TowNews

Concord police look for suspect accused of rear-ending tow truck driver, leaving scene CONCORD, N.C. — Concord police are asking for help finding and identifying the person accused of crashing into a tow truck, seriously hurting its driver, and then leaving the scene. Investigators said on Friday at about 11:30 p.m., officers were called to the crash on Concord Parkway North at the intersection of Florence Street Northwest. Police believe while a tow truck was stopped at the traffic light there, it was hit from behind by a black sedan. The truck’s driver, John Owen, left the vehicle and approached the suspect’s car. Officers said “some type of interaction” happened between Owen and the people inside the suspect’s car, and then the suspected driver started to leave the scene. The suspect drove around the tow truck, hitting Owen. Surveillance video shows Owen out of frame for about 45 seconds, but then video shows him being dragged about 50 feet up the road. The suspect’s car was last seen heading north on Concord Parkway. Owen was taken to a hospital in Charlotte where he is receiving treatment. Police released photos of the suspect’s car and the suspect. The photos were captured from surveillance video systems prior to the crash. Anyone who witnessed this crash or has information about the car and driver is asked to call Sergeant Clay Hall, Concord Police Department Public Safety Unit, at 704-920-5058 or email him at hallec@concordnc.gov. The public may also provide anonymous information to the Cabarrus Area Crime Stoppers by calling 704-93-CRIME. Resource Link

Man sentenced for attempted murder of tow truck driver in Adams County DENVER – A man who shot at a tow truck driver after his SUV was towed from his home was sentenced last week to seven years in prison, according to the district attorney’s office. Allen Davies, 35, pleaded guilty on late May to one count of attempted first-degree assault with a deadly weapon. He was sentenced last week to the prison term, which will be followed by three years of mandatory parole. According to police and prosecutors, he ended up going to the tow lot and found a different driver – not the person who towed his vehicle originally – who was inside his truck. The incident happened on June 7, 2021, when Davies called the company that had towed his vehicle and threatened to kill the tow truck driver if he didn’t get his Chevrolet Blazer back. Davies started yelling at the driver with a gun in his hand, eventually climbed onto the truck’s running board, and put a handgun to the driver’s neck, according to the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. But Davies got distracted by a cell phone ringing, at which time the driver was able to drive off and force Davies off the truck. But Davies fired at least one shot at the truck as it drove away, and deputies would later recover a .40-caliber shell at the scene. Investigators tracked the phone call made to the business back to Davies, and the tow truck driver picked Davies out of a photo lineup. Davies was sentenced on June 10 by an Adams County District Court judge. "This defendant thought that threatening the life of a tow driver who was doing his job would somehow get his vehicle back, but in the end, all it did was earn him a stint in prison,” 17th Judicial District Attorney Brian Mason said in a statement. Resource Link

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CONCORD, N.C. (WBTV) - Police in Concord are trying to find the driver of a car accused of hitting and then dragging a tow truck driver on the road near a busy gas station. On Friday night at approximately 11:31 p.m., Concord Police responded to a report of a hit and run traffic accident involving injuries at 1086 Concord Parkway North/US 29. The location is near the QT convenience store. Police said that a towing vehicle from LeBleus Towing Service in Concord was stopped at the traffic light at the intersection of US 29 and Florence Street NW when that vehicle was struck from behind by a black four-door sedan. The towing service was not performing any duties at the time of the accident, police said. The driver of the tow truck got out of his vehicle and walked back toward the suspect vehicle. Police said some type of interaction occurred, and that the driver of the suspect vehicle went around the tow truck, striking the tow truck driver, then drove northbound on US 29. “We’ve been told that the people pulled a gun on him and laid him on the hood,” said Jeremy Goode, owner of LeBlues Towing. “When he bent over the hood they took off, drug him about 50 feet down the road, ran over the top of him and just kept going.” The driver of the tow truck was initially transported to Atrium Cabarrus as a result of injuries sustained from the suspect vehicle striking him, and was later transported to Atrium Main. “He is in ICU, he’s starting to come around, he’s starting to remember, he’s starting to talk a little bit. He’s not out of the woods by no means, but he is doing a lot better than he was,” Goode said. Police are continuing to investigate. Anyone with information is asked to contact Concord Police at 704-920-5000. Resource Link

Tow truck operators will be allowed to use blue lights to increase their visibility and safety while working on Alberta highways. Effective June 30, the one-year pilot project will allow the optional use of blue lights on tow trucks. Additional consideration is also being given to include snowplow operators in the pilot this fall. These changes are in addition to new rules to protect highway workers under the Traffic Safety Amendment Act. Starting spring 2023, all motorists travelling in the same direction on multi-lane highways will need to slow down to at least 60 km/h and allow one lane of space, where possible, when passing stopped emergency vehicles, tow trucks and roadside workers’ vehicles when their lights are flashing. Motorists travelling in both directions on single-lane highways will be required to slow down when passing roadside vehicles and workers. Quick facts Since December 2019, the Alberta Motor Association reports there have been at least 36 near misses and 14 serious roadside incidents involving Alberta tow trucks and passing vehicles. Between March 2018 and March 2021, there were 128 collisions involving snowplows contracted by Alberta Transportation. Alberta Transportation is working with the University of Alberta to research possible light configuration changes for snowplows. Private Member’s Bill 207, the Traffic Safety (Tow Truck Warning Lamps) Amendment Act, to allow blue lights on tow trucks was introduced in the Alberta legislature on April 28. https://lacombeonline.com/articles/you-may-be-seeing-blue-lights-on-tow-trucks

ANGOLA — On Wednesday Bill’s Professional Towing and Repair celebrated the grand opening of its new location at 2765 W. Maumee St. Teamed up with JICI Construction, Bill’s Professional Towing Co. has been working toward the goal of building its new location for the last five to six years. Bill’s started by owner Bill McClanahan in 1977 in Orland celebrated 45 years in May. “I married Tina in February and we opened in May. I am grateful I married my best friend,” said McClanahan. McClanahan and his wife Faustina McClanahan began their business in Orland. McClanahan was born and raised in Orland but the couple now lives near Fremont. “I love Angola with all my heart. But Orland will forever be my home. I never forget where I came from” said McClanahan. They have three children Bobby McClanahan, Becky Kjendalen and Ashley McClanahan. Becky’s husband, Eric, along with her sister, Ashley, assist their father in running the company. McClanahan’s father Willie McClanahan originally owned Willie’s Auto Parts in Orland and was a major part of how Bill got into the auto service industry. McClanahan honors his late father’s legacy in many ways. He has his Willie’s Auto Part’s original sign hanging on the wall of his new shop along with Willie’s final service jackets. He even bought back his father Willie’s very last tow truck and repaired it to like-new condition. McClanahan has his own bay at the front of the shop called, “Bill’s Bay.” “It’s so I can help train the next generation,” said McClanahan. “Those kids help me as much as I help them.” Bill’s Professional Towing and Repair currently has 35 full-time employees and 17 trucks in the fleet. When McClanahan hires new employees he gives them his philosophy. “The good Lord always comes first, my employees and their families comes next and our customers fall closely behind,” said McClanahan. They proudly serve communities in Angola, Fremont, Orland, Hamilton, Pleasant Lake, Ashley, Hudson, LaGrange, Mongo, Wolcottville, Bronson, Auburn, Coldwater, Kendallville and Garrett. “It’s a priceless community we are in,” said McClanahan. “We are very blessed to be a part of Steuben County. McClanahan is one of the longest supporters of the Orland Kids League. He also coached both softball and baseball in Orland for many years. He was on the Orland Fire Department for 35 years and was deputy chief for 27 of those years. “I am very proud to say we are living the American dream. We started with nothing,” McClanahan said. “I had a lot of people that gave me work in the beginning to keep us busy in the early days. I thank God for my community and the village that raised me.” Resource Link

Tow truck helping with rollover hit by San Antonio police officer responding to call, department says While traffic was blocked, SAPD said the officer responding to the incident was driving at high speeds over a hill when they crashed into the tow truck. SAN ANTONIO — A tow truck helping with a rollover was hit by a San Antonio Police Department officer responding to the call, authorities say. The crash happened around 3:40 a.m. on Thursday at Northwest Loop 410 near Rolling Ridge. Police said a driver and his son were helping render aid to two adults and a child who were involved in a rollover. The tow truck, which was coming from another car accident, stopped and blocked traffic to help with the rollover. While traffic was blocked, SAPD said the officer responding to the incident was driving at high speeds over a hill when they crashed into the tow truck. Several people were evaluated for injuries, but everyone is reportedly expected to be okay. Authorities said they will investigate the officer crash.

Greg Prunty, 68, owner of Barberton Speedway and Greg's Towing, dies of rare cancer Greg Prunty, owner of Greg’s Towing and Barberton Speedway, died Sunday while battling a cancer that had eluded detection as his health declined, family members said this week. The 68-year-old businessman, one of 11 siblings and a father of two, had been showing symptoms for several weeks, said his daughter, Brittany Prunty, on Monday. “He had some confusion, some vision trouble,” she said. “He was very off balance [and] he was falling.” Sue Young of Stow, a younger sister of Prunty, said the symptoms started earlier this year and gradually worsened. “He had been stumbling and stuttering for several months,” she said. “About four weeks ago, he fell again.” By Tuesday, Brittany Prunty said when she visited, he would begin a story and lose his train of thought. Still, it took two lumbar punctures to determine his illness, which the family learned about in his final hours. “They found that it was lymphoma of the brain stem,” his daughter said. “It took them the entire time he was there … By the time they could get around to diagnosing him, he wasn’t responding to medication.” On Sunday, Brittany Prunty was called down to the hospital as her father’s condition declined. “It happened very fast,” she said. “Around 3:30 p.m. Sunday, I got the call to come down. ...He passed at 6:49 p.m.” Family members and Prunty’s businesses announced the loss on Facebook, and hundreds of condolences followed within hours. Responses poured out for man who had made a lasting impression with his generosity and commitment to his work and employees. “My phone has been going nonstop,” his daughter said. A lifetime of hard work Prunty started working at the family business early in life, his daughter said. One of 11 children, he felt the need to pull his own weight while still in elementary school. “He started around 6th or 7th grade,” she said. “He needed to help the family with bills and things [and] helped my grandpa and turned it into his own business. He was young and he has done nothing but work ever since.” Sue Young said her brother was about a year older than her, and the 11 siblings, though spread out from Alaska to Louisiana, remain on good terms with Greg Prunty and each other. Brittany Prunty said her father was old-school when it came to expressing his emotions, keeping them behind a sometimes gruff outer shell. Their father-daughter relationship had its ups and downs, but when he became a grandfather, he softened. “When I started my family… he let us know … he would never say it, but he was proud,” she said. “You could feel his love.” Three of Prunty’s closest male relatives have hemophilia, and the racetrack owner held demolition derbies at the speedway — even before he owned it — to raise money for Akron Children’s Hospital toward that cause, Sue Young said. Prunty’s daughter said she remembers a night that demonstrated the changes in her father. “During the last few months, we really started a good relationship,” she said. “After the races one night he took me and my boyfriend and friends out to a bar. He came with us and it was funny to see him with all my friends.” 'He'd give you the shirt off his back' During his long career, Prunty crossed paths with legions of people in law enforcement, towing and the track racing community. He was a president of The Ohio Towing Recovery Association and served on the Towing Review Board for Akron during his long career. “He loved what he did,” said his daughter. “He loved absolutely every second of it, whether it be towing or going racing.” Over the years, strong friendships developed with his employees and friends. “He loved what he did; he loved the people that had worked for him,” she said “The respect was always there. They have grown to be our family.” Sue Young said her brother was a generous man who helped those in need. “He’d give you the shirt off his back without thinking twice about it,” she said. Buying the Barberton Speedway In January 2020, Prunty and a partner were poised to buy the 27-acre Barberton Speedway, expecting the deal to be finalized in mid-February. But closing the deal lagged, and in March, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The deal fell through, and Prunty’s partner stepped away from the purchase. By June, Prunty was on his own, moving forward with an agreement that made him the sole owner of the Norton racetrack. He struck a deal with Summit County Public Health to limit attendance to stay open and carried on with racing and plans to add other events, like concerts, in the future. Brittany Prunty said his purchase of the speedway and commitment to its success was very much in character. “He just kind of went for it,” she said. “Next thing we knew, he owned a racetrack.” She said her appreciation for racing grew out of her dad’s love of the sport. He had owned a stock car and was a driver for a time. If he hadn’t introduced her to it, she said, it’s unlikely she would have followed it on her own, Young said her brother tried to broaden the stock car racing audience and develop new racing fans as owner of the Barberton Speedway. Saturday, the day of Prunty’s funeral, is kids’ night at the track. “He gives bikes away once or twice a year at the track, and usually out of his own pocket,” Young said. Brittany Prunty said the family was overwhelmed with details and the response to her father’s death and hadn’t decided how her father’s businesses would continue. “The goal is to keep the doors open and keep it in the family,” she said. 'He wouldn't have known how to retire' Visiting hours for Prunty are Friday from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. and Saturday 10 to 11 a.m. at Prentice Funeral Home on Kenmore Boulevard. His funeral will take place Saturday, and a tow-truck procession is planned, starting at 11 a.m., with trucks lining up at 10 a.m. Young said the family is suggesting donations to the National Hemophilia Foundation and the American Diabetes Association. Brittany Prunty said her father had talked about retiring, but it was just talk. “He wouldn’t have known how to retire,” she said. Two days after he died, she was still processing what had happened. “We all had plans for him to come home,” she said. “When he took it over on his own, he wanted to turn the racetrack into a family affair,” she said. Resource Link

BMW's Do Not Float!

CHIPLEY TOW TRUCK VIGIL

The incident occured back in March. FOX31 Denver Michael Fuchs said he was placing warning stickers on cars at the Robinwood Condominiums in March when a driver took exception to his job.

Man killed in I-24 West five-car crash NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A man is dead following a fatal car crash on I-24 west Sunday night. Metro police report that a Dodge Ram tow truck was driving in the far right lane around 9:30 p.m. when the driver of a 2001 BMW Z3 was attempting to pass the truck. The BMW driver was driving at a high speed and hit the passenger side of the tow truck before rolling over on the shoulder of the highway. The Dodge tow truck then struck a Honda Ridgeline which rear-ended a Nissan Maxima. The tow truck continued to move forward to the left side of the roadway and hit the front of a Toyota Highlander. Following the accident, the 37-year-old BMW driver was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. The Medical Examiner's Office is working to identify the driver. No other occupants were transported to the hospital. Police report that there were no signs of impairment at the scene with any of the drivers. Resource Link

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis man is behind bars for allegedly shooting at a tow truck driver who was working to repossess his car in Parkway Village. The incident happened June 2 in the 4600 block of Knight Arnold, where a man reported he attempted to repossess a 2008 Lexus LS460 for B&C Towing. The victim said a man armed with a gun was standing near his tow truck, according to an affidavit. Without warning, detectives say the car’s owner, Adarius Green, came out with a gun and fired one shot toward’s the tow truck driver. The driver was not hit. He said he heard one shot, and the tow truck was hit in the rear. Police say Green then hopped into his Lexus and fled. However, police didn’t have a hard time finding him after that. It didn’t take police long to track down Green as it was equipped with a tracking device that led officers to Airways Blvd and Pecan Circle. An officer saw the suspect, identified as Adarius Green, standing near the Lexus and ordered him to get on the ground. After an officer tried to get him to surrender, police say he fled on foot. After a short foot chase, Green was detained on Charjean Road. Neighbors in the area say they saw Green hiding behind a home before police also made the discovery. Police found a gun under the driver’s seat of the Lexus, according to the affidavit. Green has prior felony convictions, records show. He’s now charged with Aggravated Assault, Convicted Felon in Possession of a Handgun, and Evading Arrest. Green is now charged with aggravated assault, evading arrest and being a felon in possession of a gun. Image from 2016: "This is What "Gangsta, Dope, Guns & The System Can Do" LIl Tuddy be Headed Back Now! If you can save just one childs life from the Gangs "Do It". That could be more than one life you save. Image from 2018 prior to losing his Gandma at age 97, After that it appears his life went downhill. Society has always had these issues. But, more and more it seems that those who work on the streets have to take more precautions to reduce the risk of injury either from this type of attack or one involving a vehicle. Stay Safe, we'll all be both carrying protection and wearing protection. News Story from multiple scources. If anyone knows who the Tow Truck Operator that was involved in this incident let us know. You do not need to add the drivers name as the story omited that information. Repo Work is Dangerous, though it can no longer be said to be quite as dangerous on a regular Interstate Work with vehicles Bussing by at high speeds.

Margate Saps is investigating a case of reckless and negligent driving after a silver Ford Ranger tow truck overturned on the Seaslopes Road in Manaba during the early hours of Friday, June 3. Police spokesperson Captain Petros Mpinge said two men were injured in the accident and taken by ambulance to hospital. The cause of the accident is yet to be established.

As reckless driver gets 4.5 years for killing Fairfield tow truck operator; family pushes for better enforcement of ‘Move Over’ law BRIDGEPORT — Immediately after a father of two was sentenced to prison for recklessly killing a Fairfield tow truck driver with his car, the victim’s family made a plea on the courthouse steps Thursday for tougher enforcement of the “Move Over” law. “The death of my brother was tragic and avoidable. When Corey died, everybody was shocked,” Cindy Iodice told reporters and camera crews outside Bridgeport Superior Court. “Eleven days ago, Chris Russell, a tow operator in North Haven, was struck and killed. It outraged the community that this could happen again.” Cindy Iodice, accompanied by safety advocates and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, said traumatic deaths like those of Iodice and Russell are far too common — and all because so many highway drivers are ignoring basic safety laws. After her brother was killed along a highway in Trumbull while helping a motorist in 2020, Cindy Iodice founded Flagman, a nonprofit working to establish national public awareness and education campaigns to reduce struck-by-vehicle injuries and fatalities nationwide. The organization held the press conference to emphasize that Dean Robert had just minutes earlier become the first driver punished with a $10,000 fine under Connecticut’s Move Over law, which was passed in 2009. The main penalty — 10.5 years in prison, suspended after 4.5 years — was for Robert’s guilty plea to second-degree manslaughter, driving under the influence and reckless driving. The Iodice family, which runs a third-generation towing business in Fairfield, was devastated when Corey, 58, was killed by Robert’s speeding BMW, relatives said. They’ve followed the prosecution of Robert and had long been preparing to address the court at his sentencing on Thursday. But on May 21, they were stunned along with the rest of Connecticut’s towing community when a car hit and killed Russell, a 38-year-old tow truck trying to help a stranded motorist along I-91 in North Haven. Several tow drivers and safety advocates lamented that Iodice’s death hadn’t changed motorists’ behavior. “Too often we witness flagrant disregard for safety when drivers are reckless on our roadways, distracted, under the influence, over tired and, most egregiously, with negligent indifference,” Chief Denis McCarthy of the Fairfield Fire Department told reporters. Iodice, a longtime driver for his family’s Fairfield-based towing business, had stopped near exit 47 of the Meritt Parkway in Trumbull to help a disabled motorist. He was standing on the back of his truck preparing to move the sedan onto the flatbed when Robert’s speeding, out-of-control car hit two other cars, then careened up the flatbed ramp and slammed into Iodice, according to police. The crash knocked Iodice’s truck onto its side, and threw Iodice more than 30 feet. Robert’s car landed on its roof more than 100 feet away. Prosecutors said in court Thursday that Robert had been driving 86 to 93 mph in afternoon rush hour traffic and that a test three hours after the crash put his blood alcohol content level at 0.099. The legal limit is 0.08. In court Thursday, Chris Iodice told Judge Tracy Dayton that Robert deserved a stiff sentence for killing his brother. “I can’t imagine the fear or the pain my brother went through in those last seconds,” he said. “I am angry and full of so much sadness. Nothing about that day was an accident.” Glaring toward the defense table, he told Robert, “You chose to go drive recklessly. You had absolutely no regard for anybody else on the road that day.” Robert faced the Iodice family for several minutes and wept as he delivered a lengthy apology, conceding he was entirely at fault. “My actions were reckless, senseless ... unacceptable,” he said. “I have no excuses for what I did. None. Every day I put myself in your shoes.” Relatives, a friend and his minister all offered support for Robert, describing him as a community volunteer in Weston, and a dedicated father and husband with no criminal record. They said that drinking and reckless driving were out of character for him. “There are absolutely no winners here. This is terrible,” Judge Dayton said. “He did not intend to kill anybody that day. That doesn’t change anything for the victim’s family.” Afterward, Cindy Iodice said her family’s goal is to make drivers more aware of the need to obey Move Over laws — and to get police to beef up enforcement. Adopted in 2009, Connecticut’s Move Over law requires motorists to slow and — if safe — shift lanes to leave a buffer once they see a stopped police car, fire truck, ambulance, state highway truck, tow truck or utility crew on the road or shoulder. Blumenthal said he will talk with the federal transportation department about how to strengthen state Move Over laws, and to determine if federal legislation is feasible. “This is something that can literally save lives,” he said. Resource Link

A Member just pm'ed me and asked the question "Is It Worth It?" This is member, yes I have their permission it put the question out there. This member remembers the old days of Tow411 when members chimed in and gave feedback to topics. I stated that social media has not been the same for several years. More Read than Respond, it takes time to turn that around and participation is returning as the quality of topics blow the other options for TowNews away. So, I ask you "Is It Worth It?" to continue to search out Towing Related News Stories and why are there fewer responses then in the days of Tow411. This is not an oridinary website, this is a Message Board this is interactive. Traffic is High, Quality is HIgh, Participation is Lacking it seems. Is It of Value to continue posting Towing Industry News?

LAKE GEORGE | Massive tow trucks that can lift up to 130,000 pounds, but are pampered as meticulously as a beauty pageant contestant, will be on display during the 38th annual Eastern States Towing & Recovery Association convention this weekend in Lake George Village. Dozens of tow trucks of all sizes— bedecked with custom lighting, chrome, engine detailing and luminescent paint — will be on view from Friday, June 3 through Sunday, June 5 in the Festival Commons of the Charles R. Wood Park. Thousands of people from across the Northeast U.S. are expected to be drawn to Lake George to see the tow trucks on display. A principal event of the convention is ESTRA’s “Beauty Contest” in which several dozen towing and recovery entrepreneurs compete for how they have customized their truck and prepared it for the show. The convention also offers networking for the hundreds of tow truck operators registered to attend, as well as seminars on specialized towing techniques, new equipment and safety-related topics. Saturday evening at dusk, a tow truck lighting show and contest is to occur on the Festival Commons, and the public is invited to witness the spectacle. “It’s amazing to see what our guys can do with their custom lighting,” ESTRA President Bob Gorman said May 25. Food, beer and truck accessory vendors will be on-site through the weekend, he said. There's no charge to attend ESTRA's "Tow Show," but people will be asked to give their name and phone number at the Festival Commons gate in case contact tracing is necessary. To save time, people can register in advance at: www.estrany.org, he said. Gorman added that his organization’s members enjoy their annual getaway in Lake George. “Lake George is family-friendly, and there are restaurants, breweries and shops within walking distance — there’s something for everybody in the village,” he said, noting the varied recreational activities. “It’s hectic in our field, so it’s nice to get away and get near the water and relax,” Gorman added. Resource Link

A tow truck sparked a major fire east of La Grange Tuesday morning, May 31. The fire happened along SH 71 near Mueller Feed at the old Frank’s Auto Repair property. Workers at the scene told the Record they were trying to start the engine of a tow truck when it either backfired or sparked, igniting some dry grass under the vehicle. Resource Link

May 27, 2022 Research firm’s analysts say they are less confident that supply chain issues will subside enough for truck makers to fully meet customer demand this year and into 2023. Meanwhile, used truck sales took a tumble in April, ACT also reported. Scott Achelpohl Semiconductor shortages are still interfering with efforts by OEMs to manufacture enough trucks to fulfill customer order commitments—and truck makers may not be able to meet demand until well into next year, ACT Research reported in the latest release of its Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest. “Recent commentary from leaders in the semiconductor industry point to a more cautious outlook for longer,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s president and senior analyst. “ASML, a key supplier of semiconductor production equipment, recently called out a ‘significant shortage of semiconductor manufacturing capacity this year and next.’ In light of this and other industry commentary, we believe lower-for-longer chip availability is likely to restrain the industry’s ability to meet otherwise-strong customer demand.” The ACT commercial vehicle dealer report, which combines ACT’s proprietary analysis from a variety of industry sources, paints a comprehensive picture of trends impacting transportation and commercial vehicle markets. The monthly report includes a high-level forecast summary, complete with transportation insights for use by commercial vehicle dealer executives, reviewing top-level considerations such as for-hire indices, freight, heavy and medium duty segments, the total U.S. trailer market, used truck sales information, and a review of the U.S. macro economy, according to ACT. Vieth noted that half the global supply of neon, which is a critical material in chip production, is concentrated in Odessa, Ukraine, where manufacturing has been shut down since February because of the run-up to and eventual invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces. “The gases that were purified in Ukraine were generated by Russian steel manufacturers. A scramble to re-source is on and inventories are limited,” he also noted. But ACT does continue to expect higher build, despite these production challenges. Asked why, Vieth said, “Carrier profitability is robust, [and] we expect any recession to be shallow and short-lived at this point, and our Class 8 models are indicating pent-up demand, as well as prebuying potential in advance of [the California Air Resources Board’s] costly Clean Truck mandate.” Used Class 8 sales volumes, average price down Normally, when new commercial vehicle manufacturing and deliveries are constrained (as they have been for many months), used truck sales are higher. That wasn’t the case in April, when retail sales of the heaviest used trucks declined along with their average price, ACT reported May 26 in an update of another report, the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks. Used Class 8 retail volumes (same dealer sales) were 24% lower month-over-month in April. Longer term, volumes are down 40% year-over-year, ACT also reported. Average prices were down 1% in April compared to March, but used trucks were 75% more expensive than last April. Average miles and age were up slightly from March, at plus 3% and plus 4%, respectively, with miles up 6% year-over-year and age 7% higher than last April. “Same dealer retail sales of used Class 8 trucks took a bit of a tumble in April. While normal seasonality predicted an 8% decline, lumpy new truck sales and the lack of used truck inventory are the more likely culprits in April’s slowing,” said Steve Tam, VP at ACT Research. He continued, “Waning April new truck sales portend more weakness ahead in the secondary market, though March’s uptick has yet to make its way through the inventory maze. The April deficit marks the 10th straight month of shrinking year-over-year sales, which have been hamstrung by the curtailed flow of units into used truck inventory. A peek ahead at near-term expectations suggests sales are usually below average in May, then return to normal in June and July before picking up in August.” Asked about the supply chain impact on the U.S. used truck market, Tam added, “While the OEMs aspire to higher new truck production and sales, which would presumably benefit the used truck market, the relief they seek on the supply chain front has proven elusive.” About current demand, he added: “Inflation persists in taking its toll on consumer confidence and spending. While the spot-freight markets have borne the brunt of the initial slowing, contract markets are not expected to escape unscathed. Collectively, lower demand for trucks at the same time capacity additions are still occurring are having the predicted and understandable effect of driving prices for both freight hauling and used trucks lower.” Resource Link

Connecticut tow truck operators will be prohibited from requiring motorists to sign an agreement for storage before the towing job is complete, under a law signed by Gov. Ned Lamont on Tuesday. As proposed, the legislation, Senate Bill 332, would have allowed operators to require a storage agreement of up to 24 hours as part of the tow job. SB 332 was amended to restrict wrecker operators from requiring motorists to sign agreements for storage of any duration. Proponents, including insurance industry representatives, said the bill was designed to protect consumers from being coerced into signing a contract as a condition of getting their vehicle towed. The original bill had been criticized as an attempt to give insurers a 24-hour window to pressure their customers to bring their damaged vehicles to a direct repair program (DRP) facility. The bill was also amended to make clear that the prohibitions “do not limit the owner and the wrecker from entering into contracts after the tow job is complete.” The new law, an amendment of Section 14-66(b) of Chapter 246, regulating tow truck operators, will take effect Oct. 1, 2022. Existing law already prohibits tow truck operators from requiring vehicle owners to sign a repair contract before towing, or a repair order or authorization to estimate repairs until the tow job is complete. The amended bill was approved by the House and Senate in votes of 149-0 and 36-0, respectively. During a March 9 public hearing before the joint Transportation Committee, attorney Peter Bowman said the bill was “simply a blatant attempt by the insurance industry to circumvent the anti-steering law that has been on the books for decades in Connecticut.” Bowman argued that the bill conflicted with Section 38A-354 of the state’s general statutes, which guarantees consumers the right to be able to choose where their vehicle will be repaired. “The consumer, if they can’t have the car touched for 24 hours, now has an extra day of rental, an extra day of storage, and really for no purpose, because there is no public screaming for this bill,” Bowman said. Brooke Foley, general counsel for the Insurance Association of Connecticut (IAC), said during the same public hearing that AIC was requesting a change in the language of SB 332 “to prohibit a tow vendor from requesting a vehicle owner to sign anything, whether a consent to tow or a repair order, at the scene of an accident or within 24 hours of an accident.” Foley said it’s “common” for collision repair shops, under such contracts, “to begin repairs on a vehicle in many cases that’s an obvious total loss. Frequently, the repairs include scans which are completely unnecessary.” The Transportation Committee approved the bill in a 25-10 roll call vote on March 24, although at least two committee members agreed that the language would need more work when it reaches the assembly floor. The Towing and Recovery Professionals of Connecticut did not testify on SB 332 as filed but objected to a similar bill, SB 921, filed last year. That bill, which also would have allowed tow truck operators to require up to 24 hours of storage, failed to make it out of committee. SB 332, as filed, had written support from AIC and the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, and was opposed by the owner of Farmington Motor Sports, an auto repair and towing business located in Farmington. Resource Link