Every other Friday for This Is Nashville, I hop out of my host chair and into the passenger seat to ride shotgun with a fellow Middle Tennessean. As part of Friday’s episode on parking, STR Towing and Recovery driver Billy Jimenez picked me up at the NPR headquarters, and we hit the road.
Billy Jimenez calls his tow truck his office. Always on the road, he spends up to 10 hours a day picking up cars and trucks and moving them from one place to another. It’s amazing that he finds time to sleep. However, he has a trick to keep his mind sharp when he’s driving.
“Sometimes, when you don’t have to be in a rush, put some nice music on, relax and just enjoy,” says Billy.
His playlist is little bit of everything from salsa to 80s alternative music, and classic rock from the 50s, 60s and 70s. For Billy, music with soul and feeling reminds him of his job — a job that requires patience and a touch of grace because often he’s meeting people who are having a tough time.
“When (people) get to a car accident, they get uptight and then their emotions start kicking in. You can’t get mad at that person. (The) only thing you do is try to help them out and try to make them calm down to understand, and it’s hard,” says Billy. “But you just can’t lose your cool.”
Billy wasn’t always this patient. For eight years he worked as a “repo man” in his hometown of Chicago. He likens that experience to the wild west.
In Nashville his life is much calmer. Last year, he married his longtime girlfriend of 12 years. He talked to me about how important it is for any tow truck operator to have a strong relationship with their significant other.
“This job is a 24-hour job. You know it could put a strain on a relationship because you don’t see each other that much. You’re working a lot of hours. … You’re doing a lot,” Billy explains further.
The post office “motto” applies for tow truck operators. They are out there working in the rain, snow, heat and gloom. The workload is a lot more than rookies in the industry anticipate, which can lead to some turnover. When Billy is training new drivers he’s sure to let them know of the commitment it takes to do the job well.
He meets over 4,000 people doing his job. He’s often stopped at grocery stores or the mall by former customers who are excited to see the man who helped them out when they were in a bind. To Billy, it is moments like those that makes his job special.
“That’s the best part about this job. You’ll meet wonderful people. Sometimes I have people give me cookies, drinks and stuff. It’s a wonderful feeling.”
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