Good Afternoon Fellow Towers & Friends,
   The board is currently working on many issues that are important to our industry here in the State of Connecticut. We are currently working on our legislative agenda for the 2009 session. The Board has met with members of the Transportation committee and we have reviewed our legislative agenda with them. The 2009 session has officially opened, the TRPC is going to need as many towers as possible to come to the legislature and speak in support of our industry and on behalf of all the legit taxpaying towers in the State of Connecticut.
   We as towers work hard for our money everyday, so we need to stick together to better our industry.
   In early 2009, The DMV will be presenting a Towing Class to our members. The DMV has put together a very informative book for all the police departments in the State of Connecticut which hopefully should assist on targeting all those illegal towers (aka, "the gypsy towers") as well as the do’s and don’t of operating a wrecker with wrecker plates, commercial plates, combination plates and dealer plates. This is a class that everyone should attend and we will arrange to have enough to cover each part of the state. The TRPC Board is asking the assistance of every tower for their help in our gathering of information for the rate increase. The TRPC has been asked to more formally present our rate increase request by deconstructing the base rate, gathering all the necessary information of what we propose that the base rate include and put a percentage to that finding. In doing so, we are going to need everyone’s opinion as well as cooperation in gathering this information. We are going to need a percentage of non consensual tows vs consensual tows that each tower performs in the course of a day, week, month, quarter and even on a yearly basis. As you think of something that should or should not be included in the base rate, please email me before you forget it. Needless to say, TRPC has a lot of work ahead of us. We will begin brainstorming in February for our rate increase.
   Jim Messer, TRPC past president and current board member has put together a series of scenarios that TRPC believes to be the do’s and don’t of the new overweight bill that passed on October 1, 2008. These scenarios are not considered official until we hear back from Jim Mona from the CT DOT and from LT. Don Bridges from the CT DMV CVSD. TRPC is working with our lobbyist, the CT DOT, the CT DMV CVSD and the Motor Carriers Association in revising this bill in the upcoming legislative session, so please be patient and obey the current laws. As a reminder, Connecticut does have Bridge Laws, so pay special attention to your specific routes in your permit package.
   For those of you who missed our December 3rd Christmas meeting, it was held at The Grand Oak Villa in Oakville/Watertown. Our guest speaker for the evening was Mr. Patrick Bonanno from Hybrid Hazards Company of Warwick, Rhode Island. Mr. Bonannos’ presentation was very informative and definitely worth while. Mr. Bonanno’s company sells books on different hybrid vehicles, the safety precautions and step by step procedures. They currently have 3 different hybrid vehicle emergency step by step field guides available which relate to Jump Starts, Towing & High Voltage Shut Off’s. Mr. Bonanno is not a training expert nor does he offer any training in the field of hybrids, but more on a safety & awareness basis. If you are interested in purchasing his materials you may visit www.hybridhazards.info
   Our January meeting had to be cancelled due to the weather. Situations like this is why it is important to be on the email notification list.
   Our next TRPC monthly membership meeting will be held on February 4, 2009 at La Notte Restaurant & Banquet Facility located in the East Windsor Industrial Park at 17 Thompson Road, East Windsor, CT.
   Our Guest Speaker for the evening will be Tom Luciano from Miller Industries. Tom who is also the TRPC training instructor will be hosting a seminar on equipment safety maintenance.
   Beginning with the February 4th 2009 TRPC monthly dinner meeting, the price of the dinner meeting will increase to $40.00 per person. This increase was proposed, voted on, and passed at the November 5th membership meeting.
   On Wednesday February 25, 2009, the TRPC will be hosting a light duty re-certification class at the State of Connecticut Fire Academy in Windsor Locks. The class will be taught by Tom Luciano, the TRPC training instructor. It will be a 4 hour class from 6 pm until 10 pm with a 10 to 15 question test consisting of true or false or multiple choice questions. The reason why you must be re-certified is because per OSHA, an employer must train their employees, train often and must keep a record of that in the employee’s file. For those of you who do not have an expiration date on your certification cards, they do indeed expire 5 years after the effective date. It is up to you to get your self signed up for the re-certification class. If something were to happen and OSHA asks to see your training file, you must be able to show that you have been re-certified, OSHA does not approve of the non expiring identification cards, so therefore, get yourself re-certified and protect yourself and your company. There are many new techniques in the world of towing and recovery as well as new types of vehicles that require special attention and know how while hooking up and or before a recovery process can begin.
   Also, As everyone should be aware by now, but for those of you who aren’t, on November 24, 2008 a new Federal Regulation went into effect regarding high-visibility safety apparel. All towing and recovery professionals working within the right of way of a Federal Aid Highway, who are exposed to traffic or construction equipment are required to wear an ANSI Class 3 high-visibility safety apparel. If you need to purchase one, please contact A.W. Direct at 1-800-243-3194 or at www.awdirect.com Please be sure all of your wreckers and employee’s are equipped with additional safety apparels. The Fire Chief on scene of an accident on the highways is taking notes.
   When it comes to purchasing something for your towing needs, please consider purchasing from our vendor members first, they support the TRPC, let’s support them in return.
   As everyone should be aware by now, on November 3rd, 2008 THE TEMPORARY FUEL SURCHARGE HAS STOPPED. If you charged a