As much as we wish that we could simply go about our days without any major catastrophes happening, we all have to be prepared for Murphy’s Law: anything that can go wrong will go wrong. When you drive a complex and heavy-duty vehicle like a tractor-trailer, those little mishaps can turn into a complete disaster. Truckers, of course, are often required to travel on highways, some of which are paths less traveled. So what happens if you’re on the highway, miles from the nearest town or city, and your truck breaks down? Or, what happens if you accidentally run off the road? Well, that would be the time to call a heavy-duty tow truck, no?
Tow trucks are great. They often come to rescue for drivers and truckers alike. But the thing is that they can often be very, very expensive. Especially when you’re talking about getting a tow truck – or maybe even a rotator – that’s hefty enough to rescue a stranded semi truck. You can’t exactly call your local towing company for that. A rollback is just not going to cut it. So, that brings us to today’s trucking tip: know who to call if you break down. We’ll give you some tips on how to choose a heavy-duty tow truck business.
How to choose a heavy-duty towing business.
You might have to do a little research into different tow truck companies that will tow semi-trucks. It’s an especially good idea if you drive the same route often, or if you’re frequently in the same area or driving along the same highway. If you can find a towing company ahead of time, you’ll have their number ready to go if you have a mishap and your truck decides it just doesn’t feel like trucking today.
If you’re curious how much does a tow truck cost, refer to our article.
So, what exactly are you looking for in a heavy-duty tow truck company that tows semi-trucks?
Well, like we said, you need a very big tow truck capable of hauling the truck you’re driving. It’s possible that you can get your truck transported with a heavy-duty tow truck. But if you’ve had a mishap and your truck is in a ditch or has run off the road somehow, you might need a rotator (a.k.a. the most gigantic tow truck there is.)
But you also have to get a company that has trained their people in hauling heavy vehicles. It takes a lot of experience and know-how to tow a semi-truck. So, you should check and see if you can find out if this is a company that specializes in towing big vehicles. That way you know you’ll get someone who knows what they’re doing. And that means there’s a much lower risk of some sort of mishap happening when the towing company attempts to transport your big rig. Also – do they have the equipment necessary to get your truck where it needs to go?
Are they properly insured?
You’ll want to make sure that the towing company carries plenty of insurance just in case something goes wrong. Reputable towing companies will have lots and lots of insurance.
Another thing to consider: What are their hours?
As a trucker, you don’t exactly keep the most normal hours. You might be driving in the middle of the night when your truck breaks down or you run into trouble (hopefully not literally.) Does the tow company you’re looking at have 24-hour service? Will they be able to come to rescue you in the wee hours of the morning? These things are worth thinking about. Having the number of a business that closes at 6 pm won’t exactly do you much good if you need a tow at 2 am. And then you’d be on your smartphone, frantically Googling and trying to find someone who will give you a tow…and chances are you won’t have the opportunity to do research into the company to make sure they’re reputable and will take good care of your rig.
And our last tip: Online reviews.
Check out their online reviews. You don’t have to be obsessive about it, but trying to find out if other people have had good experiences might be something to think about. If the reviews are generally positive, you might find some peace of mind knowing that you have a good towing company in mind if you ever need help.
Anyways, it’s best to be prepared for any situation on the road that could befall you, and that includes knowing who you would call if you run off the road, break down, or otherwise need help. A little bit of time spent researching now will spare you a lot of headaches later when you’re stuck on the side of the road…with no Internet.
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