Winches Inc. Your Winch Solution

Winches Inc. offers the most comprehensive line of winch and hoist products in the industry. Our goal is to provide you with the best solution for your needs. We have experts ready to provide the best winch selection. Whether it is a towing recovery winch, a drill rig hoist, Jeep, Truck, or ATV, we will provide professional sales and service for years to come for your application.

COMPREHENSIVE PRODUCT LINEUP

Winches Inc. stocks all the major brands used by consumers in the winch market such as: TULSA WINCH, DP WINCH, BRADEN, CARCO, GEARMATIC, PULLMASTER, RAMSEY, WARN, and SUPERWINCH. We also stock complete components to finish your winch installation such as hooks, blocks, motors, pto, and hydraulic pumps.

DIVERSIFIED MARKETS

Since 1981, after first opening its doors in Odessa, Texas, Winches Inc. has expanded its operations to branches in Houston, Texas and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. We now specialize in towing recovery, utility, energy, construction, and marine markets. We have had many repeat customers as well over the years as a reliable provider of winch parts and service. Each location also has a service group ready to answer questions, repair and/or replace a winch currently used in the field. Winches Inc. is a one-stop-shop organization.

EXPERIENCED IN SALES AND SERVICE

Winches Inc. prides itself on sales and service. We staff our branches with experienced and trained personnel ready to assist with providing the most up-to-date information needed. With over 39 years of experience in this industry, we are your winch solution. Including repair, Winches Inc. also provides testing and documentation services to meet requirements in today’s changing environment. Our facilities in Broken Arrow, Ok and Houston, TX are equipped to provide dynamic load testing and documentation services to meet current requirements.

NEW PRODUCTS

New products offered include our Rigmaster guard kit packages that provide protection to keep hands, tools, and debris away from the wire rope on the cable drum. Other desirable options include the RigMaster guard with integral tension roller that assists in proper cable spooling under light to heavier load conditions.

Highlight features include the following:

• All stainless-steel construction for long life in harsh environments.

• Flexible design for different applications and wire rope departures.

• No welding on, or modifying of, the original winch manufacturers design; avoiding any risk of nullifying the factory warranty or certification.

• Economic design saves money and time.

• Panels and parts can be easily replaced and are in stock.

• Field installations are not only possible, they are recommended.

• RigMaster guards create standardization throughout your entire fleet of winches.

For all your winch and hoist product needs, contact us at 877-495-9721 or through our website at https://winchesinc.com/pages/our-company

The Right Financing In A Crucial Time

Jeremy Tsakiris

COVID-19 coronavirus, finance and crisis concept, US president Franklin`s eyes and face mask on 100 dollar money bill. Corona virus affects global stock market. World economy hit by pandemic fears.

Finding the right financing is so crucial in the towing industry especially during these challenging times. Often it can make or break the cash flow and profitability of the business. With so many companies and dealer financing options out there, the industry can be enmeshing and mind boggling for owners. To bring clarity for good decision making, I am highlighting key factors that I have learned through my twenty-one years of truck-financing experience that can help guide your choice of a finance partner.

Support Availability, Not Distancing

It appears this world is trying to operate with minimal human contact. Though this may be helpful on the spread of infection, it is not helpful from a finance service-provider standpoint. Do yourself a favor and choose a partner that will answer the phone or will promptly call you back. When you are expanding your business or replacing needed trucks which have gone down, you need a finance partner that is knowledgeable, efficient and, for sure, available. Helping you to navigate quickly through processing and titling, the right support will save you needless aggravation and help your business get where you are taking it. Combine this with a finance manager whose character and experience you can trust, and your mind will be at ease. We have received feedback from repeat customers whose have experienced this:

“Jeremy is a stand-up guy and has been financing my equipment for more than seven years. I have never found anyone so willing to help the customer.” Mark Denson- Onsite Towing, Houston, Texas.

Direct Lender Over Broker

Another key factor that I have experienced is to find a finance company like Alliance Funding that is a direct lender on the balance sheet as opposed to a broker. Although a broker can be important for lower-credit scenarios, direct lenders can offer fast processing times, more competitive products by avoiding broker margins, and have the ability to structure the lowest rates, longest terms, and a balloon-payment structure. Our goal is not just a sale for you, but a lifetime of sales earned through excellent service:

“Jeremy Tsakiris is the man. He hooked me up more than once and has definitely earned my business for life.” Trevor Sherrer –California

Collateral-Specific Financing

Equipment finance should be specific to the collateral you want to fund. This may be a confusing statement, but what I have seen through my tenure is that many banks, credit unions, or other equipment finance and capital funding companies will file a blanket lien or incumbent on the business. Alliance Funding, along with a couple of other finance companies that focus on the towing industry, will only file a lien on the title. They do not take advantage of the customer by burying the blanket lien language in the fine print.

Early Payoff Numbers at the Beginning

In same context of “buried” info, note what the real prepayment or early payoff numbers look like at the beginning of your decision making. Be specific in your questions, so you can learn what all your financing options are. A good of example of options is leasing. Most of my customers prefer to do a lease purchase for tax benefits. However, in an early buyout situation, a small penalty on the “Principle Remaining Balance” is massively more beneficial than having to pay the whole remaining schedule.

Leasing’s Tax Advantage

As some of you may know, the tax advantage of a lease purchase program far exceeds that of a traditional loan. A lease purchase program is 100% tax deductible as an expense to the company. A traditional loan is considered an asset where a standard depreciation schedule is applied. This results in a fraction of the write-off to the business.

A common misconception is that a lease-purchase program is more expensive. When, in fact, after factoring in the expense deduction, the result is most beneficial to the entity. The underwriting requirements do not differ whether I structure the agreement as a lease or a loan. Most financing companies, Alliance Funding included, can do either type of agreement. The lease purchase agreement allows for a longer balloon payment (i.e. 10-30% balloon payment). By doing this type of structure, you are simply allowing yourself more options when the term is over and giving yourself a lower monthly payment through the term. This will allow the business to have a quicker cash flow helping the monthly budget:

“Jeremy from Alliance Funding, helps my customers to whom I sell trucks by structuring their agreements with a balloon payment which helps them meet their monthly budgets.” Ed Stroth, Sales, Twin City Wreckers

In conclusion, financing equipment and trucks is a requirement for many businesses across this beautiful country. Finding a finance partner you can trust in challenging times or times of boom is crucial to the process. When that time comes, you need a partner who is not just knowledgeable and available, but who is also competitive and can approve the financing with your budget and needs in mind. We don’t just want you to survive during this time, we want you to thrive, so please contact us here at Alliance Financing by calling us at 800-978-8817 or visiting us at our website at https://alliancefunding.com/ Stay safe, and God bless this great country!

Interview with Jerr-Dan® VP & General Manager Bob Nelson

Darian Weaver

This past month, I got the opportunity to talk with Jerr-Dan’s current Vice President & General Manager Bob Nelson. I met Bob earlier at the TRAA Legislative Workshop dinner that was sponsored by Jerr-Dan on March 10th twenty-four hours before COVID-19 flipped the whole world upside down. Bob is no stranger to the Oshkosh family as he has been working under their umbrella, the Access segment specifically, for the last 22 years. Prior to moving to Jerr-Dan, Bob was with the JLG Industries brand in several OEM sales management roles. JLG is the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of lift and access equipment. Bob is married, has three daughters and a son, enjoys golf and fishing and the outdoors with his family, and has a passion for his work!

THE INTERVIEW WITH JERR-DAN VP & GENERAL MANAGER BOB NELSON

Tow Professional (TP): Bob, I appreciate this opportunity to talk with you, especially in the middle of the COVID-19 outbreak. This is a unique situation for you as a new vice president and general manager to tackle before you even get the pictures hung in your office and your boxes unpacked. How are you and the management team at Jerr-Dan handling the current situation?

Bob Nelson: I am glad to be here today to talk with you, Darian; we appreciate the opportunity to share how Jerr-Dan is responding to the COVID-19 crisis.

Nelson, Bob, Bob Nelson, Jerr-Dan — Bob Nelson, VP & General Manager, Jerr-Dan

The first thing we did after arriving back from the TRAA Legislative Workshop, and after other members arrived back from the CONEXPO show, was to put a plan together to maintain operations and ensure that warranty and service is available for our existing owners. We are keeping a level of support to make sure our customers talk to a live person if they have any service needs. Team members also work remotely so that the supply chain is kept open for customers. We plan to have the entire team back in full force by the time the readers get this next issue.

TP: How are you currently working with your distributor network to help them meet the needs of their customers during this time?

Bob Nelson: We started a Dealer Advisory Council two weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic and related shutdowns. We also implemented a parts and service program, “ABCs of Truck Care & Repair,” and worked directly with our distributors to help them promote their parts and service availability to their customers. Additionally, we created a retail finance program to lower down payments and offer more flexibility to customers. The terms have been extended to include our distributors as well, so they can fill their floorplan and have units on hand for their customers.

TP: Bob, that certainly sounds like you and the Jerr-Dan team have taken the right steps to be able to keep the market moving. The Dealer Advisory Council sounds interesting; tell me how it works if you will.

Bob Nelson: We meet weekly through a video conference call with a council that is made up of distributors from across the nation. This gives us an opportunity weekly to get a snapshot of what is happening at ground level with our distributors by hearing from them and sharing information across a variety of our locations nationwide. (Jerr-Dan has over 65 distributor locations across North America).

TP: Jerr-Dan is close to 50 years old, and Oshkosh is more than 100 years old. What are your final thoughts looking forward into the market?

Bob Nelson: The companies both have been through tough times and have had to handle adversity. I am really looking forward to the challenges ahead for Jerr-Dan. My biggest concern is keeping 375 employees healthy and gainfully employed at a company that they enjoy working for. We are not here for the short term; we are here for the long term! Our employees, distributors, and customers make up the Jerr-Dan family. So, we will continue to work hard to meet our customers’ needs and exceed their expectations both during this COVID-19 crisis and well into the future.

TP: Thanks again, Bob, for your time and for giving us a glimpse inside the current operations at Jerr-Dan while you all are navigating through current challenges with the COVID-19 outbreak. Stay safe and be blessed!

COVID-19 and YOUR INSURANCE

Scott Fowler

young man in suit showing an insurance policy — a young man in suit in his office showing an insurance policy and pointing with a pen where the policyholder must to sign

We are a couple months into learning what the “new normal” is in this country with the unprecedented shutdowns and protocols put into place in response to COVID-19. Every state has a different idea of how far to take things, and it has had our lives and the economy effectively closed. Every industry has been affected whether yours is deemed necessary like towing or not. The guys in the repo towing sector have been shut down completely since in some states, the courts have not been open to sign off on replevin orders. Additionally, many banks have voluntarily worked with borrowers to keep them from defaulting in the first place. Those doing typical motor clubs and police rotation calls are still functioning. However, with stay-at-home orders, schools closed, and people working from home, it is slim pickings since traffic is almost non-existent.

So, what happens to owners who are faced with anywhere from 50 to 100% reduction in revenue? Their bills still demand payment, their employees must be dealt with, and the show must go on! There have been a great many business sectors that have stepped up to help. Most of you guys have truck payments to make whether the wheels are turning or not. Fortunately, many of your lenders have offered payment deferments and waived late fees to try to help you weather the storm. Between the state and federal governments, unemployment is taking such good care of the employees you had to lay off that they may not want to come back anytime soon. One of your biggest expenditures is your insurance. That bill keeps coming every month too, and that one is mandated to be able to operate at all. What can I do about that? Every industry in this country is interconnected with every other in some way. The insurance industry is no exception. It has been greatly affected by COVID-19 too.

All the COVID-19 government restrictions have greatly reduced the number of cars on the roads during morning and afternoon commute times because obviously hardly anyone is commuting right now. This reduces the number of broken-down vehicles needing road service, and the number of car crashes needing your services to clean up. This has negatively impacted your business, but those events are usually paid for by insurance companies. The insurance industry business has been positively impacted by the shutdowns. Claims handling is down significantly in the auto sector which translates to increased profits. Now you are thinking, “Let me get this straight- I’m struggling trying to keep my doors open, and those insurance companies are raking it in?!” It does not seem fair does it? Well the insurance industry did not think so either. Most all the major companies have refigured their rates retroactively for the affected months based on much lower mileage. They have then issued refund checks to their customers. This is not just limited to personal lines drivers. Many companies have also done the same for their commercial auto accounts too!

If you are a lucky recipient of one of these refund checks on your wrecker insurance, you were probably happy for about a nanosecond and then realized it is a drop in the bucket compared to the monthly insurance bill for 20 wreckers when you have 10 of them parked and their drivers

out on an “unemployment vacation.” You are between a rock and a hard place because the state and federal regulators say you must keep your insurance in force to be on the roadway at all. What can you do? Is there any help for you? The answer to that is “probably.” If you are struggling to make the insurance payment or have one coming up you know you cannot make, CALL YOUR AGENT! The insurance industry does not want mass cancelations of policies. It cost them a lot of money to process all the paperwork to get a policy issued. They really do not want to lose that investment. Plus, they need revenue coming in just like every other business, and they have bills to pay too. Most carriers are offering some help.

In most states, the repossession sector of towing has been hit the hardest. Many of the people that have office jobs have simply transitioned to doing that job at home on their dining room table sitting next to their sixth grader that is trying to figure out math without a teacher. These lucky people have not seen a hiccup in their income, and paying their bills is business as usual. However, people in the hands-on service fields (like restaurant workers that are traditionally on the income margins as it is and people like hair stylists and nail care workers) have been sent home with no income. Some qualify for unemployment benefits, but that is not always a cash cow. With this situation, you would think repo business would be booming–not so. Some states flat out put a moratorium on repossessions and foreclosures. Banks have been bending over backwards to help people not default on loans. The insurance companies that insure repossession towing companies understand this, and there are many tools in their box to help. Since many repo companies have parked most or all their fleet, some companies are allowing the furloughed trucks to be reclassified as “service.” This greatly decreases the rate on the affected trucks thus reducing the monthly premiums. Some carriers are also removing the “on-hook” from the trucks which will further reduce premium.

You guys doing regular non-repo towing probably want to know what help there is for you. I know a lot of companies have laid off drivers and parked most of their fleet too. With no one on the roads, there is not much call for tow trucks. Well, your insurance carrier may have some tools to help reduce your bill and keep you insured. Some insurance companies are allowing the temporary down grade in the rating from “towing” to “service” of the parked trucks just like the previous paragraph mentioned.

In some cases, “on-hook” can be removed too. Another possibility is removing collision coverage from the parked units. That can be a significant decrease in premium. This only works if the vehicle does not have a loan on it. Otherwise, you can be in violation of your finance contract, and they can put coverage of their own on it, and you really will not like that price tag! I know some of you guys out there are saying “why can’t I just take off the parked trucks entirely?” Well, the answer to that is complicated. First and most important is if you have state or federal filings, you cannot take trucks off liability coverage. That could jeopardize you with your state or FMCSA. You could get your authority suspended. If your trucks are financed through a lease situation, you cannot take liability off that vehicle, or you would be in default on the contract. The same holds true for comprehensive and collision coverage whether it is a lease or conventional loan. A word of caution here is warranted. If you take advantage of any of these downgrades to coverage, it is imperative that you inform your agent immediately when you put these units back on the road. The last thing you want is to have a claim and find out that truck has NO coverage on it because you forgot to make a call to your agent.

For you guys that do not fall into any of the previous help areas there is still help out there. In some states, their Departments of Insurance have put temporary rules in place preventing your commercial auto insurance from canceling for non-payment. Now, that is not a “forever” ban. It usually only adds another 30 days. Many insurance companies and premium finance companies are stepping up in all states, regardless of state mandate, and working with customers. I have seen finance companies allow customers to run 30 days behind with no fear of cancelation. Many are waiving late fees. In many cases, owners can make their payments. They just need a little more time because their cash flow is down to a trickle, and many are being slow paid by companies that they do business with. Help is there for the asking.

Whether you buy into this whole COVID-19 hype or not, we are all affected in some major way. I talk to owners on a regular basis because we insure many towing companies in our agency, and we are very active in our state’s towing association. You guys are an independent bunch and try to solve problems on your own. Most are no strangers to lean times. However, this in not that. This is unprecedented. Help is out there for you. All you need to do to get relief is CALL YOUR AGENT! If you are with the right agent and the right agency, that person will already know what options are available for you and how to get you the help you need to weather the storm. Be forewarned though. Downgrades to coverage and premium reductions will impact your agent financially too. Just not in a good way. If you are with the wrong agent, he may duck your calls or drag his feet getting you help or possibly tell you “my hands are tied here.” If that is happening to you, you need to start looking for another agent immediately. If you and your agent have the type of partnership you should have, he should be willing to share in the short-term financial pain with you with a focus on long-term survival and prosperity. His prosperity is directly tied to yours! If you have questions, need advice, or possibly a new agent, drop me a line at scott@kresseragency.com or my boss Hal Kresser at hal@kresseragency.com

Towing – The Future

Dan Messina

Heavy duty wrecker hauling a truck that broke down

I want to use the expression, “It can’t get any worse than it is,” but if it did get worse, well, I could not even imagine that. The past three months have been hard for the towing industry from both a revenue and employee standpoint. All companies are scrambling to keep employees and make money to pay the bills. The customers that I am going after lost 70% of their volumes. They were moving people around and cutting cost wherever they could.

My customers are motor clubs, so if the volumes were down there, I know the tow companies’ revenues were down as well since that is who a lot of tow companies tow for. The government tried to help with stimulus packages that allowed you to keep employees, but they also created a problem when they overpaid everyone to stay home, and now employees do not want to come back to work. As I finish out this year and go into next, I am optimistic about adding revenue. When this virus hit, I lost three investors that would have helped me tremendously, and I lost customers because they were trying to figure out how to move their call centers to the employee home.

Since I cannot change what happened this year, I am looking to 2021. Here are my goals for next year:

Customer Base – I am working with three customers to bring them on by the first week of June. These customers will be motor clubs that will generate tows for the tow companies in my network. I have talked to no less than 8 other potential customers, and once TowTrax goes live, the potential growth will increase tremendously. Keep in mind as I grow TowTrax, this generates tows for tow companies in my network. There is no cost for the tow company to register and use TowTrax. I will be sending you tows you never had before.

By June 1st, we want to offer TowTrax to the consumer. Imagine you are traveling anywhere in the U.S., and you breakdown. You do not have to worry about what to do. TowTrax will give you a phone number to call, and TowTrax will find a tow company to help you. Whether you are traveling cross the state or across the country, TowTrax will be there to rescue when you have car troubles.

Drivers – One of the biggest problems that face the industry today is the lack of drivers to support your business. I talked to tow companies all over the country and, they all are facing the same problem. Who will drive my truck? You can have two generations of towers in the family, and it will soon come to a halt. The family members coming up have different interests and want to do their own thing. Hiring drivers off the street is nearly impossible. They would rather make YouTube videos and other social media stuff than drive a tow truck. I am not sure that the younger generation can even change a flat much less drive a tow truck. I cannot begin to tell you how many companies told me that drivers will be our biggest problem. The good thing is they recognized it, and they want to help solve that problem.

Texas Tow Academy – By the first of the year, I hope to open our first ever tow school that is college certified. I am talking with a university now to set up a curriculum for the school and make it a credited program. I had several tow companies volunteer their services to help me with the material for the class, and some will also be instructors. As I start to roll this out, I will reach out to tow companies for suggestions and ideas on how to approach it.

I am working with several organizations on providing students or future drivers. One program is using ex-military that need a career. This would be a good source along with people coming out of prison that want to get back into the working society again. When I mentioned this, the first thing I hear is “we can’t hire convicted felons,” and in most cases that is true. The catch is thiswill be a federal program, and laws will be changed to accommodate this group of drivers.

When successful, I would like to open at least four more schools across the U.S. When this works, I know I will get a lot of help from tow companies nationwide because we all need drivers. I will keep you posted on the progress of this program.

Driver Certifications – One thing that will change in 2021 is the type of car being manufactured. There will be several types that will require a certain way to be towed. An electric car is a good example. If not hooked up properly, you could get electrocuted. High-end cars also require certain instructions on how to hookup to prevent damages.

What I want to do is set up certain certification programs to educate your existing drivers on changes next year. I talked to a company in Chicago last week, and he showed me at least 15 different types of certifications mostly coming from dealerships that require the know how to tow their cars. We will discuss further once I get started. I do want to highlight that I do not want to interfere with associations which are offering towing education. I want to be a support and resource to the association by creating programs they can offer through their association to generate revenue.

Revenue Program – TowTrax set up a new program that allows the tow company to generate a new revenue stream. I learned a long time ago you can only make so much money with your hands, and then you must use the old noggin. I set up a few companies already in this new program. Not only will they add revenue through the program, but they will also get tows they never had before. If you would like to know more about this revenue program, give me a call or e-mail me at dan@towtrax.net

As you can see, I have my work cut out for me over the next 12 months, but I am looking forward to it because I get to work closely with the industry. Things will get better, so be safe and wash your hands.

The Aftermath of a Business and Personal Tragedy

James E. Lewis

Many of you may have read my earlier article, “This One Got to Me,” about an older gentleman who experienced both a business and personal tragedy. He was out of Mississippi and tried to tow a loaded U-Haul truck with a 1974 Dodge and single-line sling assembly when the line broke causing the U-Haul truck to separate from the tow unit. The U-Haul truck crashed into concrete barriers to the left of the freeway lanes, and the Dodge went into the ditch. The sling assembly was torn off the Dodge and stayed in the freeway lanes. Quickly after the sling assembly landed, a lady ran over it, causing her car to flip and wreck which resulted in her sustaining major injuries.

As expected, a lawsuit was filed, and as expected, attorneys for the injured woman named several parties in the suit: Dodge, U-Haul, Wellesley, the wrecker unit manufacturer, the towing company, and the tow driver himself. Dodge made the truck in 1974 and surely was not liable. U-Haul simply contacted their tow vendor and expected service aligned with their vendor agreement. Wellesley went out of business in 1984. This left the tow company and the tow driver. The tow driver had chosen to use his old, beat-up, worn-out truck instead of two others that were incredibly more capable and safer that the company had authorized him to use. Because of his actions, the sole responsibility of the wreck and injuries were laid around his neck like an unwelcome wreath or Olympic medal.

I attended the deposition of the tow driver, and it was one of the saddest moments of my life. I saw the older man as he realized that he was solely responsible for his multiple mistakes, and that he would likely pay for everything himself–and he did. The settlement was for $1.2 million; his farm, land, house, and vehicles were liquidated to pay the settlement, and he still came up $300,000 short! Consequently, when he passes, his life insurance will also go to the injured woman and not to his family. This is why I get so upset when I see shortcuts being taken and the attitude of “it won’t happen to me” or “I haven’t lost one yet.”

A man who shares my attitude on these things is Brian Riker of Fleet Compliance Solutions. Brian is also an expert witness in towing and trucking liability scenarios. Based in Pennsylvania, Brian has been an integral part of both the towing and trucking industries. For the towing industry, he most recently participated in a series of legislative advocacy-action conferences in Washington, DC, and assisted in writing hours of service regulations at the national level. Brian holds safety- and business-related seminars at tow shows and other trade events and works in the industry every day either moving equipment, advising company owners, making sure companies are compliant, or giving advice to others in the towing industry. I have known Brian for twenty years, and I ran this case by him initially and again recently as we discussed ideas to share with towing company owners and managers to hopefully prevent an incident like this from happening with other drivers.

We both know that many employees (and some company owners) have a calloused attitude about liability, thinking they are protected by some “magic umbrella” their employer owns. They are not, of course. The “magic umbrella” does not exist. If an employee is negligent or takes a shortcut against industry standards and an accident results, the employee alone is liable. Brian and I both still cannot imagine going home to own our wives and families and explaining to them that we will be losing our houses and cars because either one of us decided to take a shortcut at our individual workplaces, someone got hurt, and now we are getting sued as a family. Can you imagine having that discussion with your family?

As I informally interviewed Brian, he came up with some great statements and suggestions to address this type of situation reducing the likelihood that a tower will have to have that conversation with his or her spouse or family one day. Brian said:

“Control of liability is important to both business owners and employees alike. As a business owner, I cannot stress enough how important it is to train your employees and to clearly document it when you do. Without documentation, it did not happen! I have been called to defend or investigate trucking and towing company owners when their actions or the actions of their employee led to an injury or death. Often, I find a weak spot in their training program or their record-keeping process.”

Based on Brian’s observation, it seems this whole incident centers around training and communication. He also said:

“In the towing industry training is spoken about often, both formal and in-house programs. Training is not expensive, it is priceless. Many times, I am told by owners they would love to train their team, but as soon as they do, the good ones leave. Yes, this may happen; however, that does not relieve you of the duty to provide training for the safety of the public, your team, and your customers.”

We have heard that before, haven’t we? “What if I pay for training, and they leave??” I have a scarier question: “What if I do not train them, and they STAY?” We came to a mutual agreement on training, adding OSHA-related matters to normal training. Brian summed it up well:

“As an industry, towers focus on below-the-hook training, meaning the cool stuff like rollovers, winch outs, and crash response. There is so much more to prepare for, stuff that is a much larger part of the typical tow operator’s daily routine, such as tire changes, jump starts, invoicing, or even how to properly wear a safety vest. Contrary to popular belief, towing is not exempt from OSHA. In fact, workplace safety for the towing industry is regulated by multiple state and federal agencies, not just OSHA. Towers are covered under OSHA general industry, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Federal Highway Administration as well as various state level Department of Transportation worksite standards. Further, if we are working on or near waterways, airports, military bases, or railroads, there are even more agencies that have a say in our workplace safety. Each have their own set of standards to follow and required training to demonstrate basic competency.”

I am not interested in over-simplifying this incident or the ramifications afterward, but I hope we can all learn something from it. Most people do not train their employees. If they do, it is a few minutes here or there, and nothing is documented. Screaming curse words at an employee and telling them they did something wrong ISN’T training, it is preparing that employee to run like hell from you and look for another job.

Train. Document. Observe. Retrain and emphasize. Trust me when I tell you that you DO have time and money for training. You can spend it now, or you can spend it on a lawsuit later after a catastrophic event. The choice is yours.

Tow Truck Locator – Digital Buying Process

Darian Weaver

Economic and Social Effect

“In just a few weeks, the novel coronavirus has undone a century’s worth of our economic and social habits.” (Dubner, 3/18/20, Freakonomics Radio). Dubner assembled a panel to discuss the impact: Nicholas Bloom, Professor of Economics at Stanford University; Toby Moskowitz, Professor of Finance and Economics at Yale University; and Marshall Burke, Environmental Economist at Standard University. The panel agreed that beyond the economic effects to business, there will also be social effects.

Effective Digital Presence

Over the past decade, the automotive industry has experienced a digital transformation in their customer’s vehicle buying approach (DMI Daily Digest). Where visiting the nearest dealership to browse inventory was the first step in years past, today consumers are using digital technology to help them shop various models and options. “Consumers have become avid fact-checkers and will usually browse many sites before making a decision…. With an average of 10+ hours being spent on online research alone, it’s important to have the information on your site as accurate and accessible as possible (MAX Digital, 2016)”. Digital changes such as on-line shopping and research also involves changes in the customer experience such as video marketing, digital advertising and use of mobile devices to pursue information (DMI Daily Digest).

Digital Marketing Strategies

As a Tow Truck Dealer in a niche industry, you may not think this applies to you. As President and Managing Director of Tow Truck Locator LLC, my staff and I deal with tow truck owners and dealers daily. Social distancing is raising awareness that integrating digital technologies and social media strategies into marketing strategy is vital. The key to embarking on or improving digital transformation is understanding the fundamentals of the digital world, to launch effective marketing campaigns and influence customers through social selling techniques. “Ultimately, the goal of digital techniques should be to ensure the buyer journey is interactive, engaging, and enjoyable (DMI Daily Digest).”

Tow Truck Locator Solution

Tow Truck Locator is an online advertising system for tow trucks and tow industry parts/services. In addition to the national reach of the Internet, we offer social media exposure to our dealer-clients via Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We will also assist you with social media management to grow your integration into the digital world.

For more information, visit towtrucklocator.com

Sources:

Dubner, Stephen J. The Side Effects of Social Distancing {Ep. 409} broadcast March 18, 2020 at 11:00 pm.
https://freakonomics.com/podcast/covid-19-effects/

DMI Daily Digest. 5 Ways Digital is Transforming the Car Buying Experience. https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/en-us/blog/5-ways-digital-is-transforming-the-car-buying-experience

MAX Digital. Evolve Your Sales Process: Learn the 4 Steps of Modern Car Buying. November 10, 2016.
https://maxdigital.com/blog/evolve-sales-process-learn-4-steps-modern-car-buying/

Hino Trucks Announces “Ultimate Confidence” Initiative

Darian Weaver

Hagerstown, MD – Hino Trucks has acknowledged that the rapidly changing global health emergency is creating uneven economic effects across all industries. In response, Hino is introducing the Ultimate Confidence Initiative meant to strengthen and support our customers’ businesses.

NO PAYMENTS AND NO INTEREST UNTIL JANUARY 2021

Hino Trucks, in conjunction with Toyota Industries Commercial Finance, is offering our customers a No Payment in 2020 option. Subject to credit approval on applications made by August 31, 2020, this financing opportunity is available on all new Hino models.

SERVICE IS ON US IN 2020!

Customers who take advantage of the No Payments and No Interest in 2020 option will also have all of their required maintenance covered in 2020 through December 31st! This exclusive benefit takes ownership value to new heights and removes the worry and cost of servicing a fleet.

HINOCARE – 90 DAY EXTENSION

Our current, complimentary HinoCare planned maintenance program for Hino’s cabover lineup (155, 195, M4, M5 models) already helps customers stay on schedule and on budget. Now, customers with this preventive service care program on their current cabover trucks or HinoCare that was purchased for their conventional trucks (258, 268, 338, L6, L7 models), will have a 90-day extension added to the end date of their services. It’s just one more way to add continued value and keep these trucks safely on the road longer.

“The COVID-19 situation has resulted in unprecedented financial challenges to our customers’ livelihoods and Hino is pleased to offer positive changes that effect their bottom line,” said Glenn Ellis, Sr. Vice President of Customer Experience. “Our philosophy has always had a strong focus on the customer, and with the launch of the Ultimate Confidence Initiative, our goal is to support our partners even more to get through these challenges.”

Thousands of Hino truck owners have experienced the quality, dependability, and economy of Hino products. With the support of this new initiative, Hino is providing the confidence and purchasing power fleet owners need to maintain operations and expand their fleet.

“This customer-focused financing and service package will provide businesses the momentum they need to weather this storm,” continued Ellis. “We will continue to support our dealers and customers, so that when this crisis is over, they are ready for the opportunities ahead.”

For more information about how to take advantage of these new programs, contact any one of over 240 Hino dealers nationwide at www.hino.com/dealers.html.

HAAS Alert and the Towing and Recovery Association of America (TRAA) New Partnership

Darian Weaver

HAAS Alert and the Towing and Recovery Association of America (TRAA) announced a new partnership today to improve safety and prevent collisions for towing professionals. Under the agreement, TRAA members will have access to exclusive fleet benefits with Safety Cloud®, the industry-leading collision prevention service for emergency responders and roadside workers developed by HAAS Alert. To support the towing community further, TRAA non-members with eligibly sized fleets that equip Safety Cloud will also receive a year of complimentary TRAA membership.

Collisions and struck-by incidents are the leading cause of death for towing and recovery professionals. Even though all 50 states in the US have Move Over laws, an average of one tow truck driver is killed every six days, and eight towers in the US have already been killed in the first two months of 2020. TRAA and HAAS Alert are committed to addressing this urgent challenge by partnering together to help towers nationwide equip their vehicles with Safety Cloud.

Safety Cloud enables tow trucks and other first responder vehicles to send real-time digital alerts to drivers as they approach active incidents. A small device installed in the truck sends vehicle location data to Safety Cloud, which then delivers alerts to nearby motorists through the Waze app on their mobile devices, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, or compatible vehicle infotainment systems, giving them time to react before they reach the incident. Since launching more than two years ago, the Safety Cloud has processed more than 100 million driver alerts. The new partnership between TRAA and HAAS Alert will provide towing operators with valuable protection and benefits including premium fleet pricing and TRAA member support.

Cynthia Martineau, TRAA’s Executive Director, said of the partnership, “We’re excited to be working with HAAS Alert and believe that Safety Cloud provides towers an effective layer of additional protection from approaching drivers, many of whom are simply not paying attention to the roadway. HAAS Alert shares our goal of promoting the wellness and interests of towers, and we look forward to working together in the months ahead to make roads safer for our members and the communities they serve.”

HAAS Alert CEO and founder Cory Hohs said, “Towing is a critical part of emergency response, and every one of us relies on tow truck operators when we need assistance. These operators have one of the highest on-the-job fatality rates in the country, and they deserve more protection than they have today to ensure they can do their job safely. Partnering with TRAA means we can reach more towers than ever, enable them to prevent these collisions from occurring, and finally start solving this problem.

Jerr-Dan® Names Bob Nelson Vice President and General Manager

Darian Weaver

Hagerstown, MD – Jerr-Dan, an Oshkosh Corporation company (NYSE:OSK) and the single brand leader in the towing and recovery industry, announces the appointment of Bob Nelson as the company’s new vice president and general manager. Nelson brings to the position over 25 years’ experience in sales and distribution management, as well as a deep knowledge of both business-to-business and manufacturing operations.

“For more than two decades, Bob has contributed to the long-term success of our organization through his efforts at JLG®. I look forward to seeing how he advances the towing and recovery side of our business in his new leadership role,” said Frank Nerenhausen, executive vice president, Oshkosh Corporation and president, access equipment segment. “His commercial business acumen and vision for growth will position Jerr-Dan for continued success.”

After beginning his career in sales for a nationally recognized rental company, Nelson started selling SkyTrak® telehandlers. After being tapped by SkyTrak to serve as a regional sales manager, Nelson was named Southeast district sales manager when JLG acquired SkyTrak in 1998. He was later promoted to regional vice president for the Mid-Atlantic region, where his career continued its upward trajectory. In 2010, he was named vice president of North American sales.

Over the years, Nelson has received numerous accolades for his sales performance, receiving three prestigious JLG sales awards including Rookie of the Year, Salesman of the Year, and the John L. Grove Leadership Award.

“I am honored to lead the future growth and expansion of Jerr-Dan,” said Nelson. “We will continue to grow Jerr-Dan’s market leadership across the towing and recovery industry through increased market share, expansion of aftermarket offerings, and widening of our distributor base in support of international expansion.”

Nelson is a graduate of Purdue University and is a resident of Winchester, Virginia.

About Jerr-Dan

JerrDan, LLC, an Oshkosh Corporation [NYSE: OSK] company, is a leading manufacturer of towing and recovery equipment. Its full line includes light-, medium- and heavy-duty carriers and wreckers, industrial transporters, and four-car carriers. 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.

To learn more about Jerr-Dan, visit www.jerrdan.com.

About Oshkosh Corporation

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 more than 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®, Frontline™, Jerr-Dan®, Oshkosh® Airport Products, CON-E-CO® and London™.

For more information, visit oshkoshcorp.com.

Clore Automotive – JNCAIR 12V Jump Starter / Portable Power Supply / Air Compressor

Darian Weaver

The JNCAIR takes multi-function professional jump starting to the highest level. It features our exclusive Clore PROFORMER battery technology, specifically designed for vehicle jump starting. It delivers high peak amps, extended cranking power, numerous jumps per charge, and a long service life. Plus, with automatic charging from a built-in charger, extra-long cables and a rubberized base that won’t mar a vehicle surface, the JNCAIR is as convenient as it is powerful. Its integrated Air Delivery System can fill a 15” vehicle tire from flat in four minutes, features a 12’ coiled air hose, utilizes an accurate and easy-to-read gauge and has a screw-on chuck that won’t scratch customer wheels. Includes a coupon for a one-time, fixed-fee ($150) out-of-warranty repair, no matter how old the unit is or why it is broken. Simply box it up and send it to us with a check for the coupon amount, and we will repair or replace it, even if it is five or seven years old. Power you can depend on, that’s Jump-N-Carry!

For more information, visit www.cloreautomotive.com.

Collins Manufacturing – Collins Hi-Speed®Dolly 6th Generation Self-Loading Dolly

Darian Weaver

SAFEST

Safety First! Safety RatchetSystem — for Tower Safety — Prevents accidents and provides more options in difficult environments, (like snow, ice, gravel, slopes, tight spaces), when loading.

MOST SERVICEABLE

No expensive replacements or repairs — no cutting, welding or downtime. Replace damaged parts on the spot with common hand tools in just minutes.

LIGHTEST

Heavy‐duty. Light‐weight. Industry’s lightest‐weight dolly. Weighing only 54 lbs. with static load capacity at nearly 80x its own weight (4,280 lbs. with 5.70×8 tires).

Collins Carrier Dolly System

An innovation borrowed from Collins’ early designs — the Damage‐Free solution to loading Carriers: Rolling instead of dragging up the bed.

CLEARANCE

High‐Ends and Low Profiles. Carrier Dolly lifts vehicles higher off the ground to easily clear carrier bed with low load angles.

DAMAGE‐FREE

Damage‐Free Loading. No hooks, chains or cables ever touch the vehicle. Vehicles simply ride the dollies up and down the bed.

WIDE‐RANGE

Load hybrids, high‐end, electric, all‐wheel or fourwheel drive vehicles with nohook points. The Carrier Dolly System also doubles as a motorcycle dolly.

For more information, visit www.collinsdollies.com.

Will-Burt Night Scan HDT

Darian Weaver

The Night Scan HDT as been developed to meet the unique needs of the Recovery and Towing industry. Heavy wreckers and rotators benefit from the maximum height and light output of the Night Scan HDT Powerlite. The Powerlite version is available as a surface-mount folding version when there is sufficient space or a vertically-mounted model that requires only a 12” x 12” space for installation. Both are 15’ tall when extended, have dual-tilt light heads that cast 120,000 lumens of LED light in all directions to insure you don’t miss a thing. The height of the six Night Scan XL200 LED lights turns night into day and will not blind your crew.

Oncoming traffic will be alerted to the scene from a safe distance. Night Scan HDT comes with everything needed for installation. The major truck manufacturers can install the light tower during a new build or the light tower can be installed by dealer or upfitter. They can even be installed on older equipment by your own shop. Best of all, no generator is needed to power the light tower – the efficient Night Scan XL200 LED lamps operate from your truck’s power system. Night Scan HDT is available in smaller sizes for rollbacks and tow trucks, and we also offer a full range of specialized LED lighting for every vehicle.

www.nightscan.com

GuniWheel

Darian Weaver

We’re excited to introduce a revolutionary new tool for the towing industry. GUNIWHEEL™ is the world’s first universal fitting vehicle-mounting system in a tire and wheel design. With GUNIWHEEL™, you can safely mount and move any vehicle that has damaged or missing wheels and tires. GUNIWHEEL™ is a simple solution with no moving parts. It is a solid steel wheel with an airless polyurethane rubber exterior. It’s patented universal fitting lug-pattern system easily mounts on all current passenger vehicles thereby reducing the need to carry multiple spare tires or “donuts” to move vehicles onto tow trucks and trailers.

Weighing in at 34 lbs. and a 24.5” D x 3” W, GUNIWHEEL™ is a compact solution to keep inside your towing compartment or neatly stacked on your tow bed. Each GUNIWHEEL™ can hold up to 2,500 lbs. and is strong enough to install on all four hub-wheel hub locations. They have a max speed of 5 mph and are primarily used to move vehicles onto lifts or tow beds. GUNIWHEEL™ comes in two versions: GUNIWHEEL™ 45 for 4 & 5 lug pattern vehicles, and GUNIWHEEL™ 56 for trucks and larger SUVs. At GUNIWHEEL™, we say, “No Wheels? NO PROBLEM!”

For more information, call 1-888-554-6464 or www.guniwheel.com.

3 Solutions from TowMate

Darian Weaver

TM-FLUX

With the fastest charge of any wireless tow light, no batteries to replace EVER, and a life span of millions of charges, this light bar will make all your other tow lights pale in comparison. Made in the USA, and includes the TowMate lifetime warranty.

MO37Li

Feature-packed, long-lasting power and MADE IN THE USA. The MO37Li packs wireless STT, strobe, worklight, and traffic control all-in-one heavy-duty light bar. Includes the TowMate lifetime warranty.

PCX61U w/Touchscreen

Our new PCX overhead light bars are the new industry standard for emergency and industrial lighting. Made from a solid aluminum extrusion, multi-color strobe function, wireless STT that controls your TowMate tow lights, and controllable via our touchscreen controller; this is the future of vehicle lighting.

For more information, visit www.towmate.com

Ownership Exit Strategies

Darian Weaver

What will I do with my business? That answer will have a great and permanent impact in regard to quality of retirement, family values, various tax implications and employee morale! The highest priority in answering this question is planning. The plan for a business transfer needs to be well thought out. There is not a simple nor a single answer.

A report last year by the U.S. Small Business Administration found that small business owners over age 50 were significantly less likely than their employees to have pension or retirement plans, including 401(k)s on their current jobs…

“An owner might be maxing out a 401k and IRA, but the rest of his cash goes into supporting his lifestyle and the company … So, the problem gets bigger—they just haven’t effectively diversified their wealth,”

Many of our clients are facing this dilemma right now. Their businesses are performing better in 2019 than they have in years (in some cases as far back as 2007), and the notion of selling now is being paired off against the idea that the business may be worth even more in five years.

Why doesn’t that make sense? First, you have most (if not all) of your life savings tied up in a highly illiquid asset. That places you at tremendous risk from both an economic standpoint (how many businesses failed during the last recession?) and from a personal standpoint (disease, death, and divorce are just some of the big D’s you are facing). In addition, we have found a large segment of the next generation wants nothing to do with ownership in the business having experienced their parents 24/7 commitment.

During a business transfer some of the issues you need to consider are:

How to acquire fair market value from my business. Remember you are selling a revenue stream in addition to your hard assets. This is often overlooked.
Capital gains taxes at federal/state rates can be as high as 30%. These taxes in some scenarios can be eliminated or deferred.
The recapture tax of IRS section 179 and accelerated depreciation deductions at ordinary tax rates can be devastating!
Key successor management needs to be identified and in place. If not, business failure typically follows.

Your first major step is to begin the planning process. This typically takes a minimum of two years.

Get Your House in Order

Is my financial house and back room in order. Do I have a history of financial documents? Will they accurately state the financial strength and position of my business? Three to four years of these documents will give the owner a thumbnail sketch of the company’s worth.

EBITDA

Determining the value of your business is generally based on cash flow.

That is earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization.

We look at EBITDA or cash flow for those three to four years and then come up with a one-year average. A multiplier (a number indicating the business sector’s future cash flow) is then applied to the cash flow and this will give us a preliminary thumbnail view of the value of your business. For example, in the Transportation Industry that multiplier can be 6 to 8 times EBITDA.

Value of Your Assets

Next, the value of the company’s assets is considered. If hard assets such as fleets, equipment or real estate: how new are they? Have they been well maintained and how do they operate?

As a buyer or an investor, I need to know how much more capital may be needed to maintain the business and keep it growing.

Do I need to get outside professional appraisals on my assets? Will equipment need to get replaced soon? If I have a large truck or van fleet what is the mileage and aging of the fleet? Does mandated technology need to be upgraded? How much money as an investor will I need to spend to upgrade or replace equipment or fleet?

Contracts

How many contracts does my business hold?

Are they private or government contracts, state, local, and municipal? When will they expire?

The answers to these contract issues can significantly raise or lower the value of your business.

Client Mix

A mix of revenue sources affects value! How many clients or customers do you have?

If a single customer generates more than 10 to 15 percent of the company’s revenue, this will have a negative impact on a business value. If a business is bought and that single customer leaves and revenue drops 10 to 15 percent, all or most of the profit has left the business.

That’s one of the top things lenders look at very closely: What percentage do your customers represent as revenue?

Location

Location, location, location- a key location can add value.

Enjoy the fruits of your lifetime labor!

Don’t let your business go up in smoke from a lack of planning.

In summary, it’s never too early to start planning for your retirement and the legacy of your business. Seek professional counsel as to the current status of it, what processes and procedures need to be put in place, and what options exist for you to extract value for your hard work into retirement. Acting now, might save you value and frustration later.

Steve Ridgley
Pathfinder USA- EVP
2005 Lake Point Way, Suite 201
Louisville, KY 40223
877-332-0228
www.pathfinder-usa.com

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