More from: Towing chains

Acknowledging Tow Operators Who Know Their Business

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Not too long ago we published a post detailing the adventures of two people who didn’t know how to use their truck loading ramps correctly. We have also published other posts which discussed tow truck fails brought on by inadequate understanding of standard operating procedures. Those kinds of stories are always a reminder of how much we appreciate tow operators who really understand their profession and work hard to be good at it.

Towing isn’t as simple as attaching a hook to a car and driving away. There is so much more to it than that. Tow operators have to consider everything from the vehicle being recovered to the kind of recovery being undertaken. They must decide whether to use webbing straps or towing chains; whether to make use of a hook truck or a flatbed; and whether it is really safe to secure a recovery vehicle using just tire nets.

None of what we just described even touches the most complex recovery jobs. As an example, consider a recovery this past summer (2018) out of Phillipsburg, New Jersey. It required not only savvy tow operators with knowledge and experience, it also required the right tools and equipment.

Sinking Heavy Equipment

June 22 was the day a local Phillipsburg towing company was called to Heckman and Marshall streets around early in the morning. Apparently, a Case digger was preparing the site for future utility work. While the operator was busy digging a trench for utility workers, the pavement under the left side of the machine gave way. The digger fell into the resulting hole. Half of it ended up in the hole while the other half remained outside, perched at roughly a 30° angle.

Making matters worse was the fact that the digger was resting right on top of a gas line. Tow operators called to the scene had to figure out how to get the machine out of the hole without allowing it to slip. One slip could have severed the gas line and caused a major problem.

An Hour of Touch-and-Go

As you can imagine, it was impossible for the tow truck operators to just hook up a chain and drag the digger to safety. First of all, the machine was too heavy for that sort of thing. Second, it had to be lifted straight up in order to protect the gas line underneath. Trying to drag the digger would have probably ruptured the line and further weakened the surrounding pavement.

It took a team of two tow operators about an hour to come up with a plan and then successfully execute it. It was an hour of touch-and-go. In the end, they used a combination of two boom trucks equipped with heavy towing chains to slowly lift the digger out of the hole.

The two trucks were positioned on the opposite side of the street, front to back. Their booms were extended out over the digger so as to transfer all its weight to the stronger pavement. Then the two operators used remote control devices to slowly pick the machine up. They had to synchronize their movements to keep everything steady.

It is fortunate that the operators were very experienced, had good judgement and also had the right tools at their disposal to handle what was a very dangerous job. We are guessing they weren’t using cheap towing chains and hooks on something so heavy. Incidents of this kind are a reminder of how important is it be a good tow operator.

Here’s Why You Keep Your Tow Truck Fully Stocked

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One of the things we try to consistently do here at Mytee Products is remind our customers to pay attention to their inventories. For example, consider tow truck operators. We are thrilled to be able to serve operators across the country who rely on us for towing chains, straps, lights, and a whole host of other supplies. We do our best to remind them to make sure their trucks are always fully stocked.

This really is a no-brainer for most tow operators. But every year there are new operators joining the industry and just getting started in their careers. Their lack of experience may lead them to take a job without having the proper equipment to do it safely and completely. If there is one thing that we have learned from working with tow operators over the years, it’s that you never know what you’re going to come up against on any recovery.

An Example from NC

We will be well on the way toward rough winter weather by the time this post is published. So let’s use a recent example from the past to illustrate why it’s necessary to keep a tow truck fully stocked. The example comes out of Maple Hill, North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence.

On September 19 (2018), a truck pulling a mobile home behind it was blown over by hurricane-force winds. That mobile home was destined to be a rest station for hurricane recovery workers in need of rest. Unfortunately, Florence saw to it that the trailer never made it to its designated location. The state Highway Patrol had to call for assistance to right the trailer as quickly as possible.

Under normal circumstances, this would have been difficult enough. The job probably would have required multiple tow trucks using chains and winches to get the trailer back in an upright position. But this was no ordinary circumstance. Florence pounded the Carolinas for some 30 hours in total. By the time tow trucks were dispatched, the trailer was already under 10 feet of water.

The team of four tow operators all arrived on scene and realized it was going to be a tough job. Even after the water had receded, righting the trailer/mobile home required precise techniques and the proper use of the right equipment. It’s a good thing the tow operators knew what they were doing. Even with 4 feet of water still inside, they managed to pull the trailer upright and move it to the shoulder.

It’s About Being Prepared

The success of these four tow operators is a testament to their abilities, experience, and equipment. Their story is also a reminder that tow operators have to be prepared for anything. No one knew just how bad Florence was going to be, but every person who knew that he or she was going to be involved in the cleanup had to be as prepared as possible.

As a tow operator yourself, you may never experience anything like the damage caused by Hurricane Florence. But you’ll still see your share of stranded cars, highway accidents, repos, and municipal tows. Your truck needs to be fully stocked with everything you need to do your job safely and correctly. Mytee Products has you covered.

We have a complete inventory of towing chains, mesh straps, tire nets, hooks, winches, and even towing lights. If you need it to stock your tow truck, we probably have it. And if we don’t, we’ll still do our best to get it for you. Don’t head into the busy winter season without knowing full well that your truck is fully stocked.

 

The Snow Is Coming – Stock Your Tow Trucks Now

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An interesting series of events occurred in St. Paul, Minnesota in the spring of 2018. The region was subject to its sixth snow emergency of the season thanks to a whopper that descended on the Twin Cities in mid-April. What happened on the city’s streets over the weekend of April 14 serves as a reminder to tow operators that snow is coming and it might be a lot of it. So, get your trucks stocked with towing supplies now.

Towing vehicles during snow emergencies is standard operating procedure for most major cities. It just makes sense. Snow plows cannot clear the roads effectively if they are littered with cars. Moreover, plows traveling down the street will block in any cars that are not moved. Cities tow for both the benefit of plow operators and car owners alike.

You Will Be Called On

What happened in St. Paul may have been unusual, but that doesn’t change the fact that tow truck operators across the country will be called on this winter to clear streets during snow emergencies. It is part and parcel of the towing game in urban environments. The only question that remains now is whether tow operators are prepared for the coming workload.

Mytee Products cannot help with driver training, truck maintenance, insurance issues, etc. But we do stock an entire inventory of towing supplies. We are here to help you make sure your truck is fully stocked in advance of the coming winter. And if your company owns multiple trucks, you can buy all your supplies from us.

Be sure to check your inventory of towing straps. Not only should you have an ample number, but each of your straps should be in good working order as well. Check towing straps for wear and tear and broken buckles or hooks. Check your towing chains as well. Towing chains can rust over the summer months while in storage, so give each chain the once over.

Don’t Forget the Lighting

We encourage tow operators to also pay attention to lighting. In most states and local municipalities, tow trucks are required to be equipped with some sort of lighting to designate when the truck is engaged. For most tow truck operators, that means amber dome lights or light bars mounted to the roof of the truck.

If your state or local municipality also requires temporary lights attached to the towed vehicle, we have those too. Temporary lights are fixed to the towed vehicle by way of powerful magnets. They are also connected by cable to the truck’s electrical system so that they work in sync with the truck’s break lights, tail lights, and turn signals.

Winter is coming, and it is coming fast. That’s good news if you’re a tow operator who relies on the extra business of the season to boost revenues. Just don’t be caught off guard. Make sure your truck is fully stocked before the first snow emergency is declared in your local area.

 

What Kind of Tow Truck Do You Operate?

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To the average person on the street, the tow truck is a modified pickup truck with extra tires on the back end and an on-board yoke for towing disabled cars. Few people pay any attention to the fact that the vehicle recovery industry has multiple kinds of trucks at its disposal for nearly every kind of job. If you are a tow operator, what kind of truck do you normally operate?

Different trucks are designed for different kinds of jobs. As such, the auto towing and hauling equipment drivers use differ from one recovery to the next. They have auto hauling straps, towing chains, winches, and hooks to work with. Equipment has to be matched to the job at hand to ensure it is done safely and efficiently.

We have put together a list of the different kinds of tow trucks below. If you are a tow operator, just remember this: who you choose to supply your straps, chains, etc. will play a role in your overall success. You have to have the right equipment to do the job. You are in luck, because Mytee Products has exactly what you need.

The Boom Truck

The boom truck is the biggest and baddest of all tow trucks. This is a vehicle built on the same kind of frame as an 18-wheeler tractor. It has an on-board adjustable boom capable of recovering extremely heavy vehicles or lifting a disabled car right out of a ditch.

The secret of the boom truck is its hydraulics. By combining hydraulics with telescoping booms, these trucks can access disabled vehicles that are all but inaccessible to other kinds of tow trucks. They are the only recovery vehicles suitable for extremely heavy lifting.

The Wheel-Lift Truck

The wheel-lift truck is one of the more common tow trucks used in the United States. It is built on the frame of a pickup, but everything underneath is reinforced for extra strength. On the back of the truck is mounted a hydraulic frame with a steel or aluminum alloy cradle that slides under the front wheels of the vehicle to lift it off the ground. Towing straps or chains are then used to secure the vehicle to the cradle.

The Integrated Truck

This kind of truck is a hybrid vehicle with both hydraulic cradle and boom on board. It is not a truck we see commonly used in this country. However, it’s seen a lot in Europe. It is ideal for recovering broken down vehicles in urban areas.

The Flatbed Truck

Next to the wheel-lift, the flatbed truck is the second most commonly used vehicle for towing operations in this country. Flatbeds make vehicle transport a lot safer because cars are taken completely off the road. The flatbed tilts up and slides down to meet the road, making it easy for the tow operator to drag the car on board using a winch and cable. The car is then secured with straps or chains prior to departure.

The Lift Flatbed Truck

Last is the lift flatbed truck, another kind of truck used more in Europe than here. This is a flatbed with an on-board boom. The boom is used to lift a car vertically and place it on the flatbed. Lift flatbed trucks are another good option for vehicle recovery in urban environments.

Regardless of the kind of truck used, tow operators rely on their winches, straps, and chains to do what they do. Here at Mytee Products, we are proud to supply the towing industry with all the necessary equipment. We hope you find what you’re looking for here on our site.

Towing Lights to Hauling Straps: There’s A Lot to Towing

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There are lots of jobs that appear easier than they are. Take tow truck driving, for example. To the untrained eye, driving a tow truck seems a simple matter. You just hook up the car and go, right? Wrong. From towing lights and hauling straps to anticipating oncoming traffic, an awful lot goes into towing safely.

Tow truck operators are among the hardest working people on America’s roads. They toil around the clock, under all sorts of weather and traffic conditions, to recover broken down and damaged cars. Often times they put their lives on the line to do so. Here at Mytee Products, we have the utmost respect for America’s tow operators.

Things They Worry About

Tow operators are not unlike workers in any other sector in that there are job-related things they always have to worry about. Before the start of every shift, the driver has to check his toolboxes to make sure he has everything he needs for the day. Are his towing chains and hooks in good working order? Does he need a few more auto hauling straps? Are the strobe bar and marker light both working?

Having the necessary equipment is just the start. The tow truck operator also has to make sure the truck itself is in good working order. There are tires, winches, and flatbed inspections to do. Even simple things like windshield wipers and checking oil and transmission fluid levels has to be taken care of.

Once on the road, the tow truck operator has to worry about everything from traffic conditions to weather. Recovering a vehicle in a parking lot or driveway is pretty straightforward, but if the tow operator is trying to pull a stranded car out of a ditch alongside a snowy highway, that’s another deal altogether.

Tow truck operators always have to keep an eye on traffic. Whether they are securing a wreck to a flatbed with hauling straps or using a chain and winch to recover a wreck, oncoming traffic always poses a significant risk. Wise tow truck operators know enough to expect trouble. Managing a recovery without any incidents is a bonus.

Taking Some of the Worry Away

The crew here at Mytee Products obviously cannot do a lot to help tow drivers stay safe. There is not a lot we can do to make sure their days go smoothly. But we can take some of the worry away by stocking the equipment supplies they need to do their jobs. That is exactly what we do.

Our inventory of auto towing and hauling equipment starts with a full range of hauling straps to meet a variety of needs. For example, we carry tire straps with swivel J hooks and rubber pads for securing cars around the wheels. We also have side mount wheel nets as well.

Moving on, our inventory of G70 towing chains and hooks are the real beef of any towing operation. Rest assured that all our chains and hooks are made to meet or exceed all regulations and industry standards. We do not carry junk chains and hooks drivers can’t rely on.

Last is our selection of towing lights. We carry these products because we believe in the safety-first mentality. We want tow truck operators to have a full selection of towing lights usable in virtually any scenario.

There is a lot to tow truck operation than meets the eye. Our hats are off to America’s tow operators from coast-to-coast. Thank you for the tough work you do to make life better for the rest of us.