SUPERIOR ENGINEERING LEADS TO SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE

At Jerr-Dan, our rotator structural engineers live by one credo: the strength and stability of the equipment is critical to performance. When you’re looking for quality and performance in a rotator, look no further than the JD50/60 HDR1000.

The Jerr-Dan JD50/60 HDR1000 Rotator is in a league of its own. The strength and stability built into every rotator comes from its industry leading scissor style outriggers and unique torsion frame design. This incredibly stable platform allows an operator to maximize the working area and capabilities of the boom with its best in class 41 feet of reach.

The JD50/60 HDR1000 360-degree load charts document the full working range including over the nose of the chassis which means a more comprehensive working area to complete the most challenging recoveries. Each rotator comes with operational load charts to reference before confidently setting up for each recovery.

When seeking stability, Jerr-Dan’s Scissor Style Outriggers, coupled with its unique torsion frame, lead the industry in its class for performance, strength, and durability. A stable platform along with a full 360-degree load chart makes this rotator stand out in a class of its own.

The Jerr-Dan Rotator also has a proven independent, knee boom underlift that is offered in a variety of configurations to meet customer demands with or without a drag winch. Underlift options include the 530 – 53,000 lb. three stage with 147 inches of reach – and the 565 – 56,500 lb. three/four stage with 181/179 inches of reach respectively.

The JD50/60 HDR1000 comes with two DP or Ramsey 50,000 lb. 2-speed boom winches. Jerr-Dan also offers 20,000 lb., 35,000 lb. or 50,000 lb. drag winch options as well as the 20,000 lb. boom mounted, auxiliary winch option.

Available in Single Steer or Twin Steer and four or five axle configurations, our chassis are engineered to perform with our rotator. Each chassis is custom ordered to meet Jerr-Dan’s demanding specifications so our rotator will provide the highest performance and durability for our customers.

The Jerr-Dan rotator utilizes a unique 10 million RBM rated torsion frame design which is the key to its performance. By properly distributing the forces encountered during lifting operations, the truck and its components remain stable and solid from start to finish.

Found in the truck’s cab, as well as at each control station, the Jerr-Dan exclusive Touchlink ™ system provides increased lighting control functionality with greater ease of use. This system features in-cab electronic controls that come standard with an overhead switch panel as well as an additional underlift control panel as an option. Available on all Jerr-Dan 50/60 HDR1000 rotators, Touchlink increases operator functionality and safety by allowing control of the light-bar, front, side and rear strobes, and flood and work lights without ever having to leave the cab. This CAN-Bus based system reduces complexity and the need for additional wiring.

Along with the rest of the rotator body, created with the operator in mind, the Touchlink system has built-in troubleshooting with smart keypad indicator lights. Our centrally located, self-enclosed power distribution panel provides ease of access and serviceability to all electrical fuses and relays and protection from the elements or accidental damage. The Touchlink control system includes a protected and secured automotive style wire harness, CAN-bus datalink, and our weatherproof smart keypads. Additionally, it is pre-wired with three auxiliary circuits for ease of expandability for those who wish to add custom lighting options.

Each rotator comes with a fully proportional Scanreco remote. The remote comes with several features including E-stop emergency shut down, engine throttle up to a preset RPM, winch 2 speed on/off switches and winch free spool engage. The remote can be operated in a standard mode or set to a slower mode depending on your needs. Lighted indicators tell you when a winch is in free spool mode, and also indicate when a winch is in high-speed mode. The remote also has a safety feature that senses when it may have been dropped, shutting the remote off automatically.

Options include multiple storage solution packages, which allow you to customize the body to fit your storage requirements. Also check out our many available stainless and chrome accessory options to make your JD50/60 HDR1000 really stand out in a crowd.

Find a Jerr-Dan distributor today or learn more visit www.jerrdan.com. Jerr-Dan is committed to supporting you after the sale so please contact a distributor today for all your parts and service needs.

Managing roadside breakdowns

Darian Weaver

Breakdowns occur every day and everywhere across the country. Fleet managers and drivers often do not know who to call for service. ServiCase is a web-based breakdown management system created to help fleet managers locate service providers. This free tool includes a full dispatching system for those who dispatch for fleets and carriers.

What is ServiCase?

ServiCase is a roadside breakdown case management system powered by the same people that brought you towPartners and sureEcosystem. The system allows trucking companies, drivers and fleet managers to locate towing and roadside mechanical service providers quickly and to establish electronic interactions. ServiCase is different from other location services in that there is no cost to the carrier. ServiCase can also be used as a case management system allowing them to track breakdowns, locate and dispatch service providers, and to track events through to completion including event status, photos, invoices, etc. ServiCase provides carriers access to over 60,000 service providers with the ability to store private notes and ratings for the service providers with whom they engage.

How does ServiCase work?

When a breakdown occurs, the ServiCase tool can also be used in the traditional mobile format of search, find results, and call. Unique to ServiCase is the option where trucking company breakdown centers and fleet managers can create a case in the ServiCase tool providing all the information about the vehicle and the type of service needed. Carriers can then search for a provider from the ServiCase database where the results are based on an algorithm that weighs location, required service, carrier ratings, preferences, and more. Jobs can then be assigned to a service provider by calling them manually or by using the ServiCase digital connection to offer the job.

When a carrier uses the digital dispatching feature, the case information is sent to the software package used by the service provider. Currently ServiCase is integrated with a variety of industry software packages including Beacon, Fullbay, InTow, TOPS, Towbook, and Tracker. Additionally, ServiCase is powered by sureEcosystem and connected to sureEcosystem Events and sureEcosystem Dispatch.

When the information about the job is sent, the service provider’s software alerts them and displays a pop-up of the job information. Once the service provider has provided an ETA that is accepted by the carrier, the service provider is dispatched, creating a live call in their dispatching software.

Service Providers Partner with ServiCase

ServiCase is currently looking for partners in the service provider community who can support carriers and a variety of service types. By going to servicase.com/2021, providers can register their company. For the remainder of 2021, ServiCase is providing service providers with a free starter listing with additional listing upgrades available online.

How ServiCase Is Different

ServiCase is different from other search services in that the provider has the ability to update their own information such as services offered, rates, insurance coverage, contact numbers, hours of operation and more… There is a significant amount of development and growth coming to the system.

Service providers are not charged for jobs they receive through ServiCase and there is no bidding for higher positions in the results listings. ServiCase does not charge variable fees for large markets and does not dictate rates, though many listed providers are extending their commercial account rates to carriers using ServiCase. Nothing is marked up by ServiCase because payment is made directly to the service provider by the carrier user.

ServiCase is further differentiated in how it connects to carriers. In addition to a responsive site which works to search from all devices, the case management system is also optimized for tablets and computers to offer fully integrated solutions so the ServiCase profiles and search can be embedded in carrier mobile apps or maintenance systems. A third-party administrator version is also available and allows full-service maintenance management companies the ability to manage their providers, case records, digital interactions, and after the case work.

ServiCase is unique in that it provides fleets and carriers a way to manage, maintain and even keep private records about preferred providers and rates, with the ability to electronically dispatch and manage the job when the service provider is connected. These distinctive features are in demand by fleets and carriers nationwide, and ServiCase is here to meet that need with you as a service provider partner.

To register your company with ServiCase and receive your free listing, visit servicase.com/2021.

Death Valley Towing Turns to State-of-the-Art Technology to Treat its Customers Right

Darian Weaver

Death Valley Towing business started 33 years ago as an offshoot of Death Valley Exxon. What began as a side business grew exponentially into a robust, full-time operation, and today the company provides aid to stranded motorists, support to property managers and law enforcement, local garages, insurance companies, and auto clubs serving the city of Seneca, South Carolina and visiting students who attend nearby Clemson University.

Four years ago, Death Valley’s original owner retired, passing the reins of the towing business on to former business executives Lee and Lauren Richardson. Under Lee and Lauren’s modern-style leadership, Death Valley Towing has gone to the next level of business maturity; adopting some of the best and most progressive equipment and systems in the towing industry to support its team of seven drivers and five light-duty vehicles.

From ancient business practices to a technologically advanced towing operation

“When we purchased Death Valley Towing, the operation was using ancient business practices. There was no technology. Drivers took pictures of towed vehicles with a physical camera and were dispatched and managed using clipboards and three-part forms. It was easy to lose information. Easy for drivers to pull a fast one. Easy for people whose cars were towed to challenge you. We looked at this messy, dark ages business and said, ‘there has to be a better way,’” says Lauren.

The first technology investment Lauren and Lee made was in tow management software provider Omadi to digitize Death Valley’s dispatch and administration processes. With that platform in place, Lauren began to build on that foundation. This year, they invested in WEBFLEET to more efficiently manage, deploy and track their fleet of drivers and vehicles.

“There’s nothing more disconcerting than looking at the map and seeing your driver in the middle of the lake when he should be on the road,” chuckles Lauren. “WEBFLEET gives us precise information on vehicle and driver location. It helps keep everyone honest.”

In addition to installing WEBFLEET on their vehicles, she also agreed to pilot a new integration with HAAS Alert’s collision prevention service Safety Cloud®, which broadcasts a ‘slow down move over’ alert to surrounding vehicles when a tower stops on the side of the road to assist a stranded driver. On-the-job fatality risks in the tow truck industry are nearly 15X greater than other industries with one tower killed every six days according to the AAA. Safety Cloud activates when the PTO is engaged on Death Valley’s trucks and sends out a warning to surrounding drivers using the navigation app to slow down and move over. It’s the same alert system fire departments across the United States use to prevent crashes involving fire trucks rushing to an emergency scene.

While Lauren quickly agreed to the opportunity to try Safety Cloud on her vehicles, and well understood the risks towers face on the road, the weight of her decision to move forward with the service hit home only a few days later.

Lauren and Lee received the tragic news that the son-in-law of a fellow tower had been killed while providing roadside assistance in the middle of the night to a stranded driver. The young man, a new father was the victim of a hit and run. “All of a sudden, our decision to use the HAAS roadside alerts got very real for us,” said Lauren. “I recall saying to my WEBFLEET sales rep, we need to make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else,” says Lauren.

A level of service beyond what people expect from a tower

The combination of Omadi, WEBFLEET and Safety Cloud has improved Death Valley’s transparency and service. This helps the business achieve a level of excellence and professional performance from its employees, and honor its commitment to ‘treat its customers right.’

“We’re a university town,” explains Lauren. “We have children here from all over the country, and naturally, parents worry. It is a tremendous comfort to the parents for us to say, ‘I can see a driver pulling up alongside your daughter’s vehicle on the road. I can see him pulling out of the driveway. That is a different level of service than most people are accustomed to from towing companies.”

As part of Death Valley’s services to the university community, they issue parking permits and regularly patrol and monitor parking lots. With WEBFLEET Lauren can provide photo evidence documenting a parking infraction, and if a car is towed in the middle of the night, she has a photo documenting the infraction and data to demonstrate to property managers that Death Valley is indeed patrolling the lot as expected. Property management clients can even log into Death Valley’s systems to see what’s been towed, where the driver is located, and when PTO was engaged.

Technology has also improved Death Valley’s policing relationships. Says Lauren, “We typically have a 20-minute window with law enforcement to respond to a call. With precision fleet tracking from WEBFLEET, we can tell them precisely where our driver is and provide an accurate ETA to the scene. We also give police a window into our Omadi system so it’s dramatically cut down on the number of phone calls back and forth. Because of the transparency we offer, they’ve been able to eliminate an entire shift during football weekends.”

Better tools to manage a young fleet of drivers

More than half of Death Valley’s drivers are under the age of 30. It’s been the business’ philosophy to hire aspiring drivers and teach them what they need to know. But that means keeping a watchful eye on their driving behaviors.

Using WEBFLEET’s Opti-Drive 360 capability, she can pinpoint a driver’s location and monitor their speed and detect any aggressive driving such as harsh braking or cornering. “Clemson is too small a town. If our drivers are behaving inappropriately someone is going to notice and call. We have a very good community reputation to uphold. Using WEBFLEET to monitor our drivers’ speed and aggressive driving means I can intervene first and coach them appropriately.

And, Lauren says with a smile, “I can be assured they are out on the roads patrolling and not heading to the lake to fish.”

Learn more about the benefits of WEBFLEET at webfleet.com

RANGER SST – Ranger’s New PatrolWorks for LPR

Darian Weaver

Ranger delivers a complete Tow Management Solution (TMS) – from call-taking (including DD connections with motor clubs), to proprietary, best-in-class GPS tracking/mapping, to storage lot management (with QR code facilitated physical inventory management) to accounting (with multiple options for linking pricing and payments to QB). There are also unique capabilities for heavy hauling (scheduling, driver notification, early warnings), customer messaging (for their peace of mind – safety and responsiveness), and for direct marketing to local market customers (by-passing those in the middle).

We also serve customers that are focused on PPI – Private Property Impound: relocation/private property enforcement with our PatrolWorks^TM solution. These processes were built around a specialized mobile application for patrolling that enables:

• Entering identified violations – e.g., vehicles without a permit – along with LPs, pictures, geocoding, and notes in the digital records

• Pre-checking property policies (required warnings or approvals) for the violation at a lot

• And absent restrictions, advancing the process to an approved tow – via an assignment from the Ranger Dispatch Board, or by the spotter if in a tow truck

When impounded, Ranger’s LotMaster^TM tracks the vehicle while in storage and prices the invoice at discharge.

What’s New? Patrolworks^TM with License Plate Recognition, Ticketing, and More!

Ranger’s current approach to PPI is based on a “spotter” walking a lot and manually discovering violations. Now the Patrolworks^TM for LPR (PWLPR^TM) solution enables a shift from just manual surveys of vehicles/permits to now include automatic detection of violations using license plate recognition (LPR) technology – mobile LPR cameras mounted on a patrol vehicle with an in-vehicle processor. The detections (“hits”) by the LPR system reduces labor, expedites patrolling, and complements the existing capabilities on Ranger’s mobile app.

But this is just the beginning! Ranger has developed other functionality around the LPR capability to provide a total property management solution including:

A mobile-friendly portal for property managers to enter and approve LPs

A self-service application for permit holders

Permitting by lot, with flexibility for fees by lot

Ticketing for violations, with repeat offenses triggering an impound

So what? PWLPR ^TM enables you to deliver
MORE REVENUE to your customers

From the Property Manager perspective, there are multiple benefits from the PWLPR solution:

Generate added revenue. Parking becomes a new or more significant revenue source. PWLPR equips property managers to differentiate fees by lot and to control and generate income for guest parking. The opportunity for ticketing adds another revenue stream – e.g., replacing warnings with tickets, and then towing on a subsequent offense. The potential consequence of vehicle impound adds an incentive for ticket payment.

Preserve capacity for permit holders. With the added capabilities of LPR, lots can be patrolled more efficiently and frequently. Guest parking abuses can be curtailed (and permits for guests are another revenue source). Visitor parking with time limits can also be better managed with LPR automated “chalking”. Interlopers in a commercial lot can be more easily identified and removed.

Eliminate hassles. A ticket prior to a tow adds visibility to repeated offenses and justifies the action to relocate the vehicle. In addition, the towing company can assume the role of “Parking Manager” for a property as their outsourced service provider using PWLPR.

Reinforce property image standards. More effective patrolling with LPR more quickly removes abandoned vehicles. With the Ranger mobile app as an integral part of the solution, vehicles that may have a valid LP but that are violating policies – e.g., blocking entrances/exits or fire hydrants, being repaired – can be entered digitally and trigger relocation.

So, what’s in it for me?
PWLPR^TM positions YOU to add revenue sharing

From the perspective of a private property towing company, there are also multiple benefits:

Create an expanded, higher-value business model to win in the market. PWLPR creates the opportunity to provide a turn-key, end-to-end, differentiated solution. PPI offerings can expand – e.g., from towing on request, or patrolling and towing with permits and signs – to become a customer’s one-stop “Parking Management Company”:

• Register permit holders and vehicles

• Issue permits – including guest permits; collect fees

• Patrol and ticket; collect fines for violations

• Provide customer service for parking to permit holders – instead of property managers

• Manage towing and impounding as today

• Provide frequent, on-line reporting

Design a revenue sharing model that significantly adds to your profitability. By delivering a broader scope of service using PWLPR, the business model shifts from just charges per tow (which continue) to revenue sharing of incremental revenues from permitting and ticketing. (And revenues from towing may also increase.)

Add capacity with partners, not assets. With Ranger, you can handle all of the towing responsibilities yourself, or build a network of towing partners. With the opportunity to be the “Parking Management Company”, you can assign vehicle relocations to your own fleet, or (with Ranger DispatchCenter) to one or more partners. For example, you could choose to do all or some of the towing close to home. At the same time, you could serve as the Parking Management Company for properties in a different city and build a network of local towing companies for relocations.

So, what’s the catch? Convincing your property managers to make more money

As will be outlined next, “we have the technology” – i.e., Ranger has done the “heavy lifting” for the backend of the new business opportunity. However, your challenge is gaining the enthusiasm of your customers to adopt a new way of managing their parking. The benefits are compelling (see above) – not the least of which is INCREASED REVENUE from the property. However, change is always difficult. As many have noted: “Opportunities are often missed … because at first glance they look like work”. Using PWLPR, you can do most of the work, but the property manager needs to see that the benefit of making more money is worth changing parking policies. You help the property manager with policy design, they communicate the new policy to permit holders, you manage the implementation, and property managers sit back and collect a share of the revenues generated.

How does it work? PWLPR is a complete, fully integrated solution

All-In-One: For the first time, all of the critical elements for an end-to-end, closed loop private parking management process are available in a single solution.

PatrolWorks^TM – the intelligence and interconnectivity of the PWLPR solution builds upon the foundation of Ranger’s established PPI capabilities. These capabilities already support checking for expired permits (visually) and community area violations. The logic and databases have long been in place to maintain lots, violations by lot, and rules (e.g., approvals) by violation. The new enhancements broaden the design from manual observations to automated LPR. Importantly, capabilities have been expanded to include the full scope of parking management policy requirements – from setting parking fees by lot, to approving license plates (= permits), to ticketing violations, to towing repeat offenders, to transferring plates, to administering guest parking, to managing vehicle impounds, to collecting all amounts due from permit holders.

Property Manager Portal — equips property managers with a mobile-friendly tool to easily approve license plates (for permit purchase) that could provide parking permission for the entire property or individual lots (e.g., surface vs. garage parking). The Portal provides ready access to patrol activity, details/pictures for recent violations, and direct links to summary reports by lot and permit holder.

Permit Holder App — enables “self-service” for permit holders, which further reduces demands on property managers for parking management. Permit holders register their vehicle(s) with the approved LP(s), obtain/purchase requisite permits, purchase permits for guests, review violations (including pictures), and pay for tickets before outstanding balances or frequency may trigger a tow.

Patrolling — PWLPR provides a safer alternative to walk-around (often late-night) surveys of a lot to identify violations. The LPR camera system identifies vehicles that have permission to be in the lot and those that don’t – i.e., violations or “hits”. Each hit is recorded with the LPR picture. Additional pictures (due diligence) can be taken with the PatrolWorks^TM Mobile App on the spotter’s phone/tablet (also with license plate recognition).

nd since not all violations are defined by a license plate, the mobile app can be used – as it is today – to enter other violations such as blocking an entrance/exit or fire hydrant.

Parking Enforcement — All of the information collected in patrolling is integrated into a single record by LP/permit holder within PWLPR. The violation is processed through the Ranger Rules Engine to then send a warning, issue a ticket, or create a pending tow request.

Tow requests that are consistent with property-specific policies (e.g., do not require approval, or do not infringe on date/time restrictions) are immediately available on the Ranger Dispatch Board for assignment to a driver.

Ranger’s lot management solution – LotMaster^TM – picks up the processing/custody and pricing/invoicing of a vehicle when it arrives at the impound lot – whether released to the owner, scrapped, or sent to an auction.

info.rangersst.com
440.498.1495

TOPS®, Towing Operations Software

Darian Weaver

TOPS®, Towing Operations Software, initially deployed into service 21 years ago continues to provide high profile towing operations with quality enterprise class towing operations management software. With fifty million calls in the books TOPS® offers a complete, stable, and robust software offering with accountability and efficiency in mind. The most successful towing operations in the country trust TOPS® to manage their businesses.

TOPS® manages all aspects of a tow operation from the initial tow request to the vehicle’s final disposition. The TOPS® system provides a unified and sophisticated platform for call-taking, dispatching, inventory management, lien processing, and auction administration.

Multiple Locations – The TOPS® system can manage companies of all sizes but is the de facto standard for managing multi-company and multi-location operations providing individual company and roll-up call metrics and accounting management reports across all entities. Accountability is paramount when managing additional operations whether across town or across the country.

Business Analysis – The TOPS®experience also includes enterprise-class support and software related business analysis. Given our years of experience with implementing software for towing companies, we are able to provide best practice analysis when incorporating your operations and their processes into the TOPS® systems. We can help you with any specific back-office nuisance and requirement associated with your contracts!

New Features

The TOPS® Driver mobile application supports the latest requirements from Apple (iOS) and Google (Android). The iOS versions of Driver and Inventory were recently released and the Android versions will release within weeks. Users will enjoy the upgraded look and feel along with a greatly improved user experience.

The TOPS® Lien process now includes the ability to electronically mail and track the delivery of certified letters and forms, all from within the TOPS® application. This offering further streamlines the batch lien process offering a feature rich convenience for batch processing of letters and state forms. Our certified mail process turns a paper processing nightmare into a paperless process overnight.

Municipality and Police Towing Management

The TOPS® family of products also includes tools for managing Municipal and Police towing and impounding.

Overview

TOPS® Central Management Application (or TOPS® CMA for short) is a robust tool used exclusively for managing municipal dispatch and towing operations. Municipalities and management companies use TOPS® CMA to reduce time on the phone, increase data accuracy, improve tower response times, and efficiently manage tow operator contract compliance.

TOPS® CMA offers electronic tow request distribution to your contract tow operators based on options such as dispatching to the closest truck via GPS, within zones, through rotation management, or any combination of the above. TOPS® CMA manages arrival/ETAs, call rejections, call cancels, reporting, complex search and real-time call messaging between the municipality and the contract tow operators. This web-based application can accept electronic tow requests from city systems such as CAD. Tow requests are then routed to the appropriate contract tow operator based on your dispatch rules. TOPS® CMA connects seamlessly to TOPS® and other tow management packages to offer transparency of the entire towing event.

TOPS® CMA supports multi division / multi-department implementations. Not only will TOPS® CMA manage your City Police Department tow requests, but is also configurable to allow the Fire Department, City Fleets, Airport Police, Parks and Recreation, County Police Departments and State Patrols to use the same system to dispatch contracted tow operators. User Security within the system restricts access to the appropriate departments as required.

TOPS® customers utilize TOPS® CMA to further secure police and municipal contracts with robust electronic features and functionality.

TOPS® offers a fully integrated fleet tracking application marketed under the name BudgetGPS.

BudgetGPS is a vehicle and fleet tracking solution geared for any industry but specifically tuned to support fleet management within the towing industry. BudgetGPS integrates with TOPS® to offer a true visual dispatching tool where users view current vehicle locations as well as unassigned pickup locations and drop-off information on the same map. Icons are color coded allowing for a visual picture of calls which are in-process and those which are about to clear. Knowing when and where drivers will clear from their current call enables dispatchers to send the best / closest resource to the next job. This saves time and money. Additionally, users are able to monitor ETA’s based on mapping calculations of drive time between the truck and pickup locations.

BudgetGPS delivers a full set of features for a single low price. Features include: Live Map with 20-second updates to the map, live Google traffic and map or satellite views, Historical breadcrumb view with 6 months of history, Alerts and Monitoring for PTO, GeoFence, Ignition, and Speeding. Reports include Driver Distance, State Mileage, Stops, Speeding and more.

BudgetGPS recently released a new Driver Behavior module and the addition of a GPS/360 Camera.

Driver Behavior features include:

10 Second Updates from the vehicle
Harsh Braking Report
Rapid Acceleration Report
Harsh Cornering Report
Speeding (Street Level Posted Speed Limits)
Overall Driver Scoring

BudgetCAM features include:

GPS Tracking
Forward and driver facing camera using 360 degree camera technology
Event, On Demand and Live video
BudgetGPS features and functionality described above
Easy to install device

BudgetGPS offers a month-to-month service with low upfront and monthly cost. BudgetGPS is developed and supported in-house by BudgetGPS!

For more information or to schedule a demonstration please call 866-800-8677 Opt 2 or visit our websites – TOPS® – www.towxchange.net BudgetGPS –
www.budgetgps.com TOPS® is a Registered Trademark of TXI Systems, Inc.

Maximize Efficiency & Simplify Communication Using Towbook

Darian Weaver

The use of technology continues to rise in the towing and roadside industry, so do consumer expectations. With the ability to use advanced technology at your fingertips, your customer expects to be informed and cared for every step of the way. Using Towbook facilitates this communication by doing the work for you!

Towbook not only promotes continuous communication with your customers, but also with your motor clubs, body shops, dealerships, police departments, and private property managers too!

Got a call from the motor club? Accept it with the click of a button!

Does your body shop or dealership want to send you a job? Our Web Request Portal can help them do exactly that with just a few clicks!

Impress your police departments with “Vehicle Lookup” technology that allows them to quickly see if a certain vehicle is on your lot!

Give private property managers a login to their account, so they can view all vehicles that were towed and sign for them as well!

All of the above actions and more, allow you and your staff to reduce time on the phone and maximize your performance and efficiency.

So, what does Towbook do? And why do you need it?

Improved Communication

Managers and dispatchers can communicate with drivers easily. Drivers can accept calls with all the details needed in order to do their job efficiently and update the status of the job from start to finish. You will also be able to chat with your drivers via their mobile applications or send them a text message to make them aware of last-minute changes (chat logs are always saved to the call for future reference).

Minimize Risk of Damage Claims

Drivers can upload photos of the vehicle to a call in real-time; we timestamp and geocode these photos for you along with categorizing them according to what job status the driver was in at the time. An additional precaution can be taken by creating a “Vehicle Damage Form” if there is extensive damage to the vehicle prior to servicing it. The driver can create a report on scene, take photos of the vehicle, indicate anywhere there is damage, and have the customer sign off on the damage form. This report will be saved for future reference and can even be emailed or sent via text to the customer with their receipt.

Roadside.io

Towbook’s Roadside.io solution, paired with our Customer Survey feature, delivers the latest customer experience capabilities to your fingertips, allowing you to provide an “Uber-like” experience for your customers.

With Roadside.io, you have the option of sharing information with customers while the service is in progress; helping customers understand what’s happening with their service without having to call you for an update. You also have the option of sending the customer a satisfaction survey once the job is complete. You can choose to push these surveys to your website and you can also direct them to your social media outlets where they can complete a review about the service they received.

Built-in Navigation and GPS Tracking

You’ll be able to get turn-by-turn directions to your destination right in the application with just a tap!

If you aren’t currently using a GPS solution, Towbook is equipped with built-in GPS tracking which will automatically update the drivers’ location according to their app settings.

Towbook is also integrated with leading GPS companies like AT&T Fleet Complete, DriverLocate, Samsara, US Fleet Tracking , Verizon Connect, and Webfleet Solutions; allowing you to send calls directly to the GPS unit in your truck.

Drivers can use the GPS unit to navigate to the service location, and when they update the status of the call on the GPS unit it will automatically update their status in Towbook. Your Towbook app can also use the GPS location from your trucks and display that on the map in Towbook. There are many other fantastic features of GPS units that help you manage and maintain your fleet.

Pre-Trip Inspection Management and User Check-In.

If you want your team to inspect their trucks and other equipment before (or after) every shift, they can do that easily using the Towbook mobile apps and our Equipment Inspection tool. Each inspection report is time stamped, and managers will receive an email alert any time there is an Equipment Inspection failure.

Completed inspections are also available to open/view on mobile apps, so if drivers need to present a completed pre-trip inspection to a law enforcement officer they can do so right from their phone!

Our “User Check-In” feature allows drivers to check-in and out for work directly from their mobile application. This allows managers and dispatchers to know who is currently on-shift to accept jobs. You are also able to run a report to review check in/check out times for drivers.

Plate-to-VIN Technology

No VIN – no problem! Towbook’s plate-to-VIN feature saves time and eliminates mistakes. Simply enter the plate number and the state in which the vehicle is licensed, and Towbook will return the full VIN with the make, model, and year of the vehicle. You’ll also have the option of using our VIN scanner, which will populate the VIN in the call just by scanning the vehicle’s barcode.

Private-Property Features

Alongside tagging accounts, two of our most notable private property features for the mobile applications include “On Scene Call Creation” and “Stickering”.

On Scene Call Creation: This allows your drivers to do their job as quickly as possible by allowing them the option to create a call by simply snapping a picture of the vehicle; the call will automatically populate the address they’re located at and will allow them to update any additional details later.

Stickering: One of Towbook’s fastest-growing features is our Stickering app. With Stickering, you can create a virtual sticker in Towbook and “tag” those vehicles that you might be able to tow after a few hours or a few days. When the sticker expires, you receive a notification that the vehicle can be towed.

Impound/Storage Lot Management and Vehicle Lookup: You’ll be able to track and release your current impounded/stored vehicles on your lot right from the mobile application. You’ll even be able to send the impound invoice via text or e-mail.

In using our “Vehicle Lookup” technology, your customers, police departments, and private-property accounts will thank you! It makes it simple for them to look and see if you have a certain vehicle on your lot without calling.

Digital Dispatching: Whether you are a dispatcher or manager sending out calls or an owner/operator working in the field, you’ll be able to accept motor club calls while out of the office or on the road using Towbook’s mobile apps. Towbook is integrated with all the major motor clubs for your convenience! A couple of taps to accept the call and you’ll be on your way!

Paperless Invoicing: Save time by texting or emailing your customer an invoice right on-scene! If paper invoices are a must, we integrate with Zebra mobile printers to print your customers’ receipt on the spot.

Additional Information

On top of the many features we’ve already mentioned, your drivers will be able to add additional information to the call via their app according to the preferences setup by management, this includes:

Additional line items/charges.
Record payments received in the field.
Collect customer signatures for archiving and appearing on receipts.
Collect any additional notes regarding the service or customer.
Record vehicle odometer.
Add any company expenses, such as fuel along with a picture of the receipt for manager review.

Technology is causing a world-wide evolution and it’s important to find resources that can be of benefit to us. First it was computers, now it’s a little device in our pocket that we all rely on daily – whether for business or our personal lives.

Using software to manage your business increases efficiency and profitability but it’s also a great tool to woo potential clients; demonstrating that you are a forward-thinking towing/road service company and are interested in adapting to the ever-changing technological environment.

Towbook Management Software is the unquestioned leader in cloud-based towing software, headquartered in Michigan, and has provided service for over fourteen years. Integrating the industry’s most advanced and flexible software, Towbook supports all sizes and types of towing, recovery and roadside service operations.

We provide tools made possible by the latest technology, and we help companies to raise their level of service while lowering their operating costs.

Plus, our commitment to you will be never-ending! We take great pride in having the industry’s best customer support. Support is free and available 24/7/365—even on holidays.

What We Offer

Free Trial, Free Setup, Free Support

Towbook offers a 30-day free trial with free setup and support, and there are no contracts. Plus, you don’t need a separate Towbook license for each employee—your subscription always includes unlimited user accounts!

Website: www.towbook.com
Inquiries: sales@towbook.com
24/7/365 Support Line: (810) 320-5063

Beacon Software is An Approved Vendor for All Motor Club Integrations0

Darian Weaver

Beacon Software has been getting a lot of calls from customers expressing their appreciation that Beacon is the fastest, most reliable software on the market. The company attributes this success to the dedication and drive of its employees who never stopped working on new features and updates during the pandemic. Over the last two decades, Beacon has stood alongside towing and roadside professionals and seen over 125 million calls dispatched through their platform. Now, to celebrate, Beacon is offering a 60-Day free trial of their flagship product, Dispatch Anywhere, to anyone who signs up during the month of April.

First 60-Days Free of Dispatch Anywhere

Beacon is looking forward to showcasing Dispatch Anywhere’s new features and product updates. Beacon’s most recent updates reflect the industry’s need for increased efficiency and remote options during the pandemic. Beacon is offering a 60-Day Free Trial of Dispatch Anywhere to anyone who signs up during the month of April. For customers who have already joined the Beacon suite with TowMagic, Beacon is offering special pricing options to upgrade to Dispatch Anywhere.

Beacon encourages those interested in hearing about what Beacon is doing to adapt to industry changes to contact us and talk shop with professionals who love their work. Beacon is happy to provide you with a virtual demonstration before you start your 60 Days Free of Dispatch Anywhere! For those looking for their next lienholder search and notification solution, Beacon Software is offering your first vehicle free when you sign up for TowLien!

Important Motor Club Integration Updates

Beacon Software is an approved vendor for all Motor Club integrations and takes pride in its longstanding partnerships with Motor Clubs such as Allstate, Agero, AAA/CAA, Geico, NSD, Copart, USAC, Questx, Allied Dispatch Solutions, Pinnacle, FleetNet America, National Automobile Club, Gerber, Swoop. And Beacon would like to offer a warm and hearty welcome to the two newest Motor Clubs to partner with Beacon Software: Tesla and Roadside Protect!

Updated Digital Dispatch for Agero/Swoop Providers

Beacon has partnered with Agero/Swoop to offer an updated Digital Dispatch, Job Status, GPS interface platform! Dispatch Anywhere users can now import calls using the new Agero approved two-way integration. This makes it quick and easy for drivers to complete their Agero/Swoop jobs without leaving the Beacon Dispatch Anywhere Software.

Latest Beacon Software Dispatch Anywhere Updates

The programmers at Beacon Software take customer convenience and feedback into consideration with every new update and feature. First and foremost, speed and reliability are their number one priority, which is reflected in the most recent updates. The following are some important features that Beacon Software added to increase efficiency for both Drivers and Dispatchers:

AAA 2-Way Integration (D3 and Bringg). Beacon Software has made it easier than ever to complete jobs with their new AAA 2-way integrations. The enhanced AAA D3 and Bringg import process allows Dispatch Anywhere users to import calls and send AAA clear codes from dispatch or directly from drivers in the field.
Towbook Data Import. For those who are transitioning from Towbook, Beacon makes the data transition easy and hassle-free. Any Towbook user who joins Beacon Software will not lose their call history. Experience accelerated set-up, because Beacon can import Accounts, Drivers, and Trucks.
Find Lost Customers. Users can now find lost customers by requesting their location. They simply tap the link and receive via text message and Dispatch Anywhere will automatically store their location.
Updated TowLien and Dispatch Anywhere Integration. Beacon Software has improved the integration between Dispatch Anywhere and TowLien! Now, users can automatically send vehicles from Dispatch Anywhere to TowLien, reducing entry of current charges and vehicle information! The improved integration also automatically stops the lien process if a vehicle is released from impound.
Online Service Requests. Receive online service requests through your company website or by sharing a link with your customers!
Weekly Dispatch Anywhere Performance Reports. Track your performance with easy-to-understand reports. Dispatch Anywhere customers receive weekly reports tracking jobs, offers, and impound statistics. These automatic reports are emailed to the owner or manager every week.
Mobile Square and Card Connect Chip Reader Integration. Dispatch Anywhere now supports four different integrated payment solutions, including Square and Card Connect, allowing dispatches to take payment directly through the desktop and mobile apps. Visit Support.BeaconSoftCo.com.

Additional Updates:

Automatically Send Vehicles to TowLien When Time to Send Lien Holder Notifications
Square/Paya/Card Connect/XpressPay Email Payment Options
Submit Jobs to Dispatch Anywhere Through Service Request Form
Automatically Submit jobs to Motor Clubs
Automatically Add Services to Jobs Based on Reason or Defaults
Touchless Signature – Tow Ticket and Damage Report
New Private Property Impound Features
Over 50 New or Updated Reports

TowLien is a Florida Approved 3rd Party Vendor

TowLien is the preferred digital lien and impound management software in Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia! If your state isn’t currently listed on the TowLien website, Beacon will help you create a TowLien statewide compliant lien notice, so you can start using TowLien to mail your letters.

First Search Free: TowLien is One of Two FL Approved 3rd Party Vendors

Attention Florida! TowLien is an official Florida State Approved Vendor. Beacon Software’s TowLien keeps towers, mechanics, and body shops compliant with TL-25 & TL-26! The best part?

No Startup Fee
No Monthly Fee
No Inactivity Fee

Get your first vehicle search free! Visit TowLien.BeaconSoftCo.com to learn more about TowLien’s digital lien notification services, including 24/7 lien processing, email and text reminders, and live support.

Ready to Make the Switch? Beacon’s Team of Experts is Here to Help

First, the team at Beacon wants to thank all of their customers who have offered nothing but positivity, kind words, and useful feedback during this unexpected year. If you’re still curious about if Beacon Software is right for you, try the 60-Day Free Trial of Dispatch Anywhere for customers who sign up during April so Beacon can get you started with advanced, efficient, and secure dispatch software. You’ll see why Beacon’s customers say that Beacon Software is their next Employee of the Year.

Secrets of the Wealthy Shared with Towers

D.J. Harrington CSP

Last year was caused by something completely out of our control. It was disastrous for the towing industry, and some of our businesses struggled while others disappeared. Normally, towers can foresee something coming down the road and can change directions, but 2020 caught most of us by surprise.

As hardworking Americans, towers had never experienced anything like it before. Even though scientific knowledge and mandated plans were presented for us to fight this disaster, our businesses and families suffered the brunt of it. Some were prepared for change. Others were not. And yet, some saw those changes as opportunities to make gains. When catastrophe happens, the wealthy see opportunity. Here’s your opportunity to do the same as the wealthy.

As a facilitator and speaker, it has been my privilege to inform you when things make sense for our towing industry. It is common practice that successful businesses create a yearly business plan, and some will also create an alternate plan should their cash flow mysteriously drop off. With the lives of their family and employees hanging in the balance, they should be prepared.

Several of my articles in 2020 covered the importance of being prepared for what can happen in the future, and I talked about a special book that was written by my two colleagues, Steve Siebold and Tom Mathews. An easy read for the average reader with only an hour or so to complete, the How Money Works book helps unfold those STRATEGIES that the wealthy people use to make their money. Those secret strategies are no longer reserved for just the wealthy. Up to this point, the wealthy have used this information for themselves. I have made it easy for you to get this information by offering the HMW book at an extremely reduced price. However, I am about to make it even easier for you to get this more in-depth information.

During multiple events and conferences across several industries last year, I was scheduled to speak on the information covered in the HMW book. At all those meetings, I was going to reveal where the wealthy see opportunity and use it to their benefit. To them, every disaster presents GREAT opportunity.

Along with the Bible in 2021, the book, How Money Works should be a staple in your home or business. Why? The book is chocked full of information which gives the reader a solid starting point to building a more secure life filled with confidence and a more financially independent future with many opportunities. No matter who you are and what your goals might be, security and independence are what all towers want anyway.

How Money Works is the first financial educational book that anyone, at any age can enjoy and benefit from, ages 10 all the way to 100. And, speaking of the number 100, the book has now been featured on over 100 prominent TV shows including CNBC, CBS, ABC, and FOX. My goal is not to give you a PhD in finance but rather to teach you the basics you need to know to start making smarter decisions about your money and your wealth with a new sense of urgency. This should be taught in school, but sadly, it has not been. Remember, you do not have to be wealthy to think like the wealthy. You only need knowledge, and this is your chance to hear the secrets that the wealthy use to grow their money. It is never too late to learn the information they use.

In a push to help as many towers as I could in 2020, lots of you ordered books for yourself or family members, or maybe even purchased them as gifts. Others of you went a step further and purchased them for your towing employees and management teams. I offered the How Money Works book at a reduced price of $10 because as a necessary staple it should be easily available for helping towers. Amazon still sells the How Money Works, Stop Being a Sucker book for $16.95 but adds fees for shipping and handling costs.

Fortunately, you can still purchase this book from me at only $10 per copy WITHOUT any shipping or handling charges. If you want a book now, call me at 770-301-4122. Are you wondering why I keep referencing this book in 2021?

In addition to getting the book, How Money Works, Stop Being a Sucker at a reduced rate, you can also attend a FREE online class about the book taught by a financial educator. The whole book is broken down into ELEMENTS and can be covered in five segments. For more details or information on how you can participate in such a class, give me a call. If you want a book or two now, just text me on my mobile at 770-301-4122, and I will be happy to get them to you.

See you next time.

Should I Sell?

Dan Messina

If you survived 2020, how many companies asked the big question, is it time to sell.

If you are in that position there are a few things you should know. When I owned my company we had a good business and my wife and I thought we might want to sell the company. We invited a big company that purchased tow companies to look at us and make an offer. The good news is they did; the bad news is they offered almost nothing for the company.

There is pride in ownership and everyone thinks their company is worth millions and needless to say we were very disappointed in their offer, but we learned from the experience. They showed us what we had to do to prepare to sell for a good price. Over the next 2 years we worked on making our company a good buy. We did things like:

Pay off debt
Make sure our service was good
Hired the right people
Fired the right people
Made sure we had no outstanding law suits
Cleaned and upgraded the storage yard

After all the changes we were feeling pretty good about ourselves. We had no intentions of selling the business. As a matter of fact we partnered up with a local company to do business together. Then one day it happened. A complete stranger walked into my office and wanted to purchase my company. He knew what church I went to; he knew what toppings I put on my ice cream; he knew my favorite color – ok you get the picture! He did his homework and knew I had a good company. When you are doing things right, people notice!

I had to go to the local company and tell them I could not partner with them because someone wants to purchase my company. His reaction was, I’ll buy your company. Now I had 2 people wanting to purchase my company. What a great position to be in. I sold it to the local company and we closed within a month. In preparation for the sale I did the following:

I told my employees I was selling the company. After all it was them that made me successful.
I told my best customers I was selling and assured them the sale would be good for them.
Got all my finances in order
Made sure the things listed above were completed.

What I did not do is plan my future. What will I do since I don’t have a tow company to go to anymore? I sat on the couch and watched soaps until I got bored. That lasted about a week. I wanted to stay in the industry and work with tow companies and go to tow shows and help tow companies in any way I can.

I started another company called TowTrax where I identified an industry problem and I fixed it, or I’m working on the fix. I developed a phone app that works like Uber. My app provides the following:

I market for the tow companies and find them tows they don’t have today. This is a free service to the tow company and it is a new revenue stream. Go to TowTrax.net and watch the testimonial and you will see what impact it has on tow companies.
My customers, which are consumer, motor clubs, and law enforcement, are happy because I improved the ETA’s. I service areas where they cannot find tow companies, and I cut expenses
The consumer likes TowTrax because of the improved ETA’s, and they pay less for the service.

Now I am faced with some of the same old problems. Started a new company and had some success so now I have people knocking at my door wanting to buy my company. There is value in my company, but not enough to get what I want. If or when you sell, make sure you have enough to support the next part of your life. I learned that when someone hands you a big check, you will spend it. I know I will not sell any time soon only because I see the value in what I am doing, and I want to stay in the industry.

You will know when its time to sell your company. You will see signs like:

It’s harder and harder to get up in the morning
Employees are harder to deal with
You will miss the excitement
You will lose your competitive edge
You will have a hard time communicating with your wife and other employees
Things that use to be fun at work are no longer fun

If and when you decide to sell your company make sure you have something to fill the void in your daily routine. Don’t make the decision by yourself. Talk to your employees, talk to your customers, talk to your wife. Look at the pros and cons of how your life will change. Find someone to help evaluate your company and come up with a good sale price. If you do some of the things I mentioned, it will be easier to determine the price. Don’t back off your number if you think it’s good. Don’t rush unless the buyer demands it. If you talk to enough people, the decision will be easy and you will get what you want.

When I sold my company, I brought another company in to determine its value. They gave me a selling price. I took it and added another $250,000. When the buyer asked for the price, I gave them my number. I knew it was high, and the buyer knew I was high but I got what I wanted. Plan on staying with them to make a smooth transition unless they don’t want you there. The payout was not a big check. It was a third up front with a payout over time.

If you need help trying to decide what direction to go in the future, or want to discuss your situation, call me. I’m free – and I always have an opinion!

MACH1, The App That Works For You: NOW NATIONWIDE!

Darian Weaver

SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio based on-demand roadside assistance app, Mach1 Services, propels ahead with nationwide launch. Mach1 Services offers an on-demand, direct to customers model, where providers can set their own prices without the price haggling or bidding.

The automated dispatch system locates the closest provider to the customer, and sends the request to them first. There is no call center that coordinates, asking for the lowest bid, or ETA’s. The closest provider can either accept or decline the call. If they decline it, it will go to the next closest provider, and so on, until the call is accepted.

Once the provider has accepted the call, turn-by-turn navigation begins, taking the provider directly to the customer, without having to run multiple apps. While enroute to the customer, the provider (and customer) can call or text each other using burner numbers, so no one gives out their personal information. Once the provider arrives, they complete the service and proceed with an automated payment process where invoices, payouts, and customer credit information is completed with a touch of one button.

Mach1’s patent-pending process is changing the way roadside assistance gets done, making it easier, faster, and more cost-effective for both customers and providers.

Mach1’s service coverage area has expanded quickly, as providers across the country have signed up to be a part of its network. As customer demand has increased, so has provider interest, leading to exponential growth, and a nationwide launch. Mach1 started the 2021 year with a 26 state coverage area and is able to expand to all 50 states as customers and providers have previously signed up with the veteran owned company.

To learn more about becoming a Mach1 service provider, please visit mach1services.com/service-provider/ or contact the provider support team at 844-511-0002.

Dynamic announces they are now building wrecker bodies for chassis that have a rear fuel tank

Darian Weaver

With chassis being harder to find, we thought it would be the best time to start promoting the unit we have been building for about 5 years now. Chassis with rear tanks usually have more fuel capacity. The unit is based off Dynamic’s 701 wrecker which is available with a 5000LB wheel lift and 75 inches of reach, 8000LB towing capacity. The unit is available with a drag winch and single or twin line winches with a recovery boom. The unit comes with Dynamic’s 3-year warranty.

Dynamic Towing Equipment & MFG | www.dynamicmfg.com | 800 831 9299

Dynamic announcers a new addition to their slide in family

Darian Weaver

The 701 slides in, is now available with neg and power tilt. The unit is based off Dynamics 701 wrecker. With the same Cyds, valves and steel parts as a regular wrecker. These units are made for the professional towers, not the weekend warrior. The unit has a 5000LB lifting capacity with 82 inches of reach, 8000LB towing capacity (depending on the truck it is installed on) 25 degrees of positive and neg tilt. It has built in chain boxes and there is no need to replace the rear bumper.

Unit comes standard with mounting kit, spacer blocks, safety chains, straps, and ratchets. Also is available with an optional 8000LB Ramsey winch. Other options are welded in dolly brackets, motorcycle attachment,5th wheel /gooseneck attachment, and counterbalance weight.

Dynamic Towing Equipment & MFG | www.dynamicmfg.com | 800-831-9299

Webfleet Solutions introduces next-generation PRO Driver Terminal offering fleet management with Google™ Services

Darian Weaver

- The new PRO 8475 Driver Terminal is equipped with advanced hardware technologies that enable fleet operators to improve workflow efficiency, enhance customer service and boost productivity.
- With best-in-class truck navigation using TomTom LIVE traffic data, the PRO 8 is the perfect companion for drivers helping determine the most suitable routes and accurate estimated times of arrival.
- With its superior ruggedness, the versatile premium tablet assists the professional driver inside and outside the vehicle.

Burlington, MA February 23, 2021 – Webfleet Solutions, one of the world’s leading telematics providers and part of Bridgestone, is introducing its upgraded PRO Driver Terminal: the PRO 8475. Equipped with advanced technologies, including LTE connectivity and Google™ Services, the versatile premium tablet supports drivers and fleet managers to bring their workflow efficiency to new heights.

In combination with WEBFLEET, Webfleet Solutions’ award-winning fleet management software, the PRO Driver Terminal better connects drivers and businesses. It combines a range of essential features in one device, including order management and two-way communication between drivers and fleet managers, OptiDrive 360, which empowers drivers to improve driving performance with visual and audio feedback, and automatic recording of working time and mileage registration, which helps fleets to comply with legislation and policy.

With its superior ruggedness and best-in-class navigation, the PRO 8475 is designed for both in-vehicle and outdoor usage. It’s drop-proof, break-resistant, shock-proof, UV-resistant, vibration-proof, dust and water protected. That makes it suitable for drivers that need to handle the device many times per day in potentially harsh terrain and conditions for long periods of time.

“With the PRO 8 Driver Terminal, our aim is to offer the perfect companion for drivers,” says Matt Gunzenhaeuser, Sales Director for United States and Canada at Webfleet Solutions. “The updated and improved PRO 8475 is adapted to suit the needs of our customers, helping them leverage smart data and supporting them to reach their goals easily, quickly and efficiently.”

The PRO 8475 Driver Terminal at-a-glance:

Versatile and future-proof tablet for tailored usage and control: Equipped with Google™ Services including push notifications to enhance seamless communication and access to the Google Play™ store including standard Google Apps™ (such as Chrome™, Gmail™, Google Maps™). Wireless connectivity with LTE supports fast download speeds, as well as Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth® and NFC/RFID for wireless communication and professional use.
Best-in-class truck navigation using a complex network of TomTom LIVE traffic data and advanced algorithms to determine the most suitable routes and accurate estimated times of arrival (ETAs). Preinstalled maps are also available for offline usage.
Fleet management functionality in combination with WEBFLEET: Seamless messaging and order management is supported between drivers and the back office. Working time and mileage registration can be effectively managed, while in-vehicle driver coaching and driving behaviour feedback is provided by OptiDrive 360.
Robust hardware design optimized for both in-vehicle and outdoor usage: 7-inch high-quality screen with low reflections in a resistant rugged housing that is protected against drops, water, dust, shocks, vibrations and more. The device operates reliably outside the vehicle with high levels of endurance.
Best-in-class cradle for easy docking with versatile connection ports in a compact size.

For further information, please visit webfleet.com. Follow us on Twitter @WebfleetNews. For more information about Bridgestone in EMIA, please visit www.bridgestone-emia.com and Bridgestone newsroom.

FTI Groups Releases ServiCaseTM – A Platform for Self-Service Breakdown Management

Darian Weaver

KELLER, Texas, February 12, 2021 — FTI Groups is pleased to announce it has released the beta version of its new transportation breakdown case management system, ServiCaseTM.

Though the official launch will occur in early March, clients can begin using the system today. This innovative platform connects service providers to carriers, enabling them to more easily find someone to help get them back on the road. Carriers can also use ServiCase as a case management system – enabling them to better manage their equipment. There is no cost to carriers for the ServiCase tool, and service providers are receiving a free starter listing for 2021.

ServiCase allows carriers to track breakdowns, locate and dispatch service providers, and to track events through to completion including event status, photos, invoices, etc. In addition, ServiCase gives them access to over 60,000 service providers with the ability to store private notes and ratings with the providers or any others they add to the tool.

“We are proud to introduce ServiCase today,” stated Jeffrey Godwin, president of FTI Groups. “We want to provide carriers a self-serve solution while also supporting the service provider community we have partnered with for more than two decades.”

The ServiCase tool can be accessed by simply registering at servicase.com. Once setup, when a breakdown occurs, the carrier creates a new case by providing information about the vehicle, its location and the service type needed. ServiCase accesses the service provider database to identify the best matches for the job while factoring in information such as the carrier’s own ratings and/or preferred status for providers with whom they have experience.

ServiCase is different from other search services in that the provider is not charged for events or jobs they receive and there is no bidding for higher positions in the results listings. ServiCase does not charge variable fees for large markets and does not dictate rates, though many listed providers are extending their commercial account rates to carriers using ServiCase. Nothing is marked up because payment is made directly to the service provider.

ServiCase is powered by FTI’s sureEcosystem platform, which allows companies to connect directly to the service provider database and communications hub. These powerful tools can be connected to a wide variety of applications from shop maintenance systems to backend systems for third-party administrators. Leveraging the power of this proven system, FTI created ServiCase as a value-added offering to the sureEcosystem family of products.

“FTI Groups is committed to serving the market with quality solutions, and we intend to expand the capabilities of the ServiCase tool,” Godwin said.

For more information, visit www.servicase.com/home/media.

ABOUT FTI GROUPS

FTI Groups Inc. is a leading provider of benefits and software services in a variety of industries. FTI Groups improves vendor relationships and the bottom line at member companies through its FTI Benefits and towPartners programs. FTI Groups is the provider of software tools including the sureEcosystem platform offerings.

Learn more at sureecosystem.com.

Jerr-Dan® Adds Midco Sales of Chandler, Arizona, as a Distributor

Darian Weaver

Hagerstown, MD (February 12, 2020) – Jerr-Dan, an Oshkosh Corporation company (NYSE:OSK), has added Midco Sales of Chandler, Arizona, as a distributor of its complete line of towing and recovery vehicles.

Jerr-Dan is the single brand leader in the towing and recovery industry with distributors across the United States and in six continents. With its proximity to I-10 and additional interstates, Midco Sales is situated to conveniently serve the Phoenix-metro area as well as the entire southwestern United States.

“We’re pleased to be able to expand our footprint throughout the American Southwest by partnering with Midco Sales,” said Hal Wyatt, Director of Aftermarket Support at Jerr-Dan. “Midco has a strong existing reputation as a provider of high-quality transport trailers. We look forward to growing this new line of Midco’s business and delivering on our customers’ expectations together.”

Midco Sales was founded in 2012 as a trailer dealership for the over-the-road, aggregate hauling, construction, and equipment transport industries. Its addition as a Jerr-Dan distributor will complement its experience in the heavy-haul transport industry and its current line of heavy-haul transport trailers, said Mark Otto, the owner of Midco Sales.

“I have always viewed Jerr-Dan products as being top of the line in the towing and recovery industry,” Otto said. “That is the standard I have always set with the trailer lines I sell at Midco, and I am looking forward to expanding my offering with Jerr-Dan, a brand I’m proud of.”

In addition to being a Jerr-Dan and trailer distributor, Midco Sales also offers parts and service and offers more than 20,000 square feet of service bays.

Jerr-Dan continues to place an emphasis on distributor network growth to provide customers with a high level of local support and today has over 60 locations throughout North America and 15 internationally.

To learn more about Jerr-Dan distributor locations and products, visit www.jerrdan.com.

[alert-announce]

Jerr-Dan® is pleased to announce it will attend the 2021 Florida Tow Show.

After more than a yearlong corporate travel hiatus, in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, Jerr-Dan is excited to once again attend events while following CDC guidelines, adhering to company protocols and using good judgment. The Florida Tow Show 2021 will be a signature event for the towing and recovery industry when it opens in Orlando April 8-10 after a year of trade show cancellations.

“We’re looking forward to representing Jerr-Dan alongside our Florida distributors TruckMax, TLC and Florida Wreckers and providing our customers with a great show experience,” said Sally Hooper, senior manager of marketing communications for Jerr-Dan. “Our local distributors are hosting both the pre-show party on Thursday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and the pool party on Saturday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. this year. We look forward to seeing attendees at our exhibit area during show hours, while enjoying some fun, refreshments and giveaways with their local distributors at the social events.”

Jerr-Dan will have an exciting lineup of products on display at the Florida Tow Show, in addition to experts standing ready to provide information on Jerr-Dan’s full offering of solutions. The Jerr-Dan team and attending distributors look forward to meeting with attendees in and near booth #605 at the show.[/alert-announce]

Do you and your people meet the qualifications to be called first responders?

Darian Weaver

I’ve been told I’m abrupt and a little brash – I prefer the idea that I’m a realist and I call things like I see them. This industry has no place for hurt feelings and bruised egos – we’re doing dangerous work out there, and if you don’t take that seriously, no one will take YOU seriously. I’d much rather have a friend or advisor who is honest with me instead of someone blowing smoke up my exhaust pipe and telling me how good I am.

I hear and read about people in the towing industry continually complaining because they’re not treated with the same respect as other first responders. I think there’s a good reason for that. Most police officers attend daily status and training briefings at the beginning of each shift, after going through an extensive academy and extended time with a field training officer. Most firefighters conduct some sort of training daily. EMS personnel are required to continually update and maintain medical certifications. If you want the same respect as the rest of first responders, you have to train yourselves like first responders do.

I’ll travel in time back to 1987 when I drove my first civilian tow unit. The business owner showed me how to activate the manual PTO and move the winch levers on the sling truck, tossed me the keys after three minutes of playing with the levers, and sent me out on a police call to pull a rolled over Oldsmobile out of a ditch. I tore that car up during that recovery. The business owner didn’t care – said it was already totaled – but that’s a whole different subject and article. Suffice to say that everything and every part has salvage value, and you, the tow operator, shouldn’t tear a car to pieces because some parts are already damaged. It’s just not your call to make.

I was thrown the keys and told “good luck,” which is the exact manner that hundreds and thousands of us in the industry got our initial “training.” In such a dangerous career field, and one where damage to towed vehicles and our equipment can produce staggering repair bills, a few minute’s worth of training, or riding with another driver for a couple of hours just doesn’t cut it. Ours is the only industry where organizations like OSHA doesn’t do stroke-inducing audits and will shut a business down for poor safety practices. Perhaps OSHA should pay much more attention to our industry.

Many times, after the initial “training,” which isn’t very much, tow operators get no further training whatsoever. They immediately form bad habits and then reinforce those bad habits daily by doing the same thing in-and-out for years.

In this case, just because you claim to have years of experience, it doesn’t count if you’re not doing it right.

Case in point – the red C7 Corvette on the flatbed in Oklahoma – the young driver secured the car half-sideways on the deck and used large J-hooks for the rear tiedown. I applaud the idea that he used two chains on the rear, but he secured them with the points of the hooks up, meaning that if either one gets loose, it could fall off, and the left side was very loose – and the biggest issue is using a J-hook at all on the incredibly expensive aluminum rear lower control arms on the Corvette. You’ve all but guaranteed a stress fracture in those aluminum components, and they’re expensive. OEM replacements are $1,220 per side. Is a $3,000 claim with parts and labor worth it on a $100 tow? This isn’t the 70s – we have straps available just for applications like that. Once that car gets to a shop and the technician or shop manager sees that, what do you think they’d do? They surely don’t want to assume the liability for damaged suspension components, so they’ll call the customer, all but guaranteeing a damage claim.

Training on and understanding towing and recovery methods pays off in large amounts of increased professionalism in our industry. Professionalism pays off in better contracts and rates, stronger customer bases, and prolonged equipment life, all of which increases profitability. It’s all around good for everyone.

You can train as a company every day. Every day, we have a little down time – turn it into some sort of training session, inside the shop during bad weather, outside in the sunshine during the summertime. When you do these impromptu training sessions, document it. Just a Word document with a quick summary of what you covered, date and time, list the attendees, and get signatures. Check out my article titled “This One Got To Me” about the incredible value of training documentation.

Back to the throwing the keys to someone and telling them “good luck” – I’m not directly knocking the “school of hard knocks” manner of training. Here’s how that works: You have no training or knowledge on a particular thing, like how sensitive and low the oil pan is on a Freightliner Cascadia with the Detroit engine. You use forks and grab the front axle, and away you go – you didn’t use tall enough forks and the truck bounced a bit, and you nailed the fragile oil drain plug and cracked the oil pan. After one of those, you tell everyone you know about it and advise others to do a double-pick and use taller forks. Wouldn’t it be better, though, to pass on that training nugget to people WITHOUT the obligatory hard lesson learned, an angry customer, a large damage claim, and embarrassment?

There’s a better way to train than the “school of hard knocks.” You can bet that our brothers and sisters in police agencies, fire departments, and EMS units don’t halfway do their training with some 5-minute “here’s how you do it” unofficial class with no documentation. And THAT is the difference in our field and first responders.

If the tow industry doesn’t step up our voluntary training efforts, we will never be accepted as fellow first responders. The desire to be accepted as first responders is strong throughout the industry at the moment, but it is my contention that 90% or more of the towers out there aren’t ready to play at the varsity level.

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