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On Aug. 26, 2019, Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) commemorated the production of the 750,000th vehicle built at its Cleveland, North Carolina truck manufacturing plant. Keys to the milestone vehicle — a Freightliner new Cascadia — were presented to representatives from United Parcel Service (UPS) during a ceremony at the facility.
“Over the past 30 years, our Cleveland plant has served as the foundation for our North American manufacturing operations and has been an integral part of our growth, innovation and leadership,” said Roger Nielsen, president and CEO, Daimler Trucks North America. “This production landmark demonstrates both customer acceptance of our solutions and the strength of our team. As we continue to evolve our product offerings and technologies, the Cleveland facility will remain a critical part of our strategy and success.”
“UPS celebrates this landmark achievement alongside DTNA as we accept the 750,000th truck produced by the Cleveland truck manufacturing plant,” says Carlton Rose, president of global fleet maintenance and engineering at UPS. “We applaud the efforts made by thousands of employees across UPS, DTNA, and Peach State Trucks Centers to bring this milestone to fruition. This accomplishment signifies our companies’ continued success as collaboration transforms technology and service defines the customer experience.”
Freightliner Trucks acquired the plant in 1989 and started producing the Freightliner Medium Conventional, a day cab truck model based on a Mercedes-Benz cabin mounted on an American chassis. Over the years, the product line-up at Cleveland has evolved as DTNA’s newest innovations entered the marketplace. Today, in addition to the marketing-leading Class 8 new Cascadia, the Cleveland plant also produces the Western Star 4700, 4900 and 5700XE truck models, and the Freightliner Coronado and Columbia for the right-hand drive Australian and New Zealand markets.
Since the first truck rolled off the line in Cleveland, DTNA has invested more than $350 million in the facility, including a recent $27 million investment to add a new logistics center with state-of-the-art technologies to support the company’s lean supply chain practices. More than 2,200 people are employed at the Cleveland facility, DTNA’s largest manufacturing plant in the U.S.
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Kenworth has expanded its online Body Builder Academy video library for its Kenworth T880 vocational leader with four new videos now available on the Kenworth Truck Co. YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/KenworthTruckCo).
The new additions to the Kenworth Body Builder Academy focus on remote PTO features and functionality overview, remote throttle and hardwired PTO controls, remote presets and interlocks, and programming remote PTO features.
The instructional Kenworth Body Builder Academy videos also offers six other videos focused on connectivity with Kenworth chassis systems, PTO functions, integration of electronics between body and truck, and optimization of the driver interface for body functions through switches and dash messaging.
The videos are also available on the Kenworth Essentials App, which can be downloaded to smartphones and tablets from the Apple Store or Google Play Store by searching on “Kenworth”.
“Kenworth continues to produce more videos to assist body builders in their equipment integration with the Kenworth T880’s electronic and chassis systems, and PTO functions. These videos are an excellent resource that are can be quickly accessed by body builders during that process,” said Kurt Swihart, Kenworth marketing director.
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There was a horrific incident in Milwaukee this past Monday involving a tractor–trailer and a flatbed tow truck. It was caught on a police squad’s dash cam. I felt physically sick as I watched the tow operator start to open his door, and then close it as he saw in his mirror, the tractor–trailer coming at him. My heart just about stopped and I prayed everyone would be okay. That easily could have been my husband or one of my employees in that truck.
It was not easy watching the video and then seeing how mangled the flatbed was. Thankfully, the tow operator — while sustaining injuries — will be able to recover. It will take time to recover from his bodily injuries, but I’m not so sure about the affect it could have on him mentally, let alone his family, coworkers and the towing industry.
The crash shows the clear and brutal reality of the dangers tow operators and first responders face each day. The police officer on scene could have been a victim as well. The truck driver, I believe, received a ticket for going too fast for conditions and inattentive driving. He and the passenger in his truck were okay. It totally could have had a different outcome for all involved.
A benefit is being planned for the tow operator. This reminded me of lyrics to the song, “We Are Family,” by the group Sister Sledge: “All of the people around us say, can they be that close? Just let me state for the record, we’re giving love in a family dose.”
My hope in all of this is that the motoring public will be more aware that these are real people working on the roadways who want to just safely do their job and go home at night to their families. Our plea is: Be attentive and just slow down.
Safe travels.
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Alabama tow operators organized a procession to honor operator Richard Wilson, 53, who died weeks from injuries sustained when he was hit by a vehicle July 29 on I-85 in Montgomery, Ala.
Wilson, who worked for Jacobs Towing, was hit while loading a vehicle on his tow truck at approximately 6:45 p.m. He died three weeks later.
The towing companies participating in the procession encourage motorists to slow down and move over for tow trucks on the roadside.
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John Dennehy, vice president of marketing, and Thomas Stencil, senior regional manager for North Central U.S., both of Eberspaecher Climate Control Systems, discuss the advancements with in-cab vehicle heating systems.
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A driver had broke down and had his truck towed to the dealer well the dealer was international dealer and they looked at the truck and diagnosed it to have a ...
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The International Towing Museum’s Annual Fundraising Auction will be held Saturday, October 12, 2018, during the Towing Museum Weekend, October 11-13, in Chattanooga, Tenn., in conjunction with the Tennessee Tow Show.
The auction is sponsored by Jerr-Dan Corporation and will feature generous donations from many industry individuals, associations, companies and organizations. The annual auction raises money for the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum (ITRHFM) which is a 501©3. Auction funds are used to further the mission of the ITRHFM as the only international museum serving the towing and recovery industry.
Donations must be received by September 20, 2019 to be included in printed donor recognition.
Click here for information on how to donate, or visit the museum’s website at internationaltowingmuseum.org and click 2019 Weekend.
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This “Any Time is Tow Time” slogan is lighted in amber and appears on the bumper of the 2018 Shine ‘n Star car carrier winner from Anytime Towing of Waynesville, N.C. The truck is a 2013 Ford F-650 with a Chevron 10 Series bed.
Additional custom work includes an 84-gallon fuel tank and serious lighting featuring approximately 100 LEDs all around the truck, a 21-inch LED light bar in the bumper, a custom LED tailboard, upgraded 72-inch Whelen light bar, four Whelen strobes in the grille, a lighted American flag at the base of the light pylon and custom strobe headlights.
This truck was featured on the cover and center spread of the Tow Times June 2019 issue.
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This four-wheel-drive 2019 Ford F-550 with a Kilar 15,000-lb. capacity, 19.5-foot deck is brand new to the fleet of King’s Towing & Recovery of Perry, Ohio. Owner and company president Terry Lawrence took this truck to Chris Nicastro of Sandusky Speedway Graphics of Sandusky, Ohio, who worked with Lawrence to create the vinyl lettering and decals that serve as a tribute to police, fire and towing.
Lawrence, who has been involved in law enforcement for over 20 years in addition to towing, is very pleased with the end-result, and proud to have this special truck bring attention to the work and sacrifice of these agencies who work together as a team for to serve the public.
King’s Towing & Recovery has ten trucks and performs light- to heavy-duty towing and recovery for Northeastern Ohio.
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In the television show What Would You Do?, hidden cameras are used as the show host observes and comments on how people behave when confronted with dilemmas that require them to either take action or just walk away and mind their own business. Various scenarios are created that force people to make split-second decisions such as people noticing a drunken valet trying to park cars, or a waitress being harassed by her boss.
One of my employees came into my office and said “I was almost going to be late to work this morning.” When I asked why he said, “I found a purse right in the middle of the road.”
I was like — huh?
He said he looked in the purse, found some papers with a phone number, called and left a message. He also found a company name and called the office and advised them of what he had found. They called the purse’s owner to let her know our driver had her purse. She called my employee back and said she and her husband were hiking on a local nature trail and she didn’t know her purse had been taken.
He met the lady, along with the police, and they found that one of the windows of her vehicle had been smashed. She said she had tucked her purse under the seat. While some papers and other items were still in the purse, her wallet was not.
The whole scenario reminded me of the television show, and I was proud of my employee and the decision he made to follow through with attempting to locate the purse’s owner. I know that if it was my purse I would appreciate that extra effort. A follow-up phone call from woman’s husband with a thank you also made my day.
Even in today’s world where cameras are everywhere, you know you’re being watched, and you’re faced with a dilemma, the question still remains — will you do the right thing?
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A tow operator in Detroit, Mich., was carjacked Friday, August 23, after he was called to a location by an individual requesting a tow.
The 43-year-old operator responded to the 17200 block of Freeland Street at approximately 2:15 a.m. where two suspects carjacked him at gunpoint and fled in the tow truck.
The suspects them rammed the truck into a check cashing business and entered the store, police said. It was not yet known if anything was taken from the business.
Police described the pair as a black male, approximately 35 years of age, 250 lbs. wearing dark shorts and armed with a revolver and a black male approximately 20 to 25 years of age, 190 lbs. wearing black clothing.
Detroit police ask anyone with information to contact them.
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Fort Saskatchewan, Canada, tow operator Calvin Finnegan’s story of how he was struck on Highway 2 on December 2, 2018 appears on Fortsaskonline.The operator was winching a vehicle stuck in the median when a semi-truck struck his tow truck and a second semi went into the median and hit Finnegan, who suffered fractured shoulder blades, a shattered arm, broken ribs, a punctured spleen and a collapsed lung. He has since been unable to work since and is focusing on recovery from his injuries.Today he spreads the word for motorists to exercise caution when passing tow truck operators.Read the entire story here.
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As with all safety when it comes to towing and recovering, dolly safety begins with proper
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In today's video, Darl and Mark use the 50-ton rotator to lift a contained refrigeration unit and move it on-site to another part of the farm. The rotator is used to lift ...
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A company had called us out to perform a container transfer because the chassis that the container happens to be on couldn't slide the tandems because the ...
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In today's video Trent Jr take the rotator and hooks up a tractor trailer to tow it back to the Loves Truck Stop Thanks for watching as always LIKE, COMMENT, ...
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For years, the towing industry has been adapting to changes caused by external forces but
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John Risch, sales manager for Bullet Proof Diesel, discusses EGR cooler technology, common system failures, and products available to address EGR cooler issues.
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My four-year-old niece was learning about symbols, so when I was in the car driving with her I would point out the golden arches and she would say, “McDonald’s.” Then we would stop at a stoplight and I would say, “red is for …” and she would say “stop.” Then I would say, “yellow is for …” and she would say “caution, slow down to stop.” “Green is for …” and she would fill in the blank with “go.”
So if my four-year-old niece knew the meaning of stoplight colors, why doesn’t the motoring public? It’s like there are no longer rules at stoplights. Motorists go through red, amber and green — and don’t slow down.
I’d also like to know why so many cars seem to have broken blinkers, and when they see an arrow board indicating the lane will be closed up ahead they speed through to the very end and then you’re supposed to let them in to your lane.
As long as I am venting, why do motorists feel they can pass on the right-side gravel shoulder of a two-lane road because the semi in front they’re following is not going fast enough for them?
Where is the courtesy necessary to assure safety on the roadways? Does that little extra time really get you there faster? Is it a wonder there are more incidents of road rage?
Sometimes can’t believe the stories my tow operators about how motorists’ act. With summer and higher temperatures, I’m hoping tow operators will keep a cool head when faced with jerk drivers.
And I know tow operators understand what a red stoplight means.
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Metro Tow Truck's RTR-25-SL Sliding & Rotating 31,000 lb Cat D3 Dozer
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Fourteen drivers from 11 Professional Wrecker Operators of Florida (PWOF) member companies donated their time and equipment to help move 32 antique horse-drawn carriages on Wednesday, July 25. PWOF Executive Director Mike Seamon and member Bob Cortes coordinated the move with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Department and additional local law enforcement.
Seminole County, Florida, resident Bill Nygren generously donated the collection to the Seminole County Historical Society to preserve the horse-drawn buggies, which date as far back as the late 1700s.
“The collection is a treasure of immense historical value to the citizens of Seminole County and the world from the earliest days of transportation,” said Seminole County Commissioner Jay Zembower.
Participating PWOF companies were: ARC Towing (Lakeland), Campus Towing (Deland), Cortes Towing Service (Longwood), Courtesy Towing (Longwood), Daytona Wrecker Service (Daytona), Elvis Towing (St. Petersburg), Frank’s Towing (Clearwater), Fryer’s Towing Service (Daytona Beach), Johnson’s Wrecker Service (Orlando), Stepp’s Towing Service (Orlando) and Tri-County Towing (Casselberry).
Watch our September issue for a photo-essay highlighting the day.
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Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) has created a new Customer Experience (CX) organization and named Paul Romanaggi as Chief CX Officer.
DTNA launched its CX transformation in 2017 with the creation of a Customer Experience Day. During the now-annual event, employees and customers from across North America are brought together to brainstorm solutions to embed customer experience into the DTNA organization and culture. As a result, new channels for customer engagement have been established and DTNA has developed a new metrics suite focused on processes directly linked to customer satisfaction.
The new CX organization will lead future transformative efforts across the DTNA business, including Freightliner, Western Star and Detroit Diesel for new truck sales, used truck acquisitions and aftermarket service. The group aligns multiple departments, including aftermarket Fleet Service, Warranty, Call Centers, Aftermarket Service Products, and Service Systems to provide streamlined customer communication and support.
Romanaggi is a 34-year veteran of the company who has served in numerous customer advocacy senior management roles, including parts, service, warranty, quality, production supply chain, logistics, PDI centers and new product launch/changeover. He will report to Stefan Kurschner, senior vice president of Aftermarket for DTNA.
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A driver had fallen asleep and when he woke up he was about to collide with construction crews so he had locked up his brakes and went off into the ditch and ...
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The driver of a Florida State Farm roadside assistance tow truck and a stranded motorist were involved in a crash on the Howard Franklin Bridge that joins St. Petersburg to Tampa.
Adam Lopez, 29, of Tampa had pulled over to assist a motorist with a disabled vehicle when the approaching driver of a tractor-trailer swerved to avoid the tow truck and disabled vehicle. Attempting to avoid a collision with a tractor-trailer, another vehicle swerved onto the bridge shoulder and struck the State Farm truck, which then struck the disabled vehicle. Both vehicles erupted into flames.
Lopez and a passenger in the disabled vehicle have been hospitalized with serious injuries.
The driver of the tractor-trailer did not stop at the scene. The Florida Highway Patrol asks anyone with information to call 813-559-1800.
A full report can be found on Patch St. Pete, Fla.
From TowTimes.com - The Tow Times Annual SourceBook Buyer’s Guide and More
in Marketing & Finance
Posted
The Tow Times September issue contains the industry’s best buyer’s guide to products, services, distributors, accessories and everything towing and recovery. Use it throughout the year as a handy reference.
This issue also features a Q&A with industry leaders on the top concerns in facing the towing industry, a federal mandate requiring a review of the nation’s move over laws, the importance of regular tow truck inspections, how the Professional Wrecker Operators of Florida transported over 30 antique buggies for renovation — and the recovery of a 95,000-lb., 155-foot long bridge beam in Missouri.
Find this and more in the Tow Times September issue
View the full article and more on TowTimes.com