Last night I worked with an old buddy of mine, a well known foreman. We needed the Investigator crew to respond to an emergency as we popped a hole in the gas main with the backhoe. Standard procedure is to send an Investigator crew out to document the damage. It makes sense to take pictures when the bills are exchange between utility providers. I had fun teaching the Investigator on duty how to use his camera phone. Utilities are not always marked correctly and sub-contractors for the Department of Water Management should make sure this company pays when they mismark. I think the water department picks up the tab when they mess up. After the Investigator truck showed up, the truck broke down. Fleet Management could not repair it so they requested a tow. Wes Kochel Inc. showed up after a long wait. They are located in Will County, 25800 South Sunset Drive in Monee to be exact. According to Mapquest the drive from that address to 7534 West Devon in Chicago would be over an hour, about 50 miles. That is a lot of City workers waiting. I looked at the contract and they have about $800,000.00 in a DUR contract. http://webapps.cityofchicago.org/VCSearchWeb/org/cityofchicago/vcsearch/controller/vendors/disclosuresLink.do?vendorName=WES+KOCHEL+INC.#searchResults#searchResults DUR in Chicago means Depending upon Requirements (an open bid) I call them Depending upon who is running (for political office). I think Mr. Spatz the Commissioner of Water Management in Chicago (doing a much better job than those before him) should look into getting new trucks for the Department. The existing fleet is junk, and do not get tempted to lease the new trucks. (wink wink) Chicago should have a heavy duty tow truck available, I know one sits at the Central District garage at 39th and Ashland. Just have a driver hop in and off you go! And the privates are getting over a thousand a tow! Let’s save money and save our jobs. Photo by Patrick McDonough