TowZone

How to initiate change at work: Sean Haskins - Welcome to the Jungle writes, I'm sure I'm not the only one to have experienced this: you're new in town and you're enthusiastic, bursting with ideas, ready to own your place at the company. You are excited to bring a different perspective, better tools and more efficient methods to the table. But you're stopped short. "There's no budget", "This is how we work", "Do we really need these changes?" It is likely that your new colleagues are doubtful of your ideas. After all, change is always scary. This does not mean that we should stop proposing change at work. Especially if we believe it's for the best. If you want to get support for your new idea, here are some tips that will come in handy. It's all about the timing! - - - - - - - - - This link is actually to a short read, but rather well written and while it is more about the office then towing. There are aspects which carry over and we've all experienced change of some type. I've heard numerous stories over the years about companies which were reluctant to change and companies that brought someone in that made too many changes, too quickly. Do you have any advise as to making changes to advance the company, even though it ain't broken? https://www.welcometothejungle.com/en/articles/initiating-change-at-work

It's been nearly 2 years since this incident. I am just wondering if anyone has a follow up on Adam Lopez. With all the Tower Down reports this year and the high number of emergency personnel struck we should neither forget those who did not make it home and theose survivors who have suffered injuries as a result of these incidents such as the one in this post. Thanks

Gods Speed Tow Operator Gone To Soon! Lest we forget them on the long road home The tow operator stood and faced his Maker, which must always come to air. He hoped his chains were left behind and he hadn't brought them on to bare. "Step forward now, wrecker driver how shall I deal with you?" Have you always rendered aid? To your Maker, have you been true? The tower, with dirt on his hands, said "No sir, I guess I ain't. Because those of us who drive wreckers can't always be a saint. I've had to work most Sundays and at times my talk was rough, and sometimes I've taken people cars, because life is just that tough. But I never took a penny, that wasn't mine to keep. Though I logged a lot of hours when the bills just got too deep. And I never passed by a cry for help though at times I had little to gain, and sometimes, please forgive me, I could do little more than feel their pain. I know I don't deserve a place among the people here. They only wanted me around in their worst of moments there. But if you have a place for me here, well...it need not be too grand. I never expected or had too much so if you don't...I'll understand." There was silence all around the room where the saints respectfully stood. As the tow operator waited quietly, for the judgment...bad or good. "Step forward now, wrecker driver, you've borne your burdens well. Come tow on heaven streets, You've done your time in hell."

Tow truck driver, another man dead after being hit by SUV on I-295 Two men died early Sunday morning after being hit by an SUV on I-295 in Jacksonville. A tow truck driver was parked on the left shoulder of I-295 near Blanding Boulevard while helping a driver, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The tow truck was partially blocking the left lane, while both drivers were behind the tow truck. At about 2:40 a.m., an SUV driven by a 23-year-old woman hit both men before hitting a concrete wall on the right shoulder, the FHP said. The woman was not injured. The tow truck driver, a 30-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the FHP. The other man, 19, was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. RESOURCE LINK RESOURCE LINK with video Carlos Betancourt - Owner-Operator at Zoom-Zoom Towing

Breaking News: Details are few at this time. The only thing we have gotten is Issac Simmons was struck in Fairfield, TX. More News as it becomes available. Todd Leiss added Update on Isaac Simmons - 05.29.21 From the family: We have heard from the surgeon and the news was not what we were hoping to hear, however, there is a glimmer of hope. Please stay positive and pray with all you have. Isaac is fighting and he needs all of our prayers, now more than ever. We will keep you posted as often as we can. Kris and her loved ones send their love and gratitude to all of you for your texts, calls and continued prayers. Todd Leiss added Update on Isaac Simmons - LATE NIGHT 05.30.21 Isaac Simmons, a tow truck operator with Texas Towing, Fairfield, Texas sadly becomes the 4th emergency responder struck & killed in the past four days, and the 25th emergency responder struck & killed in the first 150 days of 2021. Two emergency responders are struck each day, and an emergency responder struck & killed every six days. This is NOT acceptable, this is devastating, this is frustrating and all of us need to keep fighting to stop "D" Drivers from injuring and killing emergency responders and to spread the Move Over message. 25 families whose lives are changed forever because of another motorists actions. Note from the sister of Issac Simmons: After a long fight, Isaac Simmons, has now went home to be with our Mom and so many others. His body was tired. I know that a huge piece of me went with him, but I also know that there are absolutely so many people that loved him. The Family cannot express what all the messages, texts, calls and prayers have meant to us. Kris's Love goes out to everyone right now.

May 28, 2018 Tarheeltows - May 28, 2019 - Rick Lichty – - PRTowing – - John F – - KAT Transport – - swr – - shtowing6807 – Towing Ace - May 28, 2020 Terry Bench - https://www.towforce.net/topic/13760-towforce-may-membership-anniversaries/ Member Support is greatly appreciated as funds are used to cover various message board expenses. - One Year Patron Level I Sponsorship $29.00 Level I Patrons receive special recognition for their support of the community. A Level I Patron Bar will be displayed next to the sponsor's name on the message board in honor of the sponsor's support. Level I Patrons also receive the right to start 1 used equipment posts in the Equipment Listings Forum per year. For Level I - Login and Go To: Patron Level I Supporter Check Out One Year Patron Level II Sponsorship $50.00 Level II Patrons receive special recognition for their support of the community. A Level II Patron Bar will be displayed next to the sponsor's name on the message board in honor of the sponsor's support. Level II Patrons also receive the right to start 3 used equipment posts in the Equipment Listings Forum per year. For Level II - Login and Go To: Patron Level II Supporter Check Out One Year Patron Level III Sponsorship $75.00 Level III Patrons receive special recognition for their support of the community. A Level III Patron Bar will be displayed next to the sponsor's name on the message board in honor of the sponsor's support. Level III Patrons also receive the right to start 7 used equipment posts in the Equipment Listings Forum per year. For Level III - Login and Go To: Patron Level III Supporter Check Out And a couple of years ago we added a basic supporter level $12.95 Supporter Members receive special recognition for their support of the community. A Supporter Level Bar will be displayed next to the sponsor's name on the message board in honor of the sponsor's support. Note: This Supporter Level does not include Equipment Listings. Each and Every Supporter Level is "Highly Valued" Thank You!

@Orcas Tow - @Trent johns can work towards his Helicopter License. "Sound Like A Plan".

@goodmichael is correct, the report does state "the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office confirms". One would then assume the action was presented to the District Attorney’s Office for release. Therefore it is likely the action was taken by a parole board that likely often sides with the offender without regard for the victims family. The horrific manner this death occurred should be reason alone for serving the maximum sentence.

TowForce Semi-Annual Member Roll Call Starts Now: The Roll Call is how we account for members entering our drawings. As we are anticipating a return of our T-Shirt Tuesday Drawings which have gotten sidetracked over the past few months. Keep in mind there may also be other prizes added into the drawing besides T-Shirts. You just never know what one of our valued sponsors may come up with at anytime. or what falls out of the prize closet. Then again, there are no promises, the same is true for holding a drawing each and every week. We do try our best though as you know with a stressful schedule we just are not always able to conduct a drawing each week. We strive to do better in the second half of 2021. Eric Fouquette InTowMan Chuckud GRUMPS The Towman Hector hookrite - recently upgraded to Level III Patron kjband13oc mooresbp Orcas Tow Old Tow wytruckwrench bigiron 5towman fenderbendr6 Pullinghorse Conwaym Curtsharp DodgeTowGuy134 JDBousquet jeff myer Moose Sean Shores Turbo4whl yoBdaBeno Supporter Derlyn Z Stubborn66 A Note to our many valued supporters: "Thank You for Your continued support, without You this is not possible!" Check Out or Patron or Sponsor Levels https://www.towforce.net/subscriptions/ ___________________________________ So, once again we ask members to add a reply to this topic. It can be anything, your favorite quote, your state, your t-shirt size, how much your business has been effected during this pandemic, what you have done differently, what you have learned from this if anything. Or you can just say HERE if that's what you got. But be sure to reply before June 25th, 2021 to be entered. Hopefully Drawings will begin in July. So, make your reply soon for the best odds. Also, once again we need your assistance is keeping this message board growing. You can do that by adding a supporter status to your member profile. Check Out or Patron or Sponsor Levels starting at $29.00/yr. A Supporter Level is just $12.95/yr. https://www.towforce.net/subscriptions/ ___________________________________ annettemcd bobatlangleyvale GarageSB ihaveyourcar ShannonB speedy tow Steve G Stock T C Trampas Moke theamcguy TurkWFL WildwoodJack Tom Sinatra 1towman Joe Driscoll cdntowguy George C Speedy Bee Towing Towman12318 Tim House ogrenyc Southern Star 1 Barabootowguy Tmehi Pentow4 SRT Towing Lee Bellemare 57 Ranch Randall oldtow ClinesTowing jgpaul ChainReaction Rocket Towing T C Towjam Chip Z AZ Towing Solutions Mike Corbin Check Out or Patron or Sponsor Levels starting at $29.00/yr. A Supporter Level is just $12.95/yr. https://www.towforce.net/subscriptions/

A secondary group has been added to your supporter status which increases the number of uploads. Thanks for your continued support. @Kat - Technical Administrator

UPDATED 05.23.21 May 23, 2018 - ECTTS – - Linda @ Big Wheel – - Spill Tackle – Stucky17 - May 23, 2019 skmod78 - Johnsons Towing - jpwatson - May 23, 2020 mfrexpress - Platinum Level Sponsorship $5,400.00/year - Sign Up before June 11, 2021 and receive 50% Off First Year. Platinum Supporter bar in profile. A stamped size logo in the upper sidebar on front page. Unlimited new & used equipment post in the Forums per year. Special bonus Platinum Sponsors receive the right to sponsor and display a logo next to the forum... Gold Plus Level Sponsorship $2,400.00/year - Sign Up before June 11, 2021 and receive 40% Off First Year. Gold Supporter bar in profile. A stamped size logo in the lower sidebar on front page. 99 new & used equipment post in the Forums per year. Special bonus Gold Plus receive the ability to sponsor and display a logo next to the forum... year at a discounted rate. Gold Level Sponsorship $1,400.00/year - Sign Up before June 11, 2021 and receive 30% Off First Year. Gold Supporter bar in profile. A text link in the lower sidebar. 99 new & used equipment post in the Forums per year. Special bonus Gold receive the ability to sponsor and display a logo next to the forum name for a year at normal rates. Quoted after sponsorship has been added. Silver Level Sponsorship $600.00/year - Sign Up before June 11, 2021 and receive 25% Off First Year. Silver Supporter bar in profile. Supporter access to supporter only forums. 24 new & used equipment post in the Sponsors Showcase Forums and in the Equipment Listings... Bronze Level Sponsorship $200.00/year - Sign Up before June 11, 2021 and receive 20% Off First Year. Bronze Supporter bar in profile. Supporter access to supporter only forums. 12 new & used equipment post in the Sponsors Showcase Forums and in the Equipment Listings.. Contact a Tow411 Administrator for a discount code to be used at check out or Call 502-376-3071

Has anyone been following this Smoke Stang Build? Way Cool (yes, I am showing my age)

Do You Know Where the Fire Extinguisher is in your truck? Do you have more than One Fire Extinguisher on the tuck? Can you access the Fire Extinguisher at a moments notice? When was the last time you inspected and checked the date? If you do not have a Fire Extinguisher what is the reason? As Found On ECTTS Website: Fire Extinguishers are Required Safety Equipment in Your Truck(s)! Fire extinguishers are required by law on all trucks, truck tractors, and buses – except those in driveaway-towaway operations. Per the Code of Federal Regulations 393.95: A power unit that is used to transport hazardous materials in a quantity that requires placarding (see 177.823) must be equipped with a fire extinguisher having an Underwriters’ Laboratories rating of 10 B:C or more. A power unit that is not used to transport hazardous materials must be equipped with either: A fire extinguisher having an Underwriters’ Laboratories rating of 5 B:C or more Two fire extinguishers, each of which has an Underwriters’ Laboratories rating of 4 B:C or more The fire extinguisher(s) must be filled and located so that it is readily available for use. The extinguisher(s) must be securely mounted to prevent sliding, rolling, or vertical movement relative to the motor vehicle. Not only should you be carrying and mounting fire extinguishers as per the law, you should also know how they work, what the ratings mean, and be sure to know how to use them should the need arise. Classification of Fire Extinguishers Class A: used for ordinary combustibles such as wood, paper, plastics, and textiles. Class B: used for flammable liquid and gas fires, such as oil and gasoline. They deprive the fire of oxygen and interrupt the fire chain. Class 😄 used on fires that involve electrical equipment, which means that the fire extinguisher uses electrically nonconductive materials. Class 😧 used on combustible metals (magnesium, titanium, sodium, and others). For trucks, buses, and truck tractors not transporting hazardous materials, one extinguisher rated 5 B:C or more or two extinguishers rated 4 B:C or more are required. This means that the extinguishers are rated for Classes B and C fires – Class B meaning it/they can be used on flammable liquids and gases, and class C meaning that it/they can be used on electrical equipment. The 4 and 5 mean that the extinguisher has 4 or 5 square feet of coverage. At East Coast Truck and Trailer Sales, we strive to make your job safer and easier everyday. We have a variety of available safety equipment for your truck. No matter what truck you drive, we have the parts you need. Check out our towing parts, car hauling parts, DOT compliant Hi Vis Gear, or view our great selection of specials today! https://ectts.com/fire-extinguishers-required-safety-equipment-trucks/ East Coast Truck & Trailer Sales is a Valued Supporter of Tow411 and is recognized as a TowForce ENV or Endorsed Network Vendor A designation for others to ENVY.

John, I could not find Lee as a TowForce member. Would you classify this unit as a Medium Duty? @mushspeed

Lee Briggs MIRTE Owner Operator @ Toad Towing Horley, England, United Kingdom Finally had time for Ash at Brilliant Signs to work his magic. I have never been enthusiastic about vinyl signwriting preferring the skilled application and longevity of Craftsman applied brushwork. A more quality product and no real cost difference sometimes its worth waiting for the best option ! As Found On LinkedIn

Found on Dacotah Speedway FB Page: Congratulations to WISSOTA Street Stock feature winner, Hunter Domagala, in Puklich Chevrolet Victory Lane on Friday, May 14th! — with Domagala Racing and Hunter Domagala.

Domagala grinds out tough Streets Stock victory Hunter Domagala is a competitor. During his high school years at Bismarck High School, he tried to juggle three sports plus auto racing. The Street Stocks feature Friday night at Dacotah Speedway was exactly what a competitor would relish. Domagala led the first 10 laps of the 20-lap feature, then surrendered the lead to Zach Frederick for five tightly-contested laps. He then battled back to regain the advantage for keeps on lap 16 and won by about five car lengths over runner-up Jonny Carter. Hard-fought races like Friday's are the reason Domagala, a tow truck driver, devotes untold hours to racing. "These fans live and breathe racing, and we put on a show tonight. ... And to come out on top is even better," he noted. "I don't know how many races like that I can take. It's wearing on the nerves." "That race was unbelievable," he added. "We were three-wide going back and forth, and for the last three laps (with Frederick and Carter) it was anybody's race," he noted. Domagala was the only Mandan driver to win on Friday. Bismarckers Drew Papke and Ken Sandberg were the feature winners in Legends and Sport Compacts, respectively. Marlyn Seidler of Underwood won the Modifieds feature and Derrick Appert of Hazelton prevailed in Hobby Stocks. Seidler led from start to finish in the 20-lap Modified feature, winning by 2.81 seconds. Domagala prevailed by 0.62 second, Papke by 0.16 second, Appert by 0.27 second and Sandberg by a runaway 7.02 seconds. For Domagala, the 2020 Street Stocks points champion, Friday's feature was his second straight. The rest of the story can be found here: https://bismarcktribune.com/sports/auto-racing/domagala-grinds-out-tough-streets-stock-victory/article_6c971a9f-e030-57d7-8e03-916ed1620018.html

CAA reminds people that dozens of emergency responders, including tow truck drivers, die every year due to being struck by on-coming traffic CAA is reminding drivers to slow down and move over when encountering emergency responders working on the side of the road — it could otherwise cost someone their life. In several Canadian provinces, it's required by law for drivers to slow down and switch to the farthest lane if they see emergency responders pulled over with their lights flashing. In Nova Scotia, the Move Over law came into effect in May 2010. It requires drivers to slow down to 60 km/h or obey the speed limit if it's lower. If the road has more than two lanes, drivers are required to move into a lane farther away from the emergency responders when safely possible. “A lot of people A, don’t know about that law at all or B, know that tow trucks are now included in that law,” Julia Kent, CAA Atlantic's director of public and government affairs, said. “And that came into effect in Nova Scotia in the later part of 2018. So, we’re trying to raise awareness on that. “Why? It’s because these are our people. Tow truck drivers are our colleagues, they deserve to stay safe in their workplace … they’re oftentimes emergency first responders — the first ones on the scene — and they deserve to go home to their families at night just like any of us do.” CAA's National Slow Down Move Over Day started in 2019, and this year it took place on May 11. The day aims to bring awareness to this issue and protect the safety of roadside emergency responders. Kent said across North America, there are thousands of near-misses reported by emergency roadside operators annually. “Nearly 100 tow truck drivers die every year (in North America) after being struck by on-coming traffic when they’re helping stranded motorists with flat tires, break downs, collisions on the side of the road,” she said. “Every single truck driver knows the number of close calls they’ve experienced while pulled over on busy roadways. “Any death is too many,” she said. “We can easily, easily rectify this just by slowing down and moving over.” She said at CAA Atlantic, there have been three close calls where one incident resulted in serious injuries. That incident resulted in the driver being off work for six months. RESOURCE LINK with video

I was fortunate enough to watch him LIVE at a TRAA Conference about 12 or so years ago. I have the DVD someplace in storage.

Wow, I guess I need to put myself in this roll call. Kat says he's ready to get back to the shows as well. This will be our first show in more than a year.

I can answer that one as I have been watching Roy search for a Vintage Wrecker to Tow one of his current COE Vintage Wreckers to events. He started out searching for just the underlift, however he seems to have shifted towed a complete unit. I'm sure he can explain in more detail or tell me I'm wrong. LOL Oh, almost forget... I believe the image is only for reference.

These VW Buses are still in high demand.

Thanks Rob, I am sure many will be either thinking of their Mother or spending time with their Mothers on this day.

Tow truck driver grazed in head by gunman after booting car in Queens A gunman opened fire at a tow truck driver booting a car in Queens early Thursday, grazing the victim in the head, officials said. The 42-year-old tow truck operator had just booted a 2007 Acura parked near Tioga Drive and Mexico St. in St. Albans and was sitting in his truck with a city marshal when shots rang out about 12:50 a.m., cops said. A bullet grazed the tow truck driver in the head but the marshal was not harmed. Medics took the bleeding tow truck operator to an area hospital. The gunman ran off and has not been caught. Cops are investigating if the shooting is linked to the car that had just been booted. RESOURCE LINK