Regional Board Member Nomination Forms
STO has issued the Regional Board Member Nomination Forms to nominate leaders in your region. This is an important step in creating and keeping a Regional level of representation for the towers in your area. Please select your Region below and download or print the nomination of your choice and fax to : (972) 247-1605. One the nomination forms have all been received, ballots will be sent out to all members for elections.
REGION 1
REGION 2
REGION 3
REGION 4
REGION 5
REGION 6
REGION 7
Click Here for more Nomination Forms
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April 2009 Newsletter
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First Ever Towers "Legislative Day" a Great Success!
We had an exciting week in Austin this past week. On Thursday, March 26th, 2009, we had the very first "Towers Legislative Day" at the capitol. Over 75 towers traveled to the capitol in Austin from all over the state of Texas, many drove 8 or more hours to attend. Every Region was well represented! The participation was just as impressive. After the initial meeting and special messages from the keynote speakers, such as Representative Jim Jackson, Steve Polunksy, Committee Director of the Senate Transportation & Homeland Security Committee, and Bill Kuntz, Executive Director of the Texas Dept. of Licensing and Regulation, almost all towers who attended participated in visiting their representatives and/or senators to show support for bills that will help the towers of Texas, like the 2009 Texas Towers Move Over Act and the clean-up bill for the Texas Tow Act. We recived many comments on the "Sea of Blue" that was an overwhelming site at the capitol. I will be posting some great photos of the day on the STO website and some here when i get them from the photographer.
I cannot tell you how excited I was to see the turnout that did make it. Furthermore, I received many calls from towers all across the state that expressed their deep desire to be there, but understandably could not make it due to downtime problems and family issues. Several of them did request information to do their part from within their areas or Regions to write in and/or call their representatives or senators. I would like to thanks ALL of you for such a great show of support for the industry. This makes our industry stronger and brings notice to our cause.
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New Legislation Introduced!
03/13/2009 -
SB 2153 was introduced. This adds companies that "Boot" vehicles to the Texas Tow Act. They will be required to apply and hold a license through TDLR and fall under the same rules that towing companies must abide by. It also adds a Booting Company representative to the Texas Towing, Storage "and Booting" Advisory Board.
SB 2056 was introduced. This adds an additional person onto the Towing and Storage Advisory Board. This person shall be a member of the public.
HB 4526 was introduced. This may be a solution to the "Steering Fee" or "Tear Down" fee problems. This will call for a customer to see the fees for each item they are to pay in advance of accepting any vehicle, and calling for the customer to sign after they have read the fee schedule
03/12/2009 -
HB 3702 was introduced. This is the "Texas Towers Move Over Act" of 2009. Representative Jim Jackson has sponsored this bill that STO has been pushing so hard for. This will make it mandatory for vehicles to slow down or move over to the next lane when approaching a tow truck assisting a stranded vehicle or during an accident. This is one step forward for towers in getting the respect we deserve.
03/11/2009 -
HB 3087 was introduced. It would impose another requirement for another notification letter to law enforcement, electronically; along with our current requirements for notifications. It also changes the term "political subdivision" to "municipality or a county commissioners court", making it more defined as to who in any area might be able to regulate fees for non-consent tow.
03/06/2009 -
SB 1431 (Companion Bill is HB 2571) was introduced. It would regulate Private Property tows in non-regulated areas.
HB 2548 was introduced. It would add another member to the TDLR Towing and Storage Advisory Board.
Read More About All Bills Introduced Here...
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Training and Professional Development of Tow Operators is Receiving Some Recognition!
Ramiro Sanchez, 2nd Vice President of Southwest Tow Operators' Executive Board, and STO Trainer Ariosto Cano had some big names drop by to check out the new training program from STO. With classes filling up all over Texas, it was no surprise to finally start seeing some recognition.
Read More Here........
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Trust Fund Set Up For Fallen Tower!
Lawrence Roy Roberts of Crash Masters was struck and killed on Interstate 20 in Odessa TX while entering his MD Rollback after loading a vehicle. Reports are Lawrence leaves behind a Mother & Sister. Our prayers or with this family!
STO has sent the application for our "In the Line of Duty" Benevolent Fund to the family of Lawrence Roberts, by way of a friend of the family. We will issue funds to the family as soon as the application has been returned to us. At this time, we are accepting donations for the struggling family of this fallen tower. If you can spare, they could use it. Here are the options for donating:
1. Send Donations to:
Southwest Tow Operators
Lawrence Roberts Family Trust Fund
2665 Villa Creek Dr.
Suite # 105
Dallas, TX 75234
or;
Pay by Online:
For more information on this tragedy, read below:
Jan 27, 2009,
ECTOR COUNTY - An Odessa man is dead after being hit by a sliding car on Interstate 20.
It happened in Ector County near mile marker 98 close to the Penwell exit around 9:30 a.m.
According to troopers, a tow truck driver, 48-year-old Lawrence Roberts was working a previous wreck and had just secured the wrecked vehicle on his truck when went to get into the cab of his truck.
Roberts was hit from behind by an oncoming car that slid on the ice. Roberts was taken to the hospital where he later died.
No charges or tickets have been issued in the wreck yet. The accident is under investigation.
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SOUTHWEST TOW OPERATORS APPROVED!
On January 12, 2009, the date set by TDLR as the first day that they can accept applications for CE Providers or courses, STO handed over their applications for both. On January 22nd, the official approvals were listed and certifications printed. Southwest Tow Operators is listed as "Continuing Education Provider # 1616" and the first, and currently only, approved IM Training course is listed as "Texas Incident Management Training - Course # 4272".
Currently classes are already being filled all over Texas, just like the Certification test. We have Trainers strategically placed to accommodate all Regions and areas. These are the same Trainers personally trained by world renowned trainer, Tom Luciano. To register for a class in your area, click on the link below to get more information:
Start Registering Now!!
For More IM Training Info Go Here!
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FEE SCHEDULE IS DUE!!
January 31st, is the deadline to turn in your annual fee schedule to TDLR. There are two ways you can send it in; by regular mail or by fax. Call us if you have any questions on your fee schedule.
Click Here To Look At Rule For Fee Schedules
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Southwest Tow Operators is pleased to announce that Dan Messina and Joann Messina are American Towman Magazine’s Towman and Tow Woman of the Year for 2009, respectfully.
Dallas, TX, Monday, January 12, 2009: The American Towman, a national magazine for professional towers, has announced that their choice for the 2009 “Towman Of The Year” award, an annual national award presented to recognized leaders of the towing industry, to Dan Messina, and, the very first ever, 2009 “Tow Woman Of The Year” award will go to Joann Messina.
Dan and Joann Messina, married for almost 15 years, are owners of Southwest Auto Tow of Dallas, TX. Southwest Auto Tow has over 900 customers within a 50 mile radius in the Dallas metro area. They are both Executive and Founding Board members of the Southwest Tow Operators. Dan serves as President and Joann serves as Treasurer of the association. Southwest Tow Operators is a professional towing association serving the towing and vehicle storage industry in Texas and with partnerships with other associations in surrounding states. They have been instrumental in the phenomenal growth of the association from 40 members to currently over 700 strong. Joann also serves on the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Towing and Storage Advisory Board.
The Southwest Tow Operators is very proud of Dan and Joann Messina of receiving this major award and would like to compliment them on their deserved recognition for their exhausting work they have done on behalf of the towing and vehicle storage industry. Their leadership is to be commended. Here is the Cover of American Towman.
.......Read More Here
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NEWS!
TDLR Passes New IM Training Rules
December 16, 2008..... Austin, TX.... The TDLR Commissioners Board met today and passed the new Incident Management Training course and Continuing Education rules today. The new standards for their IM Training will call for an 8-Hour training course that will cover the basics to incident management and will be a minimum of 2 hours classroom, 2 hours hands-on and the 4 hours left will be up to approved training systems that will implement this new program. The college requirements were offset by allowing for an approved Continuing Education Provider through TDLR and will allow for cheaper costs for each program brought to the towers. This course is a one time requirement and only IM Tow Operators must take this before renewing their license for the first time.
The Continuing Education will require 4 hours for each year before renewing any tow operator license. The course must include 1 hour of Roadside Safety, 1 hour of Texas Law & Rules and 2 hours of other materials approved by TDLR. IM Tow Operators do not have to take this the first year because they will be taking the IM Training course.
JH
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December 13, 2008.... Scott Noe, Regional Director of Region 7, presented Missy Blackburn-Hill a check for $1,000 to assist the family of Jimmy Blackburn who was killed November 9th, 2008, along with the two customers he was picking up their car for, when they were struck by an 18-wheeler. Blackburn, 47, was the owner and operator of All Hours Towing Company and Jimmy Blackburn's Wrecker Service of Marshall, 481 Hatley Road.
The "In the Line of Duty" Benevolent Fund was setup by the founding Board of Directors as a way to assist licensed professional tow operators' families in the State of Texas with some of the financial burdens imposed on them by these untimely deaths.
Scott Noe presenting check to Missy Blackburn-Hill
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New Tow Sign Example 
