During these troubling economic times, truckers are finding more reasons to buy and sell their trucks and trailers and to look for great prices on parts. TruckerToTrucker.com has emerged as America's leading superstore for truckers and fleet owners who need to buy trucks and sell used trucks and dump trucks as well as purchase parts and supplies in a new report issued today by the company.
"Business is booming compared to last year," said Jim McCormack, president of TruckerToTrucker.com, which will celebrate its seventh anniversary in December. "A lot of truckers are selling their rigs and we are picking up new dealers. Dealers are finding us to be great alternatives to expensive newspapers."
By offering more value-added services and charging less for ads, TruckerToTrucker.com has built a loyal following.
"We are a low-cost solution for people to sell vs. the papers," continued McCormack. "Papers are very expensive. We do have a low ad price. It is only $19.95 and it is a one-time charge. People are always remarking, 'Oh, what a bargain.' With the economy bad like it is, people want to save money."
Over last year, website traffic is up 25 percent based on unique visits. Listings are up 30 percent over last year, with 8,000 current listings for trucks and trailers. All sales are negotiated between the buyer and the seller.
Inventory is also moving faster than last year, with a 30-day average sell date compared to 60 days for last year, McCormack said.
"The prices are going up pretty fast here because none of the fleets have been buying trucks for the past three years. That's putting a lot of demand in the late-model used market," he said.
TruckerToTrucker.com has grown so quickly because it offers more services than competitors. For example, TruckerToTrucker.com:
* Has a better ad layout so vehicles are displayed properly with key information easy to find.
* Provides an easier navigation system for buyers to find the vehicle that is right for them fast.
* Helps write ads so customers get the best possible ad to promote their vehicle.
Unlike competitors, TruckerToTrucker.com offers one, all-inclusive fee for:
* 20 photos for each vehicle so buyers won't wonder if anything is being left out.
* Links to YouTube videos so buyers can see the truck in action.
* Links to slide shows that can be sent via email so buyers can have all the information they need to make the buying decision.
Competitors either don't offer these features, or they charge extra for them, McCormack said.
The company also offers additional services, including:
* Creating websites for truck dealers with a staff that understands the industry.
* Writing and producing newsletters for truck dealers who lack the time and expertise to do so themselves.
Owner operators can take advantage of special rates that TruckerToTrucker.com has negotiated with truck financing companies and commercial insurance companies.
The website has additional features, including a financing calculator so truckers can see how much a truck will actually cost and get their questions answered about truck financing and semi truck financing.
A blog offers useful information about the industry and products.
About TruckerToTrucker.com
Started in December of 2003, TruckerToTrucker.com's mission is to give people a low-cost option to buy and sell equipment on the Internet.
"We saw an opportunity because there weren't any low-cost providers," McCormack said.
McCormack has a 25-year history in the food service industry, before becoming a web developer in 1998. He got the inspiration to start TruckerToTrucker.com after he made a website for a friend who sold semi-trailers.
For information, go to http://www.TruckerToTrucker.com.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
New Truck Sales Site
Here's the press release:
Propsed First-Ever Fuel Efficiency Standards For Medium- and Heavy-Duty Trucks
Here's the story from The Detroit News:
David Shepardson / Detroit News Washington Bureau
Washington— The Obama administration today proposed the first ever fuel efficiency standards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks.
The Environmental Protection Agency and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also is seeking emissions reductions of between 10 and 20 percent from the nation's largest vehicles.
The administration said the proposal, to be made final next year, will eliminate nearly 250 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions and save 500 million barrels of oil over the lives of vehicles produced within the program's first five years.
The rules will apply to the largest vehicles on the roads, including semi-trucks, buses, delivery vans, garbage trucks and heavy-duty work trucks. They will add $7.7 billion in added costs to new vehicles - or between $225 to $1,400 per year for heavy duty pickup and vans - to up to $6,150 for new tractor trailers.
"These new standards are another step in our work to develop a new generation of clean, fuel-efficient American vehicles that will improve our environment and strengthen our economy," EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said.
EPA and NHTSA proposed new standards for three categories of heavy trucks: combination tractors, heavy-duty pickups and vans, and vocational vehicles.
For combination tractors, the agencies are proposing engine and vehicle standards that begin in the 2014 model year and achieve up to a 20 percent reduction in greenhouse emissions and fuel consumption by the 2018 model year.
For heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans, the agencies are proposing separate gasoline and diesel truck standards, which begin to phase in starting in the 2014 model year and achieve up to a 10 percent reduction for gasoline vehicles and 15 percent reduction for diesel vehicles by 2018 model year (12 and 17 percent respectively, if accounting for air conditioning leakage).
For vocational vehicles, the agencies are proposing engine and vehicle standards starting in the 2014 model year which would achieve up to a 10 percent reduction in fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by 2018 model year.
Overall, NHTSA and EPA estimate that the heavy-duty national program would provide $49 billion in benefits - or $41 net benefits over the lifetime of model year 2014 to 2018 vehicles after subtracting the costs of the vehicles.
Drivers would see fuel efficiency gains of seven to 20 percent. For example, it is estimated an operator of a semi tractor trailer could pay for the technology upgrades in under a year, and save as much as $74,000 over the truck's life.
"Through new fuel-efficiency standards for trucks and buses, we will not only reduce transportation's environmental impact, we'll reduce the castoff transporting freight," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "This is a win-win-win for the environment, businesses and the American consumer."
Monday, October 25, 2010
Critics: VA Licensing Fees Can Drive Smaller Tow Companies Out Of Business
MARION, Va. – Everything changed for tow truck operators six years ago.
The industry used to be a relatively unregulated process of hook ‘em up and haul ‘em out. But that began to unravel the night a Northern Virginia lawyer’s car was towed from a private lot with a warning sign obscured by tall bushes.
Angered, he pored through state law to find that nothing covered hidden signs, or much else. So, he fired off a letter of disgust and legal insight to a state senator.
“It turns out ... it’s a hot topic with a lot of people,” former senator Jay O’Brien, of Clifton, said of the furor that followed.
For the two years after he received the letter, O’Brien’s life was a mosaic of research, public meetings and rewording state code.
Now, tow truck operators throughout Virginia must have a license to haul cars from accidents, private lots or breakdowns. Simply put, if the tow operator gets paid for the haul, then he needs to be licensed. Additionally, individual drivers must obtain tow truck driver authorization documents.
The tow truck operator also must put a licensing sticker on every truck.
Those regulations, and the operations of tow companies, are governed by a new state body, the Board of Towing and Recovery Operators. Created in 2006, the board is tasked with dispensing the operator’s licenses, tow driver’s authorizations and truck stickers; testing operators on the laws of the profession, a requirement for all new drivers; rummaging through criminal backgrounds; and fielding customer complaints.
“It’s an innocent thing that turned into something much bigger than I thought,” O’Brien said.
Like it or leave it
Roger Blevins, of Rogers Towing in Marion, needed a minute to think when asked how the new licensing laws have affected his profession. He hemmed and hawed as he weighed the drawbacks against the benefits.
On the negative side, he said, the licenses are pricey enough to bankrupt small companies.
“There was a couple of people … that it could put them under in time,” Blevins said of the licensing requirement, which began July 1, 2009.
That first year, the board authorized 1,474 operator’s licenses, approved 4,548 tow driver’s authorizations, and affixed decals to 4,275 trucks, according to the board’s 2009 annual report.
The operator’s licenses must be bought annually and run from $250 to $500 a company, depending on the number of trucks owned and their weight.
The individual tow driver’s authorizations cost $87 a year. The application comes with a $37 fee for a criminal background check. Additionally, every truck must sport a new licensing decal each year, costing $10 each. An extra $50 is added if the business owns three or more trucks, depending on the vehicle’s weight.
In its first year, the application and decal fees generated $1.12 million in revenue, according to the board’s 2009 annual report.
Before the licensing laws kicked in, wrecker companies only had to register their trucks each year with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.
That’s still necessary, on top of the licensing.
Annual registration fees run from $80 to $1,328 a truck, depending on the weight of the tow truck and the average estimated weight of vehicles towed. There also is an annual $10 a truck bulk carrier fee going to the Virginia Operating Authority, which allows the truck to haul in the state.
Blevins also saw a silver lining in the expense incurred on his company by the new towing board – he had to expand his business to cover the fees.
“If anything, it probably helped my business because it convinced me to get on the state police [emergency dispatch] list and to join motor clubs,” Blevins said.
Not every tow operator could envision a positive spin.
Retired tow operator Dave Thomas, of auto repair company Marion Frame and Alignment, quit the wrecker business two weeks after the licensing law began.
“If you’ve been doing something for 26 years, and have been doing things the same way, would you want someone to come along and say you’ve got to have a license?” he said.
Thomas tried to tow wrecked cars without a license, but the towing board ordered him to stop, and had the sheriff’s department remove his company from the 911 rotation list.
Shock over the licensing requirements also erupted from the industry’s sidelines, where retired tow operators are voicing an opinion.
David Pickle, of David’s Auto Repair in Rural Retreat, misses the new faces he met and adventures he enjoyed during his nearly 20 years as a tow operator before retiring in 2003.
He’d consider jumping back in but, like Thomas, fears it’s a case of an old dog learning new tricks.
“I think it would be too much regulations to comply with,” Pickle said.
Still off the radar
Public safety tows, where vehicles are pulled from wrecks or other incidents involving police, are among the few areas left untouched by both the towing board and state law.
The issue is still left to local laws and police policies.
Smyth County, for example, doles the tow calls to wrecker companies based on a rotation list regulated by sheriff’s department policy.
In nearby Wytheville, the rotation list is controlled by a recently enacted ordinance that offers public safety calls to companies inside the town limits before looking to companies in the surrounding county.
Town officials created the new ordinance as an attempt to provide priority status to its in-town businesses while also whittling away at the time spent waiting for a wrecker.
“To have an officer on the side of the road waiting for 20 minutes was just too long,” Town Manager Wayne Sutherland said.
Initially, O’Brien’s state legislation mandated that the towing board decide which companies could answer 911 requests. Regulations were to be based mainly on the equipment in a company’s inventory.
But tow operators argued that the need for costly equipment could differ according to geography, population or whether the wreck is on a mountain road or in a big city.
“There was a view held by many that this particular regulation would be very onerous ... to the mom-and-pops and the one- and two-truck businesses,” board Executive Director Marc Copeland said.
In 2009, O’Brien’s law was changed to prohibit the board from regulating public safety calls.
O’Brien, who left the Virginia General Assembly in 2007, did not know his provision on the public safety tow had been repealed until told by a reporter.
Still, he said, the connection between tow operators and emergency calls is a strong one.
“People often think of the first responder [as] the police, and the rescue squads,” O’Brien said. “But the tow operator sees it all, and has nightmares from it.”
Mandatory fees
To operate a tow truck business, the state requires:
* Tow operator’s business license: $250-$500.
* Tow truck driver authorization (each driver): $87.
* Criminal background check (each driver): $37.
* Authorization stickers (each truck): $10, with an extra $50 for an operator with three or more trucks.
* Motor vehicle registration (each truck): $80 to $1,328.
* Bulk carrier fee (each truck): $10.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Footnotes' Digital Edition for November Is Out!
* The Stranded Customer. There are questions of law, safety, and judgment on what to do with those who are standing by waiting for their disabled vehicle to be loaded. There are several options discussed here in detail to help you make the best decision based on the situation at the scene. Page 1
* Spotlighting Holiday Gifts. Here are some towing-related gift ideas for yourself, your staff, or your favorite towman or towwoman. Don't be caught short for the season – give 'em something that will relate to their hard work in towing and recovery. Better order now! Page 18
* Save At The Show! Most towers know you can deduct certain expenses for attending shows, but you've got to get it just right to do that. So if you want to save by getting the tax breaks you are entitled to, check out the details in this article. Page 14
* Unexpected Treasures. Weird things are left in abandoned vehicles, and here's the fascinating collection of one salvager who's kept most of what he's found. Everything from pin-up calendars to … well, you'll find out here. Page 10
Also in this issue: A chance to win a $130 4.2T Air Jack Exhaust Bag from Pierce Sales; some of the advantages of partnering; our Auto Puzzle; new products from Miller Industries; even a few jokes. And don't hesitate to ask Sales Manager David Abraham at 877-219-7734 ext. 1 about our combo print/online advertising deals that will increase your product visibility at a great savings over the usual rates.
If you cannot click on any of the links above, please copy and paste this URL into your web browser:
November 2010 Issue: http://www.flashedition.com/publication?i=49700
Round Of Applause!
Congrats to Bob Cole, owner of North Shore Towing Inc. of Evanston, IL! Here's the press release:
Robert Cole, owner of North Shore Towing Inc., Evanston, IL, has been chosen to receive The Order of Towman, awarded to tow companies for professionalism and dedication to the towing trade and the communities they serve.
For The Order of Towman, Robert was nominated in writing by Joseph A. Delopez, Chief of Police of Winnetka, IL, for "Showing extreme dedication to the community you serve." The Order is sanctioned and presented by American Towman Magazine.
In accepting The Order, Robert will join an elite legion of dedicated towing & recovery professionals from around the nation. The ceremony of passage and receiving the Cross of the Order will take place on Saturday evening, November 20th, 6 p.m., at the Marriott Waterfront Hotel during the American Towman Exposition.
The Order of Towman ceremony precedes Festival Night, also taking place at the Marriott where new members of The Order are invited to participate in the Festival Night and to participate in the March of the Heroes ceremony.
After the Ceremony of Passage into The Order, a photograph with The Cross of the Order pinned on Robert's chest will be mailed to him and to the nominating police chief. American Towman Magazine hopes that Robert will join them to accept The Order of Towman and also attend Festival Night.
Bob Cole was quoted as saying, "I'm honored to have been selected for this prestigious award. There are a lot of tow companies out there and to have been nominated by a Chief of Police from a municipality that we tow for is a true indication of how great our company and our service really is."
North Shore Towing has 2 locations. One is in Evanston, IL and the other in Northbrook, IL. North Shore serves Chicago and surrounding suburbs. To contact North Shore Towing about your towing and recovery needs please call (847) 864-7788 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (847) 864-7788 end_of_the_skype_highlighting, email them at info@northshore-towing.com, or visit http://www.northshoretowinginc.com/towing-services.php where you can fill out a form on their website and get an immediate response.
New Carmoza/AAA Partnership
Auto-transport is now as easy as 1-2-3 with AAA. Beginning in September, 51 million AAA members can Show Your Card & Save at Carmoza, a premier auto transport company dedicated to providing timely, safe and cost-efficient vehicle delivery with unparalleled customer service every step of the way.
Carmoza is led by former Philadelphia 76ers President and successful entrepreneur Pat Croce. Automotive industry powerhouse Peter Fong, Chrysler Brand’s ex-president and CEO, serves as company President. The strategic partnership inked with AAA Mid-Atlantic offers an exclusive 5 percent discount on Carmoza vehicle shipping to AAA members across the country.
“AAA is committed to providing our members with valuable resources when it comes to their automotive needs and our relationship with Carmoza now offers our members a reliable resource in the auto transport arena,” said Brian St. Leger, Show Your Card & Save Director for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “When looking to transport a vehicle, either one way or round trip, AAA members can now take advantage of another Show Your Card & Save discount from another reliable AAA partner.”
AAA members can present their cards to Show Your Card & Save for a reduced rate on shipping their vehicles nationwide—a service backed by the Carmoza pledge to deliver cars economically, safely and on time, exactly where they’re needed.
“Our mission is to create a new customer service paradigm in auto transport,” said Jeff Sorg, vice president of strategic partnerships. “Carmoza is the brand AAA members can turn to, knowing that our service providers are committed to providing them with reliability, dependability, security and unparalleled service.”
AAA has been the recognized national leader in providing peace of mind to motorists on the go for more than 100 years. A motorist club serving more than 51 million members in the United States and Canada, AAA is one of the most trusted brands in the world, offering its members solid auto advice and valuable benefits.
“We’re really proud to announce this strategic partnership with AAA Mid-Atlantic and look forward to providing AAA members with peace of mind, knowing their vehicle is being transported by professionals who are accountable for every aspect of the move,” Sorg said.
About Carmoza
Carmoza is a full service Auto Transport Company operating in all 50 States and Puerto Rico. Founded by a team of successful business executives with more than a century of combined experience in the technology, service and automotive industries, Carmoza provides timely and cost-efficient auto transport with unparalleled customer service to both consumers and dealers.
AAA Mid-Atlantic serves nearly four million members in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and the District of Columbia, with personal insurance, financial, automotive and travel services through 54 retail branches, regional operations centers and the Internet, at AAA.com/community.
New Sponsorship Program At Hybrid Hazards
Sponsorship will help provide HEV Safety Training for First Responders and help keep them SAFE when having to work in and around high voltage, hybrid electric vehicles.
Learn more here.
Everday Tow Hero In L.A.
Most regular people just doing their jobs would look the other way if they were driving through a rough part of town and spotted a crime being committed.
Israel Alvarez of North Hollywood, a tow truck driver with Archer's Towing, is not one of those people.
One day while driving, he spotted someone tagging a building and not only radioed his dispatch, but he got out and approached the suspect from behind.
"You better drop that can," Alvarez remembers telling the tagger.
Alvarez must really know how to deliver an intimidating line because he got the suspect to drop the can and sit on his knees until the police arrived.
The police were very thankful. As it turns out, according to the LAPD, the tagger had been vandalizing buildings in the neighborhood for months and causing hundreds of dollars of damage.
"'You didn't have to do it the way you did, but... thanks.'"Alvarez recalls the arresting officer telling him.
In September, the LAPD officially thanked Alvarez for doing it the way he did by giving him the North Hollywood Police Department's Citizenship Award. But it wasn't just for his help catching the tagger. That was just the beginning.
There was the time when Alvarez was working the yard at Archer's and became suspicious about the demeanor of an individual whose vehicle was on the lot. Alvarez took a closer look inside, discovered a loose door panel and found that the car was loaded with drugs. He called the North Hollywood Police Department and they arrested the suspect, impounded the car and also impounded two others.
Alvarez doesn't have a good answer as to why he isn't more afraid of criminals.
"It didn't even dawn on me till afterwards. I'm not afraid. It goes with the job, actually." Alvarez said.
Running into criminals happens to Alvarez often, partly because Archer's Towing is the official police garage for the North Hollywood Police Department. Two years ago he helped out a county sheriff who did a traffic stop and found a loaded assault rifle and a pistol under the suspect's seat.
"I have the street knowledge," said Alvarez. "I lost an older brother and cousins to crime and drug sales."
At the annual PALS (Police Activity League Supporters) Awards in September, Captain Justin Eisenberg of the North Hollywood Police credited Alvarez as "the person responsible for a large drug bust in the city of Los Angeles in 2009, and was responsible for catching a tagger this year who for the last 4 months had done hundreds of dollars of graffiti damages to properties around North Hollywood."
Alvarez started as the regular yard man six years ago and is now the yard and driver manager for Archer's towing. It might seem that Alvarez, 31, is destined for a future in law enforcement, but he can't enter the academy at the moment.
"Being a police officer has been a long dream of mine" said Alvarez. "Since I had to drop out of high school to help my mom and dad with the bills in my senior year. I just never got back to school."
Vicki Smith, the supervisor at Archer's Towing, told Patch that Alvarez is a model employee.
"Every time we turn around he's finding something in a car," said Smith "... Israel will even fix a toilet and it's not in his job description."
Alvarez is one of nine children and grew up in Hollywood. He credits his steely gumption toward criminals to his father.
"My dad had pushed me for better things, for all of us. He always taught us right from wrong."
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Everyday Tow Hero In Canada!
Here's the story from the Toronto Sun:
A tow truck driver is being credited with saving the life of a young man as he bled out next to a Vaughan road.
Brad Gewarges was riding in the back of his buddy’s car, heading west on Hwy. 7, when it was hit by an eastbound vehicle that was turning south onto Marycroft Ave., just east of Pine Valley Dr. at 5 p.m. last Friday.
The 24-year-old man was ejected from the car, sending his head into a curb before he landed on a grassy area.
“I’ve never seen an accident like that in my life,” said tow truck driver Rob Mileto who was pumping gas across the street when he heard two bangs he said “sounded like a bomb hit Woodbridge.”
“It looked like a horror show. His blood was gushing out of his head like a water hose,” Mileto said.
Mileto, who is running for Vaughan council in Ward 3, grabbed whatever cloth and bandage he could find in his first-aid kit and wrapped up Gewarges’ head until he looked “like a mummy,” he said.
“(Paramedics) said if it wasn’t for him that my brother would have either died from choking on his own blood or he would have bled to death or he would have been paralyzed just laying there,” Simona Gewarges said, speaking for her sibling who couldn’t answer questions because of his head injury.
According to Mileto, this sort of behaviour is nothing new.
“This is the 13th life I’ve saved from 1993 until now,” he said. “I feel good. I do it every day, all the time ... that’s my job.”
In 1996, Mileto was profiled in the Sun for helping firefighters lift an overturned vehicle to free an elderly driver.
His campaign website reads: “A HERO for Ward 3.”
Two days in hospital and 19 staples-to-the-head later, Gewarges was released and, aside from memory problems, is expected to recover, his sister said.
His cousin who was riding in the front passenger seat suffered a concussion, while the friend who was driving lost part of his ear, she said.
York Regional Police allege the crash was the friend’s fault, charging the 28-year-old with careless driving, failing to properly wear a seat belt and failing to surrender his insurance card, Const. Rebecca Boyd said.
And while Gewarges may not remember the moments before he was ejected, police pieced this much together: He wasn’t wearing his seat belt.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Holy Cow! Now That's A Recovery!
With 80 live cows inside, this must've been quite a recovery! Here's the story from CTV Toronto:
Traffic along the westbound lanes of Highway 401 was flowing against after an overturned transport truck carrying live cattle slowed it to a crawl throughout the day.
OPP Const. Graham Williamson said a transport truck was going westbound on the highway when it rolled over near Keele Street at about 9:15 a.m.
About 80 cows were trapped inside the overturned container through the afternoon as road crews used heavy tow trucks in their attempt to right the vehicle.
Williamson said 47 healthy cows had been removed through a hole in the container and transported to their destination.
They will be inspected when they arrive, he said.
Some of the cows injured in the rollover were euthanized.
The 30-year-old driver was not injured and faces charges stemming from careless driving. Williamson said speed was a factor.
He said the vehicle may have been driving too fast as it merged from collector lanes onto the expressway.
Earlier this month, a tractor-trailer containing about 250 pigs overturned on Hwy. 427. About 80 of the pigs were killed in the accident.
The driver in that case was charged with careless driving.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Now That's A Pretty Truck!
Here's the press release from PPG:
“KMT 359” was recently named Grand Champion in the 2010 Big Rig Build-off, part of the Paul K. Young Truck Beauty Championship at the annual Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) in Louisville, KY. The truck, a highly customized 1984 Peterbilt 359 owned by Kevin McIntyre of Port Charlotte, FL, was entered in the contest by Outlaw Customs of Henderson, CO. It was the second year in a row Outlaw Customs has won a major award at the event. Last year, their entry took “People’s Choice” honors.
“We had the truck for a year and worked on it non-stop for the last six months,” said Alex Gobel, founder and co-owner of Outlaw Customs. “We wanted to create a sure winner. We did a tremendous amount of work on the truck body, interior and mechanicals, then came up with a paint scheme and turned it over to Motorsports Concepts down the road for the finish. We chose PPG’s Delfleet® Evolution for the kind of look we knew would draw attention to this rig.”
The team at Motorsports Concepts, led by owner Jarod Swantkoski, body technician Barry Krans and painter Jeff Carmin followed Gobel’s design using Delfleet F3975 and F3993 primers, FBC 3CT 5851 White Diamond and 908346 Sunset Orange basecoats and F3906 clearcoat to give the truck its lustrous award-winning finish.
“The work these builders do is just phenomenal,” said JJ Wirth, PPG brand manager, commercial segments. “We’re always amazed at the designs they create, and we are absolutely excited PPG coatings are part of it.”
Prior to painting KMT 359, the Outlaw team – Alex and brother Andy Gobel, Nic Gillan, Ken and Keith Kroshell – chopped the truck 5” and extended the frame to 300”. They shaved and suicided the doors, fabricated an air-ride suspension, gutted and recreated the interior in burnt orange leather with champagne ostrich upholstery and copper and chrome accents and accessories.
Named for its owner’s trucking company, Kevin McIntyre Trucking, KMT 359 features a 400-hp 3406B Cat engine with copper-plated valve covers, aluminum brackets and mounts, and a multitude of other under-the-hood embellishments. Outlaw also gave the truck a rolled front bumper, custom windshield and dished-end fuel tanks and much, much more.
The Big Rig Build-Off is sponsored by PPG Commercial Coatings, and matches prominent custom truck builders in both open and invitational contests to create the ultimate big rig working truck. KMT 359 won its title in an invitational competition.
Outlaw Customs was founded by Alex and Andy Gobel and Nic Gillan. The company specializes in specialty parts, accessories, transmissions, drive shafts and differentials for trucks.
PPG’s Commercial Coatings group offers a full range of coating technologies for the commercial transportation and light industrial markets, including; polyurethanes, alkyds, epoxies, polyurea, waterborne, pre-treatment chemicals and powder coatings. PPG Commercial Coatings products are marketed under several brand names, including Delfleet® Evolution, Delfleet Essential®, Commercial Performance Coatings and Amercoat®. www.ppgcommercialcoatings.com.
For more information about PPG Commercial Coatings, call 440/572-2800 or visit www.ppgcommercialcoatings.com.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Arrow Truck Sales Launches 'Back On The Road 2011'
Here's the press release:
In its fourth year, campaign benefits a deserving trucker
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Arrow Truck Sales has announced the launch of Arrow’s Back On The RoadTM 2011 campaign, presented by Volvo Trucks North America. Now in its fourth year, Back On The RoadTM is an initiative designed to benefit a deserving trucker in need of a truck and a job. Country music singer Aaron Tippin is once again lending his support to the program, and will serve an active role throughout the search, including helping select the winner.
“Truckers are the backbone of our nation’s economy,” said Steve Clough, president of Arrow Truck Sales. “We’re proud to help a deserving driver climb back in the cab and start hauling again.”
Beginning immediately, Arrow will solicit stories from truckers across the nation who may have lost their truck, and their livelihood, through unfortunate circumstances beyond their control. The 2011 campaign will also consider nominations for truckers who have, selflessly, served as champions for the profession and the trucking industry in general. The trucker whose story is selected will receive a one-year lease on a Volvo VNL tractor, courtesy of Volvo Trucks North America, a one-year work agreement with Heartland Express, and other great products and services.
“Winning Back On The Road was the best thing that could have happened to me and my family,” said Robert Snyder, Arrow’s 2010 Back On The Road winner. “I now have a steady income, a great truck, and I get to see more of my family. I encourage anyone with a worthy story to apply.”
In addition to the truck and work agreement, the winner of Back On The RoadTM will receive:
· X One® XDA Energy tires – Michelin
· TriPac auxiliary power unit – Thermo King
· Monthly $500 fuel cards – Pilot Flying J
· Business consulting tools – ATBS
· Insurance – Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA)
· A 3-year / 300K-mile warranty – National Truck Protection, Inc.
· One year’s worth of filter products – Genuine Volvo Parts
· Custom truck paint job – Dickinson Fleet Services
· Truck accessories and fenders – Minimizer Products
· Memory foam mattress – SleepDog Mattress
· Paint – Sherwin-Williams
· Health assessment and check-ups – Roadside Medical Clinic & Lab
Arrow invites people from across the country to nominate friends, family members, associates, even themselves for this opportunity. Applications include a compelling 250-word story explaining why the nominee deserves to win. Stories about family loss, loss from natural disaster or a recent return from military service could all be considered valid story submissions.
Arrow will accept nominations until December 5, 2010 at www.backontheroad2011.com. The winner will be announced at the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) in Louisville, Ky., where he or she will receive a truck and prizes.
About Arrow Truck Sales
Arrow is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. Founded in 1950, the company started as a small used truck lot in Kansas City, Mo. Arrow has since grown and prospered into 18 retail stores located in the US and Canada – including the recent opening of two new retail stores in Denver and Minneapolis. – carrying a diverse inventory of all makes and models and offering a variety of value-add services. Visit www.arrowtruck.com to learn more about Arrow.
Arrow Truck Sales, Inc. is part of the Volvo Group, one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks, buses and construction equipment, drive systems for marine and industrial applications, aerospace components and services, and one of the world's leading producers of heavy-diesel engines (9-16 liter). The Group also provides complete solutions for financing and service. The Volvo Group, which employs about 96,000 people, has production facilities in 19 countries and sells their products in more than 180 markets. Volvo Group sales for 2009 amounted to approx. 29 BUSD. The Volvo Group is a publicly-held company headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Nordic Exchange and are traded OTC in the US.
About Volvo Trucks North America
Volvo Trucks North America is part of the Volvo Group of companies. Its operations and products are guided by the company’s three core values: Safety, Quality and Environmental Care. The Volvo VN and VHD trucks are assembled in the United States at the New River Valley Plant in Dublin, Virginia, while Volvo engines for North America are assembled in Hagerstown, Maryland. Both plants are certified to ISO14001 environmental and ISO9001 quality standards. For more information, please visit www.volvotrucks.us.com.
About Heartland Express
Russell Gerdin founded Heartland Express in 1978 with four people and 16 trucks. It became a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ market in 1986, and ended that year posting gross revenues of $21.6 million and has since grown to well over $600 million by providing the best on-time service in the truckload industry. Heartland Express is an irregular route truckload carrier based in North Liberty, Iowa serving customers with primary shipping lanes east of the Rocky Mountains and the southwest United States. They offer long-haul and regional opportunities for solos and teams. For more information, visit www.heartlandexpress.com.
About Our Sponsors
Back On The RoadTM 2011 is sponsored by Michelin, Thermo King, Pilot Flying J, ATBS, OOIDA, National Truck Protection, Inc., Genuine Volvo Parts, Dickinson Fleet Services, Minimizer Products, SleepDog Mattress, Sherwin-Williams and Roadside Medical Clinic & Lab. To learn more about our sponsors, visit www.backontheroad2011.com.
EEOC Sues United Road Towing For Discriminatory Medical Leave Policy
Federal Agency Says Inflexible 12-Week Medical Leave Policy Violates ADACHICAGO – United Road Towing, one of the nation’s largest towing companies, violated federal anti-discrimination law by enforcing an inflexible medical leave policy, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has charged in a new lawsuit.
According to the EEOC’s suit, United Road Towing failed to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities who were on authorized medical leave, and instead terminated them after they used the full 12 weeks of leave allowed under Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The EEOC also asserts that United Road Towing refused to re-hire employees with disabilities when those employees reapplied after being terminated under the company’s medical leave policy. The EEOC asserts that both of these alleged practices violate the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).
“During our investigation, we uncovered a troubling company policy,” EEOC Chicago District Director John Rowe, who supervised the administrative investigation which the agency conducted before filing suit, said. “This employer flouted the law against disability discrimination by shutting these people out of future employment after taking just 12 weeks of leave.”
EEOC Chicago Regional Attorney John Hendrickson said, “The issue in this lawsuit will be whether United Road Towing discriminated against employees with disabilities in administering an inflexible medical leave policy. The ADA mandates that employers engage in an interactive process with disabled employees to provide reasonable accommodations, and this mandate remained after the passage of the FMLA. Companies must find a way to administer their medical leave policies without discriminating against employees with disabilities, as we allege United Road Towing failed to do.”
The lawsuit, filed September 30, 2010 and captioned EEOC v. United Road Towing Inc., N.D. Ill. No. 10-cv-06259, was filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago after the agency first attempted to resolve the matter with the employer through its voluntary conciliation process. Supervisory Trial Attorney Diane Smason and Trial Attorneys Ann Henry and Brandi Davis of the EEOC Chicago District Office will lead the agency’s litigation team.
The EEOC Chicago District Office is responsible for processing charges of discrimination, administrative enforcement, and the conduct of agency litigation in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and North and South Dakota, with Area Offices in Milwaukee and Minneapolis.
The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the Commission is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
And The Winner Is...
Jim Avery of Avery's Towing in Leapeer, MI! Congratulations, Jim! He wins the Ford and Chevy master key sets from Pierce Sales!
Make sure you are on our email list before the end of October and you may win a mini lightbar. Click here to sign up today!
Make sure you are on our email list before the end of October and you may win a mini lightbar. Click here to sign up today!
New HEV Safety Awareness Training Seminars!
Here's the press release:
HEV Safety Awareness Training of approx 120 First Responders from Pawtucket Fire Dept / Public Works Complex / Pawtucket, Rhode Island has been completed.The training was spread out over a 3 week period in order to get everyone on the various shifts trained.We encourage all Depts interested in our HEV Safety Awareness Training to contact Gil Woodside / Training LT at 401-639-7498 for his comments on how this training was such a success.Next, Is your Training Budget in the Dumps?We are now offering 1.5 hr HEV Safety Awareness Seminars as well as online instructor led WEBINAR Training.No Testing or Certificates are provided with the 1.5 hr Training events however, our HEV High Voltage Shut Down Procedure Guides will be available at special discount for those Depts. who Host a Training event.Got questions?Contact us at http://www.hybridhazards.info/contact.htm // anytime for additional details and scheduling.
Hino Meets EPA's and CA's Emmissions Regulations, Offers New Warranty
Here's info from the release:
Hino Trucks, which received Certification of Conformity to the 2010 Emissions Regulation from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California’s Air Resources Board (CARB) for all of its engine ratings, announced today a new standard engine warranty of 5 years/250,000 miles. In addition to the standard items covered by Hino Trucks’ past engine warranty, the new coverage has been expanded to cover key components such as fuel injectors, the fuel injection supply pump and the turbo charger. Hino Trucks’ proprietary J-08 Series engine has been recognized by J.D. Power and Associates for two consecutive years for “Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Conventional Medium Duty Engines and Transmissions.
CA Impound Income Has Its Defenders
Here's the story from The Press Enterprise:
By PAUL LAROCCO
The Press-Enterprise
Like most drivers who lose their car in a DUI checkpoint, Siosaia Faiva hadn't been drinking.
When Moreno Valley police found that he had been driving with a suspended license -- the result of unpaid traffic tickets -- they impounded the 23-year-old's van. The subsequent fine and tow, Faiva said, were fair consequences of breaking the law.
But he also raised a question, echoed by many in a year when the state has increased grant-funded checkpoints by 43 percent: Is the cost of recovering an impound, which some checkpoints claim at a clip of more than 10 per hour, out of line?
In Faiva's case, he paid $700 to a Moreno Valley tow lot for just under a week of storage in early July, and another $120 for a release fee to the city. Had he not quickly restored his license, the full 30-day impound would have cost nearly $2,000.
"I don't think it's right, especially with (the economy) now," Faiva said. "They just rack up the money."
Impound-related costs, however, are defended strongly by both the tow companies and municipalities that gain funds through them.
For tow operators, they are necessary to offset high expenses and liabilities. For cities -- save for operating their own impound lots -- the fees are the only way to break even on the work it takes to process an impound.
"In my opinion, it's not a revenue-generating business," said San Bernardino County sheriff's Sgt. Dave Phelps, who coordinates the county's grant-funded checkpoints. "It's labor-intensive."
State law says release fees can only recoup a city's costs, not be set to earn profit. Agencies typically set such fees by calculating wages of those who contribute to an impound: the officer at the scene, the dispatcher taking information and the clerk processing paperwork.
Not Like Bell
Still, fees vary widely in the Inland area. For 30-day impounds -- vehicles seized from a DUI arrest or unlicensed driving citation -- they range from $77 in Banning to $245 in Riverside.
In the Los Angeles County city of Bell, which its own police officers alleged set a quota for impounds in order to generate revenue, the fee was $300.
Local agencies approaching that fee are quick to point out the differences between themselves and scandal-ridden Bell.
"We have never gone out and told people you have to tow so many cars. Never," said San Bernardino police Lt. Jarrod Burguan, whose City Council set a $230 release fee for 30-day impounds.
He acknowledged that each city has its own formula for calculating costs related to an impound, and that some may choose to incur more of the expenses than others.
"When we would call around, it was very difficult to get anybody to tell us: 'How did you come up with that rate?' 'What is that formula?' " Burguan said. "We used the total labor rate, salary and benefits of the employees involved."
One tow company owner said release fees charged by the cities he contracts with also cover a range. Arlan White, who runs Patriot Towing in Riverside, works with Colton police ($200), Riverside police ($245) and the California Highway Patrol's San Bernardino office (no fee.)
The Riverside Police Department, which charges motorists the highest fee in the area, also gets $65 per impound from White's fee.
Whether or not impounds are revenue-generators, White said he believes the violations they come from are worth pursuing for safety's sake.
"Remember, you cut down on accidents immensely when you get unlicensed drivers off the road," he said.
How It Works
Some people say checkpoints disproportionately target immigrants unable to obtain licenses. Statistics show the communities with the highest rate of impounds per checkpoint have high immigrant populations: Fontana, Perris, Rialto and Moreno Valley.
Officials in those cities point out that the California Office of Traffic Safety administers checkpoint grants based on the rate of DUI-related collisions, not on socioeconomic factors.
Moreno Valley, which has held 28 checkpoints in the past two years and impounded more than 1,100 vehicles from them, has the third-worst rate of "had been drinking" drivers out of 55 cities in the same population range, according to state statistics.
"This year, we've only had two fatal collisions, and for a city of our size, that's phenomenal," said Moreno Valley police Sgt. Jacquie Horton. "I truly believe the difference is how much we're out there."
Office of Traffic Safety officials agree. Agency spokesman Chris Cochran cited studies showing municipalities that conduct regular checkpoints can lower their DUI fatality rate by 25 percent.
"Things such as saturation patrols are very effective at catching drunks. Checkpoints are very effective at saving lives," he said. "We would rather save a lot of lives than issue a ticket."
Checkpoints, largely as a result of social-media users who widely broadcast their presence, serve their primary purpose as drunken driving deterrents, Cochran said. That is why only a fraction of vehicles impounded at the operations -- often less than 10 percent -- are from DUI.
As for the rest of the vehicles, not impounding them to give owners a financial break could leave law enforcement exposed should their drivers go on to be involved in a collision, officials say.
"To continue to let someone drive would be a liability," Fontana police traffic Sgt. Bob Morris said. "Basically, that would be letting them continue a crime."
Good for Business?
Companies that receive municipal tow contracts must abide by set rates, most often an average of all bidders. Many police agencies require daily storage fees of about $40 per day for average-size vehicles.
A motorist retrieving an impound will pay that price to the tow company, plus a flat fee for the actual tow -- typically between $100 and $200 -- and one to cover the lien process started in case of abandonment. That's not including the release fee, which goes directly to the city.
Jeff Hunter, executive director of the California Tow Truck Association, said roughly half of all 30-day impounds are never picked up, reducing profits for lot operators who never collect storage fees, then have to auction the car, often at a loss.
He defended his industry's rates, noting the high cost of insurance, trucks and of having employees on call 24 hours a day and available to respond within 20 minutes.
"You calculate things at the end of the month, and the tow operator has got the same amount of employees to pay," he said, "and he has to make do on whatever can still be collected."
White, of Patriot Towing, acknowledged that having more impounds is generally good for business, but said that overall, the tow industry has suffered major losses in the economic downturn.
A third of the vehicles he towed for Riverside police this year have been from checkpoints. But because of statewide public safety cuts, many agencies can no longer afford to run a six-hour checkpoint, with overtime for its officers, without grant funding.
"They're expensive operations and the personal danger factor is high," said California Highway Patrol Lt. Dave Lane. "You never know who's going to drive up to one, and that's not accounting for the officer who is off his beat, not answering calls because of the checkpoint."
Reach Paul LaRocco at 951-368-9468 or plarocco@PE.com
LienLizard: New Online Auction Site
Here's the press release:
LienLizard Auto Auctions www.lienlizard.com
Email to: Brad@Lienlizard.com
(530)-473-5974 ph
(530)-458-7427 fx
(888)-350-4335 toll free
Best Regards,Brad SeloverINTRODUCING LIENLIZARD AUTO AUCTIONSBUILT SPECIFICALLY FOR TOWING COMPANIES!
We are a web based, real time automotive auction built specifically for the towing industry. Our online platform was created to get YOU better prices for all of your vehicles. We have partnered with automotive dismantlers, scrappers, and recyclers to receive bids on your vehicles via our online auction platform.
We have the capacity to market vehicles of any make, model, and in any condition. In addition to our list of industry buyers, we also have bidders from the general public who are interested in purchasing fixable vehicles.
Lienlizard Auto Auctions was built by Selover’s Incorporated. We are a family owned company and have been since our inception in 1941. We have 2 mechanical shops, a body shop, towing company, lien company, and a registration service. We understand the difficulties that come with lien sale vehicles. So we built Lienlizard in order to help get a fair price for our vehicles. What better way to get a higher price then to put the vehicles online in a real time, competitive bidding environment? We have seen a 15-30% increase in the sale prices of our vehicles. Our tow manager is saving several hours/week that he used to spend walking thru the yard showing vehicles to potential buyers. We have more room to store vehicles for customers that will actually pay their bill. Overall the auction has helped us make our business more efficient and profitable.
So take a second and give us a try. Let us prove to you that we can increase your revenues and save you time. After all, we are “Built by automotive professionals for automotive professionals”If you have any questions, feel free to contact us directly.
LienLizard Auto Auctions www.lienlizard.com
Email to: Brad@Lienlizard.com
(530)-473-5974 ph
(530)-458-7427 fx
(888)-350-4335 toll free
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Way to Go, Girl!
Here's a good profile from the Wyoming Tribune Eagle on WY tow boss, Kathy Julius, owner of Doug's Towing:
Kathy Julius is no 9-to-5'er as owner of Doug's Towing
By Becky Orr
borr@wyomingnews.com
CHEYENNE -- When Kathy Julius was a child, she wanted to be a nurse.
Julius chose a different career path. But it has similarities in that both careers help people and require dedication and hard work. Both jobs also are unfamiliar with the concepts of weekends off and 9-to-5 workdays.
Julius owns Doug's Towing. She started in the towing profession in 1986 and bought Doug's Towing in 1992 from her ex-husband.
She entered the career when it was an unheard of profession for women. Working in a man's world is a challenge, but she has no regrets about her career choice.
The business helped her raise a now-grown son and daughter. She also has two grandsons.
Julius employs six drivers to handle the wreckers and flat bed.
The Cheyenne native knows how to drive the wreckers, but mostly works in the office. There, she handles the paperwork and payroll. She dispatches towing calls.
She does her work with long natural nails that are perfectly manicured.
Four additional "employees" accompany her to work: her fluffy small dogs Gigi, Jingles, Cassie and Ted. Their duties are to greet customers and curl up on pillows under her desk. The dogs are good at their jobs.
The tow business is on East College Drive, its office inside a bright yellow building.
A collection of more than 100 miniature wreckers are parked on shelves on one wall. But everything else in the office is practical and no frills, from massive desks to a color TV, pop machine and chairs.
Outside, Julius explains the workings of the full-sized wreckers with the confidence of someone who thoroughly knows her job. A series of levers on the rigs operate equipment like the wheel lift, sling and the boom.
She calls the wreckers by name.
"I name everything," she says, accenting her words with a deep, husky laugh.
There's Firecracker, Stretch, Blackhawk, Tomcat, Tomater (now retired) and Tow Kitty.
The 24/7 profession is demanding. Drivers who work for Julius must go through a training program.
"You either love it or hate it," she says.
She belongs in the first category and said she enjoys her job.
Each employee agrees to be on call six days a week, 24 hours a day. They face difficult conditions, often driving icy and snow-covered roads to reach stranded motorists.
"When I bought this, I didn't know a whole lot about it," she says as she looks around the office. "I believed in it. I believed I could do it."
She says she has been lucky to have dependable crews over the years. She often has driven her own vehicle out to check on her drivers in bad weather to make sure they are OK.
Perry Kinard is the company's manager.
"He's my right-hand man," she says.
Drivers clean up car crashes, tow vehicles that break down, and recover vehicles that run off embankments.
They also do some repo work, but it's not like it is on TV. People here don't like it, but aren't rude to the drivers who tow their cars, Julius says.
"I feel for them. But only a few get a chip on their shoulder," she adds.
The business also volunteers crews to help at the Big Country Speedway every Saturday during racing season. The tow drivers clear away crashes on the track and help with other duties.
"It's an amazing service," says speedway manager Jerry Hargraves. "Without a doubt, if it wasn't for their help people would be in a bad spot."
The business also offers Operation Tipsy Tow services during the holidays. They provide a free tow and a ride home within a 10-mile radius of Cheyenne for people who have had too much to drink.
The company has helped more than 2,000 people since Tipsy Tow began in 1986.
"I just want to make sure that someone's daddy or mother makes it home safely," Julius says.
Tow-truck driving is evolving into more of a profession now, she adds.
"It's becoming a major industry of its own."
There's a lot more competition too.
"It's fun," she says. "You have a lot of time and work involved."
But it's worth it when she receives a letter from someone whose car broke down and who praised the job of her drivers.
About two weeks ago, an out-of-state man rolled his fifth-wheel. He wasn't hurt in the crash, but all his possessions were inside the vehicle. Julius and her employees helped him sort out his belongings after they hauled the vehicle back to the lot.
The business has a family atmosphere, driver Bob Boone says.
He suffered a heart attack at his home a few years ago. Julius stayed with him at the hospital.
"I love that woman to death. She's an excellent boss."
Friday, October 1, 2010
The tow truck Frizzley was driving collided with an SUV travelling the wrong way down a one-way street in downtown Winnipeg. (CBC)
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