A nuclear verdict is not just a $10 million plus damage award to the plaintiff, but also a verdict where the outcome is significantly larger than what anyone expected. In today’s litigious environment, a nuclear verdict is not off the radar for towing companies.

A brewing insurance crisis…

In 2009, two plaintiff attorneys came up with a ground breaking strategy to sue big trucks that completely changed the game.  Insurance companies have lost staggering amounts of money ever since…and they are taking you down with them.  This seminar will shed light on how the insurance game is really played….and what you can do to fight back before it’s too late. 

Join Your DOT Guy, Brian Riker, the President and Chief Compliance Officer with Fleet Compliance Solutions as he digs into why simply being compliant with motor carrier regulations is not good enough anymore. With a focus on pre-hire and routine qualification investigations Brian will explain how meeting the minimum requirements of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations is exposing your company to extreme liability, especially with your non-CDL required drivers.

Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Reputation Management. What does your towing company need to invest in and what returns should you realistically expect?

​In November 2023, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) published an extensive study on so-called predatory towing practices.  The study has been cited in support of regulations to control non-consent towing rates.  In a Q&A session, Alex Leslie, the lead researcher of the study, will explain the background and purpose of the study and answer questions from the attendees.

Negative media and insurance industry push-back on incidents of overcharging has led to increased scrutiny of the nonconsent towing industry, particularly pricing.  This session explores the impact on the nonconsent portion of the towing industry and the foreseeable future regarding nonconsensual pricing and government regulation.

Join Your DOT Guy, Brian Riker, the President and Chief Compliance Officer with Fleet Compliance Solutions as he discusses current industry trends towards driver training and qualification with a focus on the behind the wheel portion of the training. Brian brings his 30+ years’ experience as a professional driver instructor, CDL examiner and current Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) registered provider to the courtroom often as an expert witness to defend or destroy drivers when they are involved in crashes. Don’t let your operator be the next one under fire. Find out if your drivers are defensible before the need arises.

You’ve worked hard to build a business. Now what?

Learn how AI can help your towing company and storage facility save time, avoid headaches, and stay ahead of the competition by handling everyday tasks like organizing your records, improving billing, and streamlining insurance claims for your work. Learn how insurance companies are starting to use AI to review towing and recovery invoices — and what you need to do to be prepared. 

This presentation isn’t about flashy tech jargon. It’s about practical, actionable ways AI can help your business run more smoothly, operate more efficiently, and boost your bottom line. If you’ve ever struggled with paperwork, insurance disputes, billing errors, or drafting recovery narratives, this session will provide solutions to make some of those headaches a thing of the past.

What is a Group of 20 and will your company benefit? Group of 20 moderator Bert King will explain the concept and how it benefits towing companies through shared insights, open discussions about business challenges and successes.

Expanded regulation of nonconsensual towing rates is on the horizon.  A panel of towing operators, lobbyists and other experts with expertise in the field of rate regulation will provide valuable advice and practical tips on how to not thrive, not just survive, when the push for regulation comes to your city.  Discussion will include overview of the regulatory process, the proper regulating agencies, how you can effectively participate, dealing with your allies and opponents, preparing a rate-review petition, and appeal from an arbitrary or non-compensatory rate.

The cost of towing and recovery equipment has increased significantly since COVID. Supply chain disruptions, shortages, strong demand and general inflation have contributed to this increase. How do you measure ROI to ensure your equipment purchases will benefit your company in the long run.

Whether they are managing the office, dispatching trucks or are out in the field working, women are an important part of the towing and roadside industry. How do you best recruit women? Find out from a panel of women company owners and managers.

Speaker: Panel of industry-leading women

It’s a litigious world we live in and protecting your company any way possible is important. This session will address employee manuals specific to towing companies: what you should and should not have in writing, and how employee manuals can protect — and harm — your company. Please bring along your employee manual so you can take notes and ask specific questions.

Speaker: TBD

An audit by the U.S. Department of Labor can be devastating. Towing companies are increasingly becoming targets of investigation. Towing industry attorney Michael McGovern, of The McGovern Law Firm, will review the DOL rules regarding minimum wage, on-call employees, commission pay, drivers as independent contractors, and important exceptions, and share tips on how to respond to an audit.

Speaker: Michael McGovern, The McGovern Law Firm

Some economists are predicting inflation will last into 2023. What could the impact of an extended inflationary period be on your towing company?

Speaker: Tom Tedford, Guardian Fleet Services

Tired of battling insurance companies over heavy-duty invoices? Learn tips on invoicing and collecting from an experienced law firm representative.

Speaker: TBA

Are you having an employee retention problem? Is your management style a contributing factor? Well-known industry speaker Mike Porter (co-founder of TDR Way, an industry-specific management consulting company) discusses how you and your lead management may be contributing to turnover.

Speaker: Mike Porter, TDR Way

Employee turnover is at an all-time high and the driver pool is often shallow. Federal laws are requiring more training for certain drivers. Has the time come for your towing company to have a trainer position? What do you look for in a trainer? And how can training help with employee retention?

Learn more from ERSCA trainer Shane Coleman, who has worked in a family-owned towing company, providing insight into drivers.

Speaker: Shane Coleman, ERSCA

Led by Brad McIntosh, this open-forum discussion will talk about how to find new business opportunities, including where to network.

Speaker: Brad McIntosh, Sandy’s Towing

State towing associations can help drive the towing and recovery industry in their state. But to do so, they must be organized, have an action plan and be well funded. Learn how the Sunshine State Towing Association has successfully accomplished these fundamental goals and how members have benefitted.

Speaker: SSTA Leadership

Whether they are managing the office, dispatching trucks or are out in the field working, women are an important part of the towing and roadside industry. How do you best recruit women? Find out from a panel of women company owners and managers.

Speaker: Panel of industry-leading women

Companies that provide better employee benefits have a better bottom line. Find out what benefits offer the best return on employee retention and profitability.

Speaker: Pat Derbak, D.I.G. Benefits

Commercial insurance companies are struggling to create the risk management products many businesses need at a price they can afford. What is a captive insurance program? Learn more about this alternative to traditional insurance – the risks and potential rewards.

Speaker: Bill Giorgis, Jeff Packard and Todd Welch

Bring your financial statements and follow along as industry CFO consultant Bert King takes you through the how’s and why’s of understanding your financial statements, cash flow and more. This is a two-part session.

Speaker: Bert King, King’s Consulting

It’s a litigious world we live in and protecting your company any way possible is important. This session will address employee manuals specific to towing companies: what you should and should not have in writing, and how employee manuals can protect — and harm — your company. Please bring along your employee manual so you can take notes and ask specific questions.

Speaker: Nick Porto, The Porto Law Firm

Most owners spend a lot of time building their team, fleet and customer base without understanding how much VALUE they are building until they near retirement. By then, it may be too late to make the right adjustments. Often a towing company’s value is not much more than the current value of their trucks. Learn the methods that buyers use to determine the price they will offer for a towing company so that you can make adjustments that will increase the value of your business. These methods are universal throughout the business world, and are also recognized by banks and CPAs.

Speaker: George Metos, GM Consultants

As bestselling author Daniel Pink says, “Harness the power of your peers.” There’s no better teacher, motivator, realist and sounding board than a towing company of similar size, goals and leadership thinking. Find out how your company can benefit by forming or joining a Group of 20.

Speaker: Mike Porter, TDR Way

Preservation of Evidence

Moderator: Michael McGovern
Panelists: Hear from towing companies that specialize in evidence preservation – the investments they’ve made and the financial rewards, if any, of their specialization.

Financial Impact of Cyber Security

Moderator: Rudy Smith
Panelists: Cyber security is not just for Wall Street. What data does your towing company store that could create liability for you if it was compromised? And do your current insurance policies provide coverages? Panelists include a software company representative, security expert and insurance expert.

Towing in the Year 2030

Moderator: Lauren Colon, Tow Times Production Manager and Millennial with an Eye on the Future
What will the post-baby boomer generations face as they lead their towing and recovery companies into the next generations of telematics, employee pools, etc. Hear from four successful millennials in top management positions at several towing companies. Presented for millennials and younger.