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Need A Lift? Helpful Tips To Choose A Towing Company

17 March 2019

Romain Philippe

Choosing the right towing company to move your car is an important decision. You will be placing one of your most valuable possessions in the hands of a stranger and trusting them to get it safely to its destination. Unfortunately, the times that you need a tow are usually the worst times to make any kind of informed decision. Being stuck on the side of the road or even in your own driveway can be stressful, and often you are more preoccupied with getting your car fixed and back on the road than with the company that will haul it to your mechanic.

Because this is such an important decision, however, it is best to not leave it until the last minute. Instead, follow these useful tips to choose one or several local towing companies and keep their numbers handy. This way you will be prepared to call the best company for the job when the need arises.

Read Reviews and Scrutinize Services

Read review for a towing service? Absolutely! You want to make sure that the company you select will be understanding of your situation and that they will take proper care of your vehicle. Pay special attention to whether reviewers discuss finding damage on their cars or if they suffered additional mechanical issues after getting them back. There are many things that can go wrong with a tow, so it is important to choose a professional service that treats the job with the care and respect that it deserves.

When checking online reviews, be sure to read the reviews themselves rather than simply looking at the ratings. Many online ratings can be manipulated, so your best bet is to carefully read reviews and ignore the ones that seem suspicious or out of place. Instead, treat written reviews like you would recommendations from friends and family. Look for detailed reviews that seem like they were written by real people and trust those over average star ratings.

Since you have the time that you need to select the best company available, this is also a good time to be selective with the services that they offer. Having the number of a 24-hour towing service ready can be very helpful, for example, so that you know a reliable company to call even if you're stuck with a disabled car in the middle of the night.

Determine if They Work with Your Roadside Assistance Program

If you have a roadside assistance program, an important step is to ensure that any towing companies that you select work with them. If you are having difficulty making a short list of companies that are covered, call up your program's customer help line and ask for recommendations. In most cases, you will be able to get a list of local companies. You can use this as a useful starting point before moving on to more detailed research.

Don't Be Afraid to Ask Questions

If you have selected one or two companies that seem like they will meet your future needs, you shouldn't be shy about calling and asking questions. This may seem like overkill for a towing service, but it can provide you with confidence when you are stuck in a lurch and need your car towed right away. In particular, you should ask about licensing and qualifications for drivers. There are no federal and few state requirements for tow trucks, but the following questions are still useful to ask:

• Do you require your drivers to hold commercial driver's licenses (CDLs)?
• What kind of background check process do you use for your drivers?
• What sort of training do you provide for your drivers?
• What types of trucks do you use? What is the largest vehicle you can tow?

If you aren't happy with the answers you receive, don't be afraid to scratch the company off of your list. The entire point of making a list of companies before an emergency strikes is that it allows you to be discerning.

Find Out If They Accept Cards

This may seem like a minor point, but there's nothing worse than being in need of a tow and not having the cash to pay for it. If you don't often carry cash on you, make sure that you select companies who can accept credit or debit cards. The process for this will vary from company to company, but you will want to know in advance that you won't be stuck being unable to pay once the driver shows up.

For more information, reach out to Parkway Wrecker Service.

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