brian991219

I will be there, same as I have since the first event.

Good job! Great call to work with Mike and Nick. Mike is my go to guy and a long time friend as well. He has been the only one besides me to tow my stuff, and stuff I'm responsible for, (like brand new trucks being delivered), since I sold my equipment years ago. Heck, even when I had my own tow trucks I still have had Mike tow my stuff when it made sense.

I will be there as an attendee. I always enjoy this show and what it means to our industry, especially the Museum, Hall of Fame and Wall of the Fallen ceromonies. I get in Thursday afternoon and depart Sunday after the Museum member breakfast.

I will be there as always. Looking forward to my presentations with Randy Resch and mIchelle Sukow.

Training with me depended on which division you were hired into. My tow trucks required a different knowledge base than my auto transport trailers or a heavy haul driver. That said, everyone started with the same basic company orientation and introduction/refresher on FMCSA/DOT regulations, basic traffic laws and how to be a professional driver. This was three and a half days in the classroom before going anywhere except for a tour of the facilities. After the introduction to the company the last day and a half of week one was defensive driving training in a passenger car, not a truck, with ride along and demonstration of basic skills. I didn't care if you had three weeks or three decades of experience, everyone did this base level of training. Week two was range training (in the yard) on basic maneuvers, loading, load securement, truck inspections and such. Again, I don't care your experience level -30 years of doing it wrong is just as worthless, and even more dangerous than a greenhorn that has never done it before! Week three was in the truck, as a passenger first, observe one, do one then "teach" one back to the instructor. They would hit all the basics of whatever job they were assigned to in week three and part of week four. Week four ended with a check ride by a different instructor, usually myself, to validate and verify the effectiveness of their training and their basic level of competency. I still use a variation of the same program today with the companies that I consult to, including a training program I developed especially for auto transporters that is a two week program for experienced haulers and four week for novice/no previous experience haulers. Personally, I think the "experienced" hands need more remedial training and a longer program than the greenhorn. It usually takes a month or two to break them of all their bad habits!

Flying in Monday, out on Friday. Looking forward to a great show.

Thanks Ed. Yes, RT tags are very limited in scope of use, and yes, PennDOT is cracking down on misuse of these tags which is why the reissuance and justification forms were required last year. PennDOT is currently doing the same for independent dealer plates, WL are next and franchised new dealers are last. RT tags are for motor vehicles only, not anything else, and only when being towed for service or repair of wrecked or disabled vehicles. The vehicle being towed doesn't need to be registered, but it needs to be coming from or headed to a repair shop or the owner's home. RT tags can't be used for transport such as to/from auctions, equipment, parts, tool box or even for vehicles acquired or moved as a salvor. This also means those that tow from their own yard into a salvage auction can't legally use their RT or WL tags to move that vehicle because it is a secondary transport, not a tow, since it isn't going to a repair facility. Some have argued that the salvage auction is the owner, however that is not the case, so towing to the owner is not covered. That said, twenty years ago Copart used to have PA RT tags on their trucks, even the trucks that went out of state and got away with it. As with any other PA MMVB plate, RT and WL tags can be used on personal vehicles owned by an Officer of the Corporation or their immediate family but only if the personal vehicle is not used for any other business purposes and only hauls loads of less than 1,000 pounds. While I like the lower cost and transferable nature of the RT and WL tags I don't like the limitations on them. In my opinion regular truck plates are much better, especially if you do more than just tow wrecked or disabled vehicles from their primary point of disablement or between repair shops. Another added benefit of having regular plates is the sales and use tax exemption as a motor carrier. If you have a PA PUC or Federal MC authority you can claim the sales and use tax exemption on the vehicle. With the cost of today's vehicles this is a great savings that more than compensates for the higher registration. This sales and use exemption for motor carrier vehicles also extends to parts and service for maintenance, another added benefit that isn't available when using PA RT or WL tags since sales tax paid is a condition of using the plates.

I have had three different VFI's from three different Troops tell me the same thing and we discussed it at our last association board meeting. The Bureau of Patrol is not pleased, they were in opposition when the law was introduced and unhappy it has passed. Perhaps some PSP barracks and local officers are going to be more understanding than others but not all will. We also have heard pushback from multiple firefighter associations and a handful of fire chiefs regarding towers having blue lights. Seems a few are insulted that we get to use the same color as their courtesy lights. As for a written harsh enforcement policy, PSP isn't about to do that. Their official statement is one of awareness, making officers and towers alike aware of the exact language of the Bill. This is typical when they want something enforced with no ambiguity.

Just a heads up, I have received notice from PSP they intend to cite for all blue light violations on the first offense. Seems Harrisburg is not that pleased we have this new legislation.

I'm sure you do, but just making sure everyone knows that blue is stationary only and rear facing only in PA. I'm curious, do you have the blues on a separate switch for when you are out of state and need to activate amber only?

Ron, I will be in Baltimore in 2023 although with my particular schedule I am not able to commit to attending if you do have a meet and greet. Of course I would do my best, but I expect 2023 to be just like 2022 for me, which left me with less than 1 hour total time that was not scheduled down to the minute, often with multiple events overlapping.

This is a major problem, not just the loss of life, but the fact that we do not have a recognized source of accurate data. I know Randy collects very detailed information related to towing industry injury and loss of life as do a few other individuals and two organizations however the US DOT does not recognize any of these sources as "the source". For most other industries officials turn to the US Department of Labor or OSHA stats, but because of the nature of our industry not all workplace injuries or deaths are reported, and those that are may not have the correct SIC code to make their way into these stats. TRAA, among others, has lobbied for funding to create a proper recording of these incidents however due to standard police crash reporting procedures and other difficulties it has been an uphill battle to even decide on appropriate sources to feed the repository. Often a responder death is simply reported as a pedestrian struck-by leaving their occupation and the reason they were in harms way out of the report. Now, for the one in 6 day claim, where do we draw the line as to what is included or excluded in that calculation? Road service technicians may be part of the towing industry or they may be from a private fleet such as the Penske technician struck and killed in Pennsylvania. DO we include all workplace related deaths or just those on the highway? What about occupational related illness that results in death? I'm not trying to be difficult, and have even been guilty of using the 1 in 6 figure previously, but where do we draw the line and to what purpose will this data be used? Perhaps there needs to be a total number and then mechanism of injury/death breakouts so that depending on what agency or lawmaker one is presenting this data to, and the purpose of such, it will be more effective. So much to think about just so we can have valid numbers and data to present to those that can make change to policy, law or funding for awareness campaigns.

I will be there this week. This is one of my favorite shows, more so now than ever before. This show has always been special with the Wall of the Fallen and the Hall of Fame ceremonies, the Museum and so much more, plus it is the only show each year that I get to be just a regular attendee and don't have to work it in some form or fashion. Not that I mind working the other shows but is is nice to just kick back and relax from time to time, enjoying the crazy industry we all are a part of.

I will be there. Looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones.

As did a lot of folks, then earlier this month a rejustification letter was sent to all holders of MMVB plates requiring rejustification of all your plates by Sept. 23rd or they will be cancelled. Also, will need to return every plate on your account when the new ones come in or a copy of the police report for any lost or stolen plates. I'm finding that a lot of Pennsylvania towers either missed the letters or ignored them since they had just renewed. This has the potential of becoming a big issue in the Commonwealth.