Each day, towing and recovery companies are challenged to find new ways to better manage expenses while maintaining superior service levels. GPS vehicle tracking with telematics technology can help achieve these goals by improving safety, lowering costs and increasing efficiency.

Reduce Risk and Improve Safety

For towing and recovery companies, risk can present itself in many forms. Poorly maintained vehicles can breakdown more frequently, putting your drivers at risk. Your company’s revenue and reputation is also on the line, as improperly routed vehicles can delay service response times to customers in need.

Managing these threats begins with having a clear understanding of your vehicles’ specific risk exposures and a commitment to operating them safely. You can also reduce your risk by monitoring engine health through remote diagnostics to reduce vehicle breakdowns. In addition, you can reduce accidents by limiting miles driven and reducing aggressive driving habits. GPS
tracking also safeguards your business against vehicle theft and protects drivers against false claims.

Lower Fuel Costs and Streamline Routing

As fuel costs continue to fluctuate, businesses are looking for ways to keep expenses under control. But unless improving fuel efficiency becomes a company-wide effort, any cost savings are likely to be minimal at best.

Having a GPS tracking system in place gives everyone in the company – from managers to drivers – the information and tools they need to help improve fuel efficiency and cut costs.

By using precise GPS tracking, you can locate the closest driver to dispatch and route vehicles more efficiently. This streamlines routing and reduces fuel usage. In addition, understanding the idling patterns of your vehicles with near real-time alert notifications will help you to minimize unnecessary idle time. You can also lower fuel mileage by eliminating harsh acceleration and aggressive driving behaviors. At the same time, you can prevent fraudulent transactions with the
ability to track and verify fuel purchases.

Operate Efficiently with Preventive Maintenance

A well-maintained fleet is a safer and more efficient fleet. With remote diagnostic monitoring, you can increase the safety of your drivers and the health of your tow trucks by detecting potential problems, such as engine malfunctions or bad brakes, before they become serious issues. In addition, you can reduce vehicle wear and tear by decreasing off hour usage and
lowering miles driven.

The benefits for GPS vehicle tracking don’t stop there. You’ll be able to bill more accurately by monitoring routing history and improving job dispatching. Many systems are easily integrated with other applications, such as with Garmin devices to facilitate turn-by-turn navigation and direct communication with drivers. Once you start using GPS vehicle tracking, you will wonder how you ever got along without it.

For more information, contact:

Verizon Networkfleet
866.869.1353
sales@networkfleet.com
www.networkfleet.com

HAZMAT RESPONDER NETWORK is a training program designed to certify Towing and Recovery Professionals to engage in the practice of cleaning up and disposing of spills related to transportation incidents, however not being limited to traffic accidents.

Hazmat Technician training course satisfies the requirement of OSHA 29 CFR, 1910.120(q). That encompasses the “Awareness through Technician” training requirements of the OSHA standard. Our course will focus on the releases encountered by the towing professional and those participating in the product recovery to include appropriate disposal of spilled material(s). You will be trained to perform all functions of the Hazardous Materials Technician based on the OSHA standard, which includes serving in a given role in the Incident Management System.

Hazmat Technicians are generally those who perform offensive countermeasures (stop and confine) spills of hazardous substances including the ability to perform defensive operations to confine spillsbeyond the point of release.

This Certification is valid for one ( 1 ) year upon completion with HRN offering an eight ( 8 ) hour annual refresher course.

For More Information, contact Perry Beaty at 877-356-9767.

Your team will appreciate the calm communication!

Take your team’s skills from ordinary to EXTRAORDINARY. Communicate at whisper levels and perfect your process – up to eight crew can talk simultaneously no shouting necessary. Save time and money – your tows will be faster and safer!

COMSTAR is not voice activated, and there are no transmit buttons or delays. To operate, simply turn the system “ON” and talk. System includes “All-In-One headsets – no beltpakcs needed!

John W. Callaway, owner of First Call Towing & Recovery, Inc., along with employee Erik Cober, are very pleased with the communication headsets purchased from the Eartec company, saying, “We feel they have stepped up our ability to improve safety and save time. We can communicate without even seeing each other at recoveries now. The other day, we were able to coordinate using 2 heavy recovery units along with a safety director without having any type of hand signals or eye contact. We feel these headsets have been an asset to our recovery business and we highly recommend them.”

Contact Eartec or visit our website to experience Eartec’s renowned professional courteous service.

Certified for worldwide non-licensed use.

www.eartec.com/tow.html

800-399-5994

Dynamic Towing Equipment & Manufacturing president, Anthony Gentile, recognizes that a high level of investment in research and development is essential for sustainable business growth. He said, “Our market is a competitive one, and it is important that we continue to listen to our customers and fulfill their needs by producing products that make their jobs easier and more efficient.”

When designing and developing Dynamic’s SV100 Service Truck, Gentile and his staff spoke with numerous auto club owners and employees, repair shop owners, municipal members, and highway assistant employees, asking, “What would make the ideal service vehicle?”

Gentile’s engineers took the information gathered and worked long hours, day and night to achieve designs that would accommodate needs for “the perfect road service vehicle.” The result was a very versatile service vehicle that contained not
only storage for batteries, floor jacks and emergency repair equipment, but is also equipped with an optional Dynamic “Stealth” wheel lift. When a call is received, the dispatcher just needs to dispatch one truck and one driver, saving fuel, manpower, response time, and less equipment in a company’s fleet. If the driver is unable to repair on the scene, the driver is able to self-load the vehicle on the optional “Stealth” wheel lift and tow the vehicle into the shop for proper repair.

The key to achieving their goals for growth at Dynamic is an open innovation strategy that enables their staff to listen to market needs, research and develop efficient practices, and collectively work together to introduce new and exciting products and increase competitiveness.

Gentile said, “We are proud of our new and improved SV100 Service Truck. It was built with our end-users in mind. We just took their suggestions and developed an affordable truck that would fulfill their needs, as well as last a lifetime. That’s the
Dynamic way, to build equipment that’ll last. We have a number of projects in the works, so keep an eye out for new equipment to be introduced in the near future!” For questions or inquiries on Dynamic’s SV100 Service Vehicle, contact Dynamic Sales at (800) 831-9299 or contact a distributor near you.

American Towing & Recovery Institute proudly presented a check for $7640 to International Towing & Recovery Museum to be distributed between the general operating fund along with the Survivor Fund.

The proceeds were generated from several sources:

1. From class attendees choosing to play an estimate the force game at American Towing & Recovery Institute Training & Certification courses held in 2013 and 2014 first quarters.
2. Auctions held during 2013. The first auction was on www.tow411.net and the second auction held during the Tennessee Tow Show
3. Funds were generated from the reproduction agreement of manuals-brochures-ads from Miller Industries Towing Equipment, i.e. Holmes Wrecker, Century, Challenger, etc.
4. All items donated to the Museum that were sold at the gift shop.
5. Monies donated from the general operating fund from the American Towing & Recovery Institute

International Towing & Recovery Museum & Hall of Fame is a nonprofit trade organization that serves the interests of the professional towing operators worldwide. Activities include education, preserving the history of the industry, the Survivor Fund, Wall of the Fallen, networking and civic volunteer projects.

AT&RI would like to thank the class attendees and the following Associations who allowed us to conduct these fund raising events during their classes:

• Alabama Towing & Recovery Association
• Tennessee Tow Truck Association
• Texas Towing & Storage Association
• Virginia Wrecker Operators Association
• Miller Industries
• www.tow411.net
• Tennessee Tow Show
• Along with everyone who bought a manual-brochure-ad

American Towing & Recovery Institute is a not for profit membership based organization founded in 2013 to promote safety, education, positive public relations and networking. AT&RI provides and promotes hands-on towing and recovery education seminars, Public Service Announcements promoting issues of common concerns between motoring public and the professional towing industry along with exclusive member discounts for products and services, business consulting, expert witness, recovery bill mediation or review, networking opportunities between members and outside clients and community events i.e. toys drives, etc.

For additional information on International Towing & Recovery Museum & Hall of Fame, visit their website, www.internationaltowingmuseum.org , or contact ITRHFM at 423-267-3132.

For additional information on American Towing & Recovery Institute, visit www.americantowingandrecoveryinstitute.org or contact AT&RI at 910-747-9000 or info@americantowingandrecoveryinstitute.org.

New Pig is the No. 1 brand that helps companies manage leaks, drips and spills to protect workers, facilities and the environment. A multi-channel, multi-brand supplier of innovative liquid management solutions and industrial maintenance products serves industrial, commercial, utility, military and government facilities in 70 countries worldwide. The leading New Pig brands include the Original PIG Absorbent Sock, PIG Grippy Mats, PIG Spill Kits, PIG Spillblocker Dikes, and PIG Flammable Safety
Cabinets. Other channels offering PIG® products include all Safety-Kleen branches, select Integrated Suppliers, and B-to-B E-Commerce exchanges. For more information, contact www.newpig.com. New Pig is headquartered in Tipton, PA.

Zip’s is thrilled to announce that www.zips.com will soon be unveiled to the towing industry. Aside from an updated look, the new website will offer a powerful way for our towing customers to sort through hundreds of pieces of towing equipment, and the industry’s largest selection of parts and accessories. The site is set to be complete mid-summer and will feature:

• Powerful search functionality within the Parts Store that will help users find specific
  replacement parts and unique accessories to outfit their wreckers and towing equipment.
• The “My Account” section, which will allow you to manage your parts account, locate both open
  and closed invoices, view your order history, and track your online purchases.
• Wish List feature, which gives users the ability to save their favorite items, and come back to
  them at a later date for purchase.

Zip’s wants to provide the towing industry with a comprehensive shopping experience, bringing all of the necessary elements into a one-stop-shop. The new website will give users a better understanding of the wide range of products and services that are offered by Zip’s. Customers can not only shop for parts and major equipment, including carriers, wreckers, trailers, and service bodies, but they can also:

1. Apply for financing, complete a credit application online, and receive a response within 48 hours
2. Schedule Service for their equipment at either the Iowa or Michigan location.
3. Read industry news, watch new product videos, and purchase the newest products on the market.
4. Sift through a library of towing equipment brochures and specification literature.
5. Browse training schedules, book your next session at Zip’s, and check out photo galleries from previous classes.
6. Watch your wrecker being built at Zip’s by viewing live webcams within the shop.

Please stay on the lookout for the new website! Visit www.zips.com to stay in the loop, and don’t forget to friend us on Facebook.