Lighting is one of the key tools’ responders use to increase safety when working on the roadway. Yet, there is inconsistent messaging and laws about the correct use of scene lighting. A recent research study titled “Effects of Emergency Vehicle Lighting Characteristics on Driver Perception and Behavior: Study Report” conducted by the Emergency Responder Safety Institute (ERSI) has provided some interesting data.
The study looked at lighting color, intensity, modulation, flash rate and the impact of retro-reflective chevron markings on motorist’s behavior while approaching and passing a scene in lowlight conditions. While none of the variables tested had a statistically significant effect, there were some interesting findings:
Lighting Intensity – “Study participants consistently judged higher intensity lights as more glaring but only marginally more visible than lights of lower intensity. Lower intensity lights remained highly visible. Using lower intensities at night will reduce discomfort glare without reducing the lights’ visibility. This finding indicates that stationary vehicles in nighttime blocking mode should be sufficiently visible with lower intensity lights.”
Lighting Color – “Drivers’ rated visibility of lights appeared to be related to the perceived saturation of their color. Blue and red lights have the greatest perceived saturation and were judged to be brighter than white and yellow lights of the same intensity. Blue and white lights were rated as most glaring. Yellow and red lights were least glaring. This data suggests that red lights for stationary blocking operations may offer the best combination of better visibility with less glare.”
“Moth to Flame” Effect – “None of the variables tested caused drivers to move their vehicles either toward or away from the lights. Therefore, the data in this test did not support or disprove the ‘moth to flame’ effect.”
High Visibility Markings – “When fluorescent and reflective markings were present, drivers did not see the firefighter silhouette until they were closer to it. This was the most unexpected finding of the study. Of the four setups tested, high-intensity lights with no markings produced the longest detection distance, meaning drivers could see the firefighter silhouette from the furthest away. High-intensity lights combined with high visibility markings yielded the shortest detection distance. Reflective markings may increase the amount of scattered light entering the eyes of a driver, thereby making the responder less visible. This study raises the possibility that combining high-intensity lights with high visibility markings may make it more difficult for drivers to see responders on foot at night, even when the responders wear high visibility vests.”
TRAA appreciates the Emergency Responder Safety Institute (ERSI) for conducting this valuable research on behalf of the responder community. We look forward to seeing the results of their next study. For more information visit: ResponderSafety.com
The International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum has announced it will induct 10 new members into its Hall of Fame this fall. The inductees hail from the United States, Australia, France, and Japan, making it one of the most diverse Hall of Fame classes ever.
“This year’s inductees embody the museum’s international founding,” said Bill Gratzianna, president of the Chattanooga-based organization that represents the towing and recovery community. “We are honored to have inductees from four continents, and look forward to welcoming their families and friends.”
The 2022 honorees are, in alphabetical order:
Bruce Davis of Davis Towing & Recovery Inc., Rushville, IN
Henry Fenimore, B&F Towing Inc., Bear, DE
Marci Gratzianna, O’Hare Towing Service, Downers Grove, IL
Luc Le Baron, Le Baron et Fils, Brunoy, France
Sadaaki Nakamura, Jyonan Holding Corp., Koufu-shi, Yamanashi, Japan
Antonio Re, Nationwide Towing & Transport Pty. Ltd.,
Glen Iris, Victoria, Australia
Charles Schmidt, C. Schmidt & Sons Inc., Roslyn, NY
Robert Van Lingen, Van Lingen Towing Inc., Torrance, CA
Harumatsu Wada, Miller Japan Co. Ltd., Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Sherry White, Walt’s Mission Pass Towing, Fremont, CA
The Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame was launched in 1986 to recognize individuals who have made substantial contributions to the towing and recovery industry. “The industry realized it was time to display the roots of the profession,” according to the museum. Over 300 towing professionals have entered the Hall of Fame to date.
Hall of Fame candidates must have 20 years of experience running a towing business in an outstanding and exemplary manner, demonstrate leadership in a project with a dynamic and lasting effect on the towing industry, and/or create a product or service with a significant and lasting effect on towing professionals.
The inductees will be officially recognized at a formal ceremony on October 8, 2022, at the Westin Hotel Chattanooga during the organization’s annual Museum Weekend scheduled for October 7 – 9
The focus on electric vehicles (EVs) in the towing industry continues to grow as more and more electric cars appear on our roads and highways. And rightly so, as they pose a unique risk to emergency responders and the public. Many of you will remember our emails on the subject last year after a study conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), on which a TRAA representative serves, concluded that vehicle manufacturer response guides for emergency personnel were inadequate and gaps are present in safety standards and research-related to high-voltage, lithium-ion batteries involved in high-speed, high-severity crashes (NTSB/SR-20/01).
One of the best ways to protect yourself and your employees is to ensure they are trained on electric vehicles. TRAA strongly recommends enrolling your operators in NFPA’s Alternative Fuel Vehicles Training Program for Emergency Responders Online Training. It’s targeted at fire, EMS, and towing responder disciplines and covers identifying, disabling, and disposing of EVs. It’s self-paced, easily accessible, and inexpensive at only $25.95 USD.
Additional resources for responders include NFPA’s emergency field guides. The field guides are available from several sources including the NFPA website, smartphone applications, and other commercial platforms. Another option is FHWA’s Interim Guidance for Electric and Hybrid-Electric Vehicles Equipped with High Voltage Batteries
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There is a story—perhaps fictitious—that a successful businessman was asked how his company had prospered and grown, decade after decade. “There are two types of 50-year-old businesses,” he replied. “The first kind does not really have 50 years’ worth of experience. They have one year of experience, repeated 50 times. They survive, but do not prosper. The other kind of long-lived business is one that does not rest on its laurels, but constantly strives to do more, and do it better. My company is the latter type.”
Whether or not this story is true, the principle is still sound. No company can do the same old thing for 25, or 50, or 100 years and stay in business, let alone prosper. That is as true in the towing and recovery industry as it is in any other.
So, when we analyzed the story behind the 50th anniversary of Jerr-Dan, we expected to see evidence of a legacy of innovation and growth. Today, Jerr-Dan is an Oshkosh Corporation [NYSE: OSK] company and a leading manufacturer of towing and recovery equipment. Its full line includes light, medium, and heavy duty carriers and wreckers, rotators, industrial transporters, and four-car carriers. That is a far cry from what it looked like in 1972 when Jerry and Dan started the company.
EARLY DAYS
1977— Aluminum Carrier
When Jerry Pool and Dan Reynolds founded Jerr-Dan in 1972, the company made parts for other companies’ equipment. They opened their first plant in Greencastle, Pennsylvania.
Later that year, Jerr-Dan purchased Grove Manufacturing Company’s agricultural industrial products division. As part of the purchase, they acquired their first rollback carrier technology. Although the Grove division they purchased mainly made farm trailers and related equipment, Grove had developed a flatbed rollback carrier just to be able to deliver their main product. From 1969 to 1972 Grove had even experimented with selling a small line of their rollback carriers. They decided that this was too far outside the scope of their core business, prompting the sale of the division to Jerr-Dan. While the carriers were the focus of Jerr-Dan’s interest even then, there are still some old pieces of farm equipment out there with the Jerr-Dan name on them.
With the company faring so well, the founders decided to tackle new challenges, each selling their interest in Jerr-Dan and founding their own new companies, Dan in 1973 and Jerry in 1992.
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SPARKS GROWTH
From the mid-70s to the late 90s, Jerr-Dan dedicated itself to providing a wider range of solutions for its customers as well as product innovations that would improve performance and reliability. Sometimes that meant improving on an existing design; at other times it meant designing something new from the ground up, and other times it meant acquiring a key company. A constant stream of substantive milestones were reached during this period.
In 1975, Jerr-Dan launched its own traveling axle trailer line in both 42- and 45-foot versions. The traveling axle design permits rear tires to slide forward so the bed can tilt to the ground, resulting in a more favorable loading angle.
At around this time, Jerr-Dan engineers took note of the fact that all the larger vehicle carriers were built of steel and the weight of all that steel was putting extra stress on the truck chassis. Obviously, reducing the weight and the stress would extend the usable life of the truck— a big benefit to carrier owners. After research and some experimentation, the company decided to use an aluminum alloy in its new carrier design. Using this material would also help control corrosion. In 1977, Jerr-Dan launched the first commercially built aluminum carrier in the industry.
A few years later, Jerr-Dan product specialists were looking at a different problem. Metal on metal friction causes wear. And carriers had a metal bed sliding across a metal frame. When the wear became noticeable, the costly replacement of the bed or frame or both became necessary. The solution came in 1982 when Jerr-Dan received a patent for removable and replaceable wear pads. Metal on metal contact was now replaced with metal sliding across replaceable pads, extending the life of more expensive components.
In that same year, Jerr-Dan began production of the first extruded-aluminum plank carrier. Though this is now industry standard, it was a game-changer in the early 80s.
Close on the heels of those milestones, in 1985 Jerr-Dan launched the Jerr-Lift, the original self-loader. The Jerr-Lift secured the towed vehicle with hydraulic arms around the tires. It was the first offering of its kind in the traditional wrecker/recovery market. The Jerr-Lift reduced hook-up time and lessened operator fatigue.
In 1987 Jerr-Dan introduced the HPL, their first foray into a slightly larger light duty wrecker. Before releasing the new product to the market, Jerr-Dan decided to have an in-house competition to name it. At the time, most Jerr-Dan product names followed a “wild west” theme, with models named Rustler, Wrangler, and so on. (If you are old enough to remember the “urban cowboy” craze of the early 80s, you may understand this better. If not, just imagine a time when New York City accountants, bankers, and lawyers wore Stetsons on their heads and Tony Lamas on their feet. It was a different time.) But all the obvious cowboy-themed names had been used or weren’t available. However, a genius employee submitted perhaps the greatest product name of all time—HPL. That is, the “High Plains Lifter.”
The HPL line is still in production.
In the 90s, sports cars and the proliferation of other low-slung vehicles became more of a problem. With a standard flat deck carrier, towers had to build wooden ramps to create a suitable angle to load those low-profile vehicles. To address this issue, in 1992 Jerr-Dan designed, patented, and released the shark dual-angle rollback to the market. The angled end of the deck allowed it to load a lower-profile automobile without requiring a homemade ramp. Of course, in the 30 years since its introduction, Jerr-Dan has continued to add features and other improvements to the product.
1992 – Shark
By this time, the company had been in business for twenty years and was looking for a new growth opportunity. Jerr-Dan was building wreckers rated for light and medium duty but did not really have the experience or technology to enter the heavy duty wrecker market. However, that all changed in 1995 when the company bought DeWalt Manufacturing, a Texas-based company that built strictly heavy duty equipment for the recovery industry. The DeWalt acquisition brought with it the company’s patented hydraulic underlift. DeWalt product specialists brought their experience, skill, and knowledge as well. Jerr-Dan engineers credit the DeWalt designs for improving Jerr-Dan’s boom technology. With this key acquisition under its belt, Jerr-Dan was able to enter the 50ton heavy duty wrecker market with a fully developed product that had an established reputation.
The very next year, Jerr-Dan was able to build its original 25 ton heavy duty wrecker, that is, one not based on DeWalt’s design. It incorporated some new ideas about wrecker architecture that are a part of Jerr-Dan’s “DNA” to this day. The new wrecker was one of the first to introduce a composite body to the market on a commercial scale. It may seem obvious now, perhaps, but using an aluminum alloy frame with fiberglass panels to construct the body clearly results in less corrosion and a lighter and longer-lasting body. That added product longevity lowers total cost of ownership, then and now.
In 1997 Jerr-Dan launched a zero-degree underlift for carriers. It was a godsend to towers that had to contend with low-profile cars on steep surfaces—think the famously up and down streets of San Francisco. While most other lifts had a high loading angle, this new feature allowed the operator to put the wheel lift all the way down on the ground.
Around this same time, Jerr-Dan managers and engineers committed to overhauling their entire carrier line, and they wanted to have an internal standard for any resultant changes. They took a hard look at the carriers of their main competitors and realized right away that all had strong and weak points. So, they went out and bought a variety of other companies’ carriers and measured performance in key components and systems, the utility of various features, and so on.
After carrying out a full analysis of what could be viewed as the industry’s state of the art in carriers, Jerr-Dan created its Best in Class (BIC) carrier line. This new line of carriers was benchmarked to the best performance in each category of operation and was built to meet or exceed them. Introduced in 1998, Jerr-Dan felt confident that “BIC” carriers set the standard. Future improvements to Jerr-Dan carriers would be based on the BIC platform and philosophy.
In 1999 Jerr-Dan launched its first 14- and 16-ton heavy duty wreckers. These new wreckers fit on a class 7 chassis, giving them more flexibility in the market.
1999 brought even more changes to Jerr-Dan when it was acquired by Littlejohn & Company.Littlejohn & Company was, and still is, a private equity firm that makes control equity investments in mid-sized companies that can benefit from its operational and strategic experience. Jerr-Dan was ready to open a new chapter in its story just as the world was poised to open a new century.
A NEW CENTURY BRINGS NEW OPPORTUNITIES
The previous quarter-century had seen a lot of improvements in the company and its products. The arrival of the 21st century only accelerated this trend.
In 2001, Jerr-Dan received a patent for a unique tow-locking mechanism. It was common practice to use hydraulics to secure the tow arms when they closed around tires. Jerr-Dan engineers were all too aware that hydraulics could be compromised by a loss of fluid or pressure. They solved the problem by adding a mechanical lock. They would still use hydraulics to move the arms into position, but the mechanical lock would continue to secure the tire even if the hydraulics failed at some point during the tow.
Then, in 2002, Jerr-Dan received another patent, this time for an independent wheel-lift. This wheel-lift was made independent of the wrecker-boom by using the knee-boom, so named due to its resemblance to a bent knee.
However, 2004 would prove to be the most pivotal year of the new century for Jerr-Dan. That was the year it was acquired by the Oshkosh Corporation.
The new owner had the size, resources, and strategic direction that would permit Jerr-Dan to accomplish more, faster. Today, Oshkosh Corporation employs nearly 15,000 team members worldwide, and its products are found in more than 150 countries. Jerr-Dan had joined a family of brands that today includes other top-tier brands, such as JLG®, Pierce®, Oshkosh® Defense, McNeilus®, IMT®, Frontline™, Oshkosh® Airport Products, London™, and Pratt Miller.
At this point, there was really only one piece of equipment that the Jerr-Dan product range lacked—a rotator. But the company had been working with customers behind the scenes to get their input on building the “ultimate rotator.” For several years Jerr-Dan had interviewed owners and operators and relied on their suggestions to continually improve a new rotator design. Many mentioned a desire to reach more and get into position more easily. And it was no surprise to learn that almost everyone was concerned about improving stability.
Jerr-Dan took all these suggestions to heart, and in 2005 introduced the Jerr-Dan Rotator.This product debuted with a conservative 60ton rating but when applied to real-life situations ended up as the Jerr-Dan 70/85ton, heavy duty rotator.Backed by Jerr-Dan engineering and performance, users were able to reach further and position their boom more easily because of the new machine’s 42-foot working radius, at a time when the nearest competitor only offered 34 feet.What set the unit apart was its industry-leading stability, achieved through the widest dual scissor-style outrigger system of its time coupled with the strongest rotator frame in the industry.This knowledge and technology would guide Jerr-Dan to offer the industry’s hallmark 50/60-ton rotator in 2011.
In 2008 Jerr-Dan received another important patent. This patent was for the SRS, or “Side Recovery System.” The company had been looking at ways to improve its recovery capabilities, and the SRS certainly helped them reach that goal. The concept is simple—the boom would easily rotate to the left or right to enable recovery on either side of the tow vehicle. This new product was available as an option on new trucks, or as an aftermarket add-on for older trucks. Unlike most of the patented products that preceded it, Jerr-Dan made the SRS available to their dealers to be fitted to competitors’ trucks.
Jerr-Dan closed out the first decade of the 21st century with another addition to its carrier line. The new XLP (extra-low profile) carriers addressed the continuing need to lower the height of beds. This new line of carriers was also designed to be mounted without having to modify the truck itself, a feature that dealers especially appreciated. Over the next ten years, these XLP features were extended to all carrier sizes in the product range.
And in 2011, Jerr-Dan kicked off the second decade of the century with a major step forward. To improve efficiency, Jerr-Dan moved all its manufacturing to facilities in McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania.
When taking note of relatively recent technical accomplishments, attention must be given to the patents the company received in 2013 for improved deck illumination and adjustable headboards for carriers. The adjustable headboards were a consequential boon for dealers, making the job of installation much simpler. Obviously, each truck has a cab height that is unique to it. That meant that a manufacturer had to build a different headboard for every truck, and dealers had to manage their inventory of all those unique headboards. With the introduction of the adjustable headboard, Jerr-Dan was able to reduce that inventory to just two sizes of headboard for all carrier models and chassis cab heights.
The second patent that year, the Rear Awareness Illumination Light (RAIL), was all about improving roadside visibility in all circumstances. Based on their intimate knowledge of the industry, product specialists and engineers were aware that when a carrier parks in front of a vehicle casualty, its warning lights are often obscured. In some cases, they almost seem to disappear. Jerr-Dan addressed this issue by adding lights that extended beyond the profile of the truck facing rearward. RAIL also optimized the lighting for the greatest visibility when the bed was tipped down, the point at which traditional lighting schemes are most obscured.
Keeping the focus on simplifying an operator’s work, in 2014 Jerr-Dan received a patent for a new vehicle storage assembly, as part of its new JFB heavy duty wrecker and Rotator body line. This was the start of a renewed push to conform to the principle reportedly first articulated by Benjamin Franklin: “a place for everything, everything in its place.”
With the corporate strategy, company growth, and distributor network all working together, by 2017 it was time to add financial services to the company’s portfolio of expertise and customer service.In that year, Jerr-Dan launched Jerr-Dan Financial Solutions (JDFS) to provide customers with a one-stop shopping experience.
Interestingly, Jerr-Dan Financial Solutions is more than just a financial team. JDFS is made up of tow truck operators as well as sales and finance professionals who know the towing and recovery industry inside and out. According to Jerr-Dan Financial Services, “We offer competitive interest rates and no down payment for qualified buyers. Lease or loan packages are available with terms from 24 to 84 months. We also provide a 24-hour turnaround on all credit applications.”
And finally, the most impressive milestone of all—Jerr-Dan is celebrating 50 years in business in 2022.
DRIVING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE
“People have asked us what we have in the works,” said Jerr-Dan senior product specialist Andrew Stevens. “Obviously, that is a question I am not free to answer in any detail. But I can tell you that we are committed to improving existing models—the updated JD25 is one recent example. And we are committed to listening to our customers’ needs. Those are the conversations that end up as the inspiration for exciting new product developments.”
Chief Engineer Sanjeev Kuriakose also addressed Jerr-Dan’s future goals. “Besides building equipment that works as hard as our customers do, we want to promote the hardworking men and women of this industry so they get the respect they deserve and are seen and treated as professionals. There are a lot of owners and operators out there leading the way, and we want to do whatever we can to aid them. We believe proper training is the key. It’s more than promoting Jerr-Dan Equipment. It’s about helping towers work smarter, safer and getting them home to enjoy their families when the work is done.”
No one can foretell the future of the economy, let alone the future of a particular company. The Great Recession and COVID-19 have provided recent and stark examples of this truth. However, it is possible to make projections based on past performance. On that basis, it is not hard to look forward to Jerr-Dan’s 75th and 100th anniversaries.
Jerr-Dan’s carrier line includes standard, medium, heavy-duty, multi-car, and industrial models. The 8.5 Ton XLP is versatile enough to handle the work of a light-duty carrier but designed and engineered to handle the toughest jobs of a medium-duty carrier. With a 17,000 lb. structural capacity available in steel or aluminum, this medium-duty carrier is available with deck lengths of 22 ft. to 30 ft., 96 in. or 102 in. wide, and dock stabilizer or wheel lift options of 3,000 lb., 3,500 lb., 4,000 lb., or 5,000 lb.
About Jerr-Dan
JerrDan, LLC, an Oshkosh Corporation [NYSE: OSK] company, is a leading manufacturer of towing and recovery equipment and offers an extensive range of light, medium and heavy-duty carriers, wreckers and rotators.The company is headquartered in Hagerstown, MD., and its products are backed by industry-leading warranties and a strong service network dedicated to the towing professional.
At Oshkosh (NYSE: OSK), we make innovative, mission-critical equipment to help everyday heroes advance communities around the world. Headquartered in Wisconsin, Oshkosh Corporation employs approximately 15,000 team members worldwide, all united behind a common cause: to make a difference in people’s lives. Oshkosh products can be found in more than 150 countries under the brands of JLG®, Pierce®, Oshkosh® Defense, McNeilus®, IMT®, Jerr-Dan®, Frontline™, Oshkosh® Airport Products, London™ and Pratt Miller.
Empower Encourage Motivate Inspire Speedometer 3d Illustration
Ican’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this question over the last decade or so, “Hey, DJ can you come motivate my people?”Every year without question, I would receive a similar call from one dealer who owned 4 different car dealerships.His dealerships were doing okay but his people needed periodic motivation.Without question, he would let it go on until almost too late to correct it.This dealer would beat up his people, never say a kind word to any of them, but needed me to put motivational band aids on their wounds. Since he’s passed on now, let me tell you exactly what he was like.
According to this man, no one that worked for him had a brain. They were all stupid.As he said, many times to me, “You can’t fix stupid.”Unfortunately, he never told anyone who worked for him thank you or that they did a good job not even if they did something right or gave a customer good service.NEVER!Until I got there, they never celebrated a birthday of a team member either.After I was hired to help motivate his team, there was a Christmas tree in every store.They started participating in the Marines Toys for Tots campaign and gave food to the soup kitchen located near each store.When an employee had a birthday, there was a birthday cake in the break room that day for everyone’s enjoyment. Soon, we started a gift exchange program with fellow team members.What I really liked was if an employee did a good job, he or she would receive dinner for two at a local restaurant.From then on, all his employees worked hard to earn that reward.
In connection with that reward, we also started a “HATTABOY” program where other employees would recognize someone going out of their way to help a customer. With the way culture is now, they’ve probably changed that program’s original name to something else by now.As the years progressed, the bad and negative change occurred, creating something healthy and positive, and their motivation went from bad to good.Change didn’t happen overnight, but it certainly was unmistakable.Saying “thank you” isn’t hard to do; it takes only a second to recognize someone for a job well-done, but for some reason management these days still find it hard to say “thank you” to their team.
My oldest brother, Bill owned his own business and would bring donuts and coffee to a job site to let his people know how appreciative he was of them for their hard work.One day, I was at the jobsite while Bill was talking with a Burger King project manager who bet my brother $100 that we couldn’t line this large parking lot with bricks by the end of the day.They shook on it, and the bet was on! My brother left and returned with plenty of rolls and coffee for everyone on the job.While they ate, Bill told everyone about the bet.At 4 PM that afternoon….ONE HOUR EARLY….Bill had the Burger King project manager come to the site with his $100.To the surveyor’s surprise, Bill took his money from the project manager and divided it up between the workers right in front of him.His response was, “Now I know why your people go the extra mile.” Not only did the project manager get a surprise but Bill acknowledged the good job his people had done in front of a customer.Bill’s thankfulness for his people’s good work has stuck with me through the years.
You’re probably thinking that you don’t do parking lots.Maybe not, but here are some suggestions that you can implement in your business right now.When was the last time you told a dispatcher that they did a great job?How about the “Driver of the Month” award which blesses someone with dinner for two at a local steak house?How about a $1,000 bonus for having a new baby or adopting a child?My daughter’s company implemented a “New Baby Bonus” and her employees love it.There are other ways to show recognition.Just about everyone enjoys a good movie and food.So, how about 2 tickets to a local theater for a “night out”, turkey or ham of your choice at Thanksgiving and Christmas or perhaps a FREE car wash for their own car.Here’s something I’ve done.
When I had 22 employees, we celebrated everyone’s birthday with a birthday cake. They could take their birthday off with pay OR get double pay for working on their birthday.If the birthday fell over the weekend, they received 6 days’ pay in their next paycheck.And too, if I could create it in time, I would read a funny poem created about them just before they blew out the candles on their birthday cake.Work should be fun and serious.Creating fun and appreciation doesn’t take much effort because it takes more time to replace a valuable person who felt unappreciated.Want to stay in business?Create a healthier work environment. You can do it.See you next time..
financial analytics, business man working with charts, fintech
I wrote an article a while back where I talked about having the right information that will help you to make decisions. I will talk about my company first, and then give you a few tips on how to use the information you have to grow your business.
We decided that we want to increase revenue over the next three months.We have been running customers for just over a year so we have data to look at to help us make decisions. Our goal is to double our tows over the next three months.Here is how we can do that using the data we collected. Here is the data we are looking at:
1. We know how many markets we are in
2. We know how many tows our customer gives us for each market
3. We know how many tows we are completing in each market
4. We know how many tow companies there are in each market
5. We know how many tow companies are registered with TowTrax in each market
6. We know the tow rate the tow companies are looking for in each market
It’s fun when you have current data to work with.Take your company and the data you have and identify what you want 2022 to look like.
Tip 1.
Set your goals.Identify how much you want to increase your revenue, what expenses you want to cut or what new expenses you will have.
Tip 2.
Identify the resources you will need to execute your plan. It might be adding staff, adding additional trucks, or making other investments
Tip 3.
Write your goals down so you look at them every day.Get your staff involved.You will be surprised at what they will bring to the table to accomplish your goals.If getting a new truck is a goal, hang a picture of it on the wall.This may motivate your drivers to do more.
In order for me to double my volume, I need to add staff; I need to make some system changes that allow my app to be more user-friendly to tow companies. (Allowing the tows I get from my customer to go through their dispatch) There will be travel involved such as tow shows or sales calls.The system changes are completed so I just need to add staff which will be a big step in reaching my goals.As the driving force behind my business, I need to make sure I am in a position to do the things necessary for me to accomplish my goals.
Tip 4.
As you well know, towing can be stressful. You have to make sure your health will not be an issue that could cause problems.When you set your goals make sure you have the resources necessary.
Tip 5.
Make sure you pay yourself first so you have the motivation for you to continue executing your plan. Go to a tow show and make it a mini-vacation and an educational experience that benefits you.That is an expense that will pay great dividends.
I’m working with two small tow companies that included my company in their future growth. The company in Detroit started out with 2 to 3 tows a day.He put together a plan and set goals that have allowed him to grow his business to 40 calls a day with TowTrax.We have talked and he wants to grow even more.I’m working with him to make that happen.
I have a small tow company in Syracuse that started out good with TowTrax.Then inflation hit and the price of gas is creating a problem for him.Then to make matters worse a competitor came into town and is offering tows at 40% less than the market allows.This affects all the tow companies in that area.What he did was come to me and told me he needs more money from me to offset the business he is losing.I explained to him some things he can do to get back on track.
Tip 6.
I know millionaires that live on $55,000 a year.That’s how they became a millionaire. The same is with towing.When you start facing problems like my friend in New York I told him other things he can do to generate more business and make more money without adding additional expenses.
Tip 7.
Find alternative ways to make money do things like:
a. Store cars for other people
b. Rent u-haul trailers out of your storage yard
c. I had one friend whose wife opened a tanning salon at their storage yard.
d. At your storage yard you have security and you are 24/7. Find someone who needs that environment.
In my business I have markets where I do not get many tow offers, so I will not spend a lot of resources in those markets.On the other hand, I have markets. I am missing 20 calls a day because I don’t have the tow companies to support the volume.
Tip 8.
Think big and out of the box.I want to double my volume and I have to make sure my goals are realistic.They may not be realistic but when I look at the data closely and come up with a plan, they are very achievable.
Tip 9.
Don’t be frightened by failure
With my business, I will address what I am paying the tow company so they want to use TowTrax for their tows, and I will address the fees I am charging my customers allowing me to increase the tow fees.I provide a great service and I have to show the value to both the tow company and the customer. Using the data I have will allow me to make a few simple changes allowing me to reach my goal...
A little background – I’ve always kept a primary job since I don’t make enough income from my expert witness and writing work to support my household.I’ve also witnessed some colossal meltdowns where towing company owners or managers have thrown tools, equipment, slammed truck doors, or berated an employee or two.Never, though, have I witnessed, first-hand, where a company owner made a half-hearted attempt (I’ll explain later) to commit suicide, and then ended up in an argument with me over whether I would help him die to put himself out of his misery.That happened last week, and truly, I still haven’t recovered from the ordeal, and likely won’t for quite some time.
We need to talk about mental health, and more importantly, be man enough or woman enough to ask for help.The stresses of running a small business fluctuate daily in intensity, and how we deal with those issues dictates the condition of both our mental and physical health.I realize that there are egos involved, and usually a lot of pride, and asking for help may seem weak to some – like you’ve failed in life and in business.Please look at it another way – if you continue to go down whatever rabbit hole you’re in and your business fails because of it, isn’t it the same thing?To prevent further damage makes a ton of sense – saving your life, health, and business?
In the towing industry, just like any other field in the first responder world, we see some awful stuff.We see mangled bodies, injured children, injured pets, and of course, thousands of dollars in property and equipment damage.Military combat troops, police officers, firefighters, EMS personnel, doctors, and nurses have all made the realization that it’s ok to NOT be ok after seeing some of the things we’ve seen and dealt with what we do.Putting up that façade of being ok and tough is great and all when you want to impress your buddies, but I think you’re foolish for thinking that all those experiences don’t impact you significantly.
Our industry, like the others, has a few people who get help, talk it out, and use wholesome outlets to get rid of the stress, anxiety, and shock of the daily job.Others, though, hide in a bottle.Some use drugs.Some use drugs to excess after being prescribed something fairly normal for a routine injury.Some people have affairs.Some gamble.Some just buy more toys, thinking that having toys makes them appear successful and they can go play on their boat or bike and “get away.”
Let’s talk about that bike.I have a friend in Texas who owns a towing company.He was always worked up and pissed off and decided one day to buy his dream bike – a Harley Davidson CVO Street Glide.$42,000.Dude was beaming when he got it, and he rode it regularly for a few weeks.Get that – a few weeks.I talked to him after the bike had sat collecting dust in the shop for about six months, asking him why he didn’t ride it more often.He said he felt guilty.His crew was out working.He was playing.He had a $700 bike payment to make, and he worried that if he didn’t take quite a few calls himself that he’d come up short.His toy – his purchase – had made things worse for him.He had added a bill, felt guilty about riding it, and worked more hours than he did before he bought it.All in the name of stress relief.It didn’t work.
A guy I worked with for almost a year drank to excess.He’d show up for a call and I’d have to make him sit in the truck so he didn’t get busted by the police on scene.His recent bitter divorce had him losing sleep, staying up until all hours, sleeping late, and not doing anything with the business.He wanted his son to take over the business, but he was damaged, too, by his parent’s divorce and the horrible business battle involving two towing locations – and the son was part-time, at best.The son came around and started doing more with the business but drank and smoked pot while he was on-duty.He had his girlfriend with him on a long-distance tow, both were drinking, and the son crossed the center line and hit a big truck head-on.He and his girlfriend were killed.His dad all but vanished, let the business go downhill, and ended up taking his own life.I look back at that scenario that I first encountered quite a few years before and wonder how I could have helped.I pushed, made suggestions, even had a few screaming matches – but nothing worked, and I moved on.
The half-hearted suicide attempt?Two months earlier, this guy had been arguing with his wife on the phone while he was 2,500 miles from home, on Facetime, and pulled out his gun and stuck it to his head.He pulled the trigger, but missed, because he “pulled” the shot. In my unfortunate experience of being on-scene at several suicides, the common thread is that the person didn’t say anything to anyone.They didn’t threaten suicide, have a screaming match, or try to make some kind of show out of it.What a significantly awful thing to do to your wife or other loved one.I got the rest of that story the night I decided to grab a rental car and get away from the guy.He had actually asked me to kill him, knowing that I have a gun on me most of the time.I felt like I was in a hostage negotiation situation…I was driving a loaded truck down the road, he was in the passenger seat, and he knew my gun was in my bag.Never again do I want to be in a similar scenario.
We’ve all had to deal with our own “demons.”I’ve certainly had mine.It wasn’t until this guy showed me his “demons” this past week that I realized how prevalent mental health issues are, and you just never know what someone is going through.
I’m going to ask you to put your pride on the shelf.Ask for help.It’s really ok.You don’t have to make anything public.Talk to a counselor, a friend, a pastor, or just someone who will lend an ear.By the time you’re knee-deep in a bottle or doing drugs, or buying your fifth boat or bike, it may be too late to save your business – and more importantly, may be too late to save your health or your life.
Here’s another idea – reaching out and helping someone else by talking things out has a really cool way of letting you help yourself.You may see your own issues in the person you’re talking to – and as a result, solve your own problems.It surely has worked with me on several occasions.
In the first two weeks of 2020, seven roadway responders were struck and killed by vehicles. That’s seven lives in 14 days with three of those lives belonging to tow truck drivers. More than a year later, the fatalities continue to accumulate. In 2021, another 65 roadway responders were killed.
In an era of distracted drivers, tow companies are adopting new emergency lighting and vehicle conspicuity practices to better alert drivers and divert oncoming traffic away from the scene. The Emergency Responder Safety Institute (ERSI) released its yearly report showing an uptick in struck-by-fatality deaths of U.S. roadway responders, climbing from 46 in 2020 to 65 in 2021. Another 44 deaths were documented in 2019 by ERSI, marking the first report of its kind to include mobile mechanics and tow truck drivers among first responders. Another study, analyzing data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, found that 191 tow workers were killed between 2011 and 2016 with 64 percent of those deaths being attributed to motor vehicle incidents.So, what can be done?As part of the 35-page report, the ERSI suggested several mitigation strategies:
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF APPARATUS TRAFFIC ADVISORS
The ERSI documented a number of organizations that have adopted traffic advisors, lit amber/yellow arrows sticks that improve visibility, and give clear direction to approaching motorists. Additionally, the report recommended multi-level or high-rise light systems above obstructing views and to create visibility farther away from the scene. While some advisors utilized directional pulsing light bars, the study found that large arrow boards were especially effective at diverting motorists away from the scene.
Command Light, an industry leader in emergency scene lighting for more than 25 years, manufactures a series of Traffic Flow Boards that can rotate up to 360 degrees, giving drivers the ability to direct the advisor toward oncoming traffic as they position the rig for recovery operations. When not in use, these Traffic Flow Boards fold down for a low-profile design. Command Light offers three different traffic pattern variations powered by 12V DC.
THE USE OF LIGHT TOWERS FURTHER ENHANCE ROADSIDE SAFETY
The report also addressed bright white lights, which often cause glare and visibility problems for crews and motorists when these LEDs are not properly elevated. The report strongly suggests elevating and positioning white light to illuminate only work areas. Light towers are one of the most effective ways to control lighting.
In fact, these towers offer up to 360 degrees of rotation, while the light tower clusters and elevates the light, much like sports stadium lighting, to improve illumination for recovery teams while creating non-glaring light that alerts motorists of the incident ahead. To illuminate dual work areas, Command Light offers optional backlight that enables the bottom row of lamp heads to rotate 180 degrees, and Command Light’s design allows the tower to overhang the vehicle in a streetlight position, directing the light down as suggested by the ERSI report.
Command Light offers more than 20 different DC-powered light towers in varying heights and eight different fixture choices. To see the full tow industry catalog, visit commandlight.com/catalogs.And to ensure more companies can equip their trucks with a light tower, Command Light commissioned HiViz LED Lighting, a FireTech brand, to create an economical fixture for its Knight Series, Shadow Series, and Straight Shadow models. This LED shaves the cost of a new light tower by 33% while delivering a 14,000-lumen output per fixture.
“We can’t say enough about elevating scene lighting, whether your crew is deploying a traffic advisor or a light tower,” said Roger Weinmeister, Command Light President. “Seven lives in 14 days. It’s unacceptable. The ResponderSafety Team said it best after releasing its ERSI report, ‘We simply cannot wait another day to make this a top priority.’”
The ERSI has made its tracking of 2020 struck-by-vehicle deaths to date available to the public at www.respondersafety.com/FatalityReports. The ERSI also produces ResponderSafety.com and the ResponderSafety Learning Network (learning.respondersafety.com), which offer online training and traffic safety certification programs.
Custer Products was formed in 1993.Custer’s first products were manufactured on assembly lines in North Canton, Ohio.These products included Magnetic Work Lights, Retractable Battery Jumper Cables, Trouble Lights and Magnetic Tow Lights for RVs. Custer has had many changes since the early days in the 1990s.When we started, we were manufacturing products for large retail stores.Many of the stores we manufactured for were driven out of business or merged with even larger big box stores.Custer adapted by manufacturing and private labeling products for manufacturers that wanted to add to their product line who had presence in the larger stores.In fact, today, Custer still has products that are private labeled in larger retail stores.
Another step of the evolution was to enter the towing market.We became involved in the towing market somewhere around 1995.This was one of the best decisions that we ever made.I’m sure there are some people who remember Al.Al would attend the Tow Shows and would show our latest products and look for distributors or potential distributors to sell the products.As the sales increased, we expanded our product offerings.We went from offering only a few items to offering hundreds of items.The LED Lights and Safety Strobe lights were a great addition to the product line.This allowed us to meet and talk to many towers who were interested in updating their trucks from incandescent lighting to the new LED lighting.
In 2013, we expanded the product line again by acquiring Blades Tow Right, Inc.This allowed us to expand our line of tow lights to include the larger tow bars and wireless tow lights.We spent several years updating the technology for the wireless line and are confident in or high-quality bars. Please consider a Lite-It Wireless when making your decision on a light bar. In 2018, Custer Products moved from North Canton, OH to Massillon, OH.We still do a lot of manufacturing at the Massillon facility including all of the Lite-It Wireless and magnetic tow lights.
Custer Products is most recognized as a lighting company.All of Custer’s lights are quality made to specifications that are higher than similar products.All of our lights are warrantied.
Custer Products can be found at many of your favorite towing distributors.If your distributor does not sell the Custer or Lite-It line, contact us and we will help you find the product.Also, if you would like more information on our products, look on www.custerproducts.com or call us at 1-800-490-3158.
Atowman’s job is difficult and dangerous.The calls increase when conditions are the worst – torrential rains, ice, snow, and darkness make a tough job even tougher.You know every job should be approached with a plan of action; one that is methodical and logical with safety in the forefront of your mind.A great plan is essential, but a great plan is not enough. You need the right tools to maximize your safety and efficiency, especially at night.
This article will review the lighting tools and technology available today that will significantly improve your safety, and some can even improve the bottom-line of your business.
Long gone are the days of halogen lights where you could fry an egg on the light housing and a generator was needed to power them.Most of today’s lights are LED which consume 90% less power and generate much less heat while providing brilliant illumination at an affordable price.No need to pack a generator, these lights can be powered directly from your vehicle.
Do keep in mind the age-old adage, “you get what you pay for” which absolutely applies to LED lights. LED lights with heat management circuitry will provide a constant level of light output throughout the job and will last much longer than cheap LED lights.LED lights can be found on truck-mounted light towers that are powered by the alternator.
What benefits do truck mounted light towers provide?
A telescoping light tower such as Will-Burt’s Night Scan HDT provides light from up to 15 feet above your truck which enables the light to spread across a wide area to illuminate more of the scene – as much as an entire football field!This height also allows oncoming traffic to see you long before they arrive on the scene.The powerful light also will not blind the crew because it comes from above, like sunlight.Lastly, the height provides the ability to direct the light into a ditch or ravine.
The lights on top of the tower are remotely controlled to direct the light nearly anywhere, regardless of the position of the truck.Some towers like the Night Scan Powerlite HDT with two banks of lights, enables you to direct the light banks in two different directions which gives you 360° of light coverage. Optional cameras can be added to a light tower which allows the action to be viewed locally, remotely, or recorded.
Lastly, several tow companies charge customers for the deployment of a light tower, sometimes up to $250 / hour.We have been told that companies have been able to pay for a heavy wrecker just from the money they make on the light tower!
A truck-mounted light tower is not the only way to get light above the scene.You can use the height of your vehicle and mount a remote-controlled light positioner such as the Night Scan Spot on the roof, headache rack, or boom.This is a lower cost option to enjoy the benefits of overhead light, but you will not be able to achieve the same lumen output as a light tower.
Another option with height is the Night Scan Pump-Up light tower.This product is flexible enough to be used by any size tow company.A small pneumatic mast that is elevated with an onboard hand pump has 40,000 lumens of light on top and has the flexibility to be mounted in a 2” hitch receiver, tripod or drive-on stand.In fact, this tower is so versatile, you can leave the tripod attached to the mast permanently and still put it in the hitch mount or drive-on stand.Because the lights are powered by 12-volt DC current, you can power the Night Scan Pump-Up light tower from your truck.This easy-to-use light tower can be elevated in less than 60 seconds.
An autonomous flight, tethered drone with LED lights and camera is the ultimate in leading edge technology for illuminating and monitoring the scene.Will-Burt’s Mobile Sentry tethered aerial system is portable, allowing it to be placed nearly anywhere.It is simple to operate, set the height and it will automatically launch and hold its position.Need to redirect the light?The tethered drone can be guided by the wireless controller to the desired location.A standard height of 150’ will give you a bird’s eye view that you can monitor from your wireless controller or remote location.
A little closer to the ground, there are a variety of lights that can improve safety.Truck-mounted LED scene lights are more popular than ever.They are flexible enough to be mounted about anywhere and if you buy a quality light, they can last the life of your vehicle.Make sure to mount them strategically around the vehicle so you can light the scene from any angle.More flexibility can be achieved by adding a push-up pole on each side of the vehicle or even every corner.A push-up pole can add up to 60” of height and 20,000 lumens of light each and can be manually turned and tilted to optimally illuminate the scene.This is a very affordable method to get light on the scene.
Portable lighting that is not attached to the vehicle provides additional flexibility.Cost-savings can be realized by sharing this lighting across your fleet.Technology has had a positive impact in this lighting category as well.
LED technology is now available for the “balloon lights” that have seemingly been around forever.The Night Scan Air is available with up to 110,000 lumens on a 10 ft. tripod.This balloon light projects usable light evenly in a 45,000 sq. ft. circle.
If you need the ultimate in portability, look for LED lighting that is powered by long-lasting and lightweight lithium-ion batteries.Rugged handheld flashlights that convert into stand-alone tripod lights with 16,000 lumens are versatile enough to find a place within any towing company.Another option is a ruggedized, wheeled case that contains not only the batteries but extendable poles and two 20,000 lumen LED lights – the power of a light tower on the go!
The safety of you and your crew is not the place to cut corners.Invest in quality lighting products and you could see a reduction in accidents and an increase in efficiency.
For as long as there have been production automobiles, there has been a need to tow and recover them. From the rudimentary tractor pull of a vehicle from a ditch to a rotating hydraulic-powered boom mounted to a 100,000+ pound truck raising a casualty from a ravine… the profession of towing and recovery has come a long way. During the same 100+ years these advances have been taking place, drivers have exponentially become less concerned with the actual act of driving. This has led to far too many fallen souls along the highways of this great country, and indeed the world over. So, is there an answer to the problem at hand? A way to pull the proverbial ‘rabbit from a hat’ and end the madness? While there may not be an absolute solution, TowMate continues to focus its product engineering efforts on improving the situation. Considering the ever-changing dynamics of the work environment, along with the continued improvements of the technology at hand, this article aims to outline an up-to-date, balanced, and effective approach to staying safe on the modern recovery site.
First and foremost, drivers must be aware of your presence in order to avoid a collision with you. That does not necessarily mean the best approach is to max out your amperage to be bright like the sun. There is one thing that remains constant though, and that is that the cornerstone and mantlepiece of this equation is the overhead light bar. Perhaps the earliest example of a widely used piece of equipment for visibility’s sake, the overhead light bar, or beacon, comes in more varieties than one can shake a stick at. The PCX61U from TowMate serves as a benchmark in light bar technology, with its two-wire installation and high LED count, in addition to its functionality. Covering the bases with strobe, traffic control arrows, work lights, and wireless Stop/Tail/Turn functionality, the real magic is a function of its optics. The PCX61U light bar boasts the cutting edge ‘peripheral parabolic technology.’ That is the terminology used to describe how the light is projected. With these optics, the light bar is distinctly visible up-close but appears brighter at a distance, reducing the possibility for drivers or recovery crew from becoming disoriented within the immediate area while simultaneously maintaining a distinct visual footprint in the eye of the vehicle’s operator.
A step up from the simple road-flare of the past, and effective for some time, the overhead light bar has become more-or-less insufficient as a stand-alone safety precaution for visual awareness in the present day. Enter a myriad of options for flashing lights of all descriptions to mount anywhere and everywhere on a truck one could imagine. But as the age-old adage goes… “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.” There is also the undeniable fact that there is such a thing as too much lighting. But when done the right way, with the right placement, a good lighting package can make all the difference when it matters most.
The Power-Link combination marker/strobe/work light and STT/strobe/work light combination lights are likely the easiest to install warning lights in the world, utilizing factory wiring to operate. Plug them into the factory connector and install your Power-Link controller (included with the above-mentioned light bar or purchased a la carte), and away you go. For a more conventional approach, TowMate has recently designed the new SS470 super slim surface mount LED strobe. Containing 12 high-intensity LEDs with linear optics, these puppies pack a punch. They can be single color or multi-color,and used as a marker, a signal, a work light, in addition to being a warning light depending on the exact configuration. Better yet, they can be synchronized to maximize the visual impact. An effective approach is one without overkill. Therefore, two to four LED strobes in the grill, two to four LED strobes on the rear, and perhaps a couple on each side of the truck, and viola, you are done! Running the strobes on the body and grill, coupled with the traffic arrow on the overhead light bar to encourage drivers to move over, really is all you need for warning lights on the truck. Anything more and the message begins to get jumbled. Too much of a good thing all too often results in a not-so-good thing. In other words, keep it simple.
This is pretty well how most trucks are purchased from a local dealer. A light bar, a few strobes, and out the door. So why are we still seeing so many towers getting taken out on the side of the road? Well, it goes back to drivers becoming less concerned with the act of driving and even less so concerned with amber warning lights while en route. Even though it is clear that red and blue lights are far more successful in traffic management, most states still do not allow tow operators to use them on their trucks, even while stationary. But where there is a necessity, innovation follows. TowMate has introduced what appears to be a ‘rabbit from the hat’ in the form of the Life Saver cone-mounted warning light system. Bryan Anderson, the owner of TowMate and inventor of wireless tow lights, has received several calls from towers in the field just to express their gratitude and amazement of the product.
“It was just like magic, the cars all moved to the far lane as soon as he set it out,” said Dave Stephens of Kellogg’s Service & Towing in Mead, Washington while recounting the first experience his driver had with the Life Saver.
What looks like a cannonball with a handle and a flat face, the Life Saver features two Red/Blue LED strobes that alert traffic of your presence while in use. The rechargeable unit will operate for up to 24 hours on a charge and simply slides over the top of any traffic cone. Since the unit is not mounted to the truck, nor is it used on the truck or in motion, it is not considered ‘truck lighting.’ Therefore, it is a true difference-maker in bringing the benefits of red/blue lighting to tow operators.
The Life Save can be configured to amber/white by swiping a magnet over the lights as well, for those who simply want to enhance their existing setup. One thing has crystalized as a certainty, however. The Life Saver holds true to its name. That is why TowMate is donating a portion of the proceeds from each unit sold to the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum Survivor Fund. The fund, which is overseen and allocated by the museum’s board of directors, provides relief to the families of those who have fallen while on duty in the towing industry.
There is nothing to indicate driver awareness is going to improve on its own any time soon. And as we know, doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is for the birds. With the dynamic issue of tower safety ever-evolving, manufacturers and operators alike must evolve in their approaches too. Between the PCX61U light bar with specialized light-projection that reduces the risk of disorientation on the scene, the subsequent grill and body lights that make the truck ‘pop,’ and the Life Saver cone-mounted warning light system offering the benefits of red/blue warning lights to towers, the products and technologies are available to substantially increase your safety on the job. A little investment today can go a long way towards avoiding paying the ultimate price tomorrow.
Being a provider in the towing industry is a constant hazard on its own; working long hours in treacherous conditions, risking our safety to provide safety for others.It is never a 9-5 job and calls are always a negative situation. We must promptly adapt to each situation and overcome the job, turning the negative situation into a positive. Our services are rarely appreciated in the aspect to have insurance companies say coverage is denied, our charges are aggressive, and third parties and attorneys can profit from our services. We are the ones who have accepted the liability to provide the service for others.It is our ass on the line. It is up to us to deduce our liabilities and maximize our profits per job. Utilizing Spill Diaper is a way to minimize risk when taking custody of a vehicle, while also adding another line item to the job to pay for continuing services.
When accidents are accepted, we accept the liability while at the scene, and the recovery and transportation of the vehicle while in our custody. The governing agency has called and transferred the liability to us. When the municipality dispatch call for a vehicle accident, they are essentially stating that they have a property damage that needs immediately cleaned up.We drop everything at a moment notice and expedite to the scene.The tow rotation ordinance has already stated that the city nor state is liable for any further injuries once we have gained custody. When controlling an accident scene, we must clear the vehicle, and all contents from the vehicle; being solid debris and liquid debris. We have agreed to this by accepting the “tow rotation” and submitting our memorandum. However, even though we have accepted to clear the scene, we get confined on our rates. Limiting our rates either has us looking at ways to turn our heads and cut corners on the job or add other line items to maximize profits from each call. We are not a paid by the city, state or federal. We are not municipal.Our rates are justified by the expense of us needing to immediately control a negative situation for others.Turning our heads on spilled or leaking debris only raises our liabilities while lowering our profit margins.
Each city has a litter control ordinance making it an infraction to “litter” upon a street or highway. In this, “litter” is classified as anything dropped or deposited from a motor vehicle that could injure a person or cause a traffic hazard. When we take custody of a vehicle, anything dropping or leaking from that vehicle is our responsibility.A secondary accident caused from anything dropped or leaking from that vehicle is then our liability. Allowing these fluids to drip and leak could be classified as negligence on our side.If the vehicle is leaking, placing a Spill Diaper on a vehicle at the accident scene would limit the liability of allowing a vehicle to leak fluids from an accident scene back to the drop facility.This is a mitigation to property damage and would fall under the vehicle’s liability insurance. This mitigation is mandatory under each city’s “litter ordinances”, each state’s, “Litter Control Act”, and the Federal Clean Water Act; limiting contamination.
With all of this justification, majority of leaking cars are still towed onto lots, allowing properties to become contaminated while diminishing property values.Make it your policy to not allow leaking vehicles onto your property without a secondary containment.Make it your policy to not contaminate repair shops and collision centers by dropping leaking vehicles onto their properties.This policy professionalizes your company and keeps your property an asset versus liability.
If you are a company under a rotation contract who has a regulated memorandum; unable to charge for limiting your liabilities, have a discussion with your city or state authority about your liabilities at the scene. Explain to them about the statutes that make it mandatory for you to clean the scene and not allow vehicles to leak while in your possession.Set a rate that is justifiable for you and your department to place a secondary containment on breached containers, and not let vehicles leak while in your possession.Control the negative situations and generate a profit simultaneously.Look at the future and keep your property an asset versus a contaminated liability.
The year 2020 will be remembered by most as a nightmare for the tow & recovery industry. Many looked for new revenue ventures that would fit in with their existing tow business with existing employees able to handle new tasks. Spill response was the most logical answer as many towers received HAZWOPER training that is compliant with the Code of Federal regulations set forth by OSHA, EPA and DOT rules and regulations. Having the certification is becoming a standard with many law enforcement agencies requiring towers who handle heavy recoveries be HAZWOPER certified to completely handle accidents involving damaged fuel tanks to spilled cargo as to minimize further contamination.
OSHA also requires that all personnel responding to a spill site be trained in accordance with the Laws relating to the CFR standards. (This means by the letter of the law. If you are not trained in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.120, you are not legally able to perform that task). This is not a new standard; however, Hazmat Response is becoming a more key issue in cleaning up all debris involving fluids and returning impacted sites back to their original state. To engage in the proper approach to a spill, requires knowledge of what levels of Personal Protective Equipment, PPE, to deploy for those responders in accordance with laws governing the Environmental segment. Having the right equipment for different scenarios means planning and equipping for various needs that may arise due to traffic mishaps. Having operated a towing company for years and creating a hazmat response company resulted in forming a training and equipment manufacturing entity that caters to the needs of tow and recovery professionals. Logos, Inc. manufactures tools known as “FlowStop” for the hazmat trade for tow companies and first responders alike.
The Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame was launched in 1986 to recognize individuals who have made substantial contributions to the towing and recovery industry. “The industry realized it was time to display the roots of the profession,” according to the museum. Over 300 towing professionals have entered the Hall of Fame to date.
One of the best ways to protect yourself and your employees is to ensure they are trained on electric vehicles. TRAA strongly recommends enrolling your operators in NFPA’s Alternative Fuel Vehicles Training Program for Emergency Responders Online Training. It’s targeted at fire, EMS, and towing responder disciplines and covers identifying, disabling, and disposing of EVs. It’s self-paced, easily accessible, and inexpensive at only $25.95 USD. 
“It was just like magic, the cars all moved to the far lane as soon as he set it out,” said Dave Stephens of Kellogg’s Service & Towing in Mead, Washington while recounting the first experience his driver had with the Life Saver. 
OSHA also requires 
