The 2019 Legislative sessions in Florida and Georgia brought substantial change to tow and wrecker operators in those states. But Auto Data Direct has the industry covered when it comes to meeting new state regulations!

Florida Change Requires Third Party for Notification

In Florida, the notification process is changing. Effective January 1, 2020, all towing companies, title companies who process tow liens, mechanic shops, and body shops are required to send their notification letters for sale or lien through an approved third-party service. Additionally, the third party will be required to set up and maintain a publicly available website that allows owners, registrants, lienholders, and insurance companies to search for notices. If your company is an Auto Data Direct (ADD) customer and already processes letters through its DirectPost-Office (DPO) product, your business is all set. ADD has provided a high-quality, third-party notification system recognized by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) since 2003!

Overhaul of Georgia’s Tow Statute

Georgia’s new law, which became effective September 1, 2019, resulted in a major overhaul to the towing statute. Tow companies must send the notification letter developed by the Council of Magistrate Court Judges by certified mail or hand delivery. There are also changes in the timeframe during which letters must be sent. Georgia tow and wrecker operators currently using ADD’s DPO service are ahead of the game! ADD modifies its system and letters to meet new requirements as they are implemented by the state, and its Georgia letter tools are ready and available to the industry.

Another big benefit for Georgia tow/wrecker companies utilizing ADD’s suite of tools comes with the recognition of its DMV123 owner/lienholder records and ADD as the department’s authorized vendor for motor vehicle records. For details on Georgia’s statute changes and information on ADD’s designation as an agent for records, visit dor.georgia.gov/abandoned-vehicles.

ADD’s Suite of Tools Is a Tow Operator’s Best Friend!

For those who aren’t familiar with ADD’s DirectPost-Office (DPO) certified mail product, it was launched in 2003 to provide Florida towing companies an easier way to send notification letters to owners, lienholders and insurers by creating certified mail and inserting the letters into the USPS mail stream electronically. Since then, DPO has expanded its letter services for towing operators in Texas, Alabama, Connecticut, Indiana, Georgia, Mississippi, North Dakota, and Tennessee. DPO is a tow operator’s best friend. It combines letter creation with state record searches to complete forms and send certified letters through the United States Postal Service without an aggravating trip to the post office! As notification requirements change, as has occurred in Florida and Georgia, ADD modifies it letters and processes specific to a state to meet the needs of its customers.

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

Using ADD’s National Title Pointer helps narrow down the search when the state of origin isn’t easily identified. The Title Pointer uses data available in the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) to find the most recent state of title. Once identified, ADD’s customers can search the real-time database if that state is available or send a good faith letter directly from their ADD account to the appropriate jurisdiction.

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

For tow/wrecker operators who need to report junk or salvage vehicles to NMVTIS, ADD provides a solution from the same web-based account. Any entity that deals in more than five junk and salvage vehicles per year must provide specific vehicle information to the national database on at least a monthly basis. NMVTIS reporting applies to any vehicle a company parts out or crushes, or any vehicle for which a salvage certificate, a certificate of destruction, or similar document is obtained. If a business has the right to sell or re-title, rebuild, restore or crush the vehicle, and it is a junk or salvage vehicle under the federal definition, it must be reported to NMVTIS.

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

Learn More About ADD and Get Started Today!

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

If your company already has an ADD account but is not using DPO, just click the orange DirectPost-Office icon in My Apps to begin processing your notification letters. If you are new to ADD, click on the sign-up button on its home page to take advantage of these valuable business tools.

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

During  August 2018,  while in the course of his shift as a heavy-vehicle recovery driver, 34 yr. old, Ian Wallace,  who works for R. D. Avery Recovery of Romsey, Hampshire, was despatched at approximately 11:00 am  to attend and recover a broken-down, 44-ton articulated vehicle.

He arrived at the scene at the junction of the A34 and A 303 to find the vehicle totally blocking the exit road.  He met the Man service technician who he knew as John and who was already on-scene and attending the initial breakdown of the vehicle with his technical service van; however, the breakdown was a major component failure, and it was necessary to have the vehicle towed to the workshops for repair.   While waiting for the heavy-recovery vehicle to arrive, John started making the necessary preparations that are required to make the vehicle ready for towing. He had removed the drive shaft and had lifted it into his van.

When he arrived, Ian manoeuvred his recovery vehicle into position to enable him to lift the front of the truck which was ready to tow. He connected the necessary airlines in from the recovery vehicle to the casualty vehicle’s braking system.   Because of the dangerous position they were in with trucks and cars passing only inches away at speeds up to 70 mph, John said, “Let’s get out of here!  Don’t worry about lights on the trailer; I will follow you back to the workshops with my emergency lights on.”

They got underway and proceeded along the A34 southbound.  Because of the extreme length of the recovery vehicle towing the articulated vehicle, Ian decided to pull into the service truck area at Sutton Scotney anyway to put on the lights.  On arrival at the services, Ian got out and walked to the rear of the vehicle with his light board and cable over where John was parked in his van with the engine running and all the emergency lights on.  Without looking up, Ian called out to John, “Where do you want me to put this in the lot when we get to your garage?”   There was no reply. He looked up and noticed John was slumped over the wheel. He shouted out, “JOHN!“  There was no reply; so concerned, he ran up to the van not knowing what was wrong.   His first thoughts were, “Was the handbrake on?”  “Was it in gear?”  He opened the driver’s door and turned the engine off and placed the vehicle in gear.

He raised John’s head off the steering wheel as he took his last gasp of air before he stopped breathing!   He shouted to the driver of the truck he was towing, “CALL AN AMBULANCE! HE’S GONE!”  The driver immediately did that, but at that time, did not come over to see what was happening.

Ian pulled John out of his van onto the tarmac.  (He was not the smallest of people.) He laid him on his back and began CPR.  It was something that just came to Ian after seeing it on TV.  John was turning greyer and greyer as several onlookers had gathered.  The emergency services were now on the speaker phone talking him through the CPR procedure.  This went on for seven and a half minutes until the ambulance arrived shortly followed by the air ambulance. They got the defibrillator and shocked him. They asked Ian to carry on with the compressions until the next shock. They shocked again and again, and then John resuscitated after 10 minutes since Ian had started CPR.

John was transported to the hospital and placed into an induced coma for the next 10 days.   Ian kept in touch with John’s company to check on his progress. It was not looking good, but then on day 11, Ian received a phone call saying that John had come out of the coma and was responding well–even sitting up, eating, and drinking!  Ian was shocked and relieved that John was going to be okay.

Ian had occasion to tow another vehicle into the same Man dealership a few weeks later only to be informed that John was back at work!   Ian was in disbelief.  Wow!  It seemed much too early, but there John was!  Ian went into the workshops to see him, and the first thing John said was ”Ian, you broke my ribs!!“  John was laughing at the time, so after they both embraced and shook each other’s hands.  Ian replied, ” No Problem, Any Time!”

The only effect John has from his ordeal is a loss of a few weeks’ memory which proves to Ian that miracles can and do happen!  At the time of the incident, Ian had never had any first aid training and could not believe that he saved a man’s life!    He has since taken first aid training and fully believes everyone should do a course in basic First Aid.  Here is a hero for you—Ian Wallace.

John Copeland Background Info:

He was born in the UK in 1946 and has been in the towing and recovery industry for 58 years along with his wife, Aileen, and his sons, Matthew and Graham. He established one of the largest towing and recovery operations in south of England, operating over 100 vehicles out of 5 locations.

He is currently involved in organizing and presenting numerous recovery and rescue demonstrations to the industry, fire and police authorities and the general public. He is strongly committed to raising the public awareness of “Slow Down Move Over” and the dangers that the recovery operators face at the roadside. He is also active in several trade councils working on raising of standards of training, safety, and public perception of the towing and recovery industry.

Concerning honors: in 2019, he was inducted into the Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame in Chattanooga.  In 2013, He received a Fellowship from the Institute of Vehicle Recovery for services to the Recovery Training programs.  Also, in 2013, he received the UK Towing and Recovery Industry Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding services to the recovery industry.  In 2007, he received an honorary lifetime membership to the Association of Vehicle Recovery Operators, for services rendered to the association.

Tow Professional– “A story will soon follow on this remarkable man, John Copeland.”