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How The Missouri Tow Truck Association Modernizes And Fights For Fair Recovery Pay · Towing News Now

• 0:05
  Welcome on all podcasts.
• 0:09
  A podcast dedicated to excitable interviews, news stories that affect the sewing industry, and a weekly spotlight on sewing supplies and equipment.
• 0:20
  We have two hosts.
• 0:21
  One of them has been in the business 40 years.
• 0:26
  The other this charming wife of many years, who also is the general manager of product supply.
• 0:33
  No other than West and April Wilburn.
• 0:37
  Wes and April, I turn it over to you.
• 0:40
  Well, DJ, as always, I appreciate your kind words and the wonderful introduction you give.
• 0:46
  Appreciate all your efforts for the podcast.
• 0:48
  Really appreciate you getting involved with that.
• 0:51
  How is DJ doing today?
• 0:53
  We still have listeners want want to know update.
• 0:56
  So how's it doing?
• 0:59
  Well, I sure do appreciate.
• 1:01
  I appreciate the prayers.
• 1:03
  I even got two cards from Dowers, which was very nice.
• 1:07
  And then Richard called me the other night, uh, you know, up in Rhode Island, and he's down in his home in Florida, in Orlando.
• 1:15
  So he was talking to me about it.
• 1:17
  He he said, DJ, I'm just going to see how you doing.
• 1:21
  But I'm doing fine, folks.
• 1:23
  And uh I sure do appreciate being on the podcast with us.
• 1:27
  Well, thank you.
• 1:28
  How's April today?
• 1:30
  April was doing good.
• 1:31
  Uh DJ talked about Richard Ranch from New Hampshire.
• 1:34
  We're lucky enough to Sorry, sorry, sorry, Richard.
• 1:38
  Rhode Island.
• 1:40
  Um, we are lucky enough to be friends with him and a lot of people across the country, so I can't be better.
• 1:46
  We are very blessed to be in the community uh in this industry that we're in.
• 1:49
  So I'm happy to be sitting here getting ready to do this podcast.
• 1:56
  Well thank you.
• 1:57
  Um appreciate everything you do to make the podcast happen, all the things behind the scenes that nobody sees.
• 2:05
  We have a uh first time guest, right?
• 2:08
  Garrett, we have second second time.
• 2:10
  I was on last year as well.
• 2:13
  Yeah, I'm sorry, I I shouldn't take better notes.
• 2:16
  Um returning guest, uh I'm gonna ask him to introduce himself and tell us about being involved in the industry, and then we're gonna zero in on what's going on in his state where he's very actively involved in the association.
• 2:30
  Jared Ennis is also towing.
• 2:33
  Jared, introduce yourself to the group force, please.
• 2:36
  Yeah, Jared Ennis, um, All-Star Towing Kansas City, and then we have RMW Towing in St.
• 2:41
  Joseph, Missouri.
• 2:42
  We kind of cover the Casey Metro in northwest Missouri.
• 2:46
  Um I've been involved with the Missouri Tow Truck Association over 30 years.
• 2:51
  Um uh I was elected president again this past month.
• 2:57
  I this is probably my ninth term over the the course of my time in the industry, and um I thought I was getting away from it, but we had some pressing things come up, and so I agreed to to run again and um trying to get get some things.
• 3:13
  Real quick, tell us a little bit about your operation, size of it, what you focus on.
• 3:19
  Then we'll come right to gate simply.
• 3:22
  Yeah, we we have uh two companies, I think we have 33 trucks right now, um three rotators, eight heavy haul trucks.
• 3:31
  We do a w a good mix.
• 3:33
  It's about third, you know, light, medium duty towing, a third heavy duty towing recovery, and a third heavy hauling.
• 3:40
  So um nice balance.
• 3:43
  Yeah, and we cover a huge area.
• 3:44
  I mean, we cover probably 1,500 miles on uh square miles on a you know day to day basis.
• 3:50
  And we go like right now we've got two guys in Florida, I mean guys in western Kansas.
• 3:56
  I mean we we go all over the place for customers, so good.
• 4:01
  Thank you.
• 4:02
  I I just like to give our listeners a feel for who they're talking to, or who's talking to them.
• 4:09
  Go ahead, tell us about the association.
• 4:12
  So the Missouri Toad Truck Association was formed a little before my time.
• 4:17
  I can't remember, I think in ninety one, I think, um I got in the industry in '94, and you know, we we've done things in the past few years, got some some new blood in, trying to to modernize it, and you know, we tried to um just the communication with members and what what kind of added value can we, you know, give, what kind of things can we do that you know helps them be better in business and and more um informed with everything.
• 4:48
  And so we started one of the guys got us set up where we do the meetings on Zoom so further away um towers can still participate and hear hear what subjects we're going over every month.
• 5:02
  And then that's a great thing.
• 5:06
  It was good.
• 5:07
  I I was I was very happy when one of the guys took the time to do that.
• 5:11
  Um and we're trying to do more with social media and you know, just updates.
• 5:17
  It's easier to get information to people fast.
• 5:20
  Um and then we're doing at least two or three meetings throughout the state this next week.
• 5:28
  We have our our monthly meeting.
• 5:30
  Typically it was in Kansas City, but next week we're in St.
• 5:33
  Louis.
• 5:34
  Um we try to meet in Columbia and Springfield at least once a year as well.
• 5:38
  So we try to you know spread it around more to get get more guys involved and ladies and to to grow the association.
• 5:47
  And it's helpful to go into different parts between Kansas and Missouri because if you can't make it because you're you know 200 miles away, you're running a business this month, and two months if it's closer to you, then it's something you can attend.
• 6:00
  Exactly.
• 6:01
  You know, St.
• 6:02
  Louis is a hard three hours, and the other, you know, Columbia is not bad for us, it's about two, but Springfield, Joplin are three hours away.
• 6:11
  So, you know, it's just it's people can't get away, and but so what that's why we tried to do um, you know, throughout the state and and just reach more people so they can so they can be involved.
• 6:24
  Historically, with tele associations all over the United States, the the same state association tends to separate itself geo geographically.
• 6:35
  In Virginia, where I grew up, there's northern Virginia and the rest of the state, basically, is how the teleassociation looked at things.
• 6:42
  I know in Illinois the same thing, Chicago had Twitter's and the rest of the state.
• 6:48
  And definitely in Missouri, the state just starts out being kind of divided by uh what baseball teams, right?
• 6:55
  Yeah, for sure.
• 6:56
  And and the the St.
• 6:58
  Louis and Kansas City are the two largest metros, but we have you know, Columbia and Springfield are are major cities, and then Joplin's decent size, and they have a lot of truck traffic come through an I-44.
• 7:09
  So, you know, there's a lot of towers and and then but we do have a lot of spread out, you know, people as well because there's a lot of rural rural communities and farming areas in the state.
• 7:19
  And so um So for folks not from the Midwest, how far apart?
• 7:24
  Miles an hour in downtown KC from downtown St.
• 7:29
  Louis.
• 7:30
  You know, three hours if you if you don't have any traffic jams, but right now we're they're expanding I-70 to six lanes.
• 7:38
  Um and so you've got huge construction projects both directions where they're you know doing bridge work, they're doing the the extra lane the expansion.
• 7:49
  Um and then Kansas City is getting ready for the World Cup, and so we've had a lot of construction projects that are trying to get wrapped up before next month, um, before the World Cup comes.
• 8:01
  So um we've definitely had had our challenges with um traffic and and more construction than normal.
• 8:11
  Yeah, the major road interstate projects.
• 8:14
  I feel you're paying right.
• 8:15
  I live right off the interstate in uh North Carolina off I 95.
• 8:20
  They got three of them all touching each other, so it ends up affecting about 50 miles of interstate.
• 8:26
  Boy, that is challenging as a Absolutely The River, etc.
• 8:33
  So I want to talk about what the association is doing, but we need to we I also need to take a quick break.
• 8:39
  So can you hang around until after the break and we'll talk about you guys when we get out there?
• 8:48
  We'll be right back.com.
• 10:20
  Welcome back, listeners.
• 10:21
  Of course, you know you're listening to Towing News Now podcast, the number one podcast in the towing and recovery industry.
• 10:30
  We can't thank you enough.
• 10:32
  Now we have over 20,000 listeners, and it's because everyone is telling other people about this brand new podcast that just has extended itself to Towing News Now podcast.
• 10:48
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• 11:05
  And I cannot thank you enough for telling your friends, neighbors, all about West and April Wilburn, and I I really appreciate it.
• 11:16
  Now, before we get back, Jared is a he was on last year with us, and I always want to ask somebody like Jerry, he's been the president of his association nine different times.
• 11:30
  He's a giver.
• 11:32
  And so what I wanted to ask him, Jared, when you run into different personalities, and we definitely have different personalities in the towing industry.
• 11:43
  I've written about enough of them.
• 11:46
  And recently I heard this expression from a very good tower who has 11 locations, and he said, It's we should be tired of talking about each other, we should be talking to each other.
• 12:02
  And make uh like an association, a better association.
• 12:06
  So could you elaborate a little bit more on on some of the people you're dealing with now and some of their personalities?
• 12:14
  Oh, I c I couldn't agree more with that statement.
• 12:17
  Um, you know, like I we talked about, I think that towers are generally very independent, um, just due to the nature of our job and and what it takes to to be successful at this, and so therefore sometimes we don't play well with others.
• 12:32
  Um but I've had to learn over the years myself, hey, I knew it was a weakness and just l listen to other people's views and try to understand where they're coming from before you just, you know, you two sides, I'm right, they're wrong, and and try to have a better dialogue that way.
• 12:48
  And I mean I think it's helped me.
• 12:50
  Um, but I had to really consciously think about it and and try to to be better at doing that.
• 12:56
  Yeah.
• 12:57
  Well, you're a very gifted guy, and I'm glad we got you on the podcast.
• 13:02
  So I'll turn it back over to April and Wes Wilburn.
• 13:06
  So where where um DJ heard that from was uh from our last week's podcast with Joey A from Avern's Twin in Canada, and we are lucky enough to have or to be able to give a platform.
• 13:19
  We're lucky enough to have the platform to give to people to um to basically state their case.
• 13:27
  And Joey's a big part of his uh association where he's at.
• 13:31
  We get Jared back uh from last year, and he's a big part of his association.
• 13:37
  So we are very honored to be able to have these guests on that um can give their information where they're at because where you're at and what you're doing can help other states as well.
• 13:46
  I mean, I think that's a true as true statement, don't you, Jared?
• 13:50
  Oh, absolutely.
• 13:51
  We we we gather, I mean we learn a lot from other what other people do and what go into the TRA legislative conference, um day on the hill, you know, we we speak with a lot of other associations and hey, what's success for for you, what's worked, and you know, try to gain information and knowledge and and uh make it work for us if it's applicable.
• 14:14
  And a lot of it's trial and error, and a lot of that trial and error has already been done by other people if we can just broaden our our horizons a little bit to um either other jurisdictions, you know, in your state and or other states too.
• 14:28
  Because a lot of what you're you're dealing with now, somebody may not have to deal with those same issues because you could shortcut it from don't this here's a mistake I made or here is here's the direction that this went.
• 14:41
  But if you go a little bit different, it might be a little easier for you.
• 14:45
  And I I think that's an important thing.
• 14:46
  I think your Zoom, um, when when you guys do the meetings when you do the Zoom meetings, do you I know you offered we're in your state and your association, do you uh uh offer to other state associations as well?
• 15:00
  Um we haven't, just just for members is what we have set up.
• 15:03
  Okay.
• 15:04
  Okay.
• 15:06
  It might not be a bad b what's the reback interesting.
• 15:09
  It might not be a bad idea to kind of invite other associations in just for that, you know, just for just for watching it and seeing what's going on.
• 15:19
  Um and maybe input too.
• 15:20
  It's just a thought.
• 15:21
  Sure.
• 15:22
  No, I can I can see value in that.
• 15:23
  Yeah, and maybe like a one once a year, maybe like a once a year kind of a thing, you know, where more than one association is at these things and and um having input, you know.
• 15:35
  What else is what else is going on with the association?
• 15:39
  Um they wrap up uh the Capitol wraps up the legislative session today.
• 15:44
  Um the past uh it's either been five or six years, we fought a bill that's primarily been introduced or pushed by Elida.
• 15:53
  Um that that wants to limit heavy duty towing recovery invoices and um they're not happy.
• 16:01
  They say that with the system we have now and it doesn't work and they get all these outrageous invoices, which I I'm not saying that that never happens, but what's and especially that it's gotten so much worse in the last five years, i if they get a you know, an inflated invoice five percent of the time, fifty percent of the time I'm seeing and other towers are seeing there's lack of insurance or liability only and there's there's no we're not getting paid for recoveries, and so that that's a huge problem.
• 16:31
  And so um in the past we had a smaller lobbying firm that we just were we're kind of fighting, you know, what was being introduced.
• 16:41
  We hired a larger firm and it was a lot more money, so I went to the board um last fall and said, Look, we we need to spend the money, and myself and several other people said we'll you know, we'll throw in extra money for the lobbying firm, but we're just to the point it's it's that important um for us to introduce a good bill, which we w we want to have something if if they don't like the system and says it doesn't work, if if there's someone out there that's you know, inflating making huge bills, it's it's a headache for us.
• 17:13
  We don't want that, so we're just we don't want it, but on the other hand there is all the uninsured things that are happening in the trucking industry, and I think Awida is a a burr under the saddle for a lot of people, a lot of associations, not just um in your area.
• 17:31
  But the focal point for them should also be some of their drivers are not some some of the drivers in the trucking industry are not great drivers.
• 17:40
  Well, and on top of which they they're not insured the way they need to be insured either.
• 17:46
  And we brought that up in negotiations.
• 17:49
  You know, the the first thing you could do to pre because what would be brought up and told to the the transportation committees is that you know, our drivers have our members have recs and these towing cup bills are putting them out of business.
• 18:01
  Well, the first thing that you need to do to protect them is correctly insure them because a lot like I explained, towing recovery is not cheap, but you know, we don't live in multi-million dollar houses and make huge profits.
• 18:16
  The the fact is when we don't get paid for these other invoices, it drives the cost up and you know, none of us make huge profits when you look at the the entire year.
• 18:27
  But yeah, it it's very expensive, but it's it's not because we're gouging, it's just because that's the cost of doing business.
• 18:34
  Somehow sometimes I look at it like uh uh a convenience store, a grocery store, there they make sales all day long, but there's a certain amount of shoplifting that goes on.
• 18:45
  And that that cost has to be covered too when there is an unassured situation which there's a lot of them.
• 18:51
  You've got to cover that cost somehow.
• 18:54
  Absolutely.
• 18:55
  And like I say, the last five years it's gotten so much worse.
• 18:59
  Um it used to be, you know, once in a while, and I kind of started looking at at our recoveries and you know twenty percent of them were not getting paid if we are little to none, and another twenty to thirty percent they are you know capped at very low policy limits and it's just been a huge issue um for us and and not just me, everybody else as well.
• 19:26
  So um the biggest the the root of the problem is really number one, making sure their their members are insured correctly.
• 19:37
  Um in the Midwest is much more reasonable with with you know, recovery rates and say the the coast is it's more expensive to do business on, you know, the east coast than it is here.
• 19:49
  Um and and again, I I will never say there's not a few people out there that don't overcharge.
• 19:56
  Um there's always gonna be that element and that's a very small percentage, and that percentage that percentage is much smaller than the non-insurance.
• 20:06
  Absolutely.
• 20:10
  And so th basically what to come kind of back to the bill they've introduced, it's not just um a price conflict resolution.
• 20:19
  What what they're have introduced is just uh they want to get a system that totally regulates um towing, especially heavy duty towing in the state.
• 20:28
  Uh i that's what their goal is.
• 20:30
  Um w what they testify to that the problem is is these large bills, what we have now, if you disagree with the recovery bill, you have to post a bond with the the court.
• 20:45
  Um you they give you a repleasant order, you can get your truck, trailer, and cargo back, and then you go to court and you know, argue about the bill.
• 20:53
  That that's what our current system is, um, on a non-consensual toe.
• 20:57
  And and what they've said in in negotiations and we've talked to them is well it's very expensive to go to court.
• 21:04
  Um and so what we'd proposed was paying half the bill or and we even went down to like forty percent of the bill, the rest of the money goes in with the court and escrow, so they don't have to have as much outlay, but then again, we're protected in case you know who've gotten some cushion.
• 21:24
  Yeah, before and what what they proposed was they come get all their their truck, trailer, and cargo without paying anything, and then i there's no way for us to collect it.
• 21:35
  If we go to court and win, if it's a California-based company, good luck.
• 21:39
  We're we're not bill collectors.
• 21:40
  It's um it's near impossible to c to collect the money.
• 21:45
  Um and so that's kind of the the two sides.
• 21:48
  So we've tried to negotiate and we've unfortunately ran out of time this year.
• 21:55
  Um the board system they'd proposed.
• 22:00
  There was out of seven people one tower on it.
• 22:03
  Well, if you're not in the industry and don't understand the cost and everything, there's no way a layman can come in and look at an invoice and say, yes, this is reasonable.
• 22:12
  No, it's not reasonable.
• 22:15
  And so we we are fine with the board, but you have to have experts in the field that are going to review these.
• 22:23
  And so we're we're working with Elida and we've talked a lot with the Missouri Trucking Association and trying to get something that works for both both of us.
• 22:33
  There's we've given a lot, you know, kind of our end.
• 22:36
  They they have a little bit, but we've we just haven't been able to meet quite in the middle yet, but we're still working towards that.
• 22:41
  And you know, our hope is that next session we can pre-file a bill that both sides can get behind.
• 22:49
  Again, there'll be things we don't like and things they don't like, but that's just clear and um and for example, the the chairman of the House Transportation Committee, he had the bill both of our bills, we had hearings, and he he just wasn't gonna move either bill out of committee until you know both sides had agreed on it, which I appreciate.
• 23:12
  Therefore, you know, it's not something bad for us, not something bad for them that we're gonna have to do you know more homework and more negotiations um when session's over and try to get something uh put together for next year and and hopefully that can happen.
• 23:30
  So ideally, um ideally, what would what's what is your ideal thing to happen with this with this bill or anything moving forward?
• 23:43
  I think you know, my my personal opinion was I like the court system because it's already established.
• 23:50
  Um we're not recreating anything.
• 23:53
  Uh you know, you can expediate, but because of cost, we're willing to compromise and we're fine with a board, but you you have to have, you know, qualified, and I forget how we wrote it up exactly, but let's say there were four towers, and there had to be qualifications and experience to review bills, and then there were um someone from maybe an independent driver association, um, a trucking association, then one from either MODOT or Missouri Highway Patrol, they'd all be appointed by the governor.
• 24:24
  Um, therefore, everybody had some representation.
• 24:27
  Yeah.
• 24:28
  Um, and so and I know the boards can meet by Zoom or electron they just put it in the bill that it it can be electronic meetings, and and I think we can do it.
• 24:39
  One thing they had brought up with and I wasn't familiar with, they said the first time when they you know put a board together, it's not hard getting people, but down the road, a lot of times it's hard to get people that will volunteer to be on the board.
• 24:54
  Um, so I I didn't realize that.
• 24:58
  And so it's something to think about, but um ultimately I think that's kind of the direction we'll have to go to get both sides on on board with it.
• 25:09
  Yeah, to get that fair representation, definitely you you definitely need somebody that's in your in in your world to be there with your first with that perspective.
• 25:18
  Well, absolutely.
• 25:19
  They a lay person when when you have a recovery bills as much as some people make in a year, that's legitimate, they just it's hard for them to comprehend, you know, what when we have three or four million dollars in equipment out there doing a job, what it costs not just to do the job, but what it costs to be prepared to do the job.
• 25:39
  Um and there's a something to be said, they think, well, you're only out there two hours.
• 25:44
  Well, or four, whatever the time is.
• 25:46
  What they don't understand is how much we have invested to be ready to to go at a moment's notice to do those things.
• 25:52
  To go on a moment's notice and to have the equipment to have it cleared in two to four hours because how much does it cost the city or the state to not have it cleared?
• 26:04
  Uh yes.
• 26:05
  Um and to bring it and and part of it is is on us to educate people because when we go in the committee hearings, a lot of times, and and I'll I'm very upfront, hey, yes, it's absolutely expensive, but but here's why.
• 26:21
  And when I tell them, they ask like how much my our trucks cost, how much our insurance is and fuel, and and then they're shocked.
• 26:29
  Um when you tell them you pay six hundred thousand dollars a year for insurance, and you know, rotators are uh are the bigger ones are over a million dollars now, and then they they understand why it's so expensive.
• 26:43
  You know, uh obviously the trucking companies wish it wasn't, but the fact is for us to to make a profit and to do things right, it it's just an expensive endeavor.
• 26:53
  Yeah, that is correct.
• 26:55
  That is correct.
• 26:57
  All right, so you just got elected for your ninth time.
• 27:00
  Is that what I understand?
• 27:02
  It it could even be ten.
• 27:03
  I don't it's been at least nine over the years, and um I've been I've served in every position we have on in the association with a board member, secretary, treasurer, vice president.
• 27:16
  It's been a a long, you know, I've been in it, I think 31 years at least.
• 27:21
  It is either 31 or 32 um that I've been involved with it.
• 27:26
  So well the um the state and the association um should be proud to have you to do that because then everybody wants to do one.
• 27:34
  You know there's a lot there's a lot of work to it.
• 27:37
  There's a lot there's a lot of work to it, to what you do.
• 27:40
  It is, and thankfully there's a lot of people over the years who have stepped up and we've got a lot of new blood that that is stepping up now to help out and and I think we're better for it.
• 27:50
  Um and we're getting different ideas and uh I'm I'm happy in the direction we're going.
• 27:56
  I mean we've got more things we need to do better and everything, but when we you know it's all volunteer and we all have businesses to run.
• 28:03
  But I think I think we've really improved and want to continue to to do that and uh be be better for everybody in the industry.
• 28:11
  Well, there's always gonna be things that can be done better, and then when that com time comes, you will you guys will do it better.
• 28:17
  When you give us any um parting parting words?
• 28:21
  Um just everybody be safe out there and you know keep working hard doing the right things and uh good good things will come.
• 28:29
  Sometimes it's frustrating, you don't know when it's gonna happen, but I think uh being perseverance and and doing the right thing, eventually it it pays off.
• 28:42
  That's right.
• 28:43
  It's that's right.
• 28:44
  If you just always try to do the the right thing to start with, then eventually it does pay off.
• 28:50
  Well, um DJ, I think that wraps up another great podcast.
• 28:54
  I'm gonna say on behalf of West Wilburne, this is a Wilburne, and we'll talk to you next week.