November 1, 2005Archive – Winter 2005: Volume 14 - Jerr-Dan

VOLUME 14, NUMBER 4 | NOVEMBER 2005
www.jerr-dan.com
An Oshkosh Truck Corporation Company
FOR THE HARD-WORKING TOWING PROFESSIONAL
THE JERR-DAN
ROTATOR
WORTH THE WAIT
PAGE
TOWING IN VOLUME
CHANGING WITH THE TIMES
8
PAGE
PAGE16
4
Comment
ALL GOOD THINGS
ARE WORTH
WAITING FOR
I
t’s here! The Jerr-Dan 60-ton
heavy-duty Rotator has
been unveiled! Our recent
distributor/tower Rotator introduction event was a huge success, and
the comments we’ve received on our
new wrecker have been overwhelmingly positive.
We set out with a lofty goal for
our Rotator — develop the ultimate
wrecker. And this took time; years
in fact. At Jerr-Dan, we don’t do
anything until we’re ready.
We don’t necessarily need to be the first;
We don’t
we just want to be the
best. And we wanted
necessarily
our new Rotator to live
need to be the up to our, and your,
first; we just expectations.
After many chalwant to be the lenges, triumphs,
sweat and exhaustion,
best.
we have achieved our
goal. We are proud to
introduce the 60-ton heavy-duty
Rotator to the towing and recovery
industry.
Our new workhorse is a
combination of heavy-duty
capabilities, incredible rotation,
unsurpassed pulling capacity and
superior design.
We know you’ve been waiting
patiently for our Rotator, and we
thank you for your patience. We
also understand, and appreciate,
your level of excitement for this new
powerhouse. In fact, we hear that a
mere 45 minutes after our introduction event at our Greencastle
headquarters in early October, pic-
“
”
tures of our
Rotator were
posted on
the Internet.
We’re flattered by
your enthusiasm, and we
believe
we’ve got the perfect powerhouse to
deliver.
And a powerhouse it is. This
muscle-bound beast has a tip load
rating of 18,400 lbs.— far more
than the leading competitor.
The high-strength alloy fabricated construction boom is offered
in both a 2-stage and a 3-stage
configuration with a retracted rating of 120,000 lbs. — 44,000 lbs.
on the second stage fully extended
and 26,000 lbs. at an impressive
43 ft. of boom length. Both complete a 360-degree rotation.
Our hydraulic stabilizer system
can’t be beat. Stability is provided
by the widest double outrigger
spread in the industry — 264 in. for
front and rear. And setup on uneven
terrain is easy with 26 in. of ground
penetration. A unique scissors-style
stabilizer design keeps loads closer
to the ground when lifting over the
outrigger’s extended beams.
I can go on and on about the
features and benefits of our new
Rotator. When you are truly excited
about something, it’s natural to want
to share it with others. We’d like to
share information about our new
Rotator with you. And we always
appreciate your comments.
Jeff Weller
President
FOR THE HARD-WORKING TOWING PROFESSIONAL
Contents
4
JERR-DAN
OWNER PROFILE
AAA Southern New England
standardizes on Jerr-Dan trucks to
provide service to 1.5 million
members a year.
8
10
12
14
16
JACK’S HEAVY-DUTY
The Jerr-Dan Rotator. Worth the wait.
PRODUCT PROFILE
The 60-ton heavy-duty Rotator.
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
Equipped to success . . . putting your
best truck forward.
INDUSTRY NEWS
The Rotator introduction event. Team
TerraMax completes historic DARPA
Grand Challenge.
JERR-DAN
OWNER PROFILE
A diversified fleet of towing equipment
helps this Florida tower keep pace with
customers’ needs.
20
22
COMPANY NEWS
SHOW & GO
What does your Jerr-Dan look like?
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: RunHard@cygnusb2b.com.
Printed in the United States, © 2005 Jerr-Dan Corporation
Volume 14, Number 4, November 2005. For Canada: Agreement
Number 40064547.
RUN HARD
VOL.14, NO.4 NOVEMBER 2005
3
Owner Profile
TOWING IN
VOLUME
AAA SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND
STANDARDIZES ON JERR-DAN TRUCKS
TO SERVICE 1.5 MILLION MEMBERS A YEAR.
anaging a large towing fleet
of approximately 100 trucks
and 200 drivers for AAA
Southern New England would certainly
keep anyone on their toes. Brian
Levesque handles the position of director of fleet operations for the AAA club,
headquartered in Providence, Rhode
Island, with expertise and meticulous
organization. A former tower himself,
Levesque is no stranger to what it takes
to run a successful towing business.
“I have 24 years of towing experience
operating my own towing company,
including light- and heavy-duty towing and
recovery,” Levesque explains. “However,
managing a fleet the size of AAA Southern
New England, with 1.5 million calls a year,
can at times be challenging.”
To effectively manage such a
volume, Levesque relies on structure,
organization and, of course, quality
equipment.
M
4
RUN HARD
VOL.14, NO.4
NOVEMBER 2005
Use what works
The majority of AAA Southern
New England’s business is made up
of light-and medium-duty towing of
passenger cars. “We consider the
mainstay of our business to be roadside
assistance,” clarifies Sherrie Ryan,
chief operating officer. Included in that
category are day-to-day roadside
breakdowns, jump-starts, flat tires,
lockouts, etc.
To handle the thousands of calls per
day that filter through the club’s dispatch center (see photo on page 6),
the organization relies exclusively on
Jerr-Dan towing equipment.
Currently the club’s fleet consists of
one MPL40 light-duty integrated wrecker, 38 HPL 35 Series light-duty wreckers
and 32 steel-bed standard-duty carriers. The balance of the fleet is made up
of service trucks/vans.
“When you grow to a fleet our size,
standardization is key,” explains
Levesque. The towing equipment is typically mounted on Ford chassis (with the
exception of four International and 12
GMC cab-over chassis).
“We try to purchase chassis and towing units with standard options and
equipment to help keep maintenance and
purchase costs to a minimum,” he adds.
That standard equipment includes
19-ft. steel beds on all carriers. Most
carriers are not equipped with wheel
lifts because there is usually no need to
tow a second vehicle.
Of the club’s 38 wreckers (excluding
the MPL40), only three have booms; the
remaining 31 are equipped with only
a deck winch. “We don’t handle many
recovery situations so a standard
4,000-lb. Ramsey deck winch works
great for our needs,” explains Levesque.
“The winch provides our drivers good
visibility out the back window and allows
for excellent maneuverability in the
area’s crowded streets and parking lots.”
Staying close
AAA Southern New England’s customers include more than 2 million members in the states of Rhode Island and
Massachusetts. The club’s main building is
located in Providence, Rhode Island.
Satellite terminals are located in Woburn
and Avon, Massachusetts.
Trucks are dispatched three shifts per
day to designated areas from the three
terminals in a combination of lightservice, wheel-lift and flatbed trucks
depending on historical call volumes
inherent to the area.
“Metropolitan areas tend to require
more light service than towing,”
explains Levesque. “We examine call
data on a regular basis and make
changes as needed.”
The MPL40, for example, is being test-
AAA Southern New England’s Jerr-Dan fleet consists of 19-ft. steel-bed
carriers and HPL 35 Series light-duty wreckers, most with deck-mounted
winches instead of booms.
ed in the Boston metropolitan area, out of
the Avon terminal. The city’s congested
streets are a perfect fit for the compactbodied wrecker’s capabilities.
“We need the flexibility to run the
trucks where they are needed,” explains
Levesque. “We have compact territories
that are densely populated and to run a
productive and efficient fleet, we need
to manage the call volume from each
terminal on a daily basis.”
Towed cars are typically towed to a
service station instead of back to an AAA
terminal. “Members usually want their
cars towed directly to a service station,”
explains Ryan. “If the customer doesn’t
have a mechanic in mind, we recommend several from our approved vendor
list and allow the customer to choose.”
OWNER PROFILE
AAA
Southern New England
Providence, Rhode Island
Woburn and Avon,
Massachusetts
Jerr-Dan Fleet Profile:
Wreckers:
1 MPL40 light-duty integrated
wrecker
35 HPL 35 Series light-duty
wreckers with deck winch
3 HPL 35 Series light-duty
wreckers with twin-line boom
Carriers:
32 Standard-Duty Steel
carriers with 19-ft. beds
Services
• Roadside assistance
(including jump-starts, lockouts,
flat tires, etc.)
VOL.14, NO.4
RUN HARD
NOVEMBER 2005
5
Structure for volume
As one of AAA’s numerous clubs
across the United States, AAA Southern
New England follows the policies and procedures set in place by the national road
service organization. As it relates to towing, Levesque internally relies on structured
safety and service standards; externally he
turns to approved towing contractors.
“We set a bar within our organization
to deliver what we consider a world-class
level of service,” explains Ryan. To deliver
such a high standard, AAA has instituted
a comprehensive training and safety program for its drivers.
Each driver undergoes an extensive
criminal background and motor vehicle
check, drug testing and work skills
assessment test
during the interWhen you
view process. Ryan
grow to a fleet estimates that it
takes about five
our size,
individuals to
standardization apply to hire one
qualified driver.
is key.
Once hired,
each driver is oriBrian Levesque
AAA Southern
ented with a comNew England
prehensive training
program that
includes internal safety training and the
AAA Five Diamond Training for customer service. Every driver must pass a
written and road test as well as participate in hands-on training for several
days with a supervisor.
Drivers are paid hourly and rewarded
based on safety and customer satisfaction
initiatives. “We have the ability to survey
our members for total satisfaction,”
explains Ryan. “And we can break that
satisfaction level out to evaluate how each
driver is performing.”
Only about 10 percent of drivers
hired by AAA Southern New England
have previous towing experience. “If
they have the proper work ethic, we will
“
”
Left to right: Tom Engel, Brian Levesque, Jamie Wood, Lloyd Parks, Jim
Mahan, Bill Sirois and Ron Sorel gather around this HPL 35 Series wrecker
with a deck-mounted winch.
train them in the proper procedure to
tow and service a car,” says Levesque.
The biggest concern for drivers,
according to Levesque, is that their
equipment is dependable and in good
mechanical condition. “Jerr-Dan equipment gives us the ability to offer our
drivers this type of equipment with minimal maintenance costs.”
Drivers are required to wash trucks
before each shift and fill them with fuel
at the end of their shift. All trucks are
stored at a base terminal.
Rules apply
externally too
“We handle about 16 percent of the
club’s towing call volume ourselves,” says
Ryan. “The balance of service we provide
to our members is handled through more
than 300 independent contractors.”
The process of selecting an AAA contractor is somewhat like a courtship.
“When we enter into a relationship with a
contractor, we think of it long term,”
explains Ryan. “We look for solid towers
with excellent reputations. We conduct
extensive background checks and go
through a detailed interview process.
Once we’ve determined they are a good
fit with our club, we’ll bring them on in a
backup capacity.”
Drivers who work for contractors are
held to the same high standards as AAAemployed drivers, and contractors are
required to provide proof of meeting
those standards.
Future growth
AAA Southern New England already
serves more than 2 million members in its
two-state area and continues to add more
members each year despite very little population growth. The club’s decisions about
where to operate club fleet vehicles are
based on service quality and are always
made in the members’ best interest.
“Our goal is to have a uniform level of
service across club territory,” clarifies Ryan.
The towing fleet is constantly changing
and undergoing upgrades, says
Levesque. “We’ve purchased 33 Jerr-Dan
units in the last 24 months and we expect
to purchase additional units next year,”
he says. “We project our truck requirements a full 10 months ahead in regard
to which trucks should be retired and
budget accordingly.”
It’s all part of the organized processes
the club has put in place over the years
— processes that work for towing in high
volumes. ■
The club’s impressively organized
dispatch center handles approximately
1.5 million calls a year.
VOL.14, NO.4
RUN HARD
NOVEMBER 2005
6
Jack’s Heavy-Duty
ROTATOR
THE
B.I.C.
JERR-DAN
WORTH THE WAIT.
O
Jack Schrock
Heavy-duty specialist
“While Jerr-Dan
did not rush to
be the first
manufacturer to
offer a Rotator, it
certainly is now
offering the
Best-In-Class
Rotator on the
”
market.
8
RUN HARD
VOL.14, NO.4
NOVEMBER 2005
ctober 5 was definitely not like
just any other day for it was
the day Jerr-Dan introduced its
new 60-ton Rotator to a handful of
heavy-duty towers and key distributors
from throughout the country.
And, like the B.I.C. (Best-In-Class)
Jerr-Dan carriers developed several
years ago, the new Rotator offers the
best lift, reach, stability, rotation and
recovery of all the competitive models.
In other words, this new Jerr-Dan
Rotator is better than the best in every
category.
To further sweeten the pot, Jerr-Dan
doesn’t just rate the boom as is the
usual case with other manufacturers.
Indeed, the entire unit is designed,
tested and rated in conformance with
SAE J2512, so when we say 60-ton,
we mean every component is up to the
task, not just the boom.
T&R milestones
In the matter of towing and recovery
equipment, there have been some piv-
otal milestones over the years that have
advanced the T&R industry to the next
level. Included are the introductions of
the reversing winch, tow sling, hydraulic
wrecker, wheel/underlift, composite
body and airbag, to name the more
obvious. And it seems these milestones
come along about every decade or so
and are invariably the work product of
one manufacturer that “chooses” to
advance the state-of-the-art; the one
that chooses the “Best-of-the-Best.”
The latest in this distinguished line of
achievements is the new Jerr-Dan
Rotator for lifting, rotating and recovery
(winching) from the rear OR side.
In fact, during the recent presentation to towers, the load cell confirmed a
static side winching load in excess of
66,000 lbs., without any loss of stability
or degradation of stabilizer footing.
Exclusive features
With the Rotator’s boom
raised 51 degrees, the
optional three-
stage boom height is 40 ft. from the
ground, and with the standard two-stage
boom, the height is greater than 31 ft.
The truck frame is chopped and
removed at the end of the cab, and a
fabricated “torsional-box” is substituted
throughout the undercarriage of the
Rotator, with incremental ratings up to
44 million in./lbs. RBM (resisting
bending moment), which is an
enormous Jerr-Dan exclusive. This
torsional-box design has been wellproven through years of service in the
fire apparatus industry.
To achieve this increased rating,
high-strength steel with ratings up to
130,000 ksi is used extensively throughout the machine, another exclusive
feature of Jerr-Dan.
Then, with
the widest spread of
264 in. for front and rear stabilizers, combined with 26 in. of ground
penetration, the truck and Rotator chassis is lifted completely off
the ground, transferring
the entire load through
the stabilizer system
and rear spades.
Most importantly, these features
mean that the truck
chassis is merely a
transport device and
once on station, the
stabilizers together
with the rear spades, handle both the
stability and load transfer of the
machine. In other words, just one more
exclusive feature of the Jerr-Dan Rotator.
But, this is definitely not the end of
the story as the boom reach is nearly
42 ft. compared to 34 ft. from the leading competitor, yet another Jerr-Dan
exclusive, AND the load can be rotated
the entire 360 degrees, another
Jerr-Dan exclusive.
While we could go on and on and
on, when you consider this machine
requires an 86,000-lb. GVWR
chassis, you can
come to realize
the size and power of
this new Jerr-Dan Rotator.
To make all of this work to the fullest
advantage, a 35,000-lb. planetary
drag winch is offered, along with a
super-heavy-duty tire lift upgraded from
14,000- to 25,000-lb. capacity to allow
practical towing of those super loads by
the wheels.
The optional four-stage underlift
gives this Rotator an effective reach of
176 in. from the tailboard, and other
optional accessories enhance the performance of this exceptional behemoth.
Stunned into silence
Over a hundred people attended this
recent product unveiling and demonstration, and there were virtually NO
questions asked as the crowd remained
silent and riveted as this machine was
flawlessly put through its paces by Butch
Van Dyken, heavy-duty operator for
Stepp’s Towing Service of Tampa, the
proud owner of unit No. 1.
Also, with its greater reach, power
and boom height, the Jerr-Dan Rotator is
ideal for a number of commercial applications such as lifting and setting motors, pumps,
machinery, cargo of
all sorts and
other special
opportunities not at all
associated with T&R.
At this time, Jerr-Dan is scheduling
production of this new Rotator for the
year 2006 and beyond.
And, a mere 45 minutes following
the demonstration, the word on this new
Jerr-Dan offering hit the wires and the
calls have been coming in fast and furious ever since.
Wait until it’s right
While Jerr-Dan did not rush to be
the first manufacturer to offer a Rotator,
it certainly is now offering the “Best of
the Best” or Best-In-Class Rotator on
the market. For more information,
contact your nearest heavy-duty
Jerr-Dan distributor or call Jerr-Dan at
800-926-9666 for more details.
Also, make plans now to attend the
American Towman show in early
December when this same machine
will be on display for your personal
examination.
See ya’ soon! ■
VOL.14, NO.4
RUN HARD
NOVEMBER 2005
9
Product Profile
60-TON HEAVY-DUTY
ROTATOR
T
he Jerr-Dan Rotator is the 60-ton, heavy-duty, pickup-anything powerhouse that you’ve been waiting
for. The Rotator is the Best In Class for lift, reach, stability, rotation and recovery.
Consider these advantages:
• This muscle-bound beast has a tip load rating of
18,400 lbs.
• Reach more during a recovery and get into position
easier thanks to a working radius of nearly 42 ft. The
leading competitor tops out at 34 ft.
• No matter what the situation, extreme
stability is provided by the widest double
outrigger spread in the industry:
264 in. for front and rear. Setup on
uneven terrain is easy with 26 in. of
ground penetration. A unique scissors-style stabilizer design keeps
loads closer to the ground and
body when lifting over the
outrigger’s extended beams.
• Jerr-Dan chooses the
highest-rated high-strength
steel in a rotator application.
Typically used in cranes,
this steel offers the best
weight-to-structural-performance factor. And a
full 44 million RBMs.
• You will experience
unbelievable flexibility
because you can now lift
directly from the side.
Run harder. And do
more than you ever imagined with the new 60-ton
heavy-duty Rotator. ■
▼ Full-length high-strength “torsional box type” carrier frame
• Uses high-strength alloy steel for maximum weight/structural performance,
running full length from front outriggers to rear spades
• Integrated hydraulic stabilizer system
• “Torque box” style turntable mount for maximum structural performance
• 44 million in./lbs. (total) RBM
▼ Body
• Modular bonded aluminum body shell with composite panels
▼ Under-lift System
• 3-stage under-lift system with optional 35,000-lb.
capacity planetary drag winch
• Rated capacity: 53,000 lbs. retracted
(17,000 lbs. extended)
• Maximum reach from back of
tailboard: 140 in.
SUPERIOR
DESIGN
10
RUN HARD
VOL.14, NO.4
NOVEMBER 2005
THE TOUGHEST MATERIALS
ANYTHING BUT
S TA N DA R D
WRECKER
▼ High-strength alloy fabricated
construction booms
• Rated capacity: 120,000 lbs. retracted (44,000 lbs. full
extended) or 120,000 lbs. retracted (26,000 full extended)
• Available in 2- or 3-section booms
• 360° rotation
• Boom elevation operating range: 0°-51°
• Maximum hook height at 51°: 40 ft.
• Maximum working radius at 30°: 36 ft.
(at horizontal: 41 ft. 10 in.)
• Available with dual 50,000- or
60,000-lb. rated capacity planetary
winches
▼ Hydraulic stabilizer system
(front and rear outriggers
and rear spades)
• Low-profile dual front and rear 3-stage lowmounted (cantilevered box with telescoping
beam) outriggers allow load to be kept
close to ground and body when lifting over
the outriggers extended beams
• The outrigger system’s large footprint area
(112" x 264") provides excellent lifting
capacities over the front, side, and rear
quarters
• The outrigger system and carrier box frame
are designed to drag loads over the side
with the recovery boom horizontal, up to
60,000 lbs. horizontal pull
• The four outrigger pads are designed as
spades that will bite into the ground
to give high holding ability
• Outrigger system designed for 12-in. stored
ground clearance and 26-in. ground
penetration allows minimal cribbing under
the outrigger pads for uneven terrain
• Rear stabilizer spades
for rear recovery
THE FIRST
JERR-DAN
ROTATOR
Jim Stepp, owner of Stepp’s Towing in
Tampa, Florida, is the proud owner of
the first Jerr-Dan Rotator.
“We’ve been working closely with
Jerr-Dan for several years to develop this
rotator,” Stepp explains. “And Jerr-Dan
has been so impressive in how they went
about developing this truck. They interviewed not only me and my drivers, but
also a host of other towers — to see
what it was we all wanted to see in a
Jerr-Dan Rotator. They used our suggestions and took the time to get it right and
develop the ultimate wrecker.”
Stepp’s Towing is an expert at heavyduty towing. The company currently
owns two competitive rotators, and its
drivers use them every day to right overturned and loaded cement trucks and
tractor trailers on busy roads. The towing
company also owns a fleet of Jerr-Dan
equipment.
“Jerr-Dan already makes a great
wrecker. We are confident that this
Rotator will be the best in the market,” he adds. “They have a
truck to be extra proud of
here and we will market it
well for them.” ■
Business Management
Equipped to
SUCCEED
Putting your best (truck) forward.
By Cheri Ellison-Carroll, president/CEO of Ellison’s Towing Inc.
Y
ou have probably asked yourself
this question several times in your
towing career: “Why should I buy
a new truck when the old one is paid off?”
After all, it’s all profit from here on, isn’t
it? The answer is a resounding NO!!
At Ellison’s Towing, we used to think
the same way, but after conducting a little
factual accounting of truck expenses, we
found that the opposite was true! Let me
share with you our experience.
At one time, our truck fleet age averaged 7.5 years old. The oldest was 13
years old, with more than 300,000 miles.
But they were paid for! So, we thought, it
was nothing but money, fun and games
from there on. Well, it was money all
right, paid out by us. Fun and games?
Yeah, it was REAL fun attempting to run
calls while the trucks were in the shop.
We found that any savings we were
seeing in not having a truck payment was
more than offset by the cost of that truck’s
repair bill. But that’s not the biggest loss.
That figure is the money you lose for every
hour a truck is in the repair shop. Do you
know how much revenue your trucks bring
in per hour?
Know your number
A rule of thumb in our industry is that
a truck should generate a minimum of
$8,000 per month to keep you in business. This, of course, is adjusted depending on the type of operation you run and
the prevailing wages and other expenses
unique to your geographical area.
In our area, for our own business, the
number is closer to $10,000. So dividing
the $10,000 into 200 hours (average) of
operation per month, I came up with
$50.00 revenue per hour that each of our
trucks was scheduled to bring in. Even
ONE day (10 hours) of downtime, plus
parts and labor for repair, would almost
equal a bank payment! And a one-day
turnaround is practically unheard of for
any major truck repair — it usually takes
three to five days for transmission, engine
or differential work.
Needless to say, these figures were
shocking to us. We looked at what new
trucks would cost monthly. Then we looked
at warranties for major components, both
free and extended. We were pleasantly
surprised to learn that we could buy a
new Ford truck with a basic powertrain
warranty for next to nothing, and we
could purchase extended warranties (up to
seven years/100,000 miles) for a little
extra. And if we bought a vehicle powered by Caterpillar, Cummins or with an
Allison transmission, their extended warranties were phenomenal.
We made the decision to go forward
and over the next three years we started
replacing our aging fleet with new Ford
trucks and new wrecker beds. The make
of beds? Jerr-Dan, of course!
After much study on all different
brands, we concluded that only Jerr-Dan
was truly interested in constantly improving their line of products. There were
many other manufacturers that were still
making and selling what they did 20 or
more years ago, and had little to no interest in evolving with new technology to
match the ever-changing world of towing.
The difference has been like night and
day. All our drivers who have been fortunate enough to receive the new trucks with
Jerr-Dan beds consistently tell us how
impressed they are with how user-friendly
the Jerr-Dan equipment is, and how
everything just seems to “work” great,
making their job easier and more productive. To workers who are paid based on
how much they can produce, this is very
important to them, as well as us.
Rapid response
time is the key
We are constantly looking for ways to
play beat the “response time clock.” Rapid
response time has been and always will
be the No. 1 prerequisite to delivering
extraordinary customer service. This year
we have maintained an average response
time of 18 minutes. We could not realize
this response time if our equipment was
breaking down or it was difficult to use.
It used to be a constant frustration for
our drivers who were held to a high standard of rapid response when their equipment was constantly breaking down.
Thanks to Ford and Jerr-Dan we have
extinguished that impediment.
Equip for efficiency
Once you have arrived in record time
at a job, it is vital that you do everything
you possibly can to get the customer back
on the road in warp speed. My management team is fanatical about equipping
our trucks for efficiency.
For more than 25 years, Ellison’s
Towing has provided air jacks and air
guns to maximize performance and prevent injury. Again, this is where the JerrDan beds fit so perfectly. Ease of use and
minimal maintenance was a prerequisite.
We find the greaseless beds and minimal amount of movable parts a huge
plus. Reliability and quality of construction
was also an absolute deal breaker. We
found the whole package that allowed us
to achieve extraordinary service.
The benefits have been wonderful. The
trucks have been reliable and only in the
shop for scheduled maintenance. The new
Jerr-Dan wrecker beds and flatbeds (carriers) have been outstanding.
Our trucks are on the road each and
every day making money with no problems. We are not losing customers
because of truck repairs. Plus, we have
the assurance that if anything major does
happen, it will be repaired with no additional costs to us by the manufacturer.
There is also the “seven-second” first
impression rule: You have only an initial
seven seconds when you meet someone to
make a favorable (or otherwise) impression. And new trucks and wrecker beds
will do it every time! It’s truly a “win-win”
situation.
Of course we spent a little extra
money making the trucks look as good as
they do. The paint, lettering and trim
showcase these trucks the way they
deserve to be. We constantly rank No. 1
in truck and driver appearance in our
area. The reason — we place these
objectives high on our list and take them
very seriously.
Until we implemented the “Shine
BEFORE You Roll” off our lot daily inspection system, our trucks never quite reflected our 5-Star image. Now, you can’t
catch us without presenting the WOWfactor image to go along with our WOWfactor equipment, which all adds up to
our WOW-factor service.
No, I still don’t like making truck payments. I’ve never enjoyed that. There’s just
something psychologically satisfying
about owning something free and clear.
However, in the towing business where
we make our living rescuing people that
have experienced some type of breakdown/accident, it just makes professional
and financial sense to have new, dependable and profitable equipment. It is our
very lifeblood. ■
Footnote:
When Jerr-Dan invited us to compose an article for this issue, they said we could write on
any topic that we felt compelled to present.
Brent and I both initially declined the offer
because we are very busy at this time of the
year preparing for the winter season.
However, after we received this invitation we
decided that we would like to express our sincere appreciation for the Jerr-Dan equipment
we purchased this year. We thought this
would be a great forum to do just that. Brent,
my husband and manager, researched the
field extensively and Jerr-Dan won our vote of
confidence hands down. We are pleased to
be able to share our experience with such
genuine enthusiasm. We assure you that our
comments and this article were unsolicited.
For more information on the topics covered in
this article, contact Cheri Ellison-Carroll at
650-934-0844 or visit Ellison’s Towing online
at www.ellisonstowing.com.
Three of the newest in the fleet are this Jerr-Dan 21-ft. steel Shark dual-angle bed,
19-ft. aluminum Pioneer fixed-rail bed and a Self-Loader bed/tunnel box. All are
mounted on 2005 Ford chassis (Self-Loader and Pioneer on F-550; Shark on F-650).
12
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VOL.14, NO.4
NOVEMBER 2005
VOL.14, NO.4
RUN HARD
NOVEMBER 2005
13
Industry News
Jerr-Dan debuts Rotator
Jerr-Dan debuted its new Rotator on
October 4-5 to a select number of towers
and distributors at an invitation-only, allexpenses-paid introductory event at the
company’s headquarters in Greencastle,
Pennsylvania. Towers and distributors from
all over the United States joined the
company in unveiling the much-anticipated
60-ton wrecker.
The two-day event began on a Tuesday
evening with a welcome dinner, cocktail
hour and opening remarks by Jerr-Dan
management. Then Jerr-Dan pulled out the
stops for Wednesday’s introduction event.
The Rotator was “unveiled” to towers and
put through a series of impressive test
performances, including a demonstration
of the low-profile stabilizers, many lift
demonstrations and even a static side
winching load demonstration in excess of
66,000 lbs. After lunch and a questionand-answer session, the event was
rounded out with a factory tour. ■
Oshkosh truck’s unmanned vehicle completes
grueling 132-mile course
Collins and enhanced with a stereo vision
navigation system developed by the
Vision Labs at the University of Parma.
Jerr-Dan president Jeffrey
Weller welcomes towers
and sets the tone for the
two-day event.
Opening dinner ceremonies provided
attendees a chance to socialize before the
next day’s Rotator introduction event.
After dinner
Bill and Marci
Gratzianna of
O’Hare Towing
visit with Debra
and Wayne
Sullivan of
Sullivan’s
Garage.
John Randjelovic, president and CEO of
Pierce Manufacturing, shares a laugh
with Jim Stepp of Stepp’s Towing and
Gordon Godfrey of H.R.
Runciman LTD.
O
Shown at right: An impressive
demonstration, the Rotator lifts
52,100 lbs., as evidenced by
the load cell meter at right.
The event began by “unveiling” the Rotator and demonstrating
its newly designed low-profile stabilizers.
Wayne Sullivan,
left, of Sullivan’s
Garage chats
with owner of
the first Rotator,
Jim Stepp.
14
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VOL.14, NO.4
NOVEMBER 2005
Team
TerraMax
races
to win
Shown below: Master of Ceremonies,
Jerr-Dan’s Weldon Wright, explains
the features of the 60-ton wrecker.
shkosh Truck Corporation and
partners Rockwell Collins
and the University of Parma,
Italy, celebrated their robotic truck,
TerraMax™, completing the DARPA
Grand Challenge. The vehicle was one
of five to complete the race.
TerraMax is based on the Medium
Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR)
truck platform built by Oshkosh Truck for
the Marine Corps. It operates without a
driver or remote controls, using a guidance system based on standard, yet
rugged navigational computers, a
sophisticated global positioning system,
laser range-finders and a synthetic
vision system. It can carry more than
7 tons off-road and was the largest
entry in the Grand Challenge race.
TerraMax’s navigational systems were
designed and integrated by Rockwell
Darkness to light
TerraMax completed the 132-mile
desert course with an unofficial run time
of 12 hours and 51 minutes. The team
was assigned a starting time more than
two hours behind the first vehicle, and
was “paused” numerous times by
DARPA officials to accommodate disabled or slower moving vehicles on the
course. As a result, daylight ended
before TerraMax could complete the
course on the first day.
Even though TerraMax was capable
of operating autonomously in the dark,
race officials paused it in the middle of
the desert — among snakes, scorpions
and coyotes — until daybreak for the
safety of the chase vehicle drivers.
TerraMax idled in the desert
overnight, setting off for the finish line at
dawn. About five miles from the course’s
end, this 8-ft.-wide defense truck passed
through Beer Bottle Pass, with just inches
to spare between its bumper and a 200ft. sheer cliff.
TerraMax was the largest and widest
vehicle to successfully navigate this narrow, treacherous mountain road,
demonstrating the precision of the vehicle’s numerous sensing systems. The
large Oshkosh truck crossed the finish
line just after noon on Sunday, October
9, following more than 30 hours of continuous operation.
“DARPA’s goal is to help take our
troops out of harm’s way by fostering
development of unmanned vehicles,”
says Robert G. Bohn, Oshkosh Truck
chairman, president and chief executive
officer. “Completing the race spectacularly indicates how close we may be to
making this a reality.”
Up to the challenge
Three years ago the Defense
Advanced Research Projects Agency
(DARPA), the research and development
arm of the Pentagon, challenged robotics experts from across the country to
develop an autonomous, driverless vehicle that could traverse a rugged, offroad desert course. After no vehicle
completed last year’s 150-mile DARPA
Grand Challenge, 195 teams entered the
competition this year.
TerraMax was
Three levels of qualifying events narrowed
the largest and
the final field to 23.
widest vehicle to
DARPA Grand
Challenge teams were successfully navgiven the race route
igate Beer Bottle
just two hours before
the start of the race.
Pass (a narrow,
Team TerraMax memtreacherous
bers then programmed
the course coordinates mountain road).
into their vehicle.
“The development program associated with completing the Grand Challenge
was rewarding in and of itself,” said
Don Verhoff, Oshkosh executive vice
president of corporate engineering and
technology. “We gained immense
knowledge regarding autonomous vehicle technologies that are viable in the
rigorous military environment, and we
are committed to moving this technology
forward to aid the U.S. military.”
For more information, go to www.terramax.com. ■
VOL.14, NO.4
RUN HARD
NOVEMBER 2005
15
Owner Profile
CHANGING
WITH THE
TIMES
A DIVERSIFIED FLEET OF TOWING
EQUIPMENT HELPS THIS FLORIDA TOWER
KEEP PACE WITH CUSTOMERS’ NEEDS.
s a kid growing up near
Sarasota, Florida, Randy Upman
remembers middle-of-the-night
towing runs he made with his dad.
“He would knock on my bedroom
door whenever he received those calls,”
Randy Upman, president of Upman’s
Towing in Sarasota, remembers.
“I always wanted to go with him so I’d
have all my clothes set out. He worked
six days and six nights a week so other
than Sundays, it was the only time I saw
him. But ever since then, I knew this
was what I wanted to do.”
Ironically, towing wasn’t the initial
bread and butter for the Upman family.
In 1955, Randy’s father opened a gas
station/garage business and reluctantly
added towing as a secondary, but necessary, evil to support the service end of
the business. However, by the early
1980s, those initial wage earners succumbed to towing.
A
16
RUN HARD
VOL.14, NO.4
NOVEMBER 2005
The mid 1990s ushered in another
change when the elder Upman retired
and Randy took over the reins. Today,
Upman’s Towing has expanded to three
Sarasota locations with five impound
yards. In nearby Bradenton, Upman
operates an additional terminal and
impound yard.
His fleet of trucks has also grown —
from seven to 20, ranging in diversity
and size from a 50-ton wrecker to a
21-ft. carrier. The majority — 12 of the
20 — are Jerr-Dan units.
It just takes one
Upman purchased his first Jerr-Dan
in 1997 and has been relying on the
brand exclusively ever since.
“Compared to previous brands I’ve
worked with, the Jerr-Dan towing
equipment provides far less downtime
and easier maintenance, which is
important because we handle much of
our own service,” he says. “It’s just
an easier piece of equipment to
use because there aren’t a lot of
moving parts.”
His most recent purchase was a
10-ton industrial transporter with a
24-ft. deck that he added just two
months ago. With a 20,000-lb. deck
capacity, Upman can easily move construction equipment and even boats.
The heavy hitter in the fleet is an
HDL 1000/530 50-ton Independent
wrecker with four-stage underlift. It
incorporates a built-in counterweight
and an extra fuel tank for interstate
incident management.
“I added this truck a few years ago,
and at that time, it was just the second
truck of its kind built by Jerr-Dan,” says
Upman.
Some of his most frequently used
trucks include several 21-ft. carriers
which are in demand because new
The fleet at Upman’s Towing includes both Jerr-Dan wreckers and
carriers. A sampling is shown here, from the 50-ton and 14-ton wreckers
to the industrial transporter to the Shark carrier.
Inset: Randy Upman, owner, adapts his business to the city’s changing
customer base.
OWNER PROFILE
four-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive
vehicles require them, and in many
cases customers request them,
regardless of vehicle type.
“Customer demand is moving
toward flatbeds,” he says. “That’s why
I’ve gone to virtually all flatbeds except
for a couple of wreckers. Everyone
wants their vehicle transported on a
flatbed. They feel it’s safer because they
don’t understand the ingenuity of a
towing system.”
Upman maintains a few light-duty
wreckers to satisfy the needs of recovery in tight spaces such as parking
garages. “Our small wrecker is the only
one within a two-county area that will
fit into these areas,” he explains.
“Other towing services have to turn
down this type of business because they
simply can’t maneuver their flatbeds in
those places.”
Always with an eye on the future,
Upman anticipates adding a low-loading, detachable carrier for large construction equipment and high-profile
trucks. He is also considering adding a
self-loader.
Currently he utilizes a competitivebrand self-loader, but would prefer to
add a Jerr-Dan MPL40 to his fleet.
“These types of trucks have become so
popular and are especially beneficial to
us,” he says. “In space-constrained
areas that are very common here, a
driver can pull in front of a vehicle
Upman’s Towing
Sarasota, Florida
Jerr-Dan Fleet Profile:
Wreckers:
One HPL 6060/6084 light-duty
wrecker
One MDL 280/110 14-ton mediumduty wrecker with underreach
One HDL 600/350 30-ton
heavy-duty wrecker
One HDL 1000/530 Series 50-ton
independent heavy-duty wrecker
with four-stage underlift
Carriers:
One 10-ton industrial
transporter with a 24-ft. deck
Seven Shark carriers with 19and 21-ft. beds
Services
• 24-hour roadside assistance
• Light-, medium- and
heavy-duty towing
• Equipment transport
• Vehicle storage
VOL.14, NO.4
RUN HARD
NOVEMBER 2005
17
Customer demand is leaning
toward flatbed carriers.
Upman’s Towing is responding
with carriers like this Jerr-Dan
Shark with a 21-ft. bed.
needing to be towed without tying
up traffic. Plus, he never has to get
out of the cab to hook up any cars.
It’s also useful in our impound lots
because we are constantly moving
cars to make way for new ones and
prepare the old ones for our
bimonthly auctions.”
Taking every call
Diversity in truck types is important to Upman since he rarely turns
down a job.
“We handle a lot of towing and
recovery that no one else wants to
do,” he notes. “We focus on accommodating customers and making
them happy. We strive to go above
and beyond what is needed.”
Certain aspects of Sarasota
create some unique challenges that
some towers simply don’t want to
take on. For one, the city’s close
proximity to water — the Gulf of
Mexico, lakes and swamps — translates into underwater recoveries and
removing beached and sunken boats
and yachts. As a certified scuba
diver, Upman can handle these
specialty calls. Upman’s Towing
was also in high demand last fall
when a hurricane moved through
Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda just
30 miles to the south.
Sarasota is also a city that is rapidly growing. Space is at a premium, including parking spaces.
“You’ll see a lot of tow-away zones
here,” says Upman. “That means we
move a lot of illegally parked
and/or abandoned vehicles.”
Abandoned and junk vehicles
have become increasingly big business. On average, Upman junks
about 50 cars every two weeks.
That’s up from about 30 cars once a
month just a few years ago.
“There’s a lot of processing that
goes along with this side of the business,” he says. “I have one employee who is dedicated to dealing with
the impound lots. He evaluates
what’s in the yard, who’s coming,
who’s going, etc. There is constant
movement of those vehicles.
Sometimes they are handled as
many as six or seven times.”
Upman’s office manager, dispatcher and assistant handle critical
responsibilities within the office. “I’d
be lost without them!” he adds.
In between specialty calls,
Upman and his employees focus on
the backbone of the business — car
dealership service and city law
enforcement. He also has contracts
with the local U.S. Postal Service,
FedEx, UPS and the cable, phone
and utility companies.
“Any time any one of these businesses needs a vehicle moved, we
get the call,” he says.
Including the contract jobs,
roadside assistance and accident/
recovery services, Upman’s Towing
tows about 1,000 cars a week.
“That number has certainly
increased in the last five years,” he
indicates. “I’ve had to buy more and
more equipment to keep up with the
pace of demand. Growth in this
area is phenomenal. When I was
growing up, everything east of I-75
was pretty rural. Now subdivisions
are being built everywhere. We’ll
have to continue to add equipment
to keep up
with that
growth.”
And
Upman is
changing
with the
times.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that
automakers are building better
cars,” he says. “I’ve definitely seen a
decline in the last five years in calls
related to new car breakdowns so
our focus has shifted to more service-related work such as lockouts
and jump-starts. And with so much
construction, punctured tires are
pretty common. But we’ll continue to
meet our customers’ demands,
whatever they happen to be. As
long as I’m in the towing business,
that’s my goal.” ■
Randy Upman, center, owner of Upman’s Towing, and drivers left to right, Joe Smith, Wesley Gallimore,
Alex Mink and Mike Spurlock, tow about 1,000 cars a week.
VOL.14, NO.4
RUN HARD
NOVEMBER 2005
18
Eliminates Push-Pull Cable Actuation
for TG Series PTOs.
• Available for manual or automatic* transmissions.
• Simple electrically controlled shifter uses hydraulic force to engage and
disengage the PTO.
• Low current draw during engage & disengage.
• No current draw in the “ON” or “OFF” position.
• Simple installation with pre-wired connectors and complete wiring harness.
• Manual override connection provided.
* Requires proper activation procedures as specified in the PTO owner’s manual.
®
Muncie
Power
Products
Muncie Power Products, Inc. Member of the Interpump Hydraulics Group
General Offices and Distribution Center • P.O.Box 548 • Muncie, IN 47308-0548 • (765) 284-7721
FAX (765) 284-6991• E-mail info@munciepower.com • Web site http://www.munciepower.com
Drive Products, Inc.,Toronto, Exclusive Agents for Canada, ISO Certified by an Accredited Registrar
Company News
$100,000 PLEDGED TO HURRICANE KATRINA RELIEF
JERR-DAN UNIVERSITY IN SESSION
The most recent session of Jerr-Dan
University (JDU), held in September,
offered new distributors and salespeople
a unique look into the towing industry.
The five-day session was broken down
into two levels.
Level 1 (2.5 days) was devoted to
topics of interest to distributors and
salesmen who are new to the T&R industry. Instructors Jack Schrock, heavy-duty
specialist, and Denny Buhrman, product
specialist, covered basic terminology as
well as conducted several walk-arounds
with the Jerr-Dan equipment in order to
familiarize the students with major
components.
They provided an overview of the role
of the T&R salesman, the cross section of
his/her customers and reasonable sales
expectations. An
escorted plant tour
was also included.
Light-duty carriers and wreckers
are a large part of
Level 1 training.
Time is equally
divided between
classroom and
Students at the most recent JDU get a hands-on look at
hands-on outside Jerr-Dan towing equipment.
training. Jerr-Dan
much the same way as Level 1, with
wreckers and carriers are available to
classroom and hands-on training, but
each student, and instructors insist that
geared toward heavy-duty wreckers.
each student become sufficiently familiar
JDU is typically held semiannually, with
with the operation of each to allow
schedules adjusted to fit demand.
him/her to demonstrate and sell the
The next JDU is scheduled for May
equipment in the field.
1-5,
2006.
Level 2 (2.5 days) was structured
PIERCE DELIVERS TWIN PACK
MULE HOSEBEDS
Pierce Manufacturing Inc. delivered
twin Enforcer pumper fire trucks equipped
with Pack Mule ergonomic hosebeds to the
City of Poquoson Fire Department,
Poquoson, Virginia. Pierce, the leading
North American manufacturer of fire and
rescue apparatus, is known for its innovative safety technologies.
The Pierce Pack Mule ergonomic
hosebed hydraulically deploys a full-size
hosebed to waist level. This new safety
technology allows firefighters to pull or
repack hose from ground level, rather than
climbing to the top of the truck. The Pack
Mule hosebed can minimize the risk of
falls, prevent stress on joints and minimize
stress on the heart. An independent analysis by an ergonomic expert indicates that
using the Pack Mule can reduce spinal
compression by 90 percent compared to a
traditional hosebed.
“Our department is very interested in
keeping firefighters from having to climb
to the top of the truck to repack hose,”
says Poquoson Fire Chief Carl Ward.
20
RUN HARD
VOL.14, NO.4
NOVEMBER 2005
“We’re a small department and believe
the Pack Mule hosebed will help make our
entire firefighting operations safer, as well
as more efficient and effective.”
John Randjelovic, president of Pierce,
says, “The Pack Mule is an integral addition to our 360-degree approach to firefighter safety. Departments are realizing
the benefits of keeping firefighters on the
ground, which reduces the possibility of
falls as well as minimizes stress.”
In addition to the Pack Mule hosebed,
each Enforcer pumper is equipped with
TAK-4 independent front suspension, a
Side Roll Protection system, a 500-gal.
water tank, a 1,500-gpm Waterous pump,
the Husky foam system, a 400-hp
Cummins ISL engine, a 10-in. raised roof
cab and a 19-in. extended front bumper.
JERR-DAN APPOINTS
NEW FACTORY
SUPPORT REP
Jerr-Dan Corporation recently
welcomed Michael Cherry as the
company’s newest factory support
representative for the state of Florida.
This position provides sales support,
customer service assistance and
spec’ing support to customers through
Jerr-Dan’s distribution network.
“We’re very pleased to have Mike
Cherry join Jerr-Dan,” says Joel
Amsley, Jerr-Dan vice president of
sales. “Mike is a seasoned veteran with
a perspective on all aspects of the towing industry, having been both a tow
operator and Jerr-Dan distributor.”
Michael Cherry was owner/operator of Cherry’s Towing in the Chicago
area until 1978. He
served as a towing
equipment sales
representative from
1978 to 1988
when he purchased King Automotive,
a Jerr-Dan distributor at the time.
Oshkosh Truck Corp. pledged a
$100,000 contribution directed to disaster
relief for victims of Hurricane Katrina, considered the worst natural disaster to strike
the United States in almost a century.
“This is a time of immense need for
millions of Americans in the Gulf Coast
region,” says Robert G. Bohn, Oshkosh’s
chairman, president and chief executive
officer. “We’re gratified to be able to
lend this assistance during this very difficult time, and our hearts go out to every-
one affected by this terrible natural
disaster.”
Oshkosh Truck’s contribution will be
divided between the American Red
Cross and the Salvation Army for
immediate and long-term needs resulting
from the hurricane.
American Red Cross volunteers have
been deployed to the hardest hit areas
of Katrina’s destruction, supplying
critical necessities to hundreds of
thousands of victims left homeless.
Donations can be made at www.redcross.org/donate/donate or by calling
800-HELP-NOW.
The Salvation Army has launched one
of the largest emergency disaster services relief efforts in the organization’s
125-year history, providing more than
150,000 Katrina refugees with shelter,
food and water from Texas to North
Carolina. Donations can me made
online at www.salvationarmyusa.org
or by calling 800-SAL-ARMY.
JERR-DAN TO CONTRIBUTE CARRIER BODY
AT FLORIDA TOW SHOW
Jerr-Dan will again contribute the
carrier body for the Professional
Wrecker Association of Florida’s
(PWOF) raffle truck at
the 2006 Florida Tow
Show, held May 1214, 2006, in
Orlando, Fla.
This is the ninth
consecutive year JerrDan has sponsored
the raffle truck. In
addition, Jerr-Dan
and its local distributor, Atlanta Wrecker &
Carrier Sales, will co-host with Ford
Commercial Truck the annual award
dinner held on May 13 at the show.
“Jerr-Dan is proud to support the
towing professionals in Florida through
our sponsorship of
PWOF programs and
events. We strongly
believe in supporting
the industry that we
serve. By co-sponsoring the award dinner,
we’re able to recognize excellence in
towing and the important contributions that
towers play in serving
their communities,” says Jeff Weller,
Jerr-Dan’s president.
The body that Jerr-Dan will provide
is a 21-ft. steel Rustler mounted on a
Ford-supplied, low-cab forward chassis. The Jerr-Dan steel carrier includes
an 8,000-lb. worm gear winch, emergency light package, 36-in. toolbox
and a 3,000-lb. IRL wheel-lift.
The chassis has a 19,500 GVWR,
4.5L V-6 200-hp diesel engine,
156-in. cab-to-axle wheelbase and a
35-gal. fuel tank.
Atlanta Wrecker & Carrier Sales is
an exclusive distributor of the full line
of Jerr-Dan wreckers and carriers. The
company is headquartered in Atlanta
with sales and service in Tampa, Fla.
ADVERTISEMENT
UPCOMING SHOWS
Dec. 2-4 2005
American Towman
Exposition
Location Baltimore Convention Center
City
Baltimore, Maryland
Date
Show
City
Date
Show
Location
City
Date
Show
Date
Show
May 11-14, 2006
Florida Tow Show
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
Orlando, Florida
City
May 31-June 3, 2006
CTTA Western States Tow Show
Reno, Nevada
June 3-4, 2006
Empire State Towing
and Recovery Association
Lake George, New York
Mark your calendars and join us at the American Towman Expo
at Booth #909!!
Axle Caps
AXLE COVERS FOR
TOWING BUSES & TRUCKS
• NO GASKET NEEDED
• ACCESS HOLE FOR ADDING OIL
• MODELS FOR EVERY MAJOR HUB
• SETS AVAILABLE
WWW.AXLECAP.NET
845-357-0829
VOL.14, NO.4
RUN HARD
NOVEMBER 2005
21
Show & Go
What does YOUR
look like?
Partners Dan Hintz and Roy Lynn decided they needed
a new truck, so they purchased this 2004 GMC 6500
21-ft. B.I.C. flatbed with a Duramax diesel engine,
zero-degree wheel lift and built-in receiver for hauling a
trailer. The vehicle is loaded with air tools, LED lights, four
toolboxes, exhaust brake and four-way strobe package.
Jerr-Dan
This truck, owned by Anthony Aquilino, president of Universe
Towing Inc., Bronx, New York, is dedicated to 9-11-01. The
2001 Ford F-450 is equipped with a Jerr-Dan HPL 35 wrecker
and is driven by Uda “Junior” Lopez in the shadow of the
“House that Ruth Built” (Yankee Stadium) and throughout the
Tri-State area. Universe Towing is an NYPD-authorized highway
tow service.
Street rods and exotic cars
are the business of Frank
Donato and Liberty
Performance, Finksburg,
Maryland. The vehicle is a
2005 Ford F-650 Pro-Loader
extended cab with a
26,000-lb. GVW. The deck is
a 21-ft. aluminum fixed rail
with a remote control winch.
There are on-board air tools,
dual 48-in. polished tool
boxes and a 3,000-lb. wheel
lift. The custom paint job
was done by Jack of Arts,
Ellicott City, Maryland.
WOULD YOU
YOUR RIG P LIKE TO SEE
ICTURED HER
E?
Do you have an
image of your Je
you’d like to sh
rr-Dan rig that
are with reader
s?
Submit your ph
otos via:
E-MAIL to RunH
This 2004 Ford F-550 XLT Super Duty with a Jerr-Dan B.I.C. 19-ft.
steel rollback is owned by Rod Vest of Vest Towing & Auto Repair,
Chillicothe, Ohio.
22
RUN HARD
VOL.14, NO.4
NOVEMBER 2005
ard@cygnusb2
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1233 Janesville
Av
Fort Atkinson, W enue,
I 53538
In addition to yo
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Jerr-Dan you ha
what model of
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why you are su , what model chassis you have
bmitting your rig
and
!
U.S. & Canada Jerr-Dan Distributor Listing
ALABAMA
Arab, AL
Austin Hinds Motors Inc.
256-586-8161
Ozark, AL
Stormins Inc.
334-774-7138
Miami, FL
Rechtien International Trucks
dba Wreckers Limited
305-888-0111
Riviera Beach, FL
Rechtien International
dba Wreckers Limited
561-882-9050
ARIZONA
Tempe, AZ
Todd Equipment, Inc.
480-557-8633
ARKANSAS
Alma, AR
Arkansas Truck Center
479-632-2650
Caraway, AR
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
Buena Park, CA
Pacific West Towing
Equipment Inc.
310-863-8821
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
West Sacramento, CA
Riverview International
Trucks Inc.
916-371-3110
COLORADO
Aurora, CO
McCandless International
Trucks of Colorado
303-739-9900
DELAWARE
Selbyville, DE
Danzi Brothers Inc.
302-436-2000
FLORIDA
Jacksonville, FL
Stover Sales Inc.
904-696-3496
Sanford, FL
Rechtien International
dba Wreckers Limited
407-321-8474
Tampa, FL
Atlanta Wrecker &
Carrier Sales Inc.
813-626-2144
GEORGIA
Smyrna, GA
Atlanta Wrecker &
Carrier Sales Inc.
770-432-0097
ILLINOIS
Champaign, IL
Prairie International
217-352-4187
Chicago, IL
Chicago International Trucks
708-496-7500
Decatur, IL
Prairie International
217-877-8411
Elmhurst, IL
Worldwide Equipment
Sales LLC
630-617-9848
Quincy, IL
Prairie International
217-222-1518
Springfield, IL
Prairie International
217-523-5631
INDIANA
Elkhart, IN
B & B Industries Inc.
574-262-8551
Greensburg, IN
Hedinger’s Auto Care, Inc.
812-663-7885
KANSAS
Wichita, KS
Kansas Truck Center
316-838-3800
KENTUCKY
Burlington, KY
Tipton Auto Sales &
Parts Inc.
859-689-4222
Richmond, KY
Tebco of Kentucky
859-624-0653
Kansas City, MO
KCR International Trucks Inc.
816-455-1833
Waddy, KY
Peytona Garage
502-829-5263
St. Louis, MO
Miller Brothers Inc.
314-752-5726
LOUISIANA
NEBRASKA
Gary, LA
Southland International of
Louisiana
985-876-3000
Omaha, NE
Omaha Truck Center
800-777-2440
Harahan, LA
Southland International of
Louisiana
504-733-7711
West Monroe, LA
Plunk’s Truck Parts &
Equipment Inc.
318-388-4462
MAINE
South Portland, ME
Hews Company LLC
207-767-2136
MARYLAND
Aberdeen MD
JP Chevrolet
410-272-0300
Baltimore, MD
Beltway International
410-247-5700
MASSACHUSETTS
Lancaster, MA
Crawford Truck Sales Inc.
978-534-1954
West Hatfield, MA
G & S Industrial
413-247-9631
MICHIGAN
Brandon, MS
Magnolia Wrecker Sales
601-825-6400
MISSOURI
Columbia, MO
Select Truck &
Equipment, Inc.
573-886-7886
WISCONSIN
LaFarge, WI
LaFarge Truck Center
608-625-4285
Milwaukee, WI
Badger Truck Center
414-344-9500
North Las Vegas, NV
McCandless International
702-642-8789
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Wilkes-Barre Truck
570-823-0144
West Allis, WI
Badger Truck of West Allis
800-553-1927
Sparks, NV
Silver State International
775-685-6000
Windber, PA
GAP Chevrolet
814-467-4596
NEW JERSEY
SOUTH CAROLINA
West Bend, WI
Bob Fish PontiacCadillac-GMC
262-338-2235
NEVADA
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ
Nussbaum Sales Corp.
201-288-3885
Shrewsbury, NJ
Circle Truck Center
732-741-3130
Spotswood, NJ
Giancola Motor Car Corp.
732-251-4422
NEW YORK
Albany, NY
P.A. Ruth Automotive
518-456-0356
Hornell, NY
Elsenheimer Chevrolet
607-324-3330
NORTH CAROLINA
MISSISSIPPI
Columbia, PA
Nussbaum Equipment Inc.
717-684-0189
Scenery Hill, PA
ASCO Enterprises Inc.
724-945-5525
Stuart, NE
Roy’s Auto
402-924-3211
Detroit, MI
Santoro Inc.
315-526-1300
St. Paul, MN
Twin Cities Wrecker Sales
651-488-4210
Parkersburg, WV
Matheny Motor Truck Co.
304-485-4418
Marshfield, WI
Mid State Truck Service Inc.
715-591-2591
Port Jefferson Station, NY
Ramp Chevrolet Inc.
631-473-1234
MINNESOTA
WEST VIRGINIA
Collegeville, PA
Mobile Lifts
610-489-1900
Greencastle, PA
Mason Dixon
Trucks & Carriers Inc.
717-597-9400
Auburn Hills, MI
Fallsway Equipment Co.
248-340-2421
Muskegon, MI
Port City Wrecker Sales
231-773-2001
PENNSYLVANIA
Clayton, NC
Eastern Wrecker Sales
919-553-4038
OHIO
Akron, OH
Fallsway Equipment
Co., Inc.
330-633-6000
Toledo, OH
ABCO
419-536-6123
OREGON
Lyons, OR
Santiam Enterprises
503-859-2793
Orangeburg, SC
Smith Services Inc.
803-533-1585
Windsor, WI
Badger Truck of Madison
866-846-0680
TENNESSEE
CANADA
Rockwood, TN
Glenn’s Motors and
Auto Parts
865-354-0622
TEXAS
Buda, TX
Wrecker Capitol
512-312-5655
Dallas, TX
Coker Equipment
214-742-5221
Houston, TX
RPM Equipment
281-590-1494
UTAH
Salt Lake City, UT
Rocky Mountain
Wrecker Sales
801-268-8850
VIRGINIA
Manassas Park, VA
Horton Truck and Equipment
703-530-7800
VERMONT
Burlington, VT
Charlebois Garage
802-862-6385
WASHINGTON
Kent, WA
Nelson Truck Equipment
253-395-3825
Calgary, Alberta
Danco Equipment Inc.
403-253-6421
Charlesbourg, Quebec
Plamondon Camquip LTEE
418-849-7575
Dorval, Quebec
Del Equipment Limited
514-684-1760
Edmonton, Alberta
Alberta Motor Association
780-430-5520
Edmonton, Alberta
Danco Equipment Inc.
780-468-5151
Mississauga, Ontario
H.R. Runciman & Co., LTD
905-625-7222
Moncton, New Brunswick
Del Equipment Limited
506-857-4291
Regina, Saskatchewan
Danco Equipment Inc.
306-721-9575
Surrey, British Columbia
Danco Equipment Inc.
604-888-0513
Tacoma, WA
Northwest Equipment Sales
& Service
253-922-7581
Call 800-926-9666 for information on your nearest authorized Jerr-Dan Distributor.
23
VOL.14, NO.4
RUN HARD
NOVEMBER 2005
RUNHARD is sent to you
compliments of
PRSRT STD
U.S. Postage
PAID
Lebanon Jct., KY
Permit #246