Latest news with #URT
CBS News
25-07-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Chicago towing damage claims are regularly denied, analysis shows
When drivers like Craig Myers park where they shouldn't in Chicago and get towed, they expect certain consequences. "Obviously it was my fault that I parked there, because I didn't look at the sign correctly," he said. On a snowless night in February 2025, Myers parked in a December-to-April overnight snow tow zone. "Looked at the sign, and all I saw was two inches of snow. I was really tired," he explained. The next morning, his car was gone, hauled away by a tow truck. "I was able to make the phone calls to find out what pound the car was in," he said. "I was okay with paying the tow. That was my fault. I paid my dues for that, right? I understood that I parked illegally. But, I did not expect this nightmare." The nightmare, Myers explained, is the state he found his Hyundai Santa Fe in after he paid the fee. "I turned on the car and it made a loud noise. I pulled up to the gate where the attendant was standing right there," Myers said. "I put it in park, and when I put it in park, the car kept going. They apparently broke the parking pin." Myers said he also noticed damage to the bumper. These are all problems he claims did not exist prior to the tow. His Santa Fe is a four-wheel drive SUV. The best way to tow an all-wheel drive vehicle, multiple experts told CBS News Chicago, is on a flatbed truck. Myers was able to get surveillance video which shows his SUV being pulled by a regular tow truck, back wheels seen rolling on the ground. He followed the rules, filing a claim and attaching multiple estimates. Mechanics told him he would need his transmission replaced. They also told him this was not the first time they've encountered this type of damage. "Every mechanic said, 'This is what the city does. This is what the towing company does. They've been doing it for years. Good luck,'" Myers said. United Road Towing (URT) has a 10-year, $96 million contract with the city to provide tows, among other things. Chicago's Department of Streets and Sanitation also conducts towing operations. A department spokesperson said last year, URT towed 58,245 vehicles while DSS towed 22,877. CBS News Chicago requested tow damage claim data. An analysis found 23% of claims submitted between 2016 and 2024 were approved. The city paid a total of $166,000 for those 76 claims. The remaining claims were either denied or are still open as of the public records date. Either way, nothing was paid to drivers, especially if a URT truck was identified as the responsible party. There are a few cases where drivers took URT to court and were ultimately able to get some money from the company for tow damage. Myers' claim was denied. A letter sent to him by URT said, "Our investigation, as sustained by the police tow report, motor vehicle inventory report, tow driver and personnel conclude the damage reported was not the result of any action on the part of our company personnel. Therefore, your claim has been denied." Last year, CBS News Chicago reported on another driver, Esther Liu, whose car was towed improperly. Unlike Myers, her car should not have been towed at all. She was parked in a legal parking spot. The tow, also caught on surveillance video, showed her all-wheel drive Honda Element being hauled away with the back wheels on the ground. That was July 2024. Her car did not work at all when she went to the pound to pick it up. She submitted a claim and an estimate. Her case remains in limbo more than a year later. "Insurance declared it a total loss," Liu said. The city is requesting another estimate from her. But, Myers' case is turning out differently after CBS News Chicago began asking questions. Myers got additional news from a United Road Towing company executive. "His offer was, I'll give you what the Blue Book is on this. The Kelly's Blue Book," said Myers. Within days, he had a $3,500 check in hand. "It's my understanding that it was kind of take it or leave it and I took it," he said. In written responses to CBS News Chicago questions, the Department of Streets and Sanitation said the most common reasons for claim denials are: Insufficient evidence, meaning a lack of clear documentation to support the claim; and preexisting damage where their records indicate the damage in question existed prior to the tow. "All staff must do an initial inspection prior to towing the vehicle," DSS wrote. But, in Liu's case it's clear from the surveillance video no initial inspection was done. Her car was hooked up and driven away from the River North parking spot in under a minute. When asked about that, DSS said tow operators, if concerned for their safety, sometimes move cars to a nearby location to conduct the pre-tow inspection. In response to URT's common denial of claims found in the data analysis, DSS said it "has not found a consistent pattern of denials," adding, "However, we remain receptive to feedback from residents and are always open to finding ways to improve oversight and communication both internally and externally." As for towing procedures URT tow trucks are seen using in the Liu and Myers videos, DSS said, "All towing operators, including those employed by URT, are mandated to adhere to strict guidelines regarding the handling, transportation and documentation of vehicles. We want residents to feel confident knowing that if and when concerns are brought to our attention, we will immediately initiate serious and thorough investigations to hold all contracted partners accountable." DSS said between the department and URT, the city has 60 flatbed trucks available to conduct tows.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SellYourMac.com Founder Brian Burke to Speak on Breaking Through the Noise at ITAD Summit 2025
Brian The Mac Man Joins Marketing Leaders From Vyta and URT to Share Strategies for Standing Out, Building Visibility, and Engaging IT Asset Disposition Audiences at Scale WOODSTOCK, Ill. & LAS VEGAS, July 21, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- (SYM), the leading reCommerce and IT Asset Transition Service provider dedicated exclusively to Apple products and an Other World Computing (OWC) company, today announced Founder and CEO, Brian Burke, will join a panel discussion titled, "Standing out in the Noise – a Dive into Marketing Your Products and Services to the Masses" at the ITAD Summit 2025 (July 29 - 30, Bellagio Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV). Joining Brian The Mac Man on the panel, set to take place on July 29, from 1:00 – 2:00 pm, will be Rachael Weir, Head of Marketing, Vyta, and Danae Gullicksen, Marketing Professional, URT. Together, they will dive into effective strategies for marketing ITAD products and services in a crowded marketplace, with insights on how to differentiate brands, build visibility, and engage target audiences at scale. "The ITAD Summit is the Super Bowl of tech sustainability, and I'm fired up to be on stage with Rachael and Danae," said Brian Burke, aka The Mac Man and Founder of "We're not just building businesses that win in a crowded market – we're driving real change, cutting e-waste, and giving tech a second life that empowers people and lifts communities. Let's goooo!" About Brian Burke, Founder/CEO, SellYourMac Brian Burke is a seasoned tech entrepreneur and thought leader who founded (SYM) and now serves as the Mac Man at Other World Computing (OWC), specializing in Apple product resale, IT asset disposition, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital innovation. Brian The Mac Man is passionate about empowering underprivileged students through gifting Apple technology. He believes gifting them a Mac can truly change their lives, their outlook on the world, and their future job prospects. As a lifelong learner, Brian is a 2x TEDx Talk speaker, has become a Sommelier, an Apple Certified Mac Technician, a Notary Public, an Ordained Minister, a PADI Certified Scuba Diver, a professional speaker on LinkedIn optimization, having now grown his LinkedIn network to 210,000+, and a professional speaker on ChatGPT! About the ITAD Summit 2025 The ITAD Summit 2025 brings together more than 1,000 professionals focusing on the IT asset disposition sector. From mobility to enterprise experts, participants include IT resellers, brokers, electronic-recyclers, and ITAD professionals engaged across the IT equipment ecosystem to collaborate on best practices, enhance procurement opportunities, and discuss the latest industry trends. To learn more, please visit: About (SYM), an Other World Computing (OWC) company, is a leading reCommerce and IT Asset Transition Service provider dedicated exclusively to Apple products. Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, SYM has helped over 100,000 customers unlock the value of their used Apple devices — including MacBooks, iPhones, iPads, and more — with more than $66 million paid out to date. Founded in 2006, SYM is committed to reducing e-waste through responsible reuse, repurposing, and recycling, leveraging certified zero-landfill partners like Cohen USA. With a reputation for top-dollar payouts, a seamless customer experience, and industry-recognized service, SYM is on a mission to become the world's most trusted buyer of used Apple technology. Learn more at About Other World Computing (OWC) Founded in 1988, Other World Computing (OWC®) is a trusted leader in high-performance storage, docks, and memory card solutions that empower professionals in video and audio production, photography, and business with the tools to maximize the performance and reliability of their workflows seamlessly. OWC's professional-grade storage, expansion, media cards, docks, and connectivity, as well as its apps and accessories, are built to last by the people who use them: creatives, businesses, and consumers. For further information, please visit OWC can also be found on LinkedIn and X. ©2025 Other World Computing (OWC). All other brand and product names contained in this announcement may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. View source version on Contacts PR Contact: Nicole GormanGorman Communications, for Other World Computing (OWC)M: Sign in to access your portfolio
Time Out
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Bangkok's top 5 running clubs
What is it? Meet the punk-spirited crew shaking up Bangkok's running scene. Ugly Running Training Club – URT for short – is less about lap times, more about theatre in motion. At Benjakitti Park, they trade performance metrics for eyeliner, loud playlists and chipped polish. It's gritty, messy, oddly stylish – part run, part runway. Where others bring neon Lycra and polite nods, URT shows up with sequins and safety pins, turning each stride into a statement. How it all started: As one of the original members, Pu Wongwaiwit tells us, it started with a loose circle of friends who laced up around the same time and ran simply because they felt like it. Once or twice a week, no pressure, no plan. What set them apart wasn't distance or discipline, but a shared instinct for mischief – styling themselves somewhere between early-2000s indie band and post-party stragglers. The name stuck because it fit. Ugly wasn't about looking rough. It was about rejecting the polished, protein shake version of running. What's the energy now? There's the faint echo of a subculture here – part music, part running crew, part found family. They're not interested in conformity or curated lifestyles. What binds them is shared pace and politics: a refusal to separate style from sport or softness from strength. Arrive at Benjakitti on a URT day and you'll find bodies moving in imperfect unison, matching each other beat for beat, not to win but to witness. There's no hierarchy, no coach, no one yelling about hydration. Just movement and mood. How to join? There's no onboarding, no membership tier, no awkward icebreakers. If you fancy a run, just turn up – most mornings around 6.30am, Gate 3, Benjakitti Park, by the stretching zone. No one will ask your pace or your PB. There are occasional events too – equal parts chaos and charm – announced via cryptic Instagram posts at @ugly_running_training_club. Just lace up and show up. Everything else falls into place. Time Out tip: On June 15 at 6.30pm, Pickle and URT team up for a one-night-only run that's anything but quiet. In honour of Pride Month, this is for those who move loud, dress bold and show up with spirit. Expect a three kilometre night run through the city, games, giveaways and a live set from Gene Kasidit to close it all out. Register by June 10 via here
Arab News
20-02-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Strike shuts Tunisia mining town over infrastructure woes
TUNIS: Schools and businesses in Om Laarayes, a major Tunisian mining town, shut down Thursday as a general strike protested deteriorating infrastructure, days after a deadly road accident. The regional URT labor union, part of the powerful UGTT trade federation, called for the strike to demand improvements to the southwestern town's infrastructure and health care. 'All schools, shops and local institutions have shut down in protest against the deteriorating state of infrastructure,' said URT secretary-general Mohamed Sghaier Miraoui. The strike followed a road accident on Tuesday when a bus collided with a truck in the town, killing six people and injuring nine. 'This tragic accident has sparked outrage among residents of our neglected region,' Miraoui told AFP. 'Such incidents are frequent because we still lack basic infrastructure Public transport is inadequate, and our hospital is poorly equipped even for emergency care, while the morgue cannot properly accommodate bodies.' Despite its phosphate wealth, Om Laarayes, home to 40,000 people, remains underdeveloped. 'Our town is a mining city and has natural resources,' said Miraoui. 'It should be among the main regions with infrastructure.' Many inland areas of Tunisia struggle with social and economic hardship, unlike wealthier coastal cities. Protests have been common in these regions since the 2011 revolution that toppled longtime ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and sparked the Arab Spring uprisings. In the mining hub of Gafsa, people have long demanded better infrastructure and jobs by reviving phosphate production. Tunisia produced eight million tons of phosphate in 2010 but has only been producing up to half of that in recent years due to underinvestment and recurring social unrest. Phosphates, one of Tunisia's few natural resources, are a key ingredient in fertilizers.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Yahoo
Missing Cayuga County man found dead in Cross Lake
CAYUGA COUNTY, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — A Cayuga County man has been found dead in Cross Lake after being missing since Sunday Feb. 2. According to the New York State Police in Auburn, the 66-year-old man was last seen at his cottage on Cross Lake in Cayuga County, before being reported missing by his wife after he did not return home. On Wednesday, Feb. 5 the New York State Police Underwater Recovery Team (URT)was called out onto Cross Lake when search efforts identified a possible location on the lake where a UTV may have broken through the ice. Following the search, the 66-year-old was found deceased in Cross Lake and his body has been recovered. URT is still working to retrieve the UTV which has not been possible due to current conditions. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the New York State Police at 585-398-4100. Missing Cayuga County man found dead in Cross Lake New Laws coming to New York this February The Daily Pledge – Maverick and Cole from Cazenovia 'This is what sports are all about:' Watch special moment on Oneida basketball court School closings near Syracuse Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
