'Move Over' for tow truck drivers, too

Highway patrol asks drivers to Move' Over' for tow truck drivers, too

Safiya Rava, Houston ChronicleCopyright 2012 Houston Chronicle. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

By Safiya Ravat

Updated 06:16 a.m., Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Houston and Texas

0
inShare

Comments (0)

Larger | Smaller

Printable Version

Email This
Georgia (default) Verdana Times New Roman Arial Font

Page 1 of 1

Highway patrol in Texas will be on special watch this week for motorists who don't move over or reduce their speed while passing stopped tow trucks with flashing emergency lights.
Since a police officer in North Texas was killed on the roadside while pulling someone over, the 9-year-old Move Over/Slow Down law required motorists in the state to change lanes or drive 20 miles below the speed limit when passing the flashing lights of police, fire or EMS vehicles stopped on the side of the road.
Less than a year ago, tow trucks were added to that list.
"This was long overdue," said Michael Scully, owner of Apple Towing in Houston. "The tow truck industry has never been recognized as a first responder, and it's about time."
Raising awareness
Scully has been in the towing business for two decades and said he knows of several local tow truck drivers who were killed on the roadside while assisting stranded motorists. Though he's happy the law went into effect last September, he said most drivers haven't taken heed.
That's why the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Department of Transportation are teaming up to bring awareness to the addition.
"For this week, highway patrol has been asked to place special emphasis on the tow truck portion of the law," said DPS spokesman Tom Vinger.
Violators of the law could be ticketed and fined up to $200, said Vinger.
Drivers can also expect to see the following message posted on electronic signs around the state this week:"If tow truck stopped ahead, move over or slow down, it's the law," according to TxDOT spokesman Bob Kaufman.
TxDOT routinely puts out several public awareness messages throughout the year including, "Click it or ticket," and "Drink. Drive. Go to jail," he said.
"This is just an opportunity for us to bring some attention to this new law that was passed that frankly not many people know about," he said.
In 2011, the DPS issued more than 17,000 warnings and citations for the Move Over/Slow Down law, and 6,000 have been issued since January.

Victoria Police Department -Weekly Traffic Law Reminder

Victoria Police Department -Weekly Traffic Law ReminderV.

This week's traffic law is found in The Texas Transportation Code,

Sec. 545.157. Passing authorized emergency vehicle. (a) On approaching a stationary authorized emergency vehicle using visual signals that meet the requirements of Sections 547.305 and 547.702, or a stationary tow truck using equipment authorized by Section 547.305(d), an operator, unless otherwise directed by a police officer, shall:

(1) vacate the lane closest to the emergency vehicle or tow truck when driving on a highway with two or more lanes traveling in the direction of the emergency vehicle or tow truck; or

(2) slow to a speed not to exceed:

(A) 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit when the posted speed limit is 25 miles per hour or more; or

(B) five miles per hour when the posted speed limit is less than 25 miles per hour.

(b) A violation of this section is:

(1) a misdemeanor punishable under Section 542.401;

(2) a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $500 if the violation results in property damage; or

(3) a Class B misdemeanor if the violation results in bodily injury.

(c) If conduct constituting an offense under this section also constitutes an offense under another section of this code or the Penal Code, the actor may be prosecuted under either section or under both sections.

(d) In this section, "tow truck" means a vehicle that:

(1) has been issued a permit under Subchapter C, Chapter 2308, Occupations Code; and

(2) is operated by a person licensed under Subchapter D, Chapter 2308, Occupations Code.

Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 327, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Amended by:

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 229, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2011.

Why the emphasis on this particular traffic law?

Emergency vehicles are often stopped in the roadway for traffic stops, traffic accidents, or roadway hazards. It is important for drivers to be cognizant that the officers or fire department personnel may be outside of their vehicles and thus vulnerable to normal vehicular traffic. Curious drivers who drive too close to crash scenes to get a good look, can pose a danger to personnel working at the scene and to themselves if they are not paying attention to the road. Drivers should move into the lane farthest away from the emergency vehicles and slow down. Emergency personnel may need to be focused on the safety of those involved in an accident and should not have to worry about being struck by a speeding passerby. This law also applies to wrecker trucks when their flashing lights are activated.

These laws are set in place to protect our officers, firefighters, paramedics, and you the citizen. Please do your part, pull to the side and slow down.

The Victoria Police Department Traffic Safety Unit reminds you to drive safe. The life you save may be your own.

If you have a traffic law question, contact Senior Patrol Officer Zac De La Rosa, Victoria Police Department Traffic Safety Unit, 361-485-3700.

HOUSTON – Mayor Annise Parker on Thursday announced major changes to the towing program known as Safe Clear

HOUSTON – Mayor Annise Parker on Thursday announced major changes to the towing program known as Safe Clear.


The free towing program started in 2005 and was highly touted by former Mayor Bill White as a way to ease the city’s freeway congestion.

But Parker wants to shift the cost of the service from the taxpayers to the drivers.

Under her plan, it will cost $50 for a tow and $30 for a roadside service, like a tire change.

Drivers who can’t pay up will have their vehicles placed in a safe and secure facility for up to 48 hours, free of charge.

The city has set aside $100,000 to help drivers who are seniors, disabled or with incomes below the poverty line cover the cost of the towing fee if they’re unable to pay.

It’s a move some say will benefit the cash-strapped city.

"In a bad economy, loss of revenues, the real question is who’s responsible for putting a vehicle on the road?" asked 11 News Political Expert Bob Stein. "It strikes me the city’s not responsible for that, the driver is. What I suspect they’re looking to do is to shift that responsibility to the owner and driver of the vehicle."

Rice University studies have shown Safe Clear has succeeded in decreasing collisions and traffic – but the tows have added up and the program was $1.5 million over budget during the 2010 fiscal year.

"I’ve advocated for a long time that we terminate the program because we cannot afford it as a city and I think that drivers have an inherent responsibility to be responsible for their vehicle," said Councilman Mike Sullivan.

The new fee still has to be approved by the city council.

City considering cutting Safe Clear free tows

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The city of Houston is cash-strapped and in a budget crunch, so the mayor is proposing some fees be added to the Safe Clear towing program. She outlined her plan on Thursday.

City considering cutting Safe Clear free tows

Mayor Annise Parker announced her plans for the program known as "Safe Clear." The towing program was started six years ago, but now there's not enough money to keep it going without serious changes.

City leaders considered charges for tows and roadside assistance. They proposed a $50 charge for a Safe Clear tow and $30 for roadside service, like a tire change. A vehicle stored for two days will be for free so you can secure the $50. The city has set aside $100,000 for seniors and low income or disabled to help them cover the cost.

"The Safe Clear program currently does about 74,000 tows a year at a cost of nearly $3.5 million," said Mayor Parker. "It's a good program. It does good work but it is an expensive program for the city."

Drivers who can't pay will have their vehicle stored for 48 hours until they can come up with the money. We spoke with several drivers about the proposed changes.

When this program began years ago during Mayor Bill White's administration, the idea was to get stalled vehicles off the road fast to avoid a backup, and avoid that long line of wrecker drivers, too. The city was doing it at no cost to the driver.

"We were just doing something that was socially acceptable for a lot of people who don't have the money. Some things just come down to that. You have to cut somewhere," said Katy resident Bill Buvinghausen.

"It shouldn't have been free in the first place because your vehicle is your responsibility and if it stalls, you're obviously not maintaining it correctly," said north Houston resident Arpita Baweja.

"Fifty dollars or $150, I'm still paying for it. Maybe it's not my fault but we all have to pay for it," said driver Atheer Hatem.

This is a proposal going to council next week. Their approval is required. If approved, the plan may be implemented as early as June.

Council will consider $50 fee for SafeClear tows

A formerly free city towing service intended to clear cars from freeways and reduce congestion will cost motorists $50 per tow, Mayor Annise Parker said Thursday.




The changes to the SafeClear program, which began under former Mayor Bill White in 2005, will go before City Council for approval next week and could take effect in June, Parker said.



Roadside services, such as changing a tire, would cost $30.



The city had been paying that $50 per tow. Under Parker's plan, the city's only involvement in the program would be a $100,000 fund, set aside to cover the fees of indigent drivers.



If a driver cannot pay when towed, the car could stay at a storage lot for 48 hours without charge while the owner found the money, Parker said. She acknowledged that loss of revenue to lot operators took time to negotiate.



SafeClear "makes it safe for the motorists who have broken down and it makes it safer for the rest of the traveling public," Parker said. "We believe that this is a much more sustainable program going forward."



Passing the burden to motorists would save the city $3.5 million.



The program otherwise will not change. When a car breaks down in the emergency lane, the city will dispatch a wrecker to tow it from the freeway, with or without the driver's consent.



Parker and Jeanette Rash, of the SafeClear Management Group, a consortium of SafeClear contractors, said they are trying to work with auto clubs and insurers to arrange direct billing so motorists will not have to pay wreckers first and seek reimbursement later.



Houston paid most SafeClear costs with mobility funds it receives from the Metropolitan Transit Authority. Cutting SafeClear costs will let the city use those funds for roads.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010 Sad News From TX

Wednesday, November 17, 2010Sad News From TX


Our condolences to the family and acquaintances of 38-year-old George Soriano who died yesterday in a tragic accident. Here's the story from the Houston Chronicle:



Federal officials are investigating the death of a tow truck driver at a FedEx distribution center in south Houston.

The wrecker driver, 38, was killed shortly after 2 p.m. at the building in the 2700 block of Holly Hall, Houston police said.

The driver, identified by a family member at the scene as George Soriano, was towing a disabled FedEx delivery truck to the center when he was killed.

"It appears to be a tragic accident," FedEx spokesman Jim McCluskey said from the company’s Memphis headquarters.

FedEx officials offered condolences to the family and said they were cooperating with officials.

Soriano had four children by his first wife and three more with his second wife - of which two were his stepchildren, said his father-in-law Gilbert Lopez.

Soriano had been working with his father-in-law at another company with a Houston Safe Clear towing contract but recently joined another company because he was concerned about towing cars on busy highways.

"He called and said, ‘I don’t think I can handle it over there,’" Lopez said.

An investigator with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration was at the scene. OSHA officials later Tuesday could not be reached for comment.

Houston City Council members are weighing the future of Safe Clear

Houston City Council members are weighing the future of Safe Clear




HOUSTON – Houston City Council members are weighing the future of Safe Clear, the controversial towing program that was one of former Mayor Bill White’s most highly touted projects.





According to a Houston Police Department budget presentation earlier this week, the program was almost $1.5 million over budget during the 2010 fiscal year and projected to be even more expensive during the 2011 fiscal year.



Without council action, the city of Houston is projected to be $50 to $80 million in the red by the end of this fiscal year.



"In a time of deficit, why do we have Safe Clear?" asked Houston City Councilmember Jolanda Jones.



The city is now debating three options: Eliminating the program altogether, raising the highest fee wreckers charge for other tows by $12 to close the budget gap or transferring the entire program to Metro.



Safe Clear launched back in 2005 and was billed as a way to ease traffic along some of Houston’s most congested freeways. At first, drivers that broke down on the freeway were charged $75 to be towed to a nearby location where they could safely call for help, regardless of whether consent was given for the service.



After public protests, the $75 fee was eliminated. Instead, the city of Houston footed the bill and paid tow truck drivers $50 per tow.



Those “free” tows added up, and now cost the city and Metro more than $3 million a year.



"I think, even in tough budget times, you want to maintain safety," said George Greanias, Metro’s president and CEO.



Metro currently pays for the bulk of the program after council members capped the city’s payment in 2006.



Greanias said Safe Clear had reduced freeway traffic and prevented accidents, but he cautioned against having Metro bear the entire cost of the program.



"We don't want to simply embrace the city's budget issue and take it on as one of ours, given our challenges already," Greanias said.



If Safe Clear was transferred completely to Metro, HPD said that would free up 14 officers to return to regular police duties. But the city would have to find another way to pay their salaries.



It’s unclear when council will vote on any of the options.



But many tow truck drivers say they would be happy to see it go.





Jerry Aguilar works for Superior Wrecker Service, a business that’s been around Houston for 20 years. The company was not among the few chosen for the Safe Clear program.





When you cut our business in half like that, guys lost jobs,” Aguilar said. “From ten trucks down to four? That's a lot of money you're losing."



Aguilar dismisses the argument that Safe Clear has cut down on tow truck drivers speeding to accident scenes. He said now he’s forced to ignore stranded motorists on the freeway who need help rather than risk getting a fine.



"I say we need to do without (Safe Clear),” Aguilar said. "It's not fair to the citizens at all."

Towing on the Net

Towing on the Net


The Internet has grown significantly in the last several years. Almost all businesses today use email for everyday correspondence. It is being used in the towing industry by motorclubs and towers alike. The motorclubs dispatch calls and accept claims over the Internet. Many towers are using it to send pages to drivers, to track their truck locations, and in some cases they have even virtually eliminated the radio by using two-way pages or Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs). The next generation of towing software promises an even greater integration with the Internet.



This trend is likely to continue because of the dramatic cost savings that can be realized using the Internet. Motorclub calls now take less than 3 minutes from start to finish using Digital Dispatch. Whereas before, using the phone, a call could take 5-10 minutes. These few minutes add up to tremendous savings for both motorclubs and service providers.



You can even locate a service provider online using sites like www.wrecker.com. The call can then be sent via email, fax, phone, and using digital dispatch like the motorclubs.



The next generation of towing software and management systems promises to be completely integrated with the Internet. You will no longer have to have an expensive, high-powered server networked with several fast workstations to run your towing software. Furthermore these networks require a true computer geek to keep them fine-tuned and running. Backups will be a thing of the past. Access from home is presently complex and slow. This too will no longer be a problem with the newer towing software packages. An Application Service Provider (ASP) will run these packages from a central location. These new solutions can be accessed from anywhere with your security code and an Internet connection (office, home, motel room, etc).



When it comes to Internet connections you have many affordable choices today. The table below lists the common types available:



Connection Type



Expected Speed



Typical Cost



Service Providers Dial-up



28.8 ' 53kbs*



$0-25/month



AOL, AT&T, Earthlink, MSN, CoreComm, MCI,etc.



ISDN



64kbs or 128kbs



$40-70/month



Earthlink, MSN, Telocity, AT&T, MCI, etc.



DSL (Digital Subscriber Line)



128 - 1544Kbs



$40-300/month



Earthlink, MSN, Telocity, AT&T, MCI, etc.



Cable



56 - 1544kbs



$40-70/month



Time Warner, Adelphi, CableVision, etc



Satellite (2-way)



150 - 500kbs



$40-70/month



Starband, MSN, DishNetwork, DirectPC/DirectTV, etc.



Frame Relay



56 - 1544kbs



$200-1500/month



Ameritech, GTE, MCI, AT&T, etc.



Fractional ' Full T1



128 - 1544kbs



$250-1500/month



Ameritech, GTE, MCI, AT&T, etc.



* 53kbs is the maximum allowed by the FCC. So even if you have a 56Kbs modem it cannot connect faster than 53kbs.



The connection speed you choose depends on your budget and what you need to do on the Internet. Internet (email) paging and Digital Dispatch do not need a very fast connection. A simple dial-up connection will provide enough speed, but it is not very reliable. You may want to choose one of the other connection types. IDSL, Cable, Satellite, Frame Relay and T1 all stay connected full time. This means they do not need to 'dial out' to establish an Internet connection; they are always connected just like a workstation on your Local Area Network (LAN). After all, the Internet is nothing but a big LAN.



This is the premise behind the next generation of towing software. The application will be run from a secure server farm (several servers working together) and each towing company will just be a user on the network. Therefore you will only need a low cost computer, a security code and access to the Internet. The set-up time will be a matter of minutes instead of weeks. The average person can setup the computer and download the software instead of having to pay the high costs of flying in a technician. Most users will be able to follow the onscreen instructions and will not require weeks of training. However, training will probably still be required for the more advanced features. Addionally, there will be little or no maintenance costs. You will simply pay a monthly fee in addition to your regular Internet costs. These types of solutions should save the average company thousands dollars each year; not to mention the many headaches associated with running your own internal network (e.g. hard drive crashes, failed backups).



I spoke with a company owner last week about a major system crash. He lost an entire year's worth of data and did not have a good backup. His backup failed due to the fact that his backup software was unable to backup his data while the towing software was running. Since they are running a 24/7 operation, they just didn't have the time to shut down the towing software to run the backup. He thought it was backing up but his tapes were blank. Has this ever happened to you? This type of problem will not happen in the future because the ASP (Application Service Provider) handles technical issues, such as backups, behind the scenes.



Now let's talk about some of the present ways people are using the Internet in their towing business.



Paging is probably the most common task being done through the Internet. Any company that has a full time connection to the Internet can utilize email paging. To send a page: you can go to your paging company's web site or if your towing software is Internet enabled, you can send a page from within your program. Some software packages even offer two-way paging, but this requires you use expensive 2-way pagers for all your drivers. Email paging may be faster than standard dial-up paging, it all depends on your paging company. Many towing companies use email paging as a backup to their dial-up paging, because if a paging company's dial-up sever goes down, it probably will not affect their email paging server ' so you can send your pages using email. This too is dependant on your particular paging company. There are new technologies, such as Simple Network Paging Protocol (SNPP), that will enable your software to detect when a page has been received by your driver using standard low cost pagers.



This capability is already available if you have CDPD mobile data terminals. These systems use the Digital Cellular and the Global Positioning Systems (GPS) networks to provide two-way communication as well as truck location and speed. They utilize the Internet to send/receive data (messages) to/from your trucks. @road and Airlink Communications are two of the major players in this type of technology. For a monthly fee @road allows you to completely monitor and configure your MDT from their web site. They even give you an interactive online map to show your truck present and past truck locations. Airlink on the other hand does not charge you a monthly access fee, because the maps reside on your local server. You need to decide which solution works best for your needs.



Digital Dispatch is used by some motorclubs to send calls to service providers using the Internet. In the future you will even be able to submit your invoices to the motorclubs using this technology. This is because many of the motorclubs and towing software vendors have been working together to establish a standard protocol for sending calls and submitting invoices. Presently, a couple of the software vendors have the ability to directly receive calls from GE, which means the call appears on your dispatch screen. The other software vendors and motorclubs are working on similar solutions. The Internet solution from the other motorclubs requires you keep your browser pointed to their web site. When a call comes in you need to print it and then type it into your towing management software.



Several of the motorclubs also offer the service providers a way to submit their invoices online from their website. However, Digital Dispatch promises a much easier and automated solution in the future.



The Internet offers a benefit for every size towing company by using one or more of the following technologies: Digital Dispatch, paging, GPS/MDT, or submitting invoices to motorclubs. The next generation (ASP) towing management systems promises to deliver solutions that are much easier to use, more integrated with the Internet and utilize all of the present technologies as well as a few new technologies, such as Instant Messaging and Internet enabled cell phones.



I neglected to answer an important question that is probably on your minds ' Is it safe? They simple answer is, Yes. In fact it safer than your telephone, since much of the data sent is encrypted. I will save this topic as well as remote access to your software using Microsoft's Terminal Services for a future article on Internet technologies.



About the author: Todd Althouse is a Managing Partner of Beacon Software, LLC - an Internet Application development company specializing in towing software and fleet management software. Visit http://www.beaconsoftco.com for more information.

Rochester police want to hear wrecker service experiences

Rochester police want to hear wrecker service experiences


Monday, November 15, 2010

ROCHESTER — The Police Department is soliciting feedback from residents who had contact with a wrecker service through contacts with the police department or other city services.

Capt. Paul Callaghan said the time of year where the city considers bids for towing services is approaching, and at the request of City Manager John Scruton, the department wants to hear from residents who have recently dealt with these services.

"We're doing our due diligence," Callaghan said.

Residents are asked to contact Capt. Scott Dumas at 330-7145.

No insurance...police will impound your car.

No insurance...police will impound your car.


Great idea! There are way too many people driving without insurance...................

__________________________________________________ ___________________________

TULSA - The law took effect just four days ago, and already some drivers have lost their cars.



Officials are making it very clear that they won't hesitate to tow a vehicle if it means making the roads safer for everyone else.



"If you're out here driving without insurance you better think again, we're towing vehicles," says Trooper George Brown.



OHP towed its first car in the Tulsa area on Thursday. Trooper Brown says he thinks they'll be towing many more.



"This is proof that people are driving around out there without insurance," Brown said.



Since Monday, Tulsa Police say they've towed six vehicles for not having insurance. Storey Wrecker says they've been pretty busy. The law is also creating a buzz among customers of A-Affordable Insurance.



"Some of them are making sure their verification is up to date and we've had lines of people coming in making their payments on their insurance, I think it's just making people aware to keep it up to date," says owner Less Lieurance.



It's also bringing in new clients. Lieurance says the company has filled out a lot more applications for car insurance this week as people realize how much extra trouble it will be if they are caught without it.



"You really can't afford not to have it. I mean what will it cost to have your car impounded? What would it really have to cost you to go to court because you didn't have insurance on your vehicle," he said.



While towing may be a harsh punishment, Lieurance says anything that helps motivate people to have insurance is a good idea.



If your car is towed you'll need to show proof of insurance before you can get it back. Drivers have 45 days to pick up their vehicle before it is sold at auction.