Thursday, July 23, 2020

We recommend wearing a face mask whenever you come within 6 feet of another person. In addition, our expectation is that all contract Service Providers will abide by state guidelines. You can see a full list of face mask requirements by state below.

Click here to see the face mask requirements in your state.

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

With record daily cases in many states, it's apparent that COVID-19 is still prevalent around the country. Safety is our mutual number one goal, so here are a few reminders on how to keep yourself and your customers safe during roadside events:

• Wear a face mask whenever you come within 6 feet of another person.
  • Please at least follow your state's guidelines on mask wearing, but we recommend wearing a mask during every event.
  • Visit Agero Provider Perks for discounts on personal protective equipment. Aramark Uniform Services and Unifirst both sell masks and other supplies.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Do not cover a cough or sneeze with your hands.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects or surfaces.
• Consider having hand sanitizer available for your employees and in your vehicles, and when you're able, wash your hands frequently with soap for at least 20 seconds.

As a reminder, we still have the following policies in place:

• Customer ride-alongs are not permitted. Customers receive notice of this policy when their roadside request is confirmed as well. 
• We've waived the requirement to capture customer signatures, to help keep you socially distant from your customers.

We know that decreased travel has impacted many businesses. You can still apply for government loans to help with payroll. As of the beginning of July, $130 billion still remains in the program, and the Small Business Association extended the application period through August 8, 2020.

• Our CARES Act webinar walks you through the process and answers many frequently asked questions.

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Yesterday, April 21st, the US Senate passed legislation to expand the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and the Economic Injury Development Loan (“EIDL”). Before the legislation can become law, it needs to pass the US House of Representatives and be signed by the President. We are hopeful that this gets done by Friday.

As you may recall, the PPP exhausted the initial $349 billion within 10 days of starting the application process. The new legislation would make available an additional $310 billion for  loans to those companies that have fewer than 500 employees - $250 billion would be made available through traditional lenders and $60 billion would be made available through small lenders and community-based financial institutions.  We have not seen the details on the process for the $60 billion funds through the community lenders – as we learn more details we will share. 

The EIDL funding will provide an additional $50 billion in appropriations, which the Senate projects will permit $300 billion in additional loans to small businesses.  We have not seen the details on the process suggested that would leverage the $50 billion to $300 billion – it may be a guaranty by the federal government that is limited to 20% of the principal.  As we obtain additional details on the expanded EIDL, we will share.

We encourage network participants who wish to apply to immediately contact their lender (or seek out an SBA approved lender). Applications for the program are available on the SBA’s website. If you have already submitted an application and are waiting for details from your lender, or you were informed that your application could not be processed as the program exhausted the available funding, you should get back in touch with your lender. It is Important to note, the most recently available PPP regulations only permit one loan – folks that have already received a loan under the program cannot obtain a second loan.

Friday, April 17, 2020

• The Small Business Association (SBA) announced yesterday that they have hit the $349 billion allotted to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under the CARES Act. Our expectation is that Congress will re-fund this program in the near future, and encourage our Service Providers who are looking for assistance to continue preparing your materials and having any necessary discussions with your lenders, so you're ready if they re-open the application process.

Other PPP Clarifications (released by the Treasury Department and SBA):

• Lenders must have collected borrower certifications and reviewed borrowers' payroll cost calculations and documentation before submitting the loan in the SBA's system. However, lenders who did not complete the steps in this order do NOT need to withdraw applications submitted before April 14th, but must fulfill their duties on those applications as soon as possible.
• Lenders must fund a PPP loan no later than ten calendar days after the loan is approved.

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Thank you, from all of us:

Your CARES Act Questions Answered:

• Are self-employed service providers able to be compensated?
• Yes – they should apply using the same PPP form, which became available on April 10th.

• I own a roadside assistance provider. My drivers are treated as 1099 and paid as such. As an owner, do I qualify for any of these programs? I’ve heard that my drivers will need to apply on their own, but I am still losing revenue as well. Please advise.
• The Paycheck Protection Program loans are tied to payroll costs that you incurred in 2019 and are designed to help impacted employers retain their W2 payroll, meet their rent and utility costs, and be used to defray mortgage interests. If you did not have payroll expenses in 2019 or during the first few months of 2020, the PPP loan will not be able to provide you with assistance. Please consider the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, also administered by the SBA.
  
  

• Can the EIDL 10k grant be used for business expenses like rent and insurance? Those costs for me will not diminish or be reduced.
• Yes, the EIDL grant and/or loan funds can be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other operating expenses that could have been paid if the disaster had not occurred.
  
  

• I applied 6 days ago for the EIDL, and I have a confirmation number. I have not heard or received anything from the SBA. Any thoughts?
• Unfortunately, the process has been slow as the SBA is required to review each loan application and it is dealing with an overwhelming volume of applications. If you have applied for an EIDL loan, you may wish to check the status of your application with SBA by email at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.
  
  

• Peter said that with the disaster assistance grant you had to check the box that said you wanted the $10,000 grant. I applied while I was watching the meeting, the only box to check says "I would like to be considered for an advance of up to $10,000." My question was, is this what he was talking about or am I missing something on the application?
• Yes, this is the item that should be checked.

• Would it be possible to get more info on the EIDL application and requirements? On my screen shots it pretty much looks like put in your name and wait for an answer. 
• We will provide additional materials on the EIDL application process as we receive them. Please check back on this site regularly.

• In regards to ownership and bankruptcy, if an owner previously filed but it has been discharged can they still apply? I believe it was discharged at least 4-5 years ago. 
• The application restricts parties that are currently in bankruptcy, so you may not have an issue based on the resolution of your bankruptcy more than four years ago. However, the PPP application also states that parties are not eligible if they defaulted on a direct loan or guaranteed loan in the last seven years and caused a loss to the federal government – so It will depends on whether in your discharge from bankruptcy included direct or guaranteed federal loans.

• Can I use the EIDL funds to pay payroll after the 8 weeks covered under the Payroll Protection
• Yes, you can use the EIDL funds as well as loan proceeds under the PPP (to the extent the total amount funded under the PPP has not been used during the initial 8-week period.

• How will the payments be taxed? Under federal law, loan forgiveness generally counts as taxable income; however, the CARES Act excluded the amount of the PPP that is forgiven as taxable. 
• This applies to the federal tax treatment – you will need to review with your tax advisor for the state treatment.  

• Regarding the reduction in staffing requirement, is it based on last year’s average? our business is very cyclical and has been at historic lows prior to COVID, is there a way to adjust for that
• We suggest you review with your lender – there is language in the Treasury regulations that seasonal employers can use partial year results, but if your overall business has been down prior to COVID-19 we are not sure how the SBA would treat the calculation.

• If our taxes for 2019 aren’t turned in yet will it cause the loan to fail?
• We suggest you review with your lender, but do not believe this should be a bar from applying and accessing the funding.
  

• I applied last Thursday 4-2-20 for the SBA EIDL relief loan. I did it online and received a confirmation number. The available information states that $10,000 is supposed to be available/disbursed within 3 days.  I have not received any money or communication from the SBA. As you probably know their phone lines are jammed. Yesterday I reached out to a local SBA office and spoke to Beatriz Devis. She advised me to email the SBA, which I did. She further stated that to her knowledge “no money” has been distributed and at her office they have been unable to get any answers as to why. Do you know of any truth to this and if the SBA has released any statement?
• We have heard this is a common problem as the SBA is overwhelmed with the volume that they have been receiving.

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

We recently received more information on the Paycheck Protection Program:

• On Monday, April 13th, a federal court held that banks can prioritize their existing clients. The court refused to force Bank of America to cease the bank’s policy of limiting PPP applications to only small-business checking customers that either are already borrowers at Bank of America or aren't borrowers at any other bank. The court held that the SBA program does not prohibit a lender from setting conditions on the clients that it will work with.

• Over the last three days, the PPP loan activity has expanded to include PayPal, Intuit, Kabbage and Square. These are non-traditional parties that now have the ability to provide access to the PPP loan program. Square in its release stated that it would start making applications available this week. 

• As of Monday, April 13th, one of the trade associations for banks estimated that $205b loan applications have been processed for the PPP loan program. Bank of America stated that it has received over 300k applications for PPP loans of $45b.

• If you secure PPP funding, remember that the loan forgiveness is based on expenditures that your incur over the 8-week period after the loan – to comply with the rules for forgiveness, at least 75% of the loan proceeds are to be used on payroll costs (other amounts are limited to use for rent, utilities, and mortgage interests).  What is not used during the 8-week period will continue to be available to you as a loan for the two-year period with an interest rate of 1% - still to be limited to use for payroll, rent, utilities, and mortgage interest payments.

PA Monthly and Quarterly Rewards Program

• As COVID-19 has put us in an ever-changing state across the country, we've made the decision to temporarily suspend our PA monthly and quarterly performance rewards programs. We plan to restart the program in July, and will keep you posted if that timeframe changes due to prolonged shelter-in-place directives.

Monday, April 13, 2020

The SBA announced late last week that they've overhauled the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) process in response to the CARES Act. After the passage of the CARES Act, to expedite loan processing, SBA streamlined the application process. This overhaul eliminated the manual process. The new application is digital, does not require documentation to upload, and allows for self-certification. Because of this change, EIDL applications submitted manually to the SBA prior to March 27, 2020 may require resubmission.

Click here to access the application.

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Thank you to everyone who had a chance to attend yesterday's CARES Act webinar with our Chief Legal Officer, Peter Necheles. We hope everyone found the information useful, and benefitted from the time. 

We would also like to apologize to our attendees for the "Zoom bombing" that happened at the end of the webinar. We were as horrified as you all were and escalated the recording to Zoom corporate, who will be involving the government to investigate it further.

Below, you'll find the edited version of the webinar recording, as well as a link to download the webinar slide deck. We are still working on gathering answers to all the questions, so we'll post those on this page as soon as we have them.

• Click here to view the webinar recording
• Click here to download the webinar slide deck

THANK YOU, FROM USAA

Dear Agero Service Providers,

USAA’s mission in part is to facilitate the financial security of the Military and their families. This means we must be present and available for our member in their time of need. USAA recognizes and appreciates your efforts in helping us carry out that mission. Day in day out, rain or shine you show up for our members when they need it. We appreciate you stepping up and continuing to service our members during this lengthy catastrophe situation. We are looking forward to normalized operations, until then stay safe and thank you for your efforts.

- David Kalin | Experience Owner Lead | Towing & Roadside | USAA

Thursday, April 2, 2020

On Friday, March 27, 2020 the federal government passed the CARES act, a massive piece of legislation aimed at providing a lifeline to the economy and the businesses that fuel it. It can be difficult to wade through all of the information in that document, so here is a summary of what it includes, as it relates to small businesses.

Payroll Protection Program (PPP)

• Help with payroll, utilities, and rent.
  • The Payroll Protection Program will make funds available of up to 2.5 times the monthly average payroll cost of small businesses during the past year (capped at $10 million).
  • Small businesses/sole proprietors can start applying on Friday, April 3rd. Independent contractors and self-employed individuals can start applying on Friday, April 10th. Click here to access the application.
    • We encourage you to submit the application as early as possible as there is a finite amount of funding under this program.
  • The amounts can be used by you to cover payroll, salaries, rent, and utilities through June 30, 2020.
  • PPP loans are set at a 0.50% fixed interest rate, payments are deferred for 6 months, and the loan term is 2 years. There is no prepayment penalty.
  • You may not have to pay back these loans provided you have used the funds to cover your payroll costs, utilities, and rent over the 8 week period after the loan is made, and provided that you have maintained employee and compensation levels.

• Help with existing Small Business Administration (SBA) loans you may have.
  • This legislation will also permit the SBA to make payments on your behalf for certain outstanding SBA-guaranteed loans for six months. We'll be watching the SBA to see if they announce the guidelines for this payment program.

• The US Chamber of Commerce has a guide on these emergency loans.
  • Click to view it here.
  • This guide sums up the details of the program and eligibility requirements. 

• You may wish to discuss the details of this legislation with your current lender and see if you qualify.
  • If you need help finding a lender near you, click here to access the SBA's lender referral tool.

SBA Coronavirus Disaster Assistance Loans

• In addition to the Payroll Protection Program, all qualifying small businesses in the United States are eligible for Coronavirus SBA disaster assistance loans.

How to Prepare

• Understand and calculate your maximum loan size
  • Average monthly payroll x 2.5 (up to $10 million)

• Gather organizational documents
  • Articles of Incorporation
  • DBA Documentation
  • List of Ownership
  • Proof of Payroll
  • Business Tax Returns

• Connect with a trusted lender
  • SBA 7(a) Lenders: Banks, savings and loans, credit unions, Community Development Financial Institutions

Webinar Information with Agero's Chief Legal Officer, Peter Necheles

• Tuesday, April 7, 2020 at 2:00 PM EST
• Peter will walk you through the pieces of this program and answer any outstanding questions you may have. We'll send several reminder emails over the next week to make sure you have the information about the webinar you need.

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

A Message from Agero's Chief Operations Officer, George Horvat

Dear Heroes,

I hope this note finds you and your loved ones healthy and well. It is safe to say these past weeks have been among some of the most tumultuous and emotional that any of us can remember in our lifetimes. The impact of the coronavirus outbreak has been felt by individuals and families, companies and communities, across the United States and around the world.

I want to relay to you, in as deeply personal a way I can, the heartfelt appreciation and thanks to all of our over 10,000 independent contractors/businesses, all of their drivers taking calls every day, and to their families for this vital public assistance to keep America moving during this unprecedented time.

The response to this crisis has been extraordinary for what it has required from our society but also for what it has revealed of us as a people. Far from causing division and discord, this crisis and the social distancing it has required has allowed us to witness something profound and moving about ourselves: our fond and deeply felt wish to be connected with one another. While consumer demand has fallen, we have seen the need for our service and capabilities shifted. And, we've adapted to help meet those needs to keep you and those customers safe while still being there in their time of need.

The role of connector is one we're privileged to play in the moments that matter most in our customers' lives – weddings, graduations, birthdays, business trips, events large and small – and it's that responsibility that motivates us most to get up in the morning and  provide an essential service to our customers when their days go off the rails.

That is why it is so important our government acted on a comprehensive relief act to ensure small businesses – and our industry – are ready and able to serve again when this crisis abates. This support may help save jobs in all of your businesses and many others. And it allows us time to make decisions about the future to ensure that we can offer you and those in need the service they deserve and have come to expect as our customers.

While much remains uncertain right now, one thing is for sure: this crisis will pass. Our nation and communities will recover, and Agero will continue to stand by each of our service providers, customers, and clients. When that happens, we hope you'll have even greater pride in the actions we took together on behalf of those customers, drivers, businesses, and everyone we serve.

Stay safe and be well,

George

Monday, March 30, 2020

• We are extending the date by which you need to provide us with an updated insurance certificate reflecting our NEW coverage limits to July 1, 2020. If your certificate of insurance expires prior to July 1st, you have until July 1st to provide us with a COI reflecting the new coverage limits. If you're unable to secure the new coverage limits at this time, please at least send us a current Certificate of Insurance, as an expired COI will result in your account being placed on hold.

Friday, March 27, 2020

• Most of our population is currently working from home due to the multiple state shelter-in-place orders. While we are capable of handling all functions remotely, e-dispatching is the fastest and most reliable means of getting you calls. It's important to accept as many dispatches digitally as possible via whichever software platform you use, to make sure you do not lose any opportunities.

Thursday, March 26, 2020

• In an effort to protect your drivers and the customer, we're implementing a notification to customers informing them that the Service Provider will not transport them with their vehicle at this time. The customer will be asked to secure alternative transportation. Please ask your drivers not to leave a customer until alternative transportation has arrived.

  • If the customer does not have viable alternative transportation, please instruct them to call their roadside 800# and we will work with them to secure an option. In addition, have the customer acknowledge that the dedicated drop-off location is actually open and accepting vehicles prior to transporting the vehicle there.

• We have heard feedback that your status as an essential business has potentially come into question by local law enforcement. We have two documents available for your use to help if these situations arise (click the links to download):

  • Safe Passage Employee Acknowledgement Form

    • An agreement between you and your employee acknowledging their role as an essential business member.

  • Request for Safe and Expedited Passage Form

    • You should fill out and provide this form to your driver to retain with them in their trucks to present to law enforcement in the case that their essential business status is questioned.

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

• Agero teams are continuing to operate at capacity, despite many states issuing shelter-in-place recommendations. All staff and support agents are actively working from home, or adhering to social distancing guidelines.
• American Towman interviewed several towers about the impact of COVID-19, watch the video here.
• The Florida Tow Show has been postponed to a TBD future date.
• American Towman has postponed the American Towman ShowPlace in Las Vegas to September 9-12, 2020.

Monday, March 16, 2020

• Agero is waiving the requirement for customer signatures through May 1, 2020 to help reduce the need for contact. 
• We ask all of our Service Providers to make a concerted effort to stay healthy. Please wash your hands thoroughly whenever you can, and keep hand sanitizer in your trucks whenever possible. Avoid standing within 6 feet of customers or co-workers, and politely decline handshakes.

As we continue to navigate this fast-changing environment, we want to make sure you're aware of the following:

• We have seen a decrease in overall call volume as state restrictions on travel and suggested quarantines have been put in place, but we are confident that volume will increase once travel restrictions are lifted.
• We are still monitoring Call Acceptance as part of your performance metrics. Refused in-territory calls, for any reason, will count against your Call Acceptance score.
• Currently, our Contact Centers, Network Management teams, the Provider Advocate Group, and Service Provider Support Teams are at full capacity. Please continue to utilize the Provider Advocate Group for any additional assistance, questions, or concerns.