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We had quite a few crashes this week but this was the most interesting. Customer bought this Infinity Q60 a few days ago and "left the roadway" around 6 in the morning. Took out a mail box and then launched off a rock & boulder embankment behind a guardrail. The car went about 300' through bamboo trees until he hit a few trees of "girth".... He went in at the far left of this photo... Once we looked at the area, it was figured the best course of action would be a Tator recovering it up & over the guardrail. To go back the way it went in was 300' and the more destructive way over the rocks... Luckily he was ok and able to get out of it. He climbed up the 40' embankment to get help. if not I'm pretty confident he wouldn't of been found till winter... We hoisted a box full of straps & rigging down to the scene for rigging... 1st I rigged to the front wheels to spin it around and pull it 30' up so it would center under the boom...lots of trees in the way. Then it was Up and away... Mike dropped it right on the rollback... Packed up our toys and brought it all home... A Thank You to Milewski's Towing in Scranton for the assistance. The job went fast and we were compensated in 3 days....On to the next.

As the wife of Dale Jones, the tow truck recovery operator that was struck and killed on 1/4/2020 in Watertown Sd, I can tell you that my heart goes out to this drivers family and friends, his community and fellow drivers, I will pray your loved one finds his way back to you. Before my husband died I did not know of this amazing, supportive, and dedicated community of what I consider to be the front line heros of america. These amazing men and woman put themselves and thier families 2nd to the needs of stranded, confused, wrecked, lost and destroyed motorists, they live with a phone connected to them at all times, they hit the floor running day or night, they are there to help as a support to all 1st responders and customers, and yet they are the ones most often then not that go unnoticed,unsupported and unmentioned. I believe they are due the same respect same consideration same backup as afforded a 1st responder. I have thought long and hard about what is needed to keep all recovery specialists and emergency personnal safe. In my opinion changing the color of the lights on tow trucks is not a sufficient change to insure the law of slow down and move over, that would if adheard to save a majority of this industry's personnal and thier families the devastation of loss my family and myself have endured this year. I believe that in order to keep everyone safe one of two things could be implemented. 1. An officer should be on scene to direct traffic at every site Or 2. Each tow truck should roll with 2 operators so one could monitor or direct traffic. I also believe you all should be included in the same group as the police, emts, and ambulance population of 1st responders, to allow you the ability to be as promanet in the public's sight. I also believe any motorist that doesnt abide the move over law that takes a life should be charged with vehicular manslaughter not just sited and fined if they take a life they should be held accountable. I pray this family is restored whole with the return of thier loved one, I know what I would give to have Dale home today. To all you wonderful selfless and devoted heros I ask you please take every caution, use a buddy system and stay vigilant, please take the steps you need to return home to the ones you love. For the public does not take the time nor have the consideration and respect of you to keep you safe as of yet. May god bless you, watch over and guide you and give you strength to ensure you keep returning home. Sincerely Mrs Jones

Just a move to the shop

We are a small company but try to do our best to keep a dedicated staff. My head guy in the shop is with me 20 years this year. He has an attractive pay scale, I cover 100% of his health insurance package and he has a company personal pick up that I supply/maintain/insure. Also do the same program for my Body Shop guy. As for the "daily grind"....I regularly buy the shop breakfast or bagels in the morning. Lunches... Ice Cream or Dunkin' runs through out the week... Numerous parties through out the year & bonus's. Sometimes I'll grab all my employee's keys and fill their gas tanks up at the shop just to show how much I appreciate what they do for me. My business philosophy has always been "you're only as good as your people" and I truly believe that. I have been to some incredible facilities or seen top notch equipment that were operated by total incompetence and proved that you can't just buy professionalism, work ethics or integrity....

Well the time has come to sell our medium duty F650 Ford wrecker. This truck has been one of the highest earning trucks in my fleet and a great truck since we bought it new in 2006. We removed the wrap today... We are going to repaint the wrecker components so it is fresh and the body sides to clean up some oxidation in the aluminum. If anyone has any interest, now's the time to possibly get it "tailored" to your colors. It has aprox 170k on it, 6.7 Cummins/Alison, and everything works as intended. We will perform all necessary maintenance & service before it goes. We will be in the $35,000 range if interested. A few pics of it "getting it done"... After the refurbish in 2016... Again, it's a great truck that won't disappoint. Always garage kept. This has been featured in multiple magazines & publications and has never let me down. Service history since inception. I only hope the new replacement is such a good unit.

I am so sorry for the senseless loss all of you are enduring within this brotherhood of recovery heros, the weight those that gave all they could to bring him home I can only imagine. All of you are special and amazingly compassionate people, I do not have the woods to eloquently sum up the immense appreciation I have for all you give of yourselves and all you give up to do what you do. To the family, I pray that you feel the comfort of Gods hand on your shoulder to steady you on this rollercoaster of shock and disbelief. During this time as you stumble through the days and nights of grief, I want you to know your not alone, there are woman and families who have also walked this tragic road and should you find the need to talk or just for someone to listen please reach out, you do not have to do this on your own. My deepest regret for your loss. Sincerely Mrs. Jones

From this father / grandfather, Happy Fathers Day to all fathers out there! I hope all the fathers out there have a great and uneventful day!

Yea my Daughter in Law flew down to Florida to rescue 3 dogs & bring them home. My granddaughter has been running calls for 3 days with Eddie. Somebody has to be the "Boss"....

Tailboard cut outs finished. Along with cradle mock up and mounting. Coming along just fine.

Very well written piece Sir. As we all know, There are numerous reasons that Operators are killed or maimed on the roadways. Can MOST of them be prevented with proper training AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS? I really believe they can. SDMO Laws dont work. they are not the be-all end-all. Not for nothing, murder, burglary, domestic violence, drunk driving etc... are all against written law yet, they happen EVERYDAY. A big, big part of the problem in my opinion is operator complacency. And I dont mean just white line work persay. It could be an operator who loads a vehicle on a roll back and doesnt bother to secure a catch strap or safety chain to the front of said vehicle prior to getting behind and under the rear of the vehicle to attach the tie backs. Sure, he has placed his life litterally in front of that winch, the line and rigging forever without issue. Then theres that ONE time.... That one time the free spool was not completely disengaged, that ONE time your rigging didnt hold, That ONE time the line broke... All it takes is that ONE TIME. Now, What I am about to say may not sit well with everyone out there but it needs to be said, Tow Operators MUST START to take responsibility for their own lives. In every aspect of the job. Your roadside movements and positioning are YOUR responsibility. You must think through your movements, know a way out of where you are should something go arwy.. We cannot and should not have ever thought some written law or a bunch of flashing lights and reflective clothing is going to give us some sort of magical shield where we could just go about doing anything we wanted on the side of the road. PROTECT yourselves because no else will. So many of these horrible deaths could have been prevented if the operator, experienced or new would not allow complacency to play a role in the uncontrollable situation they may have been put in. You have NO control over the 17 year old texting-tweeting driver or the hammered drunk guy running down the shoulder right towards your scene, But if you are operating on the gaurdrail side of your truck, you have your head up and NEVER turn your back to traffic, you might just see whats coming and be able to get away via your already scoped out escape route from the imminent collision...Roadside operator deaths will always be a factor. But, i really feel if we all took more time to plan, train and prepare ourselves for the given situation we have to work in, We could drastically reduce the fatalities that plauge our industry. Just my 2 cents.

The initial call out was 145hr/2hr min. The rock was off the road so we chose to go out in the AM to finish. The second call was hourly for the machine, the rollback & the Recovery Van, all on 2 hr min. The traffic arrow board gets billed individually at a set fee. All together with the admin fee it came out around 2300 if I recall. This billed under their Property Damage coverage but the repair was covered under a collision policy. As for the "Free gratis service", honestly I would of did the same job weather it had insurance or not. I believe you have to set a precedent of doing the job completely and then work on getting paid. I want the organizations sharing the scene (police/fire) being used to see me do our "thing".... Sometimes I take it on the chin...but usually we do ok. Not saying I am Santa Clause or anything...I'm cautious with obvious POS vehicles but won't leave a mess or any "dirty laundry" for someone to judge me on.

Being just my partner and I, we dont have any employees other than ourselves. But i remember back in the day at my fathers shop, He had 7 employees. ( 3 towers, 2 truck technicians, a helper/apprentence and a dispatcher/receptionist ). Everyone got yearly bonuses + raises, good benefits, and lunch was always on dad every friday. either they all went down the street to the local italian restaraunt or pizza and wings were ordered. I remember it was always the same crew there all through my childhood. Dad always took care of his employees well. with the exception of myself and another guy my age, everyone there retired with the business after dad passed. Dad always said that your employees are the lifeblood of your business and they must come first. IF ( and it is a big IF ) I ever do expand I hope to come up with some good people who are worth treating the way dad did.

That happened to me years ago ... once the smell got to my nose, I moved my truck away from the source and called the fire department. They arrived and took over the process of off-loading gasses until it was empty. A leaky hose was the culprit. Perhaps your post is something towers should think about when the caller is setting up a tow? Accordingly, dispatch should ask ... "Is the tanker loaded or empty?" Thanks Ed for posting a really dangerous safety consideration ... others take heed. R.

This is coming up to our shop to get the cab & chassis painted I believe next week. There is a new body being fabricated at the factory. I'll update with some pics if Jamie wants to.

The Professional Towing Operators Of Santa Cruz County ‘LIT UP THE NIGHT’ in honor of the brother we lost yesterday in the Bay Area, & all those we have lost so far this year. Walt Barrows from Ladd’s our local FSP driver represented the driver from Atlas Tow in SFO who was killed yesterday. Thanks to all who came & WFD! We hope all that saw this tonight will ‘SLOW DOWN & MOVE OVER’ to save a 1st. Responder’s Life!

This is our 25th year in business and as we do every year, we donate a tool box to the VoTech's highest achieving Senior. This year was "sketchy" with Covid restrictions and schools being closed. We were afraid it just wasn't going to happen. But in the end, the instructor Ben was able to put it together at our shop. We couldn't get the box we typically would do because of plants shut down & whatnot but still able to pull it off. This young man is continuing his education at a trade college.

The history of the tow truck begins in the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee. "The friend of the guy who invented the tow truck, Ernest Holmes Sr., he had flipped his car over in the Chickamauga Creek, explains Nyle Vincent of the International Towing Museum. “He had to call up about 12 friends of his to help pull the car out. There was very little equipment available to go recover a vehicle. So they spent the entire day out there. So by the time he got back to the shop, he was like, there's got to be an easier way. There's got to be an easier way." Ernest Holmes Sr. spent months at the drawing board, developing plans for the world's first tow truck. By 1919, the Holmes 485 was born. A chassis that sported a metal tube framework, pulleys, wires, outriggers and hooks. It was an invention that would change everything automotive. And it is that invention that is celebrated here at The International Towing Museum on Chattanooga’s south side. "We house antique tow trucks, says Vincent. “We display the history of the tow truck, and how it's impacted the world." In this museum, you'll find tow trucks of every size and every speed. You can explore the uniqueness of the designs and get an insight into the engineering that has evolved over the past one hundred years. Each truck here has a story. One of the museum’s more popular attractions is a tow truck used on the beaches of Normandy, France. "It was part of the Red Ball Express, which was the supply chain during the War. This particular truck was in Normandy and had suffered some damage as the War went on, and it was left in France. Eventually, it was recovered, restored and then brought back over here. It's the only truck in our collection that currently does not run because it still has some of the original battle damage, which is pretty neat." Nyle says since his time working at the museum, many drivers in the industry have come by to show their appreciation for this unique museum. "I've gotten to meet a lot of towers that have come in on a regular basis. First of all, they are very appreciative that we have this museum here because it's honoring their industry. We have the wall of the fallen out front that commemorates the drivers that pass away each year. The current stat is that it's one tow truck driver that is lost every 6 to 10 days. Because it's extremely dangerous, issues with cell phones, etc. So it just takes a hard-working, determined individual handling that type of thing because it's extremely dangerous." To plan a visit and find out about times of operation and admission, visit their website. RESOURCE LINK

Driver was put out of service, IDOT requested that it be towed. When I got there the officer said didn't they tell you it just needs a driver. Uh no, so we towed it. Not sure I would have done that anyway. Not big on doing that, we are in the towing business not driving someones else's truck,

To me ... "Happy Father's Day", is MORE than words. I write this sentiment as I remember and share about my Dad. He's long since passed away. I remember Dad as my number-one mentor; one who taught me right from wrong, to treat others with respect, and that my word is my bond. I'm greatful for all of his leadership and tough-love that made me who I am today. For those years he deployed away from home, and then being a tow owner too boot, I still miss his throaty laugh and the smell of his nasty cigars. Dad set an example that I've followed in my life's path. He taught me self-restraint, love, humility and (some) patience. He even taught me how to sweep without stirring a bunch of dust. I close my eyes and see his boots stowed next to his favorite chair where he'd speed-nap while awaiting his next call. As a teen, we didn't always see eye to eye, perhaps his way of thinking made better sense. I clearly remember one of his world famous, ten-pound butt-chewings, he gave me when I brush-painted the tow truck's rims the wrong-shade of AAA blue. At ten-year's old, what did I know about corporate blue? Was he direct? Yep! Was he stern? Yep! He was a straight-shooter and you ALWAYS knew where you stood with him. Even my friends were a little bit scared to talk with him because of his size. The consumate jokester, he'd look you straight in the eyes, and ask, "Do ya' want me to cut yer' hair cut", and then turn and laugh as he walked away. Dad's military picture sits in a place of honor in our home and there's not a single day goes by that I don't think of him. I remember his six-foot-four frame jumping out of a box on Christmas Day ... he wasn't supposed to be home for three more months. He lives-on through my stories of growing up where I've shared my recollections of my early years with my kids and grandkids ... Dad would be proud of all of them. So, if you're lucky enough to have your father still with you, give him a hug and tell him you love him. Life's too short to let the petty creep-in. And, to that I say, "Thank You Ray", for your guidance, your friendship and simply being the only man I'm proud to call my Dad. You're always in my heart and I treasure the thought of being with you again one day. I miss you. I love you. Happy Father's Day. R.

This was something different yesterday....Guy said his trailer rolled over in the parking lot of a strip mall. Wasn't sure if it would be "roadable" so we took a rollback over as well in case we had to carry it home... On his way out, he hit the right side tire against a rock and the trailer bounced off of it?....then it disconnected from the Explorer they were towing it with... 1 rim sling around the axle support & another through the wheel to "catch" it coming over... Fender was already ripped off so that made it easy... Then hooked it to the rollback and transport back to our shop. No big deal but it broke up the day...

Very sad to learn of the loss of Da Moose ….I enjoyed reading his posts and responding accordingly... going back more than a decade... The industry has lost an interesting and unique character.... From the UK .....My condolences go out to his family and friends..... John.

I spent considerable time going over highway related fatality data yesterday as a result of this most recent operator fatality. In a post regarding a recent tow operator's tragic death, Moose commented, “What's It Going to Take, SLOW DOWN MOVE OVER isn't working,” and 5towman wrote, “Very sad. Just no reason this keeps happening. Thoughts and prayers.” Both questions beg an industry-wide focus. Moose is right, Slow-Down Move-Over ISN’T working … we already know that. California’s SDMO law was written into the books in 2007. Other states followed suit, but consistent tow operator and first responder fatalities only re-prove and re-demonstrate that distracted driving continues to kill pedestrian workers. 5towman’s observation is correct … it IS quite sad. But, I’m more inclined to argue that tow operators put themselves in harm’s way by choosing to work the white-line side. Of the 13x or so tow operators killed in highway events this year, more than three-quarters of those operator strikes reportedly were BECAUSE towers were standing/working or walking on the white-line side, or, walked into an active lane. And, that includes towers with many, many years of experience. For argument sake, what comes to your mind when news reports say; The operator was standing alongside the pickup truck when a car hit him, sending him an unknown distance The tow operator and the customer were standing next to the road on the driver’s side of the car. The operator died on the scene after he was struck while standing outside his tow truck The man’s vehicle then continued “up the bed” of the tow truck and hit the operator, “who was standing adjacent to the flat bed portion of the tow truck,” the state police report said. News reports like these leave little argument to suggest towers were on the traffic side of their tow trucks or their customer’s vehicles. I’ve got hundreds of other investigative statements just like these. No, I wasn’t there and I don’t know all the details, but these statements are a good indication of what I believe the problem is. So, what’s it gonna’ take? Distracted and DUI driving are here to stay. Cellphones and GPS aren't going away. SDMO laws don’t work suggesting, towers have to take their on-scene safety as a number-one priority by NOT working the white-line side. Towers - GET-OFF THE WHITE-LINE. In another post Grumps wrote; “I’d rather take getting a citation rather than being killed by a wayward motorist.” Is that 4-point tie-down worth being killed over? Fatality numbers don’t lie suggesting more than 350-operators have been killed on highways since 1954. And, yes, my numbers are an estimate only, but give an idea as to just how dangerous this line-of-work is. I believe towers should completely understand that working the white-line side is the path to a certain death. Instead, from the non-traffic-side, load the vehicle, secure it enough that it’s safe to move to a safer location; then complete securing the vehicle where you’re NOT exposed to dangerous traffic. White-Line safety certainly demands a culture change in operator mentality. That’s what I think it’s going to take. How we get there as an industry is nothing less than an individual effort. It seems so simple, but why doesn’t that message catch-on? How does that message sink and stick to each tower’s mind? To that, I extend a reality that says; "When tow operators work away from the traffic side, perhaps these repeated fatalities will go down." There are other associated factors that lead to tow operators being injured and killed. Some uncontrollable, other's not. But, working the white-line can be prevented when towers take time to consider their on-scene techniques to work quickly and eliminate time on-scene. Can operator deaths be prevented (?) Not through the actions of the motoring public, but, by towers themselves choosing to work out of harm’s way and on the non-traffic side. Make it a conscious choice and live by your words. R.

I would say your assessment of me seems pretty accurate. Haha I prefer to learn as many lessons as I can from someone else’s mistakes when possible. I’ve found it to be cheaper and less painful that way. 😂 Like you, I’m aiming to do the exact opposite of Cletus. I’m also aware how hard starting from scratch is going to be. It’s a massive uphill battle. I have pages of notes where I’ve run through costs and rate calculations. I’m actually working on a formula that involves mileage, time, and fuel prices to determine rates. Basically you plug in shop to shop miles, shop to shop time, and local fuel prices to get a rate. It still needs some fine tuning though. The reason behind this is I can drive 65 miles in an hour on the interstate, but in the city or twisty mountain roads, I can only drive maybe 25 miles in an hour. I feel this method would ensure profitability in both scenarios and hopefully put an end to the old “charge by the mile or charge by the hour debate”, because it’s a blend of both. Still needs some tweaking, and you need to add loading/unloading time in your calculations, but I’m getting there. My goal for now is to be a one man show that provides the best service on the area. The struggle, and one I’m sure everyone faces, is going to be relaying to potential customers why I’m better than Cletus and worth the extra $$. They don’t even know what a J-hook is, let alone why it’s not the best option for their $40k car.

It sounds like you already have a good professional outlook and that is key in my opinion. It is funny how a good ol' butt chewing can stick in your head sometimes. LoL. You seem to be one who looks around at whats going on around you and using what you see to improve your methods and ways. That is another key strategy for a "one man band". One of my biggest motto's is I would rather leave my truck parked in the driveway and wash it then chase calls all through town for $40. I leave that work for the clowns who want to think they are making money just because their truck is rolling. and this town has its fair share of them. The numbers have to be right. A guy can go send out one of his inexperienced drivers and do 5-6 calls running all over at $40 each, beat 175-200 miles onto his rig and cook up a tank of fuel, pay his driver for the day plus whatever else got tore up through the course of his day While I will go out 2 or 3 times for $75 each, put 50-75 on my rig and use 1/2 tank of fuel and still be home for dinner with the family. Who made out better? Too many people get into this business thinking they will get rich quick only to realize that you actually have to work and do it right. Many many people start with the best intentions only to find they cant make enough money to cover all their expenses doing things right at the rates they charge so corners start to get cut, trucks get abused and grossly overloaded because they take on any and all work offered, service declines and things go from bad to worse. Next thing they know, their equipment is junk, truck payments are overdue, their employees are gone, the bank account is empty and they cant figure out why. What I am getting at is when you get started, sit down and figure out what your expenses are and always plan high. Come up with a good rate scale that will pay the bills AND put a few $$ in your pocket. Remember, you are a FOR PROFIT business. the whole point is to make yourself some money. And most of all STICK TO YOUR GUNS on your quotes. You will get those people who say "well Cletus's towing said he can do it for $$". Explain to your potential customer while you cant do the job at Cletus's rate, you can provide professional service with modern, clean updated equipment. Speak professionally to them. Yes Sir, No Sir etc... believe me, it goes a loooong way. Most times, you will get a call back from them wanting the service. Keep in mind, The general public views us towers as greasy, Knuckle-dragging Idiots mostly. That stigma that is upheld by unprofessional fly-by-night towers with crappy rigs and gear and a crappy adittude to go with it. I pride myself on being on the opposite side of that stigma. In my opinion, being able to talk to people in a professional matter is a big thing. At least it works for me. I also know I am not going to become a millionaire doing this. I make a decent living and thats good enough by me. As far as the Ram's I am very happy with them both. My 17 5500 just broke 96,000 miles yesterday and it had 230 miles on it when I first put it into service. I have had 3 mechanical failures with it although none of them have left me stranded. she always was able to limp home. 2 of those failures were "self inflicted". One was a trans cooler line that was improperly installed by the upfitter who installed the tow unit and it rubbed on the front driveshaft. The 2nd was a screw was accidentlly put through the wiring harness in the drivers front wheel well when my partner installed a set of oversized mud flaps for me. And the 3rd was a blown out exhaust manifold gasket at the head causing a massive whistling sound when the exhaust brake was used. My partners 12 3500 we bought new as a cab/chassis and I installed the chevron unit that we had from an older chevy we got when we bought the business from our former boss. That truck just surpassed 220,000 miles. Although my partner does perform some maintenance on his truck, since it has been paid off, he certainly doesnt do it to the level that I do and is more of a "wait till it breaks" kinda guy. He runs the truck hard and uses it for everything including helping around his fathers farm moving this n that, loading things etc.. She has held up real good to his abuse.

That is a question that needs much more information for anyone to make an educated recommendation. Many individual factors on types of trucks and your target core audience would change my decision. A couple of general things to ponder.... 1) New trucks are great and in theory less likely to fail...until they do. When your ride goes down in a single truck operation...you are literally out of the business. I have had new trucks that spent months at the dealer getting warranty repairs. Flip the coin...and you have used trucks with mileage that can be more prone to emission failures which can be very costly as well as other things. Common issues like injectors can run $5000.... Air Brake trucks go 100,000 mile on brakes - juice brakes go 30-50,000. 2) I have 550's and 26k gvw's in my fleet. What is your target audience? If you plan on doing mostly auto's then the smaller truck is fine. If you are looking towards commercial stuff the the bigger truck can pay off. Yes the 550's can tow a 1 ton dump or plow truck but typically not legally and sometimes not safely. If you plan on doing motor club work then you could use a lesser truck. At that point, look for something that you can run the balls off of for little profit and easily dump when your ready to go under... (read sarcasm)... A lot depends on your area as well? If you are in a farm community then maybe tractors & equipment may be a revenue source and a truck with larger capabilities would be beneficial. Not a big factor in the city though... 3) Again if looking at "club" work, don't buy a 200,000 mi truck to put 50 or 60 thousand miles a year on. It will be junk before you pay it off. Doing primarily local work will limit that and make it not such a factor. Starting off fresh, I wouldn't limit yourself too much because your real revenue cash cow may come from a now unknown source. Being versatile can make things much easier. Good luck with your decision.

As long as they are heavy enough that I can't lift it...LoL

Keep the Matjack bags clean and they will last a long time !! (Images Submitted by Bruce Allen)

Thoughts and prayers

Today: From the company's owner, "He was just moved to a rehab center so he can get physical therapy. It looks as if he won't be able to walk and if he is, it will be very limited. He still can't move. We are all also praying for a fast recovery and hopefully one day he can walk again. Please keep him in your prayers. R.

Zoggie ... thanks for the article and the update. Congratulations to Paul Anstee for making the effort to bring SDMO to your country. IT's definitely a world-wide situation and education is key to getting the word to motorists and UK's trucking industry. While the US has SDMO in all states, I don't believe that its message has reached American motorists, but keep trying to push that message. Best Regards. R.

Well said Randy and, as always, spot on with your observations and questions. I do not have any answers either, all I know is like you, I too am tired of the broken system we have for roadside responder safety that prioritizes profits over safety in many instances. As for the FSP crew, my hat is off to those operators as they are in harms way much more often than most other roadside responders yet they do their level best to be safe and provide a service to the public. I will comment that I rarely observe a FSP unit as I travel across the US that is not using proper PPE, signal devices and practicing situational awareness. If only we could get our fellow towers to take their commitment to safety to the same level we may start a trend of reducing these fatilities and injuries.

Thanks Angela for posting these ResponderSafety numbers, although I don't know nor can I confirm that the Chula Vista, CA. incident turned into a fatality? I'd like to comment on the "present tense" of on-highway response after yesterday's loss of California, FSP operator, Mark Alarcon, killed in the Bay Area. I've attempted to pick my words carefully not to upset delicate personalities or the sensitive feelings of some respondents to the topic of tow operator fatality, but after four shoulder related fatalities in twenty-six days, I'm searching for answers. Especially true for FSP operators serving the highway, they're in greatest danger based on the number of hours they spend on-patrol and the total time they stop to serve a vehicle on the highway's shoulder. There seems to be a rash of pedestrian strikes where towers are near the white-line, but it's their jobs AND vehicle code law that oftentimes put them in harm's way. For safety and survival, it's my personal belief that towers shouldn't being conducting service-type repairs to disabled vehicles or those wrecked on the highway. An increase in operator exposure is a sure detriment to the well-being of all tow operators that serve the highway. Towers shouldn't be knowingly placed, or place themselves, in an environment of potential death and carnage so to provide a complimentary service to the motoring public. That mentality is insane. California's SDMO became law in 2007 and it still doesn't work. It's my opinion that SDMO laws don't work for first responders and especially tow trucks, so WHY ... WHY, in-general, are service calls, out-of gas and flat-tires requests not load and go scenarios to eliminate much of that deadly exposure? The highway's shoulder is no place to try and service a vehicle at the extreme risk of FSP operators and towers being struck and killed. In the 20-years of FSP, DOT, Ranger and like-type programs, as many as 18-service patrol operators were killed in the last twenty-years. And, since 1954, I've archived as many as 345-tow operators killed working the highways in the U.S., Canada and internationally. But, as you know, there are no accurate numbers; my list included. Shouldn't governments take a solid look as past (fatality) lessons learned and apply them to smarter, safer ways instead of continuing to be a major factor in LODD deaths on the highway? It's the same thing over and over ... I know ... I'm preaching to the choir and you know this to be true from your involvement with the Wall of the Fallen. So, from the numbers ResponderSafety is collecting, may I ask, what are the powers to be doing to make it safer for tow operators serving the highways? The data posted delivers raw and minimal information only. There's no mention to suggests a greater percentage of towers are struck and killed working the white-line side. Perhaps there should be LODD graph/notations as to, white-line, non-traffic-side, standing in-traffic lanes and time on-scene before the strike. These bits of data help to send a greater message to towers so to reevaluate their on-highway safety. I have to ask; will there be changes in on-scene protocol for towers, or, will on-highway response remain status quo? I believe that all on-highway responses should be load-only scenarios in the same manner Tow First addressed flat-tires. I believe all on-highway requests should be served by flatbed carriers unless there are specific requests requiring a wrecker for a recovery. Responding flatbed carriers is proper to eliminate a need to change tires, throw dollies, remove drive shafts, or transport any vehicle that can't move under it's own power, etc. I believe that loading the car, getting it off the highway and taking it somewhere safe is far safer than being that sitting duck parked on the shoulder. Thanks Angela for what you do. I'd personally like to see something positive in the best interests of tow operator survival, but, past industry history has shown nothing progressive has been done toward the continuing safety for tow operators. I know you don't have the answers, but I know that you're in a position to further the deadly reality highway response presents. OK ... I'm off my box now. R.

Here from NY- Hope all you Fathers had a great Father's Day

Here from Sacramento!

Hello from PA

Here from New Hampshire!!

RIP he will be missed

Many who knew Mark & Da Moose from the early days of Tow411 are certainly going to be sad to hear of his passing. He was always good for a laugh and just a phone call away. I thought about him often in fact just the other day. I should have made that phone call, it always works out that way. So, if you have someone you haven't spoken to in a long time for one reason or another pick up the phone today. You never know what tomorrow will bring. I sure there must be a Bus Full Of Twinkies in Haven of Da Moose would have never gone... Now Haven has another WreckMaster #991044 to keep those Golden Streets open wide. Gods Speed...

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PRESS RELEASE: 2020 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED BY ITRHFM CHATTANOOGA, TN, June 9, 2020 — The International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum today announced that it has completed the selection process for induction into the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame as the Class of 2020. Troy Barnett (Sierra Vista, AZ), Ron Bressler (Morgantown, PA), Stacey Tucker Canterbury (Bremerton, WA), Tom Griffin (Hixson, TN), Norman Horton (Newville, AL), Phil Howard (Kennesaw, GA), Luc Le Baron (Brunoy, France), Rodney Pellow (Isanti, MN), Antonio Re (Glen Iris, Victoria, Australia), and Sherry White (Fremont, CA) were nominated by members of the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum for their many contributions to the towing and recovery industry, their families and communities. “The towing Hall of Fame is the highest honor in the industry and celebrates those who have worked hard to support and grow the professionalism of towing and recovery around the world,” said Bill Gratzianna, President of the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum. “This year’s group of inductees is no exception in their work on behalf of the industry and their leadership inside and outside of the industry.” The Class of 2020, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame, in a ceremony to be held at 6pm on Saturday, October 10th, 2020 at the Westin Hotel in Chattanooga, TN. A full weekend of activities will be held to celebrate this year’s inductees. For more information on the induction ceremony, or to order event tickets and/or make hotel reservations, contact the museum at 423-267-3132 or visit them on the internet at towingmuseum.com. About ITRHFM The International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum, located in Chattanooga, TN, houses an array of displays and exhibits showcasing the history of towing and recovery. The rotating collection includes early equipment by Manley, Holmes, Vulcan, and Weaver. The Hall of Fame honors individuals who have significantly advanced the industry. The Museum includes a theater, a library, and a tremendous gift shop. On the outside grounds is the Wall of the Fallen memorial, dedicated to towers who died in the line of service. The ITRHFM Survivor Fund assists the families of the men and women that have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of service by providing a uniform financial gift at the time of their loss. ITRHFM is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and accepts donations for its programs and operations from individuals, corporations and groups. Learn more at www.towingmuseum.com.

picked this one up for a customer. It is starting its transformation into a rat rod.

Ray's Towing Inc. Milwaukee, WI. Hanging on

Still here. Staying safe while the city is experiencing this wave of violent protests. I hope everyone is well. 🤜🤛

We are here enjoying the content as most days.

Langley Vale Recovery Service Epsom, Surrey, UK

Still here over the pond getting it done

Still here, things are slower than usual, stores are starting to reopen so things are starting to pick up.