold them in my auction. I then went back to the dealer and handed them a check for $2800 which was half of what I sold them for. The next thing I knew, the main office was calling me wanting me to work with all their local dealerships.

IAA called me up one day and asked me to auction off cars for them. They got stuck with about 150 cars a month that were without paperwork. My auction process generated an auction sales receipt that could be converted into a title.

They liked me so much in Dallas that they

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sent me to Houston to auction off cars there. They paid me a percentage of each sale. Talk about a great revenue source!

Every year it gets harder and harder to make a living in the towing industry. All your expenses keep going up while the price for a tow keeps going down. I talked to many owners who are looking for new ways to add revenue by thinking outside the box.

Here are a few more ideas: 1. Abandoned Cars – As my drivers drove around town, they would look for vehicles that were broken down or looked abandoned. They would find out who owned the property and make arrangements to dispose of the vehicle for them and share the revenue with them. I was at a tire shop recently; and while I was waiting to get a tire fixed, there under a tree was a Chevy SUV with a flat tire and dirt all over it. I went to the manager of

the shop and asked about the vehicle. He said it belonged to an employee who had quit and left the car. It had been setting there over a year. I explained how I could remove the vehicle, dispose of it, and share the revenue with him. He was happy to get rid of it, and we each made $600 on the deal.

2. Donated Cars – There was a large church in our area where I had a lot of customers from apartment complexes.

Since I would get stuck with vehicles, I went to the church and asked the preacher if anyone at his church could use a car.

I would donate it to the church, and they would give it to one of their parishioners.

I donated a minivan that would have brought $500 in my auction to the church, and they gave it to a family of eight. I cleaned up the car and made a presentation of the keys to the family.

The church took pictures and published

them in a local newspaper. I had my picture with the family in a neighborhood where many of my customers could see what I had done. I made big points with my customers, and a few people from the church started to attend my auctions. I can’t tell you how big this was!

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Insightful talk 3. Networking with Other Vendors I towed for at least 250 apartments in the Dallas area; and one day while at an apartment, I noticed a pool-service cleaning the pool. I then started to count the other vendors that provided some type of service to the apartment. There were

By Dan Messina

landscapers, painters, concrete companies, apartment cleaners, staffing companies, and many more. I went to a few of them and made a pitch that I would present their services to the apartment if they would do the same for me. I had other vendors selling my towing service to their

customers, and I did the same with my customers. It was a big win/win for all!

4. Website Advertisement Networking - Since I had established a relationship with these vendors, they started to advertise my towing company on their web-site, and I did the same for them. They got me in doors I could never crack, and I did the same for them.

5. Towing Product Distribution - You might want to look at becoming a distributer for products used in the towing business: tires, oil, straps, lighting for you trucks, and other truck parts. Find out what trucking companies need and sell products to them. There was one tow company that had a repair shop for tow trucks. I was taking my trucks to my competitor for repair. It sounds strange, but they were good and offered a service I needed.

6. Bumper Advertisement Networking - Since your trucks ride around town all day, you might want to do some advertising for other companies on the bumper of your truck.

7. Non-Towing Business Networking - When I started my company, I joined a group of 10 other business owners not in towing. We paid $500 a month, and we would meet once a month and exchange ideas about the operation of our business such as how to hire employees, how to advertise, how to network, how to use a web-site, and many other topics. Since I had never owned a business before, this helped me and gave me a shoulder to cry on when I needed it.

Meet with other tow companies and charge them a monthly fee.

My business was successful, and it wasn’t by accident. My wife and I worked hard to be successful; and by trying new things, we grew our business. Look around your town, then take a look at your company and see what new ideas you can come up with to be successful. If you need help call me.

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Collins Dollies 541-7 74-9220 collinsdollies.com

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SNATCH BLOCKS

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A Better Way to Winch

By Paul Ederer, Technical Product Support – AW Direct

Snatch blocks are a common tool for nearly every operator. They can increase the line pull of a winch, and also provide options for more difficult recovery operations. This article will discuss selection, proper use, maintenance and inspection guidelines for snatch blocks.

A snatch block is simply a pulley block with a swing-open plate. Snatch blocks are intended for relatively short cable runs, and intermittent service. When selecting a snatch block always verify that the Working Load Limit (WLL) of the winch line is compatible with the WLL of the snatch block. The wire rope must be as strong as the snatch block. Verify that the groove in the snatch block sheave wheel is sized for the diameter of cable being used.

A groove too large will not fully support the winch line and cause damaging flat spots while a cable larger can crack the block. A 12:1 ratio can be used to determine the proper size sheave wheel. For instance, a 3/8" diameter multiplied by 12 yields 4.5, which is the ideal sheave diameter for the 3/8" wire rope. Bronze bushings are intended for slower line speeds and moderate loads, while bearing sheaves can handle faster line speeds and 38

more frequent use. Sheave wheels and plates are even being made out of lightweight alloys to reduce weight.

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Changing Directions The primary use of a snatch block is to change the direction of pull. Blocks are

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always anchored in a fixed position. The wider the wire rope angle at the block, the less force the anchor point will have to withstand. One of the most common direction changes is attaching a snatch block on your bed to feed the wire rope straight into the winch so it winds properly on the drum, and not to one side. Snatch blocks are also used as anchor points to change the winch line direction from the casualty or tow truck, to increase pulling power. Multiple snatch blocks can even be used for selfextraction by routing the winch line from the back of the tow truck to several anchored blocks to the front of the tow truck. These are all examples single line pulls.

ally need to be lubricated after 8 hours of continuous usage, or at least every 14 days with intermittent use. Roller bearing blocks and sheaves can handle 24 hours of continuous use before needing lubrication, and the same guideline of 14 days with intermittent use applies. Swivels follow the roller bearing lubrication schedule. Always follow your particular manufacturer’s lubrication timeline.

1:1

Inspection

1:2

Increased Pulling Power Increasing pulling power can be accomplished by having a moving vs. fixed snatch block. In this scenario, the block is attached to the load and moves with the load, as the winch is operated. The amount of line angle at the moving block determines how much mechanical advantage is gained.

Maximum gain is when the input wire rope is parallel, or zero degrees, to the output wire rope. This is called a double line pull. It comes in handy when your winch is not rated for the amount of weight of your casualty. This setup doubles the capacity of your winch and cuts the line speed in half.

Another situation is when the casualty is heavier than your recovery vehicle. In this instance, the tow truck’s wire rope goes through the snatch block attached to the casualty and back to another fixed snatch block and back to the load. This is a triple line pull and gains a 3:1 advantage. The more lines run between the tow truck and

See the WreckMaster Recovery Handbook (AW Direct item # WMB15) for true line loads and mechanical advantages

1:3 Artwork provided by WreckMaster

the casualty the more the pulling power increases.

Stay within the safe working limits of the block regardless of the strength of the wire rope being used. The working limits apply to loads in uniform direct tension and not shock loads. Working limits apply to new products as they are shipped from the factory. Age, type of service and environmental conditions can all affect the capacity of a snatch block over time. Standard blocks are not designed to be immersed in either fresh or salt water.

Lubrication Snatch blocks should be lubricated with either sodium- or lithium-based grease.

Bronze bushed blocks and sheaves gener-

Wear is a fact of life and will eventually affect the load a snatch block is able to carry. This means that regular and frequent inspection is needed. During inspection, keep the following in mind: • Permanent deformation of any part is a clear indication of overload and must be taken out of service and replaced.

• Swivel end play of more than 1/16" is a danger sign and must be removed from service immediately.

• Spreading side plates are caused by overload and must be removed for repair.

• Looseness in the side plates are a sign of loose retaining nuts.

• Sheave alignment issues such as wobbly sheaves are caused by bearing wear.

• Sheave groove wear are ridges in the sheave caused by rope wear. These can prematurely reduce wire rope life and the sheave should be replaced.

• Hook latches are designed to hold loose rigging under slack conditions.

Any damaged latches should be replaced.

• Hook deformation with a crack, gouge or distortion needs to be removed from service immediately.

Having several snatch blocks on your tow truck can provide options when faced with challenging recoveries. Keeping them in proper working order will ensure they are ready when you need them most.

AW Direct Helping You Help Them For more information: Call 800-243-3194 or visit: http://tech.awdirect.com

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Dynamic’s New Service Truck SV100 and New Partnership with Speedway Motorsports

Dynamic Towing Equipment & Manufacturing, Inc. is growing not only in innovations to give the towing industry a vehicle that better meets the everyday needs of the tower, but is also forging new partnerships which benefit the racing industry with excellent support and service while increasing awareness of the quality Dynamic brand. So first concerning the new service vehicle, how did Dynamic engineer the improvement?

When designing and developing Dynamic’s SV100 Service Truck, Anthony Gentile and his staff spoke with numerous auto club owners and employees, repair shop owners, municipal members, and highway assistant employees asking, “What would make the ideal serv40

ice vehicle?”

Dynamic’s engineers took the information gathered and worked to achieve designs that would create “the perfect road-service vehicle.” The result was a very versatile service vehicle that contained, not only storage for batteries, floor jacks, and emergency repair equipment, but is also equipped with an optional Dynamic "Stealth" wheel-lift and Dynamic’s new 5,000 lb. “Slide-In” unit with an extendable recovery boom and winch. When a call is received, the dispatcher just needs to dispatch one truck and one driver saving fuel, manpower, response time, and less equipment in a company’s fleet. If the driver is unable to repair on the scene, the driver is able to

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self-load the vehicle on the optional “Slide-In” unit or "Stealth" wheel-lift and tow the vehicle into the shop for proper repair. Additional benefits include 4 large roll-up door compartments with shelving to hold approximately 36 batteries, 2 additional side compartments, and an extra-large top compartment as well as an extra-large deck to store gojacks, dollies, fuel, water tanks, and emergency cones.

“We are proud of our new and improved SV100 Service Truck. It was built with our end-users in mind. We just took their suggestions and developed an affordable truck that would fulfill their needs as well as last a lifetime.” Dynamic offers a 4 year warranty, which exceeds the industry’s standards. Dynamic also

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Service Bodies & Storage

offers the optional high-impact polypropylene fenders, which helps eliminate corrosion for customers in snowy areas and helps to reduce weight by approximately 50%. This allows for the service vehicle to carry more of a payload.

In addition to a more efficient and enduser friendly service vehicle, Dynamic is proud to announce their recent partnership with Charlotte Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Kentucky Speedway, and Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Shaun Johnson, Executive Director of Operations at Charlotte Motor Speedway, is responsible for facilitating this partnership. “It was a great pleasure meeting Anthony, Dynamic’s owner, a few years ago at the Baltimore Tow Show and getting to know him and his products better.

Dynamic really stood out as a great product, and I felt that someday a partnership would benefit us and the Dynamic brand,” said Johnson.

The partnership makes Dynamic the

official recovery vehicle for Charlotte Motor Speedway, one of NASCAR’s most popular tracks which hosts three major NASCAR weekends each year including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600, the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, and the

Bank of America 500.

When asked why he decided to move forward with Dynamic Towing Equipment, Johnson responded with simply one word, “COMMITMENT.” Anthony was committed to making this a great

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program from the very first day. If that approach is the way Dynamic handles all of its customers, then the future is bright!”

Johnson appreciates that all equipment fabrication and engineering is done in-house at Dynamic’s Norfolk, Virginia facility, which has been a huge benefit to their organization. Towing racing vehicles is much different than street cars so some

specific modifications had to be made to meet their demands. “We also benefit from the service, hands down, one of the best experiences I have had with a partner company. If I need anything, Dynamic is always one helpful and simple call away,” said Johnson.

Johnson explained that one of the advantages of using Dynamic Equipment

over the industry competitors is that Dynamic is family-run, family-owned, and very personal. How many companies are like that today? The partnership between Speedway Motorsports and Dynamic has been a developing relationship for the last

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Service Bodies & Storage ship with Dynamic (and four of our Speedway Motorsports tracks), we can help bring awareness of the Dynamic brand and build on what is already a very strong product,” Johnson said. “I also look forward to welcoming any guests that Dynamic brings to us and giving them the world-class entertainment that all of our fans have become accustomed to! Be on

the lookout for Dynamic equipment recovering our race cars at the next race.”

So, whether it’s towing a vehicle or racing one, Dynamic Towing Equipment & Manufacturing is providing quality products, service, and support to both. www.dynamicmfg.com

couple of years, and Johnson stated that he and Anthony, as well as the Dynamic team, have become friends. “I sincerely am looking forward to a long, outstanding partnership,” said Johnson.

“My hope is that through this partner-

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When it comes to emergency service calls on the highway, operators need to be prepared for anything. Having the tools and equipment you need at your fingertips is the difference between a quick repair job and a long afternoon on the side of the road.

Towing companies know that a service truck with ample storage, room for a hydraulic compressor and plenty of mobility and access around the vehicle can help them efficiently respond to a job.

Iowa Mold Tooling Co. Inc. crafted their Dominator DSC20 with those specs in mind.

The Dominator DSC20 mechanics truck body is ideal for small to midsize equipment maintenance and repair applications. The DSC20 mechanics trucks are

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designed to be lightweight yet heavyduty. Featuring a patented floor design to control unit weight and increase payload — as well as an integrated body, air compressor, and crane system — these trucks have a maximum body rating of 20,000 ft-lb (2.8 tm). And with a variety of possible configurations, the DSC20 delivers the flexibility and convenience you need to do your job.

The patented inverted A-frame floor structure made with 12-gauge galvanneal steel makes the Dominator DSC20 the lightest mechanics truck of its class on the market. Customizable drawers and drawer sets and standard adjustable shelves allow towing companies to build their storage to their needs and preferences. With easy access to tools and

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parts, as well as non-slip steps and easyto-open latches, finding and storing your tools is a cinch. A larger than normal workbench bumper and extra storage areas make the truck easy for the opera-

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Clubs Motor Service Bodies & Storage tor to run on a day-to-day basis.

The DSC20 was built with attention to detail, so operators will find carefully crafted upgrades like single-hand operation on the tailgate, three-point door latches that require less force to open and close, rain eaves over the compartment doors and a patent-pending shelf hanger bracket system for quicker adjustment to the shelf layout.

When responding to side-of-the-road call outs, instead of revving up the wrecker, calling out a service truck like a DSC20 might offer greater flexibility. A service truck allows towing companies to quickly respond to situations like a battery replacement, vehicles in need of a jumpstart and lockouts. With the IMT hydraulic air compressor loaded in the back, they are also equipped to inflate tires and power an air gun to remove damaged tires. The truck’s even prepared to go off-road, thanks to a robust body that can get you to the repair no matter if it’s on asphalt or dirt.

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Outfitting your Carrier for Maximum Utilization

Over the past several decades, the carrier has gone through one of the most dramatic transformations to become the backbone of the towing industry. Originally considered specialized equipment, they started out as a 17-foot carrier on a 1-ton chassis to current trends where most fleets are now comprised of predominately 19 to 21-foot carriers on class 5 and 6 chassis ultimately replacing tow trucks.

This change came about for a number of reasons that include the amount of four- wheel or all-wheel drive cars produced that manufacturers specify as flatbed tows, customer perception of less chance of damage, and the ability to transport multiple vehicles along with a variety of other types of equipment such as 46

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Service Bodies & Storage rental and construction equipment.

Along with this increased versatility to perform a wider range of work, comes the need to outfit your carrier with a larger selection of tools and equipment that no longer fit in the single 36 or 48-inch box that was common on those early carriers. Today’s well-equipped carrier will include several different systems of securement straps and chains along with wheel skates, lumber, and ramps for your general transport. To utilize your carrier for service work, you may need to carry floor jacks, lug wrenches, fuel cans, hand tools, and jumper cables. In addition, many towers who are using their carriers for recovery and accident work (many times even handling a two-car accident with a single carrier) will need the same equipment conventionally on wreckers.

This equipment would include items such as brooms, shovels, sledgehammers, trash cans, floor dry, snatch blocks, and even dollies.

To transport and organize all of this

equipment, In The Ditch™ Towing Products developed Pro Series™ Tool Boxes and Accessories that allow you to easily customize the system to your specific truck and towing needs. The Pro Series™ Tool Boxes are available in four different lengths: 36, 48, 60, and 70 inches long. The Pro Series™ Tool Boxes are constructed right here in the USA out of 1/8” aluminum, almost twice as thick as

many other offshore boxes on the market so you can be confident that your boxes will not only handle the heavy loads, but will not rust away or crack like cheaper boxes. Other important features include the ITD exclusive automotive-style stainless steel door hinges, automotive bulb seal, and custom-designed drip channel that directs water away from the door seal making a weathertight fit. The heavy-duty door can be opened easily with a single paddle latch that operates dual two-stage rotary latches to ensure a good seal.

The Engineers at ITD felt that the tool box door would be a great step so they designed The Pro Series™ tool box door so solid that it will support up to 400 lbs.

To give your carrier that great appearance, a replaceable polished stainless steel panel is attached to the face of the door. Inside your Pro Series™ boxes, you can install a wide variety of shelves and dividers by simply popping out the plastic plugs from the pre-drilled holes, and there is even a slide-in floor-jack bracket

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Service Bod that saves both your back and space. A recent addition to help you organize your small parts and tools is a slide-out drawer that easily mounts inside the boxes. The drawer locks securely in place but can be easily removed to carry to your work location--just one more innovation from In The Ditch™.

Next, to achieve that great-looking aerodynamic appearance and increase your storage capacity, In The Ditch™ offers the Storage™ Fenders. Like the tool boxes, they are built out of the same heavy gauge aluminum and have a polished stainless steel front panel. They bolt directly to your Pro Series™ Tool boxes using the pre-drilled holes and are ideally suited to provide secure storage for a variety of equipment such as trash cans or fuel cans.

No need to waste the space behind or on top of your tools boxes. Aluminum lumber boxes that bolt directly on the back of your boxes are also available in several sizes along with aluminum box

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top trays with or without dividers.

Like they say, “You are only as good as the weakest link.” Consequently, with all this storage and equipment, you need a solid, sturdy mount to support it all. That’s where the In The Ditch™ Quick™ Mounts come into play. Designed to cut installation time in half, these unique brackets work with either inboard or outboard tilt cylinders and eliminate measuring or jacking. Just hang the mounts over the frame, drill a couple holes, and you’re done. Available with a Tuff Coat Black Finish or galvanized, which is ideal for areas where the use of road salts and calcium chloride is used.

In The Ditch™ is confident in the design, quality, features, and benefits of the Pro Series™ System and stands behind their products. We know that there are imitators and cheap knock offs in the market so buyer beware and be sure to specify In The Ditch™ Pro Series™ on your next purchase. Be sure it has the In the Ditch™ logo on the bottom corner

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of the door so you can be confident that you received the quality, innovative prod-

uct you paid for.

Now, innovative products for car carriers is nothing new for In The Ditch™, that is best-known for the SidePuller™ which transforms a carrier into a recovery vehicle. The patented SidePuller™ began as a dream by In The Ditch™ founder Chuck Ceccarelli, who ran a towing business in the rural mountainous areas around Mountain Home, Idaho. It wasn’t uncommon to travel up

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odies & Storage

to 90 miles one way only to arrive and find you had the wrong equipment for the job. Today with over 1,000 SidePullers™ in the field, professional towers can be confident that they have increased versatility, and the ability to

tackle the tough recovery jobs with their carriers when they arrive on the scene.

Other equally popular and innovative equipment designed for your car carrier includes The Fifth Wheel Power Hitch (which allows you to easily tow a goose neck or 5th wheel trailer), The Traveling Speed® Chock for increased safety when loading or unloading, and The Cycle

Caddy that easily breaks down and stows in your tool box. For the complete line of quality and innovative products including the world famous Speed® Dolly and lots of SidePuller™ recovery videos, visit www.InTheDitch.com. www.InTheDitch.com Volume 5 • Issue 8 | www.towprofessional.com | Tow Professional

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Compliance Assurance Management In the 21st Century!

How in the world are we going to ever keep up with all of the demands that are being placed on our business by OSHA, DOT, FMCSA or that Environmental Agency—all who want their piece of the pie? Now these are just some of the federal and state programs. On top of that, there are local government agencies that are telling us how to run our business.

Where did this thing called eComply come from, and why is it called Compliance Assurance Management?

Folks, Compliance Assurance Management is not new. Its decades old, but the way we manage compliance and the way we provide our employees training within our own companies is in the middle of a major shift. We, as business owners, are obligated to provide our employees a safe place to work. More importantly, it is our responsibility to send all of our employees home with all of the parts they came to work with--no missing fingers or eyes! Good compliance assurance is not easy. That is why eComply evolved. eComply is 100% about helping you, the towing company owner or the manager to “Inspect Your Way, Train Your Way and finally, Manage Your Way.” Technology is absolutely revolutionizing the way we manage every single aspect of our businesses.

Mike James and Gail Breckenridge, the founders of eComply, along with a team of safety and environmental compliance experts and online learning management specialists along with software developers have combined their 150 plus years of experience to bring eComply to a broad range of industries. Mike’s good friend, DJ Harrington, has been lobbying James Environmental for the past 10 years for the folks at JEM to bring their Compliance Assurance tools to the 50

Towing Industry. The President and CEO of James Environmental Management and eComply, Mike James, is in his 5th decade of working with and leading Compliance Assurance programs for industrial applications. He first worked with OSHA issues in 1973 while working with an electrical utility followed by experience with Texas Instruments and then General Electric before starting James Environmental 22 years ago. His successful environmental and safety consulting business began with pencil and paper and is evolving to the cloud-based solution eComply . The 150 years of OSHA, DOT and Environmental experience has developed all training and inspection systems with the necessary management and reporting requirements in industry and state-specific formats. Utilizing one platform, not two or three, working on all operating systems, eComply has been specifically designed to allow their clients in all industries to Manage Your Way, to Train Your Way, and to Inspect Your Way. Noncompliance with regulatory standards is getting costlier. In the last month, OSHA has announced an increase in the penalty calculations of 78%.

Forgetting forklift training or forgetting to fill out your OSHA 300 Log is now more expensive than ever. The site provides a centralized management system from which you can, not only train and test your employees, but also can maintain all of your compliance-related documents in one safe place. Unlike other options, such as buying training videos, the point of sale is only the beginning when you choose eComply. You have a live customer liaison who can assist with your every question and provide ready access to compliance experts for the more complicated subjects you may encounter.

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What can you expect with your eComply subscription?

Real-Time Data • Access the latest information submitted from your employees in the field.

• Query reporting information using TODAY’s data, not last month’s.

Cloud-Based and Portable Access • Secure an internet connection first to get started.

• Access via a mobile device.

• Take your work with you.

• Empower your workforce to get their work done away from the office, increasing employee satisfaction.

Elimination of Bulky Paper Records • Search for records easily.

• Compile and store your data yearafter-year for easy retrieval.

• Provide storage for historic paper and electronic compliance and training records.

Simplified Training Tasks to Save You Money • Online training modules are available to your company’s administrator who can then task employees with completing specific training based on roles.

• Training is industry-specific to your company’s needs.

• Records of each training session are housed in eComply’s vast database. eComply is about your Compliance Assurance needs and managing your programs the way you want to manage them. eComply provides the owner those OSHA-related safety programs from mandatory training to the training that

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the company feels important for their employees. eComply is about truly being mobile for a Towing Industry that is constantly mobile 24/7. It allows the company to provide training on mobile devices in remote locations either one employee at a time or all employees sitting together in one room. From remembering all those driver records to documenting that an equipment inspection has been performed when required by the operator; it is the system that supports the owners’ verification and documentation that all of these activities have been performed.

And finally, eComply is that compliance tool that assists the company with Compliance Assurance Management as specialized requirements are identified.

Here are just some of the training and inspections DOT and CSA Training • CDL Program, including CSA • DOT Drug and Alcohol, including company policy • Drivers Qualifications • Driver Wellness • Hours of Service

• Pre & Post Inspections • Safe Backing Techniques Coupling & Uncoupling • Safe Driving & Distractions • Emergency Maneuvers • Extreme Weather • Correct Speed & Space • Accident and Injury Reporting • City Driving Safety Tips • Rural Driving Safety Tips

•

Inspections • Non DOT Drivers Weekly Vehicle • DOT Drivers Pre-Op and Post Trip • Drivers Qualification File Check List • Fire Extinguisher • Chains and Slings Training OSHA • Hazard Communication • Bloodborne Pathogens • PPE • Machine Guarding • OSHA 300 log • Accident Investigation • LOTO • Slips-trips-falls • Fire Safety

• PIT • Skid Steer The eComply Team has already started work on Revision 2.0 to be published late in November 2016 with planning underway for Revision 3.0 to be published in early January 2017. All of these improvements are being developed based on the inputs of the many great advisers from the Auto Recycling, Scrap Metal, Trucking, Towing and Warehousing industries that currently utilize or are considering use of eComply.

As a result, eComply provides training and documentation and compliance for your employees that are specific to your industry.

Provide Training Your Way Provide Inspections Your Way Most Important Manage Your Way . www.ecomply.net

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How Many More Tows Will It Take to Make an Extra $50,000 This Year?

As the highly competitive tow industry is reaching capacity, towing companies are looking for ways to reduce expenses and improve their bottom line. DPF Remedy is a fuel additive that has been shown to reduce fuel consumption 1220% while significantly reducing maintenance and downtime, especially due to diesel particulate filter (DPF) problems.

Snake Oil? We know what you are thinking. There have been hundreds of fuel additive products over the years; and if you have used 52

any of them, you have been left disappointed. The mad scientist behind DPF Remedy reverse engineered over 150 products in the marketplace to come up with the formula that would change the fuel industry. After 14 years and 3 versions, he accomplished his goal.

How Does It Work?

The product comes in tablet form in two sizes (10 gallon or 50 gallon treatments) and is dropped into the tank at refueling. These tablets quickly dissolve and bond with the fuel at the molecular

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level, allowing more efficient and complete combustion at much lower temperatures. The tremendous combustion efficiency almost immediately results in less soot and emissions as well as better fuel economy. More of your precious fuel actually burns as energy which reduces the unburned fuel passing as heavy diesel particulate exhaust. California Air Resource Board certified tests in San Diego, CA have confirmed 58% to 87% less heavy diesel particulate matter in measured exhaust. DPF Remedy also comes in a highly concentrated liquid

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form for treating in-ground and standalone fuel systems, which several of our trucking and maritime clients utilize.

Why Haven’t We Heard of You? While new to the tow market, many customers in trucking and maritime have experienced the dramatic savings by treating their fleet with DPF Remedy. A couple of examples are Michigan State University and NOW Delivery Services in Grand Rapids, MI. Michigan State University approached DPF Remedy to solve a number of exhaust problems with its recycling fleet.

In addition to excessive DPF regenerations, the trucks were also emitting a horrible smell. Within a couple of tanks of fuel, the smell disappeared, and the DPF regens were significantly reduced. In addition to the improved performance and reduced downtime, MSU stated saving 13.2% in fuel consumption: “The fuel consumption on the test truck dropped over 13% and is still improving. The DPF problems have stopped, and the terrible

smell associated with the regeneration has disappeared” says Roger Thelan, Service Manager.

NOW Delivery’s fleet, being a mixture of gas and diesel trucks, had very few diesel particulate filters and came to DPF Remedy to increase its fuel efficiency.

Within 2 months of treating its fleet with DPF Remedy, they added 10 trucks and 60,000 miles/month of routes and were using less fuel than when they started! In

addition to the fuel savings (estimated at 15%), they are adamant that the reduced maintenance and downtime is worth the cost of the product even if they didn’t save any fuel. Vice President of NOW Delivery, Todd Sikkenga, said, “The four trucks which were causing the most DPF problems are now our best running trucks. Also, fuel savings is remarkable; we are going to save over $100,000 fleet-wide. We now treat every drop of gasoline and diesel in our fleet.”

DPF Remedy is excited to enter the towing industry and looks forward to improving fuel efficiency and decreasing emissions and maintenance, all while boosting horsepower and saving money.

Give us a call to discuss evaluating DPF Remedy for your fleet. CALL TODAY and receive a 20% discount on your first order. To read dozens more testimonials and customer examples or to order the product, visit our website: www.dpfremedy.com

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ROAD | AMERICA Road America is a wholly owned United States subsidiary of the MAPFRE Group (MAPFRE), the largest insurance group in Spain, with annual revenues of over US $27 Billion in worldwide operations. MAPFRE’s strength has been recognized with the A+ (superior) rating by AM Best (since 1999) and A1 rating by Moody’s (since 2002). MAPFRE operates an extensive international assistance network through its specialized subsidiary, MAPFRE Asistencia.

MAPFRE Asistencia, Road America’s direct parent, is a leading multinational Insurance, Reinsurance, and Services Company founded in Madrid, Spain in 1989, providing services worldwide in 84 countries through 44 business units. MAPFRE Asistencia is a recipient of the prestigious ITIJ Award given to best Assistance Company in the world.

Founded in 1978 as a motor club company with headquarters in Florida, Road America was acquired by MAPFRE Asistencia in February 2003. Operating today with a management team that has more than 145 years of combined experience in the motor club industry, Road America understands the areas most important to motorists during an emergency roadside event:

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• Speed of service • Accuracy • Reliability • Communication Today, Road America is a leader in the North America roadside assistance market, where it maintains long-term partnerships with significant corporations and services over 21 million of their customers. At Road America, we believe that our decisions are guided by the conviction that all business is about relationships; we will never choose a short-term reward over the value of a long-term client relationship. www.road-america.com

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Motor Clubs

NSD MOTOR CLUB‌ A NEW CHAPTER NSD would like to thank the professional men and women who have helped us to grow over the years through their friendship and loyalty. We would also like to thank the more than 76,000 industry professionals that helped NSD to achieve the honor of being the #1 Motor Club Partner in 2016.* Also, NSD would like to reaffirm our commitment to the towing industry to be a valued, loyal participant in the towing community. This is shown through NSD having the honor of being the only motor club to hold a seat on the Towing Museum Board, our being recognized as your #1 Motor Club Partner, our support of the Survivor Fund and Move Over laws legislation, our quick, accurate and no hassle payment process, our WreckMaster trained and certified field management and support staff, and our participation in industry

events.

Turning our attention to the future, NSD is poised to continue in our unprecedented growth in the areas of connected car technologies, OEM servicing, and service avoidance through OBD monitoring and service alerts.

NSD has invested millions of dollars in IT resources and technology interfaces to help our clients and providers tackle the challenges of delivering high value services to a new generation of consumers and vehicles.

Since October of 2014, NSD has been a 100% employeeowned organization (ESOP). We are proud to be the only employee-owned Motor Club. Consider joining our network and see the difference we can make working together. NSD is currently enrolling service providers in all areas of the country for luxury vehicle towing, heavy and super-duty towing, and mobile mechanic services throughout North America. To join our network, visit us online at www.towingwithattitude.com or call us toll free at 888.362.7805. *as shown on www.tow411.net

www.nationsafedrivers.com

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On-Demand Service Promise Major Changes in Towing Industry, with Urgent.ly Leading the Way

By H.Alvin Smith

rgent.ly is a leader in what’s fast becoming known as the “on-demand economy,” where products and services speed to the customer rather than the other way around. For consumers it simply means when they need something, they expect an app on their phone will give it to them now. For service providers it means more demand, potentially a great deal more.

“This is not just about offering to fill unused inventory of towing and roadside services via the terrific use of the latest technology,” said Chris Spanos, cofounder and CEO of Urgent.ly, a startup

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that launched in early 2014 and has since partnered with MapQuest and others to provide on-demand roadside assistance to thousands of customers nationwide. “It’s also about offering companies higher rates and bigger payouts.”

Credit location-based technology that can detect and project the exact location of a smartphone; blame it on Uber, the car service that allows anyone with a phone to tap a few buttons and watch as a driver speeds to pick them up. Either way, the cat is out of the bag on the “I need it now!” reality.

“We saw this percolating a couple

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years ago and looked for areas consumers were being underserved,” said Spanos, CEO of Urgent.ly.

Urgent.ly co-founder, Chairman and CTO Surendra Goels agreed, saying, “It was clear to us, based on personal experience and our research, that roadside assistance was something ‘broken’ from the consumer’s perspective and also provided towing companies little return.”

The Urgent.ly approach from the beginning was to offer high margins for drivers and super-fast service to customers, while also giving them the ability to watch on their phone as help arrived.

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Urgent.ly uses customer iPhone and Android applications, as well as the Web. “No more calling a roadside club’s 800 number and waiting around, hoping help will arrive soon,”Spanos said. “The world was and is moving away from those scenarios, leaning instead on a customer/location-centric approach.”

This location-centric focus is expressed through a pair of free smartphone applications — one for roadside assistance drivers and one for consumers.

“These apps allow for an automatic call and response, where a consumer can select the service she needs from a simple menu, then watch as the request is sent to Urgent.ly’s nationwide network of service companies — an algorithm determines criteria for who would receive the request,” said Rick Robinson, Urgent.ly’s co-founder and head of product. “Those nearby roadside and towing providers in our network then receive and instant alert on their phones, allowing them to accept or reject the request — first driver to

accept the job request gets it. It’s very democratic.”

Urgent.ly also allows customers to assure loved-ones will never be left stranded. With its FamilyView feature, Urgent.ly encourages free account holders to sign up family members from inside the app.

“This empowers, for instance, a father to sign up his daughter and when she requests help using the app, dad is alerted and can watch on his phone’s map as a service provider arrives,” said Spanos, who previously ran AOL’s Local division and held leadership positions at several startups. “We believe this to be another key differentiator of our service, an unmatched sense of security to friends and family.”

Urgent.ly started in the Washington, DC, region and launched nationally in November 2014, following a deal to provide MapQuest’s millions of customer’s roadside assistance.

“We continue to look for more oppor-

tunities to partner and provide even more customers the kind of instant services we’re offering today,” said Ric Fleisher, co-founder and head of business development.

“And that goes for our service partners in particular,” said Travis Keyser, Urgent.ly’s National Director of Service Network Operations. “We are working hard day and night to reach more roadside assistance companies both large and small, so they can take advantage of our superior rates and the convenience that comes from job requests that are geographically nearby.”

Servicers interested in signing up for free to immediately start receiving job requests via their phones (or via Urgent.ly’s integrated dispatch systems) should point their Web browser at http://signup.urgent.ly http://urgent.ly

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INA Towing Network Core business acclamation targets commercial service platforms. We understand the logistics necessary to handle breakdowns and towing events in an efficient and timely manner.

Our agents are trained to understand the various vehicle types to correctly determine the tow equipment needed to safely complete the service. We have incident management and risk mitigation specialists in house to detail manage elevated events. Our broad range of management capabilities have all been in place since the inception of our program.

INA Towing Network has built a strong network of vetted tow providers comprised of some of the most elite tow companies throughout the U.S. and Canada.

They have a proprietary area of operations that provides them volume and nets INA with dedicated service response along with a competitive price point.

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Our tow providers are held to a standard of operating ethics, equipment specs, operator training and insurance requirements. We have built our network on fair, quality tow providers - not the cheapest in order to meet an unrealistic price point. Our philosophy of a building strong, diversified partnership between our providers and our fleets has resulted in their buying into the overall success of our programs. We all grow together in a unified position of service to our clients and ultimately their end users.

INA Towing Network has aligned with the leading partners in related service support needs such as Hazmat / Environmental, forensic investigations and legal expertise to provide the specialized logistics that may arise for our customers. We have experienced agents and specialists in house that focus on their well-honed skills set to provide the majority of service needs. However, they also

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realize the added value to clients to utilize the expertise of aligned partners to provide a “complete cover package.”

INA Towing has been selective in the towing marketplace to enter into business relationships with clients that are seeking a quality service platform. Clients that understand the value of a network team delivering a timely response and reduced down time consistently. We have refused to do business with clients that dictate "price bidding" of our towing partners to achieve a low rate price model. This has netted great respect from the towing industry and led to a strong, committed network of "towing elite."

Gay Rochester states “We are integrity and ethics driven,” this is what defines us!

We don’t have to say or proclaim what we are, our fleets and insurance partners do it for us. We are educated and understand the entities we serve, and we are fair. We take great pride in working with professional tow providers to respond with knowledge and resources to keep the motoring public safe. During incidents, we provide our tow operators management tools to be a productive first responder. Safety is always at the forefront of any service response! We put work into promoting a communication bridge to everyone.

INA strives to bring the best team together to provide superior service to our fleets – it is what makes us unique in the marketplace.

The sign on the door at INA Towing Networks Headquarters as you enter dispatch, says it all “This is where Extraordinary Begins.” www.inatowing.com

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Dealers place

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Dealers place

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COMPANY

PG

COMPANY

PG

Agero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Holly's Message Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Austin Hinds Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

ICOM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Atlanta Wrecker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Austin Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

AW Direct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Beacon Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Boxes 4 U / Crash Film . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Collins Dollies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Currin Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Custom Built . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 CW Mill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Deep South Wrecker Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Detroit Wrecker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

DJ Harrington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 DK2 Winches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 DPF Remedy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Dynamic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

ECM Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 eComply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Flow Stop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Hide-a-Lift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

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COMPANY

PG

RV Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

IAA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Smyrna Truck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

In the Ditch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Steck Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Industrial Netting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Tom Tom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

INA Towing Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Jerr-Dan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Back Cover Keystone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

LDC Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Lodar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Manufacturer Express . . . . . . .Inside Back Cover

Southern Tow Expo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32,33

Superior Reciept . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

TOPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 TowBook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 TowMate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Tow Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25,26,27 Tow Trax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Marking Pen Depot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Towing 123 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

NA Bankcard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

United Plastics Fabricating . .Inside Front Cover

Mike Keith Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Ohio Power Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

OMG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Recovery Billing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Rick's . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Road America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Robert Young . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 RP Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

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Tracker Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Urgent.ly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Virgo Fleet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 VTS Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Waters Truck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Will-Burt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Wrecker Rental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

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