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Edition 30/ Oct-Dec <strong>2021</strong><br />
<strong>Quarterly</strong><br />
Inside This Issue<br />
Marketing ideas<br />
Employee Spotlight<br />
Winterizing Your Trucks<br />
Recipes, and MORE!
Through superior customer service and<br />
quality innovative products, On The Move<br />
provides their Licensees the ability to add<br />
value and profits to their business.<br />
Table of Contents<br />
Editor’s Letter / Letter to the Editor / Events............................................................... 3<br />
On The Move News...................................................................................................... 4<br />
New Trucks .................................................................................................................. 6<br />
Employee Spotlight...................................................................................................... 8<br />
Getting Property Ready for the Winter...................................................................... 10<br />
New Product Announcement..................................................................................... 12<br />
Winter Prep Checklist................................................................................................. 14<br />
Featured Vehicles....................................................................................................... 16<br />
Net Operating Income................................................................................................ 17<br />
Tips For Packing Your Moving Truck........................................................................... 18<br />
On The Move Representation at SSA Tradeshow....................................................... 20<br />
Catalytic Converter Thefts.......................................................................................... 22<br />
Cartoon...................................................................................................................... 23<br />
Recipes....................................................................................................................... 24<br />
Trucks of the Quarter................................................................................................. 26<br />
Resource Guide.......................................................................................................... 31<br />
Name Title E-mail<br />
Maury Westerdale Chairman of the Board info@onthemovetrucks.com<br />
Susan Parra CEO/President susan@onthemovetrucks.com<br />
Brian Obeck CFO bobeck@onthemovetrucks.com<br />
Sales Team<br />
CJ Stratte Marketing Director cj@onthemovetrucks.com<br />
Daniel Garza National Sales Manager daniel@onthemovetrucks.com<br />
Tim Moranz Specialty Vehicle Manager tim@onthemovetrucks.com<br />
Will Winslett Pre-Owned Vehicle Manager wwinslett@onthemovetrucks.com<br />
David Nasis Sr. Account Executive david@onthemovetrucks.com<br />
Michael Woolard Sr. Account Executive m.woolard@onthemovetrucks.com<br />
Insurance Agency<br />
Billy Parra Agency Director bparra@onthemovetrucks.com<br />
Jacquelyn Nash Sr. Account Executive jnash@onthemovetrucks.com<br />
Angie Reese Administrative Executive areese@onthemovetrucks.com<br />
David “Doc” Vaughn Customer Service Executive dvaughn@onthemovetrucks.com<br />
Derek Gariss Sr. Broker derek@onthemovetrucks.com<br />
Kurt Varela Account Executive kvarela@onthemovetrucks.com<br />
Admin Team<br />
Rebecca Johnson Controller rjohnson@onthemovetrucks.com<br />
Lexie Rose Staff Accountant lrose@onthemovetrucks.com<br />
Karen Lunski Customer Service Director karen@onthemovetrucks.com<br />
Noemi Farias Title and Registration Associate noemi@onthemovetrucks.com<br />
Juan Castillo Warehouse Manager Juan@onthemovetrucks.com<br />
2 | On The Move
Editor’s letter<br />
The Holiday season has snuck up on us once again! We wish you and your family a Happy<br />
Halloween, Happy Thanksgiving, and a Merry Christmas! Make sure to look for your<br />
planners that will be arriving in the mail before Thanksgiving.<br />
So much is going on with us at On The Move, it is hard to believe what all has been<br />
accomplished this year. We went from planning on attending zero events to twenty three.<br />
We have attended the ISS World Expo, SSA Fall Conference and several state association<br />
events are still on the horizon along with the National Association of Realtor show in San<br />
Diego. Make sure to stop by our booths or tables to learn more about all of our new<br />
programs and products.<br />
Additionally, our agency has rebranded their logo colors and is about to launch their<br />
completely brand new website. Simultaneously, they have launched their RV/Boat<br />
Deductible Reimbursement program, SecureOutdoor. Please reach out to them to learn<br />
more!<br />
If you would like to be featured in our magazine, advertise or submit articles, please let me<br />
know by emailing me at cj@onthemovetrucks.com or calling me at 800-645-9949.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
CJ Stratte, Marketing Director, On The Move, Inc.<br />
Events<br />
SHOW DATES LOCATION<br />
TXSSA Big Ideas Expo Oct - 3-5 San Antonio, TX<br />
Tom Ferry Summit Oct 5-7 Dallas, TX<br />
NJSSA and PASSA conference Oct 7-8 Manheim, PA<br />
TNSSA Conference Oct 12-13 Knoxville, TN<br />
NYSSA show Oct 13-14 Tarrytown, NY<br />
Southeastern SSA Oct 25-27 Alpharetta, GA<br />
Greatlakes SSA Oct 26-27 Chicago, IL<br />
Inman Oct 27-28 Vegas, NV<br />
OKSSA Nov 2 Tulsa, OK<br />
CJ Stratte, Marketing Director<br />
On The Move, Inc.<br />
P: 800-645-9949<br />
C: 210-378-8122<br />
28825 IH-10 W<br />
Boerne, TX 78006<br />
MDSSA and VASSA Nov 3-4 Tysons Corner, VA<br />
NCSSA Show Nov 8 Raleigh/Durham, NC<br />
NAR Nov 12-15 San Diego, CA<br />
TNSSA Nov 16 Nashville, TN<br />
On The Move | 3
On The Move News<br />
TEXAS SELF STORAGE ASSOCIATION LUNCHEON<br />
David Nasis, CJ Stratte, and Susan Parra represented On The Move as this luncheon.<br />
The turnout was incredible! They were excited to see many familiar faces and<br />
learned a lot from the panel!<br />
10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY<br />
Congrats to Karen Lunski for 10 years of service at On The Move.<br />
She has been an integral part of our admin team. We love her<br />
loyalty and eagerness to help!<br />
4 | On The Move
BILLBOARD TRUCK<br />
Check out our latest billboard truck. This is our very 1st truck ever<br />
owned by On The Move. We have transformed it into a billboard<br />
for us. It is parked across the highway from our headquarters in<br />
Boerne, Texas.<br />
Congrats to Tristan!<br />
We are very proud that Tristan had a 98% score on his<br />
standardized reading test. We hope to have him join our<br />
marketing team one day.<br />
GRAFFITI TEST<br />
Is graffiti a problem in your area? One of our customers found an<br />
awesome solution to add to your graphics. Check out this photo!<br />
They were able to just wipe the graffiti off their test graphics. Let<br />
us know if you would like more information.<br />
On The Move | 5
6 | On The Move<br />
NEW TRUCKS<br />
ON THE ROAD
On The Move | 7
Employee Spotlight<br />
BILLY PARRA<br />
Name: Billy Parra<br />
Position at On The Move:<br />
Agency Director at On the Move<br />
Insurance Agency<br />
When did you start<br />
working at On The<br />
Move? November 1, 2020<br />
Where are you from?<br />
I was born and raised in Mexico City,<br />
until I left for the US at 19.<br />
Alma mater? BS from<br />
University of North Carolina at<br />
Greensboro<br />
Hobbies: Golf and spending as<br />
much time as possible in Cabo.<br />
What did you do before<br />
On The Move? Owned a<br />
bar in Winter Springs, FL for 20<br />
years. Owned a computer export<br />
company for 18 years. Worked for 7<br />
years at Select Merchant Solutions<br />
which processed credit cards for the<br />
Self-Storage facilities, dentists and<br />
veterinarians.<br />
8 | On The Move
Favorite thing about<br />
On The Move? Never a dull<br />
moment and the fact that this<br />
company has so many revenue<br />
generating sides for storage owners.<br />
Tell us about your family:<br />
Met my wife, Susan, at the ISS<br />
Storage show in 2016.<br />
Favorite animal: Dogs<br />
Favorite music:<br />
Country music<br />
Proudest moment<br />
at On The Move?<br />
Being able to join and help the<br />
company grow.<br />
On The Move | 9
GETTING THE PROPERTY READY FOR THE WINTER<br />
BY CAROL MIXON-KRENDL, OWNER OF SKILCHECK SERVICES, INC.<br />
This topic really depends on which part of these beautiful United States that you live and<br />
work in. Since I am from Tucson, Arizona, we have very little winter weather, but we do get a<br />
sprinkling of snow on occasion. And, typically in July and August we experience our monsoon<br />
season with heavy rain and lots of lightning. So, depending on the climate where you live<br />
and work, it will make a huge difference in how you prepare your storage property for winter<br />
weather and the holiday season.<br />
• Watch and maintain roofs<br />
• Add pipe insulation to protect your plumbing and<br />
prevent frozen pipes<br />
• Ensure that all smoke and carbon monoxide<br />
detectors are in working order<br />
Let’s start with assessing your store’s risks. There<br />
are several hazards businesses need to watch out<br />
for when it comes to cold weather.<br />
Winter Weather Threats<br />
Here are just a few potential winter hazards to consider as<br />
you evaluate your specific risks:<br />
• Slip and fall injuries, slippery sidewalks, hallways, and<br />
office floors<br />
• Unsafe driving conditions even on the property<br />
• Road closures<br />
• Hypothermia and frostbite (yes, there have been frozen<br />
bodies found in storage spaces)<br />
• Structural stress and damage<br />
• Fire activity – customers using space heaters in the<br />
storage unit<br />
• Power outages<br />
Make a plan for bad weather and identify your risks. It<br />
is a good idea to sign up for winter storm warnings.<br />
Decide specific triggers (e.g., Power outage, snowstorm,<br />
etc.) and how you are going to operate the property in<br />
as safe a manner as possible. Keep in mind that many<br />
homeowners keep generators, snow blowers, etc. in their<br />
storage space. They will want access to their space prior<br />
to and sometimes during storms. Generally speaking,<br />
some owners open the main gates and allow customers<br />
to enter. Other owners may choose to close the property.<br />
If you close the property, it would be nice and prudent to<br />
notify the customers by email that the gates will be closed<br />
during the storm.<br />
Before storms hit, consider taking these<br />
preventative and preparedness measures:<br />
• Keep a variety of portable chargers and batteries to<br />
charge cell phones, radios (my kids laughed at this<br />
one), flashlights, etc.<br />
• Winter Weather Advisories are the least severe<br />
weather designation and suggest light wintery<br />
precipitation is expected which could create slick<br />
conditions and impact travel.<br />
• A Winter Storm Watch is the National Weather<br />
Service’s designation for storms anticipated to<br />
produce heavier precipitation resulting in snow,<br />
sleet, or ice.<br />
10 | On The Move
• A Winter Storm Warning is the highest severity<br />
designation and means there is a high level of certainty<br />
that a storm will produce snow, sleet, or ice.<br />
• Build an office winter weather safety kit and encourage<br />
employees to keep their own emergency supplies at<br />
home. At a minimum, these kits should include:<br />
• Flashlight and extra batteries<br />
• Battery-powered NOAA weather radio<br />
• Extra food and water<br />
• Extra prescription medicine<br />
• First-aid supplies<br />
• Emergency heat source (portable generator, fireplace, or<br />
space heater properly ventilated)<br />
• Fire extinguisher<br />
Build a winter emergency kit for your vehicle<br />
Of course, many employees don’t sit at a desk and must travel<br />
for work—even during winter driving conditions. In addition to<br />
fully inspecting and servicing vehicles before the winter season<br />
begins, ensure employees who must drive as part of their job<br />
duties carry the following:<br />
• Blankets<br />
• Sand or kitty litter<br />
• Tow rope<br />
• Flashlight<br />
• Bottled water<br />
• Non-perishable snacks<br />
• Warm clothes (mittens, hats, boots, jackets)<br />
• Snow shovel and brush<br />
• Cell phone charger<br />
• Spare tire<br />
• Jumper cables<br />
• First-aid kit<br />
Keep Everyone Informed<br />
Having a plan for how—and with whom—you will communicate<br />
when winter weather hits is equally important. Have accurate<br />
contact information on hand for third parties you may need<br />
to contact. Depending on the various action plans you’ve<br />
identified, this may include your utility provider, landlord, and<br />
insurance company. Identify how you will disseminate stormrelated<br />
information and maintain contact with employees<br />
during winter weather events. It’s also important to consider<br />
how you will keep customers and suppliers informed of impacts<br />
to your business. They also need to know about things like<br />
office closures or delayed openings.<br />
To communicate effectively, use technology to your advantage.<br />
E-mail alone may not be enough and calling several hundred<br />
customers isn’t practical either. E-mail and put signage up at<br />
the property fence, gate operator and office door to notify<br />
customers of a storm that is coming your way.<br />
Tis the season to be festive too! Since you will be in the office,<br />
be sure to decorate for the holiday season. I like to have a<br />
donation box/barrel for customers to give to Toys For Tots or a<br />
charity of your liking.<br />
For more information on On the Move Trucks and self-storage<br />
related training, go to SkilCheck’s YouTube channel!<br />
Enjoy the winter season and happy renting!<br />
On The Move | 11
Introducing Our Latest Prototype:<br />
Tear Drop Food/Bar Trailer<br />
We delivered to Dormie<br />
Group at Briggs Ranch<br />
for testing and are very<br />
excited to hear their<br />
feedback.<br />
12 | On The Move
WINTER PREP CHECKLIST<br />
for Self Storage Owners<br />
BY DEREK GARISS, ON THE MOVE INSURANCE AGENCY<br />
I grew up in the wilds of North Idaho. By the end of September, most people were dreaming of<br />
long winter days spent on the ski slopes. For those folks, winter is a great time. But for the rest<br />
of us in the Northern states, winter can be rough. If your self-storage property is located in one<br />
of these northern or mountainous states, you’ve probably experienced winter conditions and<br />
have seen the effects of extreme cold on your personal belongings as well as your self-storage<br />
facility.<br />
While your kids may love the idea of possible snow days from school, there are no snow days<br />
for business owners. Whether it snows three feet or the sun is shining, you’ve got to take care<br />
of your investment to ensure tenants are happy and the property is kept safe. If your property is<br />
in a northern state, check out this checklist to prepare for the cold and wet of winter.
Make sure you check out these simple to-do’s before winter<br />
hits your location. Being prepared and vigilant can help you<br />
prevent thousands of dollars in damages from freezing water<br />
and snow, and make your facility safe to access for tenants, no<br />
matter what time of year it is.<br />
Before winter:<br />
1. Check the structural integrity of the roof.<br />
Accumulating snow can put a lot of stress and weight<br />
on your roof, leading to leaks and water damage.<br />
Clean out the gutters, add extensions to downspouts,<br />
and check the roof for loose, damaged or missing<br />
shingles. If your roof is flat, rake or blow off debris,<br />
leaves, and pine needles. If your building had lots of<br />
icicles hanging on it last year, your roof may have an<br />
air leak or inadequate insulation. By having it repaired,<br />
you can save a lot of energy and prevent ice dams,<br />
which can cause meltwater to back up and flow into<br />
the building.<br />
2. Trim any tree branches that are hanging close to roofs<br />
and siding.<br />
3. Make sure your access control keypads are in<br />
good working condition. If necessary, check out<br />
weatherproofed keypad boxes to protect your keypad<br />
from water damage. If you have an outdoor selfservice<br />
kiosk on your property make sure that the shell<br />
of the kiosk has been properly maintained to function<br />
flawlessly in cold or wet weather.<br />
4. Secure on-demand snow removal services for your<br />
facility’s parking lot and driveway, or service your<br />
facility’s snow plow to prepare it for use. If you own<br />
your own snow plow make sure that it is in good<br />
working order and ready to use.<br />
5. Check and service your facility’s HVAC system,<br />
especially in your office and climate-controlled<br />
buildings.<br />
6. Replace worn-out weather stripping around doors and<br />
window sills to keep warm air inside. On the outside of<br />
your office or building, check for gaps between siding<br />
and doors and windows. If the gaps are bigger than<br />
the width of a nickel, you’ll need to reapply exterior<br />
caulk to prevent heat from escaping through windows<br />
and doors.<br />
7. Make sure the weather stripping on the roll up doors<br />
at your facility are in good shape to prevent water<br />
from melting snow running into the units.<br />
8. Test your sump pump by pouring several gallons of<br />
water into it to make sure the pump turns on when<br />
it should. You should always test your sump pump<br />
after a long dry period or before the start of a rainy or<br />
wintry season.<br />
Before the first freeze:<br />
1. Restock winter essentials like shovels, windshield<br />
scrapers, rubber doormats, and ice melt. If you have<br />
a space heater or snow blower, make sure it’s in good<br />
working condition.<br />
2. Ensure you have a winter storm emergency kit<br />
available in your office. Stock it with flashlights, a<br />
battery powered radio, waters, snack food, extra hats,<br />
socks, and mittens, a first aid kit, blankets, a charged<br />
power bank for cell phones, and jumper cables.<br />
3. Disconnect hoses from the tap and drain all water that<br />
remains in the faucets.<br />
4. Ensure your property managers all know how to shut<br />
off the building’s water valves in case a pipe bursts. If<br />
you have a backup generator, train managers on how<br />
to use it in the event of a power outage. Leave clear,<br />
posted instructions for how to shut off water valves<br />
and how to operate the backup generator in your<br />
office where all managers can access them.<br />
Before a winter storm:<br />
1. Contact your on-duty property managers and inform<br />
them of potential weather-related events, like changes<br />
to office or access hours and scheduled snow removal<br />
services.<br />
2. Immediately notify all impacted tenants of potential<br />
closures, changes to access hours, or scheduled snow<br />
removal services. Send updates to tenants through<br />
your management software and post changes to your<br />
office hours or access hours on your website to ensure<br />
tenant safety during winter weather.<br />
3. Post a list of emergency contacts and helpful phone<br />
numbers (like the phone number of your snow<br />
removal service and your local police or fire station) in<br />
the office where all managers can easily access it.<br />
While wintery conditions can be rough don’t let this affect<br />
your business’s potential. By prepping for winter weather<br />
months in advance, you’ll be able to handle whatever mother<br />
nature throws at you and impress your tenants with highquality<br />
customer service.
Featured Vehicles<br />
<strong>2021</strong> BMW X1 sDrive28i<br />
sDrive28i 4dr Sports Activity Vehicle<br />
Price: $37,499 :: Mileage: 3,677<br />
2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty XLT<br />
4x4 XLT 4dr Crew Cab 8 ft. LB Pickup<br />
Price: $49,999 :: Mileage: 115,993<br />
2019 Ford E-450<br />
16’ Food Truck with Platform Serving Area<br />
Price: $175,000 :: Mileage: 121<br />
2019 Toyota Highlander XLE<br />
AWD XLE 4dr SUV<br />
Price: $36,399 :: Mileage: 54,162<br />
Call 800-645-9949<br />
for more information.<br />
16 | On The Move
NET OPERATING INCOME,<br />
CAP RATES AND ANCILLARY<br />
PRODUCTS, OH MY.<br />
JACQUELYN NASH, ON THE MOVE INSURANCE AGENCY<br />
Whether you are a family owned business<br />
focusing on your legacy and retirement,<br />
a REIT or somewhere in between, our<br />
industry boils down to one key metric:<br />
Capitalization Rates or better known as<br />
Cap rates.<br />
Everyone is concerned with their facility’s<br />
value and the key to calculating, understanding<br />
and growing that value is cap<br />
rates. Cap rates, fundamentally look at the<br />
correlation of your net operating income<br />
and facility value. Cap rate is calculated by<br />
dividing a self-storage facility’s NOI by its<br />
current market value, yielding a percentage<br />
that reflects the potential return on<br />
investment.<br />
Cap rates fluctuate based on your market<br />
and the overall economy, but a good rule<br />
of thumb is lowering a cap rate by 1% increases<br />
facility value by $238,000 for every<br />
$100,000 of annual NOI. The industry<br />
wide, national average for cap rates thus<br />
far in <strong>2021</strong> is an exceptional 5.37%. The<br />
national average has been on a steady decline<br />
since 2009 with the last 5 years have<br />
seen cap rates under 6% consistently. The<br />
higher the cap rate, the lower your return<br />
and higher risk your investment will be.<br />
Low cap rates equate to low risk and a<br />
high reward, which makes our industry so<br />
unique and profitable. Self-storage is incredibly,<br />
a $39.5 billion dollar industry as<br />
of the start of <strong>2021</strong>, for context, global box<br />
office revenue is $23 billion in <strong>2021</strong>.<br />
Plenty of vendors will claim to be experts<br />
or attempt to sell you snake oils to improve<br />
your Net Operating Income or worse, their<br />
knowledge as an instrument to help you<br />
improve your own NOI without any tangible<br />
tools to do so. We pride ourselves on<br />
being different than your average vendor.<br />
On The Move and all of our products have<br />
been born from owner necessity. Our<br />
founder, built his first facility in the 1970s<br />
and founded On The Move in 1992 to<br />
serve his own turnkey truck rental need.<br />
Our insurance agency was founded to provide<br />
owners a product to increase rent rolls<br />
and facility value with a simple upgraded<br />
lease addendum. Our trucks provide many<br />
intangibles like 600 visual impressions per<br />
mile driven and an opportunity to earn<br />
community good will. Our founder noted<br />
the tangible 6% increase in occupancy at<br />
his first facility with the simple addition of<br />
a rental truck. Our industry leading tenant<br />
protection program can add an estimated<br />
$30,000 in annual profit, directly increasing<br />
rent rolls at a 500 unit facility adding<br />
$544,000 in value at a 5.75% cap rate, while<br />
minimizing exposure and ensuring a positive<br />
customer experience.<br />
We are always on the lookout for new<br />
ways to help serve you, the self-storage<br />
owner with three generations of our family<br />
involved in the business, we will continue<br />
to do so and grow with you for generations<br />
to come.<br />
On The Move | 17
5 TIPS FOR PACKING<br />
YOUR MOVING TRUCK<br />
BY CJ STRATTE, ON THE MOVE<br />
Did you know that there is a best way to pack your moving truck? Many people don’t<br />
realize that such “life instructions” exist. Instead, they just try to fit everything in,<br />
which can be time-consuming and frustrating.<br />
When you use a set of best practices, you’ll protect your items and make it easier to<br />
unload the rental truck at its destinations. Make your move more seamless and less<br />
stressful by using these five tips for loading a moving track—straight from our experts!<br />
ENSURE YOU HAVE THE<br />
RIGHT SUPPLIES<br />
Correctly packing your moving truck<br />
requires more than boxes and moving<br />
tape. You’ll need several moving supplies<br />
for packing:<br />
• Moving straps that hold bigger pieces<br />
in place.<br />
• Dollies for moving boxes and furniture,<br />
so it’s faster and reduces the<br />
strain on your body.<br />
• Moving blankets or wrap to cover<br />
furniture, especially those with glass.<br />
These items should prevent damage and<br />
injuries.<br />
KEEP IMPORTANT ITEMS<br />
IN YOUR CAB<br />
If you have very fragile items you want<br />
to protect, you should move them to the<br />
cab. By doing this, you have direct control<br />
over how it rides. When you get to your<br />
destination, be sure to bring those in first<br />
and set them aside.<br />
PLACE HEAVY ITEMS IN<br />
THE TRUCK FIRST<br />
In assessing all the things you’re moving,<br />
the heaviest pieces, usually appliances or<br />
furniture, should load in first. You’ll want<br />
them to be the closest to the cab. The<br />
reason for this is to ensure the support of<br />
their weight. You should also pay attention<br />
to balancing weight on each side.<br />
Continue to go down the line on what’s<br />
heaviest as you pack. That front space<br />
should contain things like couches, dressers,<br />
cabinets, mattresses and box springs.<br />
PUT SOFT OBJECTS BE-<br />
TWEEN FRAGILE ITEMS<br />
This tip makes sense, because the soft<br />
items create a buffer around your most<br />
fragile ones, such as mirrors or glass<br />
pieces. That goes for furniture, as well, so<br />
that it’s not rubbing up against each other,<br />
which can cause damage. Use pillows,<br />
blankets, comforters or bubble wrap.<br />
Doing this will also prevent furniture and<br />
boxes from shifting during transport. Less<br />
movement means an easier unload.<br />
LOAD WHAT YOU’LL NEED<br />
FIRST AT THE END<br />
Consider the things that you’ll need the<br />
most when you get to your new house.<br />
Then, put those in the back of the truck,<br />
so they are quickly accessible. That could<br />
include your dollies or more specific items<br />
like a coffee maker, household supplies or<br />
other personal items.<br />
THESE TIPS CAN MAKE<br />
YOUR MOVE EASIER<br />
By implementing these tips, your move<br />
just got easier. You can worry less about<br />
damage and be confident that your stuff<br />
will survive the ride.<br />
For more information on moving<br />
trucks, self-storage and more, be<br />
sure to check out more content on<br />
our blog.<br />
www.onthemovetrucks.com/about-us/blog/<br />
18 | On The Move
On The Move | 19
ON THE MOVE REPRESENTATION<br />
AT SSA TRADESHOW<br />
On The Move exhibited at the Self-Storage Association Fall Conference in Las Vegas. They showcased their<br />
Ford Transit 14’ Box Truck right on the trade show floor. Their Marketing Director, CJ Stratte, was chosen to<br />
speak on the topic of, “Word of Mouth isn’t Free.” Look to download the presentation at www.selfstorage.org.<br />
20 | On The Move
On The Move | 21
Catalytic Converter Thefts are on the<br />
Rise – How do we Prevent Them?<br />
BY LEXIE ROSE, ON THE MOVE<br />
During the year 2020, the On The Move community has incurred<br />
over $32,000 in costs related to catalytic converter theft.<br />
Why are catalytic converter thefts so common?<br />
Catalytic converters can be very valuable to scrap metal dealers<br />
as they contain precious metals such as rhodium, platinum,<br />
and palladium. While the thief will only make around $200 for<br />
the part, it can take less than 60 seconds to remove making it a<br />
profitable endeavor. The metal dealers who purchase the stolen<br />
parts and melt them down can make thousands depending on<br />
current metal prices and size/type of converter.<br />
What makes someone susceptible to catalytic<br />
converter theft?<br />
Sedans and coupes are certainly not exempt from this heinous<br />
crime, but larger vehicles such as SUV’s, Pick-up Trucks, and Box<br />
Trucks are much more likely to be targeted. Why? The higher<br />
up the vehicle is – the easier it is to get underneath with power<br />
tools to remove parts. Additionally, as is the case with a lot of<br />
our licensees, box trucks may have more than one catalytic<br />
converter which can be an easy way for a thief to double their<br />
profits.<br />
How does it affect you when your catalytic<br />
converter is stolen?<br />
If the truck sounds like a fleet of motorcycles when you start<br />
it – there’s a good chance that your catalytic converter has been<br />
stolen. Depending on the scope of damage, type of vehicle, and<br />
market labor rates, it can cost anywhere from $750 - $3,500 to<br />
repair any damage and replace a stolen catalytic converter. If<br />
you are insured with us, you will only have to incur your $1,000<br />
deductible, but increased claim payouts can have a negative<br />
effect on premiums for everyone. You will also be met with the<br />
inconvenience of finding a trusted repair facility and the truck<br />
being out of commission for a short period of time while repairs<br />
take place.<br />
How do we prevent catalytic converter theft?<br />
Upon noticing the increase in catalytic converter thefts affecting<br />
our customers and even some of our very own vehicles here in<br />
Boerne, TX, I did some research into prevention. Some of the<br />
most common deterrents are:<br />
- Parking in a well-lit area, especially if there is one with<br />
video surveillance<br />
- Parking in a garage or fenced-in area with an alarm<br />
- Refrain from keeping the vehicle in the same public space<br />
for prolonged periods of time<br />
- Having the VIN etched into the converter for easy<br />
identification after theft<br />
These are solid tips, but I was looking for something a little<br />
more “Heavy Duty” when it came to solutions. In my research I<br />
came across a product called CatClamp® – a patented converter<br />
lock. Designed in coordination with professional metalworkers,<br />
engineers, and fleet managers, the lock creates a cage around<br />
the converter by way of the exhaust using aircraft grade wire<br />
rope that is even difficult to cut with power tools.<br />
The CatClamp®:<br />
Starting at $169.95, the clamp can potentially save a lot of<br />
time and money. Installation can be done professionally but<br />
does not need to be – as long as you are able to get under the<br />
vehicle you should be able to install the clamp yourself. Theft<br />
is most often a crime of opportunity – the more difficult and<br />
time consuming you make it for the catalytic converter thieves,<br />
the higher the chance the thief will abandon the attempt. Also,<br />
these aren’t just for box-trucks, the universal clamp is likely<br />
to fit any vehicle with an exhaust that is 3” or less in diameter<br />
and model-specific clamps are available for other heavy duty<br />
commercial vehicles.<br />
If you would like one for your own truck, you can purchase one<br />
from us. Please call us at 800-645-9949 to order.<br />
22 | On The Move
RECIPES<br />
CARAMEL APPLES<br />
Ingredients<br />
2 cups sugar<br />
1/4 cup light corn syrup<br />
1/2 cup heavy cream<br />
2 tablespoons unsalted butter<br />
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract<br />
Kosher salt<br />
6 medium very crisp apples (such as Honeycrisp, Red<br />
Delicious, Pink Lady or Granny Smith), well washed<br />
and dried<br />
Nonstick cooking spray, for the parch<br />
Directions<br />
Special equipment:<br />
A candy thermometer; 6 candy apple sticks, large<br />
lollipop sticks or dowel rods, cut to 5-inch lengths<br />
with one end sharpened<br />
1. Add the sugar, corn syrup and 1/2 cup water<br />
to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir a<br />
few times before the sugar begins to boil to combine<br />
the ingredients. Attach a candy thermometer to the<br />
inside of the pan and bring the syrup to a boil. Cook<br />
until the syrup begins to turn an amber color, then<br />
swirl the syrup to even out the color. Continue to<br />
cook until the syrup is a deep amber and the thermometer<br />
reads between 375 and 380 degrees F, then<br />
remove from the heat. Carefully pour in the cream<br />
and gently whisk to combine. Stir in the butter,<br />
vanilla and a pinch of salt until smooth. Keep off the<br />
heat but keep the thermometer attached to the pan.<br />
2. Pierce the apples through the stem ends about halfway<br />
through with candy apple sticks. Line a baking<br />
sheet with parchment and lightly spray with nonstick<br />
cooking spray.<br />
3. When the temperature of the caramel reads around<br />
190 degrees F, dip an apple, using the stick as a<br />
handle and swirling to coat completely. Allow excess<br />
caramel to drip off the bottom and use a spatula<br />
to help remove any large amount of caramel, as it<br />
will pool around the apple when you set it down<br />
to cool on the lined baking sheet. Repeat with the<br />
remaining apples, gently heating the caramel on<br />
the stovetop over low heat, stirring, if it gets too<br />
thick for dipping. Allow the caramel to set and cool<br />
completely before serving or wrapping apples, about<br />
1 hour. (See Cook’s Note.)<br />
Cook’s Note<br />
To add toppings, dip apples in mini chocolate candies,<br />
shredded coconut, crushed cookies or chopped nuts<br />
immediately after coating with caramel.
TRUCK OF<br />
THE QUARTER<br />
GUARDIAN STORAGE<br />
SOLUTION<br />
26 | On The Move
We asked Guardian Storage Solutions<br />
a few questions about their business.<br />
1. When and how did you get<br />
into the self-storage or real<br />
estate industry?<br />
Steven Cohen opened the<br />
first Guardian Storage in the<br />
East Liberty/Shadyside area<br />
nearly 35 years ago in 1987.<br />
He discovered real estate<br />
development and establishing<br />
a brand as the ideal outlet for<br />
his high energy and creative<br />
spirit. Within the broad space<br />
of development, self-storage<br />
provided an opportunity to<br />
take what had been viewed<br />
as a low-quality category<br />
and create something different<br />
that would dramatically<br />
improve the perceptions and<br />
value of storage.<br />
2. Where is your facility or<br />
business located?<br />
Guardian currently has 20 storage<br />
properties in the Greater<br />
Pittsburgh area and 11 in Colorado<br />
in the cities surrounding<br />
Denver.<br />
3. How do you use your truck<br />
rental program?<br />
We offer free use (except for<br />
a $20 insurance waiver fee) of<br />
our trucks to tenants to facilitate<br />
the move in process.<br />
On The Move | 27
5. Any truck rental tips you’d like to share?<br />
Just the basics – inspect the truck before and<br />
after rental, have a clear, structured program<br />
with regard to what is included in the rental<br />
versus what will cost extra, and make sure the<br />
customer understands it. Keep a reservation<br />
calendar and require proof of a valid driver’s<br />
license.<br />
6. What is your favorite feature of the truck?<br />
The brand exposure and capacity for transporting<br />
large items and a large volume of<br />
items.<br />
7. Any special stories that you would like to<br />
share about your facility or truck?<br />
The free use of our truck is one of our most<br />
popular amenities. It helps differentiate us<br />
from our competitors.<br />
28 | On The Move
8. Where do you park your<br />
truck?<br />
In the parking lots of our properties<br />
where they will be visible<br />
to a passerby.<br />
9. How do you market your<br />
truck?<br />
On our website, in social media<br />
content, organic search listings<br />
and in stores.<br />
10. Do you offer your truck to<br />
any charities?<br />
Yes, The Education Partnership<br />
has used our trucks several<br />
times, among many other organizations.<br />
We also use our truck<br />
each year to deliver school<br />
supplies we’ve collected to The<br />
Education Partnership as well<br />
as items to local shelters after<br />
our annual coat and sock drive.<br />
On The Move | 29
RESOURCE GUIDE<br />
For truck claims ...................................... 855-923-2088<br />
For truck liability claims........................... 800-987-3373<br />
SecureLease claims.................................. 212-269-8220<br />
Windshield/Glass Repair.......................... 800-645-9949<br />
On The Move Roadside Assistance.......... 888-242-9044<br />
Order supplies.......................................... 800-645-9949<br />
Request cert/ID card................................ 800-645-9949<br />
ACTION!2.0.............................................. 800-645-9949<br />
Submit address change<br />
Email: admin@onthemovetrucks.com<br />
Important Websites:<br />
www.onthemovetrucks.com<br />
www.onthemovevehicles.com<br />
www.onthemoveinsurance.com<br />
www.otmrentals.com<br />
On The Move | 31