“My vision starting the company was to bring the service of the towing industry back into the Madison market. I wanted to bring service into these local shops. I wanted to make towing fun. I wanted to be able to help people.” These were
the goals Rod Timmerman set out to fulfill when he founded Liberty Towing in June 2009.
Of course, he didn’t start there. He grew up on a farm and started his first towing job at a small gas station in Cuba City, Wis., where they had one tow truck. It was his first taste of towing, and he fell in love. Upon going to college in
the Madison area, he began working for another business that took him from light-duty to medium and eventually heavy-duty towing. When that company was sold, he continued to work there for a year and a half. Rod knew it was time to move on, to
start something for himself. “I wanted to get back to my roots and where I started and that’s why I decided to start my own company.”
From there, Rod began living the American Dream. He started building his company to make his vision come true. In today’s Zip’s Customer Spotlight Series, we’re taking a closer look at how far Liberty Towing in Madison, Wis., has
come.
Early struggles
For many, a towing business is a family affair. Oftentimes, one family member started the business, and they’re a great guide on how to keep operations running. Rod only had himself and a stack of rules and regulations to guide him. Bookkeeping,
getting DOT numbers, learning how to cross state lines and so much more were hurdles that Rod had to overcome. He had to learn it by himself through trial and error.
In doing this, Rod developed a deep understanding of the towing business while bringing a fresh perspective to his company. This has allowed him to approach it with a new set of eyes and tackle problems differently than others might. Of course, learning
to run a business isn’t just about understanding it.
Team Building
“My biggest challenge early on was bringing on employees and learning how to adapt to the HR side of things,” said Rod. He knew building the right team was crucial to his success. To him, it’s all about finding people that aren’t
just looking for a paycheck. Their mindset has been a large part of how he’s found success. “They’re not just here for a job; they’re here to do what they truly believe in.”
“Imagine how many more people would be happy if everybody made a small difference in somebody else’s life,” said Aaron Valdovinos, a tow truck operator who’s worked with Liberty Towing for 11 years. Statements like these are
common among the drivers of Liberty Towing, as the folks there take pride in their work and how they do it. Aaron believes customer service and helping people are how he helps out in society.
That work ethic started with Rod. His leadership style focuses on how he can help those around him. “No matter what time of day, no matter what the situation is, he’s ready for your time,” said Aaron. This amount of dedication to
his employees is only part of what makes Rod a good leader.
By working on the front lines, Rod leads by example. Not only does he help ensure his shop is clean and organized, but he’s also willing to take on calls as often as his team. He’s gone out on calls during friends’ birthdays, the
middle of the night and even holidays. If he gets the call, he’s on the scene. According to Quentin Bell, a tow operator who’s worked with Liberty Towing for eight years, “People don’t always realize that we’re a
24/7, 365 business and Rod always answers the phone.”
Innovation
Liberty Towing’s success isn’t just from the crew and who leads them; it’s also built on the equipment they run. A notable feature is how they push the boundaries of building their trucks. Rod started with an International
Car Carrier. “I had Zip’s paint it to the colors that I wanted to launch the company with.” From there, Rod started what has been a 15-year partnership with Zip’s.
Rod likes to push what can be done. “Each truck brings its new thing because we learned something new with every truck.” For example, he noticed that if you aren’t paying attention, the pivots on a wheel can get caught on
the legs of the car carriers and bend them straight up. To fix this, Rod asked Zip’s to weld solid tabs on them so they can’t pivot. He’s also worked with Zip’s to include mounting brackets inside of his trucks
to keep jumper cable ports inside the boxes to prevent them from winter weather corrosion.
The list of ways he’s improved truck builds due to issues he’s seen first-hand has allowed him to increase efficiency and Zip’s to develop new custom features. This approach to designing and developing has resulted in a variety
of unique builds. Rod has relied a lot on his sales rep Danny Mathews to ensure his ideas are turned into reality.
Together, Danny and Rod have worked on many different projects. Their long-term collaboration has forged a strong friendship. That kind of closeness is part of why Rod chooses Zip’s. When asked what he likes about working with Danny,
Rod said, “It’s fun to be yourself when working with somebody, when you’re making these large purchases.”
The other half of why he works with Zip’s is the family feel. “They’re a large company with a small feel.” When he walks in, the front desk, sales teams and mechanics all know him by name. “David and Paul take the time
to come up and say hi and ask how things are going. It’s truly like working with another family.”
Legacy
That trust and friendship matter because Liberty Towing is about more than just Rod Timmerman. It’s about his family. When starting his business, Rod wanted to honor both his father and grandfather, both of whom served in Vietnam and
World War II, respectively. He first did that by naming his company Liberty Towing after one of the many rights his family fought for.
In the spring of 2024, Rod honored them again when he had his 2018 Peterbilt 389 Century 1150 Rotator delivered to him. It features an intensely patriotic wrap. The most notable aspect of it is that on the driver side door is a picture of
his father in uniform, and on the passenger side door is his grandfather, also in uniform. The rotator eventually made the cover of the July 2024 issue of American Towman Magazine. However, Rod felt more excitement and pride when he showed
his father.
“It was a surge of emotion, seeing his young self on the side of that truck in his service picture,” Rod recalled his father’s reaction. “He walked around the whole truck and took it in. When he saw his father on the other side of the truck, it was a flow of emotion that he couldn't quite handle.” Rod’s father was astounded.
That importance of family isn’t just about honoring his father and grandfather. Rod’s sons, Conner and Colin, work with him. His older son, Colin, spent his childhood riding shotgun with his father, getting to share precious father-son bonding time as well as learning the ropes. He started out cleaning equipment and detailing trucks. Today he acts as an operator. One day, he hopes to take the love of towing he has even further. “I plan to take over the business from my father.”
The legacy of Liberty Towing didn’t happen overnight. Rod Timmerman put years of hard work and effort into growing his business. It wasn’t easy learning the ropes and building a team, but he did it. He’s spent the last 15 years working
hard to make his American Dream come true and build a company that he gets to have fun at every day by making the community he serves a better place.
