Are You Allergic to Training?

It’s time to be honest with yourself. Are you or your lead drivers allergic to training? Are you afraid you’ll learn something or attend a course, class, or school where someone knows more than you on a given subject? I’m not trying to call you out or call you a “chicken” or a “coward.” I’m trying to get you to see past a common feeling in our industry in order to protect yourself, your business, and your employees.

I’ve trained thousands of people in my career, starting with being a section leader in high school band to several types of instructor duty in the military to passing on what I’ve learned in 33 years in towing and trucking. This isn’t about me, though. This is about you. Please allow me to tell you there are three main types of people when it comes to formal or informal training:

The Eager Learner

The first type is eager to learn something new, challenges themselves to learn something new every day and jumps on any opportunity they get to attend a course or class. They’re like a sponge and soak up everything that’s thrown at them and take that info back to work with them, passing it on to coworkers and using it in their daily work.

The Reluctant Learner

The second is the person who reluctantly attends training courses, even if the boss is footing the bill, covering travel, meals, and hotel. The person gets to meet with others in the industry and have a mini-vacation away from the ringing phone and 24-hour call. They may be reluctant, but they attend, learn and retain, and it makes them better at their jobs.

The Unteachable

The last one is one I’ve seen in many owners, managers, and especially those with huge egos and insecurity issues. You can’t teach them anything because they already know everything, and anything presented to them that challenges their ignorance is just “stupid” and “unnecessary.” The truth is that their knowledge is limited to what they learned early in their careers, which may be a pretty small bit of information, and their ego and insecurities won’t allow them to admit they may not know something. So, training is “stupid” and a “waste of time.” And you know, with an attitude like that, they’re absolutely right. In fact, as a trainer, I’d rather slide down a mile-long, rusty, razor blade and then into a pool of alcohol than deal with one of these “know-it-alls.”

The problem is that training IS necessary for initial certifications, for each time you learn something new and want to pass it on, for recurring training requirements, and for promoting someone into a new role. Training in our industry is remarkably inexpensive, compared to initial and recurring training in most other career fields. The next time you’re in a major car dealership, ask the service manager what it costs him or her to maintain the training requirements for each automotive technician. The manufacturers help a little, but the dealership bears the brunt of the cost. It’s quite staggering. In fact, for what a dealership pays to maintain yearly training on an “A Tech,” you could send one of your people to every level of Wreckmaster and have money left over.

As many of you know, I do expert witness investigations, formal reporting, and court testimony in towing and trucking liability cases. Training is the NUMBER ONE problem that gets companies hooked up in the legal world: lack of training, lack of documentation, lack of general knowledge. If one of your people makes a mistake, and they’ve never been formally trained by you or anyone else, and you have no documentation to show for it, then your company is liable-period! If one of your drivers is negligent and violates your policies, and HAS been trained and the training is documented, 99% of the time, your company doesn’t get whacked. Pardon me for using normal-language terms, but I’m not a lawyer. I don’t even play one on TV.

Training is simple. Gather your people, tell them what you need them to do and how to do it. Work with them one-on-one to make sure your communication is working. Then document it. Documentation doesn’t have to be some colorful, expensive certificate. It can just be a Word document with the date, location, training subject, who attended, who taught, and everyone’s signatures. If you want help with documentation, then you can use one of the many resources we have available for formal training.

Either way, remember, throwing someone the keys and pointing to the truck is NOT training, hurts your equipment, hurts your employees, and gets you sued. Ask yourself: Can I afford to write a $200,000 check? Speaking of checks, check your ego and insecurities. It really is ok if you don’t know everything.

APTO and TRAO Join Forces To Form New Joint Committee

Darian Weaver

The Board of Directors for the Towing & Recovery Association of Ohio (TRAO) and the Association of Professional Towers – Ohio (APTO) have announced the first joint effort between the two associations that will focus on the industry’s legislative and regulatory efforts. The two associations have formed the Ohio Towing and Recovery Legislative Committee (OTRLC), a leadership committee made up of both TRAO and APTO members that will work together to manage government relations, legislative and regulatory issues, and communications on behalf of both associations.

Both groups agreed that working together is a big win for the entire Ohio towing and recovery industry. Two associations with different agendas and messages working with legislators is not productive, nor in the best interest of the industry. To address the problem, APTO and TRAO have agreed to work together for the betterment of everyone in the industry. Dave Clark, United Towing and APTO Board Chair stated: “Both groups understand the significance of working for the industry with one voice. The times are changing, our businesses are changing, and it only makes sense that the towing industry is united and has a seat at the table in Columbus to better the industry in the future”. Tug Brock, Auto Works, Inc. and President of TRAO said: “The issues we are dealing with as an industry impact everyone. The OTRLC is a strong step forward showing unity in the towing and recovery industry when it comes to protecting and defending our businesses. The best way forward is together and to do what is best for everyone in the industry”.

The OTRLC will focus exclusively on legislative/regulatory issues and lobbying the Ohio General Assembly and Executive Branch representing a unified front for the towing and recovery industry for the first time in years. TRAO and APTO signed a contract with Shumaker Advisors’ Joe Hollabaugh and Andy Herf to serve as the joint-effort’s lobbyists and they will represent both organizations through the Ohio Towing and Recovery Legislative Committee. The OTRLC will begin work immediately, continuing to push for positive legislation the rest of this year and will start working on longer term goals protecting your business, and the value of your business, in the future.

We are very happy to announce that both associations will be working together to face the challenges that are unique to the towing and recovery industry. Please stay tuned for industry updates as the OTRLC begins its work and do not hesitate to contact TRAO or APTO leadership if you would like to participate with the committee moving forward.

Towing Company Supports Fallen Hero

Darian Weaver

Cleveland (Liberty County), Texas – Although rain wasn’t in the forecast, it is seemingly appropriate that a light rain began falling just before the procession began and subsided just afterwards. Liberty County Sheriff’s Deputy, Richard Whitten, was laid to rest today, and the attendance and participation in his funeral and procession was nothing short of staggering; it was a truly humbling experience to witness.

Deputy Whitten was shot in the neck last year by a murder suspect during an incident in Cleveland, a small town northwest of Houston. He was recovering well in the rehabilitation process according to medical personnel, but then suffered a heart attack during physical therapy last week. Deputy Whitten was just named “Officer of the Year” by the Houston Area 100 Club. He left behind his wife and two children.

The incredible turnout for this procession brought in law enforcement personnel from all over the state of Texas and some from as far away as Louisiana. Another remarkable factor was the droves of people lining the street and blocking traffic from several fire departments and two county towing companies.

While observing the procession involving well over 500 emergency responder and private vehicles, I spoke with Dale Fowler of Smith Towing. Dale is retired Army and has worked with Smith Towing for about 3 years. His words proved to me exactly what Deputy Whitten meant to him and his company, as well as what type of deputy and man Richard Whitten was.

When I asked Dale what this meant to him, his reply was straight-forward, as I’d expect from a Texan and veteran: “We all washed our trucks and came out today to honor this man,” Fowler began. “Deputy Whitten was a great guy – he worked with us really well and would drop by our shop and shoot the breeze with us and give us a hard time–we lost a good man!”

The rain was appropriate, and we can thank the Lord for it. There are tears being shed for an outstanding deputy, husband, father, and first responder today, and those tears are spread throughout the first responder community in Liberty County.

Ranger SST Driver Commissions – Supercharged

Darian Weaver

Ranger has launched advanced capabilities to make it easier to customize driver commissions – including automatic calculation and reporting. The flexibility in the new design structure includes:

Commissions by “Job” (work completed), and by “Driver” – adders specific to one or more drivers (e.g., skills, tenure)
Options for percentage and fixed dollar amount Job commissions
Differentiation of rate structures (percentages and set amounts) by shift by day of the week (e.g., a higher commission for weekends, and/or the second shift on Sunday)
Customization for individual Extras – using percentages (e.g., lower rate for safety flares), or using a set dollar amount (batteries at $20 regardless of battery cost), and exclusions (e.g., tolls, permits)

Ranger SST – advanced technology for superior performance

Call for more information 440.498.1495 Or visit: https://info.rangersst.com/

Increasing Profitability Through Driver Accountability

Darian Weaver

For any company with a fleet of light- or medium-duty vehicles from service contractors to vendors and those in the transportation industry, increasing profitability often comes down to fostering an environment of greater employee accountability.

The concept of accountability is defined as “the obligation of an individual to account for his/her activities, accept responsibility for them and to disclose the results in a transparent manner.” Implied in this definition is the ability to verify tasks are completed as expected, on time, efficiently, and per company policy. For fleet managers, this can only be accomplished through real-time GPS tracking devices on all vehicles.

Accountability: Discovering What the Driver is Doing Right

After all, it is well established that drivers that know they are being monitored by such systems are less likely to make unnecessary detours or stops for personal reasons, may avoid spending unnecessary time at job sites, and/or avoid idling the engine while filling out paperwork in the vehicle. But accountability is not about discovering what a driver is doing “wrong,” as much as it is about discovering what the driver is doing right. Through GPS tracking, drivers can take more ownership for their jobs, have more clarity of tasks and results, can self-correct, improve, and do not have to be micromanaged.

Even well-intentioned drivers may discover that there are areas of improvement and efficiencies that could make them more productive. There are also indirect benefits as well. When all drivers are monitored, those not pulling their weight are more easily identified so faster, more productive employees do not have to pick up the slack with extra deliveries or service visits. Finally, with greater accountability, higher performing employees are more likely to be recognized and rewarded (raises anyone?) based on verifiable performance.

So, with a host of benefits for the employee, fleet managers that have avoided the “leap” to GPS tracking are missing out on a win/win scenario. After all, more accountable drivers lead to greater efficiency overall, which means increased profits. It’s an argument that is hard to deny, particularly as GPS tracking continues to improve while the cost of entry plummets.

Greater Routing Efficiencies and Higher Driver Standards

Although GPS trackers have been around for some time, advances in the technology allows for more real-time tracking and simplified reporting. Fleet managers, after all, don’t want to spend all day on their computers sifting through complex analytical data. Instead, they want simplified, easy to read reports that summarize what they need to know. Fortunately, such systems exist today and at rates less than $20 per vehicle.

The advanced units today allow real-time and historical tracking of each vehicle in a fleet. This allows dispatchers to assign the closest vehicle to a job, which expedites the service work or delivery and saves gas, labor, and vehicle wear-and-tear. It also allows historical routing analysis, which enables even greater routing efficiencies to be determined on an individual or fleet-wide basis.

However, the greatest improvements in fleet management occur when GPS tracking devices are used to hold drivers to a clear, unbiased standard to encourage better performance for the company and themselves.

As an example, when Reilly Construction & Development implemented their first GPS tracking system last year, the Vero Beach, Fla.-based residential and commercial construction company benefited from significant productivity gains and operational efficiencies. The construction company has installed Shadow Tracker Vision III GPS tracking devices from Advanced Tracking Technologies (ATTI), a Houston, Texas-based designer and manufacturer of GPS tracking products, on two of their construction trucks.

Real-Time GPS Tracking Updating Every 10-Seconds

Compared with typical GPS tracking devices that may only update every few minutes,the device provides real-time location updates every 10-seconds, as well as location, speed, and idle time alerts if something is amiss. This data is transmitted via satellite and cellular networks to a smartphone or PC on a 24/7 basis. With such accountability for how every minute of each day is spent, employees know they are always “on the clock.” This helps to eliminate frivolous or unnecessary stops during the workday, and decreases wasted time during a stop.

“Now we know exactly where our vehicles and drivers are in real time,” says Sharon Arnold, Office and Assistant Project Manager at Reilly Construction & Development. “We can spot check our drivers to make sure they are where they are supposed to be and not at unauthorized places because some people will take advantage. That has saved us a few thousand dollars in salary alone. The system more than pays for itself in enhanced productivity.”

On the plus side for employees, the use of such GPS tracking systems helps verify on-time arrival at customer sites. And automated reporting such as that provided by the ATTI system can virtually eliminate the reporting burden for employee and employer with respect to driving logs. Automated exception reporting can also flag potential issues that need to be corrected, such as excess vehicle mileage or idling. “We are trying to work smarter, not harder,” says Arnold. “We are trying to make things simple and straight forward. With everything out in the open, people know what to expect.”

Enhanced Profitability and Reduced Costs

Once drivers and the work crew know they are accountable for their actions, it is amazing how much more they will accomplish. Using such an approach with advanced GPS tracking commonly improves productivity 10-20 percent while reducing fuel costs 10-15 percent, as drivers start to pay attention to their driving and work habits throughout the day.

Indiana-based Gordon Plumbing Inc., which offers services ranging from small fixes to remodeling and construction, currently uses ATTI’s GPS tracking system on 54 vehicles, and has used three different tracking systems over the last decade. “The [ATTI] system not only expedites job dispatching but also enhances accountability and profitability while reducing costs,” says Shannon Allen, Gordon Plumbing Service Coordinator.

Allen points out that being able to access a vehicle’s position in real time means “our vehicles can reach customers very quickly when there are emergencies.” She adds, “If our drivers on the job need help from a tech specialist, we can immediately find one in their area and dispatch them to that address.” According to Allen, the system provides one link for all the covered vehicles. “The GPS tracking system puts our vehicles on a map, so I can see all of them at once,” she says, noting that the view can be narrowed to any department or [geographic] area, as desired. “It is so accurate that it lets me see exactly where a vehicle is parked.”

Because the GPS system is automated, reports are delivered without anyone having to open software. In addition to the real-time views of the activity taking place, next day reports are delivered by email, documenting everything that happened the day before. The reports can be customized, for example, to show how many drivers idled for more than 30 minutes or how many miles were put on a vehicle.

Allen emphasizes that the system can quickly spot driver habits that need correction, such as a driver stopping for 5 or 10 minutes between jobs several times a day. “With the GPS system, we are able to notice and point out that even five to ten minutes stops between jobs each day adds up to a lot of lost productivity,” says Allen. She concludes, however, that her drivers are quite used to the system and even appreciate it when it proves that they are getting to and doing their jobs as required.

For a free demo, visit https://www.advantrack.com/free-demo/. For more information, contact Advanced Tracking Technologies, 6001 Savoy Drive, Suite 301, Houston, TX 77036; visit www.advantrack.com; call 800-279-0035; email sales@advantrack.com.

Speed up Towing and Recovery Processes with Updated “Tow Buddy”

Darian Weaver

The original “Tow Buddy” debuted at the 2019 Florida Tow Show and was the talk of the show! Since then, the versatile Tow Buddy 2.0 was revealed! Now tow not only bobtails and semi-trailers with your HD wrecker, but mount it on your rollback and tow other trailers such as camper trailers and goosenecks. With the 2.0, you simply switch out the ‘heads’ to fit various trailers or use the ‘king pin’ head for a bobtail truck.

The original “Tow Buddy” is a HD wrecker 5th-wheel hitch with a kingpin. It can easily be mounted on the wrecker’s wheel-lift crossbar in less than a minute. Simply back the wrecker up with the Tow Buddy’s kingpin into the 5th wheel of a bobtail truck and the rear end of the truck can now be lifted. If necessary, attach axle chains to prevent axles from dropping and causing damage to air bags. Also, depending on the situation, attach safety chains, towing lights, and a steering trap to the bobtail. Most trucks can be ready to tow in 5-6 minutes.

Hard-to-tow trucks like car haulers and other low-to-the-ground trucks, large-axle trucks, and some of the new trucks with disc brakes are now easy to tow. With the Tow Buddy 2.0, using the same mounting brackets, invert and mount the Tow-Buddy 2.0 tool bar on top of the wheel lift and switch out the head for the type of trailer you are pulling. You can also mount a pintle hook to the Tow-Buddy 2.0. For rollbacks, you simply use the tall mounting brackets to mount the Tow Buddy 2.0 on your wheel lift to tow 5th wheel trailers.

Although Tow Buddy 2.0 debuted it’s premier “Tow Buddy” product at the 2019 Florida Tow Show, owner Joey Castillow, a veteran of the tow industry, has invented several products over the years that, like Tow Buddy, help to speed up towing and recovery processes. Since he developed the Tow Buddy in 2015, Joey has used the Tow Buddy in his Monroeville, Alabama business.

To order, get questions answered, watch for other helpful accessories, or see video of the Tow Buddy being used, you can find Tow Buddy online at www.Tow-Buddy.com or call Joey at 251-714-0096. Tow Buddy can also be seen on Facebook.

The Tow Buddy is simply the FASTEST and EASIEST way to tow a bobtail and trailers!

For more information, visit www.tow-buddy.com

FlowStop Products Tailored to Your Spill Response & Remediation Needs

Darian Weaver

“Spill Response and Remediation” became a service offered by Piedmont Environmental Response Team, “PERT,” in the early 90’s in Charlotte, NC. The company was founded by Perry Beaty. Beaty Towing & Recovery responded to accident scenes only to be advised to stand down until the HazMat portion of the accident was complete. The only problem was getting a HazMat responder to arrive and do the necessary job. After countless hours of stand-by time was experienced and vehicle owners or insurance companies not wanting to pay for stand-by time incurred by my towing company, I decided to handle the spill myself.

HAZWOPER Certification was a requirement to be permitted on a spill site along with the proper and necessary equipment. My response time was stellar no matter what time of day, so I found favor with the authorities. Calls for spill response were received for mishaps not only related to traffic accidents with storm drains being impacted by fuel releases requiring flushing out the storm drain pipes.

There was not a functioning storm drain-pipe plug offered on the market that was impervious to fuels and chemicals. My design and development of an inflatable pipe plug became known and marketed as “FLOWSTOP.” This new creation was patented in 2004 and introduced in 2009 at the International Fire Chiefs HazMat Conference. 2013 brought the FlowStop Football containment plug on board soon to be joined by the FlowStop Golfball. Other products were assembled under the FlowStop product brand name and offered not only to the fire service but to the towing and recovery industry as well.

FlowStop Footballs and Golfballs

FlowStop Footballs and Golfballs have become a popular choice to those responding to different types of leaks, most notable diesel fuel. The sponge material of both the football and golfball are hosts that contains the barrier resin that activates when water is added and sets up rock solid when deployed in a puncture, split, or tear in a vessel within 3 minutes or less depending on the ambient temperature.

FlowStop’s product line is premier for quick, faster, better tools when roadside response is needed. Fuel tanks that sustain damage and leaks are candidates for containment plugs along with catch pools that can contain leaking fuel and then be reused after removing contents and decon procedures are undertaken. FlowStop offers pneumatic-operated transfer pumps which have fluid transfer rates of 46 GPM to 150 GPM. The three different style of pumps can handle all hydrocarbons, acids, and chemicals with necessary hoses and vac stingers.

FlowStop’s 1’’ Vac Pump Caddy

FlowStop’s 1’’ Vac Pump Caddy is cart mounted for efficient maneuverability with a mounted air regulator for pressure and moisture protection. Aluminum 1’’ Vac stingers of 48’’ and 30’’ are cart mounted along with an aluminum puddle wand. A poly toolbox is fixed mounted as well containing a 90 degree, 1’’ ELL,

2) 2’’ pressure plugs, poly screen mesh with wire ties as pipe filters to prevent trash intake. Each Vac pump unit is equipped with a 3/8’’ X 50’ air hose and four 25’ X 1’’ vac hoses compatible with the pump.

FlowStop’s Air Drill Kits

FlowStop’s Air drill kits which include hole saw bits of 2’’ and 4‘’ are used to allow entry into damaged saddle tanks, drums, and IBC’s. Pressure plugs of 2’’ and 4’’ are included to seal any drilled holes to prevent residual fuel leaks. Cutting and tapping oil, pneumatic tool oil, infrared temp gun along with a 3/8’’ X 50’ air hose make the air drill kit convenient and complete unit.

FlowStop’s Cargo Tank Stingers

FlowStop’s Cargo tank stingers come standard with 8’ of reach, (1,3 ft. X 2’’ and 1) 5 ft. X 2’’ Aluminum Vac Stingers) with male and female cam locks known as EZ Links eliminate lever lock arms to enable the vac stinger assembly to fit through a 4’’ hole for accessibility to fluid contents. Both pipe stingers are stored in schedule 40 PVC pipes to prevent damage between uses and easy transport. A 90-degree ELL with sight glass housed in protective case for transport and storage is included. These stingers are highly recommended for use with the FlowStop 2’’ pump.

More Key FlowStop Products

Spill Kits that include wooden dowels and wedges are part of the offering. Different configurations are available depending upon use. FlowStop Dome lid clamps for fuel tankers and FlowStop Block Locks for chemical tank dome lids convex or concave styles are available. These tools assist when dealing with small leaks from dome lids in tanker overturn situations. FlowStop offers a portable Decon Mat for light and minimum decontamination procedures for PPE and tools. The FlowStop product line is the creation of a veteran of the towing and recovery industry profession as well as spill response.

For more information, visit www.flowstop.net

Is Your Business Vision 20/20?

Darian Weaver

Successful business people are constantly thinking outside the box for new paradigm opportunities for business growth and health. What could be a more natural “fit” for towing companies than spill clean-up at a wreck site? As a premier tower and company owner in Charlotte, NC from 1970 through 1998, it became apparent that spill cleanup companies were few and far between. The scarcity and unreliability of cleanup services could result in several hours wait time–time that insurance companies were reluctant to pay for. The local EPA prohibited the removal of damaged tankers, containers, and cargo by anyone other than certified 40-Hr. Hazwoper. This was the compelling factor in deciding to start my own cleanup company.

What started to speed up the wreck recovery as well as the spill cleanup became the catalyst for answering cleanup calls in several counties. After developing a response plan along with necessary equipment, a new corporation was formed apart from my towing and recovery business.

Response time to the scene no matter time of day or day of the week was significantly quicker than the local authorities were accustomed to. Therefore, my cleanup services were suggested to the spill generator by the EPA officials covering the spill. Many responses for cleanups were not associated with a traffic accident. Trucking companies that used my towing service became my instant client base.

Towing, recovery, and spill clean-up were entrenched in my DNA not to mention the increased revenue the duo generated for my companies. In the following years, others in the towing industry began asking about this “union” of businesses, and I was asked to “share” my knowledge and experience. They say, “necessity is the mother of invention.” I began fabricating tools and equipment that proved to be crucial to effective and efficient spill containment and remediation. This product line along with a patent on storm drain plugs became “FlowStop.”

The Spill Response / Cleanup business became a profitable stand-alone company that enlarged its scope of performance to include pressure washing fuel islands at truck stops and trucking terminals, also loading dock mishaps.

In 2013, I became certified to instruct the 40-hr. HAZWOPER (Hazardous Waste Operations Emergency Response) certification program. Hazmat Responder Network (HRN) was introduced in 2014. The focus on CFR 1910.120 covers OSHA, EPA and DOT requirements. Completion of required hours and curriculum along with hands-on simulation of spill scenarios has proven to be a successful foundation for business expansion into spill cleanup and remediation for towing and recovery professionals.

HRN is committed to staying abreast of new tools, products and information for the Network (HRN) alumni. Quick, efficient job completion of spill events is paramount. Timely cleanup of contaminants and/or debris disrupting traffic flow is a first responders’ priority. With hands-on training, HRN equips attendees to do just that! At HRN, we refer to preparedness as being “COMBAT READY!“

It’s advisable to be selective when deciding to offer HAZWOPER training/certification to employees. Just as heavy-duty towing and recovery and light-duty towing are best suited to those with skill sets, the same is true for HAZWOPER cleanups. Depending on the size of your operation, determine how many employees you may need to get certified. HRN currently offers classes east of the Mississippi and keeps class location and dates posted. It may be to your advantage to send two students at a time. The class starts on a Thursday evening from 7:00 PM till 10:00 PM, Friday-Sunday 8:00 AM till 6:00 PM. The weekend class scheduling is to minimize diminished personnel during the busy weekday schedule. The certification is issued to the individual and not to the company. OSHA standards require all those engaging in emergency response spill cleanups be 40-hour HAZWOPER certified.

Equipment that is intrinsically safe, properly cared for, organized, properly labeled and thoroughly “de-contaminated” from prior use will ensure a more efficient and timelier cleanup site. Preparation in advance of arriving on scene is crucial. Incident Commander (IC), Fire Captain or EPA representative will determine your level of involvement based on “hot zone” conditions and your level of preparedness. HRN alumni have engaged in cross-training with local fire departments and invited local EPA officials to their facilities to show “combat ready” capabilities. It is to your advantage to develop a healthy and respectful working relationship with local officials.

It is advisable to find out in advance where to take properly contained contaminates for disposal. The necessary testing and steps for disposal manifests are covered thoroughly in class time sessions.

HRN provides in-depth, step-by-step procedure instruction to help ease the transition into your new cleanup business. Your success in the cleanup/remediation business is the focus of class time as well as hands-on simulation scenarios at HAZMAT RESPONDER NETWORK!!

A yearly 8-hour re-certification is required to keep your HAZWOPER certification current. HRN regularly posts opportunities for re-cert and has developed curriculum above and beyond basic refresher information. Tanker awareness, newest tools, and cleanup products will be introduced and utilized in hands on simulation.

As indicated in the name, HAZMAT RESPONDER NETWORK, is a network of trained and certified alumni. Many have utilized the network aspect and teamed up to help with problematic or large contaminate releases.

Now with the basic HAZWOPER training complete, it is highly suggested NOT to accept calls for spill response until all bases are covered regarding equipment and supplies. This takes time for some companies to become thoroughly prepared for response work.

Spill response is a “team sport” meaning more than one HAZWOPER certified technician will be utilized at the scene of a cleanup. As covered in the required curriculum, “teams” of at least 2 technicians may be required depending on the size, scope and/or complexity of the spill or release.

For more information, visit hazmatrn.com

GoLight, Inc. Power, Performance, & Innovation

Darian Weaver

Golight, Inc. is a privately held manufacturing company nestled in the heartland of the United States. In December of 1992, the idea of the remote-control spotlight was born. After many engineering drawings, tooling refinements, and prototypes, the first Golight was available for sale in the summer of 1994. Since then, Golight has set the industry standard in remote-control lighting. Our lights are in service around the world, lighting the way for everything from military vehicles in Afghanistan to snowplows in Alaska.

In the past 25 years, there have been numerous upgrades to our original product line. Each update incorporates the latest technology to bring our customers the best possible product. Our commitment to quality and durability can be found in every detail of our lights. We take great pride in the companies we serve and the products we provide.

2020 is bringing some bright new changes to Golight with the introduction of 2 new series; the Stryker ST Series and the Golight GT Series. The Golight GT Series builds on the foundation of the original Golight/Radioray product line. It features:

Updated exterior housing design
Higher torque drivetrain and more precise pan / tilt control
Increased Ingress protection (IP56)
Permanent mount models boast a robust 14-gauge stainless steel mounting bracket
Portable magnetic models have 2X magnetic grip
Enhanced resistance levels associated with shock, vibration, and impact
The Stryker ST stems from the original Stryker product line. It features:
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 – Simultaneous Pan + Tilt – Multiple users can operate lights in proximity without interference
Smart Programming Logic – Quick and simple pairing without dipswitches
Fluorescent Remote Buttons

Both the Golight GT and the Stryker ST Series are available in LED or Halogen with our LED units now providing 32% more power boasting 544,000 Candela with a Max Beam Distance of 4,839 ft. They are also both available in Permanent Mount or Portable Magnetic Mounting with 135° x 370° directional rotation.

For More Info – https://golight.com

Custer Products – An Experience In Excellence!

Darian Weaver

Safety lighting and work lights have been evolving for years and will continue to evolve as new technologies are developed. You may still remember the days when safety lighting consisted of an incandescent or halogen bulb in a chrome base with a colored glass or plastic lens and a mirror that rotated around the light source to give the warning flash. This type of light was often referred to as the “bubble gum” light. Early light bars were made in a very similar manner, but as vehicles added more lights, they encountered many power issues since the lights took a tremendous electrical drain. Vehicle owners wanted more visible safety lighting but could not keep up with the ever-increasing power demand that the old-style lights required.

Today, technology has improved, so vehicles can now have multiple lights with significantly less amperage draw than the predecessor light. High-powered LEDs have made equipping a vehicle with safety lights and work lights very practical because of the low power draw. It’s very common to see vehicles with multiple strobes and work lights all running at the same time. This is very important for safety at the scene of the job. It is much safer when the work area has proper lighting and nearby traffic can see the warning lights to know to slow down and move over to protect the workers at the scene.

As technology improves, the demand for auxiliary safety lighting and better work lights has increased significantly. The rising demand for this type of lighting can also be attributed to the decline in price on LED lights in the last ten years. There is an abundance of selection when it comes to brightness, style, size, and functions of the newer safety lights and work lights. Because of this high demand and the almost infinite selection of lights, we are noticing a continuously growing number of distributors and manufacturers in the lighting industry.

EXCELLENCE IN QUALITY

A vast number of companies are entering the auxiliary lighting market because of the lights’ increasing popularity. There are several companies that have been in business for many years and are well known in the industry for their high-quality standards. On the flip side, there is an increasing number of individuals who sell exclusively online through auction sites. They are almost always able to beat conventional sources in price due to little overhead and needing little to no staff, because when you sell online you rarely have to deal with the customer directly. As an end user, buying online can sometimes be a gamble. Many of these sites have great products, but many of them are also selling product that isn’t properly quality-control checked. You may be getting a rock-bottom price, but what quality are you getting? The best bet when buying auxiliary lighting is to do a little research before you buy. Who do I contact if I have a problem? Does this brand have good quality? What’s the warranty policy? Does the product have a low-price sticker but higher incidental costs?

I have been to hundreds of trade shows in 26 years with Custer Products. I am continuously hearing from customers about inferior products in the marketplace that are almost identical to the high-quality product. It’s not uncommon for people to come up to me with items that look almost exactly like the products I sell but have problems. Most times these “knock offs” do a great job of matching the physical appearance but do a very poor job of matching the quality of trusted manufacturers. I also get many requests to “match the price” of online auctions. It’s not possible for me to sell my high-quality product to match the price of a poorly made item. We’d be out of business! That would be like asking a car dealership to buy a loaded model for the same price as a basic model. They may appear the same on the outside, but one is a lot better! You get my point. There are many good manufacturers and distributors in the industry, and if you are looking to purchase auxiliary lighting, I’d suggest giving them a call instead of purchasing from someone you don’t know online.

EXCELLENCE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE

As mentioned before, Custer Products has been in business for 26 years. The main reason we’ve been able to stay in business and thrive among all of the competition is our excellent customer-service team. We pride ourselves in bending over backwards to meet our customers’ needs, and when you call Custer, you will always be greeted by a real person ready to help you with whatever you need. Custer will never be one of those companies with an automated system that tells you, “Your call is very important to us,” because your call actually IS very important to us, which is why we will always answer your call (within business hours, of course!).

Another factor that sets Custer apart from its competition is that we always stand behind our products. Even though the quality of our products is excellent, there are occasionally defects. We make it as easy and painless as possible for our customers to address warranty issues. As mentioned before, if you call us, we will answer the phone, and we will take care of you. When you buy online, are you getting a warranty with that low price? Who will you call when your light stops working? When you buy from Custer, you can buy with confidence, knowing that if anything goes wrong with your light, you will be taken care of.

Along with excellent customer service and a no-hassle return policy, Custer Products also stands out when it comes to the most important aspect: lights! We are continuously putting new lighting products in our line as technology progresses. Launched in the beginning of 2019, one of our newest products, the wireless Light-Duty Tow Light or LDTL for short, had record LIW sales last year, and we are looking forward to seeing how many records it will break in 2020! This 23” light bar is the newest addition to our wireless light bar line. All of our wireless light bars contain auto-grade circuitry and are individually serialized to prevent cross-talk between bars. We manufacture the LDTL along with all of our wireless light bars right here at our facility in Massillon, Ohio.

Other new products include 56” Amber/White rooftop lightbar with over 22 flash patterns and our LED ag light with combination high/low beam, both of which have been great sellers in 2019.

Custer always seeks to find products that are unique, like our new hexagonal shaped flood work light and our new 18-watt strobe light which includes a built-in flood work light. Also new at Custer, our LED perimeter lights are designed with a 40-degree angle to brightly light up any space from a toolbox to a truck bed.

We are also continuously looking for opportunities to improve our current products. We’ve introduced a “Version 2” of our popular selling STR51AAC and STR56AAC rooftop strobe bars. The new bars come with a more user-friendly control box and even brighter lighting modules within the bar. In addition to our new strobe bars, we’ve also added a new enhancement to our agricultural kits that meet the ASAE S279 lighting standards which have enhanced brake and turn functions.

EXCELLENCE IN ADAPTABILITY

Finally, Custer Products takes pride in our ability to adapt to change. It’s important to adapt to technology, but it’s also imperative to grow from a business standpoint. Custer has grown its staff significantly over the last several years and after 25 years at our facility in North Canton, Ohio, Custer Products made the decision to move to Massillon, Ohio in August of 2018. We’ve been in our new facility for about a year and a half now and have had increased sales due to a positive response from the local community.

For more information, visit www.custerproducts.com

LED Lighting Technology Delivers Safety & Revenue

Darian Weaver

A towman’s most challenging work takes place at night. Obviously, visibility is reduced, but there are other threats as well. The glare of oncoming headlights may make it difficult for you to see. Wreckage may be scattered beyond your view. Drivers speeding past may be tired, careless, or even worse, impaired. The best way to reduce or eliminate these threats is to outfit your wrecker with high-quality lighting products designed specifically for your world.

At the heart of every lighting product designed to help you do your job is the light. It’s obvious, right? But what is not so obvious is not all lights are created equal. For the most part, the days of the hot burning halogen lights that required constant replacement and an expensive generator on your truck or a separate light truck are long gone–and we are all thankful for that! So, what do you do? You go out and buy an LED light, bolt it on your vehicle, and away you go.

Everything is great! You have the latest lighting technology. You may have received a great deal on it from Amazon or you may have made an investment in a light that has an extended warranty or maybe even a lifetime guarantee. You are drawing so little power that you can run your lights off the alternator, and you believe your LEDs last forever. However, a little knowledge about how LEDs work and understanding the variation in quality and design between manufacturers can go a long way in reducing your aggravation, your long-term costs, and ultimately provide more light on the scene.

It all starts with the LED, and they are not created equal. LED manufacturers produce thousands of chips per run. These chips vary widely in their quality and capability to produce light. The manufacturer tests and sorts the LEDs and assigns them a bin rating. The light output can vary from a top bin rating of E (used in Night Scan lights) which generates an average of 1,000 luminous flux to a Z bin rating which only produces around 400 luminous flux. When you are shopping for an LED lamp, make sure to ask what bin rating the LEDs are.

There are two common types of LED “chips” used in lamps: Chip On Board (COB) and Single Die LED that is combined with an optic collimator. COB chips are usually cheaper because they are not paired with precision optics – they make a good floodlight but do not expect them to provide usable light very far from the truck. The Single Die LED combined with a precision optic lens can give you the precise light on scene that you need. Optics can be turned to give you the best of both worlds by combining flood light optics (typically 60° angle or wider) and spotlight optics (typically 20° to 40° angle). The combination will provide great working light near the truck and will cast usable light well past 300 feet. Night Scan lights are illuminated by the single die LED with optic lens.

Heat is the number one enemy of LED chips. Heat that builds up and is not managed properly will cause a reduction of light output from the lamp over the time it is in use. You may start the job with the lamps generating the rated light output, but a couple of hours in you may notice that the scene is darker than when you started. This is caused by the lamp building up heat beyond the rating of the chip. Make sure to ask if LED lamp you are considering has “active heat management”. This is more than just the giant metal heat sink on the back of the fixture, this is circuitry that will manage the input power so that the LEDs do not get hotter than what they are rated for. This ensures consistent light output and will allow the lamp to stay in service for years. Lights with good thermal management systems will typically have warranties of 10 years or longer.

Night Scan Spot Remote Controlled Positioner.

Now you understand how to choose a high-quality LED lamp. You know what questions to ask and have learned that “you get what you pay for.” Now it is time to select the products to upfit your truck, so you can put that light to use to be safer and generate additional revenue. It is important to maintain safe lighting around your wrecker. You will likely be in and out of the compartments and cab several times throughout the night. Make sure you have lights on the corners of your truck, in your compartments, and on the roof or headache rack that are directed to these areas.

Now it is time to think beyond the truck. There are several products on the market with different capabilities and created for different budgets that can help you to see and be seen by oncoming traffic. Two budget-friendly options that can be installed on nearly any vehicle are light poles and tripods. The light poles can be mounted nearly anywhere and can typically extend 2 to 4 feet. The LED light can generate up to 20,000 lumens. LEDs let you run them from truck power–no need to drag out the generator.

Night Scan HDT Profiler with 110,000 Lumen Sirion Light is Narrow Enough to fit
on Side Tool Box

A wireless remote-controlled light positioner is another tool that can be installed on any flat surface on any size vehicle. These products allow you to direct light right where you need it from the comfort of your cab or from where you are working. They can even be used while you are driving. A wireless remote-controlled light positioner is great for rollbacks and tow trucks. Night Scan Spot by Will-Burt is a budget-friendly option in this category.

Light towers that are installed onto a wrecker, rotator, or utility truck are proven to increase safety, speed up the recovery process, and generate more revenue. Night Scan HDT light towers by Will-Burt have been designed specifically for the tow industry. The tower is ruggedized, and the LED lights have the highest quality LEDs, active thermal management, and now carry a lifetime warranty. These towers elevate the lights to 15 feet or even higher to provide light from above – like daylight. These lights will not blind you or oncoming traffic. The lights can point any direction regardless of how your wrecker is parked – no more dark areas to work in! The tower is controlled by a remote control that can be installed in a compartment and has a coiled cord that is 25 feet long. For the ultimate in convenience, step up to a wireless remote with a range of over 300 feet.

Will-Burt has recently developed the most powerful light fixture in the industry – Sirion. The Sirion makes use of Triple Coverage Optics Technology to illuminate three areas of a scene: short-range for near the vehicle, mid-range for the typical work area, and long-range for searching or the work areas you just can’t get close enough to like a ravine, embankment, or bridge.

Latta Null of Null’s Towing was one of the first to install the Sirion light tower. He recently said, “We use Night Scan HDT light towers because they improve safety, visibility in our working area, and let oncoming traffic know we are here.” Light towers can be used a revenue generator. $250 per hour with a minimum of four hours is recommended by some billing experts. The tower can quickly pay for itself and then the rest goes to the bottom line! Latta also commented on how his business is able to generate more revenue with the tower, “It’s really improved our business flow because we are now being requested to bring our light towers out to assist in reconstruction and investigation by various police departments.” So, when darkness falls, make sure to take care of your crew and your bottom line by investing in high quality LED lamps and light towers that will be there when you need them.

For more information, visit www.willburt.com

Back to the Future Again with TowMate Wireless Lights

Darian Weaver

GREAT SCOTT! The future of wireless tow lights has arrived. It was just a year ago TowMate had developed the future tech of wireless lights, but here we are again, back to the future! TowMate has advanced technology onward and upward once again! “Regardless of whether or not there were ‘competitors’ entering the market, we will always be working on integrating the most cutting-edge technological advancements into our products. It’s what has kept us the industry standard,” says Lee Young, Chief Electronics Engineer for TowMate. Looking back at the storied history of wireless tow light technology, it becomes evident how the company paved the way from bulky, obtuse, and inconveniently heavy systems that operated with incandescent bulbs to today’s light weight, bright, and safety-feature rich LED driven lights. “Well, it’s a matter of staying on top of the technologies being developed and how they might apply in a practical manner,” Lee continues. “It is about continually refining, redefining, improving, and building upon what we achieved before,” and they have that with TowMate’s new and expanding line of ‘FLUX” series wireless tow lights being the latest example.

With the vision of Bryan Anderson, President of TowMate, the company continues to dig deeper into new tech that provides clear benefits to everyday tow operators. One example being a super-fast charging wireless tow light. That’s what you get with the TM-FLUX series. For the light-duty wireless tow lights that run on TowMate’s patent pending technology, the light will achieve a full charge in just under eight minutes! This, compared to a traditional eight-hour charge time for lead-acid battery systems, represents a major shift in efficiency! Not only that but the system operates without batteries. The technology utilized will support millions of charge cycles to the degree that the operator will never have to service a battery. There is one small tradeoff, however, and as such the TM-FLUX and TM-FLUX32 (pictured above) have about a four-hour run time per charge. Even so, a quick step into the office, conversation with a customer or a coffee break, and the unit is ready to go another round. Look for several new lines of TowMate product to utilize this tech in 2020, including a heavy-duty wireless light bar! That’s right! TowMate has undergone preliminary testing that shows there is viability to applying this technology to a 36” heavy-duty wireless light bars and achieving a six to eight-hour run time off just a 10-minute charge time. What a time to be alive!

With new products and technologies being developed on the regular, it begs the question just exactly who TowMate is and how they manage to do so. The answer may be somewhat surprising to those not familiar. TowMate is a family-owned and -operated company. Based in Rogers, Arkansas, they have grown in their 35 years of serving the industry from being a one-man operation to now employing 50+ workers. A true leader has more than just a controlling role in any given situation. They also must have vision. Bryan continues to guide the company towards innovation by reinvesting in facilities, equipment, and the employees themselves. In addition to these things, TowMate has aligned themselves with other industry leaders in order to address the needs of tow operators everywhere.

A prime example of this is the development of a lighting package for Landoll 400/455/930/955 series trailers. Using the Power-Link technology developed by TowMate several years ago, these lights simply plug into the existing wiring of the trailer and act as marker lights as well as strobes with no additional wiring necessary, except for the controller that simply wires to power and ground. That’s right, easily add safety lighting to your Landoll trailer at the time of purchase or to your existing trailer as well. As with all TowMate made products, they are made in the USA and carry a lifetime warranty. This is all in addition to being a super bright warning light that doubles as a marker and simply uses the factory harness to install. It literally could not be any simpler.

As we all know, motorists on the highway are more distracted than ever these days. Tow operators risk their lives day in and day out to provide a service and save the day for those in distress on our roadways. The unfortunate truth is that not every hero makes it home at the end of every day. That is why there have been many ‘Move Over’ initiatives that have set out to raise awareness of our brothers and sisters who find themselves working on the side of our highways and roads across the nation on any given day. Making people aware on a broad level is no easy task however, and so it becomes a mixed bag of awareness of the public along with safety equipment that notifies motorists of a worker’s presence on the side of the road in case they missed the memo.

TowMate has begun an initiative that combines the convenience of wireless tow lights with the added layer of protection from warning lights, along with the development of other roadside safety systems. The MO series of lights (Move Over) spans numerous product types ranging from the MO37 heavy-duty wireless light bar that features arrow/strobe/work light modes to the brand-new MO-PRO magnetic rechargeable flare. Unlike the small puck-shaped LED flares, the MO-PRO is built with the highest quality components and some of the brightest LED’s on Earth. It also features numerous color profiles for its flash modes as well as a steady on for the work light mode. Derived from the previous model, the TMPRO-3-1, but packed with more features, the MO-PRO is hands down the most versatile and effective portable LED warning light available today.

For more information, visit www.towmate.com

Do Your Wreck Recovery Scenes Look Like Monty Python Skits?

Darian Weaver

Are you training and training correctly or do your wreck recovery scenes resemble a Monty Python comedy skit? In 2014, I met a guy who was seriously the consummate tow guy. He’d been to all the schools, knew half the industry, and could run a rotator like Mickey Gilley plays a piano. He is brilliant at heavy recovery, doing tricks with a rotator and its rigging that could make your head swim. He’s got all the major certifications and has done recurring training almost every year–a true operator’s operator!

At the same time, he was horrible with people, and his wreck scenes were always a mess. He didn’t know how to talk to people or train them. His wreck scenes always resembled a Monty Python comedy skit, and not in a good way: disorganized chaos. I had to ask myself why and understand how this happened when dealing such a sharp operator. The problem is with his approach when he tries to train someone, or even work with someone on a wreck site. Ask yourself if you have any of these traits (that he has), and I’ll explain how to fix the problem:

POOR COMMUNICATION

He can’t communicate without yelling. Let’s say you are on a wreck scene, and you’re giving out some technical directions. Now it’s very important that the others hear EXACTLY what you want done, and you just rattled off some stuff they don’t understand mainly because they’ve never DONE the task and DON’T understand it. Think about that and either conduct training at the shop, outside of a tumultuous wreck scene, or slow down and explain things; it’ll only take a few extra seconds.

IMPATIENCE

He’s impatient. He’d rather do it himself than wait for someone else to do it. Sure, “it” gets done, but no one learns anything, everyone gets frustrated and angry, and there’s a danger element involved where only one guy knows how things were rigged and knows what to look for if something starts to fail. This is how and when people quit on you – AT the wreck scene. Even if they stay, they just mentally check out.

MISDIRECTED ANGER

He gets angry easily. That’s because he realizes he never took the time to work with people properly in a non-stressful environment, like a slow day at the shop, and didn’t show people what he wanted done and when. He could have built several scenarios and worked out rigging plans and tasked certain people with certain jobs. It bothers him that he didn’t do that, needs the help now, and he directs his anger at his people instead of where it belongs – at himself.

I can’t personally motivate every business owner out there, though I can make the suggestion, or provide some, food for thought: If you fit some or all of the traits I’ve described, you need to look no further than the mirror for the answers to the questions like:

Why are state troopers (or police in general) angry with my company after working a wreck?
Why do my lower-level drivers quit, and why do I develop problems communicating with the senior folks?
Why do I have to do everything myself?
Why are my rigging items misplaced, damaged, or lost?
Why have I had truck damage during recoveries?

Check those three traits and my narrative after each one. Where do you see yourself and how you can do things differently? With your guys, it starts with training, that is training correctly! With you, it requires change-a new way of doing things. To keep it simple when you are trying to develop a new skill, trait, or habit, just do the new habit, and then repeat again and again until the brain and muscle memory work together to make it feel natural.

A PLACE TO START

If you are not sure where to start in your training, then let me give you an idea of where to begin: One of the biggest issues I’ve seen that is very dangerous, and preventable is working a flatbed from the driver’s side. It’s natural to do that: You get out of the driver’s door and start working. The driver’s door is the last place you are before you get inside and take off. It feels right, but it’s dangerous. Unless you’re working on the left side of a one-way street and very few other scenarios, being on the driver’s side of the truck while operating the levers to move the car and the bed puts you in traffic. Why is this an issue? There’s another set of controls on the other side, away from traffic!

The only way to break that habit is to practice working the truck from the right side. Sure, you must be on the left side for brief moments while hooking up your bridle, chains, and safety chain or strap. But you can do 99% of the work from the right side. Operate the levers from the right side. Deal with police or the customer on the right side. Practice it. Make it a habit.

Here’s a note, if you’re not convinced. If a driver loses control or isn’t paying attention and is going to strike your tow unit, which side of the unit do you want to be on? Do you want to be on the side that’s between that careening car and your truck, or your truck and the ditch, so you can run?

So, reflect on the above negative leadership traits, and start changing those habits you see in yourself. Also, pick a training issue that could save the lives of your tow operators and your customers and start there. Let your business look more like a well-oiled machine rather than a Monty Python comedy skit!

Making Progress

Darian Weaver

Move Over

In this article, I want to address two very important topics for the towing industry. I want to talk about the “Move Over” laws, and the next-generation tower. I traveled a lot over the past two years, and I was surprised and encouraged by how many motorists would move over when they saw a vehicle on the side of the road. For years, our industry has been trying to address the “Move Over” laws because too many tow operators have been killed while providing towing services for someone on the side of the road.

I know the national association is trying to address the “Move Over” laws, and many state associations are doing the same. I was at a trade show recently, and I met gentlemen from Maryland who had a company that engineered the cameras on traffic lights to catch people running red lights. He told me he was contracted by the state of Maryland to do the same by engineering a camera for a tow truck or police vehicle, so they can catch people that don’t move over when approaching vehicles on the side of the road.

The state of Maryland realized that too many people were getting hit by passing vehicles that could have been avoided by moving over. His company is trying to push this new feature into as many states as possible. He does not have the connections in other states that can make this happen. I put him in touch with the New Jersey state association because they are working on legislation that would address the “Move Over” law.

Little things are being done like one state who made it illegal to be on a cell phone when passing construction areas. I guess that is a start, but we must take it to the next level. The person from Maryland needs your help with connections to your state legislative offices. He feels strongly that other states will adopt his program if he can make some legislative connections in other states. If your association can help let me know. Get in touch with Tow Professional magazine, and they will make sure I get the message.

Looking for Drivers

The second topic I want to address is the tow operator of the future. I bet 80% of the tow companies across the U.S. could use a driver or tow. Our problem is, we don’t know where they will come from. I’m not sure we can count on this generation to take over the towing industry unless you can operate a truck with a cell phone. Many parents will be disappointed in the future when their children tell them they don’t want to be in the towing industry.

The Montana Towing association invited me to their annual state tow show a few months ago as a speaker. I did a three-hour class relating to business side of towing. It started out great, but it did not take long for them to bring up their biggest concern, which was where do we get the future drivers to support our industry. If you have been watching the political debates most of the candidates want everyone to go to college.

I agree that education is needed to have a good job in the future, but not everyone is cut out for college. I remember back in the sixties when I graduated high school. I realized then college was not for me, so I went to a trade school and got introduced to the computer industry when I learned about programming and computer operations. It was a six-month long course, and it got me my first job as a computer operator in the banking industry. I stayed in that field for over 20 years before I got into towing.

At my class in Montana, the subject of trade schools came up and about 45 of us started talking about trade schools for our industry. There was good feedback, and we came up with a few ideas on how to go about doing it. The problem is that it takes money and a few good people to put it together. We had a few volunteers that would work on this project if we could come up with some funding.

It seems like state and national associations emphasize testing towers and not enough time on creating tower. Associations are looking for ways to generate revenue and that’s good, but our industry needs drivers. I am looking into a program that our government has put in place where they take ex-convicts and introduces them back into society. They need jobs to make that happen. They would be the perfect candidate for a trade school and a good fit for the industry. When I mention it to tow companies, I always get the following feedback:

Our state does not allow felons.
They can’t be trusted.
They would be a liability to my company.
Appearance could be a problem.
It would be a black mark to the industry.

I will not even mention the other biased and uninformed comments companies came up with. For the first 45 minutes, I heard no positive comments about how they could help the tow company or the industry. As the meeting went on, we realized they could have a very positive impact on our industry while addressing a major need. If we market the program properly, here are a few good things that could happen:

It’s a government program, so there may be some money available.
Your customers could appreciate you helping people in need.
Trucking manufactures, I think, would strongly support this program.
Tow companies can hire trained drivers.

In February, I will start looking for a place in Dallas to house the school. I will be working closely with Southwest Tow Operators association to make this happen. I need your input and ideas on how we set this school up and what we should offer. I will also look for instructors to help educate our students. If successful, we will fill drivers needs all over the U.S.

Concerning drivers moving over in response to the “Move Over” laws, we are seeing good progress, but there is more work to do as we network through the state towing associations. Help us network. Also, we are making progress in cultivating the next generation tower, so send us your ideas as we prepare to train a new source for employees giving those who are a good fit for our industry a second chance.

Beyond Where Ordinary Rests and Where Extraordinary Begins

Darian Weaver

January 9th was the date set for partners and friends to come together in Fort Wright, KY for a very special occasion. The group had assembled to honor the 10-year Anniversary of INA Towing and its ribbon cutting at the grand opening of their new National Operation’s Center. A large contingency of towers of INA’s Tow Elite Provider Network started arriving in town Wednesday a day ahead of the celebration. This time was used by all to catch up, compare notes on what has been working well for everyone’s business, and to share in the joy for Gay Rochester and INA’s success and commitment to this industry.

Gay stated “INA is proud of the industry support that has been offered over the years, and that was a crucial building block in INA’s success.” Talking with some of the staff, it was apparent that not only was this industry Gay Rochester’s passion, but a passion of everyone of INA’s employees. Many said working for INA was an absolute joy. They spoke of how they internalize their customer’s needs and look for solutions for their clients to ensure their safety and efficiency while on scene.

Tow Elite, Element Fleet Management, attendees from TRAA, and American Red cross were all blown away by the new facility. Anyone that knows Gay knows how she loves to decorate for Christmas. The office was “outfitted to the T” and looked like a winter wonderland. I remember thinking how you could come to work here and not be filled with joy. The new facility has a state-of-the art call center, conference room, training facility for new employees, and full kitchen and wellness center that had all the necessities needed to make you feel like you were at home. Cold drinks, and a spread of finger food and sandwiches were on hand for all to enjoy, and we did!

Gay used this opportunity to unveil INA’s Awareness Mural Campaign for Driver Safety. In an industry that has become increasingly dangerous while working roadside. INA strives for driver safety on every call. Gay stated, these towers are our building blocks, that put every brick in our facility. Our network of towers strives to do a great job for our clients being timely and efficient; however, INA’s biggest concern is getting them and customers home to their families safely. This safety push is seen most clearly in INA’s “Over One, Lose None” national campaign (overone.org) which seeks to raise public awareness of their power of life and death on our nation’s highways.

After the group left the headquarters, we enjoyed a delicious meal at Lisse Steakhuis in Covington, KY were awards were presented to those who had provided outstanding service and leadership within the towing and recovery industry.

Awards were given to INA Provider Partner, Darin Ficenec, VP of Element Fleet Management for Element’s global commitment to innovative solutions shared with INA provider partner delivering safety and extraordinary service within the industry.

The Super Star Award was given to Cynthia Martineau, TRAA Executive Director for the TRAA’s success in fostering and promoting “the interest and welfare of all towing and recovery operators in North America and to towing professionalism and quality customer service throughout the world.”

Also, INA’s annual donation was presented to the American Red Cross showing INA’s commitment to give back and specifically to a group whose mission is to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and donated resources.

INA’s commitment and passion for the industry has resulted in a top-notch company that strives not only to meet needs but to go above and beyond every customers’ expectation. The description on the front door of their new facility says it all, “INA moves beyond where ordinary rests- this is where extraordinary begins.” The sky is the limit with the passion and direction harnessed by INA, we look forward to seeing what the next ten years will bring. Thanks again for Gay Rochester’s and INA’s vision and love for the industry and all the men and women that step out of their safe place, so our families can be protected and helped in their time of need!

The Will-Burt Company Appoints Richard Lewin Chief Executive Officer

Darian Weaver

The board of directors along with the board of trustees of The Will-Burt Company, world leader in the design, manufacture and sales of mobile elevation solutions, introduces Richard J. Lewin as the company’s chief executive officer, president, and member of the board of directors, effective January 1, 2020. Mr. Lewin succeeds retiring CEO Jeffry O. Evans, who has led the company since 2002.

The lead director of the board of directors, Gary Clark, comments on the appointment, “Given the increasing importance of international sales to The Will-Burt Company, the board conducted an extensive search for a leader that was highly competent in all functional areas and had substantial international sales and marketing experience. We were very fortunate to have found that person within our company. Richard Lewin has demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities during his time as president and the board is very confident that we have the right person to be the CEO and lead our 100-year-old, employee-owned company for many years.”

Mr. Lewin said, “I am honored by the opportunity to lead this dynamic organization. We have expanded our reach dramatically over the past several years in both the worldwide markets we serve and the products we offer. We, as employee-owners of The Will-Burt Company, have created a positive culture that I am proud to be a part of and I am looking forward to leading this company through its second century.”

Mr. Lewin has spent 10 years at Will-Burt in a variety of roles. Initially hired to be the commercial director at Will-Burt EU in The United Kingdom, Richard also served as sales director, vice president and general manager, and as the senior vice president responsible for all worldwide businesses.

Most recently, Richard has held the titles of COO and president, while guiding the company to a record 2019 and positioning the company for a successful future.

Prior to his time at Will-Burt, Mr. Lewin served as sales director at J.D.C., Europe’s largest fire truck manufacturer, he has held various senior level roles at various companies including Utilux (a Textron company), Alcan Metal Centers and owned and operated his own successful company, The Pegasus Group.

About The Will-Burt Company:

The Will-Burt Company, headquartered in Orrville, Ohio, USA, is the world’s premier manufacturer of mobile telescoping masts, towers, and pan and tilt positioners. We offer virtually every payload elevation and integration solution from the top brands; Will-Burt, GEROH, Integrated Tower Systems (ITS) and MAD – for defense, government, first responders, cellular and mobile, broadcast, energy production, and other markets. Will-Burt also offers contract manufacturing, metal fabrication, powder-coating, and rapid prototyping services. All Will-Burt Company manufacturing locations are backed by a certified ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System. Incorporated in 1918, Will-Burt is 100% employee-owned and is classified as a small business.

For more information, visit www.willburt.com

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