A Very High Profile Recovery

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A red Porsche Boxster convertible, was “traveling at a high rate of speed” when it hit a median and eventually crash-landed into the second-story offices of Exit Realty Elite.

The car was driven by Braden DeMartin, 22, police said. DeMartin and his passenger, 23-year-old Daniel Foley — both of Toms River — were pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.

The building, which the real estate agency shares with a software company and a family therapist, has been deemed “unsafe.”

Isaac Kesserman, owner of the building, said no one was inside at the time of the crash. The accident occurred on Hooper Avenue between Indian Hill Road and College Drive around 6:30 a.m. The area was shut down for about seven hours.

Accurate Towing Service of Toms River, NJ handled the recovery on scene. Accurate has been in business 30 years. The recovery was performed by owner, Thomas j Makuch/level 3 heavy recovery specialist/supervisor, Alex Mace TRAA certified wrecker operator and Wreck-master, and Kaitlyn Mace operator/ground safety TRAA/Wreck-Master certified.

Jerr-Dan Unveils New Multi-Car Carrier at American Towman Expo

By

Darian Weaver

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Hagerstown, MD (Dec. 4, 2019) – Jerr-Dan Corporation, an Oshkosh Corporation company (NYSE:OSK) and single brand leader in the towing and recovery business, is launched its new multi-car carrier at the American Towman Exposition, Dec. 4-7, 2019 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The new carrier allows a fourth car to be towed with the optional underlift.

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.

Jerr-Dan University Launches at American Towman Show

By

Darian Weaver

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Jerr-Dan University, Jerr-Dan, American Tow Show

Hagerstown, MD (Dec. 4, 2019) – Jerr-Dan Corporation, an Oshkosh Corporation company (NYSE:OSK) and a single brand leader in the towing and recovery business, introduced Jerr-Dan University, an industry-first product training program, at the American Towman Exposition, Dec. 4-7, 2019 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Participants can view live demos of various course offerings, register for online training and create a training dashboard to get started.

Courses are presented using visual, interactive and text-driven training. An 80 percent score or higher is needed to successfully pass each course. Following completion, users will receive a badge and printable certificate.

“We launched Jerr-Dan University as a way to support towers who bravely serve as first responders in the field,” said Hal Wyatt, director of aftermarket support at Jerr-Dan. “In addition to the quality equipment we design and manufacture, this online training provides an additional step to enhancing on-the-job safety.”

Current courses include educational training for both Jerr-Dan’s JFB 50/60 Rotator and the Heavy-Duty Wrecker line. In February 2020, a new service and maintenance training module for Jerr-Dan’s Standard Duty Carrier will be available and other modules are in development.

“In the future, Jerr-Dan University will serve as a comprehensive training library suitable for distributors and the industry at large,” said Wyatt. “This online tool allows users to fully understand the uniqueness of Jerr-Dan products from both an operational as well as a service and maintenance perspective.”

For more information or to register for Jerr-Dan University, visit https://jdu.jerrdan.com/

Will-Burt and Latta Null Interview with Sirion and HDT

By

Darian Weaver

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About The Will-Burt Company

The Will-Burt Company, located in Orrville, Ohio, is the world’s premier manufacturer of telescoping mast and tower elevation solutions – the world’s one-stop-shop offering virtually every payload elevation solution from one source – for military, fire, cellular, broadcast, entertainment and other applications. Will-Burt also offers a variety of manufacturing services backed by an ISO 9001:2015 certified quality system. Incorporated in 1918, Will-Burt is 100% employee-owned and is classified as a small business.

For more information, visit www.willburt.com

Are You Kidding Me?

By

Darian Weaver

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This morning I saw one of the most monumentally dangerous things that I’ve ever seen, and it was preventable in at least 14 different ways. This issue transcends the towing industry and applies to anyone working with equipment or tools.

I was on I-30 eastbound in Benton, Arkansas, and a flatbed tow truck was in front of a car to be towed, which was at the front of a state police cruiser. The smooth steel bed of the flat bed was in the down position, sitting at a typical 30-45ﾟangle, and the tow operator was up on the bed and had about 3-4′ of cable pulled out and was yanking on the cable ferociously to unstick the rat’s nest that was the cable spool.

So, he was on the side of the freeway during a police response tow, doing this this particular task; it was raining lightly, so the normal oil residue resulting is on the flat bed of the tow truck; the truck bed is angled, and he is ferociously yanking on this cable. He could have received 6 different injuries from his actions, so here are my questions:

Why was the cable spool a rat’s nest to begin with? The deck winch is one of the most important pieces of that truck and is actually very easy to maintain in an orderly fashion, so when you release the free wheel, you can pull cable out easily. After every call, you put a little tension on the line, and you make sure that it winds up correctly. Additionally, at least once a week, go out and pull out all the cable and wind it up with tension to make sure it is neat and orderly.

Why didn’t the guy take care of the cable before he went on the call knowing he was going to be on the side of the interstate and in front of a state trooper? You look like an idiot and an unprepared fool in front of the actual person who you are contracted with for police tows.

Why doesn’t a company manager or owner check their trucks frequently to make sure things like this are handled, addressed, trained into people’s heads, and executed properly?

Why has this person not received safety and procedure training that was strong enough to make him do the right thing in the first place?

Please bear in mind that this is the exact type of operator who might loudly declare himself all knowledgeable in the industry, swear he’s been doing it for several years, has never had a problem, and might even offer to train a new guy. As my fellow training and supervision people can attest, this guy is one hundred times more dangerous than a brand-new person with no experience. I deal with liability cases in this industry where people have little or no training and go out and do something that hurts or kills someone. As little as an hour a week of training would make a huge difference in situations like this.

Towing Professionals – ESA Interaction

By

Darian Weaver

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In this short video we welcome towing professionals to learn what to expect when calling the ESA for a risk analysis of a hybrid or electric vehicle post incident.

Advanced Tips & Tricks for the Collins Hi-Speed® Dollies

By

Darian Weaver

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New JNC770 from Clore Automotive

By

Darian Weaver

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What is the Access Tools Difference?

By

Darian Weaver

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Since 1986, Access Tools has traveled the road to becoming the leading manufacturer of automotive lock out equipment for the towing industry. Our products have achieved the respect of car-opening professionals worldwide due to the highest quality control, consistent innovation, and superb customer service year after year.

Access Tools makes a wide variety of Long Reach Tools in all different lengths and for a variety of vehicles. The popular Quick Max Long Reach Tool shares many of the same features as the other Long Reach Tools, such as:

a protective vinyl coating that prevents damage to a vehicle’s delicate painted surface
a special EPDM rubber tip that provides excellent grip for manipulating buttons and switches
a Store-N-Go Handle that holds extra tips for the long reach tool as well as a place to clip the accessory bag
precise bends that put the tool in the right position for any job

Other tools in the industry are painted or powder-coated which easily scratches a vehicle’s delicate painted surface. A long reach tool can be used to pull a door handle, push an unlock button, pull a trunk or hood release lever, push a key fobs buttons, or grab a keyring.

Access Tools also makes a variety of Air Jack air wedges designed to help spread the door away from the vehicle, giving the user enough space to insert a Long Reach Tool. These include the:

Mini Starter Air Jack for soft metal / painted b-pillars
Standard Air Jack that is functional on virtually every vehicle
Super Air Jack that tackles heavy-duty door frames
Twin Air Jack that works well on stiff door frames.

All these Air Jacks share the same special features: ballistic nylon construction for durability and strength, triple-sealed edges for leak-proof functionality, replaceable inflation bulb and valve components, and an internal stiffener that aids in the insertion of the Air Jack. Vinyl and Rubber air wedges made by other manufacturers will tear a vehicle’s weather-stripping causing leaks and other issues.

The One Hand Jack and Super One Hand Jack are unique wedges that function as pry-bars grabbing just the lip of the door frame avoiding any contact with the weather stripping or other delicate parts of the door typically damaged by traditional wedges.

The Glassman Wedge is designed specifically for frameless window vehicles such as high-end BMWs, Mercedes, and other convertible vehicles. These vehicles are susceptible to easily broken windows when using traditional wedge methods, and so the Glassman Wedge functions as a protective double-sided wedge that distributes the force of your long reach tool over a wide surface of the glass, reducing the chances of shattering an expensive window.

The revolutionary Spare Tire Kit from Access Tools will change the way tire changes are performed by making the job faster, safer, and more effective. The Spare Tire Kit is a Multi-Piece Socket-Based system that allows for quick and easy spare tire removal during an emergency flat or routine service. The kit works on any SUV, Pickup Truck, as well as many other new vehicles where the spare tire is difficult to access, and a special key and crank are required to remove the tire from underneath the vehicle. Other kits on the market are big, bulky, and incomplete.

The Easy Off Twist Socket Set works like magic to remove all damaged or locked lug nuts without a key. With our exclusive sure-twist grip technology locked wheel lugs spin off with no effort. These sockets grip-lock nuts that threaded or wedge style sockets can’t touch. Five socket sizes fit virtually every lock lug nut on the market and are so easy to use with a breaker bar, socket wrench, or tire iron.

Smash Film is the industry’s best crash and collision film available. This extra thick 4-ml. material is puncture resistant and features extended UV protection. With a high-tack adhesive that leaves behind no residue, this film is perfect for storing a vehicle on your lot or for protection during transport.

The Roadside Creeper is an extra thick low clearance creeper or roadside mat for any professional working on an automobile. Its weather-proof design makes it rain, mud, gravel, snow, and oil resistant. When deployed, it is an extra-large 2′ wide by 4′ long size, and folds in half to a small 2′ by 2′ footprint that fits behind any truck seat. The thick foam is durable and features a cut-out handle for easy transportation.

The popular One Hand Jack Set is the most widely used car opening tool set in the industry, consisting of the basic components like the Quick Max Long Reach, One Hand Jack Tool, Air Jack Air Wedge, and Button Strip Tool. The Ultimate Long Reach Kit shown here is the most complete Long Reach Tool set available from Access Tools and contains many of the tools manufactured by the company. With the right tools on hand, any job can be done quickly, efficiently, and safely. This is the Access Tools difference.

SafetyVision – Mobileye

By

Darian Weaver

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MO37 Wireless Tow Light – Feature Packed, Heavy Duty, and the New Industry Standard

By

Tow Professional

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Jerr-Dan – Employee Testimonial – Jake Perron

By

Tow Professional

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Custer Products – Wireless 23″ Light Duty Tow Light

By

Tow Professional

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HINO TRUCKS INTRODUCES NEW MODELS AND CAB CONFIGURATIONS

By

Darian Weaver

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Hino Trucks has been asking you for a few weeks now the simple question: What size are you? Well, now it’s time to answer that question. Hino has unified its entire lineup of trucks, including model names, to make it even easier for you to match the perfect Hino to you and your business’ needs. Hino is excited to announce their new ‘M Series’ Class 4/5 COE’s and new ‘L Series’ Class 6/7 Conventional trucks, which combined with Hino’s recently launched ‘XL Series’ Class 7/8 vehicles, creates a cohesive family of commercial trucks.

The badges are not the only updates either. Each vehicle now contains larger cab configurations, and a full suite of features adding safety, fresh designs, durability, flexibility and connectivity options, making it clear why Hino is the fastest growing medium-duty truck brand.

The new COE truck models carry Hino M4 and Hino M5 badging with the number in the naming scheme representing GVW class. For 2021MY, these trucks have been upgraded with an all-new grille design complete with optional LED headlights and HD 6-speed Aisin automatic transmission with gear hold feature. Available with the industry’s first OE fully integrated Lane Departure Warning System in this vehicle segment and then we get to the interior upgrades with a new shifter layout, steering wheel controls, an all-new gauge cluster including a 4.2” LCD multi-information display and driver’s seatbelt sensor.

The new Conventional line is represented by the Hino L6 and Hino L7 models boasting a bolder front fascia with optional LED headlights. The cab interior has been re-engineered with an automotive grade finish designed for commercial use and improved functionality, steering wheel controls, a large 7” LCD multi-information display, more storage and leg room. Hino also takes your safety very seriously, which is why there are now an array of safety systems available on the Hino L Series including Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Collision Mitigation System (CMS), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Active Cruise Control (ACC) and driver’s seatbelt sensor. Adding even more functionality to your business are new wheelbase options and extended and crew cab configurations.

“Having extended and crew cab choices will help us better serve our customers’ operational needs and open-up new markets for our trucks” explained Glenn Ellis, SVP Customer Experience. “It’s impressive how accommodating and spacious both cabs are. Our engineering and design team really did an outstanding job with our new full line-up!” The 30” extended cab will have seating for 5 and the 44” crew cab will have full-size doors and seat 6 passengers and provide the comfort of rear zone A/C and heat.

The Hino XL Series also gets new advantages for 2021 model year including the extended cab and crew cab configurations and a snow plow package complete with an 18,000 lb. GVW front axle and front frame extensions. The Hino XL7 and XL8 will now come standard with a driver’s seatbelt sensor and available ACC building on the trucks’ ESC, CMS and LDW active safety solutions.

Hino Trucks dealers are now accepting orders for the new 2021 models. The extended and crew cab variants will be added in the Spring and the XL snow plow package in Summer timeframe.

Hino Trucks, a Toyota Group Company, manufactures, sells, and services a lineup of Class 4-8 commercial trucks in the United States. Hino Trucks is the premier heavy & medium duty nameplate in the United States with a product lineup that offers fully connected vehicles with low total cost of ownership, superior fuel economy, unmatched reliability and maneuverability and the most comprehensive bundle of standard features in the market. Headquartered in Novi, Michigan, Hino has a network of over 240 dealers nationwide committed to achieving excellence in the Ultimate Ownership Experience.

Learn more about Hino Trucks at http://www.hino.com or follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and YouTube.

Jerr-Dan Promotes Heath Fassnacht to Director of Sales

By

Darian Weaver

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Jerr-Dan Corporation, an Oshkosh Corporation company (NYSE:OSK) and single brand leader in the towing and recovery business, has promoted Heath Fassnacht to Director of Sales. He had been District Sales Manager for the southern region.

Fassnacht started his career in 1996 with Atlanta Wrecker and Carrier Sales, now known as Atlanta Wrecker Sales, a well-known Jerr-Dan distributor in the south. Following a progressive career with the company, he joined Jerr-Dan in 2015 as a national accounts manager before being named district sales manager.

“I’m humbled to have the opportunity to continue being a catalyst for Jerr-Dan’s growth in the towing and recovery equipment industry,” said Fassnacht. “I’ve been working in this business since graduating from college in 1996, and I’m proud to be representing the single brand leader in the industry.

“We have a great team in place across sales, operations, engineering and other key functions, and are poised to continue expanding into new markets, backed by the best distributor network in the country. I look forward to continue supporting our current customers and building relationships with prospective Jerr-Dan distributors.”

In his new role, Fassnacht’s primary responsibilities will include sales growth strategy, sales team management and expansion into new markets.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have someone with Heath’s background in the industry willing to accept this responsibility,” said Richard Del Campo, vice president and general manager of Jerr-Dan. “It is increasingly challenging to find senior leaders with track records like Heath’s who continue to push themselves and those around them. Jerr-Dan is proud to place our sales team alongside his leadership.”

For more information on Jerr-Dan products, visit www.jerrdan.com.

Don’t Let it Happen to You – Protect Your Trucks

By

Darian Weaver

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Its Monday morning, 8:21 am–it’s always Monday! The shop smells like metal and oil–burned oil. Somewhere, the all familiar drip-drip of leaking fluids reminds you of another problem yet to be fixed. The clipboard in your hands contains work orders and vehicle inspections, all illegible, torn, and smeared. A call from a driver says they have been rear ended in an accident. Wasn’t there a note about a broken taillight? When did it break? When was the last time the truck was inspected? Forms get ignored for being illegible. Inspections are delayed or insufficient from mismanaged schedules. Where are the inspections? They are at the bottom of a stack of smeared and illegible forms somewhere in a pile in the office. In short, your fleet maintenance has suffered a breakdown of key elements, and it’s gonna cost you–time, customers, and money! SureEcosystems Fleet helps to protect your trucks and assets with an easy-to-use, web-based maintenance software, keeping you aware of day-to-day vehicle operations.

TELL ME MORE

Fleet creates a direct line of communication between you and your drivers, eliminating paper forms, allowing you to stay on top of your fleet maintenance. The software will alert you immediately when any issue is reported, so it can be properly addressed. Fleet offers complete work-order management, so you can create and assign work orders, track current status staying on top of hours of labor, total cost, and downtime.

WOULDN’T IT BE NICE

Wouldn’t it be nice to have your drivers or technicians, who operate your vehicles, check out the vehicle and their tools prior to each shift? Obviously, we all hope our drivers do a walk around inspection, and we hope that they leave the shop or start their day with the tools required to perform their jobs. Using sureEcosystem Fleet, you can accomplish this and much more, as well as have a daily record and accountability. When a driver begins their shift, they perform an inspection completely customized by you. The site provides a template to work from with many questions already available for you to use in building your inspection. You can add other questions as well. In addition to checking the oil or the tire pressure, your drivers can also check to make sure that specific items are on the vehicle (or in the vehicle) that are needed to perform their work like insurance cards, for example. Deficiencies can be tracked, drivers can restock vehicles, alerts can be set, or work orders generated into your maintenance tracking system. “Work Orders” can be set as well based on your preferences tied to the specific questions you use in your company. Many other types of inspections can also be performed including vehicle end-of-shift check in and appearance inspections. All these inspections are used in building reports that let you know what’s going on with your fleet and your business. It also lets you know which employees are performing the work you would like them to do in accordance with company policy.

TRACK THE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON YOUR VEHICLES

SureEcosystem also tracks all the maintenance performed on your vehicles. Whether it is in your own shop or outside shops. The site allows you to keep track of the costs of maintaining each vehicle individually. Work being performed on vehicles is tracked using work orders in sureEcosystem that can be assigned to internal technicians, external shops, or others.

Customizable thresholds allow you to maintain, inspect, and replace vehicle components on a regular schedule that you define. This may mean that you want to perform preventative maintenance on different schedules for different vehicles or to check brakes, tires, or other items at defined intervals. SureEcosystem even lets you track maintenance thresholds for the ancillary equipment attached to your truck or specific vocational bodies. Equipment such as tankers, tool bodies, ambulances, tow trucks, tree service equipment, and specialized vehicle components for many other industries.

WAIT, THERE ARE MORE COOL FEATURES!

There is a way to create alerts and proactively address preventive maintenance and service requirements. That way is through “Vehicle Records,” a feature that allows one to manage permits, licensing, registration, and other time-sensitive documents.

ACCIDENTS HAPPEN

Drivers can report accidents directly from the mobile app. The app ensures that all the proper information is collected, including photos and audio recordings. SureEcosystem also utilizes “Driver Qualification,” a feature that saves time managing and organizing your drivers with features including groups, attached documents, reminders on actionable items, and intelligent pre-populated driver information.

OH, ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT “WORK ORDERS”

This feature assigns and manages tasks performed on your vehicles. “Work Orders” track useful data points including multiple service types, technician, parts required, costs, labor, and total downtime.

So, whether you are dealing with proactive vehicle maintenance, driver and work order management, or accident prevention and management, sureEcosystem Fleet keeps you aware of day-to-day vehicle operations and empowers you to effectively manage your staff and their daily work orders with this user-friendly, web-based maintenance software. The best way to see what sureEcosystem Fleet can do for your business is to simply start a free trial. All you do is go to sureEcosystem.com/fleet, click the free trial tab, and you’re up and running! You can also take the time to do a demo with one of our specialists and learn more about how to use all these tools in your specific business operations. Everyday does not have to be a Monday!