Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga-Dufferin recently put out a call for some help moving equipment and lumber from their Milton build site to their Plains Road location. Who came to their rescue?
A Action Towing and Recovery, a locally owned company that has been providing the Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Hamilton areas with safe, reliable towing services for 21 years with its fleet of 47 trucks. Originally founded in 1995, the company was later purchased by Doug Murray in 2008 and has developed a reputation for unsurpassed customer services, which include everything from lockout vehicle entry to machinery and equipment moving.
When asked about running the company operations on a daily basis, Doug stated, “There’s no set guideline because every call is different, every customer is different and every circumstance is different. It takes a lot of creativity on the operator’s level to get the job done and satisfy the customer. There’s also a lot of pressure from the danger of operating on the side of the road. These guys are working on the QEW with cars whizzing by them at 140 kilometers an hour. The first thing I tell my new hires is, never trust traffic and never turn your back on the traffic. You must always have eyes on what’s coming at you.”
Operations manager Helio De Sousa explains how important it is for the company to donate their trucks and drivers to Habitat’s cause. “Tow companies get a bad reputation because we’re taking cars hostage sometimes (due to criminal offences and parking violations). It’s the nature of the business. We’re the agent of the police so we’re seen as the bad guys.”
But A Action Towing and Recovery are working hard to change that stigma. As Doug adds, “There’s also a good feeling of giving back to the local communities, giving back to the people that – at the end of the day – feed us and feed our families.”
Helio is raising a son with special needs and knows first-hand what it’s like to receive the support of friends, co-workers, and the community. “One reason I like working for Doug is that we’re like a family here.” Doug added, “We have a big problem getting people to come into our industry; nobody graduates from high school and says ‘I want to be a tow truck driver’, but the people we do have are great! The core group of guys that have been with us from the beginning are the type of guys that jump right on board, ready to help Habitat as they build homes for families in need.”
Thanks to the team from A Action Towing and Recovery for their outstanding generosity and commitment to Habitat’s mission – demonstrating their belief in making a difference, not simply a donation.
Are you interested in making a difference by donating your products or services to a build? Call Lindsay Tuttle, GIK Construction Manager, at 905 691-9369 or email ltuttle@habitathm.ca.
Update: July 2, 2021