Tracker Management Systems

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The development of Tracker Management Systems, Inc. from day one was based on building a solution for the many needs within the office of towing companies. Providing customer support and training on how to utilize the software to maximize profits became a comer stone. Tracker has been extremely successful at achieving these goals. Tracker is practically a household name within the industry for nearly three decades and now second generation family. If you do not use Tracker to manage your business, most likely a successful company that you admire does.

Tracker continues to offer leading edge solutions, such as the only complete management suite that includes the needed functions to be able to maintain a complete picture of your business. Tracker goes way beyond a simple dispatch system that sends calls to phones or TomTom dash GPS. Look under the hood and you will discover for yourself what all it does. Notice the detailed functions that you would want after you get the basic dispatch and impound storage features working. Most other software perhaps go a little deeper adding the ability to do your statements. Linking to QuickBooks or Peachtree accounting is a great time saver, but after these few features, there are dozens of processes and variables to your business that should and could be automated. Utilizing Tracker will give you faster, quicker more accurate information in fraction of the time.

Lastly, your software selection needs to be a very easy to use and easy to understand solution. Easy, simple and complete are Tracker’s core values. As just one example, look at our Tracker Touch product, which links the GPS in truck communications with a visual picture of your city. Add all your calls to the same screen, then give your dispatcher the ability to assign a call to the nearest truck within 3 seconds by simply touching the screen. Then be able to see the actual ETA of any assigned truck without talking to the drivers. Stop wishing there was a product like this. Stop wishing your company was up to speed. Tracker has products built for the way you run your business. These products are available today from Tracker. Call today to set up a live demo and get your questions answered.
1-800-445-2438

Cloud Based Technology will dominate within five years, but is it right for you NOW?

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Tow Professional

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It is a year since Tow Professional reviewed the industry software market and much has changed. New towing software vendors are entering the market, providing competition for the more established software companies who have a long-standing national presence. These prominent software brands (Beacon, Tracker, and VTS Systems) have continued to add new features, and there is a growing trend, initially started by VTS Systems, toward collaborating with other technology leaders, Auto Data Direct and TomTom, providing expanded features at a lower cost. Over the past 12 months, Telematics or integrated GPS has become the fastest growing segment and a “must have” for competitive, cost conscience owners. Integrated Telematics link with your management software, providing “intelligent dispatch” and interactive driver/dispatcher input, along with real time vehicle performance data. TomTom’s “Traffic” stands out as a major advance, providing real-time updated traffic flow and congestion status, continually updating the quickest route from call inception to incident location. When used to optimal driver/truck efficiency, TomTom claims a 15 to 20 percent saving in fuel and maintenance costs.

For many towing companies, paper ledgers, paper invoices, manual lien letters, and visits to the Post Office are just memories. Yet many in the industry are struggling to accommodate the never-ending advances in office automation. Not everyone caught the computer bug, and, to many, the black box in the office is something you do not mess with. Therefor it is important for the software developers, while providing additional cost saving benefits, to keep the programs intuitive and easy to operate. New operating platforms from Google and others are challenging the dominance of Microsoft and Apple by offering cloud friendly operating systems. However, Microsoft will not give up its global dominance of the OS market without a fight. Launched in August 2012, Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system has successfully moved Microsoft firmly into cloud OS territory. However, for those tow companies who are firmly entrenched in the traditional Windows 7 or previous versions of Microsoft OS, Windows 8 is a steep learning curve.

There is little doubt that web or cloud based technology, along with smartphones, tablets and a host of new apps, will dominate our industry within five years.

If your business is located in a rural community or a city that has below standard Internet service, then cloud technology may not be for you. Before you throw caution to the wind and give up your solid, reliable PC/server based application, and jump into a cloud solution, there are preparations to make and questions to ask.

How reliable is your Internet connection (WAN), and do you have a back-up solution? “It is not if your Internet will FAIL, it is when.”
Check your bandwidth capacity and the time it takes your screen to refresh or change (latency); a slow Internet not only adds frustration, it is operationally inefficient and a strong indicator of underlying problems. To conduct a simple test of your Internet speed, go to http://speedtest.comcast.net To operate an effective cloud base tow management program, you should have a minimum latency or “PING” rate of less than 30 ms (milliseconds), a download speed of not less than 20 mbps (megabits per second) and an upload speed of not less than 5 mbps. An efficient cable Internet service will provide 10 ms PING, 80 mbps download, and 15 mbps upload.
Invest in a professional networking company to evaluate or build-out your office network (LAN). Build for the future; demand and Internet speeds will only get faster. Insist on 100/1000 or Giga switches, and if your budget will run to it, CAT 6 rather than CAT 5 Ethernet cabling.
The reliable office network of the future will be a tiered system both hard wired, and Wi-Fi wireless. There simply is not enough wireless bandwidth to service a busy office. Multiple wireless users will cause data collisions, data corruption, slowness of screen refreshes and eventually crashes. Hard wire your desk PC’s All-in-One’s, semi-permanent laptops and network printers. Leave the wireless bandwidth for smartphones and tablets.

Without Internet, a PC/server-based system can enter and release vehicles, print statements and operate normally. Without the Internet, a cloud-based business is dead! Turn out the lights, close the door, and go home.

However, this should not be a showstopper, but it does need you to rethink your network priorities. Reliable, high bandwidth Internet and VoIP telephone services are essential to tomorrow’s towing and VSF businesses. It is usual to find three optional broadband providers in the larger cities, cable, DSL, and wireless; most areas will have two services available from which to choose. It is important that you have a primary and a back-up solution, one that you can switch to when the primary goes down. Notice I said when, not if! High-speed 4G wireless, although slower, makes an excellent secondary plug and play solution.

Do your research; do not go cheap, go for a business package; reliability and bandwidth are most important. Ask about outages and repair history; get it in writing. Cable offers the most bandwidth for the buck; up and down speed packages vary, so get the details. Some national cable providers have earned a poor reputation for return to service times, so ask around. DSL is the next best offering for bandwidth, as long as the phone lines are solid. In addition, check out bundling packages; TV, phone, and Internet bundling can offer great saving. Remember reliability and bandwidth is paramount!

Nigel Pestell
Managing Partner, Business Development
VTS Systems
(A Division of Collision Management USA LP)
14935 Dunwoody Bend, Suite 100
Cypress, Texas 77429

281.373.3072 US & CDN Sales, Ext. 104 /101
281.373.3072 Business Dev., Texas Statutes/TDLR Rules, Ext. 101
281.373.3072 Tech Support Center, Ext. 103
281.746.7816 US Fax
www.vts-systems.com

Don’t Crush Your Cash: Sell Your Vehicle in Five Easy Steps

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Tow Professional

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Towing & Recovery, Car on Flat Bed

Abandoned vehicles take up space on a towing lot and can be a big financial burden for those businesses. As an alternative to crushing a car, there are plenty of resources for tow companies looking to free up space in their lots.

Towing Auction

Many customers abandon their vehicles because they often think the process of selling their vehicle can be long and burdensome. According to Ray Rodecker and Ron Walters of Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA), this is a common misconception. “We have developed a full-service solution, from title procurement to quick and easy payment options,” says Rodecker. Adds Walters, “This simplifies the process and helps companies get their vehicles to auction and turned into cash fast.”

Towing Stats

IAA says that customers can quickly turn their vehicles into cash through a simple process. It starts with towers showing customers how IAA’s process works and what to expect when partnering with IAA. Educating customers on such resources has an added benefit for towers. Here are five easy steps:

Contact IAA: First, contact a local IAA facility to learn more about locations and services nearby. IAA has facilities in over 160 locations across North America.
Secure Title: Securing a title can have the biggest impact and IAA’s Title Services division has developed an efficient, simplified and flexible suite of solutions, which help to reduce the length of time it takes to secure a vehicle title and sell the vehicle at auctions.
Process Vehicle: IAA offers marketing and auction services to give sellers exposure to hundreds of buyers internationally – this in turn clears their lots fast and increases profits.
Auction Vehicle: IAA’s model combines on-site and on-line buyers into one auction, which fosters a healthy, competitive bidding experience designed to give buyers the choice to manage their bids on the go. Through IAA’s mobile app CSAToday®, customers can also track the status of their vehicles and accept bids.
Collect Money: Sellers can be assured that IAA is getting the best value on their sold vehicle and quickly turning it into cash. IAA Selling Services^SM gives buyers flexible bidding options. Buyers can choose to bid on vehicles live and live-online through I-Bid Live^SM or purchase direct through IAA Buy Fast^SM.

Don't Crush Your Cash

IAA provides full services solutions to help towing companies turn their abandoned cars into cash. Through its unique hybrid auction model — including live, Internet and proxy bidding – IAA auctions offer everything from highly repairable high grade vehicles to pure scrap vehicles, working in partnership with a range of sellers including insurance companies, dealerships, rental car companies, and fleet lease companies. IAA also sells directly to recyclers on behalf of those hoping to crush their vehicle and recently expanded its operations to include its Tow and Abandonments division, which helps towing companies’ clear abandoned vehicles from their lots quickly without draining their bank accounts.

As part of IAA’s efforts to assist tow companies in recouping the financial losses associated with abandoned vehicles, Rodecker and Walters have been hosting a series of free educational seminars for towing professionals. Towers learn about the advantages of the auction process, navigating the title procurement system and calculating the value of abandoned vehicles sitting on their lots.

For more information about IAA’s services or to learn about upcoming “Don’t Crush Your Cash” seminars, contact Ray Rodecker and Ron Walters at 888.825.2145 or towingandrecovery@iaai.com.

True Tilt 5th Wheel Quick-Tachaq

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Tow Professional

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The True Tilt 5^th Wheel Quick-Tach is a heavy duty under lift that has the most extension, most retraction, more lift and the most lifting capacity of any lift on the market. It has a lift rating of 45,000 pounds retracted and 24,000 fully extended. It has a clear extension of 140” to the center of the axle forks and nearly 160” to the center of the Heavy Duty Wheel forks when used. The unit will tilt the full rated load in the given positions.

The hydraulic hoses are all “hidden” in the unit, encased in a nylon tracking chain to keep them in place free from wear and tear. Our crossbar is made of a one piece solid steel casting made of 100,000 pound steel. The tongue it rotates in is also one piece cast steel (100,000 pound steel).

We have standard wireless radio built into the unit. The radio is a standard feature with a 6 function controller, which will control the lift for up-down; in-out; and tilt up-tilt down operation.

Our unit pricing includes either an electric/hydraulic pump or a valve pac to tie into your trucks PTO pump; the 6 function wireless radio control plus a 25’ hard wired remote control; 4 sets of axle frame forks; the parking stands; and all necessary hardware to mount to a road tractor.

www.triplekindustries.com
800-624-2892

Tow Shows: Western States Tow Show & Midwest Regional Tow Show

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Tow Professional

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Tow Professional magazine, the Western States Tow Show, and the Midwest Regional Tow Show are proud to announce a partnership to help promote these association tow shows across the nation. The two association operated shows are planned and executed with the goal of raising money for the associations in order to further the industry, provide funds for lobbying, develop ongoing education programs, and foster safety in our dangerous profession. It’s exciting to be a part of this marketing program, as both shows already have a regional presence and their associations work to share information and resources with their neighboring states, making all stronger. We feel this will be a great opportunity for all. With the increased marketing, the two shows will bring an even larger variety of vendors to the shows with the latest equipment and knowledge for the attendees, and continue the outstanding events and social opportunities that the towing community enjoys. Expanding the attendees through the surrounding associations and the readers of Tow Professional will give even greater value to the vendors and help them grow stronger also.

Western States Tow Show
www.westernstatestowshow.com

Midwest Regional Tow Show
www.trao.org/tow-show

NationWide Towing & Recovery Group

By

Tow Professional

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While working as a Claims Adjuster, one of my Trucking Company clients began ranting that ALL “Wrecker Service Providers” (WSP’s) were crooks! I disagreed! They were using a “Free Directory,” knowing they received a small percentage of the WSP’s Towing & Recovery Invoice, but felt like costs were still too high? What a shocker! NTRG is a “DataBase of WSP’s” where the Trucking Company pays a fixed monthly Subscription Fee so that the WSP doesn’t have to mark-up their Invoice to cover any “small percentage.” When our Subscribers need help, they call the WSP direct, and say that they found your name on our website. All that means to a WSP is that they agree to bill the Trucking Company, using our Invoicing Software, as it already includes their hourly Rates. This was created to simplify the billing process…at no cost to the WSP, while also providing uniform Invoices for our Subscribers.

NationWide Towing & Recovery Group, LLC.
P.O. Box 3058
Springfield, MO 65808-3058
Phone (417) 595-0712
E- Fax (417) 501-4251
E-Mail ntrg4u@gmail.com

Loganville Ford Supplies Towing Industry with Volume Pricing

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Tow Professional

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Loganville Ford has become a Industry leader in Volume Pricing, In today’s market where getting a Quick accurate price on Towing Equipment has become somewhat of a challenge Loganville Ford is setting a new industry standard! We will always present a price on every ad we run so the customer knows before they call what the price and all Fee’s will be. We do not charge a Doc Fee on any of our Towing Customers. The only amount above our selling price due is the customers Taxes in the area they will be registering the truck. We have a distinct advantage in being a Ford Dealer and also the Distributor that allows us to not only be the Industry price leader but also having multiple financing sources that are not available to much of the industry. Please call us with any questions.

Chris Chitwood
Commercial Sales Mgr
404-569-4723

Jerr-Dan’s Cab-Over Engine (COE) XLP

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Tow Professional

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With the increasing popularity of the (COE) chassis’, Jerr-Dan has engineered their low profile XLP carrier for the Isuzu NRR and Hino 195 COE chassis to provide a product that can be utilized by those towers who are in need of a carrier that provides the lowest load angle in the industry and a chassis that fits into those smaller areas such as the “tight” city areas.

The COE XLP provides a lower deck height and better load angle with improved visibility and maneuverability.

Jerr-Dan provides the most engineered chassis solutions for the widest variety of chassis in the industry, leading the industry in new product innovation.

They are now offering XLP carrier models on all of the following chassis:

Ford F650, F550
Peterbilt 325, 330
Kenworth 270, 370
Hino 238, 258
Freightliner M2 106
International Durastar
Dodge 5500
Isuzu NRR *featured
Hino 195 *featured

Standard features provided by the Jerr-Dan XLP carrier include:

Load angle as low as 7.5 degrees
World’s lowest maintenance carrier, including No-Lube™ technology for slide pads and pivot joints
Industry’s strongest aluminum beds featuring exclusive, patented Galvanized Steel Beam Technology™
On-board hydraulic pressure gauge allows for easy troubleshooting
Single sheet decking on conventional and dual angle steel decks reduces weld joints and potential corrosion points
Combination winch cable guide roller and tensioner plate
Manual or air-controlled winch free-spool
Corrosion-resistant lighted dual-control stations
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration DOT 393 compliant crash protection headboard
Industry’s most advanced high performance hose and wire cable-tracking system
Industry’s highest standard DOT reflectivity and lighting levels
12 key slots standard

Be powerfully present with R.A.I.L.™, Jerr-Dan’s exclusive Rear Awareness Indicator Lights. Bright amber LED strobe technology commands attention whether you’re working through dark, foggy, rainy, or high-traffic conditions. Random flashing light patterns project horizontally for increased rear visibility, especially when the deck is tilted for loading and unloading allowing you to work in confidence. R.A.I.L. is positioned rearward of carrier bed controls to minimize distraction for the operator and their robust, corrosion resistant mounting bracket provides unparalleled durability. Get noticed in a flash and have a higher level of confidence on the job with R.A.I.L.

“Jerr-Dan will continue to innovate and engineer solutions that provide our customers options when choosing a product for their particular application,” said Jeff Soldner, Jerr-Dan Product Director. “Expanding the XLP carriers to the Ford F550 and Dodge 5500 earlier this year filled a gap that customers were requesting. The introduction of the Jerr-Dan XLP for the Isuzu NRR and Hino 195 shows our commitment to the customer by designing our product for mounting on two popular Cab-Over chassis.”

For more information, visit Jerr-Dan online at www.jerrdan.com.

E – Z OUT STRAP

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Tow Professional

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E – Z OUT STRAPS are used to get automobiles out of the ditch and clear the highway quickly. It’s as easy as 1-2-3.

STEP #1 – RUN THE STRAP THROUGH THE WHEEL.
STEP #2 – WRAP THE LOOP END OF THE STRAP BACK TO THE HOOK.
STEP #3 – HOOK THE WINCH LINK TO THE RING IN THE END OF THE STRAP TO WINCH OUT.

S & J Manufacturing, Inc.
203 Commerce Drive
Cuba, MO 65453
Phone: 573-885-4460
Fax: 573-885-3351
www.sjmetalcubamo@yahoo.com

Balldog Multiple Use Hitch Attachment Device

By

Tow Professional

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Patent# 7967353 (Additional Patents Pending) With the BallDog Plus, you have options!

There are multiple ways to connect and multiple applications for use with just one item, saving you both time and money. Made with Exclusive Twist Lock™ technology available exclusively through B/A Products distributors worldwide.

B/A Products Co.
8925 McGaw Court
Columbia, MD 21045-4725
(800) 327-3301
(410) 381-1700
www.baprod.com

WorkSafe USA, Inc. NO-JACK

By

Tow Professional

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A tow truck operator’s duties typically involve the use of a service jack for tire changes, repositioning broken ball joints and tie rods to prepare a tow, just to name a few. WorkSafe USA, Inc. is proud to present the NO-JACK vehicle lift system for self loading wheel lift wreckers. The JO-JACK system allows a self loading wheel lift wrecker to be utilized as an on-site automotive service jack, eliminating the need to carry service jacks and jack stands on the wrecker.

WorkSafe USA, Inc.
www.dump-lok.com
(217) 487-7045

TM50S Series Multi-Setting Marker/Flasher Combination Light

By

Tow Professional

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TowMate’s new 4.5” flush mount LED markers/flashers offer an intense burst of light increasing your visibility to motorists. Cycle through 8 flash patterns with the wave of a magnet over the light (no need to remove it to change settings at any point)! Each unit features four high-intensity LED’s and is available in amber, red, white, blue, or green. An optional chrome bezel is available to give it that finished look. Made in the USA. Lifetime warranty. Go to www.TowMate.com or call (800) 680-4455 for more details or to find a dealer near you.

Towbook Adds “Plate to VIN” Feature

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Tow Professional

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Towbook recently announced the addition of a “license plate to VIN” feature in their web-based towing software. This new feature allows you to simply key in a license plate number and Towbook automatically returns the full VIN plus the make, model and year for the vehicle.

The plate to VIN feature is also available in Towbook’s mobile apps for iPhone and Android, so it’s a big time saver for drivers, too.

Towbook is the leader in web-based towing software. With no software to install, you can access Towbook from anywhere with Internet service, including iPads, tablets and smartphones.

With the lowest price in the market, no setup fees, free training and no contracts or cancellation fees, Towbook is hard to beat. You also get free support 24/7/365.

(888) 884-9598
www.towbook.com

MobileTRAQ Vue

By

Tow Professional

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MobileTRAQ Vue is the first highly integrated and field upgradeable, commercial-grade monitoring and maintenance system, designed to grow with fleets and changing industry demands. It is a rugged, flexible asset- based monitoring system for both connected and stand-alone truck & trailer monitoring. Featuring an intuitive, programmable color touch-screen display that allows the driver to see and hear warnings, the MobileTRAQ platform was developed to readily connect with Mobile Awareness wired and wireless sensors, the first of which is TireStat TPMS. TireStat TPMS is an innovative flow-thru tire sensor mountable inside the tire or externally on the valve stem. These unique TPMS sensors transmit data every 60 seconds to the MobileTRAQ monitor, with pressure and temperature events triggering the system to alarm in real-time. This rapid reporting is as much as 5 times more frequent than most other TPMS systems. With a battery life of up to 10 years and an operating temperature of – 40°F to 257°F (-40°C to 125°C), TireStat is the ruggedized sensor choice for commercial tire maintenance and monitoring.

www.mobileawareness.com
866-653-5036

Larson Electronics Offers Wrecker Lighting Solutions

By

Tow Professional

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The TPM-2XLEDP3W-3 is a telescoping light pole that can be mounted to any flat surface to allow operators to elevate a pair of included high intensity LED lights and adjust their height from 3 to 9 feet. Designed to be mounted via a 4 hole mounting plate, this telescoping light pole can be adjusted to various heights and locked into position as well as collapsed and removed from the mounting bracket for stowing. This design is ideal for wreckers where the convenience of easily deployed and stowed high power lighting is desired.

Larson Electronics, LLC
800-369-6671
www.magnalight.com
sales@magnalight.com

Don’t Get Clogged Up – Diesel Particulate Filter

By

Tow Professional

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In real world work applications, repeated short drive times at less than highway speeds are very common. Also, trucks are increasingly used as machines requiring long idle and extended use in PTO (Power Take Off) Mode. Both scenarios prevent a truck from properly going into its regen cycle which is supposed to clean the DPF filter.

This is where the trouble begins. A clogged DPF filter can result in diesel soot backing up into the engine, causing damage to the VGT actuator, turbo, fuel injectors and EGR solenoid. Also, the unburned fuel injected into the exhaust system, as part of the regen cycle, can go into the crankcase contaminating the engine oil.

The most common Cummins DPF related symptoms are clogged and cracked DPF filters; high cleaning / replacement costs; lost income due to truck down time; excessive regeneration cycles; and reduced power / limp mode in PTO. These DPF problems are so common that Dodge/Cummins owners have filed a class action lawsuit which has yet to be settled.

Jim Comack at ECM Performance says, “We can get any off road or export DPF equipped vehicle back to full reliability with our unique programming service and customer removal of the DPF filter. Most customers ship their ECM to us, but we can also send a technician anywhere in the world for onsite service.”

Customers unbolt the ECM from the engine block, unplug the harness connections and ship it to ECM Performance. The original engine data is read from the ECM and backed up three ways for the customer’s protection. A technician then modifies the calibration to shut off the after treatment system / DPF cleaning cycle. Within 48 hours, the new calibration is flashed to the ECM resulting in 100% Code Free operation. After the customer receives their ECM via next day air, they bolt the ECM back to the engine block, replug the harness connections. They must then remove the DPF.

Alex M., a vehicle exporter under military contact said, “We exported 30 DPF equipped rollback trucks with Cummins 6.7 ISB engines. For 6 months, they were all sitting dead in some foreign yard due to clogged DPF filters. The DPF’s clogged almost instantly due to the use of high sulfur content diesel fuel. This caused the trucks to shut down or go into a limp mode. Though it was the end user’s fault for misreporting the fuel standard for that country, let me tell you, no one was happy about this situation. It held us up delivering additional vehicles to the same customer. We contacted Ecm Performance after receiving a recommendation from a local diesel mechanic that had a similar problem on a farm truck. After ECM Performance reprogrammed the ECM, the end user reinstalled it and removed the DPF. They were so happy that we had ECM flash all the trucks. Now the trucks are in the field, running great on the local fuel. Mileage and power were also increased.”

ECM’s Jim Comack said, “Alex’s problems with Cummins/Paccar DPF equipped trucks are very typical overseas, and very common here in the states for other reasons. Unlike Alex who is a bulk exporter, most owner’s are just trying to make a living with trucks that not reliable. The sole reason of the unreliability is the DPF Filter and a regeneration cycle that just doesn’t work in the real world. It doesn’t matter how many times you tow the truck back to factory service facilities. The only way to restore full reliability is to shut off the Regen Cycle through reprogramming the ECM. They can then remove the DPF. Like magic all their DPF related problems disappear & they can go back to making money.”

Cummins, Paccar, Ford, Peterbilt, Kenworth & Sterling Trucks do not endorse, have any affiliation or connection with ECM Performance or its services. All Product names & trademarks featured here are the property of their respective trademark holders. For export & off-road use only.