VEHICLE RETRIEVER VEHICLE RETRIEVER - Jerr-Dan

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Owner Profile TOWING DURING CRISIS ADAPTING TO A CHANGING MARKETPLACE IS AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY FOR THIS NEW ORLEANS TOWING COMPANY. Rudy Smith, left, and his brother Ronnie aren’t going anywhere. They are observing the ever-changing New Orleans market and adapting their towing company to serve those needs. It is said by many that in times of crisis, the strong persevere. This is certainly the case for Rudy Smith of Rudy Smith Service, Inc. As the owner of one of the largest towing companies in New Orleans, his company has seen its share of crisis, as well as perseverance, in the last few months. Before Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast and flooded the city of New Orleans, Smith’s familyowned company employed 32 people and operated with a 24-truck fleet. The 22- by 20-mile metropolitan city of a million people kept the company busy. Business was good. Then Hurricane Katrina flooded the city of New Orleans. Business, and life, changed drastically for everyone. Planning pays off Prior to the hurricane landfall, Smith Services implemented a predetermined, and practiced, emergency evacuation plan. The plan required each tower to drive an assigned company truck (with his personal vehicle in tow) to a secure location north of the city. Each driver was familiar with the plan and left with a cash stipend, fuel card and alphanumeric pager. Trucks were equipped with GPS systems. “We are a company that operates by written policies,” explains Rudy Smith, owner. “Hurricanes are common in our area. Our proactive emergency recovery plan protected our trucks from initial storm damage and allowed us to get back into operation quickly.” The company’s office buildings didn’t fare as well. The least amount of damage was to the main office building, which was flooded with 14 in. of water. The other three facilities received 6 to 8 ft. of water. One facility, housing more than 200 stored cars, lost its roof. Despite the devastation to its facilities, the company never stopped towing. “We never lost processing or dispatching abilities,” Smith explains. Before the storm, the company utilized remote dispatching and the capability continued after the storm. The aftermath While the city was closed for three weeks, Smith and his staff set up temporary headquarters in Donaldsonville, Louisiana (60 miles west of New Orleans). As each tower was called back to the company, he was asked to pick up supplies: fuel, generators, building materials and storage containers. “We also fully serviced each truck, knowing we would go into crisis mode when the city was reopened,” Smith recalls. Towers were allowed into the city on September 3 to assist the local utilities. Massive amounts of debris had to be towed away so utility crews could pump water out of the city and rebuild substations to restore power. The process is an ongoing one and as of this writing, 40% of the city still remains dark. Five months after the storm, Rudy Smith Service is operating with a staff of 14 employees. “Almost all of our staff lost their homes,” he explains. “They were forced out of the city and if better-paying jobs were available, they took them.” Speaking of pay, Smith has had to double the wages of all his drivers just to compete with the market. “New Orleans has quickly become one of the most expensive cities in which to live,” he says. “Despite limited housing and supplies, there is no labor Devastation is prevalent in New Orleans and the recovery work is endless. Pictured here, an abandoned car is towed with an HPL 35. In the background, the storage building is one of many that sustained visible storm damage. The damaged streets also make towing challenging. force here. Fast food restaurants are offering a $5,000 signing bonus so imagine what I have to pay towers.” Of the 24 trucks in service before the storm, eight have been placed out of service — not due to damage, but rather nonreplacement decisions. “We have trucks currently waiting on drivers,” Smith says. The trucks the company is utilizing work hard. Towers are working 12-hour shifts on four- to five-day rotations. “Our trucks are running long hours; they aren’t receiving the maintenance they should; they are operating around water, yet they are hanging on. We’re very pleased with our Jerr-Dans.” Smith is optimistic for the future of New Orleans. “I think this city will be part of something special, but it will be a long time before it arrives.” ■ OWNER PROFILE Rudy Smith Service Inc. New Orleans, Louisiana Jerr-Dan Fleet Profile: Wreckers: One HPL 6000 light-duty wrecker; two HPL 35 light-duty wreckers Carriers: Six standard-duty steel rollback carriers, two with a 21-ft. bed/independent lift and four with a 19-ft. bed/wheel lift Services • 24-hour roadside service • Light-, medium- and heavy-duty towing and recovery • Vehicle storage 4 RUN HARD VOL.15, NO.1 MARCH 2006 RUN HARD 5 VOL.15, NO.1 MARCH 2006
Show & Go What does YOUR Jerr-Dan look like? George Parashis drives this Jerr-Dan Pioneer Series carrier for Bill’s Towing in Novato, California. The carrier sports a 19-ft. aluminum bed and incorporates a 2004 GMC C5500 chassis. Since purchasing the Jerr-Dan, Bill’s Towing receives a lot of calls to transport exotic cars, like Sammy Hagar's car pictured here. John Litwak of J. L. Towing in Southwick, Massachusetts, customized his favorite HPL 6000 wrecker with a unique warrior theme. The graphics were completed by Richard Markham Art. The award-winning truck includes a flamed-out broom, air tanks and cones. It has 40 strobes, 110 marker lights, a remote camera, four television screens, a PlayStation and a Kenwood sound system with three amps and 14 speakers. The interior has customized leather seats with the company name engraved into the leather, an undercarriage neon package, wireless tow lights and customized floor mats and mud flaps. The graphics on this Jerr-Dan HPL35 are that of Oregon State University. The truck is owned by Newhouse and Hutchins in Portland, Oregon, and makes regular appearances at Oregon State football games. David Richard of Dave’s Tow and Transport in Oakham, Massachusetts uses his Jerr-Dan Pioneer Series carrier with 19-ft. aluminum fixed-rail bed for heavy tasks like hauling this 9,700-lb. John Deere JD-350-B dozer. This Jerr-Dan HPL 3500 light-duty wrecker is owned by Dale Mahoney of Mahoney’s Towing in Highland, Indiana. Mahoney’s Towing has been family owned and operated since 1969 and Dale, along with the rest of the crew, takes pride in all their equipment. This wrecker rides on a 2005 Ford F450 XLT chassis. This Jerr-Dan Steel Cougar HPL60 is Wreckmaster equipped and ready for anything the Northwest has to offer. Mounted on a 2005 Ford F-550 chassis, the truck belongs to Chuck Milne at Loop Hi-Way Towing in Gresham, Oregon. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE YOUR RIG PICTURED HERE? Do you have an image of your Jerr-Dan rig that you’d like to share with readers? Submit your photos via: E-MAIL to RunHard@cygnusb2b.com (High-res photos only. Hint: Set your digital camera to take photos as large of a size and as many pixels as possible.) MAIL to Editor, Run Hard magazine 1233 Janesville Avenue, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 In addition to your photo, tell us what model of Jerr-Dan you have, what model chassis you have and why you are submitting your rig! Turnpike Plaza Towing, operated by Martin Petroleum, has been a provider of towing services for the Florida Turnpike for the past 10 years. The towing company handles the towing services for AAA and the Florida Highway Patrol as well as road ranger services for the DOT. Turnpike Plaza Towing has a fleet of 21 carriers and wreckers including this MPL40 on a Ford 550 chassis. David Smith, a tow operator for the company, was nominated for a hero award at the Baltimore Tow Show. 6 RUN HARD VOL.15, NO.1 MARCH 2006
Page 1: An Oshkosh Truck Corporation Compan
Page 6 and 7: Jack’s Heavy-Duty QUALITY THE JER
Page 8 and 9: Company News JERR-DAN INTRODUCES FL
Page 10 and 11: Business Management Designing QUALI
Page 12 and 13: Company News What makes Jerr-Dan DI
Page 14 and 15: Who’s Who Who in the industry hav
Page 16: RUNHARD is sent to you compliments

VEHICLE RETRIEVER VEHICLE RETRIEVER - Jerr-Dan

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