AMeRicAN TOWMAN exPO AMeRicAN TOWMAN exPO - Jerr-Dan
Transcription
AMeRicAN TOWMAN exPO AMeRicAN TOWMAN exPO - Jerr-Dan
VOLUME 15, NUMBER 4 | november 2006 www.jerr-dan.com An Oshkosh Truck Corporation Company For the hard-working towing professional RUNHARD is sent to you compliments of PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Lebanon Jct., KY Permit #246 an c i r Ame po x E Towman h #909 t o o b t a Join us Comment You’ve got the We’ve got the challenge; W Think Big and Build from There. WANTED – SALES PEOPLE (NATIONWIDE) Jerr-Dan Corporation has immediate openings in our growing Sales Department. Complete benefits package and competitive salary offered. Travel is required. Interested candidates should send resumé and salary requirements to: JERR-DAN CORPORATION Attn: Human Resources – Sales 1080 Hykes Rd Greencastle, PA 17225 or e-mail resumé to: [email protected] For more specific information, please visit our website at: www.jerr-dan.com Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Program Employer. Women and Minorities are Encouraged to Apply. -Dan_Run-Hard07-06 Recruit ad Run Hard Ad Size=8.375”x10.75” solution e understand that each and recovery. It has a tip load rating every one of your towing of 18,400 lbs. and a working radius and recovery jobs has unique of nearly 42 ft. challenges. Every situation is different • MPL40. Jerr-Dan’s MPL40 selfand every tow and recovery is unique. loader is perfect for repossession work. It’s We also know that you need reliable, versatile enough for almost any job, with durable equipment to handle those a choice of three wheel-grid packages. tough challenges. • Pioneer To have the proper Alumunim “Give us a call — or towing and recovery Carrier. Jerr-Dan’s equipment for your Pioneer carriers set better yet, stop by individual needs, you the standard for towour booth — and let must know what is ing and recovery us know how we available. What better performance. They time than the present last longer with less can help you.” to take a closer look maintenance because at what Jerr-Dan has all major pivot points to offer. are greaseless. Available in fixed rail, Join us at Booth #909 at this year’s fixed dual angle or removable rail modAmerican Towman Expo (November els, each has a 10,000-lb. capacity. 17-19 at the Baltimore Convention For a more detailed sneak peek at Center) to see the equipment up close our booth lineup, turn to Pages 8-9, visit and in person. You’ll also have a chance our website at www.jerr-dan.com or stop to talk individually with our engineers by Booth #909. and sales staff. When it comes to towing and recovSome of the highlights of this year’s ery challenges, rely on us for durable, dependable solutions. Give us a call — display, (without revealing too much of course): or better yet, stop by our booth — and • Side Loading Vehicle let us know how we can help you. Retriever (SLVR). The SLVR retrieves vehicles in less than 45 seconds from the tightest spots. Its unique side lift mechanism allows the operator to approach a vehicle, securely lift and place it on the retriever bed and drive off without ever leaving the cab. • Rotator. This 60-ton heavy-duty powerhouse is a combination of heavyJeff Weller duty capabilities, superior design and President best-in-class lift, reach, stability and For the HARD-WORKING Towing professional Contents 4 7 8 Jerr-dan owner profile Going the extra mile is an everyday business practice for this California tower. Company news product profile American Towman Expo sneak peek. 12 14 16 19 20 22 business management The ‘Warrior Spirit.’ Do you have it? industry news Texas Tow Expo roundup. JerR-dan owner profile This Minnesota tower loves a challenge. There aren't many jobs he won’t take! industry news show & go What does your Jerr-Dan look like? industry news Our Mission To provide you with timely information about towing and recovery equipment technology, products and safety. “Since 1992” Run Hard is published on behalf of Jerr-Dan Corporation, an Oshkosh Truck Corporation Company, and Jerr-Dan Distributors. Editorial office: 1233 Janesville Ave., Fort Atkinson, WI 53538-0803. Phone: (800) 547-7377. E-mail: [email protected]. Printed in the United States, © 2006 Jerr-Dan Corporation Volume 15, Number 4, November 2006. For Canada: Agreement Number 40064547. RUN HARD vo v ol l. 1. 5 1 ,5n , o. no 4 . 1N ov m eamrbceh r 22000066 Owner Profile Going the extra mile Doing the little extras for each and every customer is a practice this California tower follows every day. “W e focus our business on our customers and on the act of towing and recovery,“ says Jan Qualkenbush, president of Jan’s Towing in Azusa, California. “We really specialize in towing; we don’t diversify into servicing our customers’ vehicles but rather we focus solely on towing and recovering those vehicles. This is our expertise.“ Qualkenbush has more than 25 years of personal towing expertise under his belt. He started his Azusabased company in 1981. Today Jan’s Towing employs 35 people (15 drivers) and operates two locations, one is Azusa and one in Glendora. The majority of the company’s 150-a-day call volume is towing for police departments and its agencies, as well as for the California Highway Patrol. AAA, private tows, local garages, gas stations, repair shops and dealers round out the company’s 500-plus customers. Jan’s Towing typically performs most of its towing and recovery jobs within a 100-mile radius of its two locations (which include all of Los Angeles county and Highway 210); however long-haul jobs are not uncommon. This HPL 6000 is custom-designed to facilitate the needs of handicapped passengers. The vehicle incorporates a chair lift, room for 8 passengers and is compliant with the American Disabilities Act (ADA). RUN HARD vo l . 1 5 , n o. 4 N ov e m b e r 2 0 0 6 Towing expertise To aid in its towing efforts, Jans Towing relies more and more on Jerr-Dan towing equipment. To date the company owns 13 Jerr-Dans, nine Shark carriers with steel beds (one is equipped with a 102-in.-wide bed), two HPL 35s, one HPL 6000 and one HDL 1000 50-ton wrecker. “We have standardized our carriers on Jerr-Dan and we are working on the rest of our fleet,“ says Qualkenbush. The 50-ton is one of the company’s most recent purchases and Qualkenbush couldn’t be happier. “We needed a good recovery truck and our 50-ton has been working nonstop since we took delivery of it,“ he notes. “I thought it would be a great truck,“ notes D.J. Johnston, driver supervisor and one of two to operate the heavy-duty truck. “However, the HDL 1000 has turned out to be even better than I thought. The 176in. lift makes everything easier. This is the one truck I feel comfortable sending out on any tough job.“ A customer focus No matter what the load or the towing job, Jan’s Towing has one thing in mind: the customer. “We treat people the way we want to be treated,“ says Qualkenbush. “Integrity, respect and Jan’s Towing owns a variety of Jerr-Dan equipment, including (front to back): a 21-ft.-long, 102-in.-wide Shark carrier, a 21-ft.-long, 96-in.-wide Shark carrier, an HDL 1000 50-ton heavy-duty wrecker and an HPL 35 light-duty wrecker. Owner Profile Jan’s Towing Inc. Azusa and Glendora, California Jerr-Dan Fleet Profile: Wreckers: Two HPL 35 light-duty wreckers One HPL 6000 light-duty wrecker (custom designed to accommo- date handicapped passengers) One HDL 1000 50-ton wrecker Nine standard-duty steel rollback carriers with 96-in.-wide, 21-ft. beds/wheel lifts; one incorporates a 102-in.-wide bed Carriers: Services • 24-hour emergency roadside service towing and recovery • Light-, medium- and heavy-duty • Vehicle storage vo l . 1 5 , n o. 4 RUN HARD N ov e m b e r 2 0 0 6 Owner Profile Header Company News Pierce Velocity custom chassis designed by firefighters and police departments compliant with the American Disabilities Act by offering this resource around the clock,“ notes Qualkenbush. Jan’s Towing is one of the only companies in the state to offer this service (see photo on Page 4.) Jan’s Towing also gives back to the communities it serves by providing free transportation and towing through its “Don't Drive Drunk“ detour program. With this program, explains Dawn Tarver, dispatch supervisor, anybody in the local community can call Jan’s Towing (any time, day or night) if they’ve had too much to drink to drive home safely. “We’ll pick them up and transport them and their vehicle for free,“ she says. Response time is what Jan Qualkenbush’s customers want most. “The quicker we can get to an accident, the quicker we can get them back on the road to their normal routines.“ courtesy — these aren’t just words to us; they are the way we practice business every day.“ This business philosophy is visibly evident at Jan’s Towing. One of the first things you’ll notice is that the company advertises towing equipment with wheelchair accessibility. This is accomplished through a custom-designed Jerr-Dan HPL 6000 mounted on a 2001 Freightliner FL60 chassis. “We help make our community RUN HARD vo l . 1 5 , n o. 4 N ov e m b e r 2 0 0 6 The little extras In addition to the obvious ways the company takes care of its customers, there are little extras that often go unnoticed — little things like carrying bottled water (California temperatures can rise to about 100 degrees F) to equipping towing vehicles with crew cabs. “Our competitors laughed at us for buying crew cabs,“ recalls Johnston, “but our customers know they can call on us to safely tow their vehicle and their entire family . . . the parents, the kids and even the family dog. The wheel lifts on all our Jerr-Dans even allow us to tow their boat.“ Driver training is also a behindthe-scenes benefit reaped by all Jan’s Towing customers. Each driver passes a background and certification test (both are required by police agencies), in addition to extensive in-house company training. In addition to inspecting their trucks daily, drivers are required to fill the gas tank when the meter reads half empty. “You never know where they will have to go a half-hour before their shift ends,“ explains Qualkenbush. “At the drop of a hat they could be traveling hundreds of miles; our trucks are inspected daily and are road worthy at all times.“ Qualkenbush even takes this a step beyond road worthy. The appearance of his equipment is extremely important. The company regularly shines all the trucks’ tires with Armor Alls. It even employs a local company to steam and detail the undercarriages. “We receive comments from our customers all the time,“ Qualkenbush says. “They tell us ’I know with the way you take care of your own equipment that I don’t have to worry about how you’ll take care of my vehicle.’“ Well-rounded Word-of-mouth travels. Jan’s Towing has the reputation among the local community of being a towing company that goes the extra mile. “We take time with our customers,“ says Qualkenbush. “If a customer has groceries that need to be carried in, we’ll even help with that,“ he adds. “We try to be well-rounded in the way we treat our customers and in the towing and recovery jobs we perform for them,“ he concludes. “Wherever we find voids, we adjust our procedures. We’ve operated this way for 25-plus years and we’ll continue to put our customers first.“ ■ Pierce Manufacturing Inc. recently unveiled its newest custom chassis — the Pierce Velocity™ at the Fire Rescue International show in Dallas. The Velocity was designed with input from firefighters around the country and features five significant improvements destined to change the fire industry. It is also the first custom fire truck to offer frontal air bags, available spring 2007. The five most significant changes are evident throughout the cab and chassis: • Increased space • Storage and clutter management • Safety and visibility • Seats • Maintenance “Pierce asked firefighters from around the country what they wanted and needed in their apparatus, as well as to envision the ideal chassis,“ says John Randjelovic, president of Pierce Manufacturing. “We listened closely to what they told us and then we built it. The Velocity offers the advantages and comfort that no other chassis provides. “Pierce is again leading the way in custom fire chassis design with this new model, which combines a spacious, state-of-the-art interior with industry-leading technologies. We’re pleased to provide a new fire truck that has basically been designed by input from firefighters.” The Velocity features include a big block engine (up to 525 hp), 147.8-in. flat cab, seating for up to 10 people, TAK-4® independent front suspension and Side Roll Protection. Pierce also introduced the Impel™, sister chassis to the Velocity. The Impel features include a medium block engine (up to 425 hp), 137.8-in. flat cab and seating for up to eight people. Many additional features and options are available on both chassis. Pierce Manufacturing Inc., a subsidiary of Oshkosh Truck Corpration, is a leading manufacturer of custom fire apparatus. Pierce offers first frontal air bags for fire trucks Pierce Manufacturing Inc. is the first fire truck manufacturer to offer frontal air bags in its custom fire chassis. The air bags, available in spring 2007, will cushion frontseat occupants in the event of a frontal collision. Pierce introduced the new frontal air bags with the unveiling of its two new custom chassis — the Velocity™ and Impel™. The air bag offering is the latest element in Pierce’s 360º Protection From Every Angle™ program, a bumper-to-bumper program designed to increase the safety of firefighters as they respond to and from fire and emergency calls. The frontal airbag will activate in the case of frontal impact. The airbag was co-engineered with LifeGuard Technologies, a division of IMMI, and is available exclusively from Pierce for three years. The Pierce air bag will also be paired with the Pierce Side Roll Protection™ system. This system senses the exact moment of a side roll, and then provides instantaneous passenger protection, including seat belt pretensioners and side air curtains. Upcoming shows Date November 17-19 Show American Towman Exposition Location Baltimore Convention Center City Baltimore, Maryland 2 0 0 7 Date April 12-15 Show Southeastern Regional Tow Show & Incident Mgmt. Expo Location Jim Miller Park and Coliseum City Marietta, Georgia Date May 10-13 Show Florida Tow Show Location Coronado Springs Resort at Walt Disney World City Orlando, Florida Date June 1-3 Show Empire State Towing & Recovery Association Location Ft. William Henry Resort City Lake George, New York Date June 7-9 Show Western States Tow Show Location Silver Legacy Resort & Casino and Reno Event Center City Reno, Nevada Date June 15-17 Show Wisconsin Towing Association Annual Convention Location Chula Vista Resort City Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin vo l . 1 5 , n o. 4 RUN HARD N ov e m b e r 2 0 0 6 Product Profile American TowmaN Expo Here’s a sneak peek at just some of what you'll find at the Jerr-Dan Booth #909! D urability . . . reliability . . . the power to handle the most difficult towing and recovery jobs. This is what you expect from Jerr-Dan, and this is what we’ve built into every piece of equipment bearing our name. Jerr-Dan offers the best in standard-, medium- and heavy-duty wreckers and rotators, as well as standard-, medium- and heavy-duty, industrial carriers and vehicle retrievers. On these two pages is just a snippet of what you’ll see at this year’s American Towman Expo on November 17-19 at the Baltimore Convention Center. Pioneer Aluminum Carrier Forget the grease gun. With the Jerr-Dan Pioneer Aluminum Carrier and its exclusive No-Lube™ technology, those days are over. The Pioneer lasts longer and needs less maintenance because all major pivot points are greaseless, and plated pins and composite bushings never seize or rust. 60 Ton Heavy-Duty Rotator This powerhouse is rated Best In Class for lift, reach, stability and recovery. It encompasses a combination of heavy-duty capabilities, unsurpassed pulling capacity and superior design. The Rotator features a boom that rotates a full 360 degrees, is rated at 120,000 lbs. while the boom is retracted and can handle a side pull of more than 68,000 lbs. No matter what the situation, extreme stability is provided by the widest double outrigger spread in the industry at 112 in. by 264 in. Side Loading Vehicle Retriever A revolutionary new concept in towing and recovery equipment, the Side Loading Vehicle Retriever (SLVR) provides unmatched performance capabilities for city towing and recovery. The SLVR offers fast recovery, provides unparalleled access to tightly parked cars and never blocks more than one lane during towing operations. In addition, the operator remotely controls recovery operations and never needs to leave the comfort and safety of the cab. This is the first model of its kind introduced to the U.S. towing industry and is available exclusively from Jerr-Dan Corporation. There’s much more to see! Join us at Booth #909 for a closer look at what Jerr-Dan can do to help your towing business Run Hard. MPL40 Wrecker The perfect combination of technology and brute force, this light-duty, integrated wrecker is versatile enough for almost any job, with a choice of three wheel grid packages: Self-loader style; Manual pivoting T37 L-arm style; or Manual L-arm. It’s easy to operate with best-in-class visibility. The tapered deck increases visibility and the exclusive Jerr-Dan No-Lube™ system saves time and cost. This easy-to-use wrecker gives you the flexibility to tow more and be more productive than you ever thought possible. wreckers durability carriers RUN HARD vo l . 1 5 , n o. 4 N ov e m b e r 2 0 0 6 reliability innovative design vo l . 1 5 , n o. 4 RUN HARD N ov e m b e r 2 0 0 6 360 24 ,600 53,000 68,000 ° BOOM ROTATION LBS. AT 43' BOOM EXTENSION AND 50° BOOM ELEVATION LBS. AT 24' BOOM EXTENSION AND 30° BOOM ELEVATION SIDE PULL WHILE STILL ANCHORED * * With the industry’s widest outrigger footprint area, 112" X 264" this wide platform base and correct placement provide extreme stability LBS. The Jerr-Dan 60-Ton Heavy-Duty Rotator reaches farther and lifts more. WORK THE NUMBERS. . You’ll see no other truck adds up. *Front, rear, front outrigger © 2 0 0 6 J E R R - D A N C O R P O R AT I O N ® J E R R - D A N A N D T H E J E R R - D A N L O G O A R E R E G I S T E R E D T R A D E M A R K S O F J E R R - D A N C O R P O R AT I O N , G R E E N C A S T L E , PA . www.jerrdan.com Business Management The ‘Warrior Spirit' Do you have it? By Brent and Cheri Ellison-Carroll of Ellison’s Towing Inc. T he “Warrior Spirit.“ What is it? How does it relate to towing? The term “Warrior Spirit“ is used by many successful people to describe their life and business models. Does your company have the Warrior Spirit? Should it? Do you need it for your survival in today’s business climate? We believe the correct answer to all these questions is a resounding “YES“! SPIRIT ON TV The Warrior Spirit. Legendary rock-n-roller-turnedoutdoor-sportsman Ted Nugent uses this term to describe both his outlook on his personal life and the winning contestant on his hit television show, “Wanted: Ted or Alive.“ In this spin on reality shows, male and female contestants are subjected to different tasks that encompass mankind’s basic survival skills: primitive fire and shelter building, hunting, trapping, butchering and cooking. It also requires the contestants to remain in total harmony with nature. As Nugent explains, “Only the person with the true Warrior Spirit deep within him/her will triumph in these contests.“ And it’s true. As you watch each person go through the events, week after week, you realize that the object of the challenge is to test each individual’s mettle; to see just what types of adversity they can be subjected to and still triumph. The object is to determine who in this day of “soft living“ is still capable of producing the Warrior Spirit within themselves. SPIRIT IN BUSINESS An example of the Warrior Spirit in business is none other than Southwest Airlines co-founder, current chairman and former CEO and president, Herb Kelleher. He 12 RUN HARD vo l . 1 5 , n o. 4 N ov e m b e r 2 0 0 6 requires all employees to have a Warrior Spirit because he says his heroes have always been warriors. The Warrior Spirit is also how the company got started more than 35 years ago. Realize that Kelleher isn’t just talking the talk; he has for many years also walked the walk. It took tremendous amounts of the Warrior Spirit for Southwest Airlines to transform itself into the success story it is today. When it first began, the airline wasn’t allowed to fly! Kelleher, acting as the airline’s attorney, battled 10 years of continuous lawsuits filed by competitors, all aimed at never letting this upstart airline get off the ground! After a few years, the Southwest Airlines board (then known as Air Southwest) told Kelleher to hang it up. He offered to work without pay and handle all the legal costs himself for as long as it took to win! They reluctantly agreed and Kelleher took it one lawsuit at a time, all the way to the Supreme Court. He won unprecedented rulings that no one in the legal world believed even remotely possible. He WON, attributing his victory to Warrior Spirit. “I’ve always had The Warrior Spirit in me,“ Kelleher says. “I was enraged by the anti-competitive activities of the other carriers. I believe in what this country stands for — freedom.“ THE MEANING OF SPIRIT So what is Warrior Spirit? As can be gleaned from the previous examples, it is simply bold, dogged, and when needed, fierce, determination in the face of challenges, NO MATTER THE ODDS. Throughout history, certain famous individuals have stood out above the crowd. Joshua and David, (of biblical times), William Wallace (immortalized in “Braveheart“), Joan of Arc, Nathan Bedford Forest (Confederate General), Patton, Macarthur, Churchill, etc. All these men and women owe their place in history to their unshakable Warrior Spirit. My favorite quote is from Winston Churchill in a speech he gave at the onset of World War II. He said, “If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without bloodshed; if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.“ It takes your breath away pondering the courage it took to make a statement like that. But truer words were never spoken. If you intend to succeed beyond your wildest dreams, it truly takes that kind of conviction. You must be able to FEEL it in your gut. When it seems all is against you, nothing is going right, everything appears hopeless, you must keep swinging. SPIRIT IN TOWING At Ellison’s Towing, we take pride in proclaiming our Warrior Spirit. We interview and hire for it. We teach it. We live it. We find that it has served us very well. This year we are the recipient of the San Francisco Bay Area and Peninsula’s first-ever Diamond Certified towing company. This prestigious award signifies highest in quality through independent surveying by the American Ratings Corporation. Again, we attribute this to our Warrior Spirit and unwavering perseverance. We believe in going forward when everything seems stacked against you, maintaining an attitude of never quitting and a full expectation of success. No goal is too high; no dream is too lofty. In 1998, we experienced more than 230% of annual rainfall in a short period of time. Parking garages were flooded for up to three weeks. It was interesting to watch drivers and their reactions. Some were content to stand by and let the floodwaters slowly recede. But some weren’t. A few waded out to hook up recovery chains. One driver swam When it seems out with his cable and dove underall is against you, water in order to winch out vehicles! He loved it. The more challenging the nothing is going scenario, the more enthused he was. right, everything This is the Warrior Spirit. appears hopeless, Of course this must always be balanced by today’s realities of you must keep workplace injuries and prevention of swinging. those injuries. But we believe one can understand the spirit. Not everyone has this Warrior Spirit. We have found that the majority of people are content to be led. But from time to time you will discover that someone special. Keep that person, work with him/her and see what great things they are capable of doing for you and for themselves. These are the types of employees you promote into leadership. They will not be content to be a follower. If you know what to look for, they are truly a diamond in the rough. They are the ones who will go far in life and accomplish great things, if they are given proper guidance to develop their inner strengths. Use other individuals with Warrior Spirit as examples. You know who they are. Go forward BOLDLY, with an expectation of positive results and success. You just might be surprised at what you discover. ■ vo l . 1 5 , n o. 4 RUN HARD N ov e m b e r 2 0 0 6 13 Industry News texas tow expo More than 100 exhibitors showed off their towing T he Texas Tow Expo was held August 11 and 12 at its new location — the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. (The show had been held in Arlington, Texas for many years.) The move turned out to be the right one as attendance was a little more than 1,600 people. Jerr-Dan exhibited in conjunction with its Texas distributors: Coker Equipment in Dallas, Texas and RPM Equipment in Houston, Texas. Denny Buhrman, Jerr-Dan product specialist, explains the features of Jerr-Dan’s MDL 280/110 14-ton wrecker. Jerr-Dan sponsored Friday night’s Gala Event at this year’s Texas Tow Expo. Approximately 650 attendees enjoyed a complimentary dinner buffet and entertainment by LC Rocks of Austin, Texas. Attendees checked out Jerr-Dan’s MPL40 self-loading wrecker on display. Attendees were able to view a demonstration of the HDL 500/280 25-ton wrecker on a large screen. The Jerr-Dan HDL 500/280 25-ton wrecker on display was supplied by Coker Equipment. 14 RUN HARD vo l . 1 5 , n o. 4 N ov e m b e r 2 0 0 6 vo l . 1 5 , n o. 4 RUN HARD N ov e m b e r 2 0 0 6 15 Photos courtesy of William Burwell, American Towman Magazine equipment at this year’s expo. Owner Profile towing it This Minnesota tower loves a challenge. There aren’t many jobs he won’t take! Y ou name it, Collins Brothers Towing will tow it. Cars, trucks, heavy equipment, large safes, cows, horses, pigs . . . yes, even large farm animals. When you practice towing in rural areas of Minnesota, all kinds of interesting jobs arise. “We’ll tow just about anything,“ says owner Phil Collins. “Whatever our customers need towed, we’ll try.“ And that’s just what Collins Brothers towing does. The 13-staff towing company, located in Elk River, Minnesota, has quite a few interesting jobs under its belt: • Pulling horses and cows out of the mud. “We typically attach a strap to the animal and pull a little; let the animal rest and then pull a little more. Eventually we are able to get them back on their feet.“ • Pulling out a pickup truck with a lift kit that was half sunk and frozen in a lake. “We’ve done a lot of close-to-the-shore work before, as well as work in neighboring ponds, but towing a large truck from the middle of a lake was a new experience for us.“ The key to it all, according to Collins, is reliable equipment. 16 RUN HARD vo l . 1 5 , n o. 4 N ov e m b e r 2 0 0 6 Owner Phil Collins is one of two to operate the company's new 25-ton wrecker. all Owner Profile Choose carefully “The No. 1 thing our customers want from us is quick response,“ he explains. “Fifteen to 20 minutes is fine, but once they are required to wait 30 minutes, they become anxious. The only way we can meet their needs is to have reliable equipment we can count on EVERY time.“ Collins turned to Jerr-Dan for his company’s towing needs 10 years ago shortly after he started his own towing company. With 24 years of experience under his belt, he knows what works and what he wants in towing equipment. “I standardize my fleet with Jerr-Dan equipment,“ he says. The reasons he cites: • Aluminum body. “The paint doesn’t chip off aluminum bodies and they are nicer looking,“ he explains. “And as long as you take care of them, they last a long time.“ • Standard, easy-to-find parts. “All our Jerr-Dan equipment uses the same parts.“ • Common controls. “I don’t have to worry about the operator grabbing the wrong controls in the middle of the night; all Jerr-Dan Collins Brothers Towing Elk River, Minnesota Jerr-Dan Fleet Profile: Wreckers: Two HPL 35 light-duty wreckers One HPL 60 light-duty wrecker One HDL 500/280 25-ton wrecker Carriers: One standard-duty rollback carrier with a 21-ft. aluminum bed and wheel lift Services • 24-hour roadside service • Light-, medium- and heavy-duty towing and recovery • Vehicle storage controls are universal and located in the same place.“ The majority of the towing equipment at Collins Brothers Towing is manufactured by Jerr-Dan. Pictured here clockwise from top left: an HPL 60 with a 1994 GMC chassis; an HPL35 with a 2002 Ford F450 chassis; a 21-ft. standard aluminum body carrier with a 2005 Ford F650 chassis; an HPL 35 with a 2001 Ford F350 chassis; and an HDL 500/280 25-ton wrecker with a 1999 Peterbilt chassis. Be involved In addition to having equipment that works, being involved in the daily activities of the towing business is another key to running a successful towing company, according to Collins. “It’s critical for the owner to physically be at the towing company every day,” he explains. “Your employees want to see you come in and do what they are doing; they want to see you get dirty. They know that if you’re there, you’re watching everything that is happening.“ The equipment at Collins Brothers Towing is known for its spotless appearance. (People have been seen taking pictures of the equipment with their mobile phone cam- eras as the trucks travel down the freeway.) Keeping it that way is a result of owner involvement. Collins says he sees it all the time; companies with involved owners have nicer looking equipment than companies with absent owners. Collins falls into the category of involved owners. The appearance, and performance, of his trucks is a top priority. “Your trucks are traveling billboards advertising your business,“ he explains. “I want them to look and perform their best at all times.“ To aid in the performance department, the company employs a fulltime employee to perform routine maintenance and ensure each truck is kept in tip-top shape. vo l . 1 5 , n o. 4 RUN HARD N ov e m b e r 2 0 0 6 17 Header News Industry Owner Profile The Wall of the Fallen Aluminum beds are the right choice for Collins Brothers Towing. Here owner Phil Collins uses the remote operating option on his Jerr-Dan 21-ft. standard-duty rollback carrier. Collins Brothers Towing is a family business. Phil poses here with his stepson, Cody, in front of his new HDL 500/280 25-ton wrecker. Although there are no brothers involved in the actual ownership, Collins Brothers employs several family members including brothers and nephews. unveiled O Serve the needs of the community In the rural areas surrounding Elk River, Minnesota, staying visible in the community is important. The majority of the company’s business consists of towing for the general public and several area repair shops in addition to towing for the Elk River Police Department, the Minnesota State Highway Patrol and the Sherburne, Wright and Anoka county sheriff’s departments. Collins Brothers is also a service provider for AAA, Cross Country, USAC, ERS, Mr. Rescue and other auto clubs. With visibility in the community comes responsibility. Collins is the vice president of the Minnesota Professional Towing Association and a captain on the Elk River Fire Department, of which he has been a member for 18 years. His company is also nationally certified through the Towing and Recovery Association of America. Responding to the needs and challenges of the community is also a top priority for this company. Fuel prices and rising insurance costs have forced Collins Brothers Towing to increase prices, but in a creative way. The company set standard business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. After 5 p.m., the call rate is raised $10 per call. There is also a fuel surcharge on impounded vehicles. This increase has balanced out fuel and insurance costs for the company. Another challenge is abandoned motor vehicles. The company is required by law to hold all abandon vehicles for 45 days. After that, the company is allowed to sell the vehicle, either for scrap or in the rare instance, as a drivable vehicle. Keeping up on the latest in towing methods has helped keep Collins Brothers ahead of the competition. Monthly driver meetings find participants “testing” different types of towing situations from rollovers to recoveries. “The best training is hands-on,“ says Collins. “The drivers have to want to do well; if they don’t want to, we don’t want them here.“ Drivers are compensated differently. Some are straight salary; some are salary plus commission; and some are straight commission. Collins realizes that every one of his drivers is motivated differently, and he compensates them with a payment style that reflects their personality. Moving along Collins has plans for his towing company. One of those plans is to expand into more specialized equipment transport. Additional Jerr-Dan equipment is also on the horizon. The HPL 60 will be replaced with a new 14-ton Jerr-Dan wrecker in the near future. More equipment will be added as necessary. “I’ve been using Jerr-Dan towing equipment for years,“ Collins concluded. “I’m happy with its performance and I see no reason to buy anything else.“ ■ n Saturday, September 9, the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee, unveiled its memorial to fallen towers as it dedicated the Wall of The Fallen. The event was attended by towing operators, local officials, museum members and others from around the industry and around the world, including representatives from Jerr-Dan Corp. The memorial honors those in the industry who have been killed in the line of service. Its purpose is to not only honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, but also to generate public awareness of the dangers involved in the towing and recovery industry and to permanently record and commemorate those involved in fatalities in the towing and recovery industry. For more information, visit www.internationaltowingmuseum.org. DewEze is proud to be the supplier of mobile hydraulics to Jerr-Dan. We’re here for all your hydraulic needs— not just auto loaders. A Division of Harper Industries, Inc. 151 E. Hwy. 160, Harper, Kansas 67058 • [email protected] 18 RUN HARD vo l . 1 5 , n o. 4 N ov e m b e r 2 0 0 6 Toll Free 800-835-1042 R U N H A R D 19 vwww.deweze.com o l . 1 5 , n o. 4 N ov e m b e r 2 0 0 6 Show & Go Would you like to see what does your jerr-dan Johnson’s Wrecker Service of Orlando, Florida has been in business for more than 25 years. This Jerr-Dan 14-ton wrecker is equipped with a 2006 Interntaional chassis. RUN HARD vo l . 1 5 , n o. 4 pictured here? look like? Doug Young of Bumper to Bumper Towing in Naples, Florida calls his Jerr-Dan 50-ton wrecker his “little-big truck.“ He’s been so pleased with its performance that he knows his next heavy purchase will be a Jerr-Dan as well. This 50-ton rides on a 2007 Peterbilt 335 chassis. Do you have an image of your Jerr-Dan rig that you’d like to share with readers? Submit your photos via: E-MAIL to [email protected] (High-res photos only. Hint: Set your digital camera to take photos as large of a size and as many pixels as possible.) MAIL to Editor, Run Hard magazine 1233 Janesville Avenue, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 In addition to your photo, tell us what model of Jerr-Dan you have, what model chassis you have and why you are submitting your rig! Owner Sean Lozcalco of A Superior Towing in Davie, Florida knows his new MPL40 wrecker will stay busy in the company’s south Florida territory. A Superior Towing provides service to the state police and county. Lozcalco is a member of the “Incident Management“ for south Florida. This MPL40 rides on a 2006 Ford F450 chassis. 20 your rig N ov e m b e r 2 0 0 6 Owner Jon Ellis of Excaliber Towing in Laveen, Arizona (a suburb of Phoenix) owns this 21-ft. Jerr-Dan Shark carrier. The diamond-plated bed is 102 in. wide and rides on a 2006 International 4300 chassis. This 21-ft. steel bed carrier with aluminum side rails has hauled A.T.V.s, tractors and everything in between. The Jerr-Dan rollback is owned by Molenko Inc. in Brooklyn, Pennsylvania and has even been used as scaffolding in Molenko’s Sign Shop! It rides on a 2004 International truck body and is operated by Michael “Scooter“ Molenko. All striping on the truck is reflective for late night safety. vo l . 1 5 , n o. 4 RUN HARD N ov e m b e r 2 0 0 6 21 Header News Industry Header U.S. & Canada Jerr-Dan Distributor Listing Alabama Arab, AL Austin Hinds Motors Inc. 256-586-8161 Get subhead By Author Name Rudy Smith, left, and his brother Ronnie aren’t going anywhere. They are observing the ever-changing New Orleans market and adapting their towing company to serve those needs. On a warm summer’s eve there is sadness in the air as the family of a fallen tower prepares for a funeral. As they lay awake that night, restlessly trying to cope with their loss, another tower falls. Competitors come together to mourn each other’s loss. The question of “why“ and the expression of “it’s just not fair,“ lingers in the minds of all. And for those of us who have been working diligently for the past seven months to start the process of promoting awareness of these fallen towers, this is a harsh reminder of why we began this project and why we must push forward with it. Unfortunately, these are the tragedies that keep this group moving forward and pushing hard to get worldwide involvement in this cause. It is up to all of us in the towing and recovery industry to work together to honor and commemorate our brothers and sisters who have given their lives in the line of service. We need to awaken the general public to the dangers we face every day. For this, we must put competition aside and look to each other for support and ideas on how we can deal with this growing problem. The best way for all of us to help – get involved. Join your state association, join the museum and contribute to the Survivor Fund. Find groups in your state that are working on “Move Over“ laws and work to get towers added to their legislation. Promote and instill strict safety policies within your own company. Post signs around your offices to remind everyone to move over when they see emergency equipment, including tow trucks, on the side of the road. Each time you assist a motorist, hand them a sheet of paper that says, “Move over and slow down for stopped emergency and public service vehicles — lives depend on it.“ It does not have to be anything Dubuque, IA Truck Country Iowa 641-330-2149 Sanford, FL Rechtien International dba Wreckers Limited 407-321-8474 Wichita, KS Kansas Truck Center 316-838-3800 Get involved Title By Connie Antill, Connolly Towing, Arvada, Colorado Riviera Beach, FL Rechtien International dba Wreckers Limited 561-882-9050 Ozark, AL Stormins Inc. 334-774-7138 Mississippi Brandon, MS Magnolia Wrecker Sales 601-825-6400 Kansas Missouri Toledo, OH ABCO 419-536-6123 Oklahoma Claremore, OK Tri-State Wrecker Sales Inc. 918-342-4244 involved Arizona fancy. If you have children, ask them to write it; then photocopy it and hand it out. Saving lives can be as simple as that. What is not so simple? Saying goodbye. The sadness filling the air at this funeral will not disappear. There is no bringing someone back. However, this sadness needs to be replaced by our resolve to remember and honor the fallen by doing everything we can to prevent this from happening again. For more information on how to get involved contact: • Cheryl Mish, director, International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame & Museum, 423-267-3132 or [email protected] • Jeffrey Godwin, chairman, Survivor Fund, [email protected] • Lara Feinberg, founder and president, Families for Roadside Safety, Inc., [email protected] Tempe, AZ Todd Equipment, Inc. 480-557-8633 By Connie Antill, Connolly Towing, Arkansas Arvada, Caraway, AR Colorado Cars, Inc. 870-482-3614 Pocahontas, AR Ward’s Wrecker Sales & Service 870-248-1000 California Bell Gardens, CA Tow World Inc. 562-806-9155 Concord, CA Best Equipment 510-569-1288 Fontana, CA Gooding Enterprises, Inc. 909-357-7920 Fresno, CA Valley Wrecker Sales Inc. 559-485-1513 San Leandro, CA Tow World Inc. 510-430-9894 Torrence, CA California Western Towing Equipment 310-787-0208 West Sacramento, CA Riverview International Trucks Inc. 916-371-3110 Colorado Commerce City, CO Summit Truck Equipment 303-289-3161 Delaware Selbyville, DE Danzi Brothers Inc. 302-436-2000 Florida Jacksonville, FL Stover Sales Inc. 904-696-3496 Miami, FL Rechtien International Trucks dba Wreckers Limited 305-888-0111 Tampa, FL Atlanta Wrecker & Carrier Sales Inc. On a warm 813-626-2144 Kentucky Burlington, KY Tipton Auto Sales & Parts Inc. summer’s eve there is 859-689-4222 Kansas City, MO KCR International Trucks Inc. 816-455-1833 Oregon Lyons, OR Santiam Enterprises St. Louis, MO 503-859-2793 Archway International service. We need to awaken the fancy. 314-771-3900 VERMONT White River Junction, VT Sabil & Sons Inc 802-295-4325 Virginia Manassas Park, VA Horton Truck and Equipment 703-530-7800 Washington Tacoma, WA If you have Equipment children, ask Northwest Pennsylvania Salesit;&then Servicephotocopy it sadness in the air as the family of a general public to the dangers we them to write Richmond, KY Collegeville, PA 253-922-7581 Georgia St. Louis, MO fallen tower for aof funeral. face Miller everyBrothers day. Inc. For this, weMobile mustLifts and hand it out. Saving lives can Kentucky Lawrenceville, GA prepares Tebco West Virginia 859-624-0653 610-489-1900 Atlanta Wrecker 314-752-5726 aside and look As they lay&awake that night, restput competition to be as simple as that. What is not so Parkersburg, WV Carrier Sales Inc. lessly trying to cope with their loss, each other for support and ideas simple? Saying goodbye. Louisiana Matheny Motor Truck Co. Columbia, PA Nebraska 770-963-0966 304-485-4418 Nussbaum Equipment Inc.sadness Omaha, another tower falls. Gary, LA on how we NE can deal with this The filling the air at this Southland International 717-684-0189 Omaha Truck Center Smyrna, GA Competitors come together growing problem. funeral willWisconsin not disappear. There of Louisianato 402-935-2442 Atlanta Wrecker & LaFarge, WI 985-876-3000 Greencastle, PA mourn each The best way for all of us to is no bringing someone back. Carrier Sales Inc. other’s loss. The quesLaFarge Truck Center Mason Dixon Nevada 770-432-0097 tion of “why“ and theHarahan, expression help – get involved. Join your state However, this sadness needs to be 608-625-4285 LA Trucks & Carriers Inc. North Las Vegas, NV Southland of “it’s just not fair,“ lingers inInternational the association, the museum and replaced by our resolve to remem717-597-9400 McCandlessjoin International Illinois Marshfield, WI of Louisiana 702-642-8789 Champaign, minds ofIL all. And for 504-733-7711 those of us contribute to the Survivor Fund. Find ber and honor theTruck fallen by Inc. doing Mid State Service Scenery Hill, PA Prairie International 715-591-2591 who have been working diligently groups in your workwe can to prevent this Enterpriseseverything Inc. Sparks, NV state that areASCO 217-352-4187 West Monroe, LA 724-945-5525 Silver State International for the past seven months to start ing on “Move Over“ laws and work from happening again. Milwaukee, WI Plunk’s Truck Parts 775-685-6000 Chicago, IL Badger Truck Center the process of promoting awareto get towers added to their legislaFor more information on how to & Equipment Inc. Wilkes-Barre, PA Chicago 414-344-9500 318-388-4460 Jersey Wilkes-Barre International Trucks fallen towers, ness of these this is a tion. New Promote and instill strict safety Truck get involved contact: Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 570-823-0144 708-496-7500 harsh reminder of whyMaine we began policies withinSales your own company. • Cheryl West Mish, Allis,director, WI Nussbaum Corp. Badger Truck of Allis Southmust Portland, ME 201-288-3885 Windber, this project and why we push Post signs around your offices to PA International Towing & West Recovery Decatur, IL 800-553-1927 Hews Company LLC GAP Chevrolet Prairie International forward with it. remind everyone to move over when Hall of Fame 207-767-2136 Shrewsbury, NJ 814-467-4596 217-877-8411 WI Truck Center equipment, Unfortunately, these are the tragthey Circle see emergency & Museum,Windsor, 423-267-3132 or Maryland Badger Truck of Madison South Carolina 732-741-3130 Elmhurst, IL edies that keep this group moving including tow trucks, on the Orangeburg, side internationaltowingmuseum@comAberdeen MD 866-846-0680 SC Worldwide Equipment Chevrolet forward and pushing JPhard to get of theSpotswood, road. NJ cast.net Smith Services Inc. Sales LLC Canada 410-272-0300 803-533-1585 Giancola Corp.a motorist, 630-617-9848 worldwide involvement in this cause. Each timeMotor you Car assist • Jeffrey Charlesbourg, Godwin,Quebec chairman, 732-251-4422 Plamondon Camquip LTEE Baltimore, MD It is up to all of us in the towhand them a sheet of paper that Survivor Fund, jgodwin@towpartSimpsonville, SC Quincy, IL 418-849-7575 Beltway International New York Atlanta Wrecker & Prairie International ing and recovery industry to work says, “Move over and slow down for ners.com 410-247-5700 Albany, NY Carrier Sales Inc. 217-222-1518 Dorval, Quebec together to honor and commemostopped emergency ser• Lara Feinberg, founder and P.A. Ruth Automotiveand public 864-688-0170 Massachusetts Del Equipment Limited 518-456-0356 lives depend on it.“ vice vehicles — rate ourIL brothers andLancaster, sisters who president, Families for Roadside Springfield, MA 514-684-1760 Tennessee Prairie International have given their lives Crawford in the line not have to be anything Safety, Inc., [email protected] Truckof Sales Inc. It does Rockwood, TN Hornell, NY 217-523-5631 Indiana Greensburg, IN Hedinger’s Auto Care, Inc. 812-663-7885 IOWA Cedar Rapids, IA Truck Country Cedar Rapids 319-365-0531 Davenport, IA Truck Country Davenport 309-507-1525 Des Moines, IA Truck Country Des Moines 515-265-7361 978-534-1954 West Hatfield, MA G & S Industrial 413-247-9631 Michigan Auburn Hills, MI Fallsway Equipment Co. 248-340-2421 Detroit, MI Santoro Inc. 315-526-1300 Muskegon, MI Port City Wrecker Sales 231-773-2001 Minnesota St. Paul, MN Twin Cities Wrecker Sales 651-488-4210 Elsenheimer Chevrolet 607-324-3330 Port Jefferson Station, NY Ramp Chevrolet Inc. 631-473-1234 North Carolina Clayton, NC Eastern Wrecker Sales 919-553-4038 Ohio Glenn’s Motors and Auto Parts 865-354-0622 Edmonton, Alberta Alberta Motor Association 780-430-5520 Texas Mississauga, Ontario H.R. Runciman & Co., LTD 905-625-7222 Buda, TX Wrecker Capitol 512-312-5655 Dallas, TX Coker Equipment 214-742-5221 Akron, OH Fallsway Equipment Co., Inc. 330-633-6000 Houston, TX RPM Equipment 281-590-1494 Canal Winchester, OH Bob McDorman Chevrolet Inc. 614-837-3421 Salt Lake City, UT Rocky Mountain Wrecker Sales 801-268-8850 Moncton, New Brunswick Del Equipment Limited 506-857-4291 Port Coquitlam, British Columbia Del Equipment Limited 604-941-6241 Utah Call 800-926-9666 for information on your nearest authorized Jerr-Dan Distributor. 22 RUN HARD vo l . 1 5 , n o. 4 N ov e m b e r 2 0 0 6 23 RUN HARD vo l . 1 5 , n o. 4 N ov e m b e r 2 0 0 6 vo l . 1 5 , n o. 4 RUN HARD N ov e m b e r 2 0 0 6 23