OKLAHOMA WRECKER OWNERS ASSOCIATION
300 SW 29TH
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73109-6793
(405) 319-1724
Second Quarter, 2003
DEAR FELLOW WRECKER OWNERS:
This newsletter is for non-members. If you receive this newsletter you are not listed as a member of the OWOA. We would like to invite to join us as we improve our industry and make changes to help us survive in these hard times. There is an application in this newsletter. Please use it to join. If you have 1 wrecker dues for 12 months are $160.00. That breaks down to $13.34 per month. Just the increase in the After Hours Release fee would more than pay that every month.
The mail labels have changed. The date showing on the label is the due date of dues. Newly licensed wreckers will have no date. If you are a past member, there will be a date when your dues would be due. (If it shows 1900 as the year, ignore it. I don’t want to try to explain it.)
By the time you receive this newsletter the 2003 DPS Administrative Rules Meeting will be over and the rules changes requested by the DPS will be on the way to the Legislature for approval. The changes should show up in the next “Reg” manual coming out at the first of next year.
FINAL NOTICE!!!
HEAVY DUTY TOWING AND RECOVERY SCHOOL
May 2nd & 3rd – Oklahoma City – OKC Police & Fire Training Center
Tom Luciano is the instructor. Last time we covered light duty and heavy duty and Tommy felt that a single heavy duty school would be a better approach. There were many things and circumstances that he felt he wanted to address but there just wasn’t time enough. Everyone that attended the school enjoyed it and learned many things. Again we offer a full un-conditional refund to any wrecker owner that doesn’t feel they got their money’s worth from the school. This is a hands on, “no holds barred”, training. There is more to this than class room. You will see and learn things that you never even thought of trying. It will not only make your job easier, it will make it safer. You also won’t abuse your equipment. This is the last newsletter you will get before class starts.
Last year Gene Fitzpatrick and S. T. Bolding (DPS Wrecker Services) attended the school and learned a great deal. Did you notice it was more difficult to “bull” your way through a recovery invoice? We have invited many Troop Commanders to attend this year. It seems that they are becoming concerned that some wrecker operators don’t seem to know what they are doing and they want to be sure the roadways get cleared in a timely and safe manner. But they want to know what’s right first. I envision a day when a test or some certification is needed to be able to run a rotation call. If you don’t feel real comfortable with some recoveries or procedures, you may want to consider attending the class. It might seem expensive, but it can make you a lot of money and save you a lot of expense. No one will be embarrassed. Everyone goes to learn.
The fees are $350.00 for non-members ($250 for members) with a non-refundable deposit of $100.00 (due by April 12th), which will hold your spot. At the door the day of the school the fees will be $400.00 per head for non-members ($300 for members). The second person (or more) from the same towing business will get a $100.00 per head discount ($100.00 deposit required for savings). If you attend the school and don’t think you got your money’s worth, simply ask for your refund in writing and we will refund the entire fee you paid. But you must attend the school to get the deposit back. There will be valuable door prizes and lunch will be served at the school. An application should be in this newsletter, if not, contact the OWOA for a copy.
The Level 1 & Level 2 of the TRAA Certification Test will be administered Saturday after class. The fees for testing are not included in the price of the school, call for an application to sit for the certification test. We need 3 weeks notice to sit for the Certification Test so we can have a test form sent for you. We will not be able to accept applications at the door for the exam unless we have extra copies, and that is a big IF.
DPS WRECKER LICENSE FEE INCREASE?
Almost every wrecker owner gets upset when they loose a towing job to a wrecker that isn’t licensed. Just recently my business started requiring vehicles being towed out of the storage facility to be licensed wreckers or have proof of ownership that matches the owner’s name on the towing vehicle. Many wrecker owners are already doing this. I decided to start this procedure when a “G” licensed wrecker joined the OWOA to help us fight unlicensed wreckers. It seems a car lot hired a “cheaper” non-licensed wrecker to do “repo” work and took his customer away.
The DPS only has 2 inspectors for the entire state. With the current budget problems in Oklahoma, it looks like we aren’t going to get any more for some time. I wondered what would happen if we increase the licensing fees and acquire more inspectors to help fight the illegal wrecker problem. It is all the two inspectors can do just to keep up with new equipment inspections and investigating complaints. There isn’t enough time for them to be able to check into illegal wrecker complaints effectively. There have been several cases filed and several illegal wreckers have ceased operation, but the problem is more than 2 inspectors can handle.
Perhaps an increase in licensing fees would help the Legislators justify hiring a few additional inspectors and becoming more aggressive at stopping illegal wreckers. We might even suggest an increase in penalties and fines for illegal wreckers to help support additional inspectors. This is something we need to think about and decide for our industry. We won’t make the illegal wreckers go away without some action. We need to decide how to resolve this problem. Why should legal wreckers pay high insurance premiums, meet all the requirements and still have someone take customers away due to an unfair advantage? We don’t mind anyone starting a business, but they need to play/work by the same rules and laws that everyone else does. Do you think this is a good idea?
If you subscribe to TOW TIMES you will notice the March issue has some articles and an editorial about vehicles being dumped on wrecker owners and how some states have passed laws to help wrecker owners get paid. Some pose penalties by suspending driver’s licenses and some don’t allow the vehicle owner to register another vehicle until the fees are paid. Gee, doesn’t that sound familiar for some reason?
We need to contact our Legislators and point out to them that it isn’t just Oklahoma that has a problem with vehicles being dumped. When a wrecker owner helps clear the roadway at the request of a law enforcement officer, it should follow that the wrecker owner should be paid for his service. We are not allowed to choose which cars are towed. We can’t even decide what fees we can charge. We are required to respond to a certain percentage of wrecker calls or we can be removed from rotation. We need to be paid when we help the public at the request of law enforcement. If we don’t move the disabled vehicles, then traffic doesn’t flow.
There may come a time when a wrecker pulls up to an accident scene and sees an old “junker” and decides this call isn’t worth the trouble. He will tell the law enforcement officer his truck is not working properly and leave the call for his competitor to lose money and time on, which might be you. Many times it costs more than the car is worth to dispose of it, not counting the towing fees you lose also. The legislators don’t understand this. They believe we get paid on almost every call. The insurance companies tell the legislators “wreckers just let cars set on some land and charge big fees and make lots of money”. They don’t tell them how many times they take photos and walk away and don’t pay anything to wrecker owners. Someone needs to tell the legislators what’s happening. Don’t you think someone should tell your side of the story? We are trying, but we could sure use some help. Whether you join us or not, please let your legislator know of your concerns about getting paid.
NEXT MEETING - APRIL 8TH – TULSA
I didn’t get any calls for places for the next meeting so I jumped ahead to Tulsa. Our next meeting will be at Frank’s Country Inn located at 8140 E. 27th in Tulsa. The buffet is $8.99 plus drink. The meeting will be the second Tuesday of April which is April 8th. The meal starts at 7:00 PM (or when you get there) and the meeting starts at 8:00 PM. We will cover the progress of our bills in the legislature. We may have another insurance agency that is offering wrecker coverage in the state. I am sure we will have a few surprises also. I hope to see you there.
Owoa PRESENTS
Tom Luciano Towing and Recovery School
Heavy-Duty Wrecker Training Seminar
Friday & Saturday – May 2nd & 3rd - 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Thursday Evening (May 1st) “Brainstorming” – 7:00 PM – Open to ALL.
Classroom will cover:
PLUS: HANDS-ON DEMONSTRATIONS
Pre-Register by April 12th = $100.00 non refundable deposit needed
OWOA MEMBER (with paid deposit) = $250.00 per head
Additional participants from same member company= $150.00 per head
($100 Deposit needed for Additional Employees - $50.00 due at the Door)
Members Registering at the Door = $300.00
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Pre-Registered ($100.00 paid deposit) Non-Member = $350.00/head
Non-Member registering at the Door = $400.00/head
Mail registration fees to: OWOA, 300 SW 29th, OKC, OK 73109
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SCHOOL REGISTRATION (Please Print)
Company Name ____________________________ Phone___________________
Address________________________City _________________ST____Zip_______
Amount Included $___________ Member= Yes No Balance Due $___________
Student Name(s)_____________________________________________________
TRAA Certification Test: Lvl 1 _____________ Lvl 2 ____________________ You must be Level One Certified to take Level 2. Fees are not included in T&R Class. Application and 2 passport photos needed 3 weeks before class starts (April 14th)
OWOA use only…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Deposit included _______ Full Fees paid ______ Ck # _________ Date _____ Amt$__________ |
May 2nd & 3rd, 2003 – 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM - Friday and Saturday
Money back guarantee – If not satisfied, fees will be refunded. No questions asked.
Oklahoma City Police and Fire Training Center
(Due West of Oklahoma State Fairgrounds)