Emergency Ignorance: Another roadside collision as drivers fail to slow down for towers
Toronto, Ontario — Just weeks after the death of Ontario tower Todd Burgess, who died in a roadside accident on Nov. 7, the Canadian towing community is reporting another near-fatal roadside collision on in northern Ontario. The incident was reported on Nov. 22 on Hwy. 11 in northern Ontario. Two tractor-trailers following the tow truck allegedly […]
Chop Stop: Police shut down illegal business
Toronto, Ontario — When a vehicle was illegally towed from a collision scene last month, police were able to trace it to a Scarborough business, where authorities then uncovered two stolen and dismantled luxury cars—a 2015 BMW M4 and a 2017 Ferrari 4GS. A local woman who had her vehicle towed without her consent last […]
Todd’s Last Ride: Ontario towers pay tribute to friend and colleague
Pickering, Ontario — The endless rows of parking at the Pickering Flea Markets were lit up by the lights of Ontario’s towers on Wednesday morning as the industry gathered to honour Todd Burgess, who tragically passed in a roadside accident last week. More than 150 towers and trucks gathered for Todd’s Last Ride, a memorial […]
Tow-ronto: City launches six-week towing blitz
The City of Toronto is launching a six-week towing blitz in the downtown core, aimed at vehicles illegally blocking lanes during rush hours. Toronto mayor John Tory announced on Oct. 4 that the city will be launching a towing pilot project that aims to remove illegally parked vehicles from Queen Street. The project began Oct. […]
Go Slow for Tows: CAA gives warning after towing collisions
CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) is reminding motorists to “slow down, move over” after two tow trucks have been struck by motorists while working in the GTA. “This has been a very troubling week for all of us at CAA. Everyone deserves a safe place to work–even on the side of the road,” wrote […]
Abrams Towing CEO Joey Gagne
In 1984, a 19-year-old Joey Gagne loaned $2,500 from his mother-in-law to start his own towing business. Now, Gagne, CEO of Abrams Towing Group, manages 200 employs at more than nine locations in Ontario. Collision Repair sat down with Gagne — who even holds a place in the International Towing Museum’s hall of fame — […]
Tow Yeah: PTAO’s annual Tow Show this weekend!
The PTAO Tow Show is back and bigger than ever. This year’s show — running Friday, September 20th and Saturday, September 21st — has been advertised as 25 percent larger, featuring more vendors and activities. The event will be held this year at Bingeman’s event centre in Kitchener, Ont. Friday kicks off with a paid […]
Tow Way! Eagle Towing Equipment shakes up the industry
Much like any industry, tow truck drivers often face backlash for their line of work. From a distrust of the system to an accusatory approach that some take towards the person who just rescued their car off the side of the road, people in the towing industry don’t have it easy. But companies like Eagle […]
Jack Poladian of Eagle Towing
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 ’70s, is still booming today–and about what he wishes people knew about the industry. Collision Repair: Over the years, Eagle Towing has expanded […]
London city staff to hold public meeting to regulate ‘chasers’
London city staff officials have recommended a public meeting to regulate what they call “accident chaser” tow trucks. Back in January, city staff were asked to collaborate with emergency services and the towing industry to craft a bylaw that would prohibit “chaser” towing services from rushing to collisions before being contacted by customers or police. […]
