Towing equipment is just one of the categories of products Mytee Products sells. In fact, the Ohio company sells a lot more cargo control equipment than they do towing products. This time of year, you might not know it. Tow truck operators are already placing orders in anticipation of the coming winter season.
Summer may not yet be over, but it’s close. That means a mere 12 to 14 weeks before the official meteorological start of winter. And in some areas – like the mountains of Colorado and portions of the upper Midwest – winter doesn’t wait for the calendar to say December 21. Winter weather can start as early as Halloween. That has tow truck operators scrambling to get ready now.
Stocking Up on Equipment
Winter preparations are what have tow truck operators contacting Mytee Products in search of supplies. They are after tow chains and hooks. They are buying wheel nets and tiedown straps. They are looking for light bars for the tops of their trucks and temporary lights for the cars they tow.
The last thing a tow operator needs is to arrive at a job and discover the right tools are not in the toolbox. That’s why smart operators make a point of stocking up in late summer. So do business owners that run multiple trucks during the busy winter season. Stocking up now reduces the risk of running short while the snow is still flying.
Servicing Their Trucks
Hand-in-hand with stocking their trucks is making sure those trucks are in top working order. Needless to say that tough winter weather puts a beating on trucks during the busiest time of year. Sometimes, winter weather is so rough that operators need all spring and summer to get their trucks back into shape.
Trucks have to be serviced for routine maintenance issues like brake replacement, oil changes, tire rotations, etc. But the towing equipment has to be maintained as well. Drivers will be checking and testing their winches. They will be checking the integrity of their hooks. Flatbed operators will be inspecting their hydraulics to make sure they do not get stuck with the bed down.
Preparing for Car Owners
The roughest thing for tow operators is not necessarily weather or traffic. Sometimes it is the car owners. An operator responding to an accident may have to deal with a distraught or frightened car owner who needs consoling before the car can be retrieved.
Tow truck operators who handle repossessions and illegally parked cars sometimes have to deal with irate owners trying to prevent them from doing their jobs. Incidents can escalate to the point that operators are in danger. The best a towman can do is get him/herself in the right frame of mind before business picks up. And when things do get stressful, the operator need someone to talk to.
They Could Use Our Help
America’s tow truck operators provide a valuable service to the rest of us. So while they are busy preparing for the coming winter season, the rest of us could take a few minutes to think about how we can help. Tow operators already have a tough enough job as it is. They do not need us to make it harder.
As for you tow operators, thanks for the important work you do. We know that your main focus right now is getting your trucks ready and making sure you have enough chains, straps, and hooks to get you through winter. Many of us will see many of you on the roads this winter. Hopefully all those meetings will go well.
