James E. Lewis Archives - Tow Professional

Yes, OSHA applies to the towing industry

James E. Lewis — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 02:55:24 +0000

Have you ever heard of terms like “general duty” and “multiple employer liability,” along with “multiple employer worksite”? I hadn’t either until I worked on a blockbuster case this year – and a conversation, actually an argument, I had last year suddenly made sense. People in the towing industry, especially, need to pay attention to […]

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No one likes unpleasant Surprises

James E. Lewis — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 16:49:11 +0000

We all like good surprises, like at your birthday or graduation, or surprising your family with a vacation trip. There are other surprises that we don’t like and have adverse reactions to – especially those involving work, our companies, and our personnel. Surprises like an IRS audit, DOT audit, or other – only the surprises […]

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Are You Giving Your Customers Safety Training?

James E. Lewis — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 06:21:08 +0000

Hundreds of people have ridden in my tow trucks over the years. I had a recent discussion with a 20+ year friend who turned a normal thought process into a scary, adrenaline-filled immediate search for answers. I counted back and, of course, had no way to come up with the number of people who had […]

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There’s No Training Like Real Training

James E. Lewis — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 06:56:14 +0000

I happened upon an article by my new friend Barry Brownstein, and it really opened my eyes. Perhaps the overview of the article will open your eyes too. The article is titled “Why Humans Increasingly Are Unaware of Their Ignorance (And Why it’s a Big Problem).” While that title may sound harsh, even for a self-awareness […]

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Negative Behavior Correction

James E. Lewis — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 15:30:03 +0000

As a follow-up to last issue’s article about negative behavior, complaining, and other detrimental activities your employees may be engaging in, I want to go over several approaches to help you correct this costly cycle of action before it cripples your business. The first and foremost consideration I ask you to realize is that no […]

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Did You Create a Business or Just a Job?

James E. Lewis — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 13:00:46 +0000

I have come across an interesting phenomenon several times in the past few years. I would say it is unique to our industry, but it applies equally to any business that operates twenty-four/seven, or at least long hours during the day and seven days a week. I’m talking about the grand plan where you start […]

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Insurance Ignorance

Darian Weaver — Fri, 08 May 2020 16:30:08 +0000

As an industry and community, we take insurance claims and the insurance process for granted since we deal with it every day. What we may not realize, or even consider, is that a vehicle owner may have no experience at all when dealing with a wrecked or damaged vehicle and have no idea how the […]

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Are You Allergic to Training?

Darian Weaver — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 15:00:19 +0000

It’s time to be honest with yourself. Are you or your lead drivers allergic to training? Are you afraid you’ll learn something or attend a course, class, or school where someone knows more than you on a given subject? I’m not trying to call you out or call you a “chicken” or a “coward.” I’m […]

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Proactive Training or the School of Hard Knocks?

Darian Weaver — Mon, 13 Jan 2020 23:46:10 +0000

I’ve been told I’m abrupt and a little brash. I prefer the idea that I’m a realist; therefore, I call things like I see them. This industry has no place for hurt feelings and bruised egos; we’re doing dangerous work out there, and if you don’t take that seriously, no one will take YOU seriously. […]

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