‘Spec for a Wreck’ or maybe not

It seemed like a good idea.

In watching a couple of cable TV shows that chronicle the work of wrecker operators, I noticed that they sometimes puzzled over where to place their hooks on big rigs that had gone into ditches, fields and ravines. I thought, why not equip commercial vehicles with hard points along their sides, like the tow hooks at the noses of tractors?

Also, van trailers in particular tend to fall apart when they get into accidents, often spilling their loads along roadways and wherever else the trailers end up.

Why not build them so they’re stouter? That’d make recoveries go faster and save money.

And wouldn’t all this make a good educational session for a Technology & Maintenance Council meeting?

OK, said TMC officials. Can you help set it up? I did, and that session, which I called “Spec for a Wreck,” took place March 7 during the organization’s annual meeting in New Orleans.

TMC people and I recruited several notables from truck fleets and the towing and recovery business. Among them was John Hawkins of Miller Industries, which makes wrecker bodies.

Kevin Tomlinson, a fleet manager from northern Ohio, moderated the session and presided at a rehearsal the day before. That was when Hawkins, who teaches accident-recovery classes in the U.S. and overseas, explained why my equipment idea was not so good.

“I don’t want pick points,” he pointedly declared. “That places too much stress at one place. I wrap around the vehicle so the stress spreads out.”

Wrapping with heavy chains and canvas slings helps prevent additional damage to the vehicles – something wrecker operators try to avoid. That’s also why operators sometimes use inflatable bags to help lift overturned trailers; they distribute the lifting force along the side to try to keep the trailer from ripping apart.

“Oh,” I said.

And forget heavier-duty vans. They’re made to be roomy and lightweight so shippers can load as much cargo as possible. “Payload” is the magic word, and not many trailers get into wrecks anyway. I already knew that but wanted to show how structural failures cause trouble after an accident. I said so during my presentation and quickly conceded that fleets weren’t going to change their specifications to suit me.

Hawkins’ presentation showed some of the many wrecks his customers have recovered in different areas of the country. Some were more difficult than others and required trained people using costly equipment. A modern heavy-duty wrecker can cost close to $1 million, and towing and recovery operators are expected to have them on hand to quickly clear highways, he said. And apart from trucking industry complaints about predatory towing, the expense of buying and maintaining those trucks explains why recovery bills can run into the tens of thousands of dollars.

Tomlinson, the moderator, summarized the session by saying, “Well, I guess you can’t spec for a wreck.”

The TV shows that inspired me, by the way, are “Highway Through Hell,” filmed in British Columbia, and “Heavy Rescue 401,” shot in Ontario. They’re broadcast on the Weather Channel. LL