september 5, 2006archive – fall 2006: volume 15, number 3

FOR THE HARD-WORKING TOWING PROFESSIONAL

VOLUME 15, NUMBER 3 | SEPTEMBER 2006

www.jerr-dan.com

PAGE 10

PAGE 4

An Oshkosh Truck Corporation Company

TOWING WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH

AUTOMATED REMOTEMECHANISM

THE JERR-DAN

TOWING WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH

AUTOMATED REMOTEMECHANISM

PAGE 16DOING IT RIGHTDOING IT RIGHT

Nominee’s Name:

*The Incident:

*NOTE: Describe the incident and include the name, company, phone number andaddress of the nominee. All accounts should be able to be corroborated by a thirdparty source, i.e., police, victim, witness.

Co: Phone: / /

American Towman Exposition,Baltimore MD, November 17-19, 2006

Your Name: ______________________ Phone: ____________________

Mail To:American Towman

7 West Street Warwick NY 10990

or Fax: (845) 986-5181

Official Tow Truck of the Towman Medal

Nomination deadline: August 30th. But don’t wait!

Official Truck Chassis of the Towman Medal

ou have your reasons forpurchasing Jerr-Dan towingequipment. Is it Quality?

Reliability? Affordability? Design?Performance? Service? All of theabove? When we asked our cus-tomers, they gave us these Top 10reasons as to why they chose Jerr-Dan equipment. Why do you?

1) RUN HARD. It’s our tagline fora reason — the Jerr-Dan namemeans uncompromising quality.You’ll see that quality when ourvehicles perform beyond yourexpectations, no matter what theconditions.

2) TRUSTWORTHY. Let’s face it,you do business with people youtrust and who also understand whatyou do. Folks in the towing equip-ment business know Jerr-Dan asprofessional, reliable and experi-enced (more than 30 years ofsuccess).

3) GREAT IDEAS. Our engineerstake pride in their innovative think-ing. That’s why Jerr-Dan leads theindustry in technological advances,making your job safer, easier andmore profitable.

4) IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL.You need a company that’s going to supply parts and provide serviceon its equipment for years to come,regardless of how old it is or howhard you’ve used it. Jerr-Dan is that company.

5) PERFORMANCE ASPROMISED. Our engineers take anultraconservative approach to per-formance specs and capacity ratingsso our products always perform as

needed. Infact, Jerr-Danis the onlymanufacturerthat rates itsunits based onspecific chassisspecs.

6) IN YOURBACKYARD. With more than 90locations throughout North America,you’ll find a Jerr-Dan distributornear you, ready to help with serviceand sales.

7) YOU CAN LEAN ON US. Jerr-Dan equipment is engineered,manufactured and tested to live along, hard life. Expect years of reli-able service, low maintenance andrugged dependability.

8) A ONE-STOP SHOP. We arethere for you, every step of the way.From the time you decide you needa new piece of towing equipment tothe time you take ownership of it,you count on us to help you duringevery stage of the process.

9) DETAILS. DETAILS. DETAILS.From engineering to production andtesting to delivery — we closelywatch the little details of these bigissues to ensure you get what youneed to succeed.

10) YOU CHOOSE. WE PER-FORM. Looking for a smallself-loader? A 50-ton wrecker? Jerr-Dan has an incredible selectionof towing and recovery equipmentto choose from, and all feature Jerr-Dan’s unsurpassed quality andperformance.

Jeff WellerPresident

FOR THE HARD-WORKING TOWING PROFESSIONAL

Our MissionTo provide you with timely informationabout towing and recovery equipmenttechnology, products and safety.

Run Hard is published on behalf of Jerr-Dan Corporation, anOshkosh Truck Corporation Company, and Jerr-Dan Distributors.Editorial office: 1233 Janesville Ave., Fort Atkinson, WI 53538-0803. Phone: (800) 547-7377. E-mail: [email protected]. Printed in the United States, © 2006 Jerr-Dan Corporation Volume 15, Number 3, September 2006. For Canada: Agreement Number 40064547.

Contents

4 JERR-DAN OWNER PROFILE The people of the Pocono Mountains are the secret to this Pennsylvania towing company’s growth.

7 INDUSTRY NEWS

8 JACK’S HEAVY-DUTY Weight transfer — the same laws of physics apply to everyone.

10 PRODUCT PROFILE Automated Remote Mechanism (ARM).

14 BUSINESS MANAGEMENTContinuous improvement — When ‘good enough’ just ISN’T!

16 JERR-DANOWNER PROFILEDoing a little bit of everything — and doing it right — is what keeps this New Jersey tower in business.

20 SHOW & GO What does your Jerr-Dan look like?

22 COMPANY NEWS

“Since 1992”

Y

WHAT ARE YOUR REASONS?

R U N H A R D 3V O L . 1 5 , N O . 3 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 6

Comment

Big business know-how

“I consider us a small business, eventhough the two-county territory wecover includes one of the largest coun-ties in Pennsylvania (Monroe County,with a population of more than130,000 people),” says Cardiello.

Small business or not, the Cardiellosrun theirs with big business know-how.

“Yvonne and I attended a businessmanagement school and what welearned there helps us better manageour business,” he notes.

Proper business management is oneof the most important contributing fac-tors to the growth of his company,according to Cardiello. Here’s what elsehe has to say about the topic:

“You have to know your profit mar-gin on every job, as well as where yourbusiness stands every day. We checkour numbers daily, weekly, monthly andannually. Most companies look back atthe previous month only to discover thatsomething went wrong. At that point,it’s too late. You have to be proactive.The days of taking the good with thebad are over, due to rising expensesand competition in the industry. Toomany companies are busy until the daythey go out of business due to poormanagement decisions.”

Proper equipmentIn addition to wisely managing the

business, Cardiello also attributes prop-er equipment to his company’s growth.

elationships. If you ask EdCardiello, owner of Ed’s Auto

Service in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania,what makes his business successful,this is his answer.

“I have always received personalsatisfaction from working with peoplein the community,” Cardiello says. “Ienjoy walking into the local diner andhearing, ‘Hey Ed, how are you?’”

To achieve the personal touchthat’s so important to him, Cardiellolaunched his own auto repair/towingbusiness 11 years ago with his wife,Yvonne. Working in his previous postas the general manager for a largetowing/service provider had becomemore about the numbers than thepeople. That’s when Ed decided togive his own business a try.

And he succeeded. Today, Ed’sAuto Service is a strong, family-owned business employing six full-time and three part-time employees,as well as Ed and Yvonne’s three chil-dren, Eddie, Joey and Catie.

The primary business for Ed’sAuto Service is service repair workfor local customers traveling from thePoconos to New York or New Jersey.

“Local commuters make up about50% of our business,” Cardiellonotes. “Our average customer drivesapproximately 50,000 miles a year.”

Most of Ed’s Auto Service businesstoday is local clientele, with 5,000names in the company’s database.

About 30% of the company’s cur-rent business is towing (light-, medi-um- and heavy-duty towing). Towing

customers are also typically local,with about 50% of them comingdirectly from the company’s repairshop. Ed’s Auto Service also handlesa substantial amount of police andcommercial fleet towing as well as asmall amount of motor club work.

“We started this company as arepair shop. Everything we did wasdesigned to accent the repair work,”he recalls. “When we decided to getinto towing, we bought a heavy-dutywrecker and carrier. Today we havea fleet of 10 trucks and operate outof two 4,000-sq.-ft. facilities, one forautomotive repair and one for heavy-duty truck repairs.” The company iscurrently expanding with two addi-tional buildings.

R

OWNER PROFILEEd’s Auto ServiceMount Pocono, Pennsylvania

Jerr-Dan Fleet Profile:Wreckers:

One HPL 35 light-duty wrecker One HPL 6000 light-duty wrecker One HDL 700/350 35-ton heavy-duty wrecker

Carriers:Two standard-duty steel rollback carriers with 21-ft. beds

Services• 24-hour emergency roadside service• Full-service repair shop• Light-, medium- and heavy-duty

towing• Accident/recovery services• Vehicle storage

TOWING WITH A

The Jerr-Dan HDL 700/350 35-ton heavy-duty wrecker isthe company’sprimary HD unit.The wreckerwas purchasedat the 2000Baltimore Tow Show.

THE PEOPLE OF THE POCONO MOUNTAINSARE ONE SECRET TO THIS PENNSYLVANIATOWING COMPANY’S GROWTH.

PERSONALPERSONAL

Owner Profile

4 R U N H A R DV O L . 1 5 , N O . 3 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 6

5R U N H A R DV O L . 1 5 , N O . 3 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 6

TOUCH

“Just do your job” is the motto of Ed Cardiello of Ed’s Auto Service, standingfar right with his wife Yvonne. On rollback standing left to right: Pat Smith,Richard Guttmann, Phil Mosteller, Eddie Cardiello Jr. Kneeling left to right: JoeyCardiello, Anthony Fulco, Catie Cardiello, Joe Marasco.

Ed’s Auto Service is located on topof the Pocono Mountains. At the highestpoint on Interstate 80, the area is wellknown for icy fog. “It’s not uncommonfor us to be involved in towing multiplevehicles from large pileups,” he notes.

To aid in such jobs, as well as the12,000 to 14,000 other towing callsthe company receives every year,Cardiello relies on a fleet of 10 trucks.

Five Jerr-Dan wreckers and carriersmake up half of Cardiello’s fleet: anHPL 35 light-duty wrecker, an HPL6000 light-duty wrecker, an HDL700/350 35-ton heavy-duty wrecker,and two standard-duty steel rollbackcarriers with 21-ft. beds.

The HPL 35 rides on a 2000 FordF450 chassis and is a refurbishedvehicle that the company just complet-ed for Eddie Jr., the oldest Cardielloson. Eddie will soon turn 18 and be eli-gible to tow for the company. He isalready WreckMaster certified, as aremost of the company’s employees.

The HPL 6000 wrecker rides on a2005 Ford F650 extended cab.Cardiello purchases extended cabvehicles to accommodate the transportof additional customers in the truck.The HPL 6000 fills the void of medi-um-duty towing for the company.

“We used to perform a lot ofmedium-duty towing with our HD unit,which is overkill,” he says. “We do alot of work for transport companies

and our HPL 6000 is more economi-cal for the job. There’s also no CDLrequirement, which means more driv-ers can operate the truck.”

The company’s primary heavy-dutyunit is an HDL 700/350 35-ton inde-pendent wrecker on a 2000Freightliner Classic chassis.

“Our HD has performed a sub-stantial amount of recoveries and hashelped us keep our reputation of ‘get-ting the job done,’” says Cardiello.

The two steel rollback carriers witha GVW of 26,000 lbs. (with 2003International chassis) round out theJerr-Dan equipment.

“Having the proper equipment isvital to the success of any company,”Cardiello adds. “Many people exceedor abuse their equipment trying to workabove its capabilities. A wise man oncetold me ‘Every man must know theirlimitations.’ I have found that if youtreat the equipment as designed, it willreward you with excellent service. Ourhistory has proven that the Jerr-Danequipment we operate goes above andbeyond the call of duty and has met ourexpectations. All of our Jerr-Dan unitshave proven 100% capable for everytask we have taken on and they per-form like new to this day.”

Employees are itSimilar to proper business prac-

tices and equipment, a company is

only as good as its employees, accord-ing to the Cardiellos.

“We provide our employees with fullbenefit packages including healthcare,accident insurance, uniforms, training,paid holidays, sick leave and vacationpay,” he notes. “Our wages are compet-itive and we have a low turnaround. Ibelieve if you treat your employees rightand provide them with the best equip-ment possible, they will treat your busi-ness with a genuine concern and showthe dedication required by this industry.

“We look for personnel who arecourteous and honest. I can teachsomeone how to tow or repair a vehi-cle, but I can’t teach them not to steal.Traits like honesty and pleasantnessmust be bred in a person and havingsomeone that doesn’t fit this descriptioncan adversely affect your shop flowprogram as well as your bottom line.”

Industry future“I see the future of this industry to

continue with a priority toward fast-laneclearing,” Cardiello predicts. “Our statehasn’t yet made it a priority, but Ibelieve it will be inevitable as popula-tions continue to increase and our high-ways become more congested.

“Fast-lane clearing will require larg-er, more capable equipment to performthe task with fewer people,” he con-cludes. “For us this means purchasing anew Jerr-Dan Rotator.” ■

The company relies on three Jerr-Dan wreckers: an HPL 6000 light-duty wrecker, an HPL 35 light-duty wrecker andan HDL 700/350 35-ton heavy-duty wrecker.


Industry News

Jerr-Dan Corporation recently welcomed Jeffrey Barbour asthe company’s newest distributor support representative for thestates of Maryland and Virginia. This position provides salessupport, customer service assistance and spec’ing support to cus-tomers through Jerr-Dan’s distribution network.

Jeffrey Barbour first worked at Jerr-Dan as a college intern.He joined the company fulltime after graduating from ShepherdUniversity in Shepherdstown, West Virginia in 1987. Barbourworked at Jerr-Dan in a variety of sales and marketing positions,including product line manager, regional sales manager, corpo-rate sales coordinator/national account manager and sales representative.

Barbour left Jerr-Dan in 1995 to pursue a general manag-er/sales manager position with Horton Truck and Equipment inFalls Church, Virginia. From there he became president /generalmanager of Capitol Truck Equipment in Lanham, Maryland and

then general manager ofAmeriDeck Inc. inGreencastle, Pennsylvania.His latest post was as salesrepresentative for HortonTruck and Equipment inManassas Park, Virginia.

“We are pleased to welcome Jeff back to theJerr-Dan family,” says JoelAmsley, Jerr-Dan vice presi-dent of sales. “Jeff has heldnumerous positions since hebegan his career here at Jerr-Dan and he’s developed valuableexperience in distributor sales and management. He is wellknown and well respected within the industry.”

JERR-DAN APPOINTS NEW DISTRIBUTOR SUPPORT REPRESENTATIVE

If we could efficiently move weight foreand aft on a big wrecker, we couldalso correspondingly increase lift and

tow capability. Years ago the United States military

developed a formula to determine the“approximate” lift and tow capacity ofany given wrecker:

1/2 FAW x WB x OH = Tow Capacity

FAW refers to Front Axle Weight; WBrefers to Wheelbase; and OH refers toOverhang, or the distance from the bal-ance point (fulcrum) to the lifting point onthe towing device. The Society ofAutomotive Engineers in the SAE J2512standard later adopted this formula.

There are “reker builders” who claim tobe exempt from this law of physics. Yes,they say that their secret design providesfor extraordinary weight transfer notenjoyed by the competition.

For example, back in the days of theHolmes Wrecker Company, the sales guys“thought” that raising the booms (on an HDtwin boom wrecker) would move weightfrom the rear to the front axle, where it’sneeded most in an HD towing situation.

So we cranked booms up and down totake advantage of this “special exemp-tion” from the law of physics. That is, wecranked until a smarty-pants engineer didsome actual tests and determined that, atmost, we might move a mere hundredpounds or so by cranking the booms to anear vertical position.

And yes, with the booms in that raised

position, it’s also possible to clean out theChristmas lights draped across the streetin a small south Texas town. Been there,done that.

Anyway, the fantastic weight transferwe thought existed did not, any more thanit does with those that also claim anexemption due to their “special” design.

Smoke and mirrorsSome guys play games with the rear air

suspension systems in order to move weightto the front axle, but that is tricky business.It’s also illegal, so don’t go there becauseyou’re actually unloading the forward driv-

ers resulting in a loss of traction and brak-ing, while greatly overloading the rears.Also, this trick partially converts the rig to asingle rear axle and that corrupts the origi-nal design and suspension system.

However, we can move weight by mov-ing water, antifreeze, fuel or concreteblocks forward. I know of a guy who fab-ricated a hollow-front bumper that hefilled with water for a heavy-heavy tow

job. The problem was that he forgot thewater one night and it froze solid, requir-ing a complete thaw job inside the stableto take all the excess weight off the frontaxle. (Remember — too many so-calledHD wreckers are mounted on retired roadtractors, which invariably have only12,000-lb. front axles, making it veryeasy to exceed the Front Axle Ratingthrough such counterweighting.)

So, to keep it from freezing, he decid-ed to pump antifreeze instead. Not onlywas this procedure very expensive, but healso had to fabricate a reservoir behindthe cab to save and reuse the antifreeze.Another chap from Ohio cast a 3,000-lb.block of concrete, complete with liftingeye. He made a saddle for the blockbehind the truck cab so he could carry theblock whenever he had an HD tow.

The real dealAt Jerr-Dan, we often opt to install a

permanent weight on our Super HeavyDuty Wreckers under the forward tool-boxes. If you’ve ever pulled a plow with afarm tractor, then you understand usingweights upfront to increase performance.The same applies to towing.

There are some very simple things youcan do to improve the towing capability ofyour truck that are both practical and rela-tively inexpensive. For starters, consider relo-cating the batteries inside one of the forwardboxes, and then trade your smaller tanks fortwo 150-gal. fuel tanks, one on either sidemounted as far forward as possible.

With those tanks full, it is usually possi-ble to add a couple thousand pounds tothe front axle weight and, referring back

Jack’s Heavy-Duty

to the formula, FAW plays a major role indetermining how much you can lift andtow. Increasing the Front Axle Rating toaccommodate this added weight requiressome minor modifications that your near-est “authorized” truck shop can provide.

If you’re from an Eastern city, a 280-in. wheelbase, tandem axle tow truckis almost too much to maneuver aroundnarrow city streets. On the other hand, ifyou’re from the West Coast, a 330-in.wheelbase (three axle they call them; reartandems plus the front axle) tow truck isvery common. Again, wheelbase is one ofthe controlling factors in determining liftand tow capability; so the longer thewheelbase, the more you can lift and tow.

Finally, and most importantly, it is nec-essary to keep the load as close to the tailboard (fulcrum or balance point) of thetow truck as possible because the morethe underlift is extended, the more weightis removed from the tow truck front axle,and all that added weight ends up on therear drivers.

Obviously, this results in a doublewhammy with the front axlebecoming too light for safe steer-ing as well as control and the

rear drivers far too heavy for the axle rat-ings AND the scale house.

Unlike the truck hitch born of yester-year, the underlift load rotates about acenter pin, making it easy to determinejust how close to the tailboard the loadcan be carried. For example, if your loadis 96 in. wide AND the underlift pin is inthe center of the load, then one-half of 96(or 48 in.) plus a handful of inches forclearance equals the optimal distancefrom the tail board.

In this case, 52 to 54 in. should do thetrick. If you insist on carrying that loadfurther from the tail board (and fulcrum),you will unnecessarily increase the over-hang, which also bears directly on the liftand tow capability of your rig. All sorts of

other things happen when you extend theunderlift too far. All these things are badand often cost lost time and money.

It pays big dividends to know the FAWand WB of your HD tow truck. Then, andonly then, will you get the very most outof your equipment. Rigging your tow truckwith onboard axle scales is inexpensive,especially for an air-ride suspension sys-tem, and provides a good way to bettermonitor your real-world situation. In fact,California for example, requires such on-board scales for overweight permits.

When using the formula 1/2 FAW xWB x OH, remember it is only an “approx-imate” way to estimate how much weightyou can lift AND tow with reasonable safe-ty because suspension type, condition andother factors also have a bearing.

But, the formula is close enough forgovernment work! You’ll find that mostgovernments at all levels require compli-ance with the formula as the “smokingmirrors” weight transfer claimed by somemanufacturers simply doesn’t exist.

See Ya’ Soon! ■


The same laws of physics apply to everyone.

Jack Schrock

“It pays big

dividends to know the

FAW and WB of your HD

tow truck. Then, and only

then, will you get the

most out of your

equipment.”

WEIGHT TRANSFER

Jerr-Dan® heavy-duty wreckers are built to take a beating from the road and the job like no other wrecker in their class.

Our composite bodies resist stress cracks, never rust, and hold together longer than welded bodies. Add to that the

largest cross-bar pivot pin and hardest bushings in the industry, and now you’ve got a hard-working machine that will

save you downtime, save costly repairs and take just about anything you throw at it. Find out just how much a Jerr-Dan

heavy-duty wrecker can take, call 800-926-9666 or visit jerrdan.com today.

© 2 0 0 6 J E R R - D A N C O R P O R AT I O N® J E R R - D A N A N D T H E J E R R - D A N L O G O A R E R E G I S T E R E D T R A D E M A R K S O F J E R R - D A N C O R P O R AT I O N , G R E E N C A S T L E , P A .

W inners/Losers. FirstPlace/Second Place. GoldMedal/Silver Medal. What

makes the difference? Why do some peoplewin, while others don’t?

The answer is this: Winners have a commitment to improve beyond what theyare at the moment, no matter how goodthey already are. Others are content to letthings be. Invariably, those individuals seldom finish first.

Our company has, for many years,embroidered our logo on each of our driver’s uniforms. Each of the five stars inour logo represents a particular trait we liveby — Prompt, Polite, Professional, Positiveand Profitable.

However, the large star underneath withthe numeral “1” in its center stands for“Continuous Improvement.” The “1” insidethis star demonstrates its importance.

Each of our team members is required to learn our logo and be able to recite itupon demand. We put this into practiceeach and every business day. We ask these questions:

• How did we do yesterday?

• Did we reach each of our customers in record time? How fast was that?

• Was each of our customers totally satisfied with our service? If so, great;now let’s do even better today!

Winners constantly push and strive formore, while others are content to rest ontheir laurels.

Long-term processInnovation. Experimentation. Trial and

error. Does it always pay off? No, not nec-essarily in the short term, but a resoundingYES long term. Sometimes you actually willgo backward for a period of time when anew idea or way of doing something just

does not pan out initially. But you alwayslearn something from that experiment.

Thomas Edison is quoted as saying: “Iam not discouraged, because every wrongattempt discarded is another step forward.”I firmly believe and live by that quote.

As we all know, Thomas Edison was notthe first person who built a light bulb of theincandescent type. However, until Edison,the incandescent bulb was not practicalbecause the filament burned out too quickly.

But Thomas Edison was known for stub-born perseverance in solving problems. Tofind the best materialof his day for filament,he carried out over6,000 experimentswith different materi-als. Remember, foreach experiment, thefilament material hadto be painstakinglymounted. The bulbhad to then be evacu-ated and sealed, andthen taken into the labfor testing.

Think about that:6,000 FAILED experi-ments! But then the next one worked.Continuous Improvement! Wow! Does thatnot inspire you?

Perseverance paysHaving been raised on a farm, I was

very familiar with heavy equipment such astractors, sickle and rotary hay mowers, hayrakes, balers, bush-hogs, etc. And therewas always one very important task thathad to be performed each time you backedyour tractor up and hooked it to an imple-ment — GREASE IT!

Each piece of equipment had its many

bearings and their corresponding zerks thatyou had to find, sometimes in the mostobscure locations. Never a pleasant chore,and certainly messy.

So, it was no surprise to me when I beganmy career in the towing world that each ofthe trucks had the same old requirement —GREASE IT! Not content to just ignore thisapparent lack of evolution in the industry, Istarted researching tow equipment, thinkingthere just had to be a better way, and if therewasn’t, we ought to do it ourselves!

How nice it was to discover Jerr-Danand their forward think-ing. They already hadwhat we were lookingfor — No LubeTechnology. This is justone of the reasons weappreciate and respectthe Jerr-DanCorporation.

Ask yourself this:Why wasn’t Jerr-Dancontent to mass pro-duce the same type ofequipment that hadalways been around?Heck, if grease points,

zerks, fittings and slides were working, whynot just leave it alone? Hadn’t the old wayworked for many years? What was the bigdeal about having to grease your bedslides, bearings, pivot points, etc.?

Granted, sometimes you had frozenbearings due to inadequate maintenanceprograms. And yes, your drivers often hadgrease on those nice, new uniforms you hadjust purchased for them, because they hadto lean over a certain area of the truck witha large wad of leftover grease that hadsquirted out of the bearing. And yes, thatgrease ended up being inadvertently

Business Management

smeared all over the nice interior of thatnew truck you had just purchased. And OK,that grease ended up all over the back ofthe Armani suite that the executive had onwhen he climbed into your tow truck afterbreaking down on his way to a very impor-tant board meeting.

Buy hey, you know, that’s just the way it’salways been! Sound familiar? Why go through all the headaches, capitalexpenditures and possible setbacks ofdesigning a new type of greaseless system?Obviously, the folks at Jerr-Dan believe incontinuous improvement!

And look what the results have been:Jerr-Dan is the leader in the industry withtheir patented No-Lube™ Technology, featur-ing greaseless slides and pivot points, withplated pins and composite bushings thatwon’t seize. There is also the Jerr-Dan Zero-Degree (ZOD) underlift and STEELBEAM™

technology used on Jerr-Dan aluminum beds,variable width bodies, modular constructionfeaturing individually replaceable panels,and the Jerr-Dan dual-angledeck on the carrier beds.And that’s just naming a few.

While othermanufacturerscan only look on

and drool over the patented technicaladvances made by Jerr-Dan, those of uswho are owners of their equipment canonly praise Jerr-Dan!

Where will youplace?

Continuous Improvement. It’s a conceptthat’s been around a long time. How do youstand up? How dedicated are you at launch-ing your company toward this stated goal?

Believe me, I’ll wager you have at leastone competitor who is very serious about it.And it truly makes the difference between win-ning and coming in second, third or fourth.

People, horses, cars and corporationswho finish first are always remembered, butthose who finish even second never are.Winners/Losers. First place/Second place.Gold medal/Silver medal. Which do youwant you and your business to claim?

Again, to quote Thomas Edison,

“Many of life’s failures are people who didnot realize how close they were to successwhen they gave up.”

I believe it can be demonstrated thatContinuous Improvement is the key to mak-ing it all happen. Putting this into practicejust resulted in our latest award, that ofbeing the first Diamond Certified TowingCompany in the Greater Bay Area. This isan honor of distinction that was presentedto us after The American Ratings Corpor-ation conducted a rigorous IndependentCustomer Survey that resulted in 99% of ourcustomers saying they would definitely useour services again.

What is your next step to ContinuousImprovement? ■

“While other manufacturers can onlylook on and drool overthe patented technical

advances made by Jerr-Dan, those of us

who are owners of theirequipment can onlypraise Jerr-Dan!”

Continuous



IMPROVEMENTWhen ‘good enough’ just ISN’T!

By Brent Carroll, VP/CEO Ellison's Towing, Inc.

Each of the five stars in the Ellison’sTowing logo represents a companytrait — Prompt, Polite, Professional,Positive and Profitable. The largestar stands for ContinuousImprovement.

DiversificationDoing “a little bit of everything” in

the towing business has been one keyto Lynch business.

“We handle all types of towing, fromfleet towing on the Garden StateParkway to commercial accounts, deal-erships, body shops, contractors, majormotor clubs — you name it, we tow forit,” he says. “The majority of our towsare for average passenger vehicles, butwe also tow luxury vehicles, ambu-lances, limos, motorcycles, trailers —almost anything you can think of.”

The several hundred calls the com-pany performs every week include bothexisting and new customers. Priced Ritedoesn’t advertise . . . all new business isword of mouth.

“We work with people, and wordgets around,” Lynch says.

Equipment qualityWhat also gets around is the towing

equipment in Priced Rite’s fleet. Of the16-truck fleet (including two servicetrucks), half of the equipment is manu-factured by Jerr-Dan.

ervice — it’s worth the price.Especially if you ask PatLynch, owner of Priced Rite

Towing and Road Service in TomsRiver, New Jersey.

“As long as our customers receivethe high-quality service they’ve cometo expect from us, they are willing topay a fair price for it,” says Lynch.

Lynch has been operating on thisprinciple since the day he opened hisbusiness 13 years ago. His back-ground as a buyer/seller of usedcars at auction taught him the ins

and outs of the fast-paced NewJersey auto market, as well as theimportance of quality service.

“Expedient service is really whatour customers want,” he notes. “Andour company image is a big advan-tage for us: clean trucks, trained anduniformed drivers . . . all this makesa difference.”

You can see Priced Rite’s 14 drivers all over Ocean county, especially on the bustling GardenState Parkway. The 172-mile stretchof toll road stretches from the

New Jersey/New York border to thesouthern-most tip of New Jersey.Priced Rite is located at about thehalf-way point on the parkway.

S

The hydraulicindependentlyoperated rearstabilizers onthis HDL500/280 25-tonwrecker includerecoveryanchors.

DOING A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING — ANDDOING IT RIGHT — IS WHAT KEEPS THISNEW JERSEY TOWER IN BUSINESS.

Three of Priced Rite’s eight pieces of Jerr-Dan towing equipment are pictured here: an HDL500/280 25-ton wrecker and two standard-dutyrollbacks with 21-ft. beds. Inset: Owner Pat Lynch plans to purchase more Jerr-Dan equipment in the future.

Owner Profile



OWNER PROFILEPriced Rite TowingToms River and Bayville, New Jersey

Jerr-Dan Fleet Profile:Wreckers:

One MPL40 light-duty wrecker One HPL 6000 light-duty wrecker One HDL 500/280 25-ton wrecker

Carriers:Five standard-duty steel rollback carriers with a 21-ft. bed

Services• 24-hour emergency roadside service• Light-, medium- and heavy-duty

towing• Accident/recovery services• Vehicle storage and relocation

DOING IT“RITE”

Priced Rite currently owns five standard-duty steel roll-backs with 21-ft. beds. (Three ride on a 2003 International4300, one on a 2000 UD and one on a 2006 Peterbilt).

Priced Rite wreckers include an MPL40 on a 2005 FordF450, an HPL 6000 on a 1999 International and an HDL500/280 25-ton on a 2006 Peterbilt.

“Jerr-Dan towing equipment has been more versatile forus than other equipment,” he explains.

Highlights of the equipment, according to Lynch:• The dual-angle deck design on the carriers give us

great clearance.• The greaseless body and pivot points with Jerr-Dan’s

No-Lube™ technology means a lot less wear and tear on our trucks.

• The modular body truck design makes it really easy to replace a section of a truck if it becomes damaged.This saves us a lot of money.

• The counterweight and rear stabilizers of the 25-ton are a huge advantage. This is a great truck!

• The MPL40 is the perfect truck to help with our repossession and property management work. It allows us to get in and out of traffic quickly.

• We simply don’t have issues with our Jerr-Dan trucks. And any questions we have are always answered promptly by our dealer.

Future plans for quality“Our future plans are to keep going,” Lynch says. “We

plan to continue doing what we’re doing — and doing itright. We have to be competitive, but realistic.”

Quality workmanship. Quality service. “It all boils downto this,” concludes Lynch. “If you give people what theywant, they’ll keep calling you.” ■

Priced Rite’s five Jerr-Dan rollbacksare equipped with21-ft. steel beds. Thecompany tows allkinds of vehicles,including motorcycleslike this one.


Eliminates Push-Pull Cable Actuationfor 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.

MunciePowerProducts

Muncie Power Products, Inc. Member of the Interpump Hydraulics GroupGeneral Offices and Distribution Center • P.O.Box 548 • Muncie, IN 47308-0548 • (765)284-7721

FAX (765) 284-6991•E-mail [email protected]•Web site http://www.munciepower.comDrive Products, Inc.,Toronto, Exclusive Agents for Canada, ISO Certified by an Accredited Registrar

®

Show & Go



Jerr-DanWhat does YOUR look like?

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE YOUR RIG PICTURED HERE?

Brownies 24-Hour Towing in Fayetteville, North Carolina, celebrates15 years of brand loyalty to Jerr-Dan equipment and Internationalcarriers. This Jerr-Dan 21-ft.-bed rollback with wheel lift/cable truck rides on a 2005 International 4300 chassis. It is one of four 21-ft.-bed rollbacks owned by the company.

This aluminum rollback carrier, with a 21-ft. deck, handlesboth transport and recovery work throughout theNortheast for Tom Kerr Chevrolet in Montrose,Pennsylvania. It rides on a 2006 Peterbilt 335 and is operated by Hayden (Haywood) Brunges.

Owner Mike Melvin of Harundale Towing Inc. inGlen Burnie, Maryland, runs his trucks around theclock for county and state police, motor clubs, dealers, local garages and private towing. This HPL6000 wrecker (right) rides on a 2000 Ford F650automatic chassis. The standard-duty carrier with19-ft. bed, pictured below, is equipped with anindependent wheel lift. Riding on a 1999 FordF550, the carrier is outfitted with factory toolbox-es, custom grille and headlights.

Portland State University (P.S.U.) colors are proudly painted on this HPL 35 light-duty wrecker owned by Newhouse andHutchins in Portland, Oregon. The steel-bodied HPL 35 rides on a 2005 Ford F450 chassis and is owned by BruceSchneider. Bruce is an alum of Oregon State, where he playedon the football team. He is also in the 2005 InternationalTowing and Recovery Hall of Fame.

Quality Auto Body in Cornwall, New York, isthe proud owner of this Jerr-Dan HPL 6000light-duty wrecker. It rides on a 2005 FordF450 extended cab chassis and was custom built by Michael Bigg Jr. This handsome wrecker won first place in the light-duty category of the 2005 Lake George Tow Show.

Do you have an image of your Jerr-Dan rig that you’d like to share with readers?Submit your photos via:E-MAIL to [email protected] (High-res photos only. Hint: Set your digital camera to take photos as large of a size and as many pixels as possible.)MAIL to Editor, Run Hard magazine1233 Janesville Avenue, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538In addition to your photo, tell us what model of

Jerr-Dan you have, what model chassis you haveand why you are submitting your rig!

Company News


Jerr-Dan recently introduced a new carrier underlift systemwith self-loader grids. This new self-loader grid system featureshydraulic operated L-Arms, eliminating the need for operatorsto handle L-Arms.

One of the most important safety features of the self-loadergrid configuration is the patented LOCKLINK™ mechanism. Thisover-center, self-locking device mechanically locks the wheelretaining arms in the “fully tire engaged” position. This preventsthe vehicle from becoming released should a problem occurwith a hydraulic cylinder, hose or fitting.

“Jerr-Dan continues to develop quality products and innova-tions designed to make the tower’s job easier every day. Withthis underlift system, we’ve taken a proven, best-in-class tech-nology from our wrecker line and adapted it to help carrieroperators,” states Jeff Weller, president Jerr-Dan Corporation.

This self-loader grid system was first developed for the Jerr-Dan MPL40 light-duty wrecker and is now available as anoption on all Jerr-Dan standard-duty carriers with a minimumGVWR of 19,500 pounds and a lifting capacity of 3,000pounds. The underlift is available in optional ZOD (zero-degree) and non-ZOD configurations. The ZOD underlift optionprovides maximum clearance to towed vehicles regardless ofground profile.

Visit www.jerr-dan.comto find out more productinformation and to findyour closest Jerr-Dan distributor.

JERR-DAN INTRODUCES NEW UNDERLIFT WITH SELF-LOADER GRIDS FOR CARRIER LINE

JERR-DAN.COMRECEIVES A NEW LOOK

There’s a new look for the Jerr-Dan web-site (www.Jerr-Dan.com). The result of thisrecent redesign is an edgy, modern, updatedwebsite full of valuable information for tow-ing professionals.

At the main Jerr-Dan home page, thetagline “Run Hard” catches your eye. Thisbold statement accurately encompasseseverything that Jerr-Dan stands for.

From the main site you can access a vari-ety of links, from Jerr-Dan product specifica-tions to news releases to videos to customizingyour Jerr-Dan equipment. You can also findyour nearest distributor as well as contact pro-fessionals at the Jerr-Dan corporate office.

Here are a few of the site’s highlights:• Wreckers and carriers. Learn more

about each model of Jerr-Dan wrecker andcarrier. View spec sheets, product photos,working video demos and more.

• Jerr-Dan Advantage. This section detailsJerr-Dan technology. Watch video clips andread more about the innovative designs ofJerr-Dan equipment.

• Jerr-Dan Life. This section highlightsyour towing stories, as well as upcomingevents, including racing sponsorships. Youcan also subscribe to Run Hard magazinehere as well — for free!

Each section of the Jerr-Dan website iscontinually being updated and upgraded tomake it as up-to-date as possible. Checkback frequently to see what’s new!

UPCOMING SHOWS

Date September 7-10Show TowfestLocation Chattanooga Convention CenterCity Chattanooga, Tennessee

Date September 8-9Show Maine Tow & Trade ExpoLocation Memorial ParkCity Old Orchard Beach, Maine

Date September 15-17Show Virginia State Towing ExpoLocation Woodland PlaceCity Vinton, Virginia

Date September 15-17Show Statewide Towing Association

Tow Show and ExpoLocation DCU CenterCity Worcester, Massachusetts

Date September 22-24Show Tow Show for Provincial Towing

Association of OntarioLocation The Barrie Event CenterCity Barrie, Ontario, Canada

Date September 29-30Show Towing and Recovery

Professionals of North CarolinaLocation Ramada InnCity Burlington, North Carolina

Date October 5-8Show 2006 Midwest Regional Family

Towing AffairLocation Clarion & Embassy SuitesCity Dublin, Ohio

Date October 19-21Show PTRAA ExpoLocation Wyndham HotelCity North Little Rock, Arkansas

Date November 17-19Show American Towman ExpositionLocation Baltimore Convention CenterCity Baltimore, Maryland

U.S. & Canada Jerr-Dan Distributor Listing


ALABAMAArab, ALAustin Hinds Motors Inc.256-586-8161

Ozark, ALStormins Inc.334-774-7138

ARIZONAPhoenix, AZTodd Equipment, Inc.480-557-8633

ARKANSASCaraway, ARCars, Inc.870-482-3614

Pocahontas, ARWard’s Wrecker Sales & Service870-248-1000

CALIFORNIAHawthrone, CATow World Inc.310-263-1200

Concord, CABest Equipment510-569-1288

Fontana, CAGooding Enterprises, Inc.909-357-7920

Fresno, CAValley Wrecker Sales Inc.559-485-1513

San Leandro, CATow World Inc.510-430-9894

Torrence, CACalifornia Western TowingEquipment310-787-0208

West Sacramento, CARiverview InternationalTrucks Inc.916-371-3110

COLORADOCommerce City, COSummit Truck Equipment 303-289-3161

DELAWARESelbyville, DEDanzi Brothers Inc.302-436-2000

FLORIDAJacksonville, FLStover Sales Inc.904-696-3496

Miami, FLRechtien International Trucksdba Wreckers Limited305-888-0111

Riviera Beach, FLRechtien Internationaldba Wreckers Limited561-882-9050

Sanford, FLRechtien Internationaldba Wreckers Limited407-321-8474

Tampa, FLAtlanta Wrecker & Carrier Sales Inc.813-626-2144

GEORGIASmyrna, GAAtlanta Wrecker & Carrier Sales Inc.770-432-0097

ILLINOISChampaign, ILPrairie International217-352-4187

Chicago, ILChicago International Trucks708-496-7500

Decatur, ILPrairie International217-877-8411

Elmhurst, ILWorldwide Equipment Sales LLC630-617-9848

Quincy, ILPrairie International217-222-1518

Springfield, ILPrairie International217-523-5631

INDIANAGreensburg, INHedinger’s Auto Care, Inc.812-663-7885

IOWADubuque, IATruck Country of Iowa Inc.563-556-2616

Davenport, IATruck Country of Iowa Inc.309-507-1525

Cedar Rapids, IATruck Country of Iowa Inc.319-365-0531

Des Moines, IATruck Country of Iowa Inc.515-265-7361

KANSASWichita, KSKansas Truck Center316-945-5600

KENTUCKYBurlington, KYTipton Auto Sales & Parts Inc.859-689-4222

Richmond, KYTebco of Kentucky859-624-0653

LOUISIANAGary, LASouthland International ofLouisiana985-876-3000

Harahan, LASouthland International ofLouisiana504-733-7711

West Monroe, LAPlunk’s Truck Parts &Equipment Inc.318-388-4460

MAINESouth Portland, MEHews Company LLC207-767-2136

MARYLANDAberdeen, MDJP Chevrolet410-272-0300

Baltimore, MDMaryland Carrier &Wrecker Sales410-247-5700

MASSACHUSETTSLancaster, MACrawford Truck Sales Inc.978-534-1954

West Hatfield, MAG & S Industrial413-247-9631

MICHIGANDetroit, MISantoro Inc.315-526-1300

Muskegon, MIPort City Wrecker Sales231-773-2001

MINNESOTASt. Paul, MNTwin Cities Wrecker Sales651-488-4210

MISSISSIPPIBrandon, MSMagnolia Wrecker Sales601-825-6400

MISSOURIKansas City, MOKCR International Trucks Inc.816-455-1833

St. Louis, MOMiller Brothers Inc.314-752-5726

St. Louis, MOArchway International314-771-3900

NEBRASKAOmaha, NEOmaha Truck Center402-592-2440

NEVADANorth Las Vegas, NVMcCandless International702-642-8789

Sparks, NVSilver State International775-685-6000

NEW JERSEYHasbrouck Heights, NJNussbaum Sales Corp.201-288-3885

Shrewsbury, NJCircle Truck Center732-741-3130

Spotswood, NJGiancola Motor Car Corp.732-251-4422

NEW YORKAlbany, NYP.A. Ruth Automotive518-456-0356

Hornell, NYElsenheimer Chevrolet607-324-3330

Port Jefferson Station, NYRamp Chevrolet Inc.631-473-1234

NORTH CAROLINAClayton, NCEastern Wrecker Sales919-553-4038

OHIOAkron, OHFallsway Equipment Co., Inc.330-633-6000

Canal Winchester, OHBob McDorman Chevrolet Inc.614-837-3421

Toledo, OHABCO419-536-6123

OKLAHOMAClaremore, OKTri-State Wrecker Sales Inc.918-342-4244

OREGONLyons, ORSantiam Enterprises503-859-2793

PENNSYLVANIACollegeville, PAMobile Lifts610-489-1900

Columbia, PANussbaum Equipment Inc.717-684-0189

Greencastle, PAMason Dixon Trucks & Carriers Inc.717-597-9400

Scenery Hill, PAASCO Enterprises Inc.724-945-5525

Wilkes-Barre, PAWilkes-Barre Truck570-823-0144

Windber, PAGAP Chevrolet814-467-4596

SOUTH CAROLINAOrangeburg, SCSmith Services Inc.803-533-1585

TENNESSEERockwood, TNGlenn’s Motors and Auto Parts865-354-0622

TEXASBuda, TXWrecker Capitol512-312-5655

Dallas, TXCoker Equipment214-742-5221

Houston, TXRPM Equipment281-590-1494

UTAHSalt Lake City, UTRocky Mountain Wrecker Sales801-268-8850

VERMONTWhite River Junction, VTSabil & Sons Inc.802-295-4325

VIRGINIAManassas Park, VAHorton Truck andEquipment703-530-7800

WASHINGTONTacoma, WANorthwest Equipment Sales& Service253-922-7581

WEST VIRGINIAParkersburg, WVMatheny Motor Truck Co.304-485-4418

WISCONSINMarshfield, WIMid State Truck Service Inc.715-591-2591

Milwaukee, WIBadger Truck Center414-344-9500

West Allis, WIBadger Truck of West Allis800-553-1927

Windsor, WIBadger Truck of Madison866-846-0680

CANADACharlesbourg, QuebecPlamondon Camquip LTEE418-849-7575

Dorval, QuebecDel Equipment Limited514-684-1760

Edmonton, AlbertaAlberta Motor Association780-430-5520

Mississauga, OntarioH.R. Runciman & Co., LTD905-625-7222

Moncton, New BrunswickDel Equipment Limited506-857-4291

Port Coquitlam, British ColumbiaDel Equipment Limited604-941-6241

Call 800-926-9666 for information on your nearest authorized Jerr-Dan Distributor.

PRSRT STDU.S. Postage

PAIDLebanon Jct., KY

Permit #246

RUNHARD is sent to you compliments of

september 5, 2006archive – fall 2006: volume 15, number 3

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