Training, Towing, and Safety: A Weekend of Standards in Upstate NY
Posted by Chuck MacLellan – Safety Director, Instructor, Towman
Some weekends are for fishing. Some are for barbecues.
This one was for building safer, smarter tow operators.
Friday Night TIMS Class – July 25th
We kicked off the weekend with a FHWA National Traffic Incident Management (TIM) course hosted by the Southern Tier Towing Association at Don Orall’s Garage in Binghamton, NY.
This was an all-tower crowd, and every one of them showed up because they know the stakes. With New York State Police now requiring TIM certification for highway towers, the timing couldn’t be better.
- Temporary traffic control zones
- Inter-agency communication and safe scene coordination
- Vehicle blocking best practices
- Move Over Law discussion – and why enforcement still lags
ERSCA Essentials of Standard Duty Towing & Recovery – July 26–27
After wrapping up TIMS, we rolled right into a 2-day ERSCA Standard Duty training session—and we didn’t hold back.
Hosted by: Southern Tier Towing Association
Location: Don Orall’s Garage, Binghamton, NY
Instructor: Chuck MacLellan (me)
What We Covered:
- Operator safety and professionalism
- Understanding GVWR and tow truck ratings
- Snatch block use and rigging basics
- Why alloy chain is the only acceptable option for overhead lifting
Classroom & Field Highlights
We Even Covered This…
That’s not rigging—it’s an old rust repair done by a previous owner. Definitely not a recommended fix, and a good reminder to inspect everything you’re working with.
Final Thoughts
Big thanks to the Southern Tier Towing Association for organizing the weekend and to Don Orall’s Garage for providing a stellar facility and continued support for operator safety.
Want to host a class at your shop? Let’s make it happen. Contact me here →