Giving Thanks For What We Have

This month I traveled to India and had a glimpse of other tow truck operators performing the same services we provide on the other side of the world. The differences were clear; their equipment is beaten and battered. The technology is old British equipment. The streets are broken and partially washed out due to insufficient maintenance and extreme weather conditions. The life of a tow truck operator in India is significantly different from the U.S.

The average working wage in India is less than $3 per day (U.S dollars). A driver in the United States will likely make up to 40 times more than a tow truck operator in India. While it is true that some of the operating expenses in India are lower as a result of a lower cost of living, Indians pay almost double the U.S. price for fuel. Currently, their average price for gasoline is $4.63 per gallon.

Thanks to the extremely high price of gas combined with low wages of available jobs, many Indians can not afford to drive vehicles powered by fossil fuels. Most local deliveries of goods and merchandise are still performed by animals. Horses, donkeys, oxen, and elephants are routinely driven down the city streets, sharing the road with cars and trucks. When one of these carts breaks down it is assuredly not a tow truck that will show up to rescue the disabled vehicle.

Although, that does not mean there is a shortage of business for tow trucks. India is a hot country with mountainous terrain and heavy rainfall. That combination is cause for vehicles to be overworked and overheated, in addition to the dangerous driving conditions that can lead to accidents. The need for towing services in these conditions is inevitable.

Indian drivers are unlike any other in the world. To an American, their traffic system appears to be complete chaos. It is a free-for-all. Drivers share the road without regard for lanes, turn signals, traffic lights, or even oncoming traffic. There is virtually no existing traffic enforcement in most parts of the country. Their most used safety feature is their horn. TIME Magazine calls it “India’s Great Wall of Sound”. Whenever a vehicle approaches an intersection, passes a truck, intends to move, merge, accelerate, brake, or just warn someone they lay on their horn. One noticeable advantage of their traffic system is that they are able to move quickly from one point to another very quickly in heavy traffic. The down side is that it is dangerous. Near misses in city traffic are are common, most vehicles coming within inches of each other at every intersection.

Of even greater concern are the poorly secured loads. These types of trucks are the primary means of logistics for goods around the country. The cargo trucks are loaded beyond their maximum capacity and marched down the highway to reach their destination as quickly as possible. Often the load protrudes the cargo area and is loaded unevenly, causing the vehicle to lean to one side. This Tata truck has obviously been overloaded on the drivers side, which would be a guaranteed traffic ticket in the U.S. and could end in disaster.

Those that can not afford to hire a delivery truck will transport their goods by any means available. Since traffic enforcement is not an issue, delivery drivers are free to pack as many goods into their vehicle as they can fit, without any method of securing the load. They also run the risk of operating a slow moving vehicle on a busy highway or in crowded city streets, which does not appear to bother them.

Because of the expense, many vehicle are not well maintained and can cause problems in traffic. Breakdowns are common, and many vehicles are pushed off highways by hand and are repaired while blocking a lane or on the shoulder. Road conditions are no help to the drivers. Many roads are made of dirt and most paved roads are riddled with potholes and cracking. It does not take long for the trucks to start to look like the roads. Trucks can only take a certain amount of abuse before their parts start to fail.

The same is true for tow trucks. A well maintained tow truck is less likely to fail during a critical situation. At Airport Towing, we pride ourselves on our well maintained equipment and do everything possible to prevent any type of mechanical failure on an incident scene. Unfortunately, there are those who will keep pulling with their unit until something finally gives way and breaks. Though some of these operators exist in the U.S., there are many more who are working with substandard equipment in third world countries across the globe.

In any industry, it is easily noticeable when a company takes care of their equipment. A company that displays good public image is easy to see, yet rarely praised for their efforts. One of the benefits of displaying professionalism is the positive image that reflects on the industry as a whole. Operating a clean and professional towing operation in India must be one of the greatest challenges of any profession in the country. Few are up to the task. For those that put forth the effort, we would like to express our gratitude. Indian tow truck operators have to work in dirty conditions and 100+ degree heat almost year round. We are thankful for their efforts and grateful that we have been blessed with a great opportunity to operate a successful towing company in the United States of America. During this season of Thanksgiving, we have a lot to be thankful for.

Hooked on Super Heavy Duty School

Three members of Airport Towing’s heavy recovery team participated in Super Heavy Duty Recovery School last month in Wenatchee, Washington. The classes were put on by the Towing & Recovery Association of Washington and hosted locally by Randy’s Towing. The Super Heavy Duty Certification earned by these heavy operators represents the highest level of achievement offered by TRAW.

Though many towing companies believe the only education a driver needs is experience (OJT), Airport Towing and other members of the Washington State Association believe differently. Clearly, there is no substitute for training. Participants are able to work in a controlled environment, and can take the time to work through scenarios, luxuries they do not have when on the scene of real working incidents.

TRAW’s Super Heavy Duty class includes classroom time and a final written exam, but the emphasis of the class is clearly geared toward hands-on training. Instructors work hard to stage large donated trucks, trailers, containers, and equipment in difficult geographical locations designed to challenge the tow operators. Throughout the class, the recoveries progress from simple winch-outs to basic tractor-trailer roll-overs, then on to more complicated situations.

Not only were students challenged with recovering heavy trucks that were thrown into the most precarious situations, but they were also given the realistic scenario of working through the night. Responding to accident recoveries in the middle of the night is nothing new to a tow truck operator, so the instructors decided to add the challenge of working in the dark during early morning hours without giving prior notice. The task was to recover a rolled over cement mixer, down an embankment, and off the main road. Through auxiliary lighting and careful rigging, the crew was able to safely recover the disabled vehicle.

Another scenario students were faced with  was to retrieve a heavy excavator, buried thoroughly in the mud to the point where the wheels were no longer visible. The class was broken up into two teams and students were asked to come up with a recovery plan that would get the job done most efficiently. Participants were given an opportunity to think on their feet, work in teams, and understand the limits of their equipment. From the working limit of the chain to the snatch block, the boom, cable, straps, shackles, and all other equipment must be considered when working a heavy recovery incident.

Students at Airport Towing observed that the value of working together as a team was the single most important lesson learned while working a heavy recovery incident. Their opportunity to train together helped the trio gain confidence in each other, which will increase efficiency while working together during real emergency operations. Just as any emergency scene responder has come to expect, tow truck operators must work quickly and in unison to be able to best serve the motoring public. Incidents need to be quickly analyzed and a plan for recovery operations must be implemented in a short period of time. This is especially true when heavy duty tow trucks are called on scene. Experience at work and training opportunities such as TRAW’s Super Heavy Tow School are the only way to prepare for such situations.

The location for the four day school and recovery class was at the Chelan County Fire District 1 training grounds. Fire departments are known for their level of expertise, directly related to their relentless training. Professional towing operators would love to have as much training as firefighters, but because towing is privately funded it is difficult to receive funding for training programs. Operators that donate equipment and drivers to these classes take a loss while their businesses operate short-handed.

This year TRAW was able to gain the support of 14 students who participated in the class and several instructors who were willing to volunteer their time for the benefit of the towing and recovery industry. Attending students came from all around the northwest to enhance their working knowledge of operating heavy equipment. Participating companies sending students included Airport Towing, Willette’s Towing, Pro Tow, Ron May Towing, Lakewood Towing, Randy’s Towing, Bethel Towing.

In addition to time and personnel donated to the super heavy duty class, several pieces of equipment were also donated to be used at the training facility. Airport Towing, as well as 3 other companies from Washington State sent heavy duty tow trucks to the Super Heavy Duty class, including Randy’s Towing of Wenatchee, Bethel Towing of Port Orchard, and Lakewood Towing near Tacoma. Randy’s Towing also provided a medium duty tow truck; George Washington Towing volunteered equipment transportation via a lowboy, and Nelson Truck volunteered the use of a new flatbed tow truck with side pull capabilities. Class instructors from TRAW included Rich Steele of Lincoln Towing, Keith Lewis of Pro Tow, Kurt Gillard of George Washington Towing, and Mike & Joanne Walcker. Visiting instructors from California were Bob Berry and Steve Cardineli.

Overall, the 2009 TRAW Super Heavy Duty Recovery School was a huge success thanks to the participation from regional towing companies, eager tow truck operators, and dedicated instructors. These participants are proud improve their professionalism and lead the way in our state’s towing and recovery operations.

Burien Kids Day 2009 is Fun for the Family

More than 1,000 people visited Burien Fire Station 28 last weekend to celebrate “Kids Day”, an annual community event organized by Fire District #2. The weather was perfect, large trucks were on display, and there were plenty of free hot dogs for everyone.

King County Fire District #2 (Burien/Normandy Park Fire) has established a tradition of hosting an event at Burien Fire Headquarters for kids and parents to learn about public safety and to have a fun filled Saturday at no cost to the individual. This is made possible through donations made by many local businesses and organizations. Airport & Burien Towing volunteered to help by transporting and donating vehicles for auto extrications, as well as displaying a 35 ton tow truck and a 1935 Ford hot rod tow truck from their antique collection.

Kids of all ages enjoyed the extensive variety of activities. Small diamater fire hoses and knock down fire displays were set up and operated by the SeaTac Explorers for young firefighters to enjoy. North Highline Fire District allowed families to tour their fire engines and pose in the seats for pictures. For the young kids with endless energy, inflatable toys were on site to help mom and dad get a little break while watching the kids burn off some calories. For those looking to learn about fire safety, Burien/Normandy Park firefighters taught interactive classes inside a 2 story smoke house, complete with emergency exits and lighted fire displays. Other activities included a candy search, free child identification bracelets, a helicopter landing by the King County Sherriff’s Office, prize drawings, face paintings, 100 foot high angle rescue show, multiple vehicle automobile extrications, along with many other fun things for kids to do and watch.

An auto extrication is a rescue scenario that includes the removal of persons who are trapped inside a vehicle. Some cars involved in accidents are so badly misshapen that the doors and windows will only open by use of excessive force. Because these types of accidents have become more common, local fire departments train firefighters to use heavy duty hydraulic tools to remove patients from vehicles. Burien Fire performed 2 auto extrications on vehicles donated by Burien & Airport Towing. The extrications are a main attraction, and typically the hilight of the day for spectators.

Airport Towing & Burien Towing have been donating cars to the Burien Fire Department for this type of training for many years. The photo above features Burien firefighters putting on an extrication display for Kids Day 1999. The Burien Fire Department plans on hosting Kids Day next year to continue the annual tradition. If the City of Burien acts quickly and secures a new location to replace their outdated station, the event may be held at a brand new fire station in 2010 or 2011.

2009 NW Tow Expo - Thumbs Up

If there seemed to be an unusually high number of tow trucks on I-5 last week, it was for a good reason. Tow trucks from all over the Northwest drove to Ferndale, Washington last weekend to participate in the Towing & Recovery Association of Washington’s 2009 Northwest Tow Truck Exposition, the association’s largest annual event.

From all corners of Washington, to the far reaches of Canada and Idaho tow trucks made the trek to the greater Bellingham area to participate in the unique social event. Washington state towing company’s were on hand representing Spokane, Seattle, Moses Lake, Everett, Nisqually, Wenatchee, Bellevue, and many other cities.

Tow trucks big and small found their way to the NW Tow Expo, hosted by TRAW, many vying to earn awards for top show truck, best working truck along with several other awards. Prizes for the show trucks were broken down into categories: Class A (Light Duty), Class B (Medium Duty), and Class C (Heavy Duty) tow trucks. Dick’s Towing of Everett, WA was one of the big winners of this year’s event. Several of the green and white trucks that were displayed earned awards and notoriety.

A 1929 Ford Model AA tow truck was displayed by Airport Towing. The truck was awarded second place in the Class A (Light Duty Tow Truck) Show N Shine category. The only antique truck on hand earned a parking spot at the center of the Expo and was an instant crowd favorite among spectators. “The 29″ was the result of a ground up restoration effort by the late Mark Storer (founder of Airport Towing), and his employees. The classic truck was originally used as a tow truck in South Dakota until Mark welcomed it into his collection by driving half way across the country to pick it up and tow it home.

As the tow show continued and truck operators from around the Pacific Northwest swapped stories with each other, a retired married couple shared a story telling of what they had just recently learned about tow trucks. Before the heavy trucks started rolling in, as crews were preparing to set up the tow expo one couple staying at the hotel & convention center said they received a note on the windshield of their oversized R.V. stating that they needed to move their vehicle out of the back parking lot or it would be towed. The pair typically travels all over the U.S.A. and has never experienced a threat that their house-on-wheels would actually be towed. The husband laughed and said, “What kind of a tow truck could they possible send to tow this thing?! They can’t be serious!” Minutes later as they were preparing to move to the other side of the hotel, tow trucks started pouring in. After they had gotten a look at the tow trucks on approach, the husband reverted his previous statement, confessing, “I had no idea they were serious! Look at those tow trucks! It could pick us up and dangle us around in the air!!” Many spectators who happened to be in the area were impressed with the display on hand from the towing operators.

One of the awards issued for Class C (heavy duty tow truck) was presented to Nisqually Towing, located in Olympia, Washington. Nisqually’s solid red 4 axle Peterbilt was a beautiful addition to the 2009 show. Another tow operator who brought their newly acquired heavy duty tow truck to display among local tow truck operators was Mac Towing of Redmond, WA. Mac’s new blue Peterbilt features large flames down both sides of the truck.

The trade show not only displayed tow trucks, but also featured vehicle and equipment suppliers with opportunities for them to present their best product to the towing industry. Tow truck operators are known for their heavy and frequent use of their machinery. They are constantly putting their trucks and tools to the test while working tirelessly in the field. As a result, most tow truck operators require the gear they purchase to be of the highest standard and utmost durability. From snow chains to trucks chassis; winch cables to tires, the men and women of the towing industry get a lot of use from their equipment and expect it to hold up in the worst conditions. With the introduction of the new Dodge Ram 5500, many tow truck operators are making the switch from Ford and Chevrolet due to durability and strength issues. Dodge began building the heavier trucks two years ago and will be picking up where GM is leaving off as they have announced they will no longer be building the Kodiak and Top Kick medium duty trucks as of this year.

The highest standards still apply to many of the towing companies that have been operating for several decades. Randy’s Towing of Wenatchee, Washington recently had Idaho Wrecker Sales build them a new medium duty tow truck that was on display in Ferndale. Although the economy is forcing all businesses to take a close look at their operating expenses, towing operators do not have the luxury of making cuts on their equipment purchases without serious repercussions. For those that plan on working their equipment hard every day in emergency situations and under poor conditions, ‘almost the right truck for the job’ is not good enough. With tow trucks, it is critical to have the right truck for the job and those who have been in the industry for any length of time realize that it is not worth making cuts when it comes to equipment purchases.

While much of TRAW’s 2009 NW Tow Expo was a chance for owners and sales staff to connect for purposes of doing business together, the show was equally about having fun. Families enjoyed spending their time at the show visiting with each other, eating together, showing off trucks, and even competing against each other in friendly competitions. Rouse’s Towing of Spokane, WA showed their one-of-a-kind Chevrolet SSR with detachable tow unit. It is likely the only SSR tow truck in the world.

As for competitions, Airport Towing General Manager Daryl Wilson completed the service call competition in just 30 seconds, taking first prize among competitors. The service call contest consisted of a series of field exercises that had to be completed for time. Operators were tasked with performing three types of service on a 2000 Mazda Protege, which required multiple steps to complete. The vehicle was completely locked and all compartments closed at the beginning of the competition. The objective was to unlock the vehicle using door entry tools, followed by opening the trunk to access the vehicle’s spare tire, lug wrench, and a floor jack. The tire and changing tools had to be placed by the driver within a boxed area near the front of the car. Finally, the driver had to access a jump box in the trunk, open the hood of the car, and connect it to the appropriate cables. Many drivers from around the Northwest accepted the challenge. Some failed to finish. Throughout the day Daryl’s name had been compared to several superheroes, earning him the reputation as a master of service calls among his peers. Despite an economic recession the 2009 NW Tow Expo was a huge success, earning more participation and boasting more fun than the previous year.

Happy 50th Des Moines!

Excitement stretched as far as the eye could see down Marine View Drive last weekend at the Des Moines Waterland Parade. The Seafair sanctioned event featured hundreds of participants including the Seafair Pirates, Keystone Cops, Mt. Rainier Ramblin Band, and vintage trucks from Airport Towing. The parade is one of several events around the Seattle area leading up to Seafair weekend August 1st & 2nd on Lake Washington.

Covering the event from the back of an Airport Towing flatbed tow truck was Scott Schaefer and the staff from The Waterland Blog. Airport Towing has volunteered to use their flatbeds as parade floats in multiple parades this year, including The Burien 4th of July Parade. On Independence Day 2009 Airport Towing carried The B-Town Blog & it’s crew, along with the B-Town Blogmobile (which looks surprisingly similar to the Waterland Blogmobile) through the parade.

The 2009 Waterland Parade became a reality thanks to the hard work of Anna Bjorneby of Bjornebys Auto Rebuild and many other volunteers. Bjornebys featured their classic Chevrolet pick up truck towing a birthday cake for the city of Des Moines. More photos from the Des Moines Waterland Parade are available thanks to Des Moines City Councilmember Carmen Scott.

Airport Towing’s General Manager Daryl Wilson cruised Marine View Drive Saturday in a crowd favorite, 1935 Ford tow truck nicknamed “The Flame”. Daryl’s truck carried photos of the late Mark Storer and Brian Storer to honor their contributions to the Waterland community. Brian was a resident home owner of Des Moines. Mark lived in South King County his entire life. The family business has been offering quality and affordable towing services to the area since 1988.

Although some of the parade participants were too young to drive in the parade, they enjoyed soaking up plenty of warm sun along the route while smiling and waving to the crowd. Three different generations were represented as passengers and drivers within Airport Towing’s line of trucks. The small children were full of curiosity and affection toward the crowd, which made them a crowd-pleaser from start to finish. Airport Towing’s trucks represented in the parade included a 1925 Ford Model TT tow truck, a 1928 Ford Model A Roadster Pickup Truck, a 1935 Ford tow truck, a 1933 Ford tow truck, a Mitsubishi flatbed truck towing the Waterland Blog, and a heavy duty Peterbilt tow truck. All Airport Towing drivers and participants volunteered their time to support the  2009 Des Moines Waterland Parade & 50th Birthday Celebration.