rreschran

Just for fun ... may I ask how you handled the over-hang issue ... with a permit and pilot car or did law enforcement assist with a rearward escort? Thanks> R.

If you follow international news, its been reported that 5x tow truck drivers, in Durban, South Africa, were shot yesterday as they stood in the parking lot of an urban gas station early yesterday when a drive-by shooting killed one on-scene and another died at an area hospital . Three other tow truck drivers were also hit by gunfire and they are in serious condition. A motive is not readily known, however Durban has been a hotbed of violence against and toward tow truck operators who have battled each other in past years over alleged turf wars. It was also said that one of the deceased was a well-known tow boss (unconfirmed). Here's a link to a news story ... scroll down and listen to the police captain explain what little they know about the shooting. Christine and I send our prayers to the families of those killed and to those who hopefully will survive. How sad is that? R. https://www.enca.com/news/tow-truck-drivers-killed-drive-shooting

I'm passing this message on for Carl4tow in California, to share the news of Michael Gray, the 3x convicted DUI driver that killed Fred Griffith in San Diego. Gray was sentenced to 25-years to life for the intentional act that took Fred's life. The link below is a news video of the account. Thanks Carl4tow for remembering Fred. R. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Gray-Griffith-Tow-Truck-Driver-Murder-498039581.html

My prayers go out to these men and their families. I'm hoping that the shooter is captured real quick. R.

Over the years, towers have commented on just how pathetic and lethargic the industry is … and I’m one to agree. The topic of tow operator safety doesn’t count on Slow-Down Move-Over laws. When law enfo4cement and insurance companies see that SDMO laws are initiated and Spirit Ride supports tow operator safety, they step back and ignore the industry’s plea for help because they’re not CHALLENGED to step-up. Our problem of on-scene survival is mostly in-house and we already know what gets tower’s killed, so trying to re-invent the wheel is futile. When tow operators fail to recognize the need for highway safety, they ARE their own worst enemy where no training program, supervision, type of equipment, or best practices can overcome. May I ask what you consider the root problem in why towers are repeatedly killed? Many of these past comments are accurate, so let me kick it off by naming some reasons and not necessarily by order of importance: 1. The industry lacks cooperation, apathy, aggression and involvement 2. The industry doesn’t engage 3. Operators work without a proper safety/survival mentality …”It won’t happen to me”. 4. Owners won’t spend money to set tone of safety 5. State Associations have DROPPED the ball in demanding assistance from LE 6. Lack of QUALITY tow operator training 7. Lack of partnership or cooperation with/from LE 8. No LE on-scene to provide traffic breaks (slowing) 9. Lack of Blocker Trucks 10. The Insurance Industry is leading towers by the nose As in any plan of approach, there has to be a direction of travel that isn’t backwards or headed in an eschewed direction. I personally am interested in the current and immediate topics of safety and survival that are reasonable and approachable. These topics are ideas only while keeping in-mind there may be more to add … “To eat an elephant, you take one bite at a time.” Note: These topics aren’t meant to start a personality battle or chastise any one company, entity, or individual, but intended to direct mental assets towards those tougher battles. R.

Now THAT'S an enterprising niche not commonly found in our industry so, let's recap ... 4:30 am, traffic violation, actibg suspiciously, free air sniff, 27-bundles, 63-pounds ... it must have been a carrier.

Outstanding narrative Brian. Thanks for your input and it's about time you jumped in to this discussion. Your use of the words, "must", "compelled", "we as an industry", "we need to contribute", and, "why don't we take the lead", are all admirable when written in a sentence. But, how do we take words and put them into actions? In Brian's words, Jerrdan s ... "the first manufacturer to step up and make dual side free-wheel standard on their carrier decks." It got that way because concerned individuals identified a problem and jumped on a band-wagon to make corrections, i.e., year's ago, Shane Coleman and I spoke about repeated tow operator fatalities on the white line side. Shane took our conversation before his superiors and JerrDan's engineering departments, introducing the idea to get tow operators off the white-line. And, guess what ... free-spool handles are now available on BOTH sides. To me ...that's forward thinking where money isn't the issue, but how to make it safer for tow operators and getting them off the white-line side. The science of making change means identifying the root problem, rally and challenge industry professionals and activists to the cause, create excitement and momentum, and ultimately seek, stimulate, or discover ways that make corrections. FACT: Actions do speak louder than words and I'd like to start a board of forward thinkers who will help start a slow-burn in this industry. Who's up for the task? I see only nine participants in this thread, and I know there are plenty of deep-thinkers in this industry who have something to say. Common ladies and gentlemen ... let's get fired up ... jump in any time. R.

Outstanding! FlagFixer presents a very doable process if he’s asking about insurance company support? Sure, law enforcement should be part of the process specifically because their presence and lighting does have an effect on approaching traffic, albeit minimally, but, they too have other things to do while experiencing the same excuses of low personnel and lack of budget. I believe a solution is already in-place and it comes down to whom and how much? I’m currently writing a similar request to address what Flagfixer is asking. California and other states like Texas, Georgia, and Florida that have programs like California’s Freeway Service Patrol, HERO, Ranger, Minuteman and Champ, funded by federal grant monies and State Farm Insurance to provide roadside assistance to motorists in America’s big city highways. New Jersey’s DOT has a program, Hawaii has their own version of the Freeway Service Patrol, Arizona has the Roadside Motorist Assistance (RMA) program, and Nevada’s NDOT, also sponsored by State Farm, conducts roving patrol to provide roadside assistance, signage and blocking to America’s motorists. All working components are there; federal funding provides trucks, professionally trained operators, signage, fleet availability and GPS dispatching … so why reinvent the wheel? Why can’t these highway assistance programs add a component of, “Blocker Truck Availability”, where tow companies can call to request a blocker truck to come to their location and remain on-scene only for the short amount of time it takes for a requesting tow company to load and depart? Should blocker truck assistance be free to requesting tow companies because freeway assistance programs are already in-place, working and available, or, would the requesting tow company pay a fee for a blocker truck to respond, and, then charge the motorist or club for the service? Isn't that a proactive approach to tow operator survival, best practices and a way to approach a tow company's risk management? For example ... The National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations and the Office of Traffic Safety have grants that could be approached in consideration of more than 300-tow operators killed working America’s highways. What are your state tow associations doing to address this ongoing slaughter? Click on these links to see what these programs are about and agree or not that providing blocker truck assistance on highway shoulders isn’t a possibility? https://www.nhtsa.gov/highway-safety-grants-program/resources-guide https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_Emergency_Response_Operators Liability can’t be a defining issue here, because, under their current operations, roadside assistance entities park on a highway’s shoulder, emergency lights on, using a service or tow truck, to block for their own personnel as they provide service, gas, or tire changes anyway. I could go on and on with a list of highway assistance and state DOT programs that assist the motoring public. So, I respectfully ask, why can’t roadside assistance programs, or big-box insurance providers, step-up to help provide blocker/signage assistance (upon request) when it’s needed? While I realize that these kinds of programs aren’t available in all locations and at all hours around the clock, doesn't it makes sense to utilize the resources that are already in place, funded, and doing the same kind of work? If their goal is to assist the motoring public in the safest manner possible, shouldn't that extend to tow operators working America's highways? Ideas? Comments?

FACT: To fix a problem, one has to recognize there's something's broke. This industry in surely broke and we know, "Why", through years of lessons learned and more than 400-tow operators killed working highway incidents and accidents. The fatality numbers don't lie. And, "Yes", lack of accredited training leads as one component necessary to gain professional recognition. Based on GoodMichael's location and the flag he sports with his title, Texas has TDLR that sets the tone of training and requires all Texas towers obtain state required training on a continuing basis. For what it's worth, I wrote and taught a community college, "tow truck operator safety course", for the Grossmont Community College District in San Diego. To teach that course, I had to hold a valid California Teacher's Certificate. As required by California state, the 64-hour course required the successful completion of competencies of a journeyman/journeywoman operator, in the same manner peace officer standards, paramedics and firefighter courses criteria are written. My college course was supported and promoted by the college, but never gained momentum. After two years, the class was discontinued. The same course was approved by the California Highway Patrol's Tow Service Agreement Advisory Committee (TSAAC) and is approved for instruction to tow companies and their operators serving the highway patrol. Like WreckMaster, ITTR, TRAA, Kenny Kay, CIRTs Bobby Tuttle, Tom Luciano, Wes Wilburn and others, the training is available in varying formats. All of these training programs are exceptional training, but do nothing to standardize our profession like ASE, POST, EMT, paramedic, nursing, and other journeyman, "first responder", trades in the US. (look up the definition of, "Journeyman"). Consideration: Years ago, the CHP attempted a, "standardized test", for rotation tow operators using an on-line format and a 100-question, "Competency", test. A Beta-test was offered to 800-experienced tow operators allowing for 75-percent (minimum) accuracy to pass. When the test results were counted, approximately 32-percent of the Beta test-takers could pass the relatively simple test. That's a POOR representation of an industry not consider academic, but hands-on. Why such poor scores ... towers typically don't read, write, spell or comprehend well, but those poor schoolhouse inabilities are only an excuse of an industry that doesn't hold its clientele to high-standards. I believe that towers taking the test didn't take the test seriously as it was forced upon them. FACT: Towers don't like change and unfortunately take the path of least resistance. And, that includes tow companies being walked all over by insurance companies, claim agents, and law enforcement entities that don't recognize the towing and recovery industry as a professional entity, but more so ... a necessary evil. As far as training goes, the programs are there, but, NOT at any level where certification, education and time-in-grade is recognized by outside interests. So ... I'll throw my friend, Cynthia Martineau, director of TRAA, under the bus here and ask, "How can our industry gain statewide accreditation and national certification that raises the bar of the towing and recovery industry?" The need to reinventing training programs is moving backwards ... what steps can be taken? R.

GoodMichael stated, “I do not think that equipment is the most important issue. Education and training are going to have to be revamped. Operators are not receptive to safe operating practices. The industry has to adopt "safer" acceptable standards, and ensure that they are implemented. We, as an industry are doing a poor job of mitigating risk.” His comments are accurate and valid. I too don’t believe equipment is the issue. If you review tow operator fatalities, there’s a tiny, tiny percentage where equipment was blames for cause or resulted fatality, but a HUGE percentage where tow operators were standing, walking, working the white-line traffic side, or somewhere in a pinch-zone when a distracted/DUI motorist came onto the shoulder and killed them. Tow education and training is out there, but too many towers think that, not only do they know it all, they’re invincible with that, “It won’t happen to me”, mentality. Many tow owners think that their in-house program is a way to save money and formal training is a waste of time. But, regardless as to how many training certificates an individual achieves, on-scene safety is only as good as ones awareness. I don’t know about you all, but every time I work a highway incident, my level of fear is maxed because pain and the thought of being killed is a powerful motivator … wouldn’t you agree? If operators aren't receptive to safe operating practices ... how do you make them receptive? So, if the industry were to adopt safer acceptable standards, please chime in here and suggest what those safer standards might be? That leads me to pondering the major question of … who ensures that safer standards are implemented? However, be careful for what’s being asked for for fear of OSHA, state laws and selective enforcement may over-regulate an already over-regulated industry. R.

Kenneth Ray Davis was added to the Wall of the Fallen on September 15th after nearly 84-years ... an honor well deserved. R.

The focus on training is there ... so ... do how do you get towers to work away from traffic? Towers should stop blaming motorists for their actions and take individual responsibility. Fact: A vehicle can be effectively loaded and secured on a carrier without ever having to stand on the traffic side of the shoulder. Note: A large percentage of towers killed in the past many years were carrier operators. R.

If you can get away from your workplace and attend a FREE national TIMs course, not the on-line version at the live-course is far better. I highly recommend finding a course instructed by Grady Carrick, a retired career highway patrol from Florida. All towers who serving highway patrol should attend this course. R.

God Bless the towers working in the eye of the storm. There will be water and rain from all directions; please be safe to include lightening, downed power wires and trees that drop unexpectedly. Be safe. You're all heros .. but you already know that. R.

How tragic ... Christine and I send our prayers from Alpine, CA. R.