Always Nice To See...

...profiles of towing businesses in publications other than Footnotes! Here's one on Green's Towing and Recovery of MI. Here's the Morning Sun story:

Jeremy Gepford has been working in the towing business since he was 18 years old, and he has seen his share of "the bad and the ugly" when it comes to accident scenes.

Gepford, 34, is co-owner of Green's Towing and Recovery, A-1 Towing, Action Towing, and Ace Towing, whose main office is located at 1504 N. Fancher St.

"We've been in business since 1981, and we're a corporation, my mom (Shirleen Gepford), my sister (Tiffany Gepford) and myself.

"It's a family business."

Gepford said that he has seen so many accident scenes that he does not remember the first one he ever saw.

"I've been around it all my life," Gepford said. "I'm used to that.

"Occasionally, I've seen people trapped in their vehicles. But, they all kind of blur into one."

The Green's Towing and Recovery Web site said that the company provides the service of accident recovery both on and off road, battery installation, commercial towing, and flatbed towing.

"We have 24-hour towing, roadside services, unlocks, jump starts, flat tires, light and medium duty towing, and long hauls as far away as Detroit," Gepford said.

Although business has been down somewhat due to the economy, Gepford said that all things considered, the businesses are doing OK.

Between the four towing companies, they employ four office workers and seven drivers.

"Safety is our number one priority for our personal drivers," Gepford said. "We would like for people to know that a tow truck is like any other emergency vehicle, and people need to slow down or move to another lane when you see them working along the road."

The company accepts most major road service insurance groups such as AAA, Allstate, Asurion Roadside Assistance services, Coach-Net Roadside Assistance, Cross County Motor Club, Geico, Road America, and local insurance companies.

"We work with law enforcement," Gepford said. "We're on the police rotation list for accidents and impounds.

"For instance, when they pull over a driver and they're drunk and get arrested and going to jail. We impound their vehicle in a fenced secured lot."

Gepford said that vehicles that have been in accidents get taken to their place where insurance adjusters decide on whether it will be repaired or scrapped.

There is a stack of cars that are waiting "to get crushed" on the office lot, Gepford said.

The company's Web site, www.greens24hrtowing.com lists the contact numbers as follows: in Mt. Pleasant: 989-772-0147 and 989-772-5454, in Rosebush: 989-433-5848, and in Shepherd: 989-828-7372 with office hours Monday thru Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.