Jerr-Dan Sliding Winch System

The Jerr-Dan Sliding winch is a system that allows the entire recovery winch at the front of a carrier bed to move side to side over most of the bed width in order to load vehicles, as straight as possible, onto the bed. While this innovation is fairly unique to Jerr-Dan in the US market, there is a growing need for operators to use this specialty system as the automotive industry increases production of vehicles with only offset tow-eyes in the front and rear bumpers.

These tow eyes are very popular in European-manufactured cars, as well as most luxury and sports cars. And, this design style is becoming more prevalent on everyday vehicles coming into the market both domestically and internationally. Tow eyes are designed to sustain a very limited amount of angled pull: both “side to side” and “up and down.” The Jerr-Dan sliding winch system is designed to work within those angles, with a system that contains a winch that moves in its entirety, which helps with self-centering before loading and allows for the winch to float freely during winching.

This innovative design permits an operator to tow without incurring damage to the vehicle. The sliding winch system from Jerr-Dan provides the operator with better control of a damaged vehicle as it is winched onto a carrier bed without the need of additional side pullers or snatch blocks. Without the need for additional equipment, the operator can be more efficient, ideally spending less time on the scene, with less equipment to carry and potentially less fatigue on the job.

Originally created to meet the needs of exotic cars with side pull points, the sliding winch system provides flexibility for operators to tow cars of any design. The Sliding Winch System is currently offered on all new Jerr-Dan Standard-Duty and Medium-Duty Car Carrier models and can be added to your existing Standard- or Medium-Duty Carrier.

For more information, visit www.jerrdan.com

TRAA’s 2020 Legislative Action Workshop

Darian Weaver

It was a beautiful day in Washington, D.C. when I landed March 10, 2020. I was excited about the week to come and curious about what I would experience. TRAA had some of the top towing elite arrive in town to attend on Wednesday. The week began with a “Legislative Action” workshop featuring Congressman Jim McGovern and the Tremont Strategies group, Chet Atkins and staff.

Tremont Strategies, overseen by Chet Atkins, came on just over a year ago to work as the lobbyist for TRAA. Chet Atkins was the youngest ever to be elected to the House of Representatives in 1970. In 1972, Chet was elected to the Massachusetts State Senate and has chaired the Ways and Means Committee. He brings a wealth of knowledge to the table to ensure that all towers nationwide are having their voice heard!

Chet Atkins’ staff briefed us all on the importance of having a unified mission when meeting with legislators. He said a good strategy would be to know our talking points, educate when needed, remember to thank them for their work, and most importantly ask them for their support, so our voices may be heard! The staff worked diligently to ensure that all the Thursday meetings with legislators set for TRAA and owners were kept.

We were then greeted by Congressman Jim McGovern. Jim was elected to the House of Representatives in 1996 and in 2001 took a seat on the House Rules Committee. Jim had attended last year’s meeting and had a great understanding for our industry. He is a man that not only listened, but acted, and I can say he has a heart for our industry and towers. Over the next few days, Jim McGovern, while working on passing and funding the coronavirus bill, made many trips back and forth from the Capitol for us. He would just come and sit down and have dinner to make sure our needs were being met and our appointments were being kept assuring our visit would be successful.

Thursday morning, the day of our meeting with legislators, became an interesting day to say the least. All of Washington began to implode with threats of the coronavirus, and people started filing out of the Capitol and leaving D.C. first thing that morning. Tremont Strategies staff burned up the phone and ensured that as people left Washington in droves, that our meetings, all but a few, were kept.

“On a day filled with chaos fueled by fears from the coronavirus, towers along with the key members of the TRAA board met with 24 plus legislators from 12 states to voice their needs and concerns for the towing industry.”

Topics discussed with legislators were:

Support for federal “Move Over” Law efforts
Support passage for the Drivers Safe Act
Hours of Service
Amending Regulations that limit a tower’s ability to respond effectively on the interstate system. (The 2015 Fast Act attempted to do this; however, the language need to be clarified.)

TRAA submitted and supported the changes to 23 U.S.C. 127, so that the new language used to clarify this bill for towers would be included during the next highway bill reauthorization.

On a day filled with chaos fueled by fears from the coronavirus, towers along with the key members of the TRAA board met with 24 plus legislators from 12 states to voice their needs and concerns for the towing industry. The afternoon following meeting with legislators was topped off with a 2-hour legislative open house. Speakers that attended were: Representative Anthony Brindisi, Representative Chris Pappas, and Representative Cindy Axe. All three representatives listened to the concerns and fears offered from our towers, TRAA, and Auto Return’s Jon Borowski. They all explained that they have a better understanding of our wants and needs and pledged their support to help pass bills that will serve and protect our industry.

I also learned this week about the specifics of what it takes to turn a bill into law; it is a long extensive process that takes working back and forth with your legislators and their staff. This past week (whether you were a member of TRAA or not) the TRAA, along with key tow company owners, voiced your needs and concerns directly to your state legislators. I must say, if you are not involved with your state legislators and a member of your state association, you are backing up! It is hard to complain about what is going on in your industry when you have not registered your voice. If you are not a part of your state association, join and be active. I also recommend joining your national association and taking part in next year’s legislative workshop. The only way to make change is by stepping up and putting in the work to do so. The most rewarding part is seeing it happen; your name will be remembered as not just another worker in this industry, but a leader that strived to make changes that would positively affect this industry for years to come!

If we are going to change minds and change perspectives on our industry, we must get involved. You men and women are the professionals; who is better to have their voice heard than you? So, let’s get active on the local level and national level with our associations. Next year, I would love to see all 50 states represented by a constituent and meetings being held with all legislators. This is how you make change–by being active, so make your voice heard!

PRIME and COVID-19

Darian Weaver

The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the way all of us live and do business. Prime is aware that policyholders are facing unprecedented hardships and understands the importance of maintaining insurance coverage. Prime is honoring all state-declared moratoriums on cancellations for non-payment. Prime is requesting that any policyholder that is unable to fulfill their normal premium payment obligations due to the impacts of COVID-19 to please contact us and we will work together to find solutions to this temporary upheaval. Potential solutions include:

• Suspending coverage or canceling and amending policies without penalty

• Modifying payment terms, including extensions of premium grace periods and waiving late payment fees

• Providing a continuation of coverage on expiring policies

• Deferring any non-renewal underwriting actions and/or

• Rescinding policies with future effective dates

We will evaluate the individual needs of each policyholder and customize a solution for them. We are available 24/7 and look forward to hearing from you by phone at 877.243.8181 or via email at quotes@primeis.com. During this time of challenge and uncertainty, Prime remains committed to serving the needs of its policyholders and producers.

For more information, visit www.primeis.com

Loans Available for Small Businesses – Act Now

Darian Weaver

The CARES Act (H.R. 748) authorized two Small Business Administration (SBA) programs providing federal money to allow you to keep your employees on payroll during the COVID-19 emergency and can provide low-interest loans with no personal guarantee.

These programs were funded with over $350 billion. There should not be an issue of the funding running out for these loans and grants, however, there is an overwhelming demand for them and individuals who submit their applications later will likely face delays in processing their applications.

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

This is a loan equal to 10 weeks’ worth of payroll costs (excluding employees who make over $100k) that converts into a grant if the borrower keeps all pre-crisis (before Feb 15th) employees on the payroll through an eight week period after the loan is granted. If employees are laid off, borrowers are responsible for a portion of the loan proportional to the salary of the laid-off employees. A full conversion from loan into a grant can occur if the borrower eliminates the reduction in employees and wages by June 30th, 2020. Any business with less than 500 employees may apply.

You will need to apply through your own bank if they are qualified SBA lender. See your bank’s website to determine whether they are a qualified SBA lender.

The PPP loan application and more information are available on the U.S. Department of Treasury site. Lenders may begin processing loan applications as soon as Friday, April 3, 2020. Contact your SBA lender ASAP for more information.

Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)

These are up to $2 million loans with a maximum fixed interest rate of 3.75% and loan terms of up to a maximum 30 year repayment period to be used to meet costs such as payroll, rent, mortgage etc, that cannot be met as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Terms are determined on a case-by-case basis based on the borrower’s ability to repay. No personal guarantees required. Collateral is required for loans of over $25,000 but the SBA will not decline a loan because of lack of collateral and will only require applicants to pledge collateral that is available.

There is currently a nationwide disaster declaration and small businesses in all U.S. states and territories are eligible to apply. In addition to applying for the EIDL loan, when submitting their EIDL application, applicants can also apply for a $10,000 loan advance. This “loan advance” is paid out within three days of a successfully submitted application and does not need to be repaid, even if the pending EIDL application is subsequently denied.

These loans are administered directly through the SBA, not through your bank. The application can be found here.

About Towing and Recovery Association of America, Inc.

Founded in 1979 in Kansas City, Missouri TRAA is the umbrella trade group and national voice of the towing and recovery industry, which is estimated to include more than 35,000 towing businesses in the United States. TRAA’s membership includes professionals from the United States, Canada, Japan and New Zealand. TRAA is a 501 (c)(6) nonprofit membership national towing association, governed by a representative board of directors whose officers are elected from the membership.

TRAA represents the interests of the towing and recovery industry on Capitol Hill, sponsoring annual events and meetings that are attended by members as well as state association officers and leaders. TRAA also produces an array of educational products supporting professionalism in towing and recovery and in business management.

For more information, visit traaonline.com

Golight’s Stryker ST Series Offers an Enhanced Feature Set That Meets and Exceeds Industry Demands

Darian Weaver

Founded in 1994, Golight, Inc. continues to set the industry standard in remote-controlled lighting today. Based in Culbertson, NE, the company has lights in service around the world. New technologies and new models are constantly under development, and Golight remains committed to delivering durable, versatile performance guaranteed. The company pledges to keep its eye on the future while embracing innovations in the lighting industry, to design and manufacture the highest quality products in the marketplace, and to stand behind its products with unparalleled warranties and service. Golight Inc. is proud to announce the New Stryker ST Series.

The Stryker ST Series is the culmination of continuous field studies and voice-of-the-customer research that identified desired functional enhancements across the company’s broad land and marine markets. Some new features in the Stryker ST line include:

Multiple Unit Selector Function: Allows for independent control of 2 units with 1 remote
Home Position Function: On-Command return to 0° home
New Wireless Technology Benefits including: Simultaneous Pan + Tilt; Multiple users can operate lights in close proximity without interference.
Smart Programming Logic: Quick and simple pairing without dipswitches
Fluorescent Remote Buttons

The Stryker ST’s newly designed remote-control unit is as simple to operate as it is intelligent. Large buttons are easy to access even with gloved hands, and fluorescent iconography makes the controller buttons legible in dark or low-light conditions. Now powered by two regular AAA batteries, the controller is more convenient to maintain than ever.

The Stryker ST comes standard with 12-volt electrical system compatibility and is available with 24-volt compatibility. The lamps come with either LED or halogen light sources.

The LED Stryker ST lamp employs 10 high-flux LEDs, producing an industry-leading 544,000-candela beam projecting to a maximum distance of 4,839 feet. The halogen Stryker ST lamp produces a 225,000-candela beam projecting to a maximum distance of 3,113 feet.

The Stryker ST is available in a permanent-mount model with a stainless-steel mounting bracket and a portable model with a magnetic base. There is also a magnetic base adapter kit that allows users to install a Stryker ST with a magnetic base to a non-magnetic surface, such as aluminum. An optional remote-control holster is also available.

Both LED and halogen lamps come with a five-year unlimited warranty. Like all its products, the Stryker ST Series lamps are supported by Golight’s unparalleled customer service department, which prides itself on accessibility and effectiveness.

For more information, please visit http://www.golight.com.

Industry Report Highlights Adoption of Emergency Lighting In Response to Increasing Roadway Fatalities

Darian Weaver

A 2019 Emergency Responder Safety Institute (ERSI) report stressed the importance of elevating scene lighting.

In the first two weeks of 2020, seven roadway responders were struck and killed by vehicles. That’s seven lives in 14 days with three of those lives belonging to tow truck drivers.

In an era of distracted drivers, tow companies are adopting new emergency lighting and vehicle conspicuity practices to better alert drivers and divert oncoming traffic away from the scene. The Emergency Responder Safety Institute (ERSI) recently released a report summarizing 44 struck-by fatalities of U.S. roadway responders in 2019, the first report of its kind to include mobile mechanics and tow truck drivers among first responders. Another study, analyzing data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, found that 191 tow workers were killed between 2011 and 2016 with 64 percent of those deaths being attributed to motor vehicle incidents. So, what can be done? As part of the 35-page report, the ERSI suggested several mitigation strategies:

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF APPARATUS TRAFFIC ADVISORS

The ERSI documented a number of organizations that have adopted traffic advisors, lit amber/yellow arrows sticks that improve visibility and give clear direction to approaching motorists. Additionally, the report recommended multi-level or high-rise light systems above obstructing views and to create visibility farther away from the scene. While some advisors utilized directional pulsing light bars, the study found that large arrow boards were especially effective at diverting motorists away from the scene.

Command Light, an industry leader in emergency scene lighting for more than 25 years, manufactures a series of Traffic Flow Boards that can rotate up to 360 degrees, giving drivers the ability to direct the advisor toward oncoming traffic as they position the rig for recovery operations. When not in use, these Traffic Flow Boards fold down for a low-profile design. Command Light offers three different traffic pattern variations powered by 12V DC.

THE USE OF LIGHT TOWERS FURTHER ENHANCE ROADSIDE SAFETY

Traffic flow boards can help divert traffic away from responders.

The report also addressed bright white lights, which often cause glare and visibility problems for crews and motorists when these LEDs are not properly elevated. The report strongly suggests elevating and positioning white light to illuminate only work areas. Light towers are one of the most effective ways to control lighting.

In fact, these towers offer up to 360 degrees of rotation, while the light tower clusters and elevates the light, much like sports stadium lighting, to improve illumination for recovery teams while creating non-glaring light that alerts motorists of the incident ahead. To illuminate dual work areas, Command Light offers optional backlight that enables the bottom row of lamp heads to rotate 180 degrees, and Command Light’s design allows the tower to overhang the vehicle in a streetlight position, directing the light down as suggested by the ERSI report.

Command Light offers more than 20 different DC-powered light towers in varying heights and eight different fixture choices. To see the full tow industry catalog, visit bit.ly/tow-catalog. And to ensure more companies can equip their trucks with a light tower, Command Light commissioned HiViz LED Lighting, a FireTech brand, to create an economical fixture for its Knight Series, Shadow Series, and Straight Shadow models. This LED shaves the cost of a new light tower by 33% while delivering a 14,000-lumen output per fixture.

“We can’t say enough about elevating scene lighting, whether your crew is deploying a traffic advisor or a light tower,” said Roger Weinmeister, Command Light President. “Seven lives in 14 days. It’s unacceptable. The ResponderSafety Team said it best after releasing its ERSI report, ‘We simply cannot wait another day to make this a top priority.’”

The ERSI has made its tracking of 2020 struck-by-vehicle deaths to date available to the public at www.respondersafety.com/FatalityReports. The ERSI also produces ResponderSafety.com and the ResponderSafety Learning Network (learning.respondersafety.com), which offer online training and traffic safety certification programs.

[alert-success]A BLEAK START TO 2020

In just nine days, three tow truck drivers were killed while aiding the public.

In Maywood, Ill., Andre Dove-Ferdere, a 23-year-old tow truck driver, was struck and killed while assisting state police in towing two cars from a crash. He died on the scene. His emergency lights were activated. The incident happened at 6:03 a.m.
In Millani, Hawaii, Aaron Malama, a 43-year-old tow truck driver, was struck while standing next to a stalled vehicle on the freeway. He was transported to the hospital where he later died.
In Watertown, S.D., a vehicle struck and killed Dales Jones, 47, while he was trying to remove another vehicle from a ditch. The incident happened at 8:35 am.[/alert-success]

Auto Data Direct Offers Unique Online Tools for Tow Operators

Darian Weaver

Responding to State Specific Requirements

When the Florida and Georgia legislatures made sweeping changes to tow statutes in those southern states, Auto Data Direct (ADD) responded. The popular web-based service, known for its electronic certified notification letter tools and access to real-time registration and title data, modified its program to assist tow operators in meeting the new requirements.

In Florida, effective January 1, 2020, all towing companies, title companies who process tow liens, mechanic shops and body shops are required to send their notification letters for sale or lien through an approved third-party service. If your company is an Auto Data Direct (ADD) customer and already process letters through its DirectPost-Office (DPO) product, your business is all set. ADD has provided a high-quality, third party notification system recognized by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) since 2003!

When the Georgia legislature overhauled its rules, which became effective September 1, 2019, it required tow companies to send a notification letter developed by the Council of Magistrate Court Judges by certified mail or hand delivery. It included changes in the timeframe during which letters must be sent. And again, ADD responded by modifying its system and letters to meet the new requirements. As an added benefit, the Georgia Department of Revenue has designated ADD as its authorized vendor for motor vehicle records. For details on Georgia’s statute changes and information on ADD’s designation as an agent for records, visit dor.georgia.gov/abandoned-vehicles.

For those who aren’t familiar with ADD’s DirectPost-Office (DPO) certified mail product, it was launched in 2003 to provide Florida towing companies an easier way to send notification letters to owners, lienholders and insurers by creating certified mail and inserting the letters into the USPS mail stream electronically. Since then, DPO has expanded its letter services for towing operators in Texas, Alabama, Connecticut, Indiana, Georgia, Mississippi, North Dakota, Missouri and Tennessee. Whether ADD has letters specific to a tow operator’s jurisdiction, its record access and letter services using custom forms are available either directly through an ADD account or through many tow management systems. ADD contracts with many top integrators to provide easy access to its record and letter tools.

ADD’S Suite of Online Tools Are a Game-Changer for Tow Companies

DPO is a tow operator’s best friend. It combines letter creation with state record searches to complete forms and send certified letters through the United States Postal Service without an aggravating trip to the Post Office!

As a compliment to DPO, ADD’s multi-state real-time motor vehicle records save time, money, and frustration when it comes to getting notification letters out in a timely manner. Coined DMV123, ADD’s most sought after service allows its customers, who qualify under the Drivers Privacy Protection Act (DPPA), to search through its secure system using a VIN and immediately retrieve the most current record available from a jurisdiction, in real time. As already mentioned, the Georgia DOR has designated ADD as its official agent for records.

Using ADD’s National Title Pointer helps narrow down the search when the state of origin isn’t easily identified. The Title Pointer uses data provided directly from the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) to find the most recent state of title. Once identified, ADD’s customers can search the real-time database if that state is available or send a good faith letter directly from their ADD account to the appropriate jurisdiction. The National Title Pointer report also meets state requirements that call for a NMVTIS vehicle history to be run on vehicles prior to processing notification letters, as is the case in Florida.

Once a vehicle is towed, and the record is accessed, DPO allows the data to be merged into the appropriate form, saving keystrokes and ensuring accuracy. Once the letter is electronically submitted to the mail stream, DPO allows for tracking the certified letter every step of the way providing details on when the letter(s) was received, or if it was undeliverable. The DPO archive provided in an ADD account gives tow operators documented proof that notification requirements were followed if a question arises about whether the appropriate actions were taken to find the owner/lienholder prior to holding a public sale.

ADD is in the unique position of being the only NMVTIS history provider that is also a consolidator of JSI (junk, salvage and insurance) data for industry members, making both accessing a history and reporting data as easy as 1, 2, 3. For tow/wrecker operators who need to report junk or salvage vehicles to NMVTIS, ADD provides a solution from the same web-based account. Any entity that deals in more than five junk and salvage vehicles per year must provide specific vehicle information to the national database on at least a monthly basis. NMVTIS reporting applies to any vehicle a company parts out or crushes, or any vehicle for which a salvage certificate, a certificate of destruction or similar document is obtained. If a business has the right to sell or re-title, rebuild, restore or crush the vehicle, and it is a junk or salvage vehicle under the federal definition, it must be reported to NMVTIS.

ADD’s NMVTIS upload tools are designed to help businesses fulfill the reporting requirement quickly and easily. Two account types are available to suit any size business or upload volume. Full-service accounts include individual vehicle entry, batch vehicle entry using a spreadsheet and business-to-business processing which can be arranged with the customer’s IT staff, all for a low per-report fee. Basic-service accounts include no-cost individual entry and emailed confirmation receipts.

Learn More About ADD and Get Started Today!

ADD provides innovative tools every step of the way for tow operators focused on ensuring their business processes are efficient, accurate, and cost-effective, all backed by the friendliest, most knowledgeable customer service in the industry.

If your company already has an ADD account but is not using DPO, just click the orange DirectPost-Office icon in My Apps to begin processing your notification letters. If you are new to ADD, click on the sign-up button on its home page to take advantage of these valuable business tools. And, if you use the services of a tow management system, ask if you can access ADD services through your current provider.

ADD’s secure web-based system allows account holders to access services through any internet-capable device. The easy-to-use system is affordable and saves precious time and money when it comes to moving impounded vehicles through the required processes. With no contract or monthly fee, ADD allows its customers to pick and choose the services they need, when they need them.

For more information or to schedule on online demonstration and training class, or to speak with one of our friendly and knowledgeable customer service representatives, call 850-877- 8804 or email info@add123.com.

Managing Change, Efficiency, SOP, and Profit

Darian Weaver

Depending on where in North America you live and operate your towing and vehicle storage business, spring has either arrived or is just around the corner. Spring is generally a happy time, where nature begins its renewal cycle, encouraged by nature’s all-consuming driving force. Many of you will be thinking of ways in which to improve the efficiency of your business and its competitive advantage.

Creative Destruction

In your grandfather’s day, knowledgeable people would have told you that the only two things in life that are certain are death and taxes. In the last 75 years, other certainties that have entered the equation; technology has and continues to rapidly change the way we do things. It’s known as “creative destruction.” Today, the only things in life that are certain are death, taxes, and CHANGE!

Simply put, “creative destruction” is the time a new and practical idea replaces the previously embedded process. More than 100 years ago, Sears Roebuck created a print catalog pictorially displaying goods and services. Almost every household in rural North America purchased items from the Sears Roebuck catalog, yet although Sears made the move to brick-and-mortar stores as consumer demographics changed, they did not anticipate nor adapt to the changing world of commerce or the Internet. (Destruction!) Compare the story of Sears, with that of Amazon, they both fulfill basically the same function with the one major exception: Amazon, the newcomer, took advantage of and pioneered changing technology that would influence consumer buying and producing its virtual catalog as a website in the CLOUD. (Creation!). Is your company destined to be Amazon or Sears Roebuck? Are you and your management team looking to future trends and or changes that may seriously affect your ability to generate cash flow and remain profitable?

The simple way to improve the efficiency of any business process is to break them down into basic functions and create your own improved standard operating procedures (SOP). It’s never too late to review how your company performs any given task, even though the need and methodology in completing the task have been the same for decades. Moreover, if you have not yet taken a leap of faith into the world of management software, regardless of your company size, it’s time to revisit this opportunity.

Although, often looked upon as one industry, towing and vehicle storage are two separate businesses, and those states/provinces which license and regulate both, each have separate statutes and administrative rules. VTS Systems is a niche market, Texas-based software company which for more than 20 years has provided state/province compliant software to simplify and effectively manage both vehicle towing and vehicle impoundment and storage requirements.

SOP Tasks

The towing of a vehicle is a pretty simple process and easily defined by SOP tasks:

Request/Call for service
Define, consent, or non-consent tow
Select a qualified operator and capacity/capability of recovery vehicle
Dispatch recovery tow vehicle to the incident location
Load incident vehicle and transport to a known destination
Create a tow ticket/worksheet, receive payment or billable invoice

Break down each of the above SOP’s and analyze not only the task, but more importantly, how you can perform the task better, including a public relation [PR] perspective, so you can obtain all relevant information more efficiently, and for less cost. Once established and refined, SOP guidelines will improve not only your service to the customer, but a defined structure will help protect your company from potential litigation, so PR is important. If you are operating even the most rudimentary automated software, the basic flow of the software will obtain the needed information. However, if your company is using a pen and paper, we suggest that you create a Q&A list as part of your call answering SOP.

Focus on Standards Over Shiny New

Perception is not always a shiny reality. A shiny new company tow truck may project an image of success. However, long-term business and financial success does not begin, nor end with shiny new trucks, as they often carry a financial burden. Focus on setting standards. it does not have to be new, older tow trucks if clean, and well maintained, often project a trusted conservative image. If operating multiple trucks, set a goal of having them all the same color, plus a company branding/logo and a door wrap will increase public awareness. This, along with polite operators wearing clean uniforms, present an image of professionalism and efficiency.

Creating and coding software to automate the above towing process is a time-consuming task; it must take into consideration state/provincial statute, tax code, administrative rules set by the regulator, the county, and often local law enforcement [LEA]. However, from an industry knowledge and software coding perspective, the development of Vehicle Storage Facility [VSF] management software is far more complex than supporting a tow only function.

VSF Function Requirements

In addition to the towing SOP functions noted above, the VSF function require the following:

Vehicle Impoundment – In some states/provinces this is a no-charge item, but included as part of the daily storage charge, while in others, it’s defined as a separate chargeable process and may be taxable.
Obtaining Vehicle Ownership/Lienholder Records – The manual process of obtaining ownership/lienholder information from the state of record is both costly and time consuming. However, real-time, online electronic access to Motor Vehicle Records [MVR] is available from 36 states. Retrieval of MVR information from a state database requires a licensed VSF operator and compliance with the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act [DPPA]. In Canada, no MVR information is available either electronically or in real time to towing companies or VSF’s without going through an attorney or a paralegal agency.
Timely Processing of Lienholder/Notification Letters – Almost every state/province has different requirements for lienholder/notification letters, in some only one letter sent via certified mail, or electronic certified mail, return receipt requested before the impounded/abandoned vehicle may legally be sold at a public auction or public sale. However, most states/provinces require two lienholder/notification letters mailed to all registered owners and all lienholders of record within the time stipulated by the state or provincial regulator.
LEA Notification of Impoundment and Abandonment -Depending on state/provincial statutes, and administrative rules, the VSF maybe required to notify LEA of non-consent private-property tows within two hours of impoundment or at a time stipulated. In addition, some state/provinces require the VSF to send law enforcement a notice of vehicle abandonment, if the vehicle remains unclaimed for x-number of days following impoundment or the sending of the first lienholder/notification letter, whichever is applicable. Where applicable, state/provincial LEA may take possession or virtual possession of the abandoned vehicle, assume the responsibility of sending a second and final lienholder/notification letter, [if applicable] and processes the vehicle through to public auction.
Public Auctions/Public Sale -Individual state/provincial guidelines stipulate the minimum number of days required between the mailing of the second and final lienholder/notification letter [if applicable] before the abandoned vehicle is eligible for sale to recover outstanding towing and vehicle storage debt.

Management Software Needs

All management software should have inherent flexibility to accommodate state/provincial statute and administrative rules, and provide auto-fill and completion of government, or processed documentation, in addition to simplicity of operation and security.

Security – Controlled access to the software by multiple levels of security, including, limits associated with each employee job function, company code, employee username, and a secure individual employee password will give access to authorized personnel operating from multiple workstations or remote input devices. Changes in authorized access should be in writing between the company’s authorized person [owner/CEO, etc.] and the software company.
Full Support– Including telephone and Internet interaction, along with individual one-on-one training and problem solving. The purpose of software is to automate data entry, thereby simplifying the daily operating process, and with correct training, eliminate upwards of 99% processing errors. If your software does not begin providing time-reducing assistance the moment the phone rings and fully automates every step, including: automated MVR retrieval and data placement, automated creation, and mailing of electronic certified mail lienholder/notification letters, automated flow and control of job or invoiced monies, and accounts receivable, the release process through to and including a public auction or public sale, and the completion of all required forms, letters, and documentation, then it’s time to look again and what is available.

VTS Systems provides the industry, and more importantly, its clients with professional business support, and time earned knowledge. We offer both PC and web-based [CLOUD] solutions, our time-honored PC offering is particularly effective in areas without adequate high-speed, full-time Internet connections or for those who simply want their data in-house. Whereas, our CLOUD-based offering provides MOBILITY, FLEXIBILITY, SIMPLICITY, and SECURITY anywhere there is Internet or digital cell phone service. If you would like to discuss how technology will continue to CHANGE our industry, and your business, call 877.374.7225 Ext 3.

Nobody Does Storage Lot Management like We Do–Period!

Ranger SST: Simpler AND Smarter Easy-to-Use AND High Productivity/Effectiveness

Darian Weaver

One of my favorite phones was the Motorola Startac – the first flip-phone introduced in 1996. The first iPhone was introduced 10 years later (June, 2007), and the first Android smartphone was sold in September, 2008. I loved my Startac (beam me up, Scotty). But now that I own and use both Apple and Android smart phones, I would never go back. However, some elderly relatives and drivers are still wed to their flip-phones. Why? They seem easy-to-use.

Most tow management software (TMS) offerings – especially Ranger – are “easy-to-use.” But is that criteria enough for choosing a solution that becomes the foundation for the future of your business? Is it better to have ease-of-use for dispatchers or to improve the revenue growth and profitability of your business? The good news: you don’t have to choose – with Ranger you get both: easy-to-use AND increased productivity/effectiveness for increased profitability (more calls per driver each month)–Simpler AND Smarter. Don’t settle for a “flip-phone TMS” – Ranger provides a “smart phone TMS” solution that you can grow into and never grow out of.

A few examples to illustrate the distinctions:

Job Entry

Easy: Receive Digital Dispatches from Motor Clubs or enter customer information, incident address, and a call is ready to be dispatched.
Effective (Smarter): … After account defaults auto-populate call information:
- Leverage Google Place look-up to further streamline location inputs.
- Use “Find Me” to locate “lost” customers using their smart phone.
- Pinpoint motorist location on the Ranger map and send these geo-coordinates to the driver on their Ranger mobile app for accurate navigation = shorter ETAs.
- Enter LP – Ranger returns VIN look-up detail, including year, make, and model.

Self-Service Job Entry by Customers

Easy: Provide a web-based tool for frequent business users to enter requests.
Effective (Smarter):
- Use Ranger’s toll-free phone number for local residents to use in an emergency.
- Stranded motorists enter call information and pictures that are forwarded to your dispatch for fast, reliable response to their request.

Pricing

Easy: Manually enter a price from the rate sheet.
Effective (Smarter): Ranger’s Pricing Factory
- Use pre-configured, account-specific pricing along with the appropriate Extras (and pricing) for consistency and pre-configure “price points” for cash calls.
- Modify pricing “on-the-fly“ as needed for weather conditions and/or driver availability.
- Handle complex recoveries requiring the alignment of services from multiple trucks with one or more invoices
- Manage remote HD repair with all the parts in the back of the truck as “Extras.”
- Automatically generate split invoices for motor club calls (isolating the amount to be paid by the customer).
- Control pricing visibility to the driver (disclose or not), and the driver’s role (modify charges or not).
- Prepare Quotes that can be emailed to a customer in advance.
- Since pricing is fully integrated with the Ranger mobile app, dispatchers don’t need to figure it out and send messages to the driver. The driver doesn’t need to figure it out. The Ranger TMS and mobile app do the heavy lifting.

Call Assignment to a Driver

Easy: Select an Available driver that is nearby from the Dispatch Board
Effective (Smarter): Ranger’s SmartDispatch^TM
- Use the link from the Dispatch Board to reset the map for job assignment.
- SmartDispatch^TM enables visual, drag & drop dispatch. Dispatchers can see ALL open jobs, and ALL available trucks, on ONE screen to make better deployment decisions — shortening ETAs and lowering fuel costs.

Messaging Drivers

Easy: Forward call information to the driver’s mobile app (Android or Apple).
Effective (Smarter): Ranger’s CommLink^TMmobile app
- Auto-confirm the driver has viewed the call assignment without phoning.
- Monitor whether the driver’s mobile device is connected (in coverage) AND whether the driver has granted needed permissions for communications (essential for Apple).

Messaging Motorists

Easy: Send text confirmation message to customer.
Effective (Smarter):
- Automatically trigger messages to the motorist (Enroute, approaching Arrived) along with a picture of the driver – to alleviate customer safety concerns.
- Send a satisfaction survey at the end of each call to gather immediate feedback on the customer experience and to address any unexpected issues.
- Optionally send an “Uber link” to the motorist to track progress of the truck.

Track Driver Location and Status

Easy: Use a third-party GPS product to track location; mobile app tracks status.
Effective (Smarter): Ranger’s fully-integrated MapTrack^TM
- Use Ranger’s tracking / mapping solution with 15 different truck icons (truck type) and on-map indicator for PTO “On” and duration.
- View Dashboards to check truck speed & idling; get alerts for possible fraud & theft.

Collect Payments On-Scene

Easy: Collect cash, and use a third-party app (e.g., Square) for credit cards.
Effective (Smarter): Integrated Credit Card processing in Ranger’s mobile app
- Pre-authorize credit cards at Arrived (or before by dispatcher), validating the card for subsequent payment at CLEAR.
- Complete the process with manual CC entry or BT chip reader (payment to Invoice).
- Use Driver Check-out process to ensure money gets to the office safe.

Review Truck Travel History

Easy: View truck “bread-crumb trails” with replay.
Effective (Smarter):
- Generate State Mileage reports; review activity logs (e.g., hard braking/cornering).
- Identify drivers that may be “moonlighting” with Stop Reports.

Accounting

Easy: Generate/email Invoices; forward Invoices to Quickbooks for accounting
Effective (Smarter): Proven accounting capabilities in Ranger
- Use Ranger for invoicing, generating/emailing Statements, aging, payments
- And/or send Invoices AND Payments to QB (optionally apply payments in QB)

Commissions

Easy: Calculation of driver (percentage) commissions by job
Effective (Smarter): Commissions by job and by driver (for tenure, skills)
- Differentiated by day of the week and shift
- Flexibility for flat dollar amounts per job, and exclusion of selected Extras (e.g., fuel)

Storage / Impound-Lot Management

Easy: Track vehicles in the storage lot, calculate current pricing, flag Police Holds, and generate lien letters
Effective (Smarter): Ranger’s LotMaster^TM…. integrated with Auto Data Direct
- Ongoing picture-taking, and easy physical inventory management of vehicles by placing inexpensive “QR Codes” on vehicles to create an electronic tag that can be scanned for periodic comparisons to records in Ranger
- Workflow Management to track progress against process milestones – e.g., lien letter sent, newspaper notice placed

Private-Property Enforcement – Relocation

Easy: respond to requests for tow from Property Managers
Effective (Smarter): Ranger’s PatrolWorks^TM with Spotter app and Rules Engine
- Incorporating parent/child account structures – Corporations to Properties to Lots
- Configuring specific requirements by lot by violation (e.g., grace periods, tagging, approval requirements)
- Deploying the special app to record/update violations – for use by company spotters in a personal vehicle, a company driver in a tow truck, a third-party enforcement agency patrolling in their own vehicles, or even self-service by property managers
- Using the built-in “Rules Engine” to determine the readiness to tow a vehicle with one or more violations, including:
  - Checking policies for compliance with property requirements
  - Automatic sending of approval requests to the designated Property Manager on their mobile device

Scheduling for Transport and Heavy Hauling

Easy: Set a future date in call-taking, then add call to the Dispatch Board on that date
Effective (Smarter): Ranger’s TransportOps^TMfor transporting construction equipment, moving containers, and relocating automobiles for auction
- Plan/schedule loads for the next day (or “next week”) by truck and by driver
- In late afternoon, trigger advance notices to drivers – sent automatically by Ranger to each driver on their personal smart phone (and updates as needed)
- Automatically dispatch assignments to the driver’s Ranger mobile app the next morning at login, eliminating morning congestion in dispatch
- Enable drivers to enter and track multi-task jobs on the mobile app (load, pick-up, drop-off), that are recorded with the job record and printed on the invoice
- Identify emerging issues before they become major problems (e.g., a driver that has overslept)

Services Agreement

Easy: No contract
Effective (Smarter): A Services Agreement that outlines the responsibility of the TMS provider, particularly continued access to the software if you choose to switch

Adding high productivity/effectiveness to “easy-to-use” is necessary but not sufficient.

The Numbers Must Be Right. Ranger is more than a spreadsheet that allows changes to any number, by anyone, whenever it suits. Ranger is easy-to-use, but with an emphasis on accounting accuracy, including process “guardrails” to prevent unintended errors, user permissions for alignment with responsibilities, and audit trails.

Reliability is Essential. Uptime is often an afterthought until the system is not working. Ranger has more experience in successfully operating a completely “cloud-based” tow management solution than anyone else – over 15 years of “lessons learned” – eliminating the “glitches” that others are still discovering. Ranger invests heavily for reliability/uptime. The solution is hosted in a secure commercial data center with redundant internet, power, and cooling. All data is backed up nightly. Ranger even has a disaster recovery solution in place for added protection.

Will an easy-to-use “flip-phone TMS” suffice? NOT for the longer-term success of your business. Choose the “smart phone TMS” — Ranger SST — advanced technology for superior performance. If you are looking to grow your top and bottom lines, give us a call and let us put Ranger Service Solutions Technology to work for you!

Beacon Software Proves Commitment to Security with SOC 2 Certification

Darian Weaver

Plenty of companies say that data security is their top priority, but few can prove their commitment to protecting customer information. That’s where Beacon Software stands apart from its competitors. When we tell you that your data security is our main focus, we prove this commitment to your security with our “SOC 2 Certification.” This certification makes us one of the few dispatch software companies compliant with the American Institute of CPAs’ criteria for secure, reliable software providers. In short, your data is safer with Beacon Software than any other dispatch software provider. Here is how:

What is SOC 2?

Simply put, SOC 2 is an auditing procedure that measures a software provider’s ability to keep your data secure. To earn a SOC 2 Certification, experienced auditors determined that Beacon Software complies with the AICPA standard of security criteria: The “Five Trust Principles” – Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality and Privacy. (See chart)

How The 5 Trust Principles Relate to Your Business

The 5 Trust Principles are a good security measurement for any business, including towing and roadside assistance companies.

Security – Beacon Software security is like storing your fleet of trucks inside of Fort Knox. Unless the access is verified, no one is getting in and no information is coming out.
Availability – Towers know how important it is to be available 24/7. How else would a motorist, stranded on the highway at 3 in the morning, get back home? Beacon takes their responsibility to towing and roadside assistance companies seriously, and so emergency representatives are available to assist in the event of a complication.
Processing Integrity – As emergency responders, towers need to work fast and get the job done right the first time. Beacon Software processes your information quickly and accurately to get you on the road as fast as possible.
Confidentiality – As a tower, you are constantly communicating customer information over multiple devices. If your customer information is compromised by unsafe software, the breach can result in a serious financial burden or, at the very least, a serious waste of time. With Beacon, you can trust that your data is safe and secure in an easy-to-use database.
Privacy – It’s always easier to do a job without someone looking over your shoulder. Beacon Software treats your information with discretion. We retain, disclose, and destroy information in accordance with our privacy notice.

Rudy Smith, co-owner of Rudy Smith Towing and Recovery, has seen a lot of towing companies suffer after using software that did not take data security seriously. “Rudy Smith Towing has been around for over 100 years now, and I truly attribute that success to being careful with whom we share our confidential information.” Companies susceptible to software attacks run the risk of losing valuable information, which puts their customers in a vulnerable position. “I may be biased, but I would only trust a software provider that has done everything in their power to keep their software bulletproof.”

Companies Without a SOC 2 Certification

Software providers who are not SOC 2 compliant are a potential risk to your assets. Either the company does not believe it needs to stay up-to-date with industry security updates or it was unable to meet the AICPA requirements. When shopping for software, always make sure to ask if they are SOC 2 compliant! To learn more about SOC 2 specifications, visit the AICPA website.

Dispatch Anywhere Has the Industry’s Newest Features

Beacon Software’s flagship product, Dispatch Anywhere, is recognized by its role revolutionizing dispatch software around the world. It introduced the following features to the towing and roadside assistance industry:

Data Security/Privacy
Computer Aided Dispatch
Cloud-Based Software
GPS Integration
Multi-Division Management
Mobile Credit Card Integration
Automated Motor Club Billing
Impound Management
Mobile Applications

These features are designed to keep your information secure, while boosting your company’s productivity. We’re transparent about our latest updates and give our customers all the information they need to understand each new feature. Visit our Help Desk for all the latest tutorials and information!

Dispatch Anywhere and TowMagic Have New Features and Updates

Online Service Requests – Receive online service requests through your company website or by sharing a link with your customers!
Square Credit Card Processing – Office personnel and drivers can take payments using a computer or Square reader attached to their mobile device!
Integrated with Gerber – Now welcoming Gerber as a new, integrated digital partner!
Job Reminders Every 20 Seconds – A call is waiting for your interaction! This TowMagic tool goes off every 20 seconds until the job status has been updated.
Driver Mode/User – Drivers have a unique log-in and are only able to view calls assigned to them!

The Beacon Blog is Live!

Beacon recently updated the Beacon Blog to better connect with our customers. Visit our website to read up on industry news and learn more about recent software updates, events, and YouTube tutorial announcements.

Ready to Make the Switch? Our Expert Team is Here to Help!

Whether you are considering switching to a new software provider or you are trying dispatch software for the first time, making the big change can seem daunting. Thankfully, Beacon Software makes the transition easy! Our expert team is trained to guide you through the process of integrating our software into your daily routine.

Are you curious if Beacon Software is right for you? Try our “Help Me Choose” quiz! By answering a few, quick questions to determine which software is right for your specific needs, we can get you started on the road to advanced, modern and bulletproof dispatch software. You’ll see why our customers say that Beacon Software is the best decision they ever made for their business.

Maximize Performance and Simplify Communication Using Towbook

Darian Weaver

As 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 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).

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.

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.

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, 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, the 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.
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 attract 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 thirteen years. Integrating the industry’s most advanced and flexible software, Towbook supports all 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

TOPS® Software – The Benefit of Embracing New Technologies to Grow Your Business

Darian Weaver

The days when towing companies could run operations with a pad a pencil are a thing of the past. The demands of the industry are changing rapidly, and without adequate computer systems to manage those, companies can and will fall behind. With digital dispatching and complex reporting requirements coming from all sides, towing companies need sophisticated systems to handle these increasing demands to compete in this ever-changing landscape.

In this world of interconnected devices and systems, towing companies have been forced to follow suit. Motor clubs, municipalities, law enforcement, and even the person on the street want to be able to request a tow from whatever kind of device they are using without having to pick up a phone and make a call. Law Enforcement wants to be able to send a tow request that is entered by the officer in the squad car. Motor clubs want to able to dispatch to a tower through their digital dispatching product. The person on the street wants to able to click on a link and request a tow without having to call all over the place to find a company willing to do the work. And then after the work is assigned, all the previously mentioned customers want to able to see a status of the driver’s progress to know when the driver will arrive.

Companies large and small use software to run their towing operations. Large companies understand the necessity of integrated systems, but small companies can take advantage of all of the same features with the same impressive results. The web-based tools that are available to the towing industry in today’s world are better and more connected that ever. Even a small company that used to be only concerned with keeping records and invoicing can utilize the same digital tools that until recently were only available to large companies with large systems budgets. Quality computer systems already provide a retrievable history, can verify invoicing and manage receivables. But the real benefits are in the new features and the doors that it can open for your company, and the new business opportunities they present. While it does take time to input data and to learn how to use a system, in the end a business is able to offer a better product, get paid for all the work that is provided, and convey a more professional image to their customers.

Included in this article are some features of our TOPS® towing management systems which help to illustrate how software can be used to help you manage your business and to take advantage of these new and increasingly important technologies. These features help our customers streamline their overall business process, save time on daily tasks and offer a better and more professional product to their customers.

Municipality and Law Enforcement Towing

Towing on behalf of a municipality or a law enforcement organization can be a profitable part of a towing business. City and police contracts usually are signed and in place for several years and can amount to significant revenue. In addition, being associated with city and police contracts lends a certain amount of respectability to a company’s reputation.

As cities and law enforcement agencies continue the move towards modernization of their systems, they are demanding that towing companies do the same. The days of receiving telephone calls from police dispatch offices or receiving faxes to pick up abandoned vehicles are quickly becoming a memory. They want integrated systems that receive calls directly from their officers in the field, and from their dispatchers or CAD systems. They want GPS devices in the contractors’ trucks to allow for automatically dispatching to the closest truck. They want 20 minute ETAs with GPS-based accountability. They want paperless tow sheets, and real-time integrations with their records systems. If companies want to be in the law enforcement towing business, they are being required to have systems that support these technologies. Many of these contracts are awarded and then implemented in weeks and not months, and the computer systems’ provider must be prepared to integrate and assimilate information and processes quickly and without mistake. Cities take the health and safety of their citizens and law enforcement officers seriously, and the demands – and payoffs – can be high.

The TOPS® suite of municipal products includes several tools which cater to managing Dispatch, Towing management and Impound management with full transparency between all parties. The heart of the system is our TOPS CMA. TOPS CMA manages the creation and distribution of tow requests out to the contracted tow operators. The tow operators themselves can manage the towing and impounding of these requests using our TOPS impound software, with each driver able to use the TOPS Driver mobile application. As the towing and impound data is entered into the towers’ TOPS impound software, it is reflected back in real-time into the TOPS CMA for oversight and review by the municipality or law enforcement. The TOPS PPI system allows municipalities to monitor Private-Property Impound and Repossession firms as they enter non-consent tows. The TOPS PD system is a web-enabled search and reporting tool that allows 911 and 311 centers access to city summary impound data without granting them access to other systems. The TOPS Public Search tool allows the public to search across all City, county, private and PPI lots to find their vehicle if it has been towed.

This model of full transparency is what sets the TOPS suite of municipal applications apart from the rest. The next time you are fighting for local contracts, remember that these tools are available to law enforcement, to the city and to you – the local tow operator – to use in a 3^rd party management role.

Motor Club Towing

Whether a towing company’s primary business is motor club calls or they simply use motor club calls to keep their trucks busy between account and police calls, motor club business can be a valuable asset to a towing company. In addition to traditional motor club operations, many automobile insurance companies now include motor club emergency service as part of their value-added services. Like it or not motor clubs are here to stay, and as a revenue stream they shouldn’t be ignored.

Many motor clubs are increasingly using digital dispatch systems to send calls to their tower base in an effort to drive costs and arrival times down. Many clubs have made it a requirement to continue to do business with them. Early on these digital interfaces were proprietary to the motor club and sometimes required club-specific systems. Many dispatch systems now have a dedicated motor club interface for receiving and responding to motor club tow requests which merge clubs into a single, easy to understand system. This allows your staff to see and respond to motor club requests much quicker and easier, and simplifies the entire process.

TOPS Motor Club is the TOPS digital dispatch interface to receive and respond to digital platform motor club calls. TOPS Motor club receives digital tow requests from ADS, Agero, Allstate, GEICO, NSD, Quest, Road America, Tesla, USAC and FleetNet. As tow and service requests are received and negotiated, calls are pushed directly into the TOPS dispatch system. This offers an efficient transfer of information into TOPS for dispatch to the best driver / truck resource. Updates are shared back to the respective motor club, offering a full two-way integration with each motor club. Using integrated tools like TOPS Motor Club can help your company receive additional work and increase your call volume.

Mobile Applications

Mobile applications have become a critical tool for businesses on the go. Mobile applications enable workers in the field to quickly and easily access and update data and to support their job functions. As law enforcement and motor clubs increasingly require real-time driver status updates and ETAs, mobile applications are the only way to realistically provide these.

Using effective mobile applications, drivers and supervisors can update call status times, navigate to pickup and drop-off locations, upload and store vehicle- and incident-related information and photographs, create and dispatch new calls and email call receipts to customers directly from their mobile device in the field. Impound-lot personnel can enter and update vehicle information, do physical inventories and inspections, take photographs, and scan barcodes for ease of managing lot inventory. When these systems are interconnected with municipality systems, the updating and sharing of data provides transparency that cannot be obtained any other way.

The TOPS® suite of mobile applications includes apps to aid field and inventory operations. All mobile apps are designed for iOS and Android mobile phones and tablets. TOPS Driver allows the driver to receive, update and even create calls on the fly. The TOPS Inventory application is designed for the impound-lot staff to take physical inventories, search for vehicle information and update records as needed. The TOPS Xtra app ties completely customizable functionality to our standard TOPS Driver and TOPS Inventory applications. An example is to add a customized paperless tow sheet to TOPS Driver or a customized impound inspection process to TOPS Inventory.

Web-based Applications

Web-based applications have opened new doors for towing businesses to increase cash sales. Web-based applications enable the person on the street to search out a local tower and request a tow, by simply clicking on a link on a web page that the tower provides. By clicking a link, the system can determine their location and create a tow request, which can be directed to the closest available driver via the GPS location of the trucks. This provides the person on the side of the road with unprecedented access to services that they have never had before along with the peace of mind knowing that help is on the way.

GPS Interface

The most valuable physical asset a towing company has is its fleet of trucks and equipment. Each truck constitutes a significant financial investment, as well as being a rolling advertisement for the company at all times while on the road. Many companies have chosen to protect that investment by installing GPS devices in their trucks. These devices can be hard-wired, or in some cases can be plugged into the vehicle’s OBDII port as a ‘plug-n-play’ solution. These devices can often be purchased for relatively small investments.

The GPS device is only half of the story. The other half is the software interface designed around the device. What good is knowing the lat/long of a truck if you don’t know where that is on a map? A good GPS system relies on software that is engineered to support the user and the business that they are in. The BudgetGPS system is a vehicle and fleet tracking solution that can be used by any industry, but is specifically tuned to support the towing industry. BudgetGPS integrates with the TOPScma system and the TOPS software to offer a true visual dispatching tool, where users are able to view current vehicle locations, unassigned pickup and drop-off locations – all on the same map. Icons are color coded allowing for a visual picture of calls in-process and those that are clearing. Knowing this information can save time, and time is money. Additionally, users are able to monitor ETA’s based on mapping calculations of drive time between the truck and pickup locations. The BudgetGPS system also allows for dispatching the closest truck to the breakdown, by using the ETA of each available truck and its proximity to the incident location. This feature is becoming the option of choice for law enforcement agencies, as it has shown time and time again to provide the lowest ETAs, and the streets are cleared the quickest.

BudgetGPS delivers a full set of features for a single low price. These include things like Live Map with 20-second vehicle updates and live Google traffic for both the map and satellite views, a 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.

About towXchange

TXI Systems, Inc. dba towXchange markets and sells towing management products under the brand name of TOPS®. The TOPS® suite of products is deployed to private tow operators, municipalities and law enforcement. TOPS® software tools support towing dispatch, freeway service patrol, impound lot management, private property towing and more with efficiency, transparency, and accountability in mind. BudgetGPS fleet tracking is also marketed to the towing industry and offers a full-service fleet tracking tool with includes a visual dispatching integration with TOPS®. Let TXI Systems customize a solution for you today!

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.

Jerr-Dan New Multi-Car Carrier

Darian Weaver

Jerr-Dan’s current multi-car carrier – which was built on a 7.5-ton single/tandem axle subframe – is being replaced by an 8.5-ton frame. This makes Jerr-Dan the first in the industry to offer a low profile (XLP) three-car carrier with a fourth car option on this level of frame capacity.

Mounting the three-car carrier to a larger subframe offers additional benefits, such as:

Reducing the carrier deck off the top of the frame height by two inches
Lowering the center of gravity of the load for more stability

Providing an additional one-ton structural capacity
Reducing the main deck height to allow for transport of taller loads, making navigation under bridges and through tunnels more efficient
Delivering easier access to the lower deck for tasks such as securing tie-downs

“Our new multi-car carrier delivers a more innovative product at the same investment level as our original design,” said Mike VanAken, director of product management and marketing at Jerr-Dan. “This new carrier has the high-quality features of our 7.5-ton carrier including an optional wheel lift system that can transport up to four cars.”

Jerr-Dan’s new multi-car carrier is backed by its 1/3/5 XLP product warranty, which includes one-year full coverage, three-year hydraulic coverage and five-year structural coverage.

To learn more about the new carrier, visit www.jerrdan.com/equipment/carriers/multi-car.

The “Custom Built” Difference: The Perfect-Fit Truck

Darian Weaver

Need-Driven Beginnings

Derek Dangelo started Custom Built Manufacturing, LLC (Custom Built) in 2006 as a small town, American-built, heavy-duty wrecker manufacturer. The reason he launched Custom Built was that in his 30 plus years of experience in running an autobody shop and his 30 years working in the towing business, he saw a clear equipment gap across the towing industry. As a tower himself, he needed a heavy-duty tow truck that was built to handle the jobs that he was getting calls on, so he decided to build them himself. He started with old 750’s and converted them to hydraulics configuring them to the exact specifications of what he needed for the jobs he was doing.

Now, he wasn’t the only tower that needed a perfect-fit truck. Towers nationwide were needing tow trucks capable of hauling anywhere from 20 tons to 80 tons. To make sure his truck matches a customer’s need, he gives the customer free reign on the layout as he walks together with them on it based off CAD CAM (computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing). He focuses on their needs for exact specification of storage sizing. Consequently, because of the wide range of need from truck size to varying equipment on the trucks, Custom Built has responded by offering many options on builds from an integrated 15-ton unit to a 60-ton rotator. So, in summary, why did Dereck start Custom Built Manufacturing? He simply built for others what he made for himself—custom-tailored heavy-duty tow trucks built to handle the varying heavy load sizes.

Multiplying Growth and Success

Because Custom Built has experienced such a success from the high demand of towers being able to specific order their trucks to meet their ever-changing needs as a company, the company needed a new home. Custom Built now has a new 300,000 square-foot facility. They have tripled the assembly department in size and quadrupled their over-all space. Also, they have doubled their work force and, therefore, doubled their truck production from 20 in 2017 to 40 trucks in 2018.

Perfect-fit trucks is a major reason for Derek Dangelo’s success in the truck manufacturing business, but there is more. Even though he is driven to constantly innovate, he is a down-to-earth family man who takes time to enjoy life. Family is important to him like it is to the towers he sells to. His son works in the business and runs the assembly plant, and his daughter and daughter-in-law work in the office. Custom Built is a small town, family-run business built with grassroots American pride and integrity. Now life is more than just the year’s quota of sold trucks or the company’s financial bottom line. Derek works hard and enjoys life. He likes to smoke a good cigar. He enjoys taking road trips on his motorcycles, his Harley Electra Glide and his Softail Springer. So, the best of all worlds for Derek then would be to smoke a good cigar while riding his motorcycle down the road! He equally enjoys taking out the RV with the family on trips valuing the time he has with them. In addition to a perfect-fit truck and a core value of enjoying life, what more does Custom Built offer to the potential buyer? Customer Built Mfg. offers a more user-friendly truck when it comes to maintenance and repair, intuitive safety design, and a superior warranty.

User-Friendly Maintenance and Repair

Custom Built builds trucks to be worked on, so everything is made to be accessible and easy to work on. You see a lot of cars and trucks that are nearly impossible to work on, and you know immediately that an engineer laid them out, not a mechanic. Custom Built designs all our equipment with service in mind, so that your moneymaker can stay on the road not tied up in a shop.

Intuitive Safety

Safety begins with design, so Custom Built first looks where the danger areas are for the towers. They then layout the truck around two things: they place the towing and recovery tools on the left side of the truck and then place the controls on the right side where the operator will be standing away from traffic. Their goal is balance between keeping the tower safe and keeping the job work efficient. Another way they enhance safety by design is by providing extra lighting on the truck and reflectives on both the truck and toolboxes which signal on-coming drivers to move over without being too over-the-top which would distract drivers causing them to drift toward the trucks.

Superior Warranty

When a company has a quality product tailored to the customer’s day-to-day need that is not only safe, but cost effective, there should be no hesitation in providing a warranty that says the same. That is the very reason Customer Built stands behind their trucks by providing the best coverage in the industry–a 10-year structural warranty. Also, they want everyone who buys from them to know that every truck is 100% built in America; each is built with integrity, are affordable, and are backed by excellent customer service.

Satisfied Customers

You don’t have to just consider what Custom Built says about their company, hear what several satisfied Custom Built owners have to say about the “‘Custom Built’ difference”:

“Yes, Derick and Nick are great people who stand behind their product. I had an issue with my California spec’d CBR40/50, and they corrected the issue immediately. I will definitely buy my next rotator from them.”

“I would like to share a little information on this business and the people who run it. First off, they have answered my questions and concerns day and night even on the weekend. They are a great bunch of people to deal with! 10-year warranty, I total believe it! I had a small miss hap, so I called them to see if the body panels were all the same and asked what the cost would be. Guess what! There was no charge, they sent them out at their expense!! I have always owned trucks from other manufacturers, but never got this kind of service. Keep up the good work!”

“Derek is a true straight shooter, which, as we all know, is hard to find in business these days. He builds both an excellent product that is second to none, while doing it at an economical price. The CB30HD he built for us is a true beast. He will walk you through the building process from start to finish, and even point you in the right direction on where to find a good used chassis to put one of his units on. My wife (and business partner) and I intend on either buying another one of his products that has been previously used or having him build us another truck when we are ready to expand our business again. Keep up the good work, Derek!”

“Great products, great people, and great workmanship, they stand behind their product 100%.”

“Nick and Derek are awesome; don’t think you’ll find anyone else in the business who cares more about their customers than they do.”

Drivers for the Future

Darian Weaver

As I mentioned in last month’s article, I talked about finding tow truck drivers for the future. We all know our industry is short of drivers, and it’s time to fix the problem. I met with several tow company owners last week, and we talked at length about how to find drivers.

KEY QUESTIONS

I want to build a tech school for drivers and teach them our industry. When I mentioned the school, we all agreed a school was needed. The discussion was around the following key questions:

How long should the course be?
What material should be taught?
Where can we find instructors?
Where can we find students?
Who will pay for the class?

RELEVANT COURSE CONTENT

I can’t begin to tell you about all the side discussions this generated, so I’ll share with you my idea about the school. I wanted it to be thorough and cover all the topics of our industry. I felt the course should run 8 weeks, and we cover things like:

The different types of tows: police tows, repossessions, private property, motor clubs, body shops, consumer, and others
The different types of trucks
The requirements and equipment necessary to perform each type of tow
The financial aspects of the business: expenses associated with each truck like gas and insurance, the cost of running a company, the value of the equipment for which they will be responsible
The maintenance required for each truck and the importance of performing it consistently and proactively
Dispatch’s role with each tow
The importance of effective communication
Customer relations: how to conduct themselves around customers, and the importance of personal appearance and how both relate to customer satisfaction.
Safety for the customer, the driver, and others around the towing event.

COURSE STRUCTURE

I am meeting with Collin County Community college next week to see what it would take to establish a certified program for future towers. If we go through the college, we can provide the college with the materials and let them do the classroom training. There would be a classroom setting for only the 1^st week. During weeks 2-5, there would be class for half a day and then a “hands on” for the other half. We have the location for the school, and it is a remote storage facility that can easily be turned into a classroom with plenty of vehicles to play with and room to have as many trucks as possible. Potential drivers would spend week 6 at the storage yard learning about all the paperwork necessary to do a tow and how to properly store and secure the car. Make cleaning up the yard part of their training. For the last week, they can work in a truck with a local company and earn a paycheck.

INSTRUCTORS

Who should the instructors be?

For the class, we should use the college instructors
When they attend the part of the class that at the tow yard, we could experience drivers for tow companies all over the U.S. A company could send a driver to teach, pay their expenses, and you get the 1^st pick of a student graduating from the class.
We could bring WreckMaster or any other certified instructor and let them teach.

If you are sending one of your drivers to teach, that could be a big perk for them and another patch they can wear showing the industry that they are a professor of towing.

POTENTIAL STUDENTS

Then there are the students that attend a class. Here are some ideas about finding future drivers:

Former military
People being released from prison
Prospects from tow companies
Other organizations that are trying to do job placement

FUNDING

The big question is where we get the money to pay for all of this. I’m sure there are some types of grants from the government. I know there are government agencies paying to place people in jobs. We asked tow companies in Texas if they would pay for a driver and they were not excited to do that.

This was my approach. It would take a while to set up, but all the major pieces are in place. We opened the meeting up to get more input from other tow companies. They all agree that we need to start training tow truck drivers for the future. One company said let’s give them the TDLR test, help them pass it, then let the tow company that hires them, train them. TDLR is a state agency that requires all tow truck drivers in Texas take a test before they get in a truck.

TRAINING YOUR OWN

If you train your own drivers (and I would do that when I had my company), they would learn all the good and bad habits of the driver that taught them. I also found that the teaching driver would make sure the new driver would not learn more than he or she knew. You know how drivers can be. The problem we have is we all need drivers now, and we want to rush to get them in a truck. One company suggested a week of “hands on” and then let them drive with another until the driver was ready. If I talked to ten different companies, I would get ten different ways to do this, but at the end of the day, we will start developing good drivers.

READER INPUT

Give me your ideas?

Please answer the following questions and send them to Dan@towtrax.net:

How long should the course be?
What material should be taught?
Where can we find instructors?
Where can we find students?
Who will pay for the class?

Let’s work together and build a strong future for the industry.

WreckMasterU – Online Leveled Courses, Tutorials, Safety Meetings and Videos.

Darian Weaver

For almost three decades, WreckMaster has been working towards creating a safer, more efficient and better compensated towing and recovery industry. Through hands-on training, mentorship and certification, we have reached over 40,000 towers since 1991. Today, we host hundreds of classes and train thousands of students every single year.

While WreckMaster has grown into the industry’s leading training authority, we still found that access to training and education was an issue facing our industry. Not everyone can afford the time to attend a hands-on training class, or maybe there is no class in your area. We wanted to find a way to make our training and principles available to anyone, anytime. That’s why we created WreckMasterU.

WreckMasterU is our online training platform, offering the same WreckMaster insights and expertise, but accessible at your own pace and convenience. We made our online courses easy to understand, navigate and interact with by adding instructor-lead video lessons and engaging visuals. We also made sure that all of our courses are mobile friendly, so you can truly access them anywhere or at any time.

WreckMasterU features four key types of online learning courses: Online Leveled Courses, Tutorials, Safety Meetings and Videos.

Online Leveled Courses give you the same WreckMaster experience you would receive in a WreckMaster hands-on classroom, all in an easy to navigate online course. This also includes our online exclusive entry-level training program, Level 1: Essentials, the perfect course for training new hires or for individuals looking to get into the towing industry.

Tutorials are online courses designed to expand your knowledge while about the most in-depth specialty topics in the towing and recovery industry.

Safety Meetings are designed to do exactly what the name suggests: keep you safe. Learn how to better protect yourself and those around you. We recommend doing these course in groups and discussing how you and your company can do more to stay safe.

Videos will teach you the ins-and-outs of some of towing’s most advanced techniques with detailed how-to’s and insights from WreckMaster staff.

Every course can be purchased individually, or our Online Leveled Courses can be purchased in a Bundle with a certification exam while our library of Tutorials, Safety Meetings and Videos can be accessed through a Monthly Subscription.

WreckMasterU – Towing training on your schedule.

Not sure online training is right for you? Why not try it and find out? Create an account on WreckMaster.com and you’ll get their Car Carrier Basics Tutorial absolutely free.

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