The MAN for the really big jobs!

Recovery operations require state-of-the-art technology and professional precision: That is why J. Bauereiß KG puts its trust in a capable and highly trained team as well as in reliable towing and recovery vehicles from MAN.

Truck and bus recovery is quite the task, and not only because of the sheer volume to be towed. Expertise, creativity and the right equipment are essential for the recovery of such large vehicles. “J. Bauereiß KG has very good technical equipment,” confirms Stefan Zauner, the company’s Service Manager. This includes the latest truck in the towing team, an MAN TGS 41.510 8×4 BB. It is the seventh MAN vehicle in the fleet. Bauereiß is very satisfied with the performance of the MAN trucks and values its working relationship with the Munich-based manufacturer. What’s more, the process of retrofitting the basic vehicles was straightforward and reliable. Hydraulic towing equipment with a powerful (telescopic) recovery arm was added to the new Lion for its area of use by the Austrian company EMPL, as well as two large aluminium boxes on the left and right side of the vehicle, which provide sufficient storage space for the requisite tools and equipment.

The 510 hp towing Lion is used for all major recovery operations. The call for assistance can come in 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, as those are the working hours of the Bauereiß team. “We work on behalf of ADAC Truckservice and for MAN workshops, but we also work for the police. The full monty,” says Stefan Zauner. A significant number of the recovery operations take place on motorways. But vehicles are also recovered on rural roads and in town. “Things tend to get more complicated in those situations,” says Zauner, who has been working for Bauereiß KG for six years. “A large semitrailer combination is usually close to the legally permissible length on its own. If we then come along with our 12 ½ metre vehicle plus recovery arm, we obviously go beyond the legal limits.” And problems are not hard to come by, of course: For example, when it comes to getting back out of particularly narrow alleys. That’s when creative minds and nerves of steel are called for. 

“Basically, our motto is nothing is impossible”

“You definitely need a lot of creativity to do this job.” For example, it is not unheard of for a broken-down truck to be pulled into a larger street first using the winch so it can be picked up there.

So experience and ingenuity have a big role to play in large-scale operations on the road. That is why the new recruit from MAN was assigned to two experienced drivers in the team. “They were as pleased as Punch,” says Zauner, laughing. He has also put the new towing behemoth through its paces – but on a test drive rather than in the field. “It’s a different ball game,” he says, comparing it to the older MAN models. It’s becoming more and more like driving a car – enjoyable and comfortable. You keep forgetting that you’re driving a truck.” The qualified motor vehicle technician was a student assistant at Bauereiß before he took on the job of Service Manager. Even today, he helps out wherever needed. Although he spends most of his time in the office, he heads out on the road with his colleagues every now and then when large-scale towing jobs come in. “The manufacturer’s service vehicle often arrives at the breakdown site first. If they can’t repair the vehicle, they call us and by then it’s usually pretty clear that we’re coming to tow it away.” There is no rule of thumb for how long a motorway assignment will take. The quicker the job is finished, the better, but it varies depending on the situation.

Breakdowns on the hard shoulder are awkward and potentially dangerous because the hard shoulder rarely has a barrier. “A lot of drivers come flying past you at high speed. If you happen to be lying underneath the truck and get blasted by the wind, it’s not a nice feeling. After jobs like those, you’re relieved to be back home,” says Stefan Zauner.

That’s why we agree with him: Recovery teams deserve the utmost respect. Day and night, they have to ensure that the flow of traffic is not disrupted, regardless of the weather. No small feat for the team at J. Bauereiß KG and their MAN vehicles!