Friday, April 30, 2010

Tow truck driver hurt post-storm

Tow truck driver hurt post-storm
from CBC News
April 30,2010


A tow truck driver, trying to clear a crash after a major snowstorm in southern Alberta, was seriously hurt when a car struck him. The tow truck driver was on Highway 22, south of Cremona, when a southbound Volkswagen Jetta hit him on Thursday afternoon. The Jetta's driver then left the scene in another vehicle, said police. Didsbury police said weather was no longer a factor at the time of the collision. The tow truck driver was taken to the Foothills hospital with serious injuries. He is in stable condition.Charges are pending against a man, 48, who is in custody. Power still out About 1,000 homes are still in the dark in southern Alberta after more than 15 centimetres of snow fell in some areas between Wednesday and Thursday.Electricity provider, Fortis Alberta, has 300 workers restoring power to some homes and businesses south of Cardston and in the High River area on Friday. Helicopters are also being used to spot downed lines as some areas are still difficult to access by road."In some areas, the snow is two to three feet deep. That compounded with the high winds that some areas experienced yesterday certainly didn't help," said Fortis spokeswoman Jennifer McGowan.Some rural residents who are in isolated areas with no power need to call Fortis to ensure crews get to them, she added.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

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Whelen Interactive Light Demo


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Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Blue, red and amber lights mean slow down and move over

Blue, red and amber lights mean slow down and move over Law changes in effect today

From The Eagle Tribune 2008
By Jarret Bencks

When emergency vehicles arrive at an accident, safety officials said vehicles with lights that aren't red or blue don't get the same level of respect from motorists — and it puts workers in danger.

"It's unnerving when someone blows by you at 70 mph," said Bill Boynton, spokesman for the Department of Transportation, whose vehicles have amber lights. "We've had a few instances where people have had to jump over guardrails just to get out of the way."

Beginning today, changes to the state's Move Over Law will clearly include tow trucks and DOT vehicles as emergency vehicles. Drivers will be required to slow down and make room for those vehicles at roadside emergencies, along with police and fire vehicles. Violating the law can result in a fine of $150, according to New Hampshire State Police.

Originally enacted in 2005, the law requires drivers to slow down and move over for stationary emergency vehicles at accidents. But that law did not specify an emergency vehicle, said Jim Van Dongen, spokesman for the Department of Safety. The changes effective today specify drivers must slow down and make room for stationary vehicles with red, blue and amber lights when approaching a roadside emergency.

The bill to change the law was approved by the Legislature in June. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Sherman Packard, R-Londonderry, and cosponsored by Sen. Robert Letourneau, R-Derry.

"The goal is to help protect people out there protecting us," Packard said. "Police officers, tow truck operators, construction workers have been hit because people aren't paying attention. I would hope this would open some eyes."

Between 1995 and 2006, 144 U.S. law enforcement officers were killed accidentally on motor vehicle stops or while directing traffic, according to statistics from the Department of Safety. In the last 10 years, two workers for New Hampshire's Department of Transportation have died in roadside incidents. While there are no statistics for tow truck operators, the Towing and Recovery Association of America lists 94 tow truck drivers killed in roadside incidents.

Packard added that the intention of the law is not to collect more fines.

"It was solely put in place for protection," Packard said.

The law has not been enforced much in the past, but that will change, according to state safety officials.

State police Lt. Chris Oucoin said people largely don't follow the law as it stands now and state police will begin to take measures to raise awareness.

"I think there is going to be some education required through some enforcement," Oucoin said.

Packard said he sponsored the bill because of deaths and injuries at roadside situations. In 2007, Derry police Officer Robert Moore was hit by a drunken driver while he was working a traffic detail on Route 28 in Windham.

Moore was taken by helicopter to a Boston hospital, where he spent three months recovering from a broken pelvis, and torn muscles and tendons.

In June, Windham police Officer Greg Malisos was working a traffic detail on Route 111 when an SUV hit his leg and knocked him into a ditch. Malisos escaped with only minor injuries.

"Sometimes people have all kinds of space to move over, but they just don't," Salem Deputy Chief Bill Ganley said. "There's definitely room for improvement."

Brian Bauchman, a tow truck driver from Windham, said along with the dangers of roadside accidents, getting to them can be a challenge for tow trucks when traffic is backed up.

"When we work tractor-trailer wrecks on the highway, people will block us out, they won't let us by," Bauchman said. "You can be blowing your horn and have your lights on, and they won't get out of the way."

Signs have been up on highways around the state over the last week, notifying drivers of the changes to the law and asking drivers to slow down and make room for red, blue and amber lights. New Hampshire is one of 45 states nationwide with a move over law.

Car Being Towed Catches Fire On I-95

Car Being Towed Catches Fire On I-95

Tow Truck Driver Escapes Unharmed
POSTED: 9:18 am EDT April 28, 2010

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- A tow truck driver escaped unharmed after the car he was towing caught fire early Wednesday morning.

The fire started about 1 a.m. along southbound Interstate 95 near Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard.

WPBF 25 News was first at the scene when firefighters were extinguishing the flames.

The tow truck driver told WPBF 25 News he was towing a car that had been involved in a fire when he saw smoke. He stopped to lower the car from his truck when it burst into flames. No One was injured

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Fairness in Towing

Moreno Valley tow truck operators could get rotation system

By LAURIE LUCAS
The Press-Enterprise


Tow truck drivers in Moreno Valley may finally get an official rotation system.

Under the proposed city-wide fee schedule for fiscal year 2010-11, tow truck operators would pay an application fee of $2,828 for a five-year contract and post a $5,000 deposit to cover administrative costs. Owners of towed cars would have to pay $74 to recover their vehicles.

The City Council is expected to vote on the fee schedule tonight after a public hearing , which starts at 6:30 p.m. State law requires that municipalities can only charge fees to recover costs, not to make profits.

Moreno Valley has an ordinance that's languished on the books for more than a decade involving towing service rotation, said Rick Hartmann, the interim assistant city manager.

Most California cities and counties have a rotation set up with area operators so that business is spread out equally.

Hartmann said that currently six tow truck operators serve Moreno Valley. "They've requested a formalized, comprehensive program," he said.

Another suggested change before the council is raising the CPR and First Aid class fees in the Fire Department from $30 to $65 per student so that the program will become self-sufficient. .

In other business, the board will discuss four funding alternatives to help build $6.3 million worth of Eucalyptus Avenue street improvements between Redlands Boulevard and Theodore Avenue. When completed, this segment will include three full travel lanes, sidewalks, bus turnouts, emergency access and extensive landscaping.

This important arterial highway is near the future site of Highland Fairview Corporate Park, with Skechers USA Inc. as the main tenant. Skechers signed an 11-year, $100 million lease for a 1.8 million-square-foot building.

"The conditions of approval don't say the developer has to fund the improvements," Hartmann said. "The conditions say the developer has to build them."

He said the city has come up with proposals for the developer, Highland Fairview, to borrow money from different sources. "This is not considered a violation of the conditions of approval," he said.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Seems fair?

Parma gives break on towing fee to crime victims

By Bob Sandrick, Sun News
April 25, 2010, 11:10AM

Victims of crimes like automobile theft will no longer have to pay city towing fees under an ordinance Parma City Council approved Monday.

Under the previous code, the city charged a $25 fee for each car it towed. From now on, the city will waive the fee for crime victims.

Safety Director Greg Baeppler said the ordinance was recommended to council by the city’s Law Department and Police Chief Daniel Hoffman.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

E Trucker News

E Trucker News

Thursday, April 22, 2010

We're Hiring!

NOW HIRING. Do you have experience in Sales? Experience in towing and/or carhauling? Our company is now hiring for additional salesmen to join our team. Hiring both carhauler salesman and towing salesman. Learn more on our website at www.ectts.com/careers. Email your resume to BBerger@ectts.com, fax to 757-465-2211, or apply online.

We're Hiring!

NOW HIRING. Do you have experience in Sales? Experience in towing and/or carhauling? Our company is now hiring for additional salesmen to join our team. Hiring both carhauler salesman and towing salesman. Learn more on our website at www.ectts.com/careers. Email your resume to BBerger@ectts.com, fax to 757-465-2211, or apply online.

We're hiring

NOW HIRING. Do you have experience in Sales? Experience in towing and/or carhauling? Our company is now hiring for additional salesmen to join our team. Hiring both carhauler salesman and towing salesman. Learn more on our website at www.ectts.com/careers. Email your resume to BBerger@ectts.com, fax to 757-465-2211, or apply online.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Tow truck driver dies after crashing into Chesapeake store

by Brandon Foster-Gray


Posted on April 13, 2010 at 9:28 PM

Updated Tuesday, Apr 13 at 10:15 PM

CHESAPEAKE-A tow truck driver who crashed into a pool and leisure supply store Tuesday evening has died.The crash happened shortly after 7 p.m., at East Coast Leisure, located at 3269 Western Branch Boulevard. According to police spokesperson Dorienne Boykin, the driver, 48-year-old Durward Whitehead, Sr. of Elizabeth City, N.C., was driving the tow truck, when a medical emergency caused him to lose control and crash into the store.The store was closed at the time of the crash.Whitehead was taken to Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center, where he died. Boykin does not know whether Whitehead died as a result of his medical condition or injuries suffered.

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Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Mr. Whitehead.


-East Coast Truck & Trailer

Monday, April 12, 2010

1 person hurt as train pulling safety caboose collides with tow truck in Jacksonville

1 person hurt as train pulling safety caboose collides with tow truck in Jacksonville

from the Florida Sun Times April 2010


Posted: April 8, 2010 - 1:50pm


A train engine pulling a caboose used to promote railroad crossing safety collided with a tow truck in North Jacksonville this afternoon, injuring the tow truck driver, police and fire officials said. The accident occurred about 1:15 p.m. in the 9200 block of North Main Street across from the Preferred Materials concrete plant. A tow truck from Abe's Wrecker Service was leaving a junkyard and crossing a train track when it was struck by the northbound engine and caboose, said Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Lt. Allen Eason. There was no crossing arm at the site, but there was a sign warning motorists about the track. Eason said the tow truck driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The man, taken to Shands Jacksonville hospital, has not been identified.The CSX engine was pulling an Operation Lifesaver caboose. Operation Lifesaver is a nonprofit organization that raises awareness of railroad crossing hazards, said Gary Sease, a CSX spokesman. A message on the caboose read: Look. Listen. Live. The engine and caboose were headed to work switching trains. No one on the engine was injured and no one was in the caboose.
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please feel free to comment or email me at msaks@ectts.com

Thursday, April 8, 2010

AutoNation CEO: “Fat V” Recovery for Auto Sector

Published: Thursday, 1 Apr 2010

1:26 PM ET Text Size By: Brooke Sopelsa


By: Brooke Sopelsa
Writer/Producer, CNBC.com



The automotive sector was handed major setbacks during the recession, but Mike Jackson, CEO of AutoNation, said the industry is in store for a “Fat V” recovery.“We plunged from 16 million (vehicles sold) down to 10 million in two years, and it’s going to take us about four years to get back to 16 million,” Jackson explained.Jackson, who runs the largest chain of auto dealerships in the United States, added that March was an “excellent month” at the retail level.“I think March is going to break through 12 million units,” he said.He noted that 12 million is still a “depression-level number” but said the rise from last year’s sales is a confirmation of the recovery. He also said incentives would enhance March's sales results.

More Good News?

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Light at the end of the tunnel

 LOUISVILLE, Ky. Daimler Trucks chief Andreas Renschler said Thursday that his company is readying the largest introduction of new vehicles in its history.At a press event at the Mid-America Trucking Show here, Renschler said Daimler Trucks over the next four years plans to spend 2 billion euros, about $2.65 billion, on the biggest product launch in our history.While he acknowledged that the global truck market is still facing headwinds,Daimler believes in reinvesting into its product lines.We have the pedal on the metal, he said.Daimler Trucks North America President Martin Daum told Transport Topics that the product plan focuses on improving fuel efficiency of its diesel engines and expanding use of compressed natural gas and liquid natural gas engines. Daum said DTNA has received close to 7,000 orders from more than 700 customers for new Class 6- 8 trucks that feature selective catalytic reduction systems.Daimler is using SCR aftertreatment to comply with new Environmental Protection Agency limits on nitrogen oxide emissions that take effect this year.