Towing News Now

License plate reader cameras have become one of the most talked-about tools in towing and parking enforcement, and not always for the right reasons. Today we sit down with Marcus Oliver, VP of Security at Parkva, to unpack what mobile LPR technology actually does, how it changes nightly patrol work, and where operators can get burned if privacy and policy are treated like an afterthought.

We dig into the difference between s...

A tow call can go from routine to life-threatening in seconds, and the news stories we’re seeing lately make that impossible to ignore. We start with the day-to-day realities of summer operations, including why back-to-school traffic is a real safety event for tow truck drivers and anyone running a fleet. School zones, buses, and distracted drivers change the risk picture fast, so we talk through the mindset and habits that k...

A tow bill is easy to complain about until you’re the one standing on the shoulder at 2 a.m. trying to get traffic moving again. We get real about the towing and recovery industry, from the tools that make a heavy tow possible to the risks that come with doing the job inches from speeding traffic. 

We’re joined by Richard Branch of Precision Towing (Rhode Island), who built his company from one truck into a ...

Rush-hour gridlock, a leaking saddle tank, and a stranger in civilian clothes telling the tow operator “don’t touch it” sounds like a movie scene. It was real, and it’s the moment that pushed Perry Beatty from traditional towing into hazmat spill response, environmental cleanup, and training that now helps recovery operators work faster and safer.

We talk through what changed in the late 80s and early...

A heavy recovery can look “easy” right up until physics, ground conditions, and rushed decision-making cash the check. We walk through a real incident shared by Kentucky tow operator Josh Payne where a low-price plan, light cribbing, mismatched rigging, and zero willingness to reset led to a 60-ton wrecker tipping onto its side during a lift in unstable sand. Nobody was hurt, but the lesson is the kind you only want to ...

One phone call can decide whether a tow job gets finished safely or turns into a long, expensive wait. We talk about what fast fulfillment really looks like at Towing Equipment Direct, including how we process orders, ship same-day when we can, and choose shipping options based on when the box will actually hit your doorstep. If you’ve ever needed a strap, cable, or recovery gear yesterday, you’ll recognize why we obses...

A tow call can flip from routine to life-changing in seconds, and this week’s stories make that painfully clear. We start by catching up from the Towing Equipment Direct studios, including a real-world reminder that summer heat, dehydration, and electrolytes affect how you feel and how you perform on the job. Staying sharp isn’t just personal wellness, it’s part of professional towing safety.

We also share ...

A tow call can feel routine right up until it is not, and this week’s stories show the full emotional range of towing and recovery. We start with devastating news out of Chandler, Arizona, where a tow operator is lost in a fiery crash. We talk through what these scenes look like, why they are so dangerous, and why it matters when bystanders and fellow professionals step in to help even when the outcome is heartbreaking.

A heavy duty recovery can look like “just a few hours” to the outside world, right up until you learn what it costs to be ready at 2 a.m. with the right people, training, and equipment. We’re joined by Jared Ennis of All-Star Towing and RMW Towing, a longtime leader in the Missouri Tow Truck Association, to get honest about the towing and recovery industry from the inside. We talk fleet realities, statewide covera...

Tow trucks don’t just move broken cars, they sit at the intersection of public safety, insurance money, and human panic. That’s why our conversation with Joey Gagne lands hard. Joey has built a major towing operation across Southern Ontario and now serves as president of the Canadian Towing Association, giving him a front-row view of what happens when regulation meets real-world roadside chaos.

We talk about Onta...

A few lines of legislation can flip towing and storage operations on their head, especially when the public assumes the tower is always the problem. We sit down with Jared Vornado, owner of Vornado and Sons Towing and Recovery in Denham Springs and president of the Towing and Recovery Professionals of Louisiana, to walk through what’s happening at the Louisiana Capitol and what it means on the ground for towers, storage yards...

A tow contract that hasn’t changed since 2012 sounds harmless until you price a new truck, renew insurance, fuel up, and try to hire a solid driver who will do the job safely at 2 a.m. That’s the pressure behind our conversation with returning guest Rick Rayner from Quality Towing and Service Center in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

We walk through how police authorized tow rates can get stuck for a decade while t...

When you’re on the side of the road, the “best” towing gear is the gear that connects fast, holds right, and doesn’t make you fight it. We sit down with Wes and April Wilburn to talk about what’s changing at TowingEquipmentDirect.com, why their customers keep saying the same thing, and how hands-on product support can be just as valuable as the hardware you’re buying.

We get into the pract...

A car gets towed after a traffic stop. Twelve hours later, police show up at the tow yard with one message: evacuate, the vehicle may contain bomb-making materials. That’s the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina story we break down, and it’s a gut-check for anyone in towing and recovery, dispatch, or impound operations.

We’re joined by Rick Rahner and Robin Rahner from Quality Towing in Myrtle Beach to walk throug...

In case you missed it.......A bold merger sets a new standard for towing safety, training, and career growth. We bring together Cardinal Legacy Towing Group and the American Towing and Recovery Institute to create the American Towing and Recovery Training Division, headquartered in St. Louis with a permanent training facility on the way. From light-duty recoveries to EV incidents and fire and rescue coordination, we map out a pract...

Frozen shoulders, tight yards, and a clock that never stops—this conversation dives into how real towing teams stay safe and sharp when the weather and the work stack the odds. We start with the small habits that compound into big wins: spare socks to fight moisture, warm hats and gloves to preserve judgment, and a plan to avoid the traffic side whenever possible. Those choices may sound simple, but they are the difference be...

Roads close, fuel leaks, and everyone looks around for the team that can make the chaos stop. We sat down with Perry Beatty—a towing veteran turned hazmat innovator—to map the journey from $8 tows to rapid spill response, patents, and hands-on training that helps operators control scenes faster and safer. If you’ve ever wondered how a towing company can expand into environmental cleanup without losing focus, this ...

Ready to change how a towing company grows, leads, and earns trust? We sit down with Jeff Bauer, president of Cardinal Legacy Group, to unpack how a small A-to-B operation modeled itself after local giants, then earned the chance to carry those legacies forward through disciplined acquisitions in St. Louis, Kansas City, and Naples. The story isn’t just expansion—it’s the playbook behind it: align people to strengt...

Want your team to run smoother and your stress to drop? We sat down with Cardinal Legacy Towing Group’s CEO, Kurtis Barks, to unpack a simple idea with outsized impact: put the right people in the right roles and teach leaders how to lead. From towing and recovery to body shops and insurance, the same patterns show up—great operators get promoted, then drown in management chaos. Kurtis walks us through the Trailblazer L...