RALLYING FOR REMEMBRANCE
Why Canada’s Tow Pros Must Stand Together BY GIDEON SCANLON There is something wrong with the world. Until the towing professional community rallied together, Canada’s public news outlet’s online platform had given more attention to an unfortunate bear than the tragic loss of a towing professional and community leader. On November 13, 2019, a black […]
BUILDING TRUST
Concerned about your advice to clients being misconstrued? When towing and recovery professionals are criticized, it is often because they are accused of pushing drivers to visit repair facilities with whom they have a kickback arrangement. While not unheard of, not every recommendation provided is done so for financial reasons. Even towing professionals with agreements […]
SCANNING THE SCENE
How the aftermarket’s value is being drained by high-tech tricks BY ELIZABETH SARGEANT The value of undrivable vehicles could go up significantly if auto parts customers had access to the same vehicle scanning technology given to auto repair facilities. For towing professionals, this means that the value of their specialized cargo is not being realized […]
LIVE ON (THIN) ICE
When death is a crack away, True North Track Truck’s Brandon Friesen doesn’t freeze-up BY GIDEON SCANLON On the frozen-over surface of Lake Winnipeg, disaster struck. A pickup truck with an attached trailer broke through the ice and became partially submerged. With their community known for being one of the best ice-fishing destinations in the […]
YOU DON’T KNOW JACK!
Eagle Towing’s Jack Poladian on equipping an industry in transition Towing industry advocate Jack Poladian is the operations manager at Eagle Towing, Ontario’s only distributor for NRC Industries towing and recovery equipment. Poladian fills us in on how a family-owned company, kickstarted in the 1970s, is still booming today–and about what he wishes people knew […]
PERFORMANCE ANXIETY, SIZE SHAME
Why fortune will favour towing businesses that invest in long hauls BY GIDEON SCANLON Offering ‘friends rates’ might sound like a bad business philosophy, but, for mid-sized towing service providers looking to carve out a ‘blue ocean space’, there are advantages in certain situations. This month, one of the most respected papers on the auto […]
TOP OPERATORS
The towing professionals raising the profile of the industry In this inaugural issue of Canadian Professional, the magazine has highlighted the work of towing professionals across Canada. From association leaders to operators who have helped raise awareness about the dangers faced by recovery professionals, the common theme among these figures isn’t just that they are […]
TOWING PRODUCTS – LIFTS
HTL 4000 Sneeker Wheel Lift SNEEKER LIFT sneekerlift.com Named for its subtle look, the Sneaker Wheel Lift is capable of lifting 1,550 kg (3,500 lbs) when fully extended, and has a 3,400 kg (7,800 lbs) tow rating. It has an engine-mounted, belt-driven clutch pump kit, a 12-volt electric hydraulic pump, and an air suspension kit. […]
ENLIGHTENING LIGHTS
HIGHWAY THRU HELL’S AL QUIRING AND J.W. SPEAKER TEAM-UP ON ROADSIDE SAFETY BY GIDEON SCANLON If there’s one thing Al Quiring really wants to see his fellow towing professionals do, it is to take their personal safety more seriously. In fact, when asked what advice he would share with ambitious young people in the towing […]
ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL!
Building up an effective fleet in an industry of individualists Establishing a visual identity for your brand through your vehicles has other benefits. For one thing, uniformity provides a sense of professionalism to your operators–which will help you win over potential clients. Something about making your living on the open road attracts a certain type […]
