Peak Trailer Group Forms Peak Wrecker LLC

Peak Wrecker to Sell & Service Wreckers from Miller Industries

February 4, 2019 – Peak Trailer Group is pleased to announce the formation of Peak Wrecker LLC. Peak Wrecker provides Miller Industries wrecker bodies and towing equipment fabrication, installation, and service in south Texas. Peak Wrecker supports Miller’s Vulcan, Century, and Holmes product lines, along with all makes of used wreckers. Peak Wrecker also carries towing trailers from Trail-Eze.

Peak has pulled together a team of industry veterans to sell and service wreckers from their San Antonio, Texas, facility.

• Jim Paules, General Manager for Peak Trailer and Peak Wrecker in San Antonio, has a history with Miller Industries, after working at commercial truck dealerships for over 20 years. Prior to joining Peak in November 2017, Jim was the general manager for a large Miller Distributor in the U.S.

• Randy Olson, Peak Wrecker Sales Manager for New & Used Wreckers, previously worked for Miller Industries for 27 years, as National Sales Manager, then Vice President of Marketing. After leaving Miller Industries, Randy managed the operations of a wrecker distributorship for 1.5 years. He is passionate about the towing industry and serves on the Towing and Recovery Association of America Education Foundation and was inducted into the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame.

• Curtis Sanchez, Peak Wrecker Parts Sales, has been selling wrecker parts for over 30 years. He worked for a couple of towing equipment companies, then for Miller Industries from August 1995-August 2003. While at Miller, Curtis designed their Accessory Department. His career then took him to various towing and parts companies. Curtis has experience installing towing equipment and bodies, rewiring, welding, and purchasing parts and bodies.

Along with installers and other service personnel, the Peak Wrecker team is ready to provide customers with new and used wreckers, plus the aftermarket service and support to maintain those vehicles.

Bobby Briggs, Peak Group President said, “We are extremely excited about the formation of Peak Wrecker and our ability to sell and service wreckers from Miller Industries, the leader in towing and recovery equipment. The addition of wreckers is a great fit for Peak, and allows us to offer our customers a full line of products from one of the most trust manufacturers in the wrecker industry.

Peak Wrecker was officially formed on October 24, 2018, and a contract signed with Miller Industries in December 2018. Peak Wrecker is in the process of stocking their San Antonio location, where they are ready to serve the South and Central Texas area with 46 oversized bays and awnings, 2 paint booths, and a truck equipment manufacturing department. They have the capacity to house up to 90 wrecker trucks (including car carriers, light-duty and heavy-duty wreckers, rotators, and heavy haul trailers) and have a large inventory of parts under one roof to ensure that quality upfitting and repairs are completed efficiently.

About Miller Industries

Miller Industries was founded in 1990. Since its inception, the company has provided innovative high quality towing and recovery equipment worldwide. Listed as “MLR” on the New York Stock Exchange, Miller Industries has a total of four manufacturing facilities in the United States, one in England, and one in France. They place the most stringent guidelines in the design of a new wrecker or carrier. Their educated sales and distribution network, along with a high level of support and service after the sale, is what makes Miller Industries’ brands of wreckers unmatched in the industry. They provide a complete line of quality equipment, including carriers up to 30 feet in length, with deck capabilities of up to 40,000 lbs., and towing recovery units with boom capacities of 75 tons. Miller brands include Century, Vulcan, Chevron, and Holmes. Visit www.millerind.com for additional information.

About Peak Trailer Group

Peak Trailer Group is a privately-held company co-owned by Summit Holdings, Kyrish Truck Centers, and Southwest International Trucks. The company operates 2 full-service trailer sales, parts, service, and body shop locations in Dallas and San Antonio, Texas; as well as a sales location in El Paso, Texas. Peak Trailer Group represents Wabash National^® dry and refrigerated van trailers, as well as Transcraft^® platform trailers in the entire states of Texas and Oklahoma, and in northern Louisiana. Peak also represents Dura-Haul^® belt trailers, end dumps, silage trailers, and belly dumps, and Trail-Eze heavy-haul trailers in the entire state of Oklahoma and parts of Texas; and Reitnouer aluminum flatbed, drop-deck, and specialty trailers in the states of Texas and Oklahoma. Peak Wrecker LLC, located in San Antonio, Texas, provides Miller Industries wrecker bodies and towing equipment fabrication, installation, and service in south Texas. Peak Wrecker sells Miller’s new product lines of Vulcan, Century, and Holmes, along with all makes of used wreckers. Peak Wrecker also carries towing trailers from Trail-Eze.

Peak has over 100 employees, with 55 technicians, over 80 service/tank bays, 8 mobile service and repair trucks, 2 body shops, and 4 paint booths. Peak stocks all-makes parts, offers new and used trailers and wreckers, and can facilitate equipment financing. Learn more at www.peaktrailergroup.com and www.peakwrecker.com.

86th Legislative Session

The Legislature convened the 86^th Legislative Session on Tuesday, January 8^th and a lot of legislative “housekeeping” items have been going on since. 

 The House voted unanimously to elevate Dennis Bonnen as their Speaker of the House.  Speaker Bonnen gave a very moving acceptance speech.  Last week the Governor and Lieutenant Governor were inaugurated and George Strait played at the Inaugural Ball. 

 As of this email, 1,471 pieces of legislation have been filed by legislators.   Of those, we are tracking 5 bills that will have an impact on the towing industry.   Two of those bills will have a detrimental impact to your business. 

 HB 625 by Victoria Neave Relating to notice and request for a hearing regarding a vehicle that has been towed or booted.  HB 625 would allow a vehicle owner 60 days, instead of the current law of 14 days, to request a hearing.

 HB 626 by Victoria Neave Relating to notice of a person’s right to a hearing placed on a sign prohibiting unauthorized vehicles on a parking facility.   This bill would require a statement describing a person’s right to request a court hearing to determine whether probable cause existed to remove, or install a boot on, a vehicle.

 Last week, Senator Nelson filed Senate Bill 1, the budget bill.  Likewise, the Legislative Budget Board released, what we believe will be, the House budget bill.  The House budget will not be filed until the House Committee assignments come out later this month, but I would anticipate that the language will be identical. 

 Additionally, the Lieutenant Governor issued committee assignments on Friday.  You may access the complete list with this link.  https://senate.texas.gov/_assets/pdf/86th_Senate_Committees.pdf  Senate bills will start being referred to the committees of jurisdiction this week and the Senate Finance Committee will begin their budget hearings tomorrow with an organization meeting.

 There are key dates that we will be working under.  As soon as we have a copy of the House Rules Calendar, I will provide a copy to you.  As many of you may know, the House and Senate are not allowed, under the Constitution to pass any bills during the first sixty days, unless it is declared an emergency item by the Governor.  That being said, the committees can hold hearings on bills during that time. 

Legislative News HB 626

This bill would REQUIRE you to change EVERY tow sign! If passed, you will have to add vehicle owners’ rights to your tow signs!

 Link to HB 626: https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/86R/billtext/pdf/HB00626I.pdf#navpanes=0 

The notice under Section 2308.454 must include:

• (1) a statement of:
  • (A) the person's right to submit a request within 14 days for a court hearing to determine whether probable cause existed to remove, or install a boot on, the vehicle;
  • (B) the information that a request for a hearing must contain;
  • (C) any filing fee for the hearing; and
  • (D) the person's right to request a hearing in any justice court in:
    • (i) the county from which the vehicle was towed; or
    • (ii) for booted vehicles, the county in which the parking facility is located.
• (2) the name, address, and telephone number of the towing company that removed the vehicle or the booting company that booted the vehicle;
• (3) the name, address, telephone number, and county of the vehicle storage facility in which the vehicle was placed;
• (4) the name, street address including city, state, and zip code, and telephone number of the person, parking facility owner, or law enforcement agency that authorized the removal of the vehicle; and
• (5) the name, address, and telephone number of each justice court in the county from which the vehicle was towed or, for booted vehicles, the county in which the parking facility is located, or the address of an Internet website maintained by the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System that contains the name, address, and telephone number of each justice court in that county.

Slow Down or Move Over

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jan. 16, 2019

Tela Mange

Public Information Officer

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation

512.463.3208

Texas motorists: Slow down or move over for stopped emergency vehicles

AUSTIN – After a recent outbreak of fatality and injury incidents involving tow truck drivers and other first responders, Texas motorists are asked to slow down or move over for stopped emergency vehicles including tow trucks, police cars and fire trucks.

“Our tow truck licensees work hard every day to help people who are stranded on the side of the road. And, like everyone else, they are anxious to return home safely each night,” said Brian E. Francis, executive director for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. “Please obey state law and slow down or move over when you see emergency vehicles stopped on the side of the road.”

In the past few months, at least three Texas tow truck drivers and a towing customer have been struck and killed while on the side of the road. That statistic doesn’t include several Texas police officers who have been seriously injured when they were hit.

Among the recent incidents:

• Jan. 3, 2019: Tow truck operator Keith Holt was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver in Grand Prairie as he was helping a single mom.

• Dec. 2, 2018: Tow truck customer Dylan Thomas Pietrzyk was struck and killed by an 18-wheeler as he waited to have his vehicle towed.

• Nov. 20, 2018: Tow truck operator Charles McGough was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver in Fort Worth as he was working.

• Nov. 3, 2018: A Fort Worth Police Department officer was injured when he was hit by a car.

• Oct. 21, 2018: A Dallas Police Department officer was critically injured when he was hit by a car

Texas law requires drivers to slow down at least 20 miles per hour under the posted speed limit or, if able, to change lanes when they’re passing a first responder stopped on the road.

“Please help us make sure emergency personnel including tow truck operators are safe when they’re trying to help people on our roadways. Slow down and move over. You can help prevent another tragedy just by taking the time to obey the law,” Francis said.

About TDLR

TDLR provides regulatory oversight for a broad range of occupations, businesses, facilities, and equipment in Texas. The agency protects the health and safety of Texans by ensuring they are served by qualified, licensed professionals. Inspections of individuals, businesses, and equipment are done on a regular basis to safeguard the public. Currently, the agency regulates 39 business and occupational licensing programs with more than 800,000 licensees across the state.

Visit TDLR’s website for more information and resources. You can search the TDLR licensee database, and also find past violations in which a final order was issued against companies or individuals. TDLR’s Customer Service line is available anytime between 7 a.m. until 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 1-800-803-9202. TDLR representatives are fluent in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean and Chinese.

SW Tow Operators Accomplishments

Over the past 15 years, Southwest Tow Operators has been on the front lines working on your behalf before the Legislature and the agencies that regulate our businesses. Your membership and contribution to our organization is vital to continuing our work to protect our industry during the legislative session which begins this month.

Below is a short list of accomplishments:

• Added tow operators to the Move Over Act

• Reporting of abandoned vehicles to law enforcement will now only be required if the law enforcement agency requires it.

• Tax offices cannot require proof of delivery (only proof of mailing) for notification letter in order to process a storage lien. Therefore, if you accidently sent the first or second notice letter a few days late, you can still sell the vehicle without going to district court for a title.

• We changed the law where you now can “relocate” a vehicle for a property owner without facing a penalty from the agency.

• Use of warning sticker for expired tags, instead of a certified letter.

• Fixed storage lien issue.

Killed the following initiatives over the years

• Require a property owner to be present at the time of tow

• VSF’s to store vehicles free for the 1st 24 hours

• Cargo to be released at no charge

• TDLR to regulate Incident Management tows and put a CAP on IM tow fees

• Rights of vehicle owner be printed on tow signs

• Give vehicle owners 180 days to file for tow hearing

Other important items that STO worked on and supported:

• The dual towing/VSF license has been eliminated. Licensed tow operators will now be able to work in a VSF without a special license.

• State booting operator and company licenses were repealed. Booting will now be regulated at the local level.

• The Towing and Storage Advisory board will now be made up of nine members, 5 industry members and 4 other (2 law enforcement, 1 insurance, and 1 parking facility representative). We will have an opening for a new towing/VSF member since the booting member has been eliminated. We will now have more representation from industry than from “other” which is a very good thing.

This session a few of the issues we will be working on:

• Increase the daily storage fee.

• Increasing the penalties for those who violate the Move Over Act.

• Fin off any harmful bills that would negatively affect your business and the industry.

• Fix PPI issues to clarify and legalize towing for violation of PP rules.

• Fix car hauler language from 2015 session.

• Tow hearing language clean up

Thank you to all our supporting members.

If your not a member please call 972-247-9454 and find out how you can help or visit our web-site at www.swtowop.org