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TowZone

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Everything posted by TowZone

  1. The person making the video was just someone on the scene and not associated with any tow company. I simply felt it added some narrative which the story is lacking. You take what additional sources you can get and quality is not always an option.
  2. Ours lists each area individually, however working with what you listed I simply modified. The only reason I left paint in there is because of Blemishes and fading. We have fade on ours, otherwise i would have left it out. Also, it seems I was focused on the list and totally missed there is not a line for the Vesicle Identification Number (VIN) and the License Plate should also be on there. Otherwise it isn't actually linked to the vehicle your inspecting. Year ________ Make _______________________ Model _______________________________ Plate _______________ VIN _________________________________________________________
  3. Looks Good! However, my list would be D - Dent S - Scratch P - Paint M - Missing G - Glass W - Wheel/Tire Don't forget "Glass" as it could be cracked or broken. Also, I see no need for "Other" as it would be listed in Additional Comments / Details As well I would likely shift the legend to the Left more. Then enlarge the vehicle images and set them side by side. Doing this will create more room to mark on the vehicle drawing.
  4. OK, here is something to think about... I was taught to always return the wheel grids to center or all the way in after each tow. There they were held together by a bungee with very little tension. On newer beds we didn't often do this as they didn't have the wear that caused the issues. Now how many times over the past few years have we seen drivers leave the grids extended. Even worse how many times have you seem one grid extended to the end and the other all the way in. Then you find they actually load a vehicle that way and then wonder why the center pin wore out. Food for thought as I never liked those screw in T handles. They always came lose over time, generally a short time.
  5. Due to HEPA Laws that information is not available. Seems the majority that test positive are Asymptomatic and do not disclose. While they are ordered to quarantine for 14 days, we all know this is a towing industry and to expect that everyone does may be a stretch. However, I am sure someone is much more informed about this than I am. This is allergy season for me and it came a little late this year. Breathing & Sneezing Issues as normal. But hey, I can smell and I can taste so I'm good right. I might need to cut back on the sample testing though... Thought's are with anyone having it rough, either Covid, Allergies or we are getting into Flu Season soon.
  6. While I can fully understand the concern, I have always used quality Rubber Bungee Cords and replace them at the first sign of dry rot. I do not use this style of Bungee Cord, because they have a much lower tension rate. Regardless of the manner of pin that secures the grid I have always used a bungee and it does not have enough tension to make it a projectile. It simply keeps the grid in place.
  7. ENDS AT NOON TODAY! There is still time to reach goal, funds will be submitted to the Survivor Fund before the end of the week and noted here.
  8. Piece of metal crashes through truck windshield on Interstate 95 near Delray Beach A piece of metal flew off a tow truck crashing through the windshield of another truck Tuesday afternoon. The crash happened just after 3:30 p.m along the northbound lanes of Interstate 95, about one-and-a-half-mile south of Woolbright Road. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the incident occurred when a piece of metal came off a bed tow truck that was driving in the right lane and crashed through the windshield of a black Ford truck driving in the left lane. The driver of the Ford, a 64-year-old Hispanic man, suffered minor injuries from the shattered glass. "He is lucky to be alive," said Delray Beach Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Todd Lynch. The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the incident. RESOURCE LINK Driver survives metal smashing through windshield on I-95 A South Florida driver recounted the terrifying moments a piece of metal smashed through his windshield while driving on Interstate 95, missing him by inches. The Florida Highway Patrol said the incident happened Tuesday around 3:30 p.m. south of the Woolbright Road exit. Officials said the metal flew off a tow truck and into Eduardo Medina's truck. The metal missed Medina by inches, leaving a few scratches on his face and hands from the glass. Medina, who speaks Spanish, had his wife Norma Rodriquez translate the moments he scary crash. "All he heard was an explosion. He said he is fine, nothing hurts, nothing hit him," said Rodriquez said. FHP Lt. Yanko Reyes said the metal could have killed Medina. He said drivers are responsible for properly securing the load on their vehicles "That could have been a fatal case," Reyes said. "A case like this, you could be charged criminally. You could go to jail for this because you are causing injuries." Reyes said a fine could also be issued to the driver of the tow truck. "We know that God protected him. He just walked away from that terrible accident," Rodriquez said. Medina's rosary was still hanging off his rear-view mirror. Rodriquez said they also believe a gift from his daughter that says "Dad, please drive safely," helped watch out for him. "We invoke our little guardian angel, and I know he was protected," Rodriquez said. FHP said they are still looking for that tow truck involved in this incident. RESOURCE LINK
  9. I have seen numerous times when a rollback is backing out of a driveway and struck. I always tell drivers it is better to back into the driveway because when you back out the lights on the rear cannot be seen easily by oncoming traffic. It could be a young driver, a distracted driver, a driver under the influence in nearly every case the tow truck operator was at fault. Be Careful...
  10. To Grumps the Towman and the other current supporters who have asked how they can help. It's all good, this is just one promotion and there will be other opportunities the contribute. The funds that you already contribute annually will assist us later to reach and exceed this goal without needed to beg for funds. TowForce has had to cut back over the past several years. We're not currently a Museum Member however we still want to do our small part for the fund. Our hope is next year the funds are back on track to attend industry events when they return. One of the programs in demand is to return the program where we gave someone a Hall of Fame Weekend Trip. That was a fantastic program and several members went to Chattanooga for the first time because of the opportunity. We're on track, members will step up to the plate the industry has not gone dark we're just going through a difficult time. This has touched all of us, but look at the activity level here. Never Give Up! Thank You...
  11. 1) Hector Ramos has upgraded from Patron I to Patron III 2) precisiontowingri is now a Patron III Member TowForce will donate $131.25 to the Survivor Fund. Let's Keep It Going!
  12. It appears Investigators are still trying to piece together what led up to the shooting.
  13. Just to note for those that disagree with the manner these funds are being secured here. The Goal is a Low $400.00 we do this type of promotion to support the Survivor Fund a maximum of two times a year. This is likely the only time this has been offered this year and it only involves new supporters only. Should we not reach the goal I will seek other ways to fulfill the annual commitment. Now You Know! Thanks
  14. How many new supporters were signed up during this promotion to secure funds for the Survivor fund. NONE I don't know if it the current state of the industry or just society. But, 20 years ago when asked non supporters turned out in numbers. Just 10 years ago those number dropped and today as TowForce nears the high levels of both traffic and topics we can't achieve a goal of $400 which those on the outside would see as pennies. While we would like to see this number to be 10 times larger, these are not pennies to those who are giving them. So once again I ask for non supporters to assist us in reaching the $400 Goal on PRIME DAY. These Codes are Valid Prime Day Only: TF25OFF for First Time Patron I, Patron II and Patron III TF50OFF for First Time Bronze, Silver, Gold, Gold Plus and Platinum Note: These Discount Codes will be valid for 48 hours starting now. 10.12.20 - 07:31pm
  15. A Lack of Mental Wellness is a HUGE Problem. Officers often do not have anyplace to take the mentally ill who are a danger to themselves and society. Back in the 60's and 70's these facilities were well funded. In the 80's & 90's the funding was limited and those in society were told it was wrong to commit these citizens. The result is they ended up on the streets or in a domestic situation they are incapable of coping with...
  16. The ACLU has made it possible for these types to taunt & harass police officers as they preform their duties. The officers could find a reason to arrest a subject such as this but when the courts will not back them. It isn't worth it. So, just ignore them and they finally move on and that may be a reason he didn't go after the female tow truck driver. Also, I feel he was intimated with her from the get go. Now I have shared this video on a FB page. The Drivers on that page and here are the comments I got before the topic fell down the page. Why? Why did you share this disaster of a person harassing people? If a chain accidentally gets away from me and somehow gets close to him then oops. I would not make contact with him purely for the fact that it is clear that he is itching to sue somebody. That somebody will not be me. Therefore no contact, but a really close call. This is a waste of time watching this video some idiot harassing the cops and motorists have a traffic collision I couldn't even finish video! The PUTZ holding camera was looking to start shit! Ridiculous, guy was only there to get hit and have someone arrested for it. All those people are saints for not hitting that guy. My Reply to these comment can be found in my last reply above. I just want to educate those in the industry before they are placed in a situation such as this where the driver was visually disturbed. I would have likely to have been there to run block. Sadly that is what it will take in some cases as this, where two drivers tag team. One runs block while the other completes there hook up. I have a 5 foot rule, 6 foot during covid. come into my space and you get a warning, I have never had to give more than 3 warnings generally the first is all it takes. It's years of experience, I want to pass that knowledge along and most drivers don't care. Companies don't care, will they care when their driver doesn't know how to respond or not respond? Topics have a longer life on a message board. May the TowForce be with you.
  17. If you can't tolerate the entire video then I say skip to the end as you're missing the point. This is a scenario you could easily find yourself in, how will you handle it? Will you totally ignore the person with the camera phone or will you get in there face. There is an in between, however I know plenty of old school tow ops that would want to push the person out of the way if in their way. The person would then want to sue, might even pretend to fall. That's a PayDay for them, don't be the victim. To tell me I can walk around is going to bring out a fury for their camera. Walk around, yeah right! Are You In A Stand Your Ground State?
  18. Anyone recognize the location of this event? Sorry, I was not able to share this LIVE on TowForce last night.
  19. While it would be safe to bet it is towing related for tow companies in the state of California...
  20. "If they do not know how to inspect a tool then they need to be trained how to, which they should be anyway!" You do realize the this is the towing industry we're discussing and that training isn't always a high priority. So, what makes anyone think that doing a Pre Trip or being trained to properly inspect the equipment and correct problems before they become major issues is a high priority. It would be good to hear who here requires a daily inspection and who is expected to fill out a daily inspection.
  21. "Ultimately the person in the seat is responsible for the truck and equipment. Ask any DOT officer." I agree 100% as it is the drivers responsibility to conduct the pre trip inspection and take responsibility for seeing those issues are corrected. It is then managements responsibility to see that is it done. However, DOT is not concerned with management when issuing citations or taking a unit out of service. Therefore when a driver determines a vehicle has an issue that would be a violation that unit should be taken out of service by the driver until service can be completed an the issue resolved. Such things as dolly bearings and non working A/C would not be covered though should be an equally important part to the proper maintenance of company equipment for an extended life.
  22. So, it often depends on the size of the towing company as to the requirement of the driver to preform mechanical maintenance and repairs to the equipment beyond the normal driver skill level. Such tasks in companies with 3 or more units needs to be preformed by an actual mechanic in an actual shop devoted to the maintenance of the equipment. Some companies have shops that preform maintenance on other vehicles as well. I know of a few that only work on their accounts equipment and do their towing & transport. Several companies have a couple of mechanics of which one can jump into a truck when needed. It depends on the size of the company. A Tow Truck Operator inspects the equipment daily and fills out a daily a daily inspection sheet and turns it in. That Driver notifies management when there is a problem such as a bearing needing repair. The driver greases the equipment between PM's aka Service Intervals. It is a Drivers responsibility to keep their equipment clean and in good working order. You've heard the expression Rode Hard and Put Away Wet? "The expression "rode hard and put away wet" refers to a person who looks worn out or unwell. "Ridden hard and put up wet" is another variation on the same phrase. ... The phrase itself is derived from horseback riding. When a horse is forced to run quickly, it works up a sweat." Why is it bad to put a horse away wet? ": : I can't tell you who said it first but I can explain it: : : RODE HARD AND PUT UP WET -- Riding a horse "hard" to exhaustion and putting him up "wet," rather than brushing him off and cooling him down. That is very bad for the horse's health." OK, for those who may not understand the correlation between a Horse and a piece of Equipment here is a plain definition. "What does rode hard and put away wet? (idiomatic) Mistreated; not properly cared for." Personally, I can preform basic mechanical tasks, nothing that requires tools I do not have access to. I have not repacked a bearing in years and since we have been adding the Lube Dust Caps often referred to by the brand name Bearing Buddy greasing them has been a regular part of the daily inspection. If a company were to expect me to be a mechanic when the hired a tow truck operator I would have to find another company as they would not be happy with my limited skills and the time it takes to preform them. Not that I don't want to, I just simply don't have that skill set and never worked to develop it. Now, lets talk a about that daily inspection sheet and the purpose behind it. These sheets need to be reviewed within a day or two and never more than a week. Major issues are brought to the attention of management often in this industry that is an owner. Although, many companies have a manager or a lead. Each company will be different depending on size. "There is not a One Size Fits All in the Towing Industry" Let's look back as the non working A/C unit discussion. It seemed the driver had taken the proper steps to get it repaired. In each of these instances once an issue has been noted on the daily inspection sheet a service date need to be assigned within a reasonable amount of time. Even if the next date available for service is a week away. An pray the dispatcher doesn't send that truck out on a major account where the owner of that company has been waiting on the side of the road for an extended amount of time in 100 degree temps. Something like that reflects poorly on the company and has cost tow companies major accounts over the years. I know many don't get it because their seems to e a gap in both driver relations and customer relations. It boils down to a combination of good management and marketing! Same with the bad dolly bearing that was reported, whose shoulder does this fall on in your company? Does your company have an extra set of dollies or one side of the dolly set. Most do not but it can be a good idea, however it is an added expense most companies cannot justify as a stock item.
  23. OK, this one hits close to home as I have had years of experience in the area of maintaining Dollies. Part of that is a regular inspection of the bearings, now most drivers either rely on a company mechanic to check the bearings when preforming a PM (Preventative Maintenance) Service. When this is done and the dolly bearings are repacked properly this lowers the odds of bearing issues. The problem is few ever take the time to take the dollies apart and repack the bearing, I do not have access to a shop nor authorization to repack the dollies so we kept going through them. When the dollies were moved from the top of the bed to under body dolly bunks the issues increased. Finally the dollies have been moved back up on top with swing out mounts. And after years of trying our shop finally installed Lubed Dust Caps. Having these allows the driver to grease the dolly bearings as they grease the truck regularly. While the dolly bearing do not require grease as often as other working parts they should be inspected regularly. Note: be careful not to over grease these lubed bearing protectors as it could cause a larger issue. So, in some cases it should be taken care of during the PM.
  24. UPDATED TODAY at 11AM: Fortuna Tow Truck Driver Suffers Major Injuries in Highway 36 Crash, CHP Says On 10-06-2020, at approximately 1:35 p.m., Humboldt Area CHP responded to a single-vehicle collision on State Route 36 east of Riverside Park Drive. A preliminary investigation by CHP revealed that 59-year-old David Mangin of Fortuna was driving a 2016 Dodge Ram flatbed tow truck eastbound on State Route 36, east of Riverside Park Road. For unknown reasons, Mr. Mangin allowed the truck to travel off the north side of the road and collide with a large tree. Mr. Mangin suffered major injuries as a result of this collision. Emergency medical personnel responded to the scene and subsequently transported Mr. Mangin to St. Joseph Hospital for treatment of his injuries. Impairment is not considered a factor in this collision. The CHP Humboldt Area Office is continuing its investigation into this collision and asks anyone with information to contact the Humboldt Area CHP Office at 707-822-5981 or send an email to humboldt_area.humboldt_area@chp.ca.gov. RESOURCE LINK David Mangin
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