10 More Things Tow Truck Drivers Wished You Knew – Part 2
We respect our tow truck drivers, so here are just a few things they want you to know – so you may respect them out there on the road, just a little bit more.
10. They Are On Call
Classic ‘On Call’ professions you may think of are doctors, police, or firefighters. But tow truck drivers are also on call. The weather may be bad, but the calls don’t stop, and the drivers will leave their families and the warmth of their homes to help you.
The Code
9. Tow Truck Drivers Have a Code of Ethics
Our employees have rules they have to follow. Since we frequently work with AAA, the police, and insurance companies keeping good behavior is essential. Being well-mannered at work, staying calm with customers, and trying to understand situations are things our drivers know they need to do.
8. They Keep Traffic Moving
Imagine for a moment if the tow truck drivers took their time getting to an accident or left a vehicle for days or weeks in the ditch. Yes, this sometimes does happen, but if there were no cleanup trucks – or tow trucks – in the Chicagoland area – there would be cars lying in the streets at random places – or even intersections! So, yes, they keep the traffic moving.
Exception, Not Rule
7. The Drop Charge
Tow drivers cannot be bribed and even trying to do so can be seen as against the rules. However, the “drop charge” is a tool not often utilized by customers. The idea is that if a driver finds the car about to be towed, they can pay a fee that would be only a fraction of the cost of a full tow. What doesn’t help is that too many places have been caught overcharging drop charges to an often ridiculous degree. That means even if a driver knows of it, they’ll assume it’s a scam and not accept it. Those are really the exception, not the rule, as paying a drop charge can save a trip to the towing lot. This should be something drivers are more aware of.
6. It’s Serious Competition
Have you ever opened the Yellow Pages or even Google looking for a Tow Truck and there are 5 companies that start with the letter A? That’s because the tow truck industry is competitive. AAA will call 2 tow truck companies to see which one is available to get there first. The more a tow truck company responds to that roadside travel company, the higher rating they will receive.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
5. Truck Drivers Can’t Be Bribed
Not even with donuts. Or Cash. This will not stop the tow truck driver from towing your vehicle when they have the order to do so. It’s not the tow truck driver’s fault that your vehicle is getting towed, so there’s no reason to blame them.
4. The Risks They Face
The truth is that these drivers do risk themselves quite a lot. Navigating a truck in major traffic is tough enough. Doing so when you’re dragging another car behind you is even harder. There are also the major dangers of doing a hookup on a highway as too often, other drivers are not kind enough to stop or slow down, but just keep racing by. There have been some incidents with tow drivers due to these issues and they show the dangers of working on bad roads.
3. Not Every Car Can Be Towed
Some specialized vehicles require a specialized tow truck. The weight limit on a tow truck is also a factor that comes into play. If a vehicle is too badly damaged to tow, that could be a problem. Flatbed tow trucks are used from time to time for motorcycles or specialized vehicles. We offer motorcycle towing services for these types of issues.
2. It’s Not Their Fault
The tow truck driver is just doing their job, it’s not their fault your vehicle is getting towed. The tow service is simply responding to someone else’s orders.
1. Their Hours
Yes, we will come to get your vehicle and we are available to do that 24/7, 365 days a year. But we are a tow truck business, so if you need to pick up your vehicle from one of our lots, they are not open 24/7, 365 days a year. Call us first, to see where your vehicle was towed at 847-844-1400.