Ian Wallace Hero Nomination

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.”

PROTECT YOURSELF WITH SITUATIONAL AWARENESS!

Darian Weaver

In the past few weeks, a tow driver in Texas was shot and killed by two men at an apartment complex in Houston. Another driver attempting to perform a private-party impound (PPI) and aggressively defending his “catch” was shot but survived. Another driver was shot while being robbed.

There are several subjects that immediately come to mind when I hear of an unfortunate chain of incidents like this. First and foremost, I think of ways we can avoid putting ourselves into scenarios where we might be in danger. Danger is common in the repossession and PPI areas of the industry, but it can also crop up during much more routine tows. The other issue is very complex – carrying a weapon. You need to know your legal rights to do so or not, to know how to handle yourself in potential high-risk situations, and to know that carrying a weapon can land you in jail or be used to legally defend yourself.

We often work alone in our industry. You have communication via a radio, phone, or satellite system, but none of those methods can truly help you if you are confronted with violence or an otherwise threatening situation. In high-risk areas or on high-risk tows, perhaps you can use the buddy system and have another driver work in an “overwatch” position able to respond to your location easily or at least call for help. I performed PPI towing in San Antonio and Denton, Texas, and PPIs and repossessions in the greater Philadelphia area. We ran in packs of two or three trucks or rode with two people in a single unit, consequently and thankfully, we avoided trouble. There’s a safe way to do an unsafe job, but you must plan and keep your head on a swivel.

Tow Professional magazine isn’t a forum for gun rights or the Second Amendment, so I’m not about to get on my soapbox about what we should or could do out there. I know from my background in law enforcement and as a licensed concealed/open carrier via my state concealed- carry license and my federal Law Enforcement Officer’s Safety Act (LEOSA) carry-permit, there are still huge restrictions, even with the latter’s 50-state reciprocity. There are many places you already can’t carry a weapon, like government buildings, hospitals, and any business with proper signage prohibiting weapons. With that said, and I’m sure some will argue, there is absolutely no restriction for carrying a weapon in a commercial vehicle, unless prohibited by laws in your state or city. As long as the law allows it and your company allows it, and you’re properly licensed and trained, you may carry. Please think again about the restrictions, and the notion that merely showing your weapon as a matter of threat or intimidation is a felony in most jurisdictions. To cut a complex idea to simpler terms, you can’t pull your weapon unless confronted with an equal threat.

There have been many arguments about the “weapons in commercial vehicles” subject, and after years of debate, I figured out where this notion came from. According to 18 USC 926a, when transporting weapons or ammunition as cargo, weapons must not be transported with ammunition, and said weapons or ammunition must not be accessible from the passenger compartment. The most important aspect of that directive are the words “as cargo.” Transporting a load of shotguns to a sporting goods store isn’t the same as carrying your personal weapon. This 18 USC reference is supported in FMCSA 49 CFR.

One last thing, other than keeping your head on a swivel – if you’re remotely thinking about carrying a weapon, please understand that just because your uncle was in Vietnam, and he taught you to shoot a .22 rifle into a tree when you were 12, that doesn’t count as training and experience. Training and experience are far more valuable than a weapon itself – get some decent marksmanship safety training and spend significant time at the range before considering carrying a weapon. Most people who attempt to defend themselves without proper training and familiarity or brandish a weapon due to ego and lack of experience and knowledge, end up dying or seriously injured or in jail. Check your ego, get some training, and be careful.

Technology and the Towing Industry – The TowTrax Solution

Darian Weaver

Since we are talking about the motor clubs and dispatch systems, let me point out a few things I’ve discovered as I deal with many service providers. I have contacted no less than 25 service providers, and most of them are fighting the same problems:

Pricing – This industry is very competitive as motor clubs fight to survive. As they fight for their share of the market, they must lower their tow fee as low as possible to win business. As I look at some of the pricing, I can see why they have trouble getting tow companies to take calls. I talked to a tow company last week, and he told me that he was the 32nd company the service provider called to get someone to run the call. I was asked by several providers not to put their names on the tow for fear that the tow company would not take the call if they knew who it was. We can make the call look like a TowTrax call and not display the service provider.
Remote Areas – One motor club asked me if I could cover their remote areas. I asked them what they considered a remote area; they told me Milwaukee. That surprised me since Milwaukee is a large city. When TowTrax looked at 50-mile radius in Milwaukee, we found 72 tow companies. We registered over 30 in the Milwaukee area, so if any service provider needs help in that area, let us know.
Change – The service providers have been operating for years doing what they do today. They are 20 years behind in technology, and they know they must change but there is a fear factor. When I first developed TowTrax, one of my partners told me there is no way you will get these service providers to change the way they do business because the change would be too hard compared to what they do today. It’s interesting that the service provider wants to change, but no one wants to be first. They can’t afford to disrupt the poor service they offer today.
Poor ETA’s – Some service providers admitted that their ETA’s were over an hour on average. A girl in the office was telling me she waited over two hours when she broke down and called her service provider. She was in the Dallas area which makes it worse.
Their Tow Network – The service providers go to tow shows and try and register tow companies to service their calls. There are over 70,000 tow companies nationwide, but it’s the same 15,000 tow companies that go to all the shows. These are usually large tow companies that use the tow shows to see what is new in the industry. These companies don’t use many service providers for their main line of business. They do police rotation, body shops, and other sources as their main source of business. As a result, the motor clubs struggle with their towing network.
Multiple Contracts – When service providers sign contracts with tow companies, they may offer one company a price for light or medium duty with a per-mile fee after 5 miles. Then they go to a second provider and offer that tow company different prices for the same area. The service provider ends up managing multiple contracts with multiple tow companies. Then, when they get in a remote area, the service provider will call anyone to take the call. Even if there is no contract between the service provider and the tow company.
Fees and Credit Cards – When a service provider can’t find a tow company to run a call, they are forced to pay double the fee to get a company to run the call. When the tow company takes the call, they ask for a credit card to make sure they get paid.
No Resources – I talk to several providers that want to use TowTrax but have no technical staff available to work with us. They will continue to lose money and provide a poor service until they make time to upgrade their technology.

The new problem for many service providers is the new companies that are entering the industry. They have plenty of money and tech staffs that can that can develop whatever is needed to support their business. They advertise on their websites that they are here to put the old service providers out of business. When you have money and resources at your disposal, you can do whatever is needed to win the business.

I know for a fact that several major customers that are currently with a service provider have gone to them for some changes, but the service provider ignores them for reasons I don’t understand. It will not be long that new technology will start to take customers away from some service providers.

A message to the service provider: you can’t continue to do busines

s the way you do today. A lot of companies have developed something that connects with the consumer. Remember you can’t service a call without the tow truck. At some point in time, you will have to improve your technology if you want to compete in the business. TowTrax makes it simple and provides a service like no other. The change in your business is made easy with TowTrax.

Preliminary Injunctive Relief Regarding the Massachusetts State Police (“MSP”) Request For Response (“RFR”)

Darian Weaver

The Towing and Recovery Association of America, Inc.® (TRAA) has joined the Statewide Towing Association, Inc. of Massachusetts, and several Massachusetts towing companies, in filing a request in Federal District Court seeking preliminary injunctive relief regarding the Massachusetts State Police (“MSP”) Request For Response #SP20-TOW-X81 (“RFR”). The MSP RFR is a bid request for companies to provide towing, recovery, and roadside services for the MSP relating to law enforcement actions, accidents, roadway clearance, and disabled motorist services and would replace the current Tow Service Agreement (“TSA”).

The RFR includes several areas of concern from tower safety, tow company appeal rights, onerous equipment requirements, and contradictory educational requirements for tow operators. TRAA has signed on as a party to protect not only our own interests with the National Driver Certification Program® but also our many member towing companies and certified towing professionals within the state.

For more information, visit Statewide Towing Association, Inc. of Massachusetts

TomTom Telematics Officially Renamed Webfleet Solutions

Darian Weaver

From today, the company previously known as TomTom Telematics is operating under the new name Webfleet Solutions. Webfleet Solutions will continue to provide exactly the same market-leading products and services TomTom Telematics was known for, including WEBFLEET, NEXTFLEET, LINK devices and the range of PRO Driver Terminals.

While no longer a business unit of the TomTom Group, having been acquired by Bridgestone Europe in April 2019, Webfleet Solutions will remain a key business partner of TomTom and continue to utilize its award-winning “Traffic and Maps” in its services.

“20 years ago, we launched our WEBFLEET fleet management solution from our original office in Leipzig, Germany”, said Thomas Schmidt, CEO and Managing Director, Webfleet Solutions. “We were forerunners in using cloud and internet technologies to help fleets and companies with commercially used trucks, vans and cars to boost productivity, increase safety and sustainability, enhance customer satisfaction, and increase the overall efficiency of their fleet operations.”

“Today, we serve more than 50,000 customers with vehicles driving in 100 countries. As Webfleet Solutions, we will go further than just providing telematics solutions. Bridgestone gives us the perfect platform from which to do so, supporting us to create a wider scope of services for more customers across the world. With us, Bridgestone EMEA now manages 1.2 million mobility and fleet management subscriptions.”

TRAA Coordinating Move Over Law Awareness Among States

Darian Weaver

The Midwest Regional Tow Show 2019 in Mason, OH hosted the TRAA’s most recent State Association Forum Breakfast. This was the third forum for affiliate state associations TRAA has held this year, and it was just as well attended as the other two with leaders from 15 individual state associations participating. The primary goal of the Ohio forum was for state associations to share their initiatives and ideas for promoting Move Over Law awareness with the motoring public.

TRAA is asking all state associations to join our incident management partners in supporting FHWA’s National Traffic Incident Responder Awareness Week (NTIRAW) from November 10-16, 2019. Whenever possible, states are asked to coordinate their Move Over Awareness initiatives during or leading up to FHWA’s annual week in November for maximum exposure and impact outside of the towing community. By synchronizing our efforts, we’ll also be sending a clear message of inclusion with and support for our IM partners.

TRAA also mentioned their backing for the Move Over Law Day Resolution (H. Res. 373). Since the resolution does not include a date, if passed, we’re hopeful that the legislators will select a November date to coincide with FHWA’s established National Traffic Incident Responder Awareness Week (NTIRAW).

Of course, one of the best ways to gauge the effectiveness of these Move Over events is to review the struck-by and near-miss data for tow operators. The Towing Traffic Incident Reporting System (TTIRS) is the only reporting system for the towing industry. TTIRS is recognized by FHWA, the National Academy of Sciences’ Transportation Research Board (TRB), and many of our incident management partners. The collection of this data is essential for pushing the enforcement of Move Over Laws.

What is your state association doing to promote Move Over Law awareness to the motoring public? We challenge you to get involved!

To learn more, visit: http://www.ttirs.com/.

LIMITED TIME OFFER ON IN-STOCK 25-TON WRECKERS

Darian Weaver

Don’t miss this limited time offer on in-stock 25-ton wreckers and kits.

Available for immediate delivery
Flexible lending options
100% financing with zero down up to $330,000*
Simple application process

This offer is only available while supplies last!

Contact Todd Chase for more information.
E: jdfs@jerrdan.com P: 281-883-0112 C: 978-992-8001

SDMO Gear Launches New Site for Products

Darian Weaver

SDMO Gear, LLC announced today the initial launch of its new online store offering fresh designs in Slow Down Move Over branded items to consumers. The business is about raising awareness of the issue from the inside of a for-profit business model while being tasteful and respectful of those professionals in the industries most impacted by the public’s lack of awareness or concern for those in harm’s way. SDMO Gear also plans to help the families of those who tragedy befalls by supporting the non-profits who are dedicated to specific groups whose constituency is on the roadside taking the risks every day as they pursue their careers.

The company has chosen to focus on numerous public safety disciplines and to identify some specific groups who are highly impacted by the lack of compliance with the existing Slow Down Move Over laws in all 50 states. Primary responders like Police, Fire, Towing, and EMS were the most obvious choices due to the on-demand nature of their response and the additional dangers of being on the roadside in situations where your presence is unplanned. Additionally, SDMO Gear has specifically called out the Mobile Mechanic role, Road Construction workers, and Flaggers, all of whom face many different types of situations and deal with the same driving public as the others. There are certainly more to be recognized but SDMO Gear is also working to setup the relationships with the best organizations offering support to the various groups.

Simply put, SDMO Gear aims to raise awareness, save lives, make money, and support those left behind when tragedy strikes.

Learn more at www.sdmogear.com.

GPS Fleet Management Solutions

Darian Weaver

GPS Fleet Management Solutions, which is headquartered in Raleigh, NC, has been distributing and supporting fleet telematics since 2000. Their full-featured solutions help businesses better manage their drivers and assets by extracting accurate and actionable intelligence from real-time and historical data.

The Geotab GO9 allows you to lead your fleet into the future w.th expanded capacity for further native vehicle support, improved fuel usage support, electric vehicles and global expansion.

GPS Fleet Management Solutions serves and supports hundreds of fleets of all sizes, and thousands of assets of all types and makes world-wide. They are a turn-key solutions provider, offering onsite installation services, company account development, personnel training, and unrestricted access to all available support services. GPS Fleet Management Solutions provides business owners with unfiltered data, provide absolute awareness, ensure efficiency and cut waste from its source, increase profits and promote driver safety.

GPS Fleet Management Solutions’ relationships are centered upon a handshake agreement. They do not have contracts or term limits to define a relationship and they work hard to ensure flawless product performance while providing the support to make certain that your solution is utilized to its capacity. Simply put, this is the way they have always done it and the way it should be.

GPS FMS’ Free Demo Unit program, which they reference as “Proof before Purchase”, allows customers to try a device for 14 days and they state, If you’re not convinced that this is the most efficient solution to ensure employee accountability and live asset management, we will send a call tag to pick up the unit. NO QUESTIONS ASKED!

For More Info Contact:
Renee Depuydt, Director of Sales
GPS Fleet Management Solutions
616-550-2812
renee@gpsfms.com
www.gpsfms.com

HINO TRUCKS COMMEMORATES MILESTONE TRUCK DELIVERY TO PENSKE TRUCK LEASING

Darian Weaver

Just one day after Hino Trucks held the grand opening of their new manufacturing facility in Mineral Wells, WV, they celebrated another milestone – the 20,000^th truck delivery to Penske Truck Leasing (PTL). In a ceremony held at the plant to commemorate the delivery, members of Hino Trucks, including President and CEO Shigehiro Matsuoka were on hand as Hino Motors Ltd president Mr. Yoshio Shimo presented the key to the 20,000th truck to Roger Penske.

“Hino is an important supplier of trucks to our leasing and rental business”, said Penske Truck leasing Chairman Roger Penske. “I am honored to accept delivery of the 20,000th truck produced by Hino in the United States on behalf of Penske Truck Leasing and would like to congratulate the entire team at Hino on the achievement of this significant milestone.”

The 20,000^th truck is a 2020 model 268A a part of Hino’s line-up of Class 6 & 7 conventional trucks that have garnered an industry reputation for providing the lowest cost of ownership in its class. Hino’s 268 model is specifically well suited for the lease and rental market segment where Hino has grown to 10 percent of the market. The 20,000th truck will be a part of Penske Truck Leasing’s commercial rental fleet.

“This has been a landmark week in the history of Hino Trucks. We have officially opened the doors of our new 1 million sq ft manufacturing plant, and are commemorating a milestone delivery to our longstanding partner Penske Truck Leasing. They continue to guide and support our growth in North America and we look forward to continuing to provide them with best in class trucks,” said Shigehiro Matsuoka, President & CEO for Hino Trucks.

“We’re honored to receive the 20,000^th Hino truck into our fleet. We congratulate the entire Hino and Toyota organizations on achieving this milestone,” said Brian Hard, President and CEO of Penske Truck Leasing. “Hino is a valued and trusted supplier and we appreciate their ongoing support and collaboration in our work together.”

About Hino Trucks:

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 230 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.

About Penske Truck Leasing:

Celebrating its 50^thyear in business, Penske Truck Leasing Co., L.P., headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania, is a partnership of Penske Corporation, Penske Automotive Group and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. A leading global transportation services provider, Penske operates more than 326,000 vehicles and serves customers from more than 1,100 locations in North America, South America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Product lines include full-service truck leasing, contract maintenance, commercial and consumer truck rentals, used truck sales, transportation and warehousing management and supply chain management solutions.

Visit GoPenske.com to learn more.

What Do We Face in the Future?

Darian Weaver

Two weeks ago, I was invited to the Montana State Association tow show. They paid my expenses, and I was a guest speaker at their dinner and held a 3-hour seminar on towing business in general. Some of the topics were:

The Owner – As an owner, you wear many hats, and you better be prepared to fit in each one of them.
Leadership – Some people were not meant to be leaders, yet, as the owner, you are expected to lead.
Business Plans – It is important to have a business plan, so what does it take to create one?
The Budget – Following a good business plan, we created a budget and discussed at length the importance of knowing your business.
Avoiding Burnout – How many times have you woken up and said, “I do not want to go to work today” especially in an area where the climate might be below zero or over 100 degrees. I guess no matter where you are, there is always something.
When to Sell – This is a topic they wanted to talk at length on. It was not that they were ready to sell but knowing how to sell would make their business better. Here are a few things we discussed:
1. Know when to sell the business. Timing is everything.
2. Don’t be afraid to ask someone to help you put together the sales package. It was the best $500 I spent when I sold my business.
3. Don’t have high expectations. You can get what you think it’s worth, but you must work to get there.
4. Tell your employees what you are planning and make sure they are happy.
5. Make sure your customers are happy and let them know you may be selling.
6. Pay off as much debt as possible. The first time someone wanted to buy my company I was disappointed because they offered me almost nothing. They showed me how they evaluated my company. For the next 6 months, I prepared to sell based on what I was told. When I sold, I got more than I was asking.
7. Have a good list of assets.

Even though the tow companies were not ready to sell, our discussions gave them things to work on to improve their business. I got the feeling towers are in it for the long haul.

I’ll say one thing about the tow companies in Montana–they all were like family. Their show was small with maybe 500 towers, but they covered a lot of information. They held several classes besides mine and made valuable information available. It seemed like we were always eating or drinking. Their hospitality was 2^nd to none, and I can’t say enough about the state of Montana. I had all day Sunday to explore, and we did. My wife and I put over 800 miles on the car just on Sunday. What a beautiful state even if they just got 40 inches of snow!

Let’s get back on track. The major part of our class was our discussion about employees, especially drivers. I learned over the years how tow companies are constantly complaining about their drivers. I never understood that because that’s the biggest asset you have. I tell everyone in my classes that we all have the same trucks, dispatch software, and we can go after the same accounts. The only difference between you and your competition is your employees. I talked to a lot of tow companies and for some reason, they don’t like their drivers or get along with their drivers. When I ran my company, I would hug my drivers every chance I got. They made me money, and I treated them like gold.

One of the main topics we discussed for over an hour was “Where do we find the driver of the future?” We had 40 tow companies in the room, and the discussion was awesome. It seems like all the associations worry about training, and not the next generation of towers. Just about every tow company needs drivers. We talked about things like:

Starting some type of classes in high school like mechanics or anything relating to mechanics will help students transition into tow-related jobs. When I ran my business, I went to a high school in Dallas and took 2 students twice a week for a half a day and let them work at my storage yard. I ran my own auctions, so they started cars for me. They got school credit, made a little money, and were happy to be at my storage yard. My company got recognition for helping the Dallas school district. Keep in mind that not every student is meant for college. I recently paid a plumber $145 for an hr. to fix my toilet. There were two tow company owners in the class that had college degrees, but they were not using them. There are no degrees in towing.
The second topic of discussion was a trade school for towing. If 40 tow companies in Montana came up with an idea for a trade school for towing, think what a few associations could put together if they tried. Take three retired towers, pay them a small salary, and let them work with high schools and trade schools to create drivers for the future. If the national association backed a program that created drivers, it would get the support of all the associations nationwide.
The president just initiated a program to take ex-convicts and find them a good job in society. Since they all have tattoos anyways, let’s make them tow truck drivers. If we worked at it, we could probably get some government assistance to pay for their education. We could work with truck manufactures and let the government help buy trucks. Now you have an educated driver with his own truck ready to make you money.

As an industry, these are the things we should be discussing rather than more testing. I’m ready to take this to the next level if anyone is with me.

Worldwide Equipment Sales, LLC Selects Jeffrey Irr as New CEO

Darian Weaver

Pritchard Companies, parent company of Worldwide Equipment Sales, LLC, announced Jeffrey Irr as the company’s Chief Executive Officer.

The selection of Irr compliments the goals and core values of Worldwide Equipment Sales, LLC, a nationwide tow truck and recovery business delivering first class customer service for sales, parts, and service.

Irr has been in the transportation industry for 31 years. Prior to his new role with Worldwide Equipment Sales, LLC, Irr spent 5 years with Jerr-Dan Corporation, a Division of Oshkosh, where he managed sales, marketing, and day-to-day operations. Among his career achievements at Jerr-Dan, Irr grew sales and developed the current JDFS Financial Solutions Program. His leadership and knowledge of the Class 6-8 truck and towing markets ensured Jerr-Dan’s position as one of the top manufacturers in the towing industry. The addition of Irr will ensure the successful future of Worldwide Equipment Sales, LLC.

“We are fortunate to have someone of Jeff Irr’s caliber and experience leading us into the next era of growth,” said Pat Winer, Founder of Worldwide Equipment Sales, LLC.

Irr graduated from Eastern Nazarene College in 2003, with an MSM and B.S. in Business Management. He lives in Greencastle, Pennsylvania with his wife, Amy, and their three sons, Ben, Sam, and Zach. They enjoy staying involved in their community and in youth sports.

Trifecta!

Darian Weaver

A trifecta is usually a good thing. In the gambling world, it means that you’ve hit progressively three times in a row. Trifecta is a recent addition to the English language. It first appeared in the early 1970s as a term for a horse-racing bet in which the first, second, and third place finishers are chosen in the correct order. The word has since broadened in meaning: it can now also refer to a group of three (usually desirable) things. It is found in everything from advertisements to media company names to casual speech. Trifecta combines the prefix “tri-“ (meaning “three”) with the last element in “perfecta,” a word of American Spanish origin that refers to a horse-racing bet in which the first- and second-place finishers are chosen correctly.

In towing, I have found a “trifecta” which are three of the most common issues I come across in our industry: The first two issues are summarized in common statements I hear: “If it fits, it ships.” and “I haven’t lost one yet.” The third are the poor choices on using social media. The irony of it all is that those who use the phrases or unwisely post on social media are proud of it when the opposite should be true as they are putting everything they own at risk! Let’s take a look at all three:

“If it fits, it ships”

The accompanying photo makes me cringe. If it doesn’t make you cringe, it probably should, or should at least get your attention. If you’re not bothered by it, you may not have all the facts (Just read on, and you will.). It may be that when you know the facts you still may not care, and if so, you’re directly contributing to a lazy and uncaring attitude toward the industry, and you don’t care how much you pay for insurance.

We have a Freightliner M2 extended cab flatbed towing a Dodge 5500 flatbed. Let’s look at how many things we can count that are wrong: Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) on the Freightliner is 26,000 lbs. The maximum the truck is allowed to carry, including the weight of the truck, fuel, driver and passengers, and cargo, is 26,000 lbs. It isn’t a suggestion; it’s Federal statute! There’s a decal on the door frame displaying the GVWR for anyone to see, including the driver, company owner, and of course, law enforcement.

The “tare” weight on the Freightliner M2 is 16,800 lbs. Tare references all weights involved as discussed in the last paragraph, but without cargo. 26,000 minus 16,800 equals 9,200. So, Federal law and the vehicle’s manufacturer says that the MOST weight you can carry is 9,200 lbs. The deck is rated for 10,000 lbs. just for information. The Dodge 5500 with a steel flatbed weighs 14,600 lbs. Hmm. No matter what, no matter what circumstances, or what anyone says, you’re 5,400 lbs. over manufacturer’s stated GVWR and at least 4,600 lbs. over the deck rating.

But wait – there’s more! The rear axle of the Freightliner M2 is rated at 18,000 lbs. I promise you on a stack of Monopoly money that the rear axle of that setup in the photo weighs more than 18,000 – there’s the tare weight of close to 11,000 lbs. (rear axle, Freightliner) and a large portion of the 14,600 lb. weight of the Dodge hanging on the rear tires.

Look at several things with me: the very rear edge of the bed on the Freightliner is flexing and bending from too much weight. The rear tires are squatting hard, and the front end has very little weight on it, so you may need to stab the brakes to get the steer tires to stick while you try to brake or turn. That may sound funny, but it’s incredibly dangerous. In a nutshell, this is a very unsafe and illegal load.

An elder member of my family and I have gone ‘round and ‘round about towing and capacity. He has a 1982 Chevrolet S-10 4×4 (2.8 V6 with 5-speed manual), and he’s towed a 28-foot Terry travel trailer with it. I told him that the 8,500 lb. trailer was way over the capacity for that truck. He argued that it could move it just fine! I explained that just because you can move something, doesn’t mean you can control it. Heck, any one of us could pull a truck with a rope on level ground and get it moving – now, try to control it with your hands and body when it takes off down a hill or around a corner. Again, just because you can move something doesn’t mean you can control it.

And that’s exactly what these capacity numbers are there for – the manufacturer takes into account the braking system, steering system, body sway mechanisms, and engine power. The attitude of “if it fits, it ships” is not only insanely ignorant, it’s downright dangerous and can cost you your entire business due to your negligence when you knowingly abuse your equipment. Talk about lawyers having a field day! You’ve gift-wrapped a great case for them.

“I haven’t lost one yet!”

And yes, there’s even more! “I haven’t lost one yet!” That phrase scares the life out of me. It’s usually uttered by people who have been doing dangerous, unprofessional things in the name of saving a couple of minutes or being lazy, and karma hasn’t caught up to them yet. Is over-using your equipment, using only one chain on a flatbed, or using no wheel straps on a wheel-lift truck really saving you that much time and effort? When you have an accident, and you will – it’ll cost you everything you own.

That statement is also used in conjunction with the notion that “I’m only going across town.” Let me ask you this: If you loaded a car on a flatbed while right off a highway exit, got on the freeway, set the cruise control, took an exit 50 miles down the road and unloaded it right there, how much stress would be placed on your securement during that trip?

Now, hook the same car, roll across town, slowing down for school zones, slamming on the brakes because someone squealed out of a parking lot and cut you off, and you hit 47 stop lights. How much stress is on your securement? “I’m only going across town” is a hundred times more dangerous to you and your equipment than a 50-mile freeway ride, yet “across town” is where I see the most securement shortcuts.

Poor Social Media Choices

Last, but not least, tell him what he’s won! This photo was posted on social media–Facebook, to be exact. We can share the photo and original post with a single click and drop it onto Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or several other sites, as well as copy and paste it into a text message or email. You’d better bet that all kinds of people in the industry will see it – both for good and bad reasons, for laughter and for training. Also, when that company is involved in an accident, law enforcement, insurance adjusters, attorneys, and expert witnesses like me can dig it up with ease – and hang the company out in the breeze.

“If it fits, it ships” – please stop saying and doing that!

“I haven’t lost one yet” – please stop being lazy and unsafe!

Concerning social media, watch what you post because I assure you – everyone else is!

A Super Car Towing Customer Testimonial for TLC Truck & Equipment

Darian Weaver

“I purchased my first TLC truck at the 2019 Orlando Tow show. When I saw the truck, I was in awe. I was so impressed with the workmanship and the detail that was put into the truck. So, I spoke with Lisa and the staff at TLC and we made a deal on it. The customer service has been amazing from the day we purchased it till today. I absolutely love the StepSide Classic… The truck is built solid & I have never had an issue with truck or the fiberglass fenders. This truck has also increased my business by landing accounts with exotic car dealers. People request to have their cars delivered to them on this truck. I recently just purchased another new truck from Lisa at TLC. This will be our second truck in 5 months from them, and I wouldn’t buy anywhere else. I would for sure recommend TLC for anyone’s new or used truck needs. They have really exceeded our expectations on every level.

Thank you TLC!”

–
TJ Fletcher | A Super Car Towing | Tampa, FL

To find your next truck visit: www.tlctruckandequipment.com

Modernizing Your Towing or Roadside Assistance Business with Towbook

Darian Weaver

Many towing and recovery operators count on towing software to manage their business, and software is a key tool that companies use to succeed in today’s competitive business world. If your company works with motor clubs, police, manages private properties, or does transport work, chances are that software will help you to run a more efficient company.

Towbook Management Software is built for the cloud, so that you and your team can work from just about anywhere. With important features like digital dispatching, mobile apps for iPhone and Android, QuickBooks integration, and GPS tracking, Towbook supports companies of all shapes and sizes. It’s quick and easy to set up, and the software can be operational in only a few hours.

Here are a few highlights of the features available with Towbook Management Software:

Digital Dispatching: Towbook offers digital integration with most major motor clubs, and you can receive digital requests to your iPhone or Android device—no phone call required.

Sticker App: One of Towbook’s fastest-growing features is our Sticker app. With the Sticker app, you can create a virtual sticker in Towbook and “tag” those vehicles that you might be able to tow after a few hours or a few days. When the sticker expires, you receive a notification that the vehicle can be towed if it is still in the same location.

Mobile Apps: Mobile apps for iPhone and Android have become so powerful that managers and dispatchers can do most of their work right from their phones. With the Towbook app, you can receive dispatch requests, create calls, and dispatch calls to drivers from your iPhone or Android phone in seconds.

GPS Integration: With integrated GPS, Towbook makes it simple to view the location and status of all active jobs, drivers, and trucks. Towbook offers integration with leading GPS companies such as TomTom, allowing you to send calls directly to the GPS unit in your truck. Drivers can use their GPS unit to navigate easily to the service location while updating the status of the call on the GPS unit automatically updates the driver’s status in Towbook.

Replay: Replay helps you to analyze the routes that your team travels over a period and allows you to take a deeper look at events that occurred on certain calls. The Replay tool can also be used as a training aid for drivers, helping them to choose better routes and to avoid certain areas.

Automatic Mileage Calculation: Towbook can automatically calculate the estimated mileage of each call using Google Maps, saving you time and preventing driver mistakes.

Direct Billing: Towbook allows you to submit invoices directly to many motor clubs, which will save you a tremendous amount of time. Towbook also makes it easy for you to track and manage all calls with an open balance.

Roadside.io: Towbook’s Roadside.io feature delivers the latest customer experience capabilities to your fingertips, allowing you to provide an “Uber-like” experience to your customers.

With Roadside.io, you have the option to share service information with customers while the service is in progress, which helps customers to understand the details of their service without calling for an update. You even have the option to send the customer a satisfaction survey once the job is complete. Roadside.io makes it simple for a customer or family member located far from the serviced vehicle to monitor the service progress from wherever they may be.

QuickBooks Integration: If your company uses QuickBooks to manage its finances, you can sync your towing invoices directly with the QuickBooks desktop or QuickBooks online platform.

Letters and Forms: In Towbook, you can generate the necessary letters and forms for each impound with the click of a button.

Pre-Trip and Equipment Inspections: Your driver can complete a pre-trip equipment inspection using the Towbook mobile app. Each inspection can be customized for your business to include the inspection checklist your drivers should use each shift. These inspections are available in a report that can be printed or e-mailed.

Online Tow Requests: You can create a web request form for any account, your website, and your Facebook page with just a few clicks. This makes it easy for your local accounts and cash/private calls to send new tow requests.

Impound/Storage Management: You can track impounded/stored vehicles from start to finish with ease using Towbook; generate state letters, property release forms, release vehicles from the mobile or web application, track the history, and keep all pertinent information all in one place for future reference.

Damage Forms: Using Towbook’s mobile apps, you can complete a vehicle damage report for any call, which protects you against damage claims. Add photos to the damage form, and ask the customer to sign off on the damage in the app. You can even e-mail the forms to your customer from the side of the road!

Accident Reports: To facilitate insurance claims, we’ve made it simple to create professional accident reports in Towbook. Accident Reports can include notes, photos, and detailed charges for each job. We help you to generate a great report in minutes so that you can collect as much information as possible for each job.

Plate to VIN: No VIN—no problem. Towbook’s plate-to-VIN feature saves time and eliminates mistakes. Simply enter the plate number and the state in which the vehicle is licensed, and Towbook will return the full VIN with the make, model, and year of the vehicle.

Request Customer Location: Today’s consumers expect you to find them quickly—even if they have no idea where they are. Towbook’s “ping” feature makes it easy to send a text to your customer, and if they approve the location tracking request, their phone will send the location of your vehicle to your dispatch screen.

Driver Commissions: Tired of answering questions about the commission that your driver earned on a call? Towbook shows drivers the estimated commission of each call on the mobile app.

About Towbook

Towbook is the unquestioned leader in cloud-based towing software. We provide tools made possible by the latest technology, and we help companies to raise their level of service while lowering their operating costs.

Free Trial, Free Setup, Free Support

Towbook offers a 30-day free trial with free setup and support, and there are no contracts. Plus, you don’t need a separate Towbook license for each employee—your subscription includes unlimited user accounts!

Towbook Management Software is headquartered in Michigan and has provided cloud-based towing software for over eleven years. Integrating the industry’s most advanced and flexible software, Towbook supports all types of towing and recovery operations. At Towbook, we take great pride in having the industry’s best customer support. Support is free and available 24/7/365—even on holidays.

For more information: http://www.towbook.com | sales@towbook.com | 810-320-5063

Take Control of Your Business with Software You can Trust!

Darian Weaver

Towing operations across the country are enjoying the stability, accountability, efficiency, and transparency the suite of products TOPS has delivered since its release to the market in the year 2000. Nineteen years and forty-four million tow requests later, operators nationwide continue managing successful operations using TOPS (sold by towXchange, a division of TXI Systems, Inc.). To date, six TOPS customers have taken over one million tow requests each in the software, and two have taken over two million. This is a testament to the stability and usability of the TOPS software, and the quality of the products that TXI Systems delivers.

Customer Spotlight: Merl’s Towing / Grand Rapids Towing of Grand Rapids, Michigan is the most recent of TOPS customers to achieve one million tow requests processed through the TOPS software. Merl’s Towing / Grand Rapids Towing is consistently recognized as an industry leader in the region and provides towing services for public, commercial, motor club, private-property, and municipal customers. Congratulations to Merl’s Towing / Grand Rapids Towing and thank you for your confidence and commitment to TXI and to the TOPS software systems.

TOPS, which is short for Towing OPerations Software, is designed to manage all aspects of a towing operation from the initial tow request to the vehicle’s final disposition. The TOPS system provides a unified and sophisticated platform for call-taking, dispatching, inventory management, lien processing, and auction administration. Used by some of the most successful towing operations nationwide, TOPS supports single and multi-location businesses as well as multi-company operations and provides individual company and roll-up accounting and management reports.

TOPS will enable your staff to work smarter with advanced tools that include powerful mobile applications for drivers and lot managers, all designed for the iPhone, iPad, Android mobile phones and tablets. With TOPS Driver, drivers can acknowledge tow requests, update call status times, navigate to pickup and drop-off locations, upload and store call-related photos, and even create new calls in the field – all from their smart phone. In addition, with the optional Square payments integration, drivers can accept credit-card payments in the field. To complete the paperless process, drivers can email call receipts to customers directly from their web-enabled mobile device. The TOPS Inventory application is designed to be used by impound lot personnel to enter and update vehicle information, take photos, and scan barcodes for simple and fast physical lot inventory management.

Within the TOPS application, users enjoy enhanced data accuracy and improved employee productivity through drop-down menus, short code or type-ahead field entry, pre-population of call information and integrated swipe devices (where applicable) for quick data entry. Workflow is improved and employee accountability is enhanced with features such as automated pricing, tow ticket management, and driver and release clerk payment management systems. In addition, TOPS integrates with GPS, motor club, insurance, police and municipality systems to simplify call creation and increase your business profile.

The TOPS system protects your interests by offering screen and field level security that is built around role-based access rights. These access rights and restrictions keep employees focused on their specific tasks, limiting their visibility into systems that are outside of their area of responsibility. The TOPS role-based user access provides sophisticated security that is customizable to your company’s needs.

With TOPS, you gain a better understanding of the big picture of your business with detailed management, customer activity, and driver and truck productivity reports. To close the loop on the financial aspects of your operations, TOPS imports directly to QuickBooks to take advantage of the accounting tools within that product. If QuickBooks is too much to take on for your operation, TOPS provides a simple billing system that allows you to send invoices and statements and get standard accounting reports such as aging and sales. Big or small, the TOPS suite of software products will make your operation work smarter and more efficiently, and with more management controls than ever before.

towXchange also offers supplementary products which complement the TOPS experience:

Motor Club Digital Dispatch Options

towXchange offers two digital dispatch platforms for Motor Club service requests.

TOPS Motor Club receives digital tow request from ADS, Agero, Allstate, GEICO, NSD, Quest, Road America, Roadside Protect, Tesla, USAC, and FleetNet. As tow and service requests are received and negotiated, calls are pushed directly into TOPS as an unassigned call offering an efficient transfer of information into TOPS for dispatch to the best driver/truck resource for the job.

Digital Dispatch by towXchange is a standalone application geared to those operators who simply need a way to receive a digital dispatch from a motor club without the need for a full-service towing management application.

TOPS Link – With TOPS Link, your customers can use the Internet to request service, check status of calls in progress, inquire about vehicles in inventory, and more. This tool offers a one-to-one relationship between the requesting company or municipality (your customer) and you, the tow operator. TOPS link users can request services, monitor dispatch status, and view inventory lists for stored vehicles, all from a secure internet portal.

TOPS offers a fully integrated fleet tracking application marketed under the name BudgetGPS.

BudgetGPS is a vehicle and fleet tracking solution geared for any industry but specifically tuned to support fleet management within the towing industry. BudgetGPS integrates with TOPS to offer a true visual dispatching tool where users can view current vehicle locations as well as unassigned pickup locations and drop-off information on the same map. Icons are color coded allowing for a visual picture of calls which are in-process and those which are about to clear. Knowing when and where drivers will clear from their current call enables dispatchers to send the best / closest resource to the next job. This saves time and money. Additionally, users can monitor ETA’s based on mapping calculations of drive time between the truck and pickup locations.

BudgetGPS delivers a full set of features for a single low price. Features include: Live Map with 20-second vehicle updates to the map with live Google traffic and map or satellite views, Historical breadcrumb view with 6 months of history; Alerts and Monitoring for PTO, GeoFence, Ignition, and Speeding. Reports include Driver Distance, State Mileage, Stops, Speeding and more.

BudgetGPS uses industry- leading hardware which is mounted discreetly inside the cab of the vehicle. We offer several models of hardware including OBD pluggable devices (for vehicles equipped with an OBD II port) as well as asset tracking devices.

BudgetGPS recently converted to a new refreshed website offering a new user interface experience which scales seamlessly to any internet-connected device from PC to tablet to phone.

BudgetGPS offers a month-to-month service with low upfront and monthly cost. BudgetGPS is developed and supported in-house by BudgetGPS!

For more information or to schedule a demonstration, please call 866-800-8677 Opt 2 or visit their websites – TOPS – www.towxchange.net BudgetGPS – www.budgetgps.com.

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John Copeland Background Info:

MORE ON WEBFLEET SOLUTIONS

About Hino Trucks:

About Penske Truck Leasing:

“If it fits, it ships”

“I haven’t lost one yet!”

Poor Social Media Choices

About Towbook

Motor Club Digital Dispatch Options