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The blog post Tow truck drivers rally to improve response to ‘Move Over’ Law was originally seen on Apex Towing

The drivers lined up to greet Governor Cuomo during a CNY visit

GEDDES (WSYR-TV)

When Gov. Andrew Cuomo arrived at the New York State Fairgrounds to announce Phase II of renovations, he was greeted by rows of tow trucks lining both sides of State Fair Boulevard.

Operators say the goal was to get help improving compliance with the State’s Move Over Law.

Most of the drivers lined up end-to-end could quickly name someone who died on the job.

“The last funeral we had to go to was for James Homkey in Canajoharie two weeks ago. He was the tow truck operator killed on the NYS Thruway,” said Tina Lyon, a tow truck operator.

On Friday, a NYS Thruway worker died when he was hit by a vehicle while helping two tow truck operators in Herkimer County.

Among the men and women lining State Fair Boulevard as the Governor arrived were workers from Northern Lights Auto Service in Mattydale, who buried their boss, Todd Young, five years ago this month.

“It devastated his family. Still to this day, there’s not a day that goes by that his family isn’t affected by it,” said Nathaniel Sherman, an employee of Northern Lights.

While New York law does require drivers to move over for tow truck operators – many workers say not enough people are paying attention when they see the flashing lights.

“Nobody takes them seriously really. Nobody is slowing down and moving over for the yellow lights because everybody has them,” Lyon said. “So, we are asking the Governor to amend the Move Over Law to allow tow truck operators to have the blue rear-facing lights, so when we do our job. It’s a little easier for the public to see.”

The law now includes sanitation vehicles in addition to tow trucks and emergency vehicles. Violators could be fined up to $400 and get three points on their license. Sherman says that’s not enough.

“It takes a blink of any eye for someone to lose their life….where a ticket – they can pay the fine and go about their day,” he adds. “Unless there are some real stiff penalties to the point where it sets into these people, they are not going to listen.”

Lyon says she has sent letters to the Governor, but hasn’t heard back. She organized the rally quickly after hearing he would be visiting the fairgrounds this week.

Her efforts reach beyond the state lawmakers – she wants every driver to think carefully as they hurry home at the end of the day.

“We’re usually competitors. But, for a cause like this we do band together as a whole and try to get the word out there,” she said. “Please slow down and move over because we all want to go home too.”

Read more: http://www.localsyr.com/news/local-news/tow-truck-drivers-rally-to-improve-response-to-move-over-law

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The following post Tow truck drivers rally to improve response to ‘Move Over’ Law See more on: Apex Towing

The drivers lined up to greet Governor Cuomo during a CNY visit

GEDDES (WSYR-TV)

When Gov. Andrew Cuomo arrived at the New York State Fairgrounds to announce Phase II of renovations, he was greeted by rows of tow trucks lining both sides of State Fair Boulevard.

Operators say the goal was to get help improving compliance with the State’s Move Over Law.

Most of the drivers lined up end-to-end could quickly name someone who died on the job.

“The last funeral we had to go to was for James Homkey in Canajoharie two weeks ago. He was the tow truck operator killed on the NYS Thruway,” said Tina Lyon, a tow truck operator.

On Friday, a NYS Thruway worker died when he was hit by a vehicle while helping two tow truck operators in Herkimer County.

Among the men and women lining State Fair Boulevard as the Governor arrived were workers from Northern Lights Auto Service in Mattydale, who buried their boss, Todd Young, five years ago this month.

“It devastated his family. Still to this day, there’s not a day that goes by that his family isn’t affected by it,” said Nathaniel Sherman, an employee of Northern Lights.

While New York law does require drivers to move over for tow truck operators – many workers say not enough people are paying attention when they see the flashing lights.

“Nobody takes them seriously really. Nobody is slowing down and moving over for the yellow lights because everybody has them,” Lyon said. “So, we are asking the Governor to amend the Move Over Law to allow tow truck operators to have the blue rear-facing lights, so when we do our job. It’s a little easier for the public to see.”

The law now includes sanitation vehicles in addition to tow trucks and emergency vehicles. Violators could be fined up to $400 and get three points on their license. Sherman says that’s not enough.

“It takes a blink of any eye for someone to lose their life….where a ticket – they can pay the fine and go about their day,” he adds. “Unless there are some real stiff penalties to the point where it sets into these people, they are not going to listen.”

Lyon says she has sent letters to the Governor, but hasn’t heard back. She organized the rally quickly after hearing he would be visiting the fairgrounds this week.

Her efforts reach beyond the state lawmakers – she wants every driver to think carefully as they hurry home at the end of the day.

“We’re usually competitors. But, for a cause like this we do band together as a whole and try to get the word out there,” she said. “Please slow down and move over because we all want to go home too.”

Read more: http://www.localsyr.com/news/local-news/tow-truck-drivers-rally-to-improve-response-to-move-over-law

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The article Local tow truck wins national tow truck beauty contest is courtesy of ApexTowinging – Galway

BATAVIA — Painted turquoise and purple with silver chains and large stars, Parise’s Auto and Towing’s 2001 Freightliner FL 120 won first place in the working truck category of the national Shine ‘n Star Tow Truck Photo Beauty Contest, hosted by Tow Times magazine and powered by Ford Trucks.

Chosen out of 550 entries submitted over five categories, the truck from the Batavia business was cobbled together out of five different trucks, including a 1981 fire truck headed to the junkyard, and the appearance was altered to look more aerodynamic.

Everything was painted and designed in-house.

The colors painted on the tow truck — turquoise, purple and silver — were the original palette when the business started 60 years ago. Different paint schemes were tried out, and according to Elaina Dickinson, one of the owners of the family-owned business, she and her father Mark Dickinson, another owner, painted as they went along.

“We went with the chains because in towing you use chains in order to tow,” Elaina said. “The truck we think looks like a spaceship, hence the stars on it.”

The design of the truck took about a month in planning, she said, and the creation of the truck itself started in 2010 and ended in 2014, shortly before Elaina entered the contest, desiring to show off the unique truck.

“We thought it was a long shot that we could put our truck in there and maybe have it seen by some people,” she said, admitting that the fact that they won first place came as a shock.

In the beginning of October, Tow Times magazine called to inform Parise’s Auto and Towing they were one of the finalists and a few weeks later, the family-owned business was informed it took first place. In this month’s issue, the 2001 Freightliner FL 120 was shown among the other winners and will have a feature article on it in the magazine sometime in the spring.

“It’s a great honor. It puts Batavia on the map,” Mark said, crediting the design of the truck to his 24-year-old daughter.

The truck is one in a fleet of 16.

Parise’s Auto and Towing started in 1956 with Ralph and Joan Parise, one of the many garages located in Batavia in the 1950s. However, it didn’t buy it’s first tow truck until 1981 when it took on AAA.

“Every year after 1981, we grew. We did AAA all the way up until 2003,” Mark said. “Now it has kind of come full circle back where we are a little mom and pop shop again.”

Read more: http://www.thedailynewsonline.com/bdn01/local-tow-truck-wins-national-tow-truck-beauty-contest-20161114

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via Apex Towing All Blogs https://apextowing.wordpress.com/2016/11/25/local-tow-truck-wins-national-tow-truck-beauty-contest/

Man tries to escape tow truck and fails spectacularly See more on: Apex Towing Galway Blog

Find original: http://www.autoblog.com/2016/10/26/man-tries-to-escape-tow-truck-and-fails-spectacularly/

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The blog post Chaos at LAX as China Southern Airlines plane slams into tow truck on the tarmac is available on http://galway.apextowing.ie

A tow truck collided with the China Southern Airlines plane it was pulling at Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday night.

The collision took place at about 11.55pm, airport spokesman Frederick Badlissi said in a statement to DailyMail.com.

He said that ‘an aircraft tug towing China Southern flight 328 for departure to Guangzhou hit the Airbus A380 aircraft.

Scroll down for video

‘The tug driver sought medical attention through his company provider. No injuries were reported among the 447 passengers and flight crew aboard the aircraft.’

The truck driver had minor injuries, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Badlissi said that ‘The incident occurred on a taxi lane located between the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) and Terminal 4.

‘Passengers deplaned by using portable stairs and were returned to TBIT, and were accommodated via rescheduling, refunds or hotel rooms.

‘While awaiting accommodations and rescheduling, passengers were provided bottled water and snacks.’

Badlissi revealed that the plane was towed at 4.30am to a gate at Tom Bradley International Terminal.

He said that ‘three flights were cancelled: the China Southern flight, as well as two American Airlines flights at Terminal 4, impacting approximately 1060 passengers’.

‘American Airlines accommodated the passengers on their cancelled flight,’ Badlissi said. ‘China Southern flight’s regular departure is 10:20 p.m.’

Badlissi said the cause of the collision remains under investigation.

Man tries to escape tow truck and fails spectacularly See more on: Apex Towing Galway Blog

Find original: http://www.autoblog.com/2016/10/26/man-tries-to-escape-tow-truck-and-fails-spectacularly/

Call us if you need a tow truck

The blog post Chaos at LAX as China Southern Airlines plane slams into tow truck on the tarmac is available on http://galway.apextowing.ie

A tow truck collided with the China Southern Airlines plane it was pulling at Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday night.

The collision took place at about 11.55pm, airport spokesman Frederick Badlissi said in a statement to DailyMail.com.

He said that 'an aircraft tug towing China Southern flight 328 for departure to Guangzhou hit the Airbus A380 aircraft.

Scroll down for video

'The tug driver sought medical attention through his company provider. No injuries were reported among the 447 passengers and flight crew aboard the aircraft.'

The truck driver had minor injuries, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Badlissi said that 'The incident occurred on a taxi lane located between the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) and Terminal 4.

'Passengers deplaned by using portable stairs and were returned to TBIT, and were accommodated via rescheduling, refunds or hotel rooms.

'While awaiting accommodations and rescheduling, passengers were provided bottled water and snacks.'

Badlissi revealed that the plane was towed at 4.30am to a gate at Tom Bradley International Terminal.

He said that 'three flights were cancelled: the China Southern flight, as well as two American Airlines flights at Terminal 4, impacting approximately 1060 passengers'.

'American Airlines accommodated the passengers on their cancelled flight,' Badlissi said. 'China Southern flight’s regular departure is 10:20 p.m.'

Badlissi said the cause of the collision remains under investigation.