Have an idea or suggestion for PWOF? Contact a Board member and share your thoughts. See page 2 for contact information. 4718 Edgewater Drive Orlando FL 32804 407-296-3316 www.pwof.org August/September 2011 By: Mike Seamon Executive Director The towing industry, like all other industries, is still digging out from the downturn of the U.S. econ- omy. Every day, towers face challenges in the profit department. There are answers and they seem easy but many company owners often overlook them. First, look at vehicle mainte- nance and the cost savings that can be achieved. In a recent study, a refuse company changing from Shell Rotella T to Amsoil Syn- thetic achieved an annual savings of $396 in oil cost alone per truck. This did not include filters and downtime. Synthetic oil will also improve gas mileage by .5 to 1.3 mpg as well as give the engine unbelievable longevity. Saving money is not that difficult, it just requires a little thought and effort. The thing to remember is you are going to change the oil anyway, so you might as well save yourself some money while you are doing it. There are also the transmis- sions to think about, you can extend their life as well. Fuel is expensive these days … Every UPS driver turns off the engine every time the truck is parked — no matter how long. They achieve two things: saves fuel and extends the life of the engine and every- thing else involved. I asked the local UPS shop if they had starter problems and the answer was no. There are online calculators that can show you the savings of reduced idling. Add up the savings of these small things, multiply by the number of vehicles in your company and personal vehicles and the savings per year can be amazing. Every towing company has a fleet. Some are larger than others but just the same, you have a fleet of vehicles and fleet maintenance is one of your top three expenses (along with insurance and payroll). Polk County decided to save fuel and money. They clocked the fuel mileage of each vehicle for a time period to establish an aver- age. County officials then announced to all county employees driving county cars and trucks that the employees would share in the cost savings. The program made na- tional news for municipality fleet managers and now others are using it to help their cash-strapped departments. Want to see how much you can save? Try sharing the savings with your drivers and you will be surprised how much fuel they can save when it means a bonus every few months. This is just the beginning of how fleets can save time and money in areas that are necessary. In this day and time, we need to look under the cushions for coins. Pennies add up to dollars and that is something we can all relate to. Companies with a higher profit are paying attention to details that were probably not on their radar when times were booming. The companies that are struggling to pay the bills don’t seem to be as detail-oriented. Take care of the details and they will re- ward you. August/September 2011 www.pwof.org www.floridatowshow.com PROFESSIONAL WRECKER OPERATORS OF FLORIDA SERVING THE FLORIDA TOWING INDUSTRY SINCE 1977 SERVING THE FLORIDA TOWING INDUSTRY SINCE 1977 PROFESSIONAL WRECKER OPERATORS OF FLORIDA PROFITABILITY Think Outside the Box Truck THE LEVY REPORT By: Bob Levy Robert M. Levy & Associates Political Issues On July 28, Governor Scott announced the appointment of three new agency heads. Cynthia Lorenzo, who has been serving as the Interim Director for the Agency for Workforce Innovation, will become the Director. She has been with the agency for five years. Mike Hansen, who was most recently Staff Director for the Florida Senate Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, has been appointed the head of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. Doug Darling, who recently served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Cabinet Affairs for the Governor’s Office, has been appointed head of the new Department of Economic Opportunity. Legislative Issues House Committee Reorganization Speaker Cannon has announced that the Economic Development and Tourism Subcommittee will be merged with the Business and Consumer Affairs Subcommittee. Representative Bovo previously chaired the Business and Consumer Affairs Subcom- mittee prior to his seeking office in Miami-Dade County. The Department of Economic Opportunity Transition Report Senate Bill 2156 from the 2011 Session, which established the Department of Eco- nomic Opportunity, required the Transition Committee to present a progress report by August 15. The following are a few items of interest from that report. The National Government Organizational Company, MGT of America, has been hired by the Executive Office of the Governor to advise the Transition Team on struc- tural and organizational charts for the new department. Government agencies, public-private partnerships and members of the business community have been working with a facilitator to develop a business plan which is required by September 1. Physical relocation of the various agencies being combined into the Department is being discussed and coordinated by the Florida Department of Management Serv- ices. The Transition Team reported that all the timelines have been met and the reor- ganization will be completed by October 1, as required by the new law. The Department will have 1,672 FTEs available to transfer. A detailed proposal for organizational structures and budget will be submitted to the Legislative Budget Com- mission. The following guidelines have been established for the mission of the new Depart- ment of Economic Opportunity. (1) Assuring the agency establishes a single point of contact for economic and job growth initiatives; (2) Eliminating unnecessary duplication between Enterprise Florida and the state; (3) Dramatically reducing response time of state and local governments; (4) Integrating the functions of risk free agencies; and (5) Facilitating planning input from the Department of Workforce Innovation and Enterprise Florida. Current Tallahassee Happenings • Commercial Property • General Liability • Garage Operations • Auto Transporters (tractor trailers with cargo) In ADDITION to the COMPLETE TOWING PACKAGE, ATIG also offers: Florida’s Choice for Towing Insurance LET US OVERHAUL YOUR COVERAGE INSURING FLORIDA’S TOWING, RECOVERY AND REPOSSESSION INDUSTRIES Ask for Chip Thompson, Jim Donato, Bob Roddenberry or Brian Hapney CALL TOLL FREE: 877-933-2550 LOCAL: 407-472-9600 1507 Park Center Drive, Unit 1C, Orlando FL 32835 Don’t buy your heavy-duty wreckers anywhere else. We specialize in heavy-duty equipment. With our large selection of NEW and USED heavy-duty wreckers, we have a unit for every towing company in the Sunshine State, no matter what you’re towing or recovering. Stop by and check out our wide range of equipment: 751 Jetstream Drive, Suite 104 Orlando, Florida 32824 Or call and talk to any of our sales reps 407.438.4160 or 800.628.5212 Financing Available. Low Rates. Best Heavy-Duty Selection in the State. Full Service Shop – Sales, Parts, Service, Installation. Full Line of Accessories. Authorized SP Dealer. Large Selection of Auto Loaders. MEET FLORIDA’S HEAVY-DUTY EXPERTS www.crouchtowtrucks.com We specialize in towing programs for all size fleets. • Call us today for a no-obligation quote. At Gulf Coast Underwriters (GCU), we don’t want to be just your insurance agent. We want to be part of your team, taking the burdens and worries of insuring your company’s vehicles off your shoulders - giving you more time to operate a successful towing company. We offer several ways to save you time and money: • GCU represents many insurance companies therefore we provide several competitive quotes through one agent. • We insure towers, body shops, service stations and provide workers comp programs. • We review driver records and advise you accordingly. • We automatically cover newly-acquired vehicles. • We provide lightning fast issuance of certificates, ID cards and endorsements. • We offer safety programs to help you keep your drivers safe and your losses down. Hook Up with Gulf Coast Underwriters Today. 800.875.0154 813.864.4428 813.864.4429 Fax Serving Florida towers since 1996. A proud member of PWOF since 1996. “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t take one small step at a time in the beginning.” SEE LEVY REPORT PAGE 6 Attention All PWOF Members PWOF membership dues are due August 31, 2011. Memberships expire if dues are not paid by August 31. Your membership to PWOF enables the association to protect the best interests of your towing company by: • Providing lobbying in Tallahassee so Florida’s towing industry has a legislative voice •Hosting the world’s largest outdoor tow show, attracting towing company owners from around the world • Negotiating member discounts on products and services necessary to your business such as lien letter forms and insurance • And much more. If you have not yet done so, please remit your dues to the PWOF office today.
Transcript
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By: Mike SeamonExecutive Director
The towing industry,like all other industries, isstill digging out from thedownturn of the U.S. econ-
omy. Every day, towers face challenges in theprofit department. There are answers and theyseem easy but many company owners oftenoverlook them. First, look at vehicle mainte-nance and the cost savings that can beachieved. In a recent study, a refuse companychanging from Shell Rotella T to Amsoil Syn-thetic achieved an annual savings of $396 in oilcost alone per truck. This did not include filtersand downtime. Synthetic oil will also improvegas mileage by .5 to 1.3 mpg as well as give theengine unbelievable longevity. Saving moneyis not that difficult, it just requires a littlethought and effort. The thing to remember isyou are going to change the oil anyway, so youmight as well save yourself some money whileyou are doing it. There are also the transmis-sions to think about, you can extend their lifeas well.
Fuel is expensive these days …Every UPS driver turns off the engine
every time the truck is parked — no matterhow long. They achieve two things: saves fueland extends the life of the engine and every-thing else involved. I asked the local UPS shopif they had starter problems and the answerwas no. There are online calculators that canshow you the savings of reduced idling. Add up
the savings of these small things, multiply bythe number of vehicles in your company andpersonal vehicles and the savings per year canbe amazing.
Every towing company has a fleet. Someare larger than others but just the same, youhave a fleet of vehicles and fleet maintenanceis one of your top three expenses (along withinsurance and payroll).
Polk County decided to save fuel andmoney. They clocked the fuel mileage of eachvehicle for a time period to establish an aver-age. County officials then announced to allcounty employees driving county cars andtrucks that the employees would share inthe cost savings. The program made na-tional news for municipality fleet managersand now others are using it to help theircash-strapped departments.
Want to see how much you can save? Trysharing the savings with your drivers and youwill be surprised how much fuel they can savewhen it means a bonus every few months.
This is just the beginning of how fleetscan save time and money in areas that arenecessary. In this day and time, we need tolook under the cushions for coins. Penniesadd up to dollars and that is something wecan all relate to. Companies with a higherprofit are paying attention to details thatwere probably not on their radar whentimes were booming. The companies thatare struggling to pay the bills don’t seem tobe as detail-oriented.
Take care of the details and they will re-ward you.
August/September 2011
www.pwof.orgwww.floridatowshow.com
PROF
ESSION
AL W
RECK
ER OPE
RATO
RS OF FLOR
IDA
SERV
ING TH
E FLOR
IDA TO
WING INDU
STRY
SINCE
1977
SERV
ING TH
E FLOR
IDA TO
WING INDU
STRY
SINCE
1977
PROF
ESSION
AL W
RECK
ER OPE
RATO
RS OF FLOR
IDA
PROFITABILITYThink Outside the Box Truck
THE LEVY REPORT
By: Bob LevyRobert M. Levy & Associates
Political Issues
On July 28, Governor Scott announced the appointment of three new agencyheads. Cynthia Lorenzo, who has been serving as the Interim Director for the Agencyfor Workforce Innovation, will become the Director. She has been with the agency forfive years. Mike Hansen, who was most recently Staff Director for the Florida SenateBudget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, has been appointed the headof the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. Doug Darling, who recently served asDeputy Chief of Staff and Director of Cabinet Affairs for the Governor’s Office, has beenappointed head of the new Department of Economic Opportunity.
Legislative Issues
House Committee ReorganizationSpeaker Cannon has announced that the Economic Development and Tourism
Subcommittee will be merged with the Business and Consumer Affairs Subcommittee.Representative Bovo previously chaired the Business and Consumer Affairs Subcom-mittee prior to his seeking office in Miami-Dade County.
The Department of Economic Opportunity Transition ReportSenate Bill 2156 from the 2011 Session, which established the Department of Eco-
nomic Opportunity, required the Transition Committee to present a progress reportby August 15. The following are a few items of interest from that report.
The National Government Organizational Company, MGT of America, has beenhired by the Executive Office of the Governor to advise the Transition Team on struc-tural and organizational charts for the new department.
Government agencies, public-private partnerships and members of the businesscommunity have been working with a facilitator to develop a business plan which isrequired by September 1.
Physical relocation of the various agencies being combined into the Departmentis being discussed and coordinated by the Florida Department of Management Serv-ices.
The Transition Team reported that all the timelines have been met and the reor-ganization will be completed by October 1, as required by the new law.
The Department will have 1,672 FTEs available to transfer. A detailed proposal fororganizational structures and budget will be submitted to the Legislative Budget Com-mission.
The following guidelines have been established for the mission of the new Depart-ment of Economic Opportunity.
(1) Assuring the agency establishes a single point of contact for economic andjob growth initiatives;
(2) Eliminating unnecessary duplication between Enterprise Florida and thestate;
(3) Dramatically reducing response time of state and local governments;(4) Integrating the functions of risk free agencies; and(5) Facilitating planning input from the Department of Workforce Innovation and
Enterprise Florida.
Current TallahasseeHappenings
• Commercial Property
• General Liability
• Garage Operations
• Auto Transporters(tractor trailers with cargo)
In ADDITION to theCOMPLETE TOWING PACKAGE, ATIG also offers:
Ask for Chip Thompson, Jim Donato,Bob Roddenberry or Brian Hapney
CALL TOLL FREE: 877-933-2550LOCAL: 407-472-9600
1507 Park Center Drive, Unit 1C, Orlando FL 32835
Don’t buy your heavy-duty wreckers anywhere else.
We specialize in heavy-duty equipment. With our large selection
of NEW and USED heavy-duty wreckers, we have a unitfor every towing company in the Sunshine State, no matterwhat you’re towing or recovering.
Stop by and check outour wide range of equipment:
751 Jetstream Drive, Suite 104Orlando, Florida 32824
Or call and talk to any of our sales reps
407.438.4160or 800.628.5212
Financing Available. Low Rates. Best Heavy-Duty Selection in the State.Full Service Shop – Sales, Parts, Service, Installation. Full Line of Accessories.
Authorized SP Dealer. Large Selection of Auto Loaders.
MEET FLORIDA’SHEAVY-DUTY EXPERTS
www.crouchtowtrucks.comWe specialize in towing programs for all size fleets. • Call us today for a no-obligation quote.
At Gulf Coast Underwriters (GCU), we don’t want to be just your insurance agent. We want to be part ofyour team, taking the burdens and worries of insuring your company’s vehicles off your shoulders - givingyou more time to operate a successful towing company.
We offer several ways to save you time and money:• GCU represents many insurance companies therefore we provide several competitive quotesthrough one agent.
• We insure towers, body shops, service stations and provide workers comp programs.• We review driver records and advise you accordingly.• We automatically cover newly-acquired vehicles.• We provide lightning fast issuance of certificates, ID cards and endorsements.• We offer safety programs to help you keep your drivers safe and your losses down.
Hook Up with Gulf Coast Underwriters Today.800.875.0154813.864.4428813.864.4429 Fax
Serving Florida towers since 1996.A proud member of PWOF since 1996.
“Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t take one small step at a time in the beginning.”
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SEE LEVY REPORT PAGE 6
Attention All PWOF MembersPWOF membership dues are due August 31, 2011. Memberships expire if dues are not
paid by August 31. Your membership to PWOF enables the association to protect the bestinterests of your towing company by:
• Providing lobbying in Tallahassee so Florida’s towing industry has a legislative voice• Hosting the world’s largest outdoor tow show, attracting towing company ownersfrom around the world
• Negotiating member discounts on products and services necessary to your businesssuch as lien letter forms and insurance
• And much more.
If you have not yet done so,please remit your dues to the
POMPANO BEACH, FL 33060PHONE: 954-946-4747 • FAX: 954-946-3616
PAST PRESIDENTJIM STEWART
TOP GUN TOWING & RECOVERY624 17TH AVE. WESTBRADENTON, FL 34205
PHONE: 941-747-7809 • FAX: 941-747-6828
By: Drew Zuccala
Dear Fellow Towers,Just a quick note – it’s hot. It’s very hot! I’ve been in the towing and recovery busi-
ness for 34 years and it seems like I have been working harder now than ever before.My two daughters are in college, so it’s just my wife and me at home.
Just to let you know, the PWOF is always working for the betterment of our in-dustry and its members. If we are not working in Tallahassee, we are working in Wash-ington, DC. If things are quiet in Tallahassee for Bob Levy, then we are working onlocal or county issues. Like the towing industry, the PWOF never sleeps. Mike and Iare on the phone daily discussing all sorts of issues. Mike is always trying to keep mein the loop – legislation, finances, tow show, raffle truck, or individual member’s or aboard member’s issues. Like I said, the PWOF never sleeps.
I hope you have had a great summer and enjoyed time with your family andfriends. But it feels funny saying that because you are in the towing business like Iam. You get to steal a day here or a day there or a long weekend, but I hope whateveryou were able to do, you had a good time doing it.
PWOF is holding its last board meeting of the year in October and there are a lotof issues to be discussed. It should be a long and eventful meeting.
PWOF answers many member questions on a regular basis. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions and answers. Email your questions to [email protected].
Regarding the Department of Transportation (DOT)Q. Does a vehicle with a GVWR of 10,010 lbs. but under 26,001 lbs. need a USDOT #?
A. Yes.
Q. Can the vehicle have window tint? If yes, how much?
A. Yes, but FMC Safety Regulation 393.60 (d) states that “vehicle tint cannot measure lessthan 70 percent of the light at normal incidence on front driver and passenger win-dows.”
Q. Does this vehicle have to have a fire extinguisher? If yes, what size?
A. Yes. According to FMC Safety Regulation 393.95(a)(1) A power unit that is not used totransport hazardous materials must be equipped with either (A) one fire extinguisherhaving an Underwriter’s Laboratories rating of 5 B: C or more; or (B) two fire extin-guishers each of which has rating of 4 B: C or more.
Q. Does this vehicle have to have any other safety equipment?
A. Yes. According to FMC Safety Regulation 393.95(f) Warning Devices for Stopped Vehi-cles, one of the following options must be used:
(1)Three bidirectional emergency reflective triangles that conform to the require-ments of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 125, or(2) At least 6 fuses or 3 liquid-burning flares. The vehicle must have as many additionalfuses or liquid burning flares as are necessary to satisfy the requirements of 392.22(3)Other warning devices may be used in addition to, but not in lieu of, the requiredwarning devices, provided those warning devices do not decrease the effectivenessof the required warning devices.
Q. Does the driver of this vehicle need a medical card?
A. No
Q. Does the driver have to wear a seat belt?
A. Yes. FMC Safety Regulation 392.16 states that “a commercial motor vehicle which has aseat belt assembly installed at the driver’s seat shall not be driven unless the driver hasproperly restrained himself/herself with the seat belt assembly.”
Q. Which tow truck drivers need a CDL (Commercial Drivers License)?
A. Anyone driving a vehicle with a GVW of 26,001 lbs. or higher such as 1) A vehicle with aGross Vehicle Rating (on the door) of 26,001 lbs. or more or 2) a vehicle combinationweighing 26,001 lbs. or more, as in the tow truck and what it is towing, requires thedriver to have a valid CDL. (Anything less than a Class A CDL will not be very useful inour industry as the driver will not be able to tow anything weighing 10,000 lbs. ormore.)
Q. Do I need an endorsement to drive an air brake truck?
A. No, there is not an endorsement for air brakes, so any non-CDL drivers license holdercan drive a truck with less than 26,001 lbs. GVWR with air brakes. A driver with a CDLcan have a restriction if they take their test in a non-air brake vehicle.
Florida Towing Q & As
SEE Q & As PAGE 5
CLUB MEMBERS 2011-2012
A SUPERIOR TOWING CO.AMERICAN TRANSPORTATION
INSURANCE GROUPAUTO RESCUEAVON TOWINGBABBSCO TOWINGBALD EAGLE TOWING & RECOVERYBEACH TOWING SERVICEBECK’S TOWING & TRANSPORTBOLTON’S TOWING SERVICEC & L TOWING AND TRANSPORTCITY TOWING, INC.CLIFFORD’S 66 TOWINGCORTES TOWING SERVICECOX CAR CAREDAVE JONES - PAST PRESIDENTDAVE’S TOWING & RECOVERYDIRECT TOWINGELMER’S AUTOMOTIVE & TOWINGEXCALIBUR TOWING SERVICEFLINT’S WRECKER SERVICEFRYER’S TOWING SERVICE
G & C TOWINGHAROLD MURPHY - PAST PRESIDENTJOE’S TOWING & RECOVERYKOTAKIS AUTO & TOWINGMIDWAY AUTO SALVAGE & WRECKER SERVICEMIKE’S ELITE TOWINGPLAYGROUND AUTO SERVICER & J TOWING & RECOVERYSAM’S WRECKER SERVICESARGENT’S TOWING & RECOVERYSCALLY’S LUBE & GOSHEFFIELD’S WRECKER SERVICESHELBY’S TOWINGSOUTHERN WRECKER & RECOVERYSOUTHLAND THE TOWING COMPANYSTEPP’S TOWING SERVICE - TAMPATRI J CO TOWING & RECOVERYTROYZ TOWING & RECOVERYUNIVERSITY TOWING & TRANSPORTUPMAN’S TOWING SERVICEZUCCALA’S WRECKER SERVICE
PWOF recently introduced our 365 Club. This club providesmembers a means of offering additional support to our industrythroughout the year by paying $1 a day for their dues in lieu ofthe regular $250 annual dues. The following members have al-ready joined our new club. To add your company name to thislist, call Stevie at the PWOF office, 407-296-3316.
4 August/September 2011 PWOFNEWS
AAG ENVIRONMENTAL, INC. ............................................................ 800-472-9251ACCESS TOOLS & EQUIPMENT ......................................................... 800-323-8324ALLSTATE ROADSIDE SERVICES ........................................................ 508-867-2400AMERICAN TRANSPORTATION INSURANCE GROUP, INC. ........................... 877-933-2550AMSOIL INDEPENDENT DEALER ........................................................ 407-421-5584ASHFORD RECOVERY (ENGLAND) ................................................ 011441233 655999AUTO DATA DIRECT, INC. ............................................................... 850-877-8804AW DIRECT, INC. ......................................................................... 800-270-3975B & B PROTECTOR PLANS, INC. ....................................................... 800-338-1935BEACON SOFTWARE, LLC ............................................................... 866-437-6653BLACKADAR INSURANCE AGENCY, INC. .............................................. 407-831-3832BUDGET AUTO PARTS ................................................................... 800-282-5581BUDGET U PULL IT ....................................................................... 888-656-4307CHASE INSURANCE AGENCY INC. ...................................................... 954-792-4300COLLECTION RESULTS, INC. ............................................................ 888-428-7676CROUCH’S WRECKER & EQUIPMENT SALES ......................................... 800-628-5212CUSTER PRODUCTS LTD ................................................................. 800-490-3158DIVERSIFIED LEASING SOLUTIONS, INC. .............................................. 813-282-0357DUAL-TECH, INC. ......................................................................... 800-852-0345FLEETMATICS USA, INC. ................................................................ 866-844-2235FLORIDA UTILITY TRAILERS, INC. ..................................................... 800-404-6021FLORIDA WIRE & RIGGING SUPPLY, INC. ............................................. 800-432-2269FLORIDA WRECKER SALES, INC. ....................................................... 813-626-2144FOX EVERETT INSURANCE .............................................................. 228-897-6758G.V.S. ENTERPRISES, INC. ............................................................. 800-541-0460GREENLEAF AUTO RECYCLERS ......................................................... 888-849-7887GULF COAST UNDERWRITERS .......................................................... 813-864-4428HAMRICK INSURANCE ASSOCIATES ................................................... 850-877-3108HOOKS TOWING & RECOVERY SUPPLY ................................................ 800-876-8963INDIANAPOLIS INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS, INC. ........................................ 800-827-3755INSURANCE AUTO AUCTIONS ........................................................... 407-438-7191INTEK TRUCK & EQUIPMENT LEASING ................................................ 973-403-7788INTERGIS, LLC ............................................................................ 877-483-7426JERR-DAN CORPORATION ............................................................... 800-926-9666JUPITER LEGAL ADVOCATES ........................................................... 561-748-8000KAUFF'S KUSTOM LETTERING & SIGNS ............................................... 561-775-3278LIFT AND TOW, LLC ...................................................................... 866-494-6500M & S SIGNS .............................................................................. 407-855-9162MATRIX EMPLOYER SERVICES ......................................................... 866-453-2722MGA INSURANCE GROUP ................................................................ 941-907-3828MILLER INDUSTRIES TOWING EQUIPMENT ........................................... 800-292-0330NATION SAFE DRIVERS MOTOR CLUB ................................................. 800-338-2680NOBEL SYSTEMS, INC. .................................................................. 888-950-9550PEO EXPERTS, INC. ...................................................................... 727-421-8250PHOENIX USA, INC. ...................................................................... 800-786-8785RADIO ONE, INC. ......................................................................... 407-296-9488RUSH TRUCK CENTERS OF FLORIDA ................................................... 813-361-1199S & S ELITE, LLC ......................................................................... 888-769-9905SIGNATURE STAFFING, INC. ............................................................ 561-743-0065SOUTHEAST PERSONNEL LEASING, INC. .............................................. 727-919-0199SOVEREIGN BANK ........................................................................ 631-531-0627STOVER SALES, INC. .................................................................... 904-696-3496TECHNOGRAPHICS ....................................................................... 352-989-4377THE INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS ..................................................... 800-266-4446TIM HALPIN EQUIPMENT CORPORATION ............................................. 305-591-3164TLC TRUCK & EQUIPMENT .............................................................. 866-690-4902TNT INSURANCE AGENCY ............................................................... 800-691-0053TOWPARTNERS ........................................................................... 877-401-2345TRAIL-EZE TRAILERS .................................................................... 800-232-5682TRAVIS BARLOW COMPANY ............................................................ 800-537-7152TRUCKMAX INC. ......................................................................... 305-592-3800UNITED STATES AUTO CLUB - MOTOR DIV. ........................................... 888-300-8722U-PULL-AND-PAY - WEST PALM BEACH .............................................. 561-846-1597WHITE FORD COMPANY, INC. .......................................................... 352-225-1466WRECKERS LTD ........................................................................... 305-888-0111
Please Support YourAssociate Members
NEW MEMBERS
REGION 3C & M TOWINGMICHAEL LESSARD36 NE 8TH STREETOCALA, FL 34470352-629-6677FAX: 352-620-8839
REGION 8G & C AUTOMOTIVE & TOWINGCHRIS SPEARS3865 BONITA BEACH RD.BONITA SPRINGS, FL 34134239-947-1555FAX: 239-947-1502
REGION 8GEORGE & SON’S TOWING, INC.GEORGE D. MARTIN4774 EXCHANGE AVENUENAPLES, FL 34104239-353-1300FAX: 239-262-8566
August/September 2011 PWOFNEWS 5
Hours of Service Currentand Proposed
The following table reflects the current and proposed Hours of Service (HOS) regulations.PWOF, in conjunction with TRAA, is working with the Department of Transportation to ex-empt the towing and recovery industry from these HOS regulations.
Q & As FROM PAGE 3
Regarding Towing and Storage of Equipment and MoreQ. Do I have a lien on the towing and storage of equipment like front-end loaders, fork-
lifts, golf carts with no tag, farm tractors and the other odd things we are asked to towby law enforcement and private property?
A. No, because they cannot be licensed to drive on the street.
FS. 713.78 defines a vehicle as motorized or not with wheels attached, these items do havewheels but the rest of 713.78 deals with vehicles (or trailers) and vessels that can have a lienon them because they can be registered with DMV and used on the street. Tallahassee will notgrant ownership to a tow company or a person buying a non-vehicle at a tower’s public sale.These tows do not fall in the towing statutes and so they must be handled with due care. Tow-ers will be called by law enforcement to tow and store these items but if someone wants topick up said item, the item is personal property, not a vehicle. And you cannot hold personalproperty. The answer is to make the owner happy with the price (knowing they can retrieve itfor free if they know the law). When no one responds to retrieve the property, it is a good ideato keep it a long time before disposing of these types of items.
5. “They told me at the Blood Bank this might happen.”
4. “This is just a 15-minute power nap they raved aboutin the time management course you sent me to.”
3. “Whew! Guess I left the top off the Whiteout. You probably got here just in time.”
2. “Did you ever notice sound coming out of these keyboardswhen you put your ear down real close?”
And the NUMBER ONE best thing to say if you get caught sleeping at your desk...
1. Raise your head slowly and say, “...we pray these things in your name, Amen.”
Five Best Things To Say If You Get Caught Sleeping At Your Desk
PWOF proudly introduces our newest raffle truck, a 2012 Hino 258ALP, 25,500 lbs. GVW with a 108-inch BBC partneredwith a Century 21-foot steel 12-Series LCG Carrier with a12,000-lb. deck capacity.
Test drive this truck at local PWOF meetings. Miller Industriesdistributors will also be demonstrating this truck throughoutthe state.
Purchase your raffle tickets for a chance to add this truck toyour company’s fleet. The winning ticket will be drawn at the2012 Florida Tow Show® in the Miller Industries booth.
Truck courtesy of
LEVY REPORT FROM PAGE 1
Sept. 19-22, 2011......... Senate & House Interim Committee Meetings
Oct. 3-6, 2011 ........ Senate & House Interim Committee Meetings
Oct. 17-20, 2011 ........ Senate & House Interim Committee Meetings
Nov. 14-17, 2011 ........ Senate & House Interim Committee Meetings
December 2, 2011 ........ Deadline for submitting requests for draftsof general bills and current resolutions
January 10, 2012 ........ Regular Session convenes
March 9, 2012 ........ Last day of Regular Session
Calendar
Citizens Insurance RatesOn August 2, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater encouraged the state insurance regulators
to phase in a large rate hike being sought by Citizens Property Insurance. Citizens is planningan 8.8% increase for sinkhole coverage.
Florida Supreme Court Opines on Governor Scott’s RulemakingOn August 16, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that Governor Scott overstepped his legal
authority in January when he issued an Executive Order freezing all state agency rules. The chal-lenge had been brought to the court by Rosalie Whiley, a blind South Florida woman who ar-gued that the Executive Order postponed a rule that would have made it easier for her to receivefood stamps. The Court opined that the Governor violated the separation of powers betweenhis office and the Legislature since the Legislature had rulemaking delegation powers.
Florida Department of Transportation NewsAt a road builders’ conference on August 5, Florida Department of Transportation Secretary
Passad announced a new plan to accelerate work on a billion dollars of road projects, includingInterstates 75 and 95. The new plan entitled “Florida Transportation Vision for the 21st Century”will start relying on toll roads to pay for new projects. The plan also calls for “managed lanes”paid for by private companies. The Department is also creating a new office of Freight Planningand Logistics to coordinate the state’s ports with supporting structures such as roads, bridgesand tunnels. The office will also coordinate movement of cargo from the ports.
