TowZone

What's with the NASCAR Overtime?

Can someone explain...

A report states the tow truck operator had a diabetic pass out or seizure and rear ended the box truck. The Tow Operator was not even aware they he was diabetic the report states. Will update as the reports continue to come in. If anyone has more information please add it to this topic.

Are thought's are with the Tow Operator and Kufners Towing.

They are lucky to be alive the next day. No Tow Truck Operator would condone this...

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/teens-push-car-7-km-135553495.html

I have not devoted time to making this poem better. Just not satisfied with it, any thought's as to what would make it better?

En route I make sure the train traffic is stopped, on scene I confirm the train traffic is stopped. I do not go onto the tracks until I have confirmation. The train can hit the vehicle, as long as I am not hooked to it. I have know few that thought they could race to beat the next train. Going up against a train is a bad idea.

Happy Anniversary! Looking Good in Center Stage...

After reviewing the images. I am not sure this is a Tow Truck. Sadly. the news media thinks anything towing a vehicle is a Tow Truck. I am sure we will find out soon enough, until then I will hold off on counting this as a Tower Down.

Tow truck driver dies after crashing onto a golf course in Camarillo

CAMARILLO, Calif. - A tow truck driver was killed after he lost control of his truck, and drove down an embankment near the Las Posas Country Club. 

It happened ten minutes before 8:00 p.m. Thursday night, on Fairway Drive just north of Deseo Drive.

The California Highway Patrol does not know why the driver lost control of his vehicle. He wa towing another semi-truck at the time of the crash. 

The driver has been identified as 31 year old Romeo Marquez from Panorama City. 

The Ventura County Fire Department said the passenger suffered minor injuries, and was not transported for any injuries. 

This crash happened around the same time as another fatal crash nearly six miles away in the Oxnard Plains.

I'll move it and pass the word on. Thanks

Wow, glad to read the Road Ranger Driver was  just bumped and bruised. Sadly, we read that the Driver of vehicle that struck the service truck died and the passenger is in critical condition. The Road Ranger was changing a tire and his truck had an active arrow board including cones sat out.

It just never ends, in fact the number of incidents seems to be increasing. Or we are just seeing more and more stories then ever before. Because more is being reported. There are also numerous officers vehicles which have been struck as of late. Might need to start copying those over from Officer . com

I so want the names of these company vehicles in violation of Slow Down Move Over. I want to send their companies a copy of this video. In hopes they have a safety director that could review the danger with their drivers. It's bad enough that a 4 wheeler does not respect the emergency vehicle. But when a commercial driver does it, that uncalled for and call needs to be made to there company.

How can we as an industry get this word out to trucking companies so they are fully aware of our dangers and their drivers are a contributing factor?

I Created this topic in June of 2008:

I find that even though many lump AAA as being one organization it is actually made up of many different clubs. AAA National does not dictate what they pay service providers, is that an accurate statement?

Fairway said:

I'm not sure on that one Ron. But, having been contracted with two different clubs, I have experienced great differences first hand. The one club paid bonus for eta's, paid a decent fuel surcharge, paid extra money for go-jacks/skates/dollies, even paid an extra $4.00 to jump a car instead of tow it, also an extra $1.00 per call for using their digital dispatch. The other club is still way behind, no extra money other than the base rate plus miles. No extra money for special equipment or extra labor, they don't even have direct deposit yet.

ctmodern said:

I know of two clubs in the north east that pay completely different rates, i think that would be proof of your statement. by the way i'm a back-up provider for the higher paying one and still can not afford to do run their calls. just have not made the official phone call yet.

unknown member said:

I am not sure if AAA National has anything to do with rates or not. I do know that there were over 50 different AAA Clubs when I started here a year ago. I do know that some fo the smaller clubs have consolidated with the larger clubs recently. For instance AAA Northeast consolidated with ACSC (Automobile Club Southern Cal), CSAA (Cali state Automobile Assn) has consolidated with clubs in montana, utah, arizona, and colorado recently. As far as I know each club is independent of the others. Thats how some clubs will tow anything and others are sticklers to the rules.

Auto Rescue said:

It seems accurate to me but then again I assure you that they made sure I have no idea what I'm talking about when referring to them
 

cdntowguy said:

Working for the little brother up here(CAA) my club pays a differnt pay scale depending on where you are in the area( we have a very large part of a very large province)-
I dont believe the national office dictates what rates to pay.
But I do believe they dictate what kind of service has to be provided, and sets the standards that has to be met.(AAA sets the minimum standards)
Each club is separate and distinct from each other but are working under the "umbrella" of the national organization.
Steve

This Topic was created by Orcas Tow on Tow411 in 2007:

There has to be some tow companies that are primary contractors (without garages) that make it work for them, when a driver is in an accident & requests a AAA tow I understand it actually will be billed to the car insurance at a retail rate, what are some other perks along these lines, also what about product discounts & bonuses, are they enough to figure into the low hook & mileage?

Fairway said:

Each club has different "perks". When I was with Mid-Atlantic, they had a bonus program which was based on eta and customer satisfaction and I did pretty good with it (the bonus check covered my truck pymt). I also got an extra year warranty on my Jerr-dan through AAA. Now I'm with Central-Penn and they don't have any type of bonus or incentive programs. Although thier rates are substantially higher than Mid-Atlantics. As far as the accident tows through AAA, I try to bill them through the members insurance at least 90% of the time, although in the most recent AAA newsletter I receieved there was a section stating that if you encounter a member whether it was dispatched through AAA, police, or they flagged you down you are obligated to take their membership as payment and are not allowed to charge them as a retail customer, if you do charge them and the member notifies AAA then you will see that money taken out of your next check.

LAMB Towing said:

When I was a primary provider for AAA, AW Direct gave a 10% discount to, I assumed, all AAA providers. They even used to print a special AAA catalog featuring a AAA wrecker on the cover and they'd sell you flourescent gloves and vests with the AAA logo. I'm sure they still do. But now that I'm a 3,000? or 5,000? Level Provider for AAA (means I'm a back-up but they pay me my rates...see what can happen if you stand your ground with them?), AW Direct doesn't offer me the discount anymore or send me the AAA catalog. I thought that was a pretty good discount because it basically paid for the shipping. But AW Direct has cut me off. Guess I'm not as good of a customer now since I still work for AAA, but don't settle for their low rates.

Auto Rescue said:

Accidents and DWI/impounds aside I see no real perks being a service provider other than brand association this after 27 years service to them.

If I was on an island I don't think I would be inclined to still be linked with them. But, you never really know until you try it and you are not required to work a wreck for motor club rates unless the member has no other insurance overages. That just does not happen very often at least around here but every area could be different.

When you do work one under 3a they have a higher rate for that but you have to notify them and give them an accident number as well as additional services you performed.

There seems to be a lot of providers that do not know all that they are entitled to most likely because the field rep did not take the time to explain or the services were provided at basic rates once and then every time after that and you know then that the company is not going to audit and pay more in most cases however I have been paid more with more than a few calls that I did not bill out correctly.

cdntowguy said:

CAA has several insurance brokers who have a program exclusive to CAA contractors.
GMC, Ford, & Chrysler all offer "fleet" discount to CAA providers.
Check the AAA biz website for more offers to U.S. contractors.
Steve

unknown member said:

There are alot of perks...We have a truck outfitting dept. We have a service dept there are equipment deals discounts on nextel, insurance. Deals thru Cintas uniform the list is long.It is what you make of it. If you want to talk with a provider who has done well Give Earl Arnold in Frederick Md ant 40 west towing a call. He has been with them along time and has a large fleet of trucks.He is the sole provider for frederick county Md.

@Orcas Tow @Lamb Towing @auto rescue @cdntowguy

Image of the FHP Patrol Car Following the incident.

Sounds great, the challenge is for recoveries. Save some really good general hook ups and later this year will do something with loading roll calls, carriers and tilt trays.

Interesting, I placed this is the list as a light duty entry. However, I need a truck hooked up to the bike in the images to qualify. it seems that isn't stated in the rules. We wanted few rules.

Likely one of the bots found your post associated with the name and/or email in your account. If you want to opt out of that, then I can turn it off on your account. It's an app we're using and just one of the new features credited to the New Force in the Towing Industry. Just something we're trying out. You'll find this kind of thing all over the board along with feeds from websites, blogs, youtube, etc.

@ChuckTWT

How to Enter to Win:

Each Light Duty Recovery Topic a member creates from July 1, 2019 to October 1, 2019

which includes a minimum of 4 images and a minimum of one paragraph narrative describing

the recovery and even what equipment equipment was used will be entered into this drawing.

The more topics a member creates the better their odds are of winning. Yes, you can stack the deck

Towing & Recovery Topics which lead to constructive discussion were the norm for many years

on social media as relates to the message board. On other forms of social media today there are

images without a narrative or even a dialog. The dialog we do see is reminiscent of the early days of Tow41. Today, we seek to bring back constructive discussion and also avoid the good job type responses the members complained about in the early days of the Towing Information Network.

Topics can be created in Light Duty & Carrier Recoveries. These need to be actual recoveries and not just regular hooks or what is on the truck type images. Those can be posted in Light Duty & Carrier Towing, these are Recoveries.

Here is a Bonus for those who will be participating:

Simply add a reply in this topic and receive an additional entry with your first recovery topic.

TowForce reserves the right to extend this promotion through 100 entries. Thanks

1) Orcas Tow  - Narrow Road Recovery

2) ESC  - Motorcycle on top of a car

3) dperone  - 2 Car in the Woods

4) Orcas Tow  - 32' travel trailer disconnect

5) ESC  - Fishing for a pickup

6) Mooresbp  - On a culvert

7) Orcas Tow  - Bring the small truck he said

8> Orcas Tow  - 15k pin puller on steep narrow driveway

9) Orcas Tow  - Making use of what's available

10) Orcas Tow  - Tractor down on nasty driveway

11) dperone  - Hot & Sweaty Chevy on Chevy Action

12) Orcas Tow   - Scooby Doo almost into house.

13) dperone  - New Car + DUI= Another New Car

14) Orcas Tow  - Teetering with propane tanks below.

15) dperone  - Hard Hit in the Woods

16) dperone   - Another One in the Woods

17) dperone   - Holmes Tree to the Rescue

18) ESC -  - Dodge Ram off the roadway- Driver took a nap

19) Orcas Tow  - A rare 2 trucker

20) dperone - Pole Dancing Gone Wrong

21)  ESC -  - Honda Pilot overturned

22) dperone - They Don't Make Them Like They Used To

24) ESC -  - Overturned Explorer at 6 am

25) ESC -  - Ford Ranger off the road

26) ESC -  - BMW in a culvert

27) dperone - The Wrong Way to Launch a Boat

28) Mooresbp  - On it's side

29) Orcas Tow  - Deep ditch diver

30)

Thank you MarcRowan, you are now number 3 in the drawing. The more qualifying recovery topics you create, the better your odds.

Oh, wait a minute I am being told that it's not longer politically correct and if we cannot give everyone a prize then don't do it.

In checking, their are no PC Police on TowForce. Not many grammar police either, that's Facebook. We know what you meant here.

Is anyone still having problems uploading images. KatKiller (Chris) is constantly working to make this community more user friendly. However, we know there are going to be issues which arise. A new bug occurred last week in the store. If you paid by card, it may not have gone through and the Patron/Sponsor status may not have shown. Let us know so we can fix it. Thanks

18 months into the new system and I now see life coming back.

Well we do see many more members from Tow411 returning.

Best of all we see many members we have never seen before.

A Semi Annual Rollcall will begin this Monday, I can hardly wait.

Waiting patiently for another Heavy Duty Recovery Entry. Hard to believe so few want a more than $1100 Light Bar. A decade ago and there would have been a dozen or two recoveries posted. It need not be a resent recovery as long as it has not been posted before then it qualifies.

Yes, it needs a minimum of 1 paragraph narrative. That can be taken from the invoice. Yes, I have had those who asked if a narrative was really necessary. When i suggested they copy the narrative from the invoice. The response is, we don't include a description or narrative in our invoice.