If your car has ever slowed down to a halt, you understand how hard trying to find nearest towing company can be. Even when stuck in a difficult circumstance, you don’t want to call a random car towing company.
There are various methods to find the best car removal service provider during an emergency, as you will learn later in this article. First, read on to understand the different types of towing, when to call a tow truck, and factors to consider before calling the firm.
Types of Towing
If you own a car, you will need towing services at some point regardless of the vehicle make or model you drive. 24 hour tow trucks get your vehicle from one place to another without you driving it. Did you know there are various types of towing you can use during an emergency? Here is what you need to know about long-distance and local towing.
Local Towing
Local towing is a common form of towing that many car owners often use. It helps them transport damaged vehicles within short distances. Here’s what you should know about local towing.
Distance Towing
Local towing is ideal for you if you want to find nearest towing company. It comprises jobs that fall within 150 air miles for non-commercial driver’s license holders or drivers. Or 100 air miles for commercial driver’s license holders.
When do you need Local Towing Services?
If your vehicle develops a mechanical breakdown, you must find nearest towing company. Sometimes the breakdown could be due to an accident or wear and tear. Your local towing company will help you move the vehicle to the closest repair shop so that experts can fix it and allow you to get back on the road. Suppose the car develops a fault, rendering it inoperable; local towing is one of the best strategies you can use to transport it to the nearest auto garage.
Time
Local RV towing involves moving within short distances. As a result, the process will be shorter compared to long-distance towing. However, various factors determine the total time the towing process takes. These include the weather conditions and the exact distance you have to cover. While local towing should take a shorter time, every situation is unique.
Cost
Local towing requires less labor and is cheaper than long-distance towing. The ideal vehicle towing company allows you to choose an option that best meets your specific needs and budget.
Long-Distance Towing
Long-distance towing involves moving vehicles to distances far away. If you are stuck in a situation that requires this service, try and find nearest towing company that’s experienced and reliable to avoid towing hitches. Here are some of the key things you should beware of about long-distance towing.
Distance
Long-distance towing involves moving vehicles for more than 150 air miles for non-CDL and 100 air miles for CDL drivers.
When you Need the Service
If you want to transport your car to a faraway location, long-distance towing will be ideal. If your vehicle is overly damaged, you could need long-distance towing, especially if the incident happened far from home. Suppose your vehicle experiences a mechanical breakdown outside your local towing company’s coverage area; long-distance towing service providers will help get the car back to your locality.
Long-distance tows are not a preserve of damaged vehicles. They can also come in handy to help move cars in good working condition. Relocating families or organizations can hire these service providers to transport their cars to the new location. Long-distance towing can be ideal for transporting specialized vehicles like vintage cars often displayed in different locations.
Time
Long-distance towing is an extensive process that takes longer than a local tow. If you choose a local tow, you need to prepare for a long time commitment. For example, if you are relocating to a new destination, consider planning your move early. Doing so allows you to estimate the time of completion. Emergency long-distance tows are unpredictable. However, you can find nearest towing company and make the necessary arrangements to ease the process.
Cost
Long-distance towing needs more resources and is costlier than local towing. The amount of money you will pay for this service depends on the distance to be covered.
When to Call a Tow Truck
Calling for help is often a final recourse when you can’t get your vehicle to start. Here are various situations that may force you to find nearest towing company.
When the Vehicle Won’t Start
If your vehicle stalls suddenly or just won’t get started, give it some time to rest before attempting to restart it. Often, a dead battery could be the problem, and getting someone to assist with jump-starting it would easily solve the problem. Always carry jumper cables in your car trunk or even a portable charger for your battery, especially when traveling long distances. If all your efforts to restart the vehicle fail, you will need to find nearest towing company for assistance.
When you Have a Puncture
Do you have a jack and spare tire in your car? You can always change a flat tire on your own. However, if the incident happened in an insecure place, you cannot change the tire, or you don’t have a spare tire, find nearest towing company to come to your rescue.
You are Involved in an Accident
Nobody anticipates an accident, but the first task should be ensuring that everybody is unhurt if it happens. If any vehicle occupants need medical attention, you or somebody else should call for an ambulance. Suppose the only damage is on your vehicle; you need to call your preferred towing company.
Avoid driving a damaged car even when it appears possible. Doing so is risky because it could escalate the damage, and sometimes your vehicle could explode or even catch fire. Find nearest towing company and allow professionals to handle the issue.
Factors to Consider before you Find Nearest Towing Company
Once you’re convinced your car needs towing, you will be eager to have it executed as promptly as possible. However, there are various factors you should consider before calling a towing firm, which include:
Your Location
If your vehicle stalls in your home or office’s parking area, you will have sufficient time to assess the problem. However, if you are in the middle of a busy street or highway, you must find a way to clear the way as soon as possible.
Do You Need Roadside Help or a Towing Company?
If your car insurance provides roadside assistance, you may want to call them first. However, calling a towing company is usually the better option. Did you know that calling roadside assistance could raise your fees? Unless it’s an emergency, avoid calling roadside help.
Take Pictures
If you have been involved in an accident, record images of the damage. Consider taking various shots from varying angles. Where another vehicle was involved, record its images as well. Remember, documenting damages will be critical for insurance reasons or if legal or civil issues arise later.
Contact Your Insurance Firm
Call your insurance provider to determine if they will cater to the towing cost. Suppose your policy covers specific towing firms; it will be good to know in advance. Assuming your insurance firm doesn’t recommend a towing company, you may want to find nearest towing company based on customer reviews
Request an Estimate
Determine towing costs based on the towing company’s prices and the distance to be covered. You want to know the price in advance, especially if your insurance firm will not cover the service.
Determine the Towing Method
Vehicles can be towed through the chain and hook method, where the experts use a hook to connect your car to the towing truck and transport it to the garage. In the flatbed method, your car is heaved on a truck and moved to the garage. The flatbed method is safe, and your vehicle is less likely to suffer damage. Always choose the flatbed method to guarantee the safety of your vehicle.
Establish Whether or not to have the Vehicle Towed
Where do you want your car to be moved to? You may ask the towing experts to transport it home if you are within your local area. If auto body repairs are to be done, have the car moved to the garage. If you are new in the area, ask your towing services provider to recommend a reliable mechanic. Often, the company has qualified mechanics on their team and will be happy to assist.
Remove Your Valuables from the Car
Remove anything of value from the car before the towing services arrive. Many towing companies are trustworthy and reliable but avoid leaving your valuables unattended in the car.
Tips to Help you Find the Nearest Towing Company
If you are using towing services for the first time, various tricks and tips can help you choose the best provider. Read on to find these out.
After searching for the best and nearest towing company on your phone, you get numerous options. Google review is a strategy you can use to narrow down your options. Figure out what each company’s past customers are saying about their service. This strategy is an excellent method of determining a business’ quality, even though it can be complex for towing firms. Remember, not all reviews are genuine.
Consider checking different review sites to be sure. You can also ask your family members and friends for recommendations. Check local bulletin boards and local newspapers for more options. Read negative reviews critically to differentiate the genuine ones from the unreliable ones.
Availability
If you find a modern towing firm with advanced towing equipment, they have to be readily available when the need arises to be of help. Roadside emergencies, breakdowns, and accidents occur at the most unexpected time during the night or day.
Confirm the operating hours of your preferred towing firm to make sure they will be available when an emergency occurs. The most reliable towing firms operate round the clock, meaning you can reach them whenever an emergency occurs. However, if they are further away from your location, they can link you to a vehicle rental company that can help move you to a safer place before they arrive.
Location and the Services they Offer
Location and your potential company’s services are critical factors to consider when searching for a local towing company. Determine whether they offer their services where you frequent the most. For example, if your vehicle stalls on your way to work, you want a towing firm that can reach you as soon as possible. If they can link you to garages that do car ceramic coating, the better. Many reliable firms’ serviceable range is approximately 30 miles from their site.
Fast Response
You don’t want to be stuck on the roadside for a long period, especially if your car is stalled in a dangerous place. A dependable towing firm responds fast by sending their team to assist you. The team’s time to reach you depends on how far they have to travel. However, it should take less than an hour in the case of local towing. The best response time for a towing firm should range from 30 to 60 minutes.
Bonded, Licensed, and Insured
These tips will be meaningless if your preferred towing company is uncertified and unlicensed. Unlicensed towing firms are untrained, which can worsen the situation for you and your car. Ensure the company you choose is fully certified, bonded, and licensed by the Public Safety and Transportation Department. Certified and licensed firms are trustworthy and know the best towing methods to avoid escalating the damage to your vehicle.
Have you used a towing firm before? Choosing the best company can be difficult, but the tips in this article can make the exercise easier. Select a towing service provider today to prepare for emergencies.