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The Art of Towing: Stories of Success and Strategy · Towing News Now

• 0:08
  Speaker 1: Welcome one and all to the American Tonal Recovery Institute podcast.
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: Remember this is your podcast to promote safe education, positive public relations and networking within the professional and business-minded Tony recovery industry.
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: This is your co-host, the one and only Dean J Harrington, better known as the Toe Doctor, and I'm honored to have as the other co-host of today's episode a 40-year Toeing Industry veteran, the founder of American Tonal Recovery Institute and a guy who's done over 900 hands-on classes here in the States and up in Canada.
• 0:51
  Speaker 2: Put your hands together.
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: Get my good friend Wes Wilburn.
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: I'll welcome to today's podcast, wes, how are you?
• 0:59
  Speaker 2: J J, I'm doing wonderful.
• 1:01
  Speaker 2: Thank you for your kind words and your warm introduction.
• 1:03
  Speaker 2: As always, I appreciate that and I appreciate your help with the podcast.
• 1:07
  Speaker 2: I appreciate all the help you're doing to the industry, getting other folks out there and helping with other quality podcasts, like our friends at O'Rick, tony and our fellow professional magazine, yes.
• 1:19
  Speaker 1: but I've got news for you.
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: The magazine had a brief heavy last week when they said well, how many listeners does the American Tonal Recovery Institute have?
• 1:31
  Speaker 1: How many does Wes have?
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: I said, well, now he's got close to 11,000.
• 1:35
  Speaker 1: And by the time the Ohio show rolls around we'll have over 12,000 listeners.
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: And then it was.
• 1:44
  Speaker 1: Darren just took a deep breath and said we have to do what Wes does.
• 1:48
  Speaker 1: I said, well, wes brings on good guests, but Wes is also out doing classes and out helping the industry get better.
• 1:58
  Speaker 1: And, as always, you care about the guy leaving his family in the morning, or the lady and coming home and reuniting with her or his family again that night in a safe environment.
• 2:12
  Speaker 1: So your training brings people back home again.
• 2:15
  Speaker 1: So that's what this podcast is all about the people in the industry.
• 2:20
  Speaker 2: I thank you for recognizing that.
• 2:23
  Speaker 2: You're correct.
• 2:23
  Speaker 2: We've always been focused on the operator experience with training, trying to help the operator and thus help the company to be safer, more profitable, more efficient, like said, number one task for 100 people above in this world.
• 2:39
  Speaker 2: So thanks for recognizing that and our friends listening to the podcast.
• 2:46
  Speaker 2: If you want to know the quality podcast, to listen, to check out Toe Professionals podcast, they're available all the places just like we are.
• 2:55
  Speaker 2: There's good folks over there and they do a good job with their podcast, so and almost 11,000 listeners.
• 3:03
  Speaker 2: I'm blown away by that.
• 3:05
  Speaker 2: We've been doing this just a little over two years.
• 3:07
  Speaker 2: We're well past 100 episodes now and I feel good about it.
• 3:12
  Speaker 2: I feel good about our episodes that they're not just well, we're actually talking about industry events, different things going on that help keep people informed is what I guess I'm trying to say.
• 3:30
  Speaker 1: So morning, joe West, when I auto data direct who in a couple of weeks will be on one of your podcasts.
• 3:36
  Speaker 1: They were so impressed because they listened to the podcast and they were impressed of how many state associations you give notice about.
• 3:47
  Speaker 1: You give notices so our listeners know.
• 3:50
  Speaker 1: If there's a state association that wants to give some public information out, we're more than willing to help letting them know.
• 3:59
  Speaker 1: Just like the Ohio show and Bruce Bender.
• 4:03
  Speaker 1: He asked if he could be on one of your upcoming shows.
• 4:06
  Speaker 1: So that's something to consider down the road too.
• 4:09
  Speaker 2: Oh yeah, we're looking forward to having both of them on.
• 4:11
  Speaker 2: Of course, we're going to talk about Bruce Bender and the Midwest show in this episode.
• 4:18
  Speaker 4: But yeah we're excited.
• 4:21
  Speaker 2: We're going to get a book as quick as we can that hopefully next up we'll feature those two folks.
• 4:25
  Speaker 2: I guess that's what other folks are trying to get from.
• 4:28
  Speaker 2: Committing a saddo to that thing will be interesting.
• 4:31
  Speaker 2: Eric from Big Wheel Recovery we talked to him at the New York Show about coming on and talking about what they're doing.
• 4:37
  Speaker 2: Go ahead, dj.
• 4:40
  Speaker 1: Eric and his father, bob.
• 4:42
  Speaker 1: They're great, great people and they have helped this industry so many ways.
• 4:47
  Speaker 2: Don't forget about Eric's sister too.
• 4:49
  Speaker 2: Her name is Aisling.
• 4:50
  Speaker 2: Yeah, she's a big part of it.
• 4:53
  Speaker 1: Yeah, the sister is a great lady.
• 4:55
  Speaker 1: But the very first life show I ever went to, I went with Eric he and I and I was going up to my room and he said hey, doc, you ain't going to the room, you know how he talks.
• 5:10
  Speaker 1: Hey, doc, you ain't going to the room, you're coming with me, we're going out to the light show.
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: And it was amazing.
• 5:16
  Speaker 1: Eric was out there doing the light show and every young person if he was 10 years or older, eric was letting them use the gears, the operating equipment on his truck, and all of a sudden it was great and this little kick came over.
• 5:34
  Speaker 1: It was five and Eric, when you're 10, you come back to the show and you can play with the tools.
• 5:40
  Speaker 1: Here too, it was Eric, was just great.
• 5:43
  Speaker 1: I mean just great people.
• 5:46
  Speaker 2: They really are.
• 5:47
  Speaker 2: And he jumped up and I say jumped up not physically, not literally, but he was 20, when we're in New York, when we did the little auction to help the association, he was very, very, very quick to say I'd like to be a part of that.
• 6:04
  Speaker 2: I'd like to offer to give this, not asking for what he could get in return or anything like that, and also very humble, I had to push him a little bit to get him up on the microphone.
• 6:14
  Speaker 2: I felt it was the right thing to do.
• 6:15
  Speaker 2: So he, since we're doing this auction, since it was all happening on the fly, I felt it was necessary to have him stand up and explain exactly what the people were getting for the auction.
• 6:28
  Speaker 2: What he did, you know, over the years I've heard nothing but great things from about his classes.
• 6:35
  Speaker 2: I shouldn't say nothing but great things.
• 6:36
  Speaker 2: Ninety-eight percent great things in this industry.
• 6:39
  Speaker 2: That's close as you get.
• 6:42
  Speaker 2: If you can please that many people in this industry, you're doing good.
• 6:45
  Speaker 2: What they've done with helping people get paid is helping towing operators getting paid on these big truck wrecks.
• 6:53
  Speaker 2: It's just awesome, in my opinion, and a huge issue.
• 6:57
  Speaker 2: I don't know, dj, remember that time in Louisiana I wanted to talk about that last time when you had him on the podcast.
• 7:04
  Speaker 2: Right, he's doing truck wrecks.
• 7:06
  Speaker 2: So anyway, we do have some good guess books to come in at Autodata Drag with the Midwest Hotel in Ohio and we're going to try to get other people mailed down, like I just talked about.
• 7:25
  Speaker 2: The month is fine by us, real quick here.
• 7:27
  Speaker 2: We're going to be at Elkhart next month.
• 7:30
  Speaker 2: That's the first public school.
• 7:32
  Speaker 2: I tell you, dj, we had a run on these private schools.
• 7:36
  Speaker 2: We're getting more and more, you know, not only people like United Airlines that use them all over the country.
• 7:41
  Speaker 2: We have more and more private talent companies hiring us.
• 7:44
  Speaker 2: I'm going to do them private training just with their companies.
• 7:47
  Speaker 2: But we're also still having some open dates.
• 7:49
  Speaker 2: We're still going to do open dates.
• 7:52
  Speaker 2: We're going to be in Elkhart in Indiana August 26, 27th at the heavy duty class with rotator.
• 7:58
  Speaker 2: That's one of our most popular classes.
• 8:01
  Speaker 2: We focus on heavy duty towing and recovery issues.
• 8:04
  Speaker 2: We work with towing with rotators some, but we work with regular straight stick some as well.
• 8:11
  Speaker 2: So that's August 26, 27th.
• 8:16
  Speaker 2: In Elkhart, indiana, we have the cross training we talked about.
• 8:20
  Speaker 2: Last episode in September in Elmira, new York, september 16th and 17th, two day fire tour cross training class.
• 8:30
  Speaker 2: I'll be myself and Ron Moore teaching that.
• 8:33
  Speaker 2: And of course our other big event for the month of September is that Midwest Toe Show.
• 8:38
  Speaker 2: September 21st to the 24th we're going to go to MidwestToeShoworg.
• 8:44
  Speaker 2: We're going to be there.
• 8:46
  Speaker 2: How do they get in touch with the folks at the Midwest?
• 8:48
  Speaker 1: Toe Show.
• 8:48
  Speaker 1: They can go to MidwestToeShoworg M-I-D-W-E-S-D-T-O-W-S-H-O-W, and by all means, they're there to help.
• 9:04
  Speaker 1: And you're right.
• 9:05
  Speaker 1: September 21st, I believe, I'm going to tell you this.
• 9:09
  Speaker 1: You heard it first ear, I believe.
• 9:14
  Speaker 1: Three years from today, the Midwest Regional Toe Show will be as large as the Florida Toe Show.
• 9:22
  Speaker 2: I heard it here first.
• 9:23
  Speaker 2: Ladies and gentlemen, we have prediction from the Toe Dofter.
• 9:26
  Speaker 1: Yeah, and if you have any questions, you can just call 513-831-7469 for Bruce Bender and get more information.
• 9:37
  Speaker 1: The campground is what I believe is going to get.
• 9:41
  Speaker 1: We have a lot of people in the towing industry that have RVs, fifth wheels, up tents, so if you want to bring an RV in, you have no problem, and have a campfire at night time.
• 9:53
  Speaker 1: Bring your own assault beverage and it'll be a one super Toe Show that's hiding right next to a campground.
• 10:03
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I tell you, I wish we still had still traveling with the RV.
• 10:06
  Speaker 2: That's a great experience.
• 10:09
  Speaker 2: We do a show like that.
• 10:10
  Speaker 2: Being that it's going to be right there next to the campground, it almost seemed like it would be one big tailgate party, exactly.
• 10:17
  Speaker 2: I've got one more day that I want to talk about before we go to break and then we've got a break after the break.
• 10:26
  Speaker 1: But we'll be back in.
• 10:27
  Speaker 2: Texas with another firetower cross training Albury, Texas, October 14th and 15th.
• 10:33
  Speaker 2: So we're looking forward to that as well, and then we'll be in Washington, north Carolina, november with a firetower cross training.
• 10:41
  Speaker 2: People are sending me.
• 10:43
  Speaker 2: It looks like I'm paying a lot of attention to firetower cross training Now we're still doing the regular classes as well.
• 10:51
  Speaker 2: We're open to talking to people about bringing this right to the back.
• 11:00
  Speaker 2: The only reason there's a focus on it is we have the great ride more willing to do these classes.
• 11:04
  Speaker 2: If there's something I'm going to leave a mark in this industry, hopefully that's going to be helping bring the fire departments and the towing industry closer together.
• 11:13
  Speaker 2: So that's why I'm focusing a lot of energy.
• 11:17
  Speaker 2: If people are wondering out there, all right, well, we got a great guest for you today, John Forster from Northern New Jersey, new York City region.
• 11:26
  Speaker 2: We're having come out and introduce ourselves right after the break.
• 11:30
  Speaker 2: So hang around, folks.
• 11:31
  Speaker 2: We've got a great program for you today.
• 11:32
  Speaker 2: We'll be right back.
• 11:41
  Speaker 4: The folks at Purpose Wrecker are Wrecker specialists.
• 11:44
  Speaker 4: They don't get bogged down with other types of sales like cars, assorted equipment or snow plows.
• 11:49
  Speaker 4: Purpose Wrecker exclusively specializes in towing and hauling From parts in service to financing.
• 11:56
  Speaker 4: They remain focused on providing the best service and customer care to the towing and hauling industry.
• 12:02
  Speaker 4: Even in these trying times, purpose Wrecker works hard to meet the needs of its customers.
• 12:07
  Speaker 4: They are the preferred distributor in North America for purchasing towing and recovery equipment.
• 12:12
  Speaker 4: For more information, visit them on the web at PurposeWreckercom, or speak to a specialist by calling 636-639-9700.
• 12:22
  Speaker 4: That's 636-639-9700.
• 12:26
  Speaker 4: Celebrating 40 years in the towing industry that's PurposeWreckercom.
• 12:33
  Speaker 2: And now a special announcement from the American Towing and Recovery Institute.
• 12:38
  Speaker 4: One of the best classes for towing operators is just around the corner.
• 12:42
  Speaker 4: Hybrid electric vehicle operations, hosted by the towing and recovery professionals of Louisiana, is going to be held on Tuesday, july 25th.
• 12:50
  Speaker 4: Come and interact with the industry's leaders in hybrid and electric vehicle safety.
• 12:55
  Speaker 4: This high impact eight hour course is designed to equip all first responders and towing recovery providers with the knowledge, skills and abilities to safely and compliant interact with hybrid and electric vehicles.
• 13:08
  Speaker 4: Students will experience hands-on sessions specific to first responders and towing recovery providers, hosted by Energy Security Agency, ersca and the towing recovery professionals of Louisiana.
• 13:21
  Speaker 4: It's going to be held Tuesday, july 25th, 9 am until 5 pm at the Shreveport Fire and Police Training Academy.
• 13:28
  Speaker 4: To register, go to energysecurityagacycom, click on events and find Louisiana.
• 13:35
  Speaker 4: We look forward to seeing you there.
• 13:38
  Speaker 1: You have been listening to the American Towing Recovery Institute podcast with Wes Wilburn, DJ Harrington and our special guest John Perkin Every week.
• 13:49
  Speaker 1: We do our very best to bring you new, informative episodes.
• 13:54
  Speaker 1: Make sure you download and listen.
• 13:56
  Speaker 1: We're available on Spotify, iTunes, Pandora, Google Play, Stitcher, iHeartMedia, Amazon or wherever you get your podcast.
• 14:08
  Speaker 1: So, without further ado, Wes, I'll turn it over to you so you can introduce a guy that.
• 14:14
  Speaker 1: I know and I've seen him in work, so you introduce our guest.
• 14:20
  Speaker 2: Thanks, dj.
• 14:21
  Speaker 2: John's been an acquaintance, business acquaintance and friend for over 30 years.
• 14:29
  Speaker 2: He mentioned to me, I guess a year or two ago now, that he'll ever needed some help with hands-on portion of training.
• 14:40
  Speaker 2: He'd love to get involved.
• 14:41
  Speaker 2: So he has gotten involved.
• 14:43
  Speaker 2: He's helped me several different times, traveled and helped locally to where he lives up there.
• 14:49
  Speaker 2: So I just wanted to get him on the podcast and introduce himself, talk to him about his mindset and he's one of the many people that are helping me keep this program going hands-on portion and really not only keeping it going, making it better.
• 15:06
  Speaker 2: He's still involved in the tone business today he'll talk about that in a moment but brings a different insight.
• 15:13
  Speaker 2: So, john, go ahead and introduce yourself to our guest and tell us a little bit about your background and where you're at today with your business, et cetera.
• 15:24
  Speaker 3: My name is John Foster.
• 15:25
  Speaker 3: I've been in it since the early 80s, started my father's company in a small garage in the town of Towing.
• 15:33
  Speaker 3: Secondary I was always fascinated by Michael Big's and the Vail Gate area and I got the bug from that, making my mom bring me up on 84 watching Durex.
• 15:43
  Speaker 3: And I just took that mindset and after my father retired, went to Florida.
• 15:51
  Speaker 3: He gave me the towing end of the business and I was young and it just wasn't for me.
• 15:57
  Speaker 3: I was responsible enough.
• 15:59
  Speaker 3: At 17 years old I was doing heavy to 16, you know, and then doing that stuff.
• 16:05
  Speaker 3: And then I went to Stenow in New York, where I was originally from, and I started with a highway company called PMP and we did triply highway work.
• 16:19
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 16:19
  Speaker 2: So just lay down for a second For friends that aren't familiar with some of the New York City telling things.
• 16:24
  Speaker 2: Tell us what a highway telling company is.
• 16:28
  Speaker 3: New York City have what they call franchise highways, where you pay to operate on them and their exclusivity.
• 16:34
  Speaker 3: Nobody can do any repairs those off them.
• 16:37
  Speaker 3: If you have the contract or the permit per se, that's it.
• 16:43
  Speaker 3: You're the exclusive power.
• 16:46
  Speaker 2: And I started on that in 1990.
• 16:48
  Speaker 2: , Just to manage that real quick.
• 16:51
  Speaker 2: That's a completely different concept than most parts of the country are used to.
• 16:55
  Speaker 2: I know there's several different places, but toll roads come to mind, Several highways that aren't toll roads.
• 17:04
  Speaker 2: New York, New Jersey seem to have it, and I've seen it a little bit in other places like Southern Florida.
• 17:10
  Speaker 2: But besides that, most of the time the telling company is not paying for exclusive rights in the area.
• 17:18
  Speaker 2: So I'm just trying to get all of our listeners understanding what the high depth is.
• 17:24
  Speaker 2: So let me take it back to you.
• 17:27
  Speaker 3: So paying for the highway, having exclusivity rights.
• 17:31
  Speaker 3: You operate on a highway and a different type of level, you know, because you work with the government agencies on a regular basis.
• 17:39
  Speaker 3: And then you start to want to perfect your trade because, as far as for me, I was in a long haul.
• 17:47
  Speaker 3: You know most of the guys that I worked with.
• 17:49
  Speaker 3: They were raised living in the city of New York.
• 17:52
  Speaker 3: You get your pension so you take a city exam where you become a fireman, police officer, correctional officer, sanitation worker.
• 18:03
  Speaker 3: They do their 20, 25 years and then they get pension.
• 18:07
  Speaker 3: My mindset I was on a commission basis and I was really making over six figures, like 20 years old, doing that and hustling, I figured.
• 18:18
  Speaker 3: You know I've been to shows before, at the Orange County and Rockland show show in New York around 1986, 87.
• 18:28
  Speaker 3: And then from there, you know, in the 90s, I started going to all the shows, meaning you know I became certified rec master in 94.
• 18:37
  Speaker 3: I met you in 92, I think one of the shows.
• 18:41
  Speaker 3: I forget which one it was, but I would also compete and win a lot of the competitions, also the driving competitions.
• 18:47
  Speaker 3: So I'm just, I've been in this business all my life and I thought about leaving it, it's just, it's in my blood.
• 18:55
  Speaker 3: I can't you know whether it's on the adrenaline junkie or whatever it is.
• 18:58
  Speaker 3: That's what I do.
• 19:00
  Speaker 3: So I worked from PMP from 1990 to 96 until we lost the contract to a company called Staten Island Sowing who their owner at the time invested in proper equipment and stuff like that and the city decided to go with them.
• 19:19
  Speaker 3: You learn, you know you put in a little tailspin.
• 19:22
  Speaker 3: At the time I was also working with floor service, who was a 9 RC dealer and bringing his trucks.
• 19:27
  Speaker 3: I was going to the shows anyway, so I bring his trucks to the shows and meet everybody and you know, so I was networking that way.
• 19:36
  Speaker 3: A lot of my friends Richie Poddash, you know Rest in Peace.
• 19:41
  Speaker 3: He knew I wanted to get back on the highway and operate there so he would give me work, so I would work at his place part time.
• 19:48
  Speaker 3: After I lost the contract as a worker and we went to the owner of Staten Island Sowing at the time, who was an attorney, and wind up buying his company as a management company, taking over, and we ran from 1997 to 2013.
• 20:07
  Speaker 3: Through those years I started an environmental company in O4.
• 20:13
  Speaker 3: I got to heavy hauling, large machines, trains, box cars, things of that nature cabooses the railroad industry.
• 20:26
  Speaker 2: One of the things that sticks out my mind when I think of John is some of the big lifts he's made, especially big lifts he was making a decade or more ago when making such big lifts in the telling industry.
• 20:40
  Speaker 2: I know a couple of the trains, locomotives that you moved.
• 20:45
  Speaker 2: What was the size of the one where we had to make the special slings at the time which the three quarter inch chain slings with some thousand capacity one of them?
• 20:55
  Speaker 2: How big was that locomotive?
• 20:58
  Speaker 3: The upper structure was 160,000 pounds.
• 21:02
  Speaker 2: That was the load being moved, that was to come off of it.
• 21:06
  Speaker 3: That was stripped down bare bones and each truck was 32,000 pounds 32,000 pounds each, but they were lifted separately and I put that on a trailer I had made from Nelson Manufacturing on a beam and that was hauled to museum.
• 21:25
  Speaker 3: The second one was only 120,000 pounds.
• 21:28
  Speaker 3: We were doing larger lifts in that 100,000, 110,000 pound range, probably from about 2005 to about 2013.
• 21:39
  Speaker 3: I originally had two rotators, a 10th, 60th century and a 92, 40 NRC, so I'd always put two of them on some of the bigger lifts.
• 21:50
  Speaker 3: I did 80, 90,000 pounds.
• 21:52
  Speaker 3: In 09, I had a 85 ton Jerdand built on a Western Star Chassis and those lifts were.
• 22:03
  Speaker 3: They became the norm 80, 90,000 pounds, 118 by itself, anything above that.
• 22:10
  Speaker 3: I always put another rotator on it, or two Some of these lifts.
• 22:17
  Speaker 3: They take months and months on planning because you're working on people's property.
• 22:21
  Speaker 3: They want insurance, they want written plans, so you give it to them and never had any issues.
• 22:29
  Speaker 3: You know enjoyed it and that's you know why.
• 22:36
  Speaker 3: Go to the classes, training every day to learning.
• 22:39
  Speaker 3: I learn every day.
• 22:40
  Speaker 3: You know, learn how to deal with people, people's issues, as an owner, a boss, you become Almost like a another psychiatrist.
• 22:52
  Speaker 3: But you do have to learn how to deal with people, because you have Right now I got, between the three companies 45 Employees and that's 45 different personalities.
• 23:06
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 23:07
  Speaker 3: I see myself.
• 23:10
  Speaker 2: You're saying a mouthful there.
• 23:11
  Speaker 2: We're against a hard break, so we got to take a short break when we come back when talk about John, where you're at now with your three companies and where we're going with trains, those things will be right back at the quick break.
• 23:27
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• 23:36
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• 23:45
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• 24:05
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• 24:28
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• 24:37
  Speaker 4: That's 9107479000.
• 24:39
  Speaker 4: We look forward to serving you.
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: Welcome back listeners.
• 24:44
  Speaker 1: You have been listening to the American Tone Recovery Institute with West Wilburne DJ Eric and our special guest, john Foster.
• 24:51
  Speaker 1: By all means, please like, review and share this podcast everywhere.
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: That's the reason why we got over 11,000 listeners.
• 25:00
  Speaker 1: If you would like to have a guest, an industry expert like John, just dial our hotline number 706409 5603 and let West know that's who you'd like to hear and we will do our very best, just like Bruce Bender's coming on in all data direct.
• 25:20
  Speaker 1: We will do our best to get them on the next couple of weeks without further ado.
• 25:25
  Speaker 1: What's up, turn it over to you.
• 25:26
  Speaker 1: Thanks, dj so.
• 25:29
  Speaker 2: John you're.
• 25:30
  Speaker 2: Thomas, a little bit about your background.
• 25:32
  Speaker 2: One of the things you mentioned briefly was that you had the Western Star with the gear and 85 ton.
• 25:38
  Speaker 2: Some of our older listeners will probably remember seeing it at a show or two.
• 25:44
  Speaker 2: Relatively a very neat unit for many reasons.
• 25:49
  Speaker 2: Why was that suicide door on the driver side, tell us?
• 25:53
  Speaker 3: a little bit about the story behind that.
• 25:55
  Speaker 3: So when I went to road test the cabin chassis itself at Jurdan, I had a heart.
• 26:02
  Speaker 3: I'm a big guy to getting in and out thing was a nightmare.
• 26:04
  Speaker 3: So I Said, in order for me to buy this truck, you'd have to do something with this door.
• 26:09
  Speaker 3: So they came up a plan to Put the Argosi steps on it, which is that cab over freight liner.
• 26:15
  Speaker 3: When you open the door to stuff come out a ramp behind the cab.
• 26:18
  Speaker 3: I was like, oh my god.
• 26:20
  Speaker 3: So it was supposed to go to a Florida show in April.
• 26:24
  Speaker 3: I brought it to car craft truck center and sent out in New York and we were sitting there looking at they customized a lot of trucks and they said you know what the handles right there on the door, why don't we just reverse the door?
• 26:37
  Speaker 3: And it took the door off.
• 26:39
  Speaker 3: I climbed right in one, two, three and it was easy.
• 26:42
  Speaker 3: And Three months later truck was all we done with the door and brought it down to the Florida show and it made it easy to go in and out.
• 26:51
  Speaker 3: So the truck was definitely unique at large front end in it rears.
• 26:54
  Speaker 3: The frame was obnoxious.
• 26:58
  Speaker 3: So after 2013, you know how the year to, just you know, helping out some friends.
• 27:04
  Speaker 3: I went to Pennsylvania to work for a company called Schlier's Boeing Work for a gentleman named Jim Schlier.
• 27:11
  Speaker 3: I had a great relationship with him, did a lot of truck wrecks.
• 27:14
  Speaker 3: I didn't like living in Pennsylvania because I'm a city guy, but the truck wrecks and what other car wrecks or whatever that kept me out there.
• 27:23
  Speaker 3: So it's busy.
• 27:23
  Speaker 3: A lot of mountainous terrain, a lot of Curious incidents.
• 27:31
  Speaker 2: Yeah, two different, completely different Places to tow from New York City.
• 27:37
  Speaker 2: Sat slash that island out there, and so my you had your wrecking?
• 27:42
  Speaker 3: Yeah, you had your wrecking.
• 27:44
  Speaker 3: Sam also was on the pavement.
• 27:46
  Speaker 3: You know a couple stuff hit the shoulder concrete area Pennsylvania.
• 27:50
  Speaker 3: You had 150 foot embankment drainage swells.
• 27:55
  Speaker 3: You know you had very challenging recoveries and my training over the years with you, other industry leaders and just you know, keeping up on it made me work very well with my partner.
• 28:11
  Speaker 3: I work with the gentleman named Hinoe and he operated the other rotator and we were very efficient with most of our wrecks.
• 28:17
  Speaker 3: Two rotators Pick the stuff up right on the shoulder and get on for the next job and never had any issues.
• 28:25
  Speaker 2: I've never met the gentleman I know, but everything you said about me sounds like a real class act.
• 28:30
  Speaker 2: I'd love to meet him.
• 28:33
  Speaker 1: Yeah.
• 28:34
  Speaker 2: He deserves a shout out real quick.
• 28:36
  Speaker 2: He deserves a shout out.
• 28:37
  Speaker 2: How long did you tell me he's been Involved in this business on a day-to-day basis?
• 28:42
  Speaker 3: and how old is it?
• 28:43
  Speaker 3: 30?
• 28:43
  Speaker 3: .
• 28:43
  Speaker 3: He's 72 years old.
• 28:45
  Speaker 3: He's been with Jim Schlier for 38 years, until Jim sold, and now he's with a company called Boothman Hank.
• 28:51
  Speaker 2: Oh yeah real good folks over there, but man absolutely.
• 28:56
  Speaker 3: I talk to him every day and you know I say most.
• 28:59
  Speaker 3: You know things didn't work out at Schlier's but I have any good.
• 29:04
  Speaker 3: There's always a out of a negative is always a bit positive.
• 29:07
  Speaker 3: And meeting him and those six years have changed my life very well.
• 29:11
  Speaker 3: I mean I, he taught me patience Because you know I work a little quicker.
• 29:17
  Speaker 3: He's.
• 29:17
  Speaker 3: You know he just takes the time and you know that's fine.
• 29:20
  Speaker 3: But I couldn't think of anyone better.
• 29:22
  Speaker 3: I enjoyed myself.
• 29:24
  Speaker 3: He made, he made it Easy for me to work out there.
• 29:28
  Speaker 3: You know it's a different environment.
• 29:30
  Speaker 3: You know you come from the city of New York.
• 29:31
  Speaker 3: You work out there.
• 29:32
  Speaker 3: Different people, different land, you know.
• 29:35
  Speaker 3: You know I'm used to working a job at, get done at midnight and you can go to p3 and get a slice of pizza.
• 29:41
  Speaker 3: You know, out there you're done, you're you any.
• 29:43
  Speaker 3: It's just a different way of life out there.
• 29:48
  Speaker 3: And but he made it for is very, very good for me and I enjoyed.
• 29:51
  Speaker 3: We could sit there for a day or two, do nothing.
• 29:54
  Speaker 3: We're gonna even talk to each other.
• 29:55
  Speaker 3: To the whistle blows for a wreck, boom, we're there and we do.
• 29:58
  Speaker 3: We just knew what we had to do, you know.
• 30:00
  Speaker 3: And then, in the process, I was looking for the companies to purchase, because I do have three sons and a daughter.
• 30:09
  Speaker 3: My two sons are in the business and my older one, who's college educated and still loves this business.
• 30:17
  Speaker 3: I Sent him, I set him up in the one company and and he finally came last month.
• 30:24
  Speaker 3: Thank God, I'm very happy for that and he's running the one location for me.
• 30:27
  Speaker 3: I'm I go between the two locations in union and parisifany, and so this is it just you know listeners up to speak all over the country.
• 30:39
  Speaker 2: You're talking northern New Jersey, where you're operating now.
• 30:41
  Speaker 2: Or yes, I mean just for put a little perspective the house.
• 30:48
  Speaker 2: Use the, the exterior of the house, use the film.
• 30:51
  Speaker 2: The TV series of the Sopranos is parisifany.
• 30:55
  Speaker 1: You have a lot.
• 30:56
  Speaker 3: Yes, it's not too far from the east, pan over or called Well, all those had big center hall Colonials and that whole area is up there like that.
• 31:05
  Speaker 2: Although you know, john, I don't know if you're aware, but we have over 10,000 listeners, almost 11,000, and last week DJ brought to my attention what was it?
• 31:14
  Speaker 2: 500 or 600 from the youth UK alone?
• 31:18
  Speaker 2: Was that correct, dj?
• 31:21
  Speaker 1: 132 from the UK alone.
• 31:25
  Speaker 3: Wow.
• 31:25
  Speaker 3: My second location is more towards the city in Union, so it's only 10 minutes away from my mom's house in St Island, new York, where I was originally from, and that's on the Jersey side and it's more you know city like down here.
• 31:42
  Speaker 3: So before the two, it's a and they both companies for heavy duty works from one side.
• 31:48
  Speaker 3: We will.
• 31:49
  Speaker 3: They combine everything together, so work on that.
• 31:51
  Speaker 3: And that gives me time to expand.
• 31:55
  Speaker 3: So I'm looking to get into the rail business again.
• 31:59
  Speaker 3: You know our trains more lifting.
• 32:03
  Speaker 2: What are the names of the company?
• 32:06
  Speaker 3: We have the Sparrow Towing Adept Union MPS which I combined.
• 32:12
  Speaker 3: I took just a heavy duty division of MPS Towing and Powder Mill Towing as the Pacific Pacific in New Jersey.
• 32:20
  Speaker 2: Tell us a little bit about each company, what they specialize in.
• 32:25
  Speaker 3: So Powder Mill is a AAA company and they do heavy duty on the side.
• 32:31
  Speaker 3: The former owner, you know his main goal was doing AAA and heavy duty was his.
• 32:37
  Speaker 3: You know his golden little pocket, you know didn't do a lot of it but he did it.
• 32:42
  Speaker 3: He has some nice heavies, nice clean operation.
• 32:46
  Speaker 3: They're located centrally between 287 interstate and Route 80.
• 32:53
  Speaker 3: A lot of heavy competition in that area.
• 32:57
  Speaker 3: A lot of old timers that have been in that area.
• 33:00
  Speaker 3: Mps was in Irvington.
• 33:04
  Speaker 3: The company was divided between heavy duty and light duty.
• 33:08
  Speaker 3: We took the heavy duty division with the former owner.
• 33:12
  Speaker 3: He stayed aboard One son who's a great kid, reminding me of my own son.
• 33:17
  Speaker 3: He runs the heavy duty dispatch and, you know, easy for him to have more freedom in himself.
• 33:23
  Speaker 3: So that's why he did that.
• 33:25
  Speaker 3: And then the other company was the Powder Towing.
• 33:28
  Speaker 3: In Union they specialize in a lot of police Towing, county work, repairs.
• 33:32
  Speaker 3: Again, the former owner of State of Board.
• 33:36
  Speaker 3: He runs a shop, he's allowed to do his boat work, scout the public relations and he gets in the truck too.
• 33:43
  Speaker 3: All three companies you know are pretty good investments and just got to keep working them and growing, you know.
• 33:51
  Speaker 1: None of them did heavy hauling.
• 33:53
  Speaker 3: I got into heavy hauling again.
• 33:54
  Speaker 3: That's what I specialize in and the big lifts.
• 33:58
  Speaker 3: I have an 85 ton on order NRC which should be here in October, so I start doing the big lifts again Probably.
• 34:07
  Speaker 3: I have a 65 ton that was at the Bullsmore Show, a 50 ton that was originally Cisbaros and a bunch of heavy quick swabs that went away or they had to go.
• 34:20
  Speaker 2: Hi.
• 34:20
  Speaker 2: So that gives us a good overview of what you're involved in on a daily basis.
• 34:24
  Speaker 2: We got to take a quick break, but right after the break we're going to come back and talk about your involvement and training a little bit.
• 34:29
  Speaker 2: Folks, hang around, get great interviews going and we'll be right back.
• 34:39
  Speaker 4: And then this podcast is made possible by generous sponsorship from Henry's Rekker, serving the community with quality towing and recovery for over 40 years, henry's Rekkercom.
• 34:49
  Speaker 1: You have been listening to American towing and recovery institute podcast.
• 34:53
  Speaker 1: This is a great one with John Forster, and please, if you have any questions, contact us at 706-409-5603.
• 35:02
  Speaker 1: We'll have another industry expert, wes.
• 35:06
  Speaker 1: I'll hand it over to you.
• 35:09
  Speaker 2: So, John, you've been helping me for right of the year now with different classes, both private and public.
• 35:15
  Speaker 2: Tell us a little bit about being involved, with helping with the training.
• 35:21
  Speaker 2: I know you've been a great help with me with your current knowledge on the road every day still, and just helping with the hands-on in the classroom in general.
• 35:29
  Speaker 2: So talk to us a little bit about why you got involved, what you like about being involved.
• 35:34
  Speaker 2: You answer that any way you want.
• 35:37
  Speaker 3: So I've been doing it for now a year with you.
• 35:41
  Speaker 3: I do enjoy going and helping you.
• 35:44
  Speaker 3: It gets me out to meet new people.
• 35:46
  Speaker 3: It teaches me how to deal with people and learn different areas Different.
• 35:52
  Speaker 3: You go to Colorado.
• 35:53
  Speaker 3: People are different than they are in New York.
• 35:54
  Speaker 3: Alabama is different.
• 35:56
  Speaker 3: So all different parts of the country.
• 35:58
  Speaker 3: It's nice to travel and see how different parts of the life are.
• 36:02
  Speaker 3: And then you see the students how they react.
• 36:04
  Speaker 3: That's probably my biggest.
• 36:05
  Speaker 3: Why I like it the most, I gotta tell you because not the private but the public school, like the regular soap companies.
• 36:16
  Speaker 3: When you start on that Saturday morning everyone comes in with a chest out and they don't want to talk to you or whatever.
• 36:22
  Speaker 3: And on a second day they're different people, they're gracious, they thank you.
• 36:29
  Speaker 3: Maybe what they have been doing wasn't the safest thing, or maybe just to make their job easier.
• 36:36
  Speaker 3: So they come home at the end of the day Because at the end of the day that's what this is all about Coming home safe, doing your job and one enjoy yourself.
• 36:46
  Speaker 3: I should say one come home, hear family, enjoy your job, do it efficiently and maybe keep some pride.
• 36:54
  Speaker 3: That's a lost start from many years ago.
• 36:57
  Speaker 3: In any industry people should take pride in there.
• 37:01
  Speaker 3: Training I believe your classes teach that Because it's not a Milton class where you have to go this way the numbers and the numbers.
• 37:11
  Speaker 3: They never change.
• 37:12
  Speaker 3: But there's millions of techniques, but the numbers you can do whatever you want within those reasons and you know it's safety and I enjoy that and I thank you for having me participate in those classes with you.
• 37:27
  Speaker 3: I do find that very one gracious and thankful for that.
• 37:33
  Speaker 2: Well, we thank you for taking time away from your family and trying to help keep this thing afloat.
• 37:38
  Speaker 2: We do appreciate it.
• 37:39
  Speaker 2: We got several different people helping and you're definitely one of the main ones that help keep this thing going, so we appreciate it.
• 37:45
  Speaker 2: What have you noticed as far as you've done some several public classes with me?
• 37:54
  Speaker 2: You've also done several of the private classes.
• 37:58
  Speaker 2: What do you find different?
• 38:02
  Speaker 2: And then, what do you find the same about the two different types of classes?
• 38:06
  Speaker 3: I would say the difference is in the beginning of the class, the public classes.
• 38:11
  Speaker 3: They come in with the checked out.
• 38:13
  Speaker 3: You know they're a little closed minded.
• 38:16
  Speaker 3: They're really not too sure what the new ones are coming in there.
• 38:20
  Speaker 3: The private sectors like the United Airlines, public companies like that they not have a clue what is going on.
• 38:26
  Speaker 3: So they're there, you know, and they want to learn.
• 38:32
  Speaker 3: But as you show them more at the end of again and it goes to both private and public at the end of the two day or three days, you got their attention, you got their respect and they're in.
• 38:46
  Speaker 3: You know it makes you a good feeling to go home afterwards.
• 38:49
  Speaker 3: You know you hear their closing comments and you see that they retain some of the information stuff like that I've seen every class.
• 38:56
  Speaker 3: You know you get everybody but you get a good majority of the guys that are very, that are grateful for it.
• 39:04
  Speaker 3: You know, and they will continue to go and give you a good piece of mind that you did your job right, you know.
• 39:12
  Speaker 2: You're right.
• 39:14
  Speaker 2: Just to expand a little bit.
• 39:15
  Speaker 2: When we do the United, for our listeners' sake, when we do our United Airlines classes, a lot of the employees are mechanics and they're just learning about it how to use a tow truck at all period, where the public class, generally the people, have somewhere between a few years to many decades of experience already going, so they have they know which ends up.
• 39:44
  Speaker 2: I just want to expand on that a little bit and I think United to be commended as they put the training in to their employees as they're new, starting with the ground service equipment mechanics.
• 40:03
  Speaker 3: I think it's an excellent program to have there they have the best equipment they got, gets to operate and are you showing them how to use it.
• 40:12
  Speaker 3: It's even more rewarding at the end of the day Absolutely.
• 40:18
  Speaker 2: One of the things that I like about bringing you to training John is your open mind in the classroom and in the field both but also helping people order, you know you can be open minded, let the class get out of control and to find balance, and you doing excellent job with that, so I'm definitely appreciative of that.
• 40:39
  Speaker 2: Anything else you want to tell us about being involved with training with us there are, and any other subjects you want to address If we get ready to end the podcast a Couple things for me personally, like it's a learning experience for me every day and when I train I learn, learn human interactivity.
• 40:58
  Speaker 3: You know how to deal with people and that's a big part of it.
• 41:01
  Speaker 3: Also, I don't think people realize that if you could deal with people on any type of level, you can control most situations.
• 41:09
  Speaker 3: And as far as the listeners out there that are in this industry continues the training, learn Because many classes and courses you can and be open-minded, then you know.
• 41:25
  Speaker 3: Nobody can tell you that one technique has to be done all the time.
• 41:30
  Speaker 3: But the numbers are the numbers.
• 41:33
  Speaker 3: Great change and Stable strengths and things of that working load limits.
• 41:37
  Speaker 3: Those are all hard numbers that will never change.
• 41:40
  Speaker 3: Keep learning and stay safe.
• 41:42
  Speaker 3: That's it.
• 41:43
  Speaker 2: Thank you, john.
• 41:43
  Speaker 2: We're very well said.
• 41:45
  Speaker 2: I want to thank all of our listeners, you continue to help us grow.
• 41:51
  Speaker 2: If you, if you're listening to this program and you haven't done it already, subscribe to us.
• 41:56
  Speaker 2: We really appreciate that.
• 41:57
  Speaker 2: Take a moment and rate us, like us, share us.
• 42:03
  Speaker 2: We definitely appreciate all that, john, appreciate you.
• 42:07
  Speaker 2: Great interview today.
• 42:08
  Speaker 2: Chuck, dj, the podcast team we appreciate you guys, the whole team here at American Tona recovery Institute, april, kim, wesley, tory, jake, margaret, everybody that helps.
• 42:22
  Speaker 2: We appreciate you.
• 42:22
  Speaker 2: Y'all Wanna talk to our listeners.
• 42:26
  Speaker 2: Make sure you stay hydrated.
• 42:28
  Speaker 2: It's hot out there.
• 42:29
  Speaker 2: You don't need me telling you that it's hot.
• 42:31
  Speaker 2: Keep waving.
• 42:32
  Speaker 2: Some part of the country Should have addressed also for minus flooding as we're recording this Podcast with praying for friends up there.
• 42:42
  Speaker 2: Well, that's a lot, but a lot jammed into the clothes, yeah, but we had a great one today.
• 42:49
  Speaker 1: And John, our dear friend Mark Anderson in heaven, say we are perpetual students.
• 42:57
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I got a lot more cancer and I Thanks for listening folks.
• 43:03
  Speaker 2: We'll see you next time.
• 43:05
  Speaker 2: We got a great interview coming up.
• 43:06
  Speaker 2: I think our next episode view is that DJ you got it.
• 43:10
  Speaker 2: I'm gonna interview DJ Harrington, the great code, after 20 while since we've done this.
• 43:16
  Speaker 2: So stay tuned for our next podcast episode and thanks for listening.
• 43:21
  Speaker 2: To be safe out there.