Marine Corps Wrecker Operator Named RC-SW Marine of the Year

Congrats! Here's the story from the Marine Corps Times:

Rain, snow or shine, if a vehicle in southern Afghanistan gets stuck, blown up or breaks down, it’s Lance Cpl. Stephan C. Wall’s job to get it moving again — even if that means braving bomb blast and enemy fire.

A wrecker operator assigned to General Support Motor Transport Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 15, he is tasked with recovering damaged vehicles and getting resupply missions moving again as quickly as possible.

“A slow target is an easy target,” he told Marine Corps Times during a phone interview from Camp Leatherneck, in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. Every second a convoy sits still, “the enemy has a chance to pounce and attack it.”

Since deploying in September from Camp Pendleton, Calif., Wall, 21, has recovered about 90 blown-up or otherwise incapacitated vehicles — and he nearly met his maker, twice. For his dedication and bravery along Afghanistan’s treacherous roads, he was named Regional Command Southwest’s Marine of the Year.

The command oversees about 20,000 Marines, and all were eligible for the award. A board of sergeants major in RC-Southwest nominated and reviewed a list of contenders, then recommended four to Maj. Gen. Richard Mills, the chief Marine commander in Afghanistan. Mills made the final call.

Wall, who drives 7.5-ton Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement wreckers and 22.5-ton Logistics Vehicle System wreckers, said his job calls for recovering both combat-damaged or stranded vehicles. Every mission is different, requiring him to think on his feet.

While on a routine resupply mission in October, a vehicle in Wall’s convoy was disabled by an improvised explosive device. Working furiously to clear the vehicle from the road, a second IED detonated less than 10 yards away, peppering his vehicle with shrapnel. Rattled but spared serious injury, he quickly finished hooking up the truck and hauled it back to base.

“I felt a little dazed and confused, but I knew that I had to keep doing what I had to do to get out of there,” he said.

He received a Grade 2 concussion and was put on mandatory light duty. Wall received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for his actions that day. He was back behind the wheel a week later.

In November, he had a second close call.

“We were going up to recover a mine roller that was hit by an IED. After waiting for a sweeper team to clear the area, we drove up to the mine roller, and my front left tire hit another IED,” he said.

His vehicle was badly damaged, but again he escaped serious injury.

Despite what his superiors describe as exemplary service, he is humble about his achievements. He credits his success to the Marines and sailors around him, and his family and friends back home.

“I feel honored that I was even put up for the award. I just try to mimic my command. Trying to be like them made me the Marine I am today,” he said.

Wall’s deployment is scheduled to end in April. For now, he said he is taking things a day — and a mile — at a time by keeping the convoys moving.

Footnotes' February Issue Now Available Online!

Your February 2011 digital edition of Towing and Recovery Footnotes is now available. Simply click here to instantly begin reading the issue, or click on the features below to read specific articles.

• Exciting News!!!! In this issue, Footnotes proudly presents the first of what will be a regular monthly four-page feature. towPartners has joined with Footnotes to begin publishing in each issue the now-monthly towPartners ADVISOR! The Advisor will feature advice in all areas of towing, from technical details to business operations, while offering towers everywhere the opportunity for great discounts from the many, many equipment and service vendors who have teamed with towPartners to provide these savings to the industry. Page 13

• Bucks For Trucks is the beginning of a four-part series of articles for towing company owners on getting financing for their businesses in an era of tight money that is perhaps loosening up some. This first article gives the reader an overview of the current fiscal situation and discusses possibilities for getting the money to buy or lease that truck you need. Keep your eye on this series for the kind of advice that can help you thrive during trying times. Page 1

• Return of the Lizard Lickers. Love 'em or not, these wild and colorful Carolina repossessors, featured in our June 1010 issue, have earned an audience on a cable reality TV show and have gotten such a following from that that they now have another show! With an entertaining website and even a book coming out, the Lizard Lickers are again on the move! Page 22
• The Black Book. The author of "The Black Book On Towing" and owner of the website www.towprogram.com begins his first column of what will become an occasional series on how to be better at the business you’re in. Dennis Wencel is both a towman and a business writer and so he knows of what he speaks. Avoid the costly mistakes that can hurt your business and rob you of profits. Watch for The Black Book. Page 7

Also in this issue: Comments from tow business owners on the thorny issue of paying overtime, new and improved towing equipment inGear Mart, and great combo print/online advertising deals that will increase your product visibility at a 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:
February 2011 Issue: http://www.flashedition.com/publication?i=59144

We hope you enjoy the February issue of Towing and Recovery Footnotes .

Sincerely,Bill Candler 
Editor

Hino To Debut First Diesel Hybrid Cab Over Engine Truck

RSVP by Feb. 18th! Here's the press release: 

JOIN US AS HINO TRUCKS MAKES HISTORY IN THE LAUNCH OF NORTH AMERICA’S

FIRST MEDIUM DUTY DIESEL-HYBRID CAB OVER ENGINE TRUCK.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011 • 4:00 pm (reception immediately following)

NTEA Work Truck Show • Indiana Convention Center

HIGHLIGHTS OF HINO AT NTEA INCLUDE:

»» MARCH 8

• Hino Trucks Conventional Chassis Update Session (9:30 am)

• Hino COE New Truck Unveiling, Press Event & Reception in

Booth #5731 - Hall J (4:00 pm)

»» MARCH 9

• Hino Trucks COE Chassis Update Session (11:00 am)

• Green Truck Summit Ride & Drive featuring the all new Hino COE

hybrid truck (12:00 pm - 4:30 pm)

»» MARCH 8 - 10

• Hino Trucks Display in booth #4131

YOU’RE INVITED TO BE OUR GUEST.

To register to attend Hino Trucks CEO unveiling and NTEA Work Truck Show,

please visit www.hinoevents.com (id: ntea2011; password: hinoatntea).

You must register to attend by Feb. 18th.

ALSO CHECK US OUT ONLINE.

Learn more at www.hino.com or seek us out on our social network to ask

questions [Twitter] or see video of Hino Trucks in action [YouTube]. Search

for “Hino Trucks USA”.

Mater (and McQueen) Get A Stamp!

Here's the release from USPS:

Since 1986, Pixar films have stretched the boundaries of our imagination with stories about unlikely heroes who explore the bonds of friendship and family. Now some of those heroes are the subjects of colorful new Send a Hello stamps that encourage people to connect with loved ones through the mail.

The Send a Hello stamps, which go on sale Aug. 19, are a natural outgrowth of the Art of Disney stamp series issued between 2004 and 2008. Originally intended as a series of three annual issuances depicting friendship, celebration, and romance, the Art of Disney stamps proved so popular that the Postal Service expanded the series to include issuances in 2007 and 2008 to celebrate imagination and magic.

Based on that success, the Postal Service was eager to work with the Walt Disney Company again, choosing to explore the Disney*Pixar films, which offer exciting, contemporary characters and strong themes involving family and friends.

This pane of 20 stamps includes five different designs featuring Pixar characters: Lightning McQueen and Mater from Cars (2006); Remy the rat and Linguini from Ratatouille (2007); Buzz Lightyear and two of the green, three-eyed aliens from Toy Story (1995); Carl Fredricksen and Dug from Up (2009); and the robot WALL*E from WALL*E (2008).

Since the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature was introduced in 2001, all seven Pixar films released since that time have been nominated and five of the seven have won, including Ratatouille, WALL*E and Up.

WI Tower Gets Local Coverage For Footnotes' Cover Shot :)

We're happy to have featured Andy Tessmann's truck on our December cover, too! Here's the story from Watertown Daily Times Online:

LOCAL BUSINESS FEATURED

Andy Tessmann of Emergency Starting and Towing stopped by our office the other day with a copy of the December 2010 issue of Towing & Recovery Footnotes, a monthly publication for the towing industry.

The cover story was about a new charity the towing industry in the Midwest is embracing. Tow truck owners from all over the Midwest drove to the Chicago area back in early December and held a parade with tow trucks as far as you could see. Over 190 companies were represented with many of them bringing more than one tow truck. They were all decorated in the Christmas spirit and they were collecting Toys for Tots in the Chicago area. They brought thousands of toys. There's lots of needy children in that metropolitan area, making this a wonderful holiday charity.

Well, to illustrate the parade and the charity work this industry is doing, the editors of Towing & Recovery selected one tow truck to be on the front page.

Sure enough, it was Emergency Starting and Towing's unit all decorated. It probably helped that the tow truck is painted a bright red. Tessmann told us he didn't even know they took his rig's picture let alone have it selected to be on the front page. The first he knew about it was when an industry friend sent him an early copy he had received.

It was a pretty impressive photo. And, Tessmann tells us he's already planning to be there for next year's parade.

CA Towing, Storage Bill Takes Effect

Here's the story from www.abrn.com:

California Assembly Bill 519, which deals with towing and storage laws, will go into effect statewide in January 2011. The bill was supported by the insurance industry and opposed by the Collision Repair Association of California (CRA) and others.

It impacts companies that charge for towing or vehicle storage related to a tow. Those companies must:

Upon request provide a Towing Fee and Access Notice to the owner or operator of the vehicle. 

Provide an itemized invoice of the actual tow charges. 

Provide a notice on your invoice stating, "Upon request, you are entitled to receive a copy of the Towing Fees and Access Notice" and have the notice available.

The notice only needs to be on invoices that have tow charges.

The CRA suggests that repairers have the tow provider provide the information required relating to the tow on their invoice then incorporate by reference their invoice on your invoice (for example: see attached invoice xxxx for a total $xx.xx). Using the tower-provided invoice repairers are by this statute not responsible for the accuracy of the unaltered documen, according to CRA.

The bill allows for additional services or fees (mark up) to be charged if they are itemized and explained. This could be a handling fee or administration fee. Repairers should have the fee on their authorized estimate, according to CRA.

For more information, call CRA at 916-837-2362.

WA Builds Up "Move Over" Law

Here's the story from The Seattle Times:

By Sara Jean Green 

Seattle Times staff reporter

Drivers who speed past emergency vehicles stopped on state highways or fail to give first-responders more room will face hefty new penalties beginning Jan. 1.

The state's new "Emergency Zone Law" builds on the 2007 "Move Over Law," creating a 200-foot zone around stationary emergency vehicles that have their lights activated — including patrol cars, fire engines, tow trucks and state Department of Transportation (DOT) vehicles, according to the State Patrol.

The enhanced law is meant to offer greater protection to first-responders, said Capt. Steve Burns, commander of the State Patrol's District 2, which covers King County. Speeding fines in the emergency zones will double, and fines for failing to slow down and safely move over will increase from $124 to $248, he said.

"This gives the law a little bit more bite," said Burns at a news briefing Tuesday morning in a AAA garage bay in Seattle.

Under the existing law, motorists traveling on a roadway with at least two lanes in their direction of travel must move over a lane from the shoulder when approaching a stationary emergency vehicle with its lights activated. They're also required to slow down and proceed with caution.

On roadways with only one lane in their direction of travel, motorists must pass to the left of an emergency vehicle if they're able to safely do so, while yielding the right of way to all vehicles traveling in the opposite direction.

The law remains the same under the "Emergency Zone Law" but creates the 200-foot zones in front and behind emergency vehicles, doubling the penalty for failing to slow down or safely move over within the zone.

In 2008, a year after the "Move Over Law" went into effect, 30 patrol cars were hit by motorists on state highways. Last year, an additional 28 patrol vehicles were hit by drivers during roadside traffic stops and other investigations, Burns said.

One of those vehicles was assigned to State Patrol Sgt. Dan Atchison. In October 2008, he and other troopers were tracking an escaped sex offender and had set up a containment zone on east Interstate 90 near North Bend. When two speeding vehicles came around a bend, one hit the other and then careened into Atchison's patrol car, which had its lights on and was parked in a median to the left of the highway.

Two of his troopers "had to jump in the ditch" to avoid being hit by Atchison's car, which was shoved off the road.

Atchison's patrol car was totaled and the driver who hit him was cited for speeding and following another vehicle too closely. The 15-year patrol veteran suffered injuries to his knee and lower back. "I went to the hospital, and I've been sore ever since," Atchison said.

But Burns and other officials who attended the news briefing said it's not just troopers who are at risk from impaired, speeding and distracted drivers. In September, tow-truck driver Tony Padilla, 51, of Burien, was hooking up a disabled vehicle on southbound Interstate 5 in Seattle when he was fatally struck by a vehicle. The driver and passenger both fled the scene but were later arrested. The driver has been accused of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Between April 2009 and Nov. 30 of this year, troopers contacted 2,940 drivers and issued 592 citations under the "Move Over Law," according to the patrol.

Information from Seattle Times archives is included in this report.

Sara Jean Green: 206-515-5654 or sgreen@seattletimes.com

Everyday WI Tow Hero!

Round of applause to WI State Trooper Craig Larson and tow boss Pat Brauner of Brauner’s Towing in Black River Falls for their quick actions! Here's the story from the Leader-Telegram:

BLACK RIVER FALLS — Three young children and two adult women are lucky to be alive after nearly being overcome by carbon monoxide Sunday night after their car went into the ditch on Interstate 94 near Black River Falls.

According to a press release from the State Patrol, the incident occurred about 10:30 p.m. when the car went into the median ditch while on the way from Minnesota to Chicago. When State Trooper Craig Larson responded, all five people in the car appeared to be in good condition.

However, after the tow truck arrived and the operator began to remove the vehicle, the driver became unresponsive. Larson then realized all five people in the car were unresponsive.

Larson and tow truck operator Pat Brauner of Brauner’s Towing in Black River Falls quickly removed the five from the car. At Larson’s request, Brauner began chest compressions on the female driver and Larson performed CPR on the three children, ages 2, 4 and 6, until they became responsive. The female passenger was breathing and was not as seriously overcome as the others.

After removing the vehicle from the median, it was discovered that the exhaust pipe broke off, causing carbon monoxide fumes to enter the car.

The family has asked not to be identified. They were treated at Black River Falls Memorial Hospital and released.

Footnotes' January Digital Edition is OUT!

Your January 2011 digital edition of Towing and Recovery Footnotes is now available. Simply click here to instantly begin reading the issue, or click on the features below to read specific articles.

• Get It In Gear! Enjoy Footnotes' annual equipment issue, featuring articles on the impact of customer opinion on equipment development, some towers' favorite gear, and products seen at SEMA, the big equipment trade show. New trucks and accessories from the major manufacturers are highlighted as well. Page 1, Page 6 and Page 9

• Regs, Regs, Regs! Towers are getting hit by more and more onerous regulations and paperwork requirements from government at all levels. What can be done about it, if anything? For a little help on the issue, see our in-depth analysis of the situation regarding regulations affecting towing companies. Pages 14

• Rough Stuff In Philly. Some towers in Philadelphia are fiercely competitive, often racing to a scene to beat the tower called to handle the job, and this behavior is starting to get the attention of the city government, to the potential detriment of all towers there. Pages 20
• Wreck Chasers. In a companion story, you will learn how Philadelphia towers are getting even wider attention via a reality TV show. Will this show hurt the image of city towers even more? You be the judge. Page 21

Also in this issue: A chance to win a $119 Tie-Down Bundle from Pierce Sales, which includes three sets of two different tie-downs each; new products from Jerr-Dan, NRC, and Miller; and even a few jokes as well. And don’t hesitate to ask about our combo print/online advertising deals that will increase your product visibility at a great savings over the usual ad rates.

If you cannot click on any of the links above, please copy and paste this URL into your web browser:

January 2011 Issue: http://www.flashedition.com/publication?i=56063

We hope you enjoy the January issue of Towing and Recovery Footnotes .

Sincerely,
Bill Candler
Editor

Everyday VA Tow Hero Honored!

Here's the story from fredricksburg.com:

A tow truck driver with Anytime Towing in Ladysmith was honored tonight with the Life Saving Award for his heroic actions that saved two lives on Halloween morning.

Sheriff Tony Lippa presented T.K. Loving, 36, of Hanover, with the award during a dinner at Timbers Restaurant.

Sheriff Tony Lippa and Major Scott Moser present T.K. Loving with the Life Saver Award Wednesday night.

Lippa, who said he is a former tow truck driver, said he knows the dangers of that job and thanked Loving for his heroic actions that not only saved his own life, but the life of someone else.

Loving was responding to a AAA call around 4:3o a.m. on Oct. 31 to tow a vehicle that had broken down on I-95, halfway between the Ladysmith and Thornburg exits.

That’s when a vehicle drove off the main road and struck Loving  and the customer he was helping as they stood on the northbound shoulder.

The crash left Loving and Robyn Silcox, 20, of Stafford with serious injuries. The driver of the vehicle drove off.

Silcox, a 2008 Stafford High School graduate and a junior at Old Dominion University, is recovering from serious injuries to her hand and arm and has more surgery planned.

She credited Loving with spotting the oncoming vehicle before it hit them, managing to mostly push her out of its path and saving her life.

In an earlier interview with the Free Lance-Star, Loving said he reacted as anyone would, and gave the credit to the rumble strips.

“I heard the rumble strips. The rumble strips pretty much saved me and her,” Loving said.

When he heard tires crossing over the strips, embedded in the pavement to alert drivers they are straying from the road, “I looked up, saw headlights, and grabbed her,” Loving said.

The impact shattered Loving’s right ankle and tore his Achilles tendon. He is not allowed to put any weight on his foot, and is using crutches. He will need surgery and physical therapy.

Loving has been a tow- truck driver for Anytime Towing for three years, and said most of his work is on I-95. Until that day, he’d never had a close call with passing traffic.

When he responded to Silcox’s call, Loving said he parked his tow truck on the grass, putting the entire northbound shoulder between him and the right travel lane of I-95.

“It’s not like I was close,” Loving said.

He suspects the driver may have mistaken the shoulder for a travel lane.

Loving will receive worker’s compensation for a portion of his salary, but said he could be out of work for six months. Loving’s wife is a stay-at-home mother to their four children, including a 4-month-old.

“It’s going to be a struggle. I’ll have to figure something out,” Loving said.

The driver of the dark blue 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt or Pontiac G5  fled the scene without stopping, and has yet to be located.

Anyone with information about the crash or vehicle is asked to call the Virginia State Police Area 44 Office in Caroline County at 804/633-6799 or e-mail the office at area44@vsp.virginia.gov.

Everyday Tow Heroes In WI

Here's the story from the Janesville Gazette:

JANESVILLE — Thirty tow trucks paraded through Janesville on Saturday to spread holiday cheer.

Trucks were decorated with tinsel and stockings. One truck had Santa’s sleigh and reindeer on its flatbed. Others carried large boxes designed like Christmas presents.

When the tow truck drivers arrived at Traxler Park, they delivered more than 1,000 toys to the Salvation Army and ECHO. The toys will be donated to local families.

The parade was part of the Tow Trucks for Tots program, which collects toys for children and promotes the towing industry. Worldwide Equipment Sales of Rockdale, Ill., and the Wisconsin Towing Association organized the event.

Pat Winer of Worldwide Equipment started Tow Trucks for Tots a few years ago.

He said tow trucks often would form a parade as part of a funeral procession when a tow truck driver died.

“We wanted a tow truck parade when everyone would laugh and have a good time,” Winer said. “We thought, ‘What would be better than collecting toys for children?’ ”

Worldwide Equipment does a tow truck parade every year in Illinois, he said. The company also organizes a parade and toy giveaway in other cities that might need help.

Janesville was chosen because the General Motors plant and other businesses have closed, creating a hardship on families, Winer said. GM makes many tow trucks.

“The people who built those helped the towing industry,” he said. “We wanted to help them.”

Tow trucks from Wisconsin and Illinois were in the parade. They had their lights flashing when they drove. Police cars, ambulances and fire trucks also participated in the parade.

When the trucks arrived at Traxler, about 75 people helped unload presents. They formed assembly lines to pass the presents from the trucks to other vehicles that will take gifts to the Salvation Army and ECHO.

“Look at these people. They’re all smiling and happy to be helping out,” Winer said.

Steve Davis of Davis Citgo in Janesville and the Wisconsin Towing Association said fundraisers were done to buy toys. He said the towing association asked its members to donate and help.

“This time of year it’s a good thing,” Davis said. “It’s a good day for Janesville.”

Everyday Tow Hero In Canada!

Kudos to Mario's Towing for their new Dinner for Cars program! Here's the story from Global Winnipeg:

A Kelowna towing company has come up with a unique program to feed the needy while helping people get rid of their old clunkers.

Mario's Towing will pick up unwanted vehicles in the Kelowna area free of charge during December, tow them to a metal recycling company and donate the money they get for scrap, which averages out to about $75 for every vehicle.

The program is called Dinner For Cars and Mario’s hopes it becomes an annual event.

The company hopes to get at least 31 cars in December, which will raise enough money to feed approximately 900 people during the holiday season.

For more information, call Mario's Towing at 250 - 765 - 6009.

WooHoo! December Digital Edition is Out!

Your December 2010 digital edition of Towing and Recovery Footnotes is now available. Simply click here to instantly begin reading the issue, or click on the features below to read specific articles.

• Charity Begins At Work. The holidays are a perfect time to consider what charitable and community efforts would best suit your towing firm and/or family. Helping others in your market area is not only a good thing for the recipients but it's a morale builder for your towing team as well as being good for business — a win/win for all. Page 1

• Higher & Higher Tech. The technology available today for towing companies is nothing short of revolutionary. The ultimate is to completely eliminate conversation (and thereby errors and lost time) between dispatchers and drivers and to go with a virtually paperless office. Two articles give insights into the very latest. Pages 14 & Page 16

• Hazmat Training & Safety. Two articles shed light on hazmat recovery, a serious issue for towers. If you’re not an expert on hazmat, here are some basics that will get your office and your drivers started from the standpoint of regulations, training, safety, and some things to watch for on-scene. Pages 19 & Page 22
• Nights & Daze. Driving your wife crazy with your snoring? Always feeling sleepy at the wheel? Productivity down? You may have a health condition that is correctable but potentially dangerous if ignored. Here are some answers that could change your life and work and improve things at home as well. Page 8

Also in this issue: A chance to win a $427 Signal Vehicle Products Lightbar from Pierce Sales; the advantages of working with a friendly competitor; a tower’s favorite chassis and wrecker; and the story ofthree generations of family towing. And don’t hesitate to ask Sales Manager David Abraham at 877-219-7734, ext. 1 about our comboprint/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:
December 2010 Issue: http://www.flashedition.com/publication?i=53031

We hope you enjoy the December issue of Towing and Recovery Footnotes .

Sincerely,Bill Candler 
Editor

Sad News From WA

Our condolences to the family and acquaintances of 62-year-old Anthony Poortinga of Wenatchee, WA, who was the owner of Anthony’s Cheap Tow towing service. He died on Saturday, 11/27, in a house fire. Judging from the story comments, he was a great guy who will be missed deeply. Here's the story from The Wenatchee World (click the link to go to the newspaper online, there is an additional story from 2005 on Anthony):

EAST WENATCHEE — Anthony Poortinga, 62, the well-liked and flamboyant owner of Anthony’s Cheap Tow towing service, died Saturday night, his body found by firefighters inside his East Wenatchee home.
Firefighters responded at 11:33 p.m. Saturday to a house filled with smoke at 167 12th St. N.E. Douglas County Fire District 2 firefighters quickly knocked down a small fire and found Poortinga in a bedroom while searching and ventilating the house, said Douglas County Fire Chief Chuck Fenton. Poortinga lived alone and was the only person in the house at the time of the fire. There were no smoke alarms in the house. Fenton said it appeared Poortinga had awakened and tried to make it to a window before being overcome by smoke. The fire call came from an East Wenatchee Police officer who spotted the smoke.

Fenton said he knew Poortinga personally and found him to be a very friendly person who was always willing to help others.

“He really didn’t have a chance,” Fenton said. “If there’s anything we can take from this, it’s a lesson that smoke detectors are critical. It could have made a difference.” The smoke started in a closet close to Poortinga’s bedroom. It’s likely the fire was caused by an electrical short, but impossible to say for sure, Fenton said.

East Wenatchee Police confirmed the victim was Poortinga Sunday after notifying his relatives. He was an East Wenatchee resident since 1979. An autopsy will be made to determine the cause of death, said Dan Rierson, East Wenatchee Police assistant chief.

Poortinga was well known around the valley as the owner of Anthony’s Cheap Tow. In his wide-brimmed cowboy hat, bandana tied around his neck, pearl-buttoned denim shirt and cowboy boots, he could be seen nearly every day driving one of his tow trucks around the valley or stopped by the side of the road helping a motorist. When he wasn’t on a towing mission, he could be found in one of his trucks reading a paperback mystery book or in a local cafe. His favorite haunts were Jimmy’s Diner on the Eastside and Denny’s and Smitty’s restaurants in Wenatchee. He loved to read.

“When he didn’t come in Sunday, we wondered where he was,” Sherri Schoonover, a waitress at Jimmy’s Diner, said this morning. “He would come here every day and order the breakfast special and read a book. He was very well liked here.” Schoonover said he would often come in with his daughter and grandchildren. “He was like family. He will be missed.”

Poortinga started Anthony’s Cheap Tow in 2004 after retiring from a career as a private contractor installing power and telephone poles throughout the Northwest. Interviewed for a 2005 Wenatchee World article, Poortinga said he started the towing business because his previous career had kept him on the road all the time and made it difficult to make friends.

He started out with a pickup and flatbed trailer that he used to transport race cars, then added the towing service and gradually added several more vehicles, stationed around the valley. The blue trucks with their Anthony’s Cheap Tow signs were his only form of advertising. He said the business didn’t make him a lot of money, but he loved it because it gave him a chance to help people and make a lot of friends.

“I’ve always done things a little different,” he said in the 2005 article. “I’ve always blazed my own trail.”

Rick Steigmeyer: 664-7151

steigmeyer@wenatcheeworld.com

Confused About CSA 2010?

Here's some help (key points: it does not give the FMCSA authority to remove drivers from their jobs or revoke their CDLs):

FMCSA is clearing up driver misunderstandings about CSA  2010 

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently posted outreach information “separating fact from fiction” so that commercial drivers and their employers have a better understanding about how the Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA) 2010 enforcement program affects drivers.

The following are common misunderstandings about CSA that the FMCSA has encountered.

What is the DSMS?

The Safety Measurement System (SMS) assesses a carrier’s safety performance based on its roadside violations and crashes. The DSMS is a tool within the SMS used by enforcement staff only. Its primary purpose is to help enforcement staff assess driver safety as part of motor carrier investigations. The DSMS does this by identifying which of a motor carrier’s drivers to examine during that carrier’s compliance review. This enforcement tool uses a subset of violations to evaluate an individual driver’s safety performance across employers. Appendix A in the SMS Methodology Report shows the violations used in the DSMS.

Who can see the DSMS?

Only enforcement staff will have access to the DSMS for use during motor carrier safety investigations. Neither drivers nor employing motor carriers will have access to the DSMS. While some third-party vendors are developing and marketing CSA 2010 driver scorecards, these companies do not have access to full driver violation histories in FMCSA databases. FMCSA has not and will not validate any vendors’ scorecards or data.

What is the Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) and how does it impact CSA 2010?

PSP is a new, voluntary FMCSA program mandated by Congress that is designed to assist the motor carrier industry in assessing individual drivers’ safety performance as part of the hiring process. PSP is a completely separate program from CSA 2010. Additionally, PSP does not provide a rating, score or formal assessment of any kind Drivers are encouraged to obtain and review their PSP report before applying for new jobs, and request a review of any potentially inaccurate data through FMCSA’s DataQs program. While the PSP is not part of CSA 2010, the safety data accessible through PSP is the same data that the DSMS and enforcement staff use during motor carrier investigations. For more information about PSP, visit FMCSA’s PSP Website at http://www.psp.fmcsa.dot.gov. For more information about DataQs, visit http://dataqs.fmcsa.dot.gov.

Will FMCSA use CSA 2010 to remove CMV drivers from their jobs?

NO. CSA 2010 does not give FMCSA new authority to remove drivers from their jobs and cannot be used to publicly rate or assess drivers’ safety performance in the way carriers are rated or assessed today. Other important facts related to driver employment are outlined below.

·         Carriers will not inherit any of a newly hired driver’s past violations. Only those inspections and crashes that a driver is involved in while operating under a carrier’s authority can be applied to a carrier’s SMS.

·         Similar to today’s SafeStat, tickets or warnings that drivers receive while operating their personal vehicles do not count in the new SMS.

·         Neither FMCSA nor CSA 2010 restricts drivers based on body mass BMI, weight or neck size.

·         Drivers should ask current and potential motor carrier employers about their safety performance as measured under CSA 2010. Drivers and carriers with strong safety performance histories stand to benefit from the new compliance and enforcement program.

Can FMCSA use CSA 2010 to revoke a driver’s CDL?

NO. CSA 2010 does not give FMCSA the authority to revoke a CDL. Only state agencies responsible for issuing CDL’s, have the authority to suspend or revoke them.

·         The CDL Program is completely separate from CSA 2010. FMCSA has developed and issued standards for the testing and licensing of CDL holders. These standards require states to issue CDL’s only after the driver has passed knowledge and skills tests related to the type of vehicle the driver expects to operate.

·         The data kept by a state (i.e. tickets, citations, written warnings, convictions) and the data that are kept by the Federal government and used in the DSMS (i.e. violations from roadside inspections and crash reports) are separate. Drivers may review the data kept by the Federal Government through the PSP program referenced above and may request a review of the Federal data through FMCSA’s DataQs system (https://dataqs.fmcsa.dot.gov/login.asp).

How does CSA 2010 affect a motor carriers’ employment of CMV drivers?

Under CSA 2010, FMCSA continues to hold motor carriers responsible for the safety performance of the drivers they employ. This is a longstanding FMCSA position and is not unique to CSA 2010. All inspections and crashes that a driver receives while under the authority of a carrier will remain part of the carrier’s SMS data for two years unless overturned through the DataQs system, even if the carrier terminates the driver.

FMCSA’s CSA 2010 website is the official resource for information about this new safety program.

We encourage drivers and all stakeholders to visit the CSA 2010 website at http://csa2010.fmcsa.dot.gov and sign up to receive regular updates by email at http://csa2010.fmcsa.dot.gov/stay_connected.aspx. 

 

 

Sad News From NJ

Our condolences to the family and acquaintances of Kevin Meisnest, a 25-year-old Edison, NJ, tow truck driver for Car Guy’s Auto Repair & Towing. He was found fatally shot in his apartment on Nov. 23. Here's the story from mycentraljersey.com:

EDISON — Al Barbarite and his employees called Kevin Meisnest about four times Tuesday morning when he didn't show up for work at Car Guy's Auto Repair & Towing.

When they failed to reach him, they went to his apartment next door to the Casey Avenue business.

"We knocked on his door, and no response," said Barbarite, the business owner. "I just knew it. I started getting that gut feeling that something was wrong."

His fears were realized when, authorities say, police responded and found Meisnest, a 25-year-old tow truck driver, fatally shot in the apartment.

Another township man, Luis Padilla, 27, was charged Thursday with Meisnest's murder and was being held in New York City, pending extradition to Middlesex County. He also was charged with possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose.

Barbarite said Friday that he and his workers are all searching for answers to help explain why their colleague was murdered.

"Everybody I know is the same way," he said. "The question is why? What was the motive? And I just can't see what the motive would be, knowing Kevin."

The motive was still under investigation Friday, authorities said, but officials on Thursday described Meisnest and Padilla as acquaintances.

Barbarite said Meisnest worked for the Edison business on and off for three years, describing him as a dedicated and trustworthy employee who loved his job as a tow truck driver. The business owner said he sometimes treated Meisnest like a son, whether by loaning him money or helping him pay for an apartment right next door to the business.

"Overall he was a really good kid, without a doubt," Barbarite said. "Definitely not a trouble maker or anything like that."

Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce Kaplan said Thursday that Meisnest's employer called police around 10:35 a.m. Tuesday. After officers met him at Meisnest's apartment, they went inside and found that he had been shot to death.

The results of an autopsy performed Thursday were not immediately available, but Kaplan said it appeared Meisnest had been shot multiple times.

Investigators found that Padilla went to a relative's home in Brooklyn, N.Y., after he allegedly shot and killed Meisnest, Kaplan said. He was brought to a precinct station in Brooklyn late Wednesday before he was charged around 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

Bail for Padilla was set at $1 million by Superior Court Judge Dennis Nieves, sitting in New Brunswick.

The investigation was conducted by Edison police Detective Frank Varga and Sgt. Eleazar Ricardo and Investigator Michael Daniewicz, both of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office. Kaplan asked anyone with information to call Varga 732-248-7400 or Daniewicz 732-745-4018.

Joshua Burd:732-565-7228; jburd@MyCentralJersey.com

B/A Products To The Rescue!

Kudos to B/A Products of MD for raising $11,540 for the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum during their 4th Annual Open House on Nov. 19! The money was raised during an auction of items donated by B/A Products and will be split equally between the Museum and the Survivor Fund. Check them out at www.baprod.com! 

STA of MA Discontinues Annual Trade Show

Here's the info from the press release:

In 1972 STA lead the way with one of the first trade shows in the nation, in 2010 we feel we are leading the way again with our decision to discontinue our two-day trade show event. We will host several smaller charity events in the future to foster networking and positive public relations. There will be sponsorship opportunities available for exhibitors, providing exposure to the industry as well as the goodwill of supporting a charity. The 2nd Annual Golf Outing is scheduled for July 26, 2011 at Blackstone National Golf Club in Sutton MA. We hope you will consider joining us!

Statewide Towing Association leading the way for the towing industry.

For more information about our association, visit www.statewidetowing.org.

Allstate/Sterling AutoBody Donate 30 Vehicles

Here's the press release:

On November 22, Allstate Insurance and Sterling Autobody hope to brighten the holidays for families and charities across the country with the donation of 30 newly refurbished automobiles. The vehicles, which will either be used by the receiving organization or given to an individual or family in need, will be provided in partnership with the National Auto Body Council's (NABC) Recycled Rides Program.

"Our participation in the Recycled Rides Program is an extension of Allstate's commitment to our local communities. These cars represent more than a way to get around, but a way to empower families and charities to accomplish simple tasks impossible without reliable transportation," said Bill Daly, Allstate assistant vice president for auto claims.

Each vehicle was painstakingly refurbished by technicians at Sterling Autobody Centers, who spent significant time and effort to transform each car inside and out.

"Sterling is extremely proud to be part of the Recycled Rides program," said Bob Benjamin, Sterling Autobody Centers vice president of operations. "We believe it's important to give back to our local communities and Recycled Rides allows employees to use their time and talents to make a significant difference in the lives of many."

The Recycled Rides program got its start five years ago following Hurricane Katrina. The collision repair industry as a whole responded to the needs of the many displaced individuals by offering employment, tools, equipment and in some cases, housing. The collision repair industry has since collaborated on a program to provide refurbished vehicles to people and organizations in need. Although the concept was initiated to help victims of Katrina, it has continued as a national program.  

Last year NABC members came together to give away approximately 80 vehicles just before the Thanksgiving holiday. This year, the organization hopes to nearly double that, with a goal of gifting 150 vehicles to families and non profit organizations.

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the "You're In Good Hands With Allstate®" slogan, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help more than 17 million households insure what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via www.allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate®.

Sterling Autobody was founded in 1997 with a mission to redefine the collision repair experience. With a commitment to providing safe, high-quality repairs, while returning the car to the customer as quickly as possible, we developed a unique repair process and began building our own state-of-the art facilities. In 2001, Allstate Non-Insurance Holdings purchased Sterling Autobody Centers to offer consumers the option of a superior automotive claims experience with guaranteed high-quality repairs. Sterling Autobody Centers now operates 63 vehicle repair facilities in 16 states, with a Store Support Center in Natick, Massachusetts.

Congrats!

Here's the story from the Sioux City Journal:

SOUTH SIOUX CITY – George Quint could be the Rodney Dangerfield of Siouxland highways and byways.

He's the guy who tows the drug runner's car to impoundment after state troopers load its driver into the back seat of a squad car. He's the guy who clears vehicles from the highway after a bad crash. He even tows repossessed cars and construction equipment back to the finance company. And, when you go to reclaim your vehicle, he's the guy who charges you for the tow. And the storage.

Okay, he's also the guy who shows up at 3 a.m. in a blizzard to pull you and your car out of a deep ditch. You're glad to see him, but even then you're wishing you didn't need him.

Rare air

Quint is the owner of South Sioux Towing and its Iowa counterpart, Siouxland Towing. He has 34 years in the business.

On Nov. 20, he was inducted into the Order of Towman. It's the most prestigious award given by American Towman, a national trade association for the towing and recovery industry. The award is intended to foster recognition for the job towing pros do.

Quint and just five of his peers from across the country were inducted this year during American Towman's annual exposition in Baltimore.

It's satisfying to see somebody appreciates what you do and you're recognized for it,” Quint said. “It's that simple.”

Quint was nominated by Sergeant Bluff Police Chief David McFarland.

“George does just an awesome job for us,” McFarland said. “If I call him at 3 in the morning, he's right there. We're usually tying up a couple of officers on the street waiting for the tow to show up. It's a very big deal for us, so we can get back on the street.”

“He understands the importance of public safety,” McFarland said.

The nasty, the nice,

the famous

“Without a gun in my hand, I'm dealing with every rapist, murderer, any kind of lawbreakers. And I'm the first person they look for when they get out of jail because they're looking for their car,” Quint said. “And it's my fault they got put in jail.”

“We deal with a lot of nice people, too,” he conceded. And famous people. When Vice President Al Gore's armored SUV broke down after being unloaded from Air Force II (the SUV came from Florida and didn't have the necessary cold weather additive in its fuel), Gore sat in Quint's tow truck to keep warm until a back-up van showed up. Then Quint towed the extra-heavy SUV.

And when then-presidential candidate Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's motor home broke down here while he and his son were driving it to Washington, D.C., Quint said he towed it, got it fixed and then delivered it to Washington.

When United Flight 232 crashed at Sioux Gateway Airport in 1989, Quint said, he got an anxious call from the Dakota County sheriff. “You gotta go right down there,” he told Quint. “They've got dead people all over the place and the South Sioux ambulance has broken down right in the gate.”

Chance career choice

It was 1976 when Quint's brother-in-law bought a body shop that came with a towing business he didn't want to run. Quint left a job in a packing plant to take over the towing, building it into the tri-state business it is today.

Quint has an impoundment facility in Sioux City and a two-story, sparkling clean garage and office on West 13th Street in South Sioux City, and he works in South Dakota, too. He'll even go across the state or country to pick up a vehicle and tow it back to Siouxland.

He's also a member of the Abu Bekr Shrine Temple's Rat Patrol, the crazy little cars driven at high speeds by big men (Shriners) in parades. Between the Rat Patrol, the characters he meets on the job and the cops and troopers he works alongside, Quint is also a well-stocked storyteller.

But he's no Rodney Dangerfield. Next Saturday, at least, he'll get more than a little respect.