Tow Professional - Volume: 6 Issue: 8

TOW PROFESSIONAL

CONTENTS

Volume 6 • Issue 8 2017

www.towprofessional.com

SAfety: Web Slings I N D U S T RY NEWS TOWING & RECOVERY

32| Extend the Life of Your Web Slings

Feature: Service Trucks 36| Dynamic’s Superman Unit 40| Holmes TSV and LSV

6| Jerr-Dan 8| Miller Industries Towing Equipment, Inc. 10| Miller Industries Towing Equipment, Inc. 12 | Custer Products 14 | ICOM / TRAA 16| American Towing and Recovery Institute

Feature: Motor Clubs 44| Quest Towing 46| Road America 47| NSD Motor Club

Fuel 4 thought 18 | Is Your Towing Business “Circling the Drain?”

Insightful talk 20 | Your Biggest Asset: The Employees

Interview 26| A visit with Anthony Gentile of Dynamic

48| Agero 49| United States Auto Club

Products: Parking 50| Park it Right Enforcement Products: Insurance 52| Hal Kresser IAgency

TIPS For Drivers 56 | Snow Tire Chains

62 | AW Direct IN EVERY ISSUE 4 | Publisher’s Letter 57 |Dealers Place 2

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63 | Market Place 64 | Ad Index

PUBLISHER’S

LETTER

TM

Professional Your Resource for Towing & Recovery

Volume 6 • Issue 8 2017 www.towprofessional.com

November and Counting Well, it’s November, and in our industry, that means we are gearing up for year end, and it’s time for a tow show in Baltimore, and we are about to come out with our “Top Products of the Year” issue. Before you know it, Christmas will be here!

Christmas is one of my favorite times of year for many reasons. First, it celebrates the birth of my risen Savior, and it helps me remember I owe everything to Him. Secondly, my family and I get quality time together doing silly things like hanging Christmas lights, putting up trees, making cookies and sneaking in a few football games. I look back on the memories of Christmas the last few years, and the images warm my soul. The older my kids get, the more I realize that I don’t have an endless number of these left; they are important times for not only me, but my whole family. I hope you get the time to enjoy your family this year and have a Merry Christmas.

In this issue, we will be talking about some of the service trucks available on the market. We will also give you some information on different motor clubs out there, as you know not all motor clubs are created equal. DJ and Dan are up to their normal selves, and we will give you some more information about the 2018 Southern Tow Expo & Beach Bash.

This year the show was an absolute blast! We had filled training classes, terrific events, a full exhibit hall and parking lot. This year we have made a few changes to make it easier for even more people to attend. We moved the date to August 10-12, so most families aren’t back in school yet, and we have changed the days from Thursday, Friday, Saturday to Friday, Saturday & Sunday. We found that more time on the weekend helps others attend that want to, but can’t get out during the week. We have worked out affordable accommodation rates at great hotels near the convention center or on the beach. Come for the show, stay for the events, enjoy the beach, and write it all off as a business expense!

For more information, go to www.southerntowexpo.com.

PUBLISHER Darian Weaver President & Publisher darian@towprofessional.com

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

PRODUCTION Dana Scott Creative Director dana@towprofessional.com

Gene Eudy Proof Editor gene@towprofessional.com __________________________

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Todd Alan Scott Fowler - Hal Kresser Agency D.J. Harrington Dan Messina Joel Perri - Park it Right Darian Weaver - Tow Professional

__________________________

From all of us here at Tow Professional to you: Have a Very Merry Christmas!

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. Non-qualified 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.

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

SALUTES WORLDWIDE EQUIPMENT ON THE10th ANNIVERSARY OF "TOW TRUCKS FOR TOTS" Towing industry non-profit raises toys for children during the holiday season.

Jerr-Dan Corporation, an Oshkosh Corporation Company and a single brand leader in the towing and recovery business, congratulates its longstanding JerrDan distributor Pat Winer, president of Worldwide Equipment Sales, for the tenth year anniversary of his non-profit "Tow Trucks for Tots." Winer, who serves as the director of the non-profit, continues the giving tradition this holiday season with its annual toy drive which took place on November 12, at the Hollywood Casino in Joliet, IL. “We are very proud of Pat’s commitment for helping those in need beyond the towing and recovery industry,” said Jeff Irr, Senior Director of Sales for JerrDan. “We are honored to have a long-lasting business relationship with a distribu6

tor whose charitable and business contributions have made a profound difference in the communities they serve.”

"Tow Trucks for Tots," is made up of Worldwide employees, the towing community and its suppliers and volunteers, who collect new, unwrapped toys for children during the holiday season. In addition, Worldwide Equipment Sales, LLC’s "Tow Trucks for Tots" currently holds the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest tow truck parade that is held as part of this toy drive.

Because of his business contributions to the towing industry and founder of the non-profit “Tow Trucks for Tots,” Pat Winer was one of five outstanding industry leaders who was recently inducted into the International Towing & Recovery

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Hall of Fame, Class of 2017. The museum’s Hall of Fame honors individuals in the towing and recovery industry who have made significant advancements and notable achievements in the field.

“Known as one of the industry’s most prestigious honors, we congratulate Pat for this recognition. In addition to his business contributions to the towing and recovery industry, he’s been a supporter of those in need in our communities pioneering his ‘Tow Trucks for Tots’ community initiative,” said Mike VanAken, Director for Jerr-Dan Aftermarket Support.

“The Tow Trucks for Tots collects toys for children during the holiday season to benefit the community’s children.”

Worldwide Equipment Sales, LLC offers award winning service and support from its highly-trained staff of experienced towing industry specialists.

Featuring “Best in Class®” Jerr-Dan towing equipment Worldwide Equipment Sales offers the highest quality, custom built self-loader wreckers and flatbed car carriers in the industry. Worldwide Equipment Sales also offers specialized recovery solutions such as Side Recovery System for both tow trucks and flatbed carriers to fulfill the needs of demanding operators. With four locations in the U.S., Worldwide serves the entire United States with new and used tow trucks, equipment hauling and vehicle transport trailers. Worldwide has been a Jerr-Dan distributor since May 14th, 2003.

For more information on "Tow Trucks for Tots" and how you can help visit www.towtrucksfortots.com. www.jerrdan.com www.towtrucksfortots.com

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Bigger Recovery Boom Launched Miller Industries Launches New Extra-Large Heavy Wrecker

Miller Industries Towing Equipment Inc. announces a new larger version of their heavyduty Century® 9055 integrated wrecker- the 9055XL. This larger version provides 60 inches more length to the recovery boom for a maximum length of 276 inches and an impressive 359-inch hook height. This improvement was achieved all while maintaining the same impressive 18,000-lb. boom rating when fully extended and at a 39-degree boom angle.

Though the extended capacity is less than the Century® 1075S rotator, the 9055XL’s length is the longest three-boom section Miller Industries manufactures. With the improved height and reach features, this much lighterweight designed unit can easily fill these requirements.

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A second benefit from a longer boom is the enhanced forward center of gravity of the wrecker. A longer boom means more weight on the front axle when driving. More weight on the front axles provides for better vehicle balance during the towing process with a casualty on the rear underlift.

The 9055XL also boasts a significant increase in underlift tilt power. The tiltpower increase is primarily due to a much larger hydraulic cylinder. The extra power provides towers with maximum power and maneuverability when towing an especially heavy casualty or towing on a second-steer axle like that found on a pump truck or concrete mixer truck.

To accommodate longer safety chains, the 9055XL features enlarged safety

chain storage compartments. A standard feature on the 9055XL are two conveniently placed retractable pneumatic service air lines. These retractable “emergency” and “service” air lines are especially helpful for quick access and storage required on most every tow. In addition, a third quick-disconnect air supply port for pneumatic tools is also tailboard mounted. The seven-way plug for wireless tow light is now located inside the control station to minimize theft of the transmitter plug.

For more information on the Century® 9055XL and other new products from Miller Industries, please visit their online news feed at http://news.millerind.com or see a local Miller Industries Distributor.

Miller Industries Towing Equipment

is the world’s largest manufacturer in towing and recovery equipment. Miller Industries offers a variety of products from auto-load units with 8,000-lb. capacities to rotators with 75-ton capacities. All of which fall under the Miller Industries family of brands of Century®, Vulcan®, Chevron™, and Holmes®. For more information about Miller Industries and their products, follow them on social media, visit their website at millerind.com, or call 800-292-0330.

For information, regarding this release please contact: Joseph Keene, Marketing Manager, Miller Industries Towing Equipment, Inc. 423.238.4193 x1184 jkeene@millerind.com www.millerind.com

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Proudly Supports Regional Susan G. Komen Foundation Affiliate Custom-Built Pink Century® 3212CX Helps Raise Awareness

Miller Industries, with Breast Cancer Awareness Month in mind, custom built a bright pink Century 3212CX wrecker on a Kenworth T440 chassis from MHC Kenworth of Chattanooga to help raise awareness for breast cancer during the month of October. The truck was on display during several events throughout the greater Chattanooga area as part of a partnership with the regional Susan G. Komen Foundation Affiliate to help raise awareness for their annual Komen Chattanooga Race for the Cure event and promote general awareness for breast cancer.

“Believe it or not, a big, bright-pink tow truck attracts a lot of attention when going down the road.” said Todd Harless, Marketing Manager for Miller Industries.

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“For this reason, we thought the truck would be a great resource to help the local Susan G. Komen Affiliate promote their annual Chattanooga race and raise awareness for breast cancer,” Harless continued. “The pink tow truck looks amazing and certainly attracted a lot of attention! Having the tow truck join us on-site during our promotional events led to more registrations for our race,” said Anita Stewart, Director of Community Engagement for the Susan G. Komen Central Tennessee Affiliate.

In addition to the pink tow truck being used to help promote the local Race for the Cure event in Chattanooga, Miller Industries plans to contribute $10,350 to the Susan G. Komen Central Tennessee

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Affiliate with funds raised through their WeTow charity tow-hook bracelet program launched earlier this year.

Miller Industries Towing Equipment (NYSE: MLR) is the world’s largest manufacturer of towing and recovery equipment. Miller Industries offers a variety of products from light-duty units with 8,000 lb. tow ratings to 75-ton heavy-duty rotator units. All of which fall under the Miller Industries family of brands of Century®, Vulcan®, Chevron™, and Holmes®. For more information about Miller Industries and their products, follow them on social media, visit their website at millerind.com. www.millerind.com

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Custer Announces Record Sales of LITE•IT Wireless “We’re grateful the towing industry has embraced our LITE•IT Wireless Tow Lights and we’re pleased to announce that 2017 sales of our LIW line have already surpassed total sales for all of 2016,” said Andy Haag, President of Custer Products.

Haag continued: “With our redesigned, hard-wired circuitry, shrinktube connectors, individual serialization,

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and sturdy, polyethylene cases, we believe we build the best tow light in the business, and it appears that tow drivers everywhere agree.”

Founded in 1993, Custer Products Limited operates out of an 80,000 square foot facility located in North Canton, OH. The Custer LIW line is available through a national network of distributors.

Custer Products Limited manufactures

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and distributes LED lights, tow lights, and other related lighting products to the trucking, towing, agricultural, off-road, and safety industries through a network of distributors in the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America and Europe. www.custerproducts.com

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New TRAA Partnership Helps the Environment and Families of Fallen Towers

Icom North America, LLC and the Towing and Recovery Association of America, Inc. are pleased to announce that for all members of TRAA, a donation of $250 will be made to the ITRHFM Survivor Fund for each Icom Propane Autogas System purchased and utilized in a tow truck fleet in the United States of America or Canada.

The organizations believe this will have a positive impact for the families left behind from the tragedies of tow truck operators who lost their lives in the line of service to the industry and their communities.

Ronny Martinez, National Tow Sector Specialist for Icom: “As a ten year veteran of the towing and recovery industry I know of many tragedies that have and continue to occur on our nation’s roads caused by impaired, inattentive and distracted drivers and Icom wanted to be involved in increasing awareness that hopefully can prevent tragedies in the future and help the families of those tragedies. We are excited to be working close with the Towing and Recovery Association of America on this plan”.

Albert Venezio Chairman of Icom: “When Ronny alerted me about how prevalent this issue was and the impact of these tragedies on the families of these hard-working folks and about the Survivor Fund we put our heads together with TRAA and came up with this wonderful plan to help those families and increase awareness”.

The Icom Propane Autogas Systems emit virtually zero particulate matter (the terrible black stuff that comes out of the 14

tail pipe of diesel and gasoline vehicles and can cause cancer and respiratory disease) as well as reduced CO, Nox, HC and Green House Gas Emissions that pollutes our environment and has negative impact on our health. Using this solution tow operators, their customers, technicians, administrators and our communities can enjoy much better air quality. Propane is a domestic fuel source and the USA has plenty so no wars for oil. Further, the return on investment to the tow company is often less than one year and fuel cost savings are huge over the life of the truck.

Finally, through the UPAS Group Icom can bring preferred propane pricing and fueling infrastructure to most any location in the USA or Canada.

TRAA has been the “The Voice of America’s Towing Industry” for over 35 years. Our mission is to serve the needs of

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the towing and recovery industry through legislation, education and communication. Working diligently with state associations and members we strive for professionalism and a fair and profitable industry. Our National Driver Certification Program® (NDCP) developed through a grant from the Federal Department of Transportation is recognized as the national standards for tow truck operators. TRAA is proud to have contributed to the safety of our industry through the certification of over 16,000 tow operators across the country.

If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Cynthia J. Martineau, Executive Director at 888.392.9300 or email at contact@traaonline.com. www.traaonline.com

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The American Towing and Recovery Institute Donates $7073 to International Towing & Recovery Museum

The American Towing & Recovery Institute proudly donated $7073.26 to the International Towing & Recovery Museum to be distributed between the general operating fund and the Survivor Fund. The proceeds were generated from several sources; American Towing & Recovery Institute is a not for profit membership based organization founded in 2013 to promote safety, education, positive public relations and networking. AT&RI provides and promotes hands-on towing and recovery education seminars, Public Service Announcements promoting issues of common concerns between motoring public and the professional towing industry along with exclusive member discounts for products and services, business consulting, expert witness, recovery bill mediation or review, networking 16

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Left to Right: Kaitlynn Gipson, ITRHFM artifacts & library resources, Cathy Brumgard, ITHRFM Membership, Kim Holcomb, ATRI treasurer, Wesley Wilburn, ATRI

opportunities between members and outside clients and community events i.e. toys drives, etc.

For additional information on International Towing & Recovery Museum & Hall of Fame visit their website www.internationaltowingmuseum.org or contact ITRHFM at 423 267 3132.

For additional information on American Towing & Recovery Institute visit www.americantowingandrecoveryinstitute.org or contact AT&RI at 910 747 9000 or info@americantowingandrecoveryinstitute.org. www.internationaltowingmuseum.org

Fuel 4 thought

By D .J. Harringt on, CSP

IS YOUR TOWING BUSINESS “CIRCLING THE DRAIN?”

During a recent conversation with John Borowski from AutoReturn, we discussed how some businesses seem to be losing ground like water when it’s circling the drain. At that point, the water is almost gone, disappearing faster and can’t be stopped without plugging the drain. The same thing can happen inside a towing business unless the business can make some serious changes before gradually going out-of-business.

I did a seminar recently at a convention. The title was simple: “Everything’s Up, Except Profits.” Towers, if that’s how you would describe your business right now, then the water’s already circling your drain. That title led me to devote this issue of Tow Professional to reiterate some valuable points that I believe all of us forget to use when connecting with people who are involved with our businesses. First, if we want our people (like drivers and dispatchers) to listen to us, we must first listen to them. The old say18

ing, “God gave us two ears and only one mouth,” is priceless. The D.J Harrington paraphrased edition of that translates as, “We are to do twice the amount of listening than talking.” Listen to your people.

They may have some answers that might help with the business.

My biggest hope for those people reading this article in Tow Professional is that you’ll share it with others in your office, allowing all counter people and office people inside and out to grasp it like a sponge and release the information on themselves and others. So, let’s plug the drain on your business and do some cleaning together. There are some steps that you can easily do in your businesses that you’ve probably forgotten.

In selling, we sell ourselves to the customers first, our company second, and then our product and service third. If customers buy in that order (and they really do), then we must sell them in that order.

We can’t deviate or skip a step. The word

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“enthusiasm” comes from a Greek word, meaning, “God within.” Enthusiastic people (the kind I like to hang around) have a spirit of excitement within that lasts all day. Their enthusiasm isn’t fake or depleted by events of the day; rather it’s contagious. Do me a favor? Scribble the word “ENTHUSIASM” on a piece of paper. Go ahead. Now underline the last four letters, “IASM.” Here’s what “IASM” means to me—"I Am Sold Myself.”

Next, take a string and perform this simple exercise. Place the string in front of you and push the string from the bottom (which is closest to you) and push it away from you. It curls up, doesn’t it?

Now, pull the string back toward you.

The string follows any command given and travels any direction pulled. The same is true with people. People who are pushed by others will usually curl up and bite someone. However, people who are pulled in the desired direction will more than likely follow. Be enthusiastic around your people and others, and they will follow your lead. Your business will spend more time having success than circling the drain. If it’s been too long since you had some really good success, then remember a good feeling of success.

Do you have a success that you can pull from when you’re experiencing tough times? Pick several of them. Okay, now store them in your mind for automatic replay. Since tough times are experienced by all of us at different times, we need to have an instant replay readily available to grab or failures will manipulate our thinking. When failure happens, reflect on the experience that was saved for instant replay to reprogram yourself for success. William James, the famous psychologist, once said, “We become that which we think about.” Them’s good words in the Towing business! (Overlook the grammar here please and accept the advice!) It’s good advice in ANY business to remember success, not failure.

If we want to be successful, we should think “success” all the time. If we really want to be a low-down, rotten bum, we

only have to concentrate on being a lowdown, rotten bum for a short period of time and, “abracadabra,” without much effort we are transformed into a lowdown, rotten bum. Want to be successful? Think success! It reminds me of what an actor pulls from his past experience to make the delivery of his lines believable to any audience.

To make his acting believable, he must have the right motivation. The perfect motivation comes from various emotional and physical scenes planted in his mind that have either happened to him or someone he knows to draw from while performing scenes that he hasn’t experienced. He must deliver believable lines to his audience. Tiger Woods goes through a specific preparation in golf.

When Tiger Woods plays golf, he stares at a golf putt and visualizes the ball traveling the green before he even strokes the ball with his club. Tiger ana-

lyzes and rechecks the exact path every time. He has actually pre-programmed himself to know where the ball should go before it leaves its resting place and falls perfectly into the hole. Tiger’s instant replay of pictures stored in his mind help him achieve continued success.

Briefly, I have talked about what it takes to achieve success when it seems that we’re circling the drain. We can’t give up! If we’re honest with ourselves, all of us know that a good attitude and genuine enthusiasm will add value to our business. However, attending next year’s Southern Tow Expo and Beach Bash will present more information in a weekend than I could possibly discuss in several of my articles. Plan now! Mark your calendar for August 10th – 12th, 2018.

Make a New Year’s Resolution to be there with your key people and, most of all, with your family! N

The Tow Doctor

Until then, see you next time.

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Insightful talk

By D an Mes s ina

Your Biggest Asset:

The Employees PHOTO: MOHIA TOWING, INC. CATHEDRAL CITY, CA

After 20 years in the business, it still amazes me that most owners and their employees don’t get along. I was giving a seminar in Baltimore one year, and after the seminar, an owner came up to me and asked for help. He told me he hates to go to work every day because he hates most of his employees, and they hate him. For the owner of a company to hate to go to work is bad.

Your employees see your stress and attitude, and that is what they become; this is a formula for failure. I explained to him that the solution begins with him-the owner. If things were to change, it had to begin with him.

When I started my career in corporate America, I was just a number working for a large company. Today’s employees are different. When you look at your business (whatever that business is), you have the same equipment, the same computers and software, and the same products or services as your competitor. The only thing that makes you different is your 20

employees. They are the backbone of your company and can make you or break you. If you think not, you are making a big mistake. I had 38 employees working for my company when I sold it. I treated them like gold.

Knowing your employees is the key.

One year I asked all my employees to fill out a questionnaire. On a scale of 1 to 10, how do you rate your job performance, your knowledge of the job, your job attitude, your managers, and the morale of the company? Here is what the survey told me: 1. They all thought they were out-

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standing on their job. I met with each one of them and told them what I thought and what they had to do to improve. I also made sure I told them all the things they were doing right. The one-on-one was good, and it showed them that I was concerned about them.

2. If they had an attitude problem, this was an opportunity for me to correct it without making a big issue about it.

3. As much as they always complained about certain managers, at the end of the day, we had a good team.

4. The morale of the company was extremely high. This was reflected by my lack of turnover. More people were wanting in, and none were wanting out. I looked at this as one of the signs of success.

Insightful talk cont inued I then took 7 key managers or employees to an offsite meeting. I asked them what they thought of each employee, then I went over the results from my oneon-one meeting I had with each employee. We compared our answers and identified the differences. This put all of us on the same page going forward. I then

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asked them who they thought was my best employee and my worst employee.

On the best employee their answers varied, but they were all in agreement who my worst employee was. I was surprised at their answer, but what surprised me even more was that employee was my highest paid employee for that posi-

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tion. I placed that employee on a corrective action program and that employee improved tremendously. When your employees like their job, they are more productive, and being more productive will lead to success. I can remember back when I worked in the computer industry, and every year you could expect a pay raise; you needed it to keep up with the cost of living. Times have changed; now in that same industry, you are lucky to keep your job and get no raises, promotions or bonuses. There was a time when a college grad could expect a starting salary of 50k-60k a year. Today college grads would be happy with any job.

It’s hard to find good employees for our industry, and it’s even harder trying to keep them. We don’t have a good benefit package, and the salary is average at best. There are ways to make your company attractive to new employees. I had an extremely low turnover rate. My company was the place to work, but it took a lot of hard work to get it to that point.

Once you find and hire someone you like, the big question is “How do you keep good employees?” Some owners only see it from the perspective that they are lucky to just have a job, and the owner is right. To have a strong company, you still must come up with some type of compensation to make them stay. Here are a few ideas: 1. Raises: Money is always good, but who has money to give raises?

2. Bonuses: They are not an ongoing monthly expense, and you pay less taxes.

3. Truck Preference: Every driver wants their own truck or at least the best truck available.

4. Schedule Preference: Let them choose which schedule they want to work. Sometimes this is better than their own truck if they get weekends off.

5. Extra Equipment: Buy them gloves, chains, lights, and so on. This makes them happy, and it helps you at the same time.

6. Time Off: Give them a paid day off to take their kids to a movie. I once

worked for a boss at a bank who could not give me a second raise, so he would let me go to the movies in the afternoon while I was on the clock. It wasn’t much, but I thought it was great to go to the movies while everyone was working.

7. Movie Tickets: Read number 6 again.

8. Envelope Pull: Put 50 envelopes on the wall, and then put $100 in one and $50 in the rest of them. Each employee gets to draw an envelope. The money amount meant nothing; it was the thrill of the pull.

9. Lunch: At least 3 times a month, I would buy everyone lunch. While everyone was eating, we would go over safety in the trucks and the office. I would let my insurance company know I held meetings monthly to cover safety issues.

Everyone signed a sheet, and I turned it in to my insurance company. This helped keep my insurance costs low.

10. Stunts: Sometimes I would let them humiliate me. Employees love laughing at the boss.

11. Name on Truck: If a driver has his own truck, let him put his name on it.

They take ownership in the truck and take better care of it.

12. Payment for Testing, Certification or License renewal. If you live in a state that requires testing, certification or a license, pay for it. It’s a perk for them, and it makes you legal.

13. Acknowledgement in Front of Peers. We had a company function at the horse races, and during dinner I made a trophy and gave it to my best driver (He had over 30 years’ experience.) in front of the whole company. Several years later that driver passed away and at the funeral home was that trophy by his casket.

14. Uniforms: Making your employees look good at work benefits you and them.

15. Pat on the Back. If all else fails, a simple pat on the back shows that employee that you appreciate them.I loved my job and my company because my employees made it fun. They also made my company successful. Get to know your employees better. They are, without a doubt, your number one asset. N

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By Darian Weaver, Publishers, Tow Professional Magazine

INTERVIEW WITH DYNAMIC’S OWNER

ANTHONY GENTILE

Our president and publisher of Tow Professional Magazine, Darian Weaver, traveled to Norfolk, VA to interview Anthony Gentile, the owner and president of Dynamic Manufacturing and to tour his 26

facility. Here is what we learned: Darian: Anthony, tell us Dynamic’s story: how did it all begin and how did you get started with Dynamic?

Anthony: Dynamic Manufacturing

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was established in 1982 in Norfolk, VA with its operations in an 8000-sq. ft. building growing to its current 60,000-sq. ft. facility bringing innovation and industry-leading technology to the reposses-

sion and towing industry. Innovation has, from the beginning of our story, been a formative and integral part of Dynamic: “Dynamic Manufacturing was started by sketching out an idea to design a

wheel-lift system that would be easier, faster, and safer to operate than what was available at the time. The original Self-Loading Wheel-Lift was born, and Dynamic Manufacturing has consistently

worked to perfect the Self-Loading Wheel-Lift. Today, the Self-Loading Wheel-Lift is the most sought after technology in the industry.”

It is not just advanced technology for

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technology’s sake with Dynamic; everything is about the customer: “A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. He is not an interruption of our work. He is the purpose of it.”

I have been in the towing industry for over 40 years starting in the towing business when I was 20 years old. I began with a rental tow truck and built it up to a 53-truck fleet with 175 employees and 3 locations in New York. It was in 1994 when my brother, Joey, and I purchased our first dynamic, and then we became a parts/warranty station. Later we became a dealer selling Dynamics in the New York area. My brother and I then bought Dynamic in October of 2004 bringing 30 years of experience from the towing business. Since then, we have been building our distribution network and constantly upgrading our products. Because of that,

we have a complete product line (less heavy-duty wreckers) with a top-notch engineering department. Because of our commitment to our customers, we are coming out with new products on a regular basis.

Darian: What sets you apart in the industry?

Anthony: Something that specifically sets us apart as a company is my experience. Because I have a NASCAR modified racing background, I bring a streetsmart, common-sense approach. This includes experience in fabrication and an ability to think outside of the box which guides our exceptional engineering department to create a quality product that matches the unique needs of my customers. Simply put, what I learned in my extensive experience in the fabrication part of racing I applied to the engineering of building trucks.

Darian: What is your vision for the company going forward?

Anthony: To continue to grow and develop even better engineered products and to build our distribution network domestically and internationally while also building our rollback and radius production.

Darian: What are some of the tools recently added to the production line, and how do they affect the finished product?

Anthony: We now have a robotic welder and a python high-definition tubing plasma cutting machine that few in the industry have. This machine is why Dynamic can produce precision cutting at the highest level of consistency with each cut. We also upgraded the machine shop with a flex arm drill, tapping station, two new HD drill presses, and a new CNC lathe. Also, we are constantly updating our software for engineering and simula-

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tion programs including structural analysis, so that we stay on the cutting edge.

Darian: Why should someone look at Dynamic first when purchasing their next truck?

Anthony: We are the original selfloader and still the leader in the SelfLoader Marker. We have the best warranty in the industry and all our units are American-made built here in Norfolk, VA. We have the only rotating flatbed in the market. Most importantly, Dynamic prides itself on personal service. Being an ex-tower, I understand the tower’s needs and understand that they can’t have their trucks down. That’s why our Parts Department is well-stocked and ships the same day 99.6% of the time. To show my commitment to personal service, I have my cell number and email on our website, and I answer it! What other manufacturing president does that?

Darian: What kind of product reach does Dynamic currently have?

Anthony: We built almost 200 wreckers and rollbacks for NYPD. Speedway Motorsports uses our wreckers and rollbacks in Charlotte, Atlanta, Bristol, and Kentucky exclusively. We also recently sent large orders to India, Norway, and Australia with all of them still reordering with us now. Currently we are stepping up our productions of the radius since orders are coming in from the US and international markets. We are a big enough company to fill large orders, yet small enough to do custom work to meet an individual customer’s needs and to provide excellent customer service. We are a company that acts like a family!

Darian: Where can someone see the products and their distributers both domestic and international?

Anthony: The best place is our website, dynamicmfg.com. For aftermarket parts and accessories, we have dgtow.com. We have dealers that have demos and units in stock to view and purchase.

Darian: Thanks for sharing your story today how Dynamic Manufacturing is a creative, innovative company that uses the best in engineering and street-smarts to provide products that are crafted to meet the unique needs of the every-day tower. N 30

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Web slings are a must-have in every tower’s toolbox. Learn to keep them in perfect condition and identify wear or damage to avoid accidents, property damage or injury.

Synthetic web slings’ lightweight construction, flexibility, durability, and strength have made them a must-have in every tow operator’s toolbox. They’re versatile, lightweight and can be used for tiedowns, lifting, and vehicle recovery.

For all their benefits, synthetic web slings require special care and storage to maintain their load rating and keep you, your customers, and your equipment safe. Failure to take care of your web slings could result in reduced sling life or potentially dangerous breakage.

To get the longest life from your slings, they should be inspected for damage before each use. If any of the following types of damage are found during inspection, the sling should be replaced as soon 32

as possible.

• Cuts: Any cut that has damaged a large number of fibers.

• Abrasion: Napped or furry webbing from repeated exposure to rough surfaces.

• Holes & Snags: Punctures from when the sling was stored or last used.

• Broken or Worn Stitching: Loose or torn threads in the sling’s stitching.

• Heat Damage: Look for melted or charred fibers that are discolored or fused together.

• Chemical: Warning signs of chemical damage are similar to heat damage.

• Knots: These can reduce sling strength by up to 50%.

• Missing or Illegible Tags: Tags tell you how to use the sling and its WLL. If a tag is missing or damaged, OSHA requires the sling to be taken out of service.

• Worn Fittings: Cracked, deformed,

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corroded or excessively worn fittings or hooks that have been bent more than 15%.

Web slings are a great tool for any tow and recovery operation. Like any tool though, a pre-use inspection will help reveal any damage and help keep your operators, customers, and equipment safe.

If you have web slings or tie-downs that need upgrading or replacing, see AW Direct for a complete line of road-ready equipment.

To order these straps--or any other equipment for your truck or shop—go online at awdirect.com or call 1-800-2433194. N AW Direct | Answering the Call™ 1-800-243-3194 | awdirect.com

Before using any equipment described, be sure to read, understand, and follow all manufacturers’ instructions and guidelines.

Dynamic’s New Service Truck A Solid Towing Industry Solution!

Dynamic Towing Equipment and Manufacturing is at it again, bringing yet another solid towing solution to the industry. Dynamic worked with motor clubs and towers across the country to design our new Service Truck satisfying the needs of our customers. We spoke directly with those who already owned our trucks and even spoke to our potential customers who are considering them.

Listening to what they said, we then turned their feedback into features that empower them to work more efficiently and quickly resulting in higher revenues and lower costs of operation.

Specifically, we found that an effective service truck needs plenty of storage, additional recovery capabilities, and increased safety so here is what we did to design a service truck that delivers what our customers need: 36

WE CREATED PLENTY OF STRATEGIC STORAGE SPACE The Service Truck is equipped with four rollup-door storage compartments for easy curbside access totaling an amazing 80 cubic feet of usable space. These huge compartments can be delivered with an optional adjustable rack system for vehicle batteries and can provide safe stowing of up to 36 batteries in large boxes able to hold enough AAA batteries to cover most vehicles on the road. The boxes have adjustable shelves with tie downs so the batteries are secured at all times while in motion. In addition, both sides of the Service Truck have wide toolboxes and another large storage compartment on the deck for a total of seven compartments. Accompanying deck space measuring 54” x 85” allows for

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plenty of space for dollies, go jacks, and additional storage options.

Also, tool box compartments are installed to accommodate all normal roadside assistance tools and equipment as well as an air compressor with front and rear quick disconnects to allow the tech complete flexibility to service vehicles in all positions. Even with the additional storage boxes, the center deck is still open for additional storage of equipment.

WE INCREASED OUR TRUCK’S RECOVERY CAPABILITIES ELMINATING THE NEED FOR MULTIPLE VEHICLES We originally started with a 4000-lb. lift, then went up to a 5000-lb. under lift.

We decided to add a 5000-lb. wheel lift

with a recovery boom and an 8000lb.

Ramsey winch. A front push bumper is also available with an optional winch. We did this because after speaking to our customers, we found that they were wanting one vehicle to do as much as possible so now you can do everything from a battery boost to a battery replacement to a tow or all the way up to a recovery with one vehicle. So, to help to deter-

mine what a battery needs, our Dynamic Service Truck is equipped with a battery tester and a supply of batteries to assist any stranded motorist. The service technician can test the disabled vehicle’s battery and electrical system to get the vehicle running under its own power. If necessary, the tech can install a new battery in the vehicle at the breakdown site.

However, at times, the battery is not the

cause of the breakdown. In many cases, the service tech needs to call for additional assistance.

Because of the increased capabilities of our Service truck, we don’t have to dispatch a tow vehicle to complete the service call and tow the customer to their repair facility; our Dynamic service truck can handle the job. The customer does not have to wait for another vehicle to arrive, and you as an owner do not have to send multiple vehicles to the same breakdown location. We improve operational efficiency saving on fuel, vehicle wear and tear, and overhead while still providing the same high level of service our customers have come to expect.

WE IMPROVED SAFETY THROUGH OUR STORAGE-COMPARTMENT DOOR DESIGN. Our units have roll-up doors that do not swing out into the path of traffic, but rather roll up into the truck. This elimi-

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FEATURES: • 3-YEAR WARRANTY • DESIGNED TO USE A 60CA OR 84CA CHASSIS WITH AN ADDITIONAL 24 IN TUNNEL BOX • ALL STEEL ONE-PIECE CONSTRUCTION • POLY-FENDER UPGRADE AVAILABLE FOR WEIGHT SAVINGS AND RUST-FREE MATERIAL • 4 LARGE ROLLUP DOOR COMPARTMENTS WITH SHELVING • 3 FOLD-DOWN DOOR COMPARTMENTS WITH PLENTY OF ADDITIONAL STORAGE • OPTIONAL ADJUSTABLE BATTERY RACKING SYSTEM • OPTIONAL 4000 AND 5000LB. WHEEL LIFTS • OPTIONAL REAR HYDRAULIC WINCH OR FRONT PUSH BUMPER, ELECTRIC WINCH, OPEN DECK SPACE TO STORE DOLLIES, GO JACKS, CONES, FUEL & WATER TANKS, ETC. nates the possibility of passing vehicles catching an open storage compartment door and creating a traffic incident with the service truck endangering the life of the tower or customer.

Now even though utility and safety for our customers are premium values to us, we didn’t sacrifice aesthetics—we wanted our trucks to look good. As a result, the sleek body style makes this service truck a definite eye-catcher on the road and within the industry.

Dynamic’s new service truck is truly a solid towing solution to the needs of the 38

industry with its practical and spacious storage compartments and enhanced recovery capabilities, all while providing more protection for the lives of towers.

It’s a Dynamic solution!

Testimonial Dewayne Chancey of Chancey’s Towing & Recovery purchased two Dynamic Service Trucks to add to their fleet. The Service Trucks were equipped with the optional wheel-lift and winch.

Dewayne stated, “We are tremendously

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please with the units. They give me a broader window of opportunity for use.

The vehicle pays for itself, and we refer to them as our ‘Superman Units!’”

Chancey’s Towing uses the units for lockout, AAA battery service, battery jump, towing, and with the help of the winch, recoveries as well. Dynamic Towing Equipment has built a reputation on trust, providing personal service and developing solid products for the industry. Dynamic further demonstrates our commitment to your satisfaction by providing a 3-year, limited warranty for the Service Truck. N

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Miller Industries Towing Equipment Inc. provides towers with many unique top-of-the-line light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty towing solutions. When it comes to light-duty service trucks, Miller Industries provides the Holmes TSV and LSV which provides THE service truck solution.

The Holmes TSV (Towing Service Vehicle) and the LSV (Light-Duty Service Vehicle) provide an impressive capacity to hold 36 vehicle batteries securely in 40

their front two poly-lined, all-aluminum, powered-coated compartments. The strategic positioning of the battery storage in the front two compartments moves most of the storage weight forward of the rear axles providing optimal vehicle weight distribution. Both the drivers and passengers side front battery storage compartments include aluminum shelves, as well as adjustable dividers.

Each compartment contains two air vents

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which provide airflow to prevent build-up of battery gasses and to minimize moisture and condensation build-up. All compartments come standard with LED lighting. The passenger side rear compartment comes standard with a 3-socket 12volt power port for convenient charging and powering of equipment.

Another critical design component on

TSV and LSV: The Service Truck Solution

both the TSV and LSV is improved rearview side visibility by way of tapered body compartments. Additional safety features include gullwing style doors that open upward so they don’t protrude into traffic lanes. The Holmes TSV and LSV are also ergonomically designed to allow the driver easier access when lifting and storing batteries and tools inside the compartments.

Offering a true service solution is what Miller Industries’ Holmes TSV and LSV do

by providing plenty of storage space to carry everything needed like dollies, jumper cables, and gas cans, as well as other tools such as an electric air compressor. Both the TSV and LSV come standard in a modular three-compartment configuration for secured storage of batteries, tools, jacks, lock-out kits, repair components, extension cords, and air hoses, just to name a few. The standard three-compartment configuration allows for a modular tray and optional mounting brackets giving towers easy access to their stored self-loading dollies, GoJack ’s,

pails of oil dry, fuel cans, emergency cones, brooms, shovels, sledge hammer, and pry-bar. Both the TSV and LSV come standard with a 12-volt air compressor, retractable hose reel, front and rear corner strobes, and rear LED work lights.

Specific to the Holmes TSV is the compliment of a Holmes 220 Snatcher self-loading wheel lift providing a 7,500lb. towing capacity. Whether using the included spacer socks to tow a damaged casualty or the optional trailer hitch bracket for towing a trailer, the Holmes TSV comes equipped to handle even the toughest service calls. However, not all

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service vehicles require a wheel-lift, and in those cases the Holmes LSV satisfies this need with even more space for storage and equipment. Optional for both units, but popular on the LSV, is the option for a fourth enclosed modular compartment in lieu of the open tray.

Both the TSV and LSV offer superior lightduty service truck options for your fleet.

With Holmes, the oldest name in towing and recovery behind them, the TSV and LSV clearly set the standard for light-duty service trucks in the towing and recovery industry.

For more information on specifications and different configuration options, please visit our website at Millerind.com or contact your local Miller Industries distributor.

Holmes is a registered trademark of Miller Industries Towing Equipment Inc. GoJak is a registered trademark of The Zendex Tool Corporation. Some optional equipment shown in photos.

Specifications provided may be configuration specific and are subject to change without notice. N www.millerind.com

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QUEST TOWING SERVICE’S EXPERIENCE HELPS THEM BE A BETTER MOTOR CLUB FOR THE PROVIDER

Quest Towing Services (QTS) is a division of Quest Software (QS), and this is the story of how the company went from selling software to being one of the fastest growing motor clubs in the country: Quest Software was started in 1988

by Ron Zyzelewski and Terry Miller in the small town of St. Johns, MI. They started out by selling their video software to video stores. As the business grew, they saw a need in the window repair and replacement market and developed glass software which they sold to thousands of glass shops nationwide, many of which continue to use this software today. As the two men were highly respected by the insurance companies for their software and service, those same insurance companies wanted a group to handle the entire window repair/replacement claim from beginning to end. QS took on the challenge and then marketed their ability to handle glass claims to the insurance industry which is still a big part of the business today.

Now, many of their insurance clients they had worked with also had a need for a roadside assistance program for their insured and that is how Quest Towing Services started more than 15 years ago.

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QTS has flourished and continues to grow at a rapid pace even today. They currently dispatch roadside events, including secondary and accident programs for more than 60 clients throughout the country.

QTS operates the call center in St. Johns, MI and has also opened another call center in Henderson, NV 4 years ago. They now boast a network of contracted service providers nationally that numbers more than 12,000 strong. Quest Towing Services has always prided themselves on fast pay and accessibility, along with their ability to adapt and change for the clients. The upcoming months are an exciting time for them, with multiple new clients coming on board as well as several software upgrades and innovative technologies. They are extremely proud of their network of service providers that step up every day and deliver top-notch professional services for the thousands of stranded motorists across the country.

They believe that all the credit for their growth goes to the service provider network and the professional customer service reps that deliver excellent customer service 24/7, 365 days a year.

To really know a company, then meet their customers. Here is one of Quest

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Towing Service’s clients, Christopher Purcell, who was more than willing to share an insider view as a provider of QTS: Greetings to all my fellow Towing & Recovery brothers and sisters! My name is Christopher Purcell, and I’m the owner of Purcell Towing, LLC. When I was asked to give my honest opinion of my interactions with QUEST Roadside, I was happy to get a chance to give ’em a piece of my mind! Before you laugh, hear me out! First off, let me say that I’m NOT being paid to say anything one way or the other; this is my honest opinion.

I’ve been in the Towing Industry since 1987--that’s 30 years! Without boring you with details, just know that I’ve done just about everything our industry does and for about every type of person or state and local requesting agency you can think of, including many different motor clubs. I’ve been on BOTH SIDES of our industry, When I was younger and had severely broken my leg and couldn’t drive for months, I worked in the call center/dispatch area for one of the biggest motor clubs around while I healed. What an eye opener! There are many varied opinions about dealing with motor clubs.

Many of those common opinions are well

Motor Clubs deserved, but that’s because THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN MOTORCLUBS! If you’re honest with yourselves, you know that some of the calls we get can be, let’s just say -unpredictable; BUT, the motor club isn’t the customer and isn’t on scene.

They can only go by the information the vehicle owner gives them--so don’t blame the club! The BIG DIFFERENCE is how the motor club works WITH you, the service provider, when you need it. My experience with QUEST Roadside has been truly a positive and pleasurable one-both on the road, as well as back in the office doing paperwork.

When a dispatcher calls you, you’re getting a live person here in the US, so you can understand them-- no pressing “#1,” ha-ha! The operators are polite and have good details of the service call before they call. If you need to know something specific, they, 9 times out of 10, have them on the other line and can get an answer for you before you send your truck out. The digital dispatch can either fax your office

or directly email to you or, as in my case (my favorite) directly send it to the driver’s cell phone so they have all the info right in the truck and in their hand. The emails sent to the smart phones have VERY convenient “clickable” hyperlinks to dial the customers callback number directly from the smartphone if you need to speak to your customer. This frees up your dispatcher from having to relay messages from the office to the truck. There’s also a clickable link to call QUEST directly from the smartphone dispatch if you need to speak to a dispatcher for changes or issues that come up. This is especially handy for your overnight drivers when you don’t have a dispatcher in the office.

If you’re a business owner, lucky you!

You get to do all the behind-the-scenes paperwork! RELAX! They have a VERY user-friendly billing dashboard that is easy and simple, even if you are the guy who spent years with your VCR clock blinking 12:00--you’ll appreciate the QUEST system. QUEST Roadside is also an industry

leader in payment settlement, and they get you your money FAST usually in about 2 days if you’re on EFT deposits!

No waiting for bi-monthly or monthly payments. This allows your company to keep inter-office paperwork from piling up waiting to clear payment.

When you do happen to get an invoice/call that needs to be reviewed, they get it done and don’t leave you hanging in limbo wondering.

If you’re not thrilled with your past experiences with other motor clubs, I highly recommend you contact QUEST. Just the same way our industry and our equipment has changed over the years so have motor clubs. Quest is NOT your father’s motor club; then again, Dad was smart; maybe it is!

Nothing speaks like a company’s satisfied customer, and Chris Purcell is that!

The Quest Towing Service story is one that goes from innovative software to premium roadside towing and to many satisfied customers! N

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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. N www.road-america.com

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. N *as shown on www.tow411.net

www.nationsafedrivers.com

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Get More Revenue Out of the Areas You Already Work

By Joel Perri So after having been in the towing industry on and off since 1973, I thought there had to be a better way to increase revenue. The towing industry has always worked on a bid basis that always seems to push rates down below profitability.

Many of these people bid on contracts giving away their service just to get the contract not realizing that they are paying to perform it instead of being paid for it. I've watched them running out and buying new trucks only to see their businesses start running down. Soon you start hearing their drivers complaining that they aren't getting paid. They don't realize that they have disrespected the whole industry and driven down the profitability leaving many not even making minimum wage.

I have been the chaser of accidents and then turned towards PPI towing since they always allowed for more 50

money to be made. But as you know, even towers look down on operators that chase accidents or do private property impound towing. I also started to see so many clients wanting another way to have their parking enforced without using a tow truck right out of the box. I considered booting, which has the same reputation as PPI towing because of so many unethical operators. I also didn't like the fact that I would have to go back into a potential hostile situation to release a boot. I saw Paylock had developed a remote release boot, but they weren't offering it for general sale, plus it cost over $2000 per boot. I most certainly wasn't going to put a $2000 boot on only to for it to be cut off later. Plus, they were only using their system for city contracts and not private property.

In today's world, there are many factors that should lead a towing company

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to seek new revenue opportunities. In the world of towing few want to do PPI towing so the limited driver pool for all driver-related industries is even greater for a PPI company. In fact, it was the lack of being able to find drivers that led me to begin thinking how I could use that to my advantage. In our city, it takes an average of 1.5 to 2.5 hours to do one impound tow. So, a driver in a 12- hour shift may only tow 5-10 if they are lucky and had some real close to their yard. To top that off most properties are nowhere near the storage facilities often requiring people to spend the better part of the day retrieving their vehicle. Making for an even more hostile person to deal with.

Benefits of Park It Right If someone goes with our franchise model using all our processing, the attitudes change dramatically to where we get complimented every night we patrol.

Our “Green to be Seen� uniforms, boots, vehicles and boot-return station provide a professional appearance that is not hiding in the shadows waiting to pounce on some unsuspecting violator. We provide clear signage and have a formula for a property to pay for the service on top of being paid for the boot release. Our dealership model loses some of these since it will be run under their current business operation methods.

Safety and convenience are also part

of our process to develop the remote release. Now a patrol crew can boot multiple vehicles in less time than it takes a tow truck to do one tow. In fact, we have booted on a regular basis vehicles every three minutes. Our remote release allows for the crew to continue their patrols while dispatch handles the release freeing up the crew to generate more revenue. So, what happens when you have enough accounts, you boot vehicles; they release pay instantly and then your patrol picks up the boots on the next shift or even the same shift to begin booting again. In the past, the booting crew would spend most of its shift going back to release a boot and potentially face angry people.

The boot-return station also acts as an information center with the property parking rules posted on it helping to eliminate the "I was never told the rules." We have yet to have a station tagged by graffiti, but I am sure it will happen. Our vehicles are Transit Connects that use less fuel, take less maintenance and cost less to purchase and produce more revenue

than a tow truck. Our remote release allows us to have immediate cash flow since most vehicles are releasing within minutes of being booted. Our cut-off boot process has resulted in us making money on a cut-off boot. To repair a cutoff boot is simple using just a basic welder so it keeps the costs down from having to replace a cut off boot. When they steal them, we have about a 50%

rate of reclaiming, but since they cost less than $300 it is not a great loss in comparison.

The remote release is the real benefit since it allows for more booting and more customer service since a booted person can be on their way in less than 10 minutes with less risks. It also allows for a tow operator to know the vehicle will be there when they dispatch a truck.

The booting crew can boot a vehicle in the fire lane and have it release faster than a tow truck can show up. The booting crew can boot 5 to 10 times more vehicles than a tow truck can tow in a shift if not more.

Park It Right will give you another revenue stream for your business that allows you to use your current employees and trucks. Also, it allows you to operate the business in areas where you and your crew are already spending your time. You can learn more or ask us any questions you may have by just going to www.parkitright.net. www.parkitright.net

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A SPECIALIZED AGENT CAN SAVE YOU MONEY

By Scott Fowler, Hal Kresser Agency In the insurance world, all you need is a license, and you can sell insurance to any class of business you like. Today agent X sold insurance to ABC Towing, and tomorrow that agent will sell insurance to the pizza parlor on the corner.

What’s wrong with this picture? Let’s look at it another way: All doctors have the same license to practice medicine. Some are generalists, and some are specialists.

Would you let your family doctor (a generalist) perform open heart surgery on you?

Of course you would not. You would want to go to a heart surgeon because he has expertise in your particular ailment. Well, the same should hold true when it comes to choosing an insurance agent to protect your business. You can go to an agent that is a generalist and hope he sells you the coverage you need or you can find an agent like me that is a specialist in the area of towing and garage. I believe that an insurance agent has a duty and 52

responsibility to know the ins-and-outs of the business he or she writes. The insurance agent should be able to identify the risks associated with the type of business he or she is writing. That means knowing enough about how your business works, where the liability threats are going to come from, and how best to protect you from them.

How well does your agent know the commercial auto policy? Let’s go back to our doctor analogy. A general practitioner, GP, knows the basics about every system of the body. The heart surgeon has that knowledge, but has spent considerably more time focusing his learning on the heart. That makes him better at solving heart problems than the GP. You need an agent that is a specialist on the commercial auto policy because it is complex and has many exclusions and endorsements that can be added. Just like an inexperienced surgeon can slip up and

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slice off something you wanted to keep, a generalist agent may fail to endorse coverage on a policy that you may desperately need. For example, with most insurance companies, “On-Hook” coverage is limited to motor vehicles only. That means cars, trucks, motorhomes, motorcycles, etc. Well, what happens if you throw a skid of drywall on your rollback to deliver for the local hardware store? What happens if you deliver a Bobcat? If you break it, is it covered? The answer is “NO!” A general agent may not know that. A towing specialist will know to ask you if you do those sorts of things, and if you do, he will know to add “cargo coverage” because that will cover the non-vehicle things you may haul. This one area of the policy is very important, but also very complex because how this coverage is handled varies by insurance company.

Some companies include it in the garagekeeper’s coverage by adding some lan-

WHEEL LIFT | REPO EQUIPMENT INSURANCE guage to the endorsement. Some carriers write it as separate coverage from the garagekeeper’s altogether. Others still yet will combine “On-Hook” with “Cargo” in one endorsement.

It is important to choose a specialist for another reason. Only a specialist will be knowledgeable enough to understand the fine differences between insurance carriers’ policies. It would be terrible to find out that when your agent moved your coverage from one carrier to another that he didn’t know the differences, and coverage was lost. It would be even worse to find that out after a claim was denied, and you get left holding the bag.

This same thing can happen if you shop your insurance and move it from one agent to another hoping to save some money. If the new agent doesn’t know your old policy, he can miss things and leave you hanging out to dry. Then how much did you really save?

As you know, much of your world is ruled by your state’s DOT regulations, and

for you interstate-authorized towers, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). This is another area where it pays to have a specialist agent. Does your agent know the filing requirements? Do they know the limits?

For example, in Ohio towers are required to carry a minimum of $750,000 liability.

However, as soon as that tower gets a motor carrier number to be able to cross state lines that limit is required to be a minimum of $1,000,000. The reason for this is that you are considered to be hauling hazardous material. How is that you say? Well because the vehicles in tow have fuel in their tanks and that is classified as hazardous.

It is important to have an agent that is very knowledgeable about FMCSA rules in general and CSA2010 specifically. An agent that doesn’t may fail to request the appropriate filings, and that can cause your authority to be revoked which will cost you money to fix. Agents need to be knowledgeable about the safety reports

and how they relate to the CAB report that the insurance industry uses to decide if you are worthy to insure. For example, we recently had a client come to us for a competitive quote. We submitted an application to an insurance carrier, and it was promptly rejected because their CAB report had an “ALERT” on it. We investigated the report and found that the big “ALERT” was that their MCS-150 was out-of-date. However, their authority was still “active.” Because we are familiar with what we are looking at, we could see that this client didn’t have a motor carrier number and was listed as intrastate only.

We then had to educate the underwriter that without an MC number and interstate authority, the client isn’t under FMCSA jurisdiction and is exempt from the requirement. With that explained, we obtained a quote.

When it comes to claims, the same principles apply. The agent once again must be intimately familiar with the clients’ operation and the tasks performed. The best way to handle a claim is

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to prevent it from happening at all. A specialist agent can meet with you to look over your operation and procedures and then offer recommendations and share best practices with you that may fine-tune your operation. The specialist agent insures many towing accounts which means he has seen many claims that are towing specific. He has the knowledge to share with you what caused those claims so you can learn from the mistakes of others. The generalist agent will simply copy coverage from your current policy to get a quote. He is simply looking for a sale and has nothing to offer but a price.

In the event you are involved in a collision or some other claim situation, the agent can make all the difference in the world too. Call the generalist from the scene, and he will take some information and call in the claim to the company. That

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will end his involvement. The specialist knows that this is a serious situation, and how it is handled from the beginning can make all the difference in how the claim proceeds. The specialist agent will help you train your drivers on what to do at an accident scene to defend yourself. He will make suggestions like never move the

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vehicle until law enforcement arrives, take photos of the scene, get as much information about the other participants as possible, then talk to the agent as soon as possible to discuss options and strategy.

Claims adjustors work with a variety of accounts and are also, to large degree, generalists. This means they sometimes don’t know the coverage well and have a large caseload. That means they can make mistakes too. We have seen claims denied that should have been paid. The generalist agent will commiserate with you about it, but will not get involved. The specialist agent knows the coverage and isn’t afraid to jump into the fray to advocate for you to get something covered that is denied. The opposite can be true too. Sometimes a claim is legitimately denied, and your agent should be able to

INSURANCE give you a satisfactory explanation, so you understand why.

The final and equally important area of difference is communication. The general agent was looking to make a sale. Once he gets that done, he hopes to not hear from you again until renewal time next year. He likes the commission, but due to his lack of knowledge about your business, he hopes to not get many calls or questions he may not be able to answer. The specialist agent prefers to keep running communication with you so he is aware of any changes in your operation that may require him to adjust your coverage up or down depending. He wants to make sure that your coverage is always up-to-date.

In this economy, most towers are watching their bottom line.

Some think that simply buying their insurance based on cheapest price is doing the best for their company. The savvy owners know that price is important, but even if it costs a little more, buying from an experienced, specialized agent can save them more money in the long run and maybe help preserve their insurance in a market that is shrinking every day.

About Hal Kresser: Grew up around garages and running wreckers. After the family shop sold, became a police officer, with a specialty in accident investigation. After retiring from the police department, opened an insurance agency, specializing in garage and tow-truck insurance. WreckMaster certified. Have more questions? Email hal@kresseragency.com. www.kresseragency.com

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Dealers place

FOR drivers

For slippery winter roads where tire tread alone doesn't provide enough traction, tire chains are a big help.

What size tire chain do I need?

Getting the right size tire chain is based on the size of the vehicle and the amount of wheel clearance available. The tire chain manufacturer will have information on the correct size of tire chain, and the vehicle manufacturer will have information on the clearance, usually in the owner’s manual.

How to put on tire chains When first installed, tire chains must properly fit for performance, traction and safety. Here are seven tips on installing tire chains.

1. Install on the vehicle’s drive wheels in accordance with the chain manufacturer's instructions.

2. Do not deflate tires prior to installation; this can result in loss of traction and tire damage.

3. Mount the chains so the cut ends of the cross chain hooks are away from the tire.

4. Hand tighten as tightly as possible.

If needed, rubber or spring chain adjusters can be used.

5. Avoid twists and kinks in the side and the cross chains.

6. After installation, drive forward and back about 15 feet, then retighten.

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7. Repair or remove any broken or damaged cross chain to prevent further damage to your chains, tires or truck.

Tips for driving with tire chains Tire chains should only be used if there is snow or ice on the road. Using chains on bare pavement can damage your tires and the road. If you pull onto a road that's plowed and salted, pull over and remove the chains.

Here are a couple of other tips for driving with snow tire chains.

• Avoid spinning or locking the wheels.

• Do NOT exceed 30 mph.

Know your local chain laws In general, most states allow the use of tire chains within certain calendar dates, or during snowy/icy weather as long as they don’t damage the highway.

Different states have different regulations regarding tire chains. To find the regulations in your state, AWdirect.com has a link to all states’ tire chain regulations. Before using any equipment described, be sure to read, understand and follow all manufacturer’s instructions and guidelines.

AW Direct | Answering the Call™ | 1-800-243-3194 | awdirect.com

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Dealers place

Hooked UP

WreckMaster Skates Synthetic Endless and Eye & Eye Super Slings These B/A Products synthetic super slings are ideal for working in tight spots or when you need to avoid metal-to-metal contact.

• Reduce damage: Synthetic material and protective sleeve guards a customer’s vehicle from damage • Versatile: Two styles, four sizes and many lengths to meet your exact needs • Strong: Ideal for use where greater WLL is required www.awdirect.com

These skates are a must-have. Their unique design minimizes damage to your truck bed while making it easy to load a disabled vehicle.

• Protective: Slotted design lets debris flow through minimizing damage to your truck • Versatile: Middle groove holds rotors for vehicles without wheels • Innovative: Interlocking teeth joins skates to accommodate wider tires

www.awdirect.com

Magnetic Axle Strap Kit AW Direct’s Magnetic Axle Strap kit lets you hook up vehicles faster, easier and safer so you can get off the road sooner. This 4point tie-down kit includes everything you need to quickly and efficiently secure a vehicle. www.awdirect.com 62

Tow Professional | Volume 6 • Issue 8 | www.towprofessional.com

MARKET place

IF YOU HAD TAKEN THIS SPACE, YOUR AD WOULD NOW BE BEING LOOKED AT

BY OVER 33,000 SUBSCRIBERS AND WOULD ALSO BE AVAILABLE TO MILLIONS MORE ONLINE.

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COMPANY

PG

COMPANY

PG

COMPANY

PG

Agero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

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

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

Atlanta Wrecker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Holly's Towing Dispatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Smyrna Truck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Austin Hinds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

INA Towing Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Southern Tow Expo & Beach Bash . . . . . .24, 25

Austin Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

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

Steck Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Auto Data Direct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

Jerr-Dan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Back Cover

Swoop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

AutoReturn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Lift and Tow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

TomTom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

AW Direct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

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

TOPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Beacon Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

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

Tow Trax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Collins Dollies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

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

Towbook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Custer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Mike Keith Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Towing Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34, 35

Custom Built . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Miller Industries . . . . . . . . . . .Inside Front Cover

TowMate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

CW Mill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

MITI Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Triple K . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Diesel-site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

OMADI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

United Plastic Fabricating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

DJ Harrington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Park it Right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

USAC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Driveline Buddy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

PWOF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

VTS Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Dynamic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Quest Towing Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Waters Truck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Eartech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Recovery Billing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

Weiss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Flow Stop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Road America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Will-Burt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Ginn Commercial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Robert Young . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Wrecker Rentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Hal Kresser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

RP Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

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