Tow Professional Podcast
Elevating Towmanship: Shane Coleman's Masterclass on Safety and Professional Growth in the Towing Industry
Experience the wisdom of Shane Coleman as he steps up to the mic bringing a lifetime of towing and recovery expertise. His voice resonates with the passion of a second-generation towperson, now a beacon for an industry striving towards unparalleled professionalism and safety. As weather calamities like the recent Ice and Snow Storm challenge the towing landscape, Shane's guidance becomes a torch in the night, illuminating the path for countless professionals eager to grow and adapt.
This episode isn't just a casual chat; it's a masterclass in continuous learning with ERSCA leading the charge. Shane walks us through the Essentials of Standard Duty Towing and Recovery, a program embodying ERSCA's philosophy of ongoing education as a foundational pillar for the towing industry. It's about sharpening skills, embracing advancements, and, most importantly, fostering a culture where safety and professional development are not just aspirations but expectations for every towing and recovery operator.
And if that's not enough to rev your engines, dive into the groundbreaking Train the Trainer program that Shane champions. It's transforming experienced professionals into trainers who can mold the next generation of industry leaders. Just as Tony Robbins crafts master trainers, this initiative ensures that the towing and recovery industry is not left in the dust of complacency but speeds ahead with rigor and respect. Take it from Shane: every operation, every recovery, is a chance to showcase the high standards that should define the industry. Join us and become part of the movement setting the bar for professionalism on the roads.
Experience the wisdom of Shane Coleman as he steps up to the mic bringing a lifetime of towing and recovery expertise. His voice resonates with the passion of a second-generation towperson, now a beacon for an industry striving towards unparalleled professionalism and safety. As weather calamities like the recent Ice and Snow Storm challenge the towing landscape, Shane's guidance becomes a torch in the night, illuminating the path for countless professionals eager to grow and adapt.
This episode isn't just a casual chat; it's a masterclass in continuous learning with ERSCA leading the charge. Shane walks us through the Essentials of Standard Duty Towing and Recovery, a program embodying ERSCA's philosophy of ongoing education as a foundational pillar for the towing industry. It's about sharpening skills, embracing advancements, and, most importantly, fostering a culture where safety and professional development are not just aspirations but expectations for every towing and recovery operator.
And if that's not enough to rev your engines, dive into the groundbreaking Train the Trainer program that Shane champions. It's transforming experienced professionals into trainers who can mold the next generation of industry leaders. Just as Tony Robbins crafts master trainers, this initiative ensures that the towing and recovery industry is not left in the dust of complacency but speeds ahead with rigor and respect. Take it from Shane: every operation, every recovery, is a chance to showcase the high standards that should define the industry. Join us and become part of the movement setting the bar for professionalism on the roads.
Welcome one and all to Toe Professional Podcasts. Remember, this is your podcast. It's for the pros that have a need to know, that are on the go. This is truly the voice the towing and recovery industry. I'm DJ Harrington, your co-host, better known as the Toe Doctor, and the real man who's the co-host and president and publisher of Toe Professional Magazine, a dear friend of the industry and a good friend of mine, Darren Weaver. Darren, how are you this beautiful day?
Speaker 2:DJ, I am great. I tell you we've been. We've been iced and snowed in here in Birmingham in the 2024 Ice and Begeddon About a half inch of ice and two snowflakes and we've been shut down for three days. So it's good to be here in the office and not sludging through the ice out there. But I kid it's a good thing we're all in when it's weather like this. But I'm so excited about this podcast. We've had the guys home from Merceca before. Hadn't had the pleasure of having Shane Coleman on yet, but we've got him here today. Listeners and guys, if you've ever been you men and women out there, if you've ever been through his training, I can tell you it's world class. So there's a lot of knowledge that'll be dropped today. This is one you don't want to miss.
Speaker 1:I agree 110%. Darren Shane Coleman is one of the nicest guys in the industry. I met him years and years ago when I had brown hair and had hair. He's the national director of training for Merceca and a dear friend of the industry. I can say about you, but he really is awesome. He's a great guy and I can't thank him enough for taking time out of his busy schedule to be on the podcast with us. So, darren, you start us off.
Speaker 2:Certainly, certainly will, dj. Yeah, I'll tell you. I met Shane 13 years ago and his passion for the industry then and he saw mine and we were fast friends from there. He always kept in touch, gave me great information, and here we are, 13 years later and I tell you, just like I told him the other day, I've never heard a bad word about him. He's a great guy. So happy to have him here. I know you're, shane, but I want to give the listeners let you give the listeners an introduction. So, shane, for those getting to know you, share with our listeners a little bit about your experience and background in the industry Will do.
Speaker 3:And first off, let me just say you guys are humbling me over here. I really appreciate what you're saying. I'm almost at a loss of words, which is hard to get kicked off here in a podcast, but thank you for that. So you know, I guess for those that haven't met me, and I mean I'm a pretty humble guy, I don't like to throw myself out there a lot, I just like to do the work that helps people and I'm selfish, I want to help the people of the industry I've been a part of for the last. Well, I've been in the industry my entire life.
Speaker 3:I'm a second generation, you know tow business. I'll call it, I'll say, a child of the tow business. So my parents, they owned a towing and recovery business in Troy Michigan. They started it in 59. They ran it until 99. And of course you know my dad. He told us I had your kids to work, I didn't have you to look at.
Speaker 3:So you know I worked in that business and then eventually, you know, like, like in life you know they get ready to retire and they retired and sold the business and I was able to move on to some other roles. So I've been real fortunate in my career, in my opinion and I don't say that tongue in cheek I was fortunate enough to work for some of our friends and competitors as an operator and a manager. I spent a pretty fair amount of time at one of the manufacturers in several different roles there, everything from product specialist to manager, and to be able to transition into this. This training role really digs back into my passion. I got into training when training really wasn't a thing. The first thing that I bought into was a home study course back in the 90s and my sole focus and I guess just to kind of give everybody that's listening kind of a peek in on the personal side to me one of the things that's never left me and I don't know, maybe I need to get there before it's done.
Speaker 3:I had an experience in school where you know all the kids were telling, you know, the class about what their parents did for a living. And when I stood up to tell them, you know what my parents did and I really thought that the sun, you know, rose and set behind their shoulders. You know, watching him do some of the recoveries and things that he did when I told them, it really didn't get the praise and the respect that I expected or, in you know, kind of hoped for. So for some reason that kind of settled in on me and I kind of made it my commitment then and that was a long time ago. I made it my commitment then that any role that I could I could, you know, step into in this industry, I would try to do the best that I possibly could to, you know, shine a positive light on the industry in all regards. So I just I bring that same drive you know it started then, it continued all these years.
Speaker 3:So, you know, operator, manager, trainer and in my main goal and it was shared with me by one of my mentors. He said, you know, if you think about it, think about what you're doing today in relationship to your younger side. So what would you want somebody to do for you if you were 18 again and trying to figure out how to task a job or do a recovery or solve a problem? So that's kind of you know, that's kind of what motivates me every day when I, you know, when I, when the feet hit the floor, you know, once I get beyond the routine there, I'm ready to do some work and help people get along in this business.
Speaker 2:Man. I love it. Love it, Shane. I'll tell you that's, that's the key to it. If we would stop looking at a lot of things as problems or are just something that has to take more time and reach in there and understand where those men and women are coming from that are trying to figure this job out and want to make a career out of it, then we would help them a lot more, preparing them, just like our younger self. I could get better myself, man. That's awesome. Well, DJ, I'm going to give the next question to you, sir.
Speaker 1:All right, and before I ask my first question, I'm personal friends with Shane. So, shane, how old is your oldest daughter?
Speaker 3:So she is 20. Yeah, she'll be 21 this year.
Speaker 1:I want all of us to know. I'm Shane and I were talking. He knows I'm involved in scholarship foundations, so he was asking me hey, DJ, how do you go about getting some of these scholarships? Do?
Speaker 3:you remember that conversation? I do, yeah, and I actually forgot we talked about that, so oh yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:I'm the guy. I'm the guy. So if you're out there and you're trying to get your kids to go through, give me a holler, let Darren know and I'll be more than happy to help. Okay, let me ask the question what is Erskie? Now I want everybody to know. Erskie stands for Emergency Road Service Coalition of America, and everybody shortens it and really calls it ERSCA. What's the position of ERSCA's training? And you know, like, for the point of view of everybody, share a little bit of that.
Speaker 3:Yeah. So ERSCA kind of the high, you know, kind of a high level view of it. Ersca is board, it's board-run, it's a nonprofit. Everybody on the board and the education committee, they are tow business owners. So they're, you know, and obviously you know different business owners are going to have different books of business, but they all share some of the same goals. So when it comes to the training side, their goal is to be able to provide not only current level training but comprehensive training that's kind of the best word I've been able to use for it, meaning that the training, whether it's attending one training like the Essentials program we'll probably talk about that later whether it's the Essentials or if it's to kind of build up the skill sets to current levels, there's always, as you guys know, there's always something new coming into the industry, whether it's, you know, manufacturers with a new product design, new tools. You know you guys have seen the transition from, you know, hardware rigging, like you know, change to all the synthetics that are present today.
Speaker 3:You know every time something changes, that changes how we do the job. So we keep a focus on training and that kind of leads us into for lack of better words our one of our monsters, I guess you would say, is training never stops. I literally would just stop. I was listening to a one of my mentors.
Speaker 3:I was listening to him this morning before I got on here and he's in the fire service, but he shares the same mindset that I've heard a lot of TOE professionals say is that you can always be learning something in this business, and the moment that you feel that you know it all is probably the time that you need to start planning your retirement.
Speaker 5:Yeah.
Speaker 3:So I share that same you know, I share that same passion.
Speaker 3:I start my you know I'll be 53 this year and you know, just about every week, if I keep, you know, reading the magazine, studying something you know, anybody that has anything to do with this business, I always find something new that I didn't know. So that whole committee and board shares that same point of view. They just want to continue to provide, you know, up to date, comprehensive training that continues to add to the skill set and safety of the operators that hit the streets.
Speaker 1:I was going to add to that. I always see you as the canine constant and never ending improvement. You're a true canine person. You're always on that. I'm on a continued training. I want to keep developing so you help people develop from within so they never go without. And that's what Erskine Shane Coleman does I do.
Speaker 3:I appreciate that and that is that is. Yeah, that is a goal. Matter of fact, as you said that, DJ, I'm sitting here looking at a stack of books in the corner of my desk here. I think I've read more books about this kind of thing. I've probably read more books outside of school than I have in school.
Speaker 1:Sure, You're the constant student that, so you could be the constant tree in there. You know it's that kind of a philosophy. You got to keep your health so you can continue helping other people that you have done externally over all these years. All right, darren, go ahead baby.
Speaker 2:Well, I tell you, I just want to piggyback on that Sunday, jay, because I know from your end, from doing sales training, you've seen people as well that have been in industry for 10, 15, 20 years and they're like, hey, I've been doing this 20 years, don't, don't try and tell me different, but sometimes I've always said that just means you're an expert for 20 years at doing it wrong in some cases. And I believe I've been selling since I was I'm going to get my age away here, but I've been in sales since for 37 years, so since I was 14 years old. But I, just like you, shane, still study training skills, management skills, selling, closing techniques, you name it and then a lot of research on industry and marketing. Because I believe, like, just like you said, when you stop learning, you start backing up, when you, when you think you know it all. So, man, that was good, that was good. I'll say yep. Hey, let me ask you this Can you update our listeners on the current training programs? Our is currently running this year for 2024.
Speaker 3:Yeah, sure. So when I started with Erskobal three years ago, the two programs we were running pretty strong, which is still our, it's our strongest toehold or cornerstone in training is our essentials program. So we've got a split. We have the standard duty towing and recovery training. It's titled the essentials of standard duty towing and recovery. That lines up with light duty records and carriers. So that class you know that that training class is one of those comprehensive classes. So the training manual that comes with that is about 20 chapters deep. So it's, it's, it's a pretty heavy lift but that kind of goes hand in hand with our heavy duty side.
Speaker 3:But you know, on the heavy duty side obviously everything transitions up a little bit. You know dealing with, you know weights and obviously when you get into heavy duty you're, you know, you get into the towing aspect you're talking about, you know air hookups and driveline removal and axle shafts and that sort of thing. But we have an essentials of heavy duty as well and it's not it's not, you know, exclusive on brand or anything, it applies across the board. So the, the essentials programs are what we drive, those are our driving programs. And then this year we actually started it. Last year we kicked off our train, our trainer programs, and then this year we've got what we've called the continuing ed side. So there was a call from the industry to want to take some advanced classes, obviously for the experienced operators out there, and so from the committee side they said, well, why don't we do a continuing education aspect of it? So this year we'll be kicking off our advanced classes, light and heavy duty.
Speaker 3:And that will focus on the winching and rigging so that you know all these programs follow the standards of training, both in you know how it's structured classroom versus hands-on. You know not only the knowledge but you know the actual hands-on side of it too. So that'll be what we're going to focus on in the year going forward.
Speaker 2:Well, I think that's fantastic. And, Shane, it's just like in anything you know if you're out there in the dating scene, you want to make yourself look as good as possible to be a candidate, but if you're out there in the employment scene, everybody asks about the training. Let me tell you, if you want to further your career in industry, this is key. It's just simply key in keeping you safe out there and also making you stand out to your employer, making your value go up in the industry. So I think what you guys are doing is tremendous and, listeners, I will tell you we'll be right back in one second. We're going to take a quick break, but we'll have more industry knowledge from Shane Coleman, National Director of Emergency Road Service, Coalition of America, with ours. Be back here soon.
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Speaker 1:You have been listening to ToeProfessional on the go podcast. Each and every week we bring you informative episodes like this little machine coming from EarthStone. Make sure you download and listen. You're available on Spotify, itunes and Dora, google Play, skatechers, iheartmedia, amazon or wherever you get your podcasts. Right before we took our break, we were talking about the essentials program. I want to ask Shane, the train-to-trainer program, four essentials program that's something new in the industry and we were listening to it. What was the catalyst for that? Shane, go ahead, share that with our listeners. Sure, that's a great question.
Speaker 3:Well and I got to say I get a little bit there's a lot that comes to mind when I talk about this particular program for us because, like I said before, I got into the training side of the industry. You know, late 80s, early to mid 90s, and during that time our industry really looked at training from who's the leader in the industry. I use the word guru a lot. Usually we looked to those, you know old family names.
Speaker 3:you know first, second, third generations that were really good at the craft and we went to them to learn and, kind of, you know, glean information off of. Today's industry is pretty different. We, you know our industry has a pretty significant need to fill the seats of the trucks with qualified or trained people and we can't do that by these isolated you know, these isolated training events. I think the change that you're going to see and that this program is helping with is filling that significant void across the industry to have consistent training available locally, whether it's at an association level or in, you know, in the even in an independent business, that they want to have an in-house training program. So the train to trainer program, basically the catalyst, was to try to help fill that void and be able to set a kind of a training structure.
Speaker 3:You know there's nothing new to the structure of training when you look at the other disciplines that we work with police, fire, ems and PASMAT and otherwise they follow training standards and it's very much what this program is aligned with.
Speaker 3:They're. You know, whether you're an independent business owner and you want to put a trainer on staff, or maybe an association that wants to host training you can take, you know, one of your qualified people. Have them go through the process of evaluation, get them into the trainer program. We'll show them how to like base the basic constructs. How do you run a successful training event and I don't mean that to negate any of any other successes, but there's a definite structure to it, just like when you go after a tow or a recovery. There's a process and a structure for it so that you have the best results at the end. So the train to trainer program essentially is to whether you want to go after the light duty side or the heavy duty side is to drive that essential information out there and make it accessible for anybody that has to fill that need.
Speaker 1:Yeah, which makes a lot of sense. And I know, Darren, you're going to ask the next one, huh.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm telling you, I know we got owners that'll be listening to this and they're going. Okay, I've got a key man or woman here in the company that I want to take part in this. That would be great for it. But so Shane, tell them what does that look like for the individuals that take train the trainer?
Speaker 3:So the independent instructors is the way you'll see that when you, if you were to go to our website and you know, look to see, you know about registration and whatnot. The independent instructors, basically what we do is we bring them in, we run them through the train, the trainer program, which is going to be them not only spending time with myself and a couple of the other trainers on how to structure the training, but they're also going to watch it happen. They'll be a part of the training event. So whatever discipline or program, so if they're doing the essentials of light duty, they will actually, you know they'll get the trainers part of it in the beginning. They'll see how that, you know how that flows through an actual training event and then we do what we call an after action review and then obviously there's some other performance things that we fit in there. So it gives them. It gives them as a trainer because obviously you know we have to kind of help make them a trainer. You know they're great at their job, they're competent, they know how to get the job done right.
Speaker 3:But when it really changes and I'll speak from my own experience it's a big switch to go from being an operator to being a trainer and I'll throw myself out there because I know there's a lot of other men and women out there that are very similar, that they'll have a similar experience. I always felt that if I could do the job, I could teach the job. And once I got into the concepts or ideas of training, it's not as cut and dry as you may think. There's some elements to it in order to be successful, to make sure that you've planted the seeds in the gray matter upstairs of those that attend it. There's a definite structure to it. So once I kind of put my ego aside a little bit and kind of opened my mind up to see that there's actual structure to training, we help them get those tools so that they, as a trainer then can be successful when they get back to their home base and start doing classes.
Speaker 2:Wow. So it's truly, without a doubt, hands-on, showing them the training and then bringing them in and basically letting them run through the training just like they would be doing so for a group back at their place. Is that correct? Yes, sir, yes, sir, Wow, that's awesome, that's awesome, and when you're able to do it that way, that's how it does stick in the head, that's how you get it in there, and that's awesome. Well, dj, I'm going to throw this next one to you.
Speaker 1:I was going to say and Shane? I want to tell our listeners Tony Robbins, the great trainer, does the same similar program that Erskies is doing. He brings people in from across the country that want to do the Tony Robbins program as a trainer. He puts them through the training and he just evaluates them in, almost like certified. But it's so different than being the producer by being the trainer and all of a sudden there are techniques that you have to learn that you explained it excellent. So I want all our listeners to know you may have a big operation and want one of your people to become a trainer and you need to contact Shane. So when we're done, we're going to give all the information so you get a hold of Shane and talk to him. So, before we take a commercial, what are some of the curriculum and some of the stuff that Erskies is working on for the future?
Speaker 3:So obviously we're going to stand on the cornerstones in this next coming year and obviously going into the next three, four, five years ahead. We've had a strong response to the train-to-trainer programs. As you guys know, you're deep in the industry you can see that one of the hotbed topics is not just the subject of training but it's the impact that training has, like when it comes to insurance, like insurance coverage. Obviously, insurance is one of the hotbed topics for everybody in the industry and, without going too deep in the weeds on those, being able to provide that training on a consistent level would help with those insurance issues. Obviously, having an in-house training program there's multiple insurance companies that offer incentives or discounts or even just a better safety rating. So we're going to continue to drive those programs. The train-to-trainer the essentials obviously is our cornerstone. Continuing ed.
Speaker 3:We've got our fingers on the pulse. We have a couple of other gaps in the industry. When it comes to training. We get a lot of requests for rotator-based. We don't know what that looks like yet. We literally just had a meeting on that. It's easy to sit back and go well, I think this is what we need, but unless you get out there and get to the trade shows and get in these focus groups and talk about really what the needs are, you're going to miss the mark. So, going forward, we're probably looking at something along the rotator line, something in the prospect of either air cushions or airbag systems. And again, it's not to muddy the water from a competitive side. We're not trying to be competitive, we're just trying to provide and augment the skill sets and what's available out there, and that'll be something we could probably talk about a little bit later on. But, going forward, we're going to continue to drive what our foundation is and we're going to look for those voids, like we said, air cushions or rotator type.
Speaker 1:Oil boy. All right, changing To explain all about the essentials program. Let's do this. We're going to take a fast break and when we come back, folks, I want you all to be ready, because I want you to know where you're going to be able to see Ersker at the next trade show down the road. Okay, we'll be right back.
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Speaker 1:Welcome back listeners, and I cannot thank you enough for telling your friends all about this. Remember to like, review and share everywhere, as we always want to remind you. If you want to hear another industry expert like Shane Coleman from Earthstip, do down in. I a favor, Dial our hotline number here at the podcast center. The number is 706-409-5603. Let me say it again 706-409-5603. That phone number comes to the podcast center, the total professional podcast center, and by all means it's the recording message. Just leave a message, leave your information and tell us an interview expert that you would like to hear on the podcast and we will do our best to see if we can get that person like a Shane Coleman. All right, Shane, I'm going to let Darren ask you this question and we'll go from there.
Speaker 2:Thanks so much. Thanks, dj Shane. Let me ask you this Will you give our listeners some insight to what Arska has been doing at the trade shows, what you've been doing there?
Speaker 3:Yes, so you know, each trade show usually presents its kind of its own, unique, you know, approach to the industry, like a lot of them will pull on kind of a certain theme. Sometimes it depends on the region that the trade show is in, because different regions of the country have different challenges.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 3:So what we've been trying to do is put together, you know, training seminars per se. Trade shows are a great place to go get education on a seminar level. To try to do a full-on training class at a trade show, it's a little bit challenging, you know, and in these days, especially the last few years, it's gotten pretty expensive for business owners to be able to, you know, send their operators to a trade show. Yes, so we've been trying to put our fingers on, you know, put our fingers on the proverbial pulse, like I mentioned earlier on a regional basis.
Speaker 3:So, one of the programs that we did last year. It's actually become a new training program this year is an eight-hour EV class for passenger vehicles.
Speaker 5:As you guys know, I don't think any.
Speaker 3:I don't think you can say the letters EV In this industry without anybody knowing exactly what you're talking about. Yes, so we've aligned one of our instructors that has gone through training to trainer. He has a wealth of knowledge in this subject. He got onto a focus group with us. We put an eight-hour operations class together so we spent a lot of time sharing awareness on that last year and the passenger side this year.
Speaker 3:Our first kickoff is to do a commercial vehicle side of it. So we'll be keying in on the commercial vehicle side, on the electric vehicles, because they're, it's obvious they're not going to go away. They've got their challenges but there's still going to be something that we have to deal with and there's some pretty significant changes and adjustments as operators on how we interact with these things. So you know, as we get to the trade shows, you know we'll be hitting on those kind of hot topics and doing it in more of a seminar base. That way, you know people can come in, they can attend, they can get some good value and they still have time to go walk the show floor and maybe see some sites. You know wherever the trade show is located.
Speaker 2:So that I think that's terrific. Shane, that's great and, like you said, when you miss an AB, that's something everyone of us have to gain more knowledge on, because safety is key when it comes to that, and you guys, from what I've seen, or on the nigh side of it, you were definitely coming at the top or the bottom. Well, dj, I'm going to leave the last question for you. Sir, let you take us away.
Speaker 1:And before I get to the last question, shane, would you be kind enough? I know our listeners are sitting there saying how do I get a hold of this guy? Would you give him a phone number or an email address how they can personally get a hold of Shane Coleman himself?
Speaker 3:Well, the best way would be reaching out to us through our email address. Our website is urskaorg, so urskaorg, that's our. You know that's our home-based website. There's obviously it's just like you know most other websites. You know, I've dropped down tabs. We've got it separated out by, you know, the federal legislative side, the training and education side. The email is staff at urska, so it's S-P-A-F-F and the app sign, so staff at urskaorg. If you're interested in any part of what we've talked about today, or even have some ideas or suggestions for us, we're definitely open to.
Speaker 3:Like I said, if there's a need we want to help the industry, you know, fill that need. So staff at urska would be a place you could send that email and that's probably the easiest and most direct way to get it in the eyesight of everybody. That can help.
Speaker 1:Right. And the phone number that's on the website, the 916 number is there somebody there or a message there that can leave, or yeah, so that goes directly to our administrative office.
Speaker 3:So the staff will be there. You know they'll run standard business hours. So if they do, they do get pretty busy with some phone calls sometimes during the week. So if it does go to, it does go to message. Just you know, leave a message and a call back number, they'll get back to you right away. But it's staffed five days a week. So again, being a nonprofit, we do have to keep an eye on things like that.
Speaker 3:but they'll be able to get their questions answered directly to even if they call the number, All right.
Speaker 1:So everybody remembers ersaorg or staff at ersaorg and that'll be the best way to get all of it All right. So you know we always have to change. Oh boy, okay. What should we take on the future? You know we always have to standard. It's always been standard in the industry when it comes to training. What's your view on that?
Speaker 3:You know that's a pretty weighted question for me. I want to try to not, you know, stand up on my personal soapbox. When it comes to that. You know that old expression. You know, back in the day they used to, people would stand on a soapbox on the street corner and try to talk about their message. Right Today, yeah.
Speaker 3:So I think today, what I would, what I'd invite, encourage or maybe even challenge the listeners on, is the operators are the standard. So when you take a half a step back and guys, I'm in a lot of the social media platforms, I watch and see what's said and what's bragged about and what's made fun of and that sort of thing.
Speaker 3:It happens in every industry. Every industry has its mix of things when it comes to standards. I put it right back in the operator's lap. Even for me, when I first started in this industry, I didn't know what I didn't know. I would go out and learn by experience the old school of hard knocks, as they say, or trial and error method. And as I grew and as I got experience and started talking to some of the other experienced operators, they would say hey, look, there's a better way or there's an easier way to do this. Fast forward to today.
Speaker 3:A lot of the times in between, the industry was looking externally for somebody to set a standard. Hey, tell us what standard we should be embodying or embracing. In short, it falls back on the operator professional conduct, how you execute the job, being as simple as a proper service call or even a well executed winch out, something that's done within the structure of knowing what the resistance was, or using the rigging so that the rigging is not overloaded, or tying vehicles down properly on a flatbed and being an example showing what industry standard is, as an example would be a proper four point tie down, and I might get knocked around for this one, but it's not like running. You don't run an alloy chain or run a chain around a nice wheel and drop it in the key slot and tie a car down by the wheels. That's not industry standard. What that really does is tell the general public that we're not very graceful in that little tiny experience. So I think what we probably need to do as an industry is look at the operators and just say look, operators, the standard of industry and the perspective of this industry falls on each and everything you do. You guys, you, ladies and gentlemen, you are the standard and we gain our industry gains respect from the disciplines we work with to all the way to the general public, the customers that we serve. We gain their respect and professional respect by the standards we hold through the job that we do. So I think that there's obviously lots of other conversation that can come off of that question.
Speaker 3:That's a pretty heavy weighted question, but I really would. I guess it's a call to the operators that would be listening to. This is that you're being watched and judged, not by obviously you can by your peers, but you're being watched and judged by the general public and those you work around and they're kind of you know, they're kind of thinking what they see is the standard. So you know, I think I go back to a phrase that was mentioned a long time ago. I learned it quite a while ago. It was. It's called excellence of execution and I think that with you know that continuous you mentioned earlier, tj, that that canine mindset, you know where you're constantly trying to improve. You know each and every you know job you do, you can be looking at it to improve, it to fall within you know the professional rigging standards, the transportation standards.
Speaker 3:And just in your. Your excellence in execution helps set the standard for the industry and will consequently gain the respect that it rightly deserves.
Speaker 1:You said it. Perfect, my friend. Well, there's three of us on this. We have a ton of listeners, so I'm going to be the first one to give you my recap. First of all, I want to say to Shane Coleman thank you for being our guest on the podcast of so professional and go podcast. My pleasure, thank you. Here's my evaluation. I want all of our listeners to be sensitive. You can't do today's business with yesterday's thinking and hope to be ahead tomorrow All right.
Speaker 1:So I'm going to pass it over to our guest. Well said. I'm starting listening to this I started thinking you can't do today's business with yesterday's thinking. We have so many people in our industry that said back in the day and, just like Darren said, the guy said he had 20 years experience. I wanted to say, sir, you've had one year experience. You've been duplicating in 19 more years because they never increased.
Speaker 1:So we, all of us here I'm an old man, you know, I got the club out some view. I have to sit here and say if I'm not reading at least 45 minutes per day, I'm doing wrong to myself. I have to be a perpetual student, and we all are. I've learned so much from Darren and I've learned so much from Bill Perfettial magazine that, all of a sudden, things that I thought was right years ago, including the tie downs and all Every industry changes every 90 days and we have to change with it. So I can't thank you enough, shane, for being on. So what happens is you go next and then our dear friend Darren wraps it all up and puts a bow on this package and we end the beautiful podcast. So, shane, any parting words from you that you want to say to all of our listeners?
Speaker 3:Well, what I would say, I guess, above all, just to take the time to listen to us here in this podcast. I'm humble enough to say you know, on behalf of Erskine, the entire team and the team of trainers that are trying to better the industry through training and getting involved to help carry the torch, I just want to say that the most valuable asset we have to spend is our time.
Speaker 3:I would just and I'm not trying to be too, I guess, cheeky here or sentimental- but, I deeply appreciate the time that you spend even just to spend this time listening to us and hearing what we have to say, and I want to say that to you, dj and Darren, for giving me the opportunity to come on at least talk about the things that I'm passionate about and that our team is passionate about. And I know I'd have reason to believe that our industry is passionate about these subjects as well. Thank you very much for the time and the opportunity really.
Speaker 1:You're more than welcome my friend.
Speaker 2:Shane, you're certainly welcome, sir. Let me tell you, listeners, if you want to find a wealth of knowledge, just like you've heard today, make sure you go to urskaorg. When you get on there, you can find out how to get involved, how you can be an advocate or a partner. You can learn more about training the workforce running your business, and there's legislative information on there so you can stay informed about what's happening in your backyard. So it's a phenomenal informational source. Make sure you go there. But I couldn't second any more of what you were saying, shane. If you want to be a tow professional or a tower, it all starts right between the ears in the morning. You've got to decide do I want to be somebody that's just working in this area or do I want to be a tow professional? And that takes training, that takes sacrifice, that takes time, but the rewards are phenomenal. So we appreciate you so much coming on, and I want to end with this and definitely finally, I thank you for every one of our vendors in the industry, every one of our product distributors, our service providers. We ask that you increase their knowledge, bless them for their hard work in this industry, help them bring more safety to this industry for our men and women, and to have my father. We just ask for all of our men and women that walk that white line, work out there where their desk is three inches away from moving traffic, by the way. We ask you, keep them safe, increase their blessings, their prosperity, bring them home to their family safely, for the servant's heart that they have and for those listening.
Speaker 2:Make sure you tune in next week for another great episode of industry leaders like Shane Coleman, national Director here with Urska. Keep listening and also make sure you check out the latest issues of Toe Professional Magazine. We've got the top products and services of 2023. Shows you, the key industry leaders out there, that we stand behind and say the top product picks and service providers for the industry. You can find a tremendous letter to the industry from Shane Coleman of Urska that is just touching. It goes over a lot of things that he just went into today, and also Q4, the most interactive digital publication in the Toeing industry, is coming out this week and in this issue of Q4, there is the letter from the director's desk, shane Coleman, and a link to a video where you can see the training and what Urska does and can do for you and your facility. Tune in next week We'll have more great episodes, just like this one with Shane Coleman of Urska. Thanks again, keep listening.