RecoveRy - Jerr-Dan

VOLUME 16, NUMBER 4 | january 2008
www.jerr-dan.com
An Oshkosh Truck Corporation Company
For the hard-working towing professional
Page
4
No Limits
Page
16
Page
10
All in the
family
Side
Recovery
System
Comment
For the HARD-WORKING Towing professional
Worksmarter
Not Harder
I
by the widest double outrigger spread
n today’s business environment,
in the industry: 112 by 264 in.
working smarter isn’t just a good
• MPL. As part of the Jerr-Dan MPL
idea. In many cases it’s a business
Series, which includes the redesigned
survival strategy.
MPL wrecker as well as the MPL40
Here at Jerr-Dan, we recognize the
wrecker, the MPL is prepared to work
importance of working smarter — this
even harder than before. Best-in-class
realization is one of our driving forces to
visibility, a long underlift reach, patented
develop towing equipment that helps you
LOCKLINK overcenter L-Arm, Standard
work smarter. After all, working smarter
Underlift Level Stop Assist System,
increases your bottom line!
greaseless major
At this year’s
Working
smarter
is
a
pivot points and
American Towman
a motorcycle
Expo, held
business survival strategy.
adapter are
November 16-18
Let us help. We know
all top reasons
at the Baltimore
how
hard
you
run.
to make this
Convention Center,
wrecker yours.
Jerr-Dan displayed
• Pioneer Steel Carrier. These
numerous products to help
carriers set the standard for towing and
you work smarter:
recovery performance. They last longer
• Side Recovery System (SRS).
with less maintenance because all major
The SRS is engineered and built for the
pivot points are greaseless. Available
most demanding recovery jobs. This
with removable rails or optional polished
ingenious unit is both a carrier and a
aluminum rails, each has a 10,000-lb.
wrecker — all in one — and it delivers
capacity.
the ultimate in versatility. For more
information on the SRS, see Pages 10-11.
At Jerr-Dan, we do it all with this goal
in mind: to help you work smarter by
• Rotator. This 60-ton heavy-duty
creating quality
powerhouse is a combination of
equipment that
heavy-duty capabilities, incredible
works every time
rotation, unsurpassed pulling capacity
— and lasts — so
and superior design. It features a boom
your time is freed
that rotates a full 360 degrees, is rated
up to concentrate
at 120,000 lbs. while the boom is
on what you do
retracted and can handle a side pull of
best: handle the
more than 68,000 lbs. No matter what
tough tows.
the situation, extreme stability is provided
Jeff Weller, President
www.jerr-dan.com
Contents
4
6
10
12
14
15
16
18
22
24
26
27
Jerr-dan
owner profile
Hammett’s Wreckers has no limits.
Company news/
who’s who
product profile
Side Recovery System
business management
The future for tow trucks —
diesel-electric hybrids are here.
manufacturing
Quality processes ensure quality products.
company news
American Towman Expo 2007 Roundup
JerR-dan owner profile
Along with family, valued employees are
the backbone of this Florida operation.
distributor profile
Todd Equipment Inc.
Nussbaum Wreckers & Carriers
product review
show & go
running hard
international Review
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, © 2008 Jerr-Dan Corporation
Volume 16, Number 4, January 2008. For Canada: Agreement
Number 40064547.
RUN HARD
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Owner Profile
No limits
Hammett Wrecker goes anywhere — and does anything
W
hen Scott Hammett
describes his career
as a wrecker driver,
he readily admits, “If you cut me
open, I’d bleed wrecker.”
Since 1985, Hammett Wrecker
Service, Henderson, Texas, has
carved out a niche serving the oil
field industry in east Texas. No job
is too difficult, or too far away.
Heavy-duty Jerr-Dan wreckers have
hauled 140,000-lb. pumping units
throughout a four-state area.
Hammett Wrecker is a full-service
operation with 10 employees.
Whether it’s an oil rig that’s tipped
over, a loaded semitrailer blocking a
road, or even a house in the way of
a development project, Hammett will
tow it, 24 hours a day, seven days
a week.
The fleet includes four Jerr-Dan
heavy-duty wreckers and two
rollbacks. All rollbacks are Jerr-Dan
standard-duty models with 21-ft.
beds. The heavy-duty wreckers are
two triaxle HDL 1000/530 50-ton
wreckers, one on an International
chassis and the other on a Western
Star. The 35-ton 700/350 unit rides
on an International and the 25-ton
500/280 sits on a Peterbilt chassis.
Looking for
challenges
Hammett started the company
while he was a service manager
at a local car dealership. He saw
opportunities in the wrecker business
working for municipalities. It wasn’t
long before he branched out beyond
the typical jobs of clearing accidents
and pulling vehicles out of ditches.
“I like the challenge of being told
I can’t do something,” he says. “I’ve
always had the ability to look at a
situation and figure it out. We’ve
had jobs on a one-lane road with a
large vehicle off in a ditch and all
Alan (Scott’s son, at left) and Scott Hammett say
their heavy-duty Jerr-Dan wreckers have handled
everything that’s been expected of them.
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January 2008
the angles are different. We really
have to use our heads.”
Heavy-duty
experts
The company’s level of expertise
naturally led to oil field heavy
recovery. Normal tows are 100,000
to 120,000 lbs.
“We’re the only service in a
300-mile radius to tow work-over
rigs,” Hammett says. “Our
competitors simply can’t handle the
weight. It’s a slow process. We’re
often traveling 45 to 50 mph and
the job could take five to 10 hours.
But we’re well compensated.”
For the past several years, Scott
Hammett has been behind the
wheel of the 50-ton Jerr-Dan on
the Western Star chassis.
“This vehicle handles the load like
it wasn’t even back there,” he says.
“For 12 years I was in a 40-ton
wrecker made by another
manufacturer and thought it didn’t
get any better. But I have been
thoroughly amazed by this Jerr-Dan.
It makes me want to throw sticks at
the other model. The Jerr-Dan just
handles a load so much more easily
and safely. It’s more operator-friendly
than any truck I’ve ever driven, and
I’ve been in everything under the sun.”
Hammett especially likes the
vehicle’s setup.
“Jerr-Dan has a true tilt; not a
lifting tilt,” he says. “I don’t have to
pull the unit in forward or reverse
by lowering or raising the tilt. And,
the unit has great strength; I’m often
looking at 42,000 lbs. on the front
end. I could run down the highway,
but I never tow anything faster than
it’s supposed to be driven, which in
the case of these rigs is 45 to 50
mph. The oil field people pay us
for safety. With my HDL 1000/530
50-ton wrecker, I can get the rig up
Owner Profile
Hammett Wrecker
Service
Henderson, Texas
Jerr-Dan Fleet Profile:
Wreckers:
One HDL 500/280 25-ton
heavy-duty wrecker
One HDL 700/350 35-ton
heavy-duty wrecker
Two HDL 1000/530 50-ton
heavy-duty wreckers
Carriers:
This HDL 1000/530 50-ton
Jerr-Dan wrecker has hauled
140,000-lb. pumping units
throughout a four-state area.
in the air and am in complete
control. I don’t worry about
anything. I feel that comfortable
with the Jerr-Dan.
“What we do almost on a daily
basis most wrecker services would
love to do one time in a year,”
Hammett continues. “We do this
day in and day out; it’s normal for
us. An experienced driver with a
good piece of equipment can move
big iron down the highway safely.
There’s an art to this, and we’re an
organization with the knowledge,
ability and equipment.”
Two standard-duty rollback
carriers with 21-ft. steel beds
Services
• Light-, medium- and heavy-duty towing and recovery
• 24-hour roadside assistance
• Vehicle storage
Jerr-Dans can do. They’re awesome
units. I like a wrecker built from good
quality materials. The unit might
be a bit heavier, but we’ve had so
much success with their technology.
I had a brand-new truck from the
competition, but it didn’t hold up to
what I needed it to do. Our Jerr-Dans
have out-performed them.” ■
Tool compartments allow the Hammett’s
wreckers to have the tools to tackle any job.
Good relationship
with Jerr-Dan
Hammett’s first rollback was a
Jerr-Dan, and he’s never looked at
another brand.
“I’m pretty fond of them,” he says.
“I had another model heavy-duty
wrecker when I switched to a new
50-ton Jerr-Dan in 2005. It’s done
everything I’ve expected it to do.
Even some of our competitors have
swapped after seeing what our
vo l . 1 6 , n o. 4
RUN HARD
January 2008
5
Company News/Who’s Who
a free trip to nascar!
Larry and Joyce Green,
of Green’s Garage in Hampstead,
Md., were the winners of Run Hard’s
“Win a Trip to Nascar” contest.
The Greens’ name was drawn as
one of those that appeared in the
magazine’s “Show & Go” and
“Running Hard” sections through
August 15, 2007.
The Greens joined Jerr-Dan
staff for an all-expenses paid trip for
two to the Texas Motor Speedway in
early November.
The all-inclusive package
included airfare and hotel
accommodations, motorcoach
transportation to and from the race,
all meals including lunch at the
These images of Green’s Garage’s 21-ft. steel B.I.C.
Speedway Club, race tickets for two, Jerr-Dan carrier appeared in the September 2007 issue.
garage and pit access credentials
and a welcome gift package.
Would you like to be our next
winner? Submit your photos for our
“Show & Go” or “Running Hard”
sections (See pages 24-26). You
could be next year’s lucky winner!
Bristol Trip winners
Ronald and Carolyn Taylor of Taylor’s Towing and Auto Wrecking
in Cottage Grove, Ore., attended the Sharpie 500 Nascar race
in Bristol, Tenn., in August, courtesy of Jerr-Dan as the winners of the
TowPartners/Jerr-Dan “Win a Trip to Bristol” Sweepstakes.
W h o ’s W h o
Denny Buhrman, Jerr-Dan product specialist, catches a few customer visits on film.
Left to right: Linda Unruh of All-Rite Towing in Tucumcari, N.M., chats with Buhrman about Jerr-Dan’s Best-in-Class
Carrier Series. James (Bozo) Cordover of Bozo’s Garage in Santa Rosa, N.M., talks it up with Buhrman about the new
MPL Series. Chuck Day, left, and Jeff Day, center, of Meier Towing in northern Iowa, discuss the features and benefits
of Jerr-Dan’s auto loading MPL40. Unfortunately, weeks after this photo was taken, Chuck passed away.
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january 2008
www.jerr-dan.com
Open House
Worldwide Equipment Sales recently celebrated with customers
and vendors at the grand opening of their new 10,000-sq.-ft.
facility in Rockdale, Ill.
Upcoming
shows
Date April 3-6
Show Florida Tow Show
Location Coronado Springs Resort at
Walt Disney World
City Orlando, Fla.
Website www.floridatowshow.com
Date
Show
Location
City
Website
April 3-6
Florida Independent Tow Show
Florida State Fairgrounds
Tampa, Fla.
www.newfloridatowshow.com
Date
Show
Location
City
May 17-18
New Hampshire Tow & Trade Show
Hampton Beach State Park
Hampton Beach, N.H.
Date
Show
Location
City
Website
May 28-31
CTTA Western States Tow Show
Silver Legacy Resort & Casino
Reno, Nev.
www.ctta.com
Date August 17-18
Show Professional Towing & Recovery Operators of Illinois
Location Wyndham Lisle-Chicago Hotel
City Lisle, Ill.
Website www.ptroi.com
The Jerr-Dan 60-ton Rotator was a
centerpiece of the event. Photo at right:
Jeff Ripley, pictured on the left, of
Paddack’s Wrecker Service in Westfield,
Ind., chats with customers about the
Rotator’s features.
Customers were treated
to a demonstration of
Jerr-Dan’s Side Loading
Vehicle Retriever (SLVR).
Pat and Cathy Winer, owners of Worldwide
Equipment Sales in Rockdale, Ill., hosted the
Open House event, complete with band, vendor
booths, fireworks and equipment demonstrations.
www.newtowtrucks.com
vo l . 1 6 , n o. 4
RUN HARD
january 2008
7
2008 TOW INSTITUTE DATES:
March 14-16 (Phoenix)
May 2-4 (Philadelphia)
July 11-13 (St. Louis)
brought to you by
September 5-7 (Seattle)
October 17-19 (Atlanta)
Field Operations Core Classes:
Business Management Core Classes:
Electives Available to Students in Either Track:
Company Image Starts with You
Behind Your Backs
Customer Importance
Hands-On Heavy Duty Recovery
Company Image Starts with You
Everyone is Critical
Hands-On Heavy Duty Towing
Dispatch & Customer Service
Fleet Refreshment and Specifying Trucks
Hands-On Light & Medium Duty
Recovery
First Things First
Gaining Your City Contract
Hands-On Light & Medium Duty
Towing
Marketing in the 21st Century
Is It Time To Hire A Mechanic?
Smart Hiring & Firing Practices
People Buy You
Understanding Your Bottom Line
Pick a Number, Any Number
Value of An Employee Manual
QuickBooks For Towing
Working With Your Local Police
Running a Pound / Inventory / Lien / Auction
Incident Management for Towing
Companies
Towing & Recovery - Planning the Job
Working With Your Local Police
Department
Sales “Power Principles”
You Are Not Just A Driver
Tax Tips & Estate Planning
TRAA Certification Testing On-Site
So, You Want To Expand?
Header Profile
Product
side
recovery
system
T
he new Jerr-Dan Side
Recovery System (SRS),
recently unveiled at the
American Towman Expo in Baltimore,
has received rave reviews.
The SRS is engineered and built
for the most demanding runs. This
ingenious unit is both a carrier and
a wrecker in one and it delivers the
ultimate in versatility.
With the boom locked into pulling
position, the SRS is structurally
capable of pulling from the front, side
or rear.
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january 2008
So you can recover. You can tow.
You can run hard.
The SRS is the largest and the
strongest in its class and it’s almost
50% bigger and stronger than the
leading competitor – and it still fits
within a 12 in. frame envelope.
Here are just a few of its many
features:
•Standard hydraulic stabilizer
legs assure fit with varying
frame heights.
•The patent pending Pivoting
Recovery Boom offers a swivel
feature that allows recovery from
either side.
•The patent pending Independent Hide-Away Flip
Down Claw/Spade with Dual
Stabilizing creates a solid
foundation for any type of surface. ■
FEATURES
1. Fully adjustable light pylon comes standard and easily adjusts to all popular chassis cab heights.
2. 8,000- or 10,000-lb. high-speed,
planetary winch. Upgrading is easy
for even greater profit potential.
3. Hydraulic stabilizer legs fit varying
frame sizes from 32 to 42 in.
4. Independent, hide-away, flip-down claw/spade with stabilizing feature allows
for greater strength and stability. It also alleviates the need for wood blocks to
prevent road damage or bolt-on attachments to break through ice.
5. Pivoting Recovery Boom easily recovers from either side of the vehicle. A
simple pin release allows the boom to swing from one side to the other.
6. Wireless remote control system standard feature allows
operators to maintain a safe distance during recovery.
The top SIX reasons to
Make The SRS Yours
1.Versatility – you have a carrier and wrecker all in one unit.
2.The patent pending Pivoting Recovery Boom makes recovery from
either side of the vehicle safe and easy.
3.The Independent, Hide-Away, Flip-Down Claw/Spade with dual stabilizing feature
allows for greater strength and stability (patent pending).
4.Standard hydraulic stabilizer legs allow the unit to fit varying frame heights from
32 to 42 in.
5.The largest and strongest in its class — 6x6 outer support tubes and 5x5 high-strength stabilizer legs.
6.With the boom locked into pulling position, the SRS is structurally capable of pulling
at any angle — forward, sideways and rearward — unlike competitive units.
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RUN HARD
january 2008
11
Business Management
The future
for tow trucks
By Brent and Cheri Ellison-Carroll of Ellison’s Towing Inc.
T
he Future. Most
everyone wants
to know about the
future and we in the
towing industry are
no different! It’s
always tempting to
peer into a crystal
Diesel-electric
ball to discern the
future in order
hybrids are here.
to make sound
business decisions.
Let’s take a look
into that crystal
ball to see if there
is anything we can
divine about the future.
Tow trucks and
the diesel engine —
the duo has been around
for a while and we all have
become comfortable with the
combination. Our mechanics have
become wizards with them … able
to hear a slightly loose valve that is
“walking” over the rattling noise
the engine makes.
However, would you like something
better, more cost-effective and
economical? If you answered yes,
then you probably don’t have very
long to wait. What’s next? Hybrids!
Hybrids are here
Yes, the diesel-electric hybrids
are fast approaching our industry
and like it or not, both tow truck
manufacturers and owners will soon
be forced to deal with this new
“breed” of trucks. But why, you may
ask? Why can’t “they” just leave
things like they are? Why am I going
to be forced (the government calls it
mandated) to buy and use these new
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January 2008
trucks, and all the headaches a new
system brings along with it?
Well, first and foremost,
emissions. With the government’s
recent clamp-down on diesels in the
trucking industry, it’s a given. Have
you looked under the hood of the
2008 Ford F-550 yet?
In order to meet the new emissions
regulations set forth, Ford was forced
to add a SECOND turbocharger to
their 6.4 Powerstroke diesel engine.
As if the engine compartment wasn’t
crowded enough before, now it is a
logistics nightmare. And to top it off,
our industry requires a PTO pump to
be mounted there also. How that has
been implemented is a small miracle
in itself. Take a look at one yourself;
it’s both amazing to look at and
frustrating for the mechanic to service.
Secondly, fuel economy. Without
getting too political, allow me to
state that as long as things are
kept stirred up in the Middle East,
coupled with our government’s
unwillingness to drill and tap the
massive oil fields surrounding our
own country, fuel prices are going to
continue escalating.
With diesel in our area being
over $3.00 per gal., what are
we in the towing industry going
to do when it rises by 30% to 60%
or more? Our income from towing
services is NOT going to rise
that fast. So we will be forced to
somehow cut our fuel usage, and
that ushers in the new hybrid
diesel-electric power plant.
Starting
with sedans
These hybrids have actually been
in the works for many years. But in
modern times it started back in 1993,
when seven federal agencies, along
with the nation’s top auto makers,
entered into a cooperative R&D
program called the Partnership for a
New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV).
The challenging central goal
of the PNGV was to first develop
full-size sedans that achieved
up to triple the fuel efficiency of
their conventional counterparts.
They were to meet very stringent
upcoming emission standards
while still maintaining levels of
performance, utility, safety and cost
that American consumers expected
from their automobiles. Engineers studied many different
advanced technologies, but
ultimately each auto company
decided that the diesel-electric
hybrid propulsion would be the
powertrain of choice for the PNGV
program. The companies chose
diesel technology because, as
European drivers have known for
quite some time, modern diesel
vehicles offer significant fuel
economy savings while providing
high performance and reliability. Because of such inherent benefits,
state-of-the-art diesel engines were
coupled with electric-hybrid systems
to take full advantage of the two
technologies that make vehicles
much more efficient.
Carrying over to
the heavy arena
Because of the success the PNGV
experienced, the technology spilled
over into the medium- and heavy-duty
truck arena. By their very nature,
diesel engines are dominant in the
heavy-duty trucking sector because of
their power, efficiency, durability and
reliability. If applied correctly, a
diesel-electric hybrid system can
dramatically magnify two of these
important advantages: It can add
more power at low engine speeds
and improve a diesel’s already
high efficiency.
Because hybrids create some
of their efficiency gains through
regenerative braking and power-on
demand (both to be discussed in an
upcoming article), the heavy-duty
applications that benefit most from
diesel-electric hybrid technology are
those that are driven in stop-and-go
conditions such as transit buses and
urban delivery trucks, and, hopefully
tow trucks!
Put to the test
To test this theory, the largest
application of diesel-electric hybrid
technology occurred with New
York City Transit (NYCT) public
transportation buses and a 1997
pilot program with 10 diesel-electric
hybrid Orion VI buses.
For more than a year, the NYCT
gathered daily fuel and maintenance
data and found that hybrids
provided up to 22% higher fuel
economy over their conventional
diesel units. They discovered that
bus drivers were happy about
the hybrids due to their faster
acceleration onto busy streets,
better traction in bad weather, and
smoother and faster braking.
Passengers reported smoother,
quieter rides and the public
perception of the increased
emissions benefits was pronounced.
The program was such a success
that in 2002, the NYCT ordered
another 125 diesel-electric hybrid
buses, powered by Cummins
engines, and an upgraded hybrid
propulsion system. The new
generation of diesel-electric hybrids
achieved a whopping 40% to 60%
emissions reduction.
At about the same time, Allison
Transmission also tested the
diesel-electric hybrid against
comparable CNG (compressed
natural gas) systems, finding the
diesel-electric hybrids produced fewer
emissions than even the CNG buses.
Since then, Los Angeles, Seattle
and Philadelphia, have also started
converting to diesel-electric hybrids
on their buses, with many more
cities soon to follow.
The biggest commercial endorsement
of the diesel-electric hybrid occurred
in 2001 when FedEx announced
the conversion of its entire fleet of
medium-weight delivery trucks into
diesel-electric hybrids. In 2003, they
chose Eaton Corporation to supply an
advanced diesel-electric hybrid power
plant for 20 test vehicles, leading to
the replacement of all 30,000
medium-duty delivery trucks in the
near future.
The U.S. military is also preparing
to convert to diesel-electric hybrids.
Since fuel accounts for more than
half the logistical tonnage needed
by an army, an engine that can cut
fuel consumption by more than 50%
is a giant leap forward.
Most recently, in August 2007,
Eaton Corporation announced
its crossover to the diesel-electric
hybrid. The company stated that
truck manufacturers, Freightliner,
International, Kenworth Trucks and
Peterbilt Motor Company, would be
commercially available next year
equipped with diesel-electric hybrid
powerplants for medium-duty trucks.
What to expect?
This technology is here NOW.
It will be in select showrooms next
year, and in all shortly. You WILL be
purchasing and operating one of
these very soon.
What to expect? Well, the
batteries weigh a lot, but the diesel
engines will be smaller, thereby
offsetting most, if not all, of the extra
weight from the batteries.
Any extra weight will, of course,
be that much less you can legally
load and haul on your truck. This,
hopefully, will spur the tow equipment
manufacturers to do even more for
weight savings in their design and
production of equipment. (Jerr-Dan
already does an excellent job of this.)
However, there is an exciting
innovation in battery design that is
being fleet tested currently, that if
successful, will revolutionize ALL of
our automotive battery requirements.
Upfront purchase cost of the
diesel-electric hybrid will be higher,
at least initially, probably around
20%. This is sure to come down
as more units are built and the
technology really takes off.
However, fuel cost savings even for
the first year, will undoubtedly make
up for this. And of course the savings
you will receive from less servicing
due to the decreased use of the diesel
engine should be quite large.
Driving techniques will be
slightly different, due to both
the acceleration and braking
characteristics of the diesel-electric
hybrid. And probably the biggest,
yet still under-utilized or not even
recognized benefit, is this one:
A diesel-electric hybrid will run
ENTIRELY on biodiesel, so you
can operate it independently of all
petroleum-based fuel if needed/
preferred!
Well, it seems that peering into
our crystal ball has shown us our
future is not really far away, and
it holds great advances for our
industry. Technology is going to
change dramatically, in just a few
short years. Are you ready? ■
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January 2008
13
Manufacturing
part 2
Quality Processes
Ensure
Quality PRODUCTS
By Mike Baer, vice president of manufacturing for Jerr-Dan Corporation
I
n our last “Manufacturing” article, we detailed several
process improvements to Jerr-Dan’s Wrecker operations.
These improvements include the addition of two automated
robotic weld cells, the installation of a moving assembly line,
the reconfigured layout of the fabrication and weld shops, and
improved material handling equipment and racking systems.
These process improvements line up with our ongoing commitment
to our employees, our facilities and our future. At Jerr-Dan we
consider investing in our employees, our facilities and our future to
be a critical step in our company’s growth and our employees’ and
customers’ satisfaction.
As we continue to invest in our facilities, we continue to
finalize improvements to our wrecker operations. Our most recent
improvements include:
• Expansion of the paint line
• Installation of the medium- and heavy-duty wrecker indexing
assembly line
• Addition of a multihead bevel high-definition plasma system
The expanded paint line The new paint line is dedicated to wrecker body
paint processing. The line complements our existing paint
line and allows us even greater improved efficiencies,
consistency and quality. The high-definition
plasma system
The new plasma system allows for improved
material utilization efficiencies while increasing
our cutting capabilities with respect to length, width,
thickness and beveling.
The indexed assembly line
The new indexing assembly line allows for
demand-based manufacture at pre-established pace
expectancies for consistent output and efficiencies.
The moving line also enables cross-training of employees
for improved reliability and increased output of operations.
Interested in learning more about our
ever-changing and improving facilities? Give
us a call to schedule your own tour of our
manufacturing facilities. We’d love to see you!
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Company News
American Towman Expo
2007 Roundup
Were you at the most recent show in Baltimore? Here’s what we saw!
This year’s Jerr-Dan booth featured a
theater to preview customers in action
with their Jerr-Dan equipment. Each
theater attendee received a free pair of
Jerr-Dan work gloves.
Jerr-Dan displayed the MPL self-loader
complete with optional motorcycle
towing adapter.
Jerr-Dan had a full staff on hand to answer questions and explain product features. Staff
included executives, sales and marketing staff, engineering and quality control personnel.
Jerr-Dan introduced
the new Side Recovery
System (SRS) for carriers.
It was displayed on a
21-ft. steel carrier.
Sanjeev Kuriakose,
Jerr-Dan Senior Project
Engineer, discusses the
new Side Recovery
System with customers.
Larry Steinman of L&S Truck Service
in Juda, Wis., showed off his new
50-ton, HDL 100/530 heavy-duty
wrecker.
Jerr-Dan displayed a 5-ton Transporter
with 21-ft. bed, loaded and ready to
transport JLG scissor lifts. JLG is also an
Oshkosh Truck Corporation company.
Customers check out Jerr-Dan’s 60-ton rotator.
vo l . 1 6 , n o. 4
R U N H A R D 15
january 2008
Owner Profile
all in the family
along with family, valued employees are the backbone of this florida operation.
O
“
ur family’s name is on
the side of all our trucks,”
says Darrell Johnson Jr.
of Johnson’s Wrecker Service. “Our
family is responsible for these tow
trucks and their operators. With our
name on the line, we make sure we
do everything we can to ensure that
our operators are safe and handle
every tow the right way.”
Darrell Jr. isn’t alone in his passion
for the towing profession. Joining
him in the business, which was
started by his parents Darrell Sr.
and Jackie Johnson in 1967, are his
siblings Darlene, Dorie, Dennis and
Dennis’ wife Jeannie.
“It takes every one of us to make
this company work,” Darrell Jr.
adds. “We feed our families with this
business, as do our employees, and
we strive to treat everyone with the
same respect — whether they are
related by blood or by job function.”
have the right equipment,” adds
Dennis. “We keep all our equipment
up to date, washed and inspected
every single day.”
Keeping the pace Darlene adds: “Our drivers are all
uniformed with light-reflective clothing
Business happens at a fast pace
and leather shoes. Each is trained on
for the 50-plus employees working
the ‘Johnson’ towing methods.”
at Johnson’s Wrecker Service.
“There are many different ways
The company, located in Orlando,
to do the same job,” Darrell Jr.
Fla., is the sole tower for law
elaborates. “We prefer things be
enforcement in the city of Orlando.
handled a certain way. This has
Call volume can exceed 100 calls
allowed us to maintain an excellent
per day, and drivers may impound
safety record and an efficient towing
50 to 60 cars a day on the
business.”
company’s seven-acre lot.
It’s also important to understand
“We tow anything and
both the inside and the outside of the
everything,” notes Jackie. “From
business, stress Dorie and Jeannie.
wrecks on the interstate to forklifts
Towing operators should understand
to large marine mammals for local
the importance of accounts payable/
theme parks, we see it all.”
receivable and vise versa.
“And to do the job, we need to
(Left) The Johnson family, left to right: Dennis, Jeannie,
Dorie, Darlene, Jackie, Darrell Sr. and Darrell Jr.
(Above) This new dispatch facility is equipped with
every piece of state-of-the-art equipment you can
imagine, from motion sensors to a fully computerized
dispatch system.
16
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vo l . 1 6 , n o. 4
january 2008
It’s all in the
follow-through
Experience is evident at Johnson’s
Wrecker Service. Darrell Sr. is one
of the original seven towers who
founded the Professional Wrecker
Operations of Florida (PWOF) in
1971. Since that time he has been
Work with
active in the association and has
only the best
helped to enact legislation beneficial
The equipment the Johnsons choose
to Florida’s towing and recovery
to outfit their towing company speaks
industry. Darrell Sr. was inducted into
volumes. With 13 pieces of Jerr-Dan
towing equipment, including a new MPL the PWOF Hall of Fame last year.
The Johnsons believe strongly
self-loader, 10 carriers, a medium-duty
in follow-through. Recent Florida
wrecker and a heavy-duty industrial
legislation does not allow an individual
carrier, drivers can be assured they
to purchase a license plate unless all
have up-to-date equipment.
prior towing bills are satisfied.
When asked what he likes about
the units in the Jerr-Dan fleet, Darrell “It’s legislation that our towing
Sr. says simply, “I like Jerr-Dan trucks association worked hard to pass,”
because they make us money faster.” notes Darlene. “It’s in our best interest
to follow through on issues like this.”
He elaborates, “Wheel-lifts on
Business continues to grow at
carriers allow operators to double
Johnson’s Wrecker Service and the
up, bringing back two vehicles
family plans to keep it that way for
instead of just one.”
some time to come.
His family offers additional
“We joined hands as an
benefits to the Jerr-Dan fleet: good
organization, and a family, to grow this
resale value, easy-to-use controls,
steel beds that hold up and very few business and continue to make it part of
our lives,” concludes Darlene. ■
maintenance issues.
“Every employee is cross-trained
to comprehend and appreciate each
other’s jobs,” adds Dorie. “There’s
really no gray area here … you
either love this business [most all
parts of it] or you don’t!”
The Johnson family standardizes its carrier fleet on
Jerr-Dan steel-bed rollbacks with 21-ft. beds and
wheel-lifts. Rounding out the fleet are an MPL
wrecker, an MDL 280/110 14-ton medium-duty
wrecker and a heavy-duty industrial carrier.
Owner Profile
Johnson’s Wrecker Service
Orlando, Fla.
Jerr-Dan Fleet Profile:
Wreckers:
• One MPL wrecker
• One MDL 280/110 14-ton
independent medium-duty wrecker
Carriers:
• 10 standard-duty rollback carriers with
21-ft. steel beds and wheel-lifts
• One heavy-duty industrial carrier
Services
• Light-, medium- and heavy-duty towing
and transport
• 24-hour roadside assistance
• Vehicle storage
vo l . 1 6 , n o. 4
R U N H A R D 17
january 2008
Distributor Profiles
Todd equipment Inc.
E
xcellent customer service
— it’s a buzz phrase that
many companies claim to
offer these days. The phrase is used
so often that as consumers we’ve
almost become numb to the words.
However, Todd Grone, owner of
Todd Equipment in Phoenix, Ariz.,
really lives up to the claim.
“When people buy a truck here,
I want them to leave with the desire
to come back,” he explains. “I don’t
do much advertising . . . most of the
business we do is repeat business.”
If that doesn’t say it all, what does?
Todd started his company 15
years ago in Mesa, Ariz. He’s had
the same business philosophy ever
since: Treat
others as
Distributor
you want to
Todd Equipment Inc.
be treated.
3435 E. Elwood Street
Customers
Phoenix, Ariz.
480-557-8633
enjoy working
www.TowTrx.com
with Todd, and a year ago he
moved his facility to Phoenix to be
able to be closer to more of his
customer base.
He currently offers a full line of
Jerr-Dan towing equipment from
light- to heavy-duty wreckers and all
sizes of carriers.
The market in his territory, Arizona
and New Mexico, is leaning toward
the B.I.C. carrier with 21-ft. bed as
well the Shark carrier.
Todd is looking forward to selling
Jerr-Dan’s new MPL wrecker.
“As Phoenix’s population continues
to grow, I see a real need for this
wrecker in our market,” he says.
A new home
Todd Equipment’s new facility offers
everything customers want, from
18
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vo l . 1 6 , n o. 4
january 2008
service to installation bays to parts.
The facility incorporates six
service/installation bays: three are
dedicated to service and another
three to new installation. Two teams
are also in place dedicated to new
installations; and three employees
are committed to service work.
A fully stocked parts department,
housing almost every part
imaginable, rounds out the facility.
Business has been growing for
Todd Equipment, and Todd plans to
continue that growth in emerging
vocations like the industrial market.
“We see growth for our company
in equipment moving applications,”
he concludes. “In addition to
growing our existing business, I see
us moving in the direction of the
industrial market.” ■
Nussbaum
wreckers & carriers
W
ith business roots
dating back to
1959, the people at
Nussbaum Wreckers & Carriers
definitely know the special needs of
towing professionals in New York,
New Jersey and New England.
From congested urban areas
to some of the nation’s busiest
throughways, this region poses
some of the most demanding
challenges for towing equipment.
As a full-service Jerr-Dan distributor,
Nussbaum Wreckers & Carriers has
the equipment to take on challenges
in all types of towing applications.
Chances are the rig you want
is in stock. Nussbaum Wreckers
& Carriers typically has 100 new
and used, ready-to-work trucks on
the lot at all times. Choose from
all the popular chassis including
Ford, Chevrolet, International, Hino,
Freightliner and Peterbilt. Tradeins are welcomed; Nussbaum fully
reconditions good trade-ins to offer
an excellent selection of used trucks.
If the rig you want isn’t on the
ground, any of Nussbaum’s sales
professionals can order the Jerr-Dan
rig that’s exactly right for you. Their
knowledge of this region’s needs
and Jerr-Dan’s product expertise is
an unbeatable combination.
Many of Nussbaum’s employees
have a decade or more of
Distributor
experience with the dealership, and
the industry. This experience benefits
you through their understanding of
your equipment and your needs.
Nussbaum parts and service staff
know that you count on your
equipment for your livelihood.
They have the inventory, skills
and drive it takes to assure your
maximum uptime.
The dealership carries a wide
selection of towing and recovery
products including replacement parts,
safety equipment and accessories.
Family business
“We’re a family type of business,”
explains Jack Nussbaum, president
of Nussbaum Wreckers & Carriers,
who in 1973 joined the business
started by his uncle. “We care about
our customers and our employees,
and we treat them all like family.”
The dealership recently upgraded
its website to help towers browse the
current selection of new and used
Nussbaum Wreckers
& Carriers
50-54 Route 17
Hasbrouck Heights, N.J.
201-288-3885
www.nussbaumwreckers.com
trucks online, if they wish, before
calling or visiting the dealership. The
website also includes a parts catalog
and credit application.
The dealership offers a wide
range of acquisition options
including short- and long-term
financing and leasing. “If you need
a truck, we’ll find a way to put you
in one,” Nussbaum says.
Nussbaum Wreckers & Carriers is
located 10 minutes from the George
Washington Bridge, five minutes
from the Lincoln Tunnel and 15
minutes from the Newark airport. If
you’re flying in to visit Nussbaum
Wreckers & Carriers, they will
gladly pick you up from one of the
area’s airports. ■
vo l . 1 6 , n o. 4
R U N H A R D 19
january 2008
Collect them all.
THE NEW ’08 SUPER DUTY.
®
An impressive 47'8" turn radius. Clean Diesel technology that churns out 325 horsepower and
600 lb.-ft. of torque.* The bold, new look of the ’08 Super Duty.®
commtruck.ford.com
*Available 6.4L Diesel V8 engine.
Product Review
Header
Wreckers
Carriers
ww
22
Check out these new items for your
Jerr-Dan wreckers and carriers.
ww
Standard: LED stop/tail/turn and marker lighting are special LED marker lights that meet
Standard: System pressure gauge is
Optional: Custom 78-in. toolboxes offer 10%
Optional: Comprehensive tool kit package for
Optional: Actuating Remote Mechanism
(ARM) is a wireless remote control of just
one function or as many as all functions.
It is available factory installed or as an
aftermarket field retrofit.
Optional: LED stop/tail/turn and marker
Optional: LED stop/tail/turn, marker and
back-up lighting for heavy-duty wreckers.
DOT reflectivity requirements, eliminating the need for additional reflectors.
more storage room than two 36-in. toolboxes.
Made from galvanized steel with powder-coated
finish, they utilize Jerr-Dan’s exclusive beaver-tail
latches and come with plug-and-play LED marker
and stop/tail/turn lighting.
STANDARD: Cast forks and receivers
result in weight reduction without
compromising performance.
dual 78-in. toolboxes includes scotch block, shovel,
broom, lug wrenches, floor jack, axe, wood
crossbeams, air tank, trash cans, pry bar, flare, bolt
cutters, triangle kit, first-aid kit, snatch block with
hook and built-in storage brackets for all tools.
lighting for the MPL and MPL40 wreckers.
mounted in the driver-side control station.
Optional:
Standard (on MPL and MPL40): Adjustable
underlift level stop assist system; provides an
interrupt to the remote control signal to stop
the underlift travel at a desired loading position
(available on units with in-cab controls only).
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vo l . 1 6 , n o. 4
january 2008
Optional: Wireless remote control allows
convenient operation of all valve functions on
the MPL or the underlift functions on the MPL40.
Tire lift storage
brackets are
located in a
24-in./49-in.
crossover tool
compartment or
stand-alone tool
compartment
for heavy-duty
(14,000-lb.),
shown at
left, or super
heavy-duty
(25,000-lb.)
tire lifts, shown
at right.
www.jerr-dan.com
Standard (on 5-Ton and 7.5-Ton steel decks):
Cor-Ten steel channel crossmembers improve
corrosion resistance, quality and durability.
Optional: Motorcycle towing adapter is
available on the MPL and MPL40 with
self-loading wheel grids.
Standard: Integrated ball hitch mounting
Standard (with Emergency Light Package): Low-profile,
Optional: Winch air free spool control is
available for 8,000- and 10,000-lb. worm
gear winches and is operable from either
control station.
Dodge RAM 5500 Chassis: Jerr-Dan is
able to mount a 19-ft. Standard Duty Carrier
on the new Dodge RAM 5500 chassis.
Optional: Tow sling with modular, stowable
design for additional towing versatility.
Optional: Grid-mounted recovery sheave can
Optional (on Heavy Duty Wreckers): Under-body
Optional (on MPL & MPL40): Self-loading tow
plate is now standard on wheel-lifts with
manual or T37 wheel grids.
incandescent or LED lighting.
For more information, call Jerr-Dan at
800-926-9666
amber, eight-head LED lightbar includes four corner
LED modules, four center LED modules, two stop/tail/
turn modules and two high intensity work lights.
be used for recovery in difficult situations. The
sheave comes standard with tow sling option.
dolly with storage brackets.
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january 2008
23
Show & Go
what does
your jerr-dan
Dave
Burttram,
owner of Dave’s
Towing in Ocala,
Fla., is the proud
owner of a new
50-ton Jerr-Dan
wrecker mounted on
a 2007 Peterbilt 379
tri-axle chassis.
Rob Garibaldi, owner of
Broadmoor Towing in
northern Calif. shows off his B.I.C. Jerr-Dan
carrier with 21-ft. steel bed. The truck rides
on a 2007 Ford F-650 chassis.
Direct Towing, owned by Joe Spina, is
based in Sarasota, Fla. This Jerr-Dan 50-ton
wrecker includes a 3-stage boom and is mounted
on a 2007 Kenworth 800 chassis.
24
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vo l . 1 6 , n o. 4
january 2008
Owners Mark and Tracie Cole of M&T Trucking
in Pavilion, N.Y. use this 15-ton Jerr-Dan industrial
rollback to move equipment and material. A Cormach 38000
E4 Knuckleboom crane will extend to 34 ft. horizontally with
a 6,000-lb. lifting capacity.
win a trip to
nascar
look like?
Owners Buddy and
Darleen Dickman
of Remco Towing in
Roswell, N.M., are proud
of their first Jerr-Dan:
a 21-ft. steel carrier
mounted on a 2002 F-650
extended cab chassis.
This MPL40 with custom
aluminum and stainless
trim, a Solaris LED lightbar
and great detail work on the
striping and murals, belongs
to Carl’s Towing in Great
Falls, Mont.
How to Win:
Share your Jerr-Dan truck photo!
Submit your photos via:
E-MAIL: to RunHard@cygnusb2b.com (High-res photos only.
Please set your digital camera to take photos as large
of a size and as many pixels as possible.)
MAIL: to Editor, Run Hard magazine, 1233 Janesville
Avenue, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538
In addition to your photo, please provide your complete
contact information. Also tell us what model of Jerr-Dan
you have, what model chassis you have and why you are
submitting your truck.
Nascar trip details:
-All-expenses-paid trip for two to the Texas Motor
Speedway, October 31 - November 3, 2008
-Airfare and hotel accommodations included
-Motorcoach transportation to and from the race included
-All meals included (welcome reception, breakfast, dinners)
-Lunch at The Speedway Club (private club at Texas
Motor Speedway)
-Race tickets for two
-Credentials (garage & pit access)
-Welcome-gift package
* Winner will be drawn in September 2008 and will be notified via phone/
e-mail. Deadline for submissions is August 15, 2008.
Herndon Brothers in Baldwin and Jacksonville, Fla.,
recently added two new Jerr-Dan trucks to their fleet: an
HDL 1000/530 50-ton wrecker and a 15-ton industrial carrier with
a 28-ft. bed. Owner, Thomas Herndon, is very happy with his trucks.
This MPL40 is owned by Red’s Towing in Missoula,
Mont. The truck incorporates customer accessories,
including a front-mounted winch, six-head self-contained
LED Strobe kit and custom taillight housings.
vo l . 1 6 , n o. 4
RUN HARD
january 2008
25
Running Hard
what can
your jerr-dan do?
Stepp’s Towing uses a Jerr-Dan Rotator to pull a dump truck from a lake in the Tampa Bay, Fla. area.
Another tough job handled by a Jerr-Dan Rotator. Stepp’s Towing moves and assists in the recycling of a
53,000-lb. transformer. The equipment is more than 20 ft. tall, and the insides of the transformer that were
removed and replaced weigh 47,000 lbs.
How to Win:
Share your Jerr-Dan truck photo! Submit your photos via:
E-MAIL: to RunHard@cygnusb2b.com (High-res photos only. Please set your digital
camera to take photos as large of a size and as many pixels as possible.)
MAIL: to Editor, Run Hard magazine, 1233 Janesville Avenue, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538
win a trip to
nascar
26
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vo l . 1 6 , n o. 4
january 2008
In addition to your photo, please provide your complete contact information. Also tell us what
model of Jerr-Dan you have, what model chassis you have and why you are submitting your truck.
Nascar trip details:
-All-expenses-paid trip for two
to the Texas Motor Speedway,
October 31 - November 3, 2008
-Airfare and hotel accommodations
included
-Motorcoach transportation to and
from the race included
-All meals included (welcome
reception, breakfast, dinners)
- Lunch at The Speedway Club
(private club at Texas Motor
Speedway)
-Race tickets for two
-Credentials (garage & pit access)
-Welcome-gift package
* Winner will be drawn in September 2008 and
will be notified via phone/e-mail. Deadline for
submissions is August 15, 2008.
International Review
Jerr-Dan around the world
Jerr-Dan distributor Ligthart sold and built this Jerr-Dan
MPL40 self-loader for Leerentveld in the Netherlands.
Ravenscroft in Fleet Hampshire, England, owns this
Jerr-Dan MDL 280/110 14-ton wrecker that rides on a
Scania P94D chassis. Jerr-Dan distributor Cee Jay Systems in
the United Kingdon handled the mounting and modifications.
Carlos Quintero, owner of Tenka in Medellin, Colombia, shows off his Jerr-Dan MDL 280/110 14-ton wrecker (left) and
his Pioneer carrier (right) with 19-ft. aluminum bed. The MDL 280/100 rides on a Navistar 4300 chassis and the Pioneer
carrier rides on a Hyundai chassis.
Alejandro Reyes of Comerzia in
Monterrey, Mexico, announces the
opening of the company’s new facility.
This Jerr-Dan Side Loading Vehicle Retriever is busy in the Portsmouth region of
the United Kingdom, towing for the police and local authorities. Robert Doney of
Boarhunt submitted these photos.
vo l . 1 6 , n o. 4
R U N H A R D 27
january 2008
TAKES ANYTHING YOU THROW ON IT OR AT IT.
Jerr-Dan® aluminum and steel carriers are built to withstand years of hard use. That’s because Jerr-Dan builds the toughest materials
and most innovative technologies into superior designs. STEELBEAMTM technology on aluminum carriers means lightweight mobility with
heavy-duty durability. No-LubeTM pivot joints on all Jerr-Dan carriers mean no mess and even less worries. And all that means you can handle
the most difficult towing and recovery jobs over and over again. Whatever the job throws at you, throw it at Jerr-Dan.
©2007 JERR-DAN CORPORATION
®JERR-DAN AND THE JERR-DAN LOGO ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF JERR-DAN CORPORATION, GREENCASTLE, PA.
RUNHARD is sent to you
compliments of
Postal Agreement Number 40064547
TAKES ANYTHING YOU THROW ON IT OR AT IT.
Jerr-Dan® aluminum and steel carriers are built to withstand years of hard use. That’s because Jerr-Dan builds the toughest materials
and most innovative technologies into superior designs. STEELBEAMTM technology on aluminum carriers means lightweight mobility with
heavy-duty durability. No-LubeTM pivot joints on all Jerr-Dan carriers mean no mess and even less worries. And all that means you can handle
the most difficult towing and recovery jobs over and over again. Whatever the job throws at you, throw it at Jerr-Dan.
©2007 JERR-DAN CORPORATION
®JERR-DAN AND THE JERR-DAN LOGO ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF JERR-DAN CORPORATION, GREENCASTLE, PA.
RUNHARD is sent to you
compliments of
PRSRT STD
U.S. Postage
PAID
Lebanon Jct., KY
Permit #246