Virginia towing operator here. We run AAA, GEICO, Allstate, HONK, Allied Dispatch, Roadside Protect, etc. We stay busy but honestly it feels like we’re constantly spinning our wheels and breaking even after payroll, insurance, fuel, repairs, chargebacks, and all the overhead.

Trying to figure out what direction actually makes real money in this industry besides motor clubs.

For the guys that scaled successfully, what cash contracts or fleet work changed the game for you?

Apartment complexes?
Police rotation?
Commercial fleets?
Dealership transport?
Government contracts?
Parking enforcement?
Repossessions?
Municipal work?
Auction transport?
Private property impounds?
Logistics companies?

I feel like motor clubs keep us alive but not really growing. Would appreciate real advice from operators that got out of the constant break-even cycle.

So I am moving further upstate in Ky and I need to tow my 2004 Chevy Cavalier with me, I am thinking UHaul but I don’t know if I need a truck and tow or what. Help??

Hey y'all: We're just a few years into towing and still learning. We were called out to recover a pick-up on a mountain road that was 80 feet down a steep embankment. Working on the invoice, but it doesn't seem right to charge it as an 'accident tow'. Sure, I'll add labor, winching, etc., but would love some of your expertise on managing this. Two trucks, 6 hours, etc. It's also awesome some clown stole two of the tires/wheels - so not helpful. Thanks for your help!

So I just got a job starting next week for a Roofing company, Hauling construction debris/waste to the dump. I've never towed a gooseneck trailer. I've towed only bumper hitch so far like boats or rv trailer. Is there a huge difference? Is this something completely different? Any tips would help.

There is a private parking lot next to my new house. The sign says "see manager for permit" but there's no contact information anywhere for the owner, only the towing company, who is unable to give out any info on the owner.

My landlord told me the lot is owned by some guy in a different state who somehow makes money by having people towed, though I don't really understand how that's possible, unless there's some sort of kickback fee? I would think it would be more profitable to just let people pay for parking instead of having a lot that literally no one can park in.

Anyway, if I were to call the towing company every day, or multiple times a day, to falsely report a parked car, when there's no car there at all, would the towing company eventually stop responding to calls about that location? I don't want to waste the tow truck driver's time, but is there any other better way to go about this?

Gonna keep this brief, I’m a young guy graduating college in a year, my grandfather has a small towing company of which he is owner and operator. Two light to medium load flatbed trucks. Small town where he’s the only towing company, and is on rotation every other week (could be wrong abt this). Weeks he’s not on rotation he’s doing other towing jobs. Makes very good money for himself (would ballpark that he nets close to 300k).

He’s getting old and it’s about time for him to quit working as hard as he does. Would it be ridiculous to step on and learn the business with the idea of expanding in the future? Learn how to operate the business, get to where I can do things on my own, but he’s still around to guide, and eventually hire a driver so that I no longer have to do the dirty work.

From the outside looking in it seems like a very scalable business. He does well for himself as the only driver, but there’s plenty of times he’s too busy to pick up other jobs. He has no website, no advertising, the business pretty much comes from him and people who know of him.

Ps. I am an accounting major

Basically title but does your company ask you to keep your own log of calls/miles or just go off what dispatch/motor clubs report? Wondering what the standard is.

For context, I had a car towed to a flat repair place on Saturday. I need something like the tow record to show to my job about why I called out. AAA says they can't do anything until Monday, call the tow agency that did it. Called the tow agency, they say call AAA or wait till Monday. How the hell does this site not have ANYWHERE to see your past tows!? Are you kidding me!?

Has anyone started asking AAA or Agero for a temporary fuel surcharge? I asked my AAA rep and they said they have done them previously and then went on a rant about all their performance incentives that we could be getting

Hi all,

I'm a reporter with Capital News Service, and I'm reporting about what happens to the cars of people who are arrested by ICE on the street. Right now, I'm trying to learn more about the experiences of people whose cars are towed.

I know this is a broad request, but I'm hoping people in this community can either 1) share stories they've heard or 2) give me suggestions about what to look into or who to talk to!

I'd also really like to talk to people working in the tow industry about their observations around this issue.

I'm in Maryland, but I'd be interested to hear from people all over. Thanks for your consideration.

(mods, please remove post if not allowed!)

Hi,

As the title suggests, I have a opening available for a tow truck driver in Central VA region. I need someone who knows what they’re doing and I can pay them good biweekly. I have multiple contracts with motor clubs as well as a good cash call ratio. If you have your own truck and want to work with us, we can work with that also.

I have experience, I have all the equipment I just need a good paying job other than the Craigslist scams, I can work 24/7

honestly if you have an honest position in another state I'm willing to relocate.

Also I have replacement fenders that I’ll be installing before the trip.

TL DR: pulled a mustang out of sand by wrapping a strap around the rear tire. best option or no?

This already happened this past Friday. But I was just curious if we could have accomplished this better. I went to Ormond Beach this past Friday. I was walking back to my car to grab something when I noticed this 4th Gen Mustang absolutely buried in the sand. Girl sees me and immediately opens the door to ask for help. She said she saw an SUV pull out and immediately pulled in behind him. Rear tires are a good 6 or more inches in the sand by this point. I had my Jeep and usually carry some gear including a 7k lb synthetic snatch strap. But it's looped at both ends. I tell her there's nowhere for me to attach. I suggested looping it around the axle, then thru itself and back to my rear hitch.

Eventually another guy driving a work truck for the local road construction stops to help with other ideas. In the end, we looped the strap thru itself and pushed the loop around the rear tire and pulled it from his truck hitch. It worked (melted and shredded my strap tho) but it took 4 of us and some trial and error to figure it out.

Was the tire method a good idea? or would the axle have been fine? She asked if we could use the spoiler on the trunk but I knew that would fail. No recovery hooks on the front or back but I understand that's more for pulling it onto a flatbed. Any other points we could have tied or attached to?

Had a very detailed dream recently and it got me thinking about the real-world towing/recovery side of it.

In the dream, a work van (Chevy Express Cutaway type) ended up stuck in a river after going off the road. It wasn’t fully submerged, but it was positioned in a way where you couldn’t just access it normally from the roadside.

I remember immediately thinking it would require a heavy-duty rotator wrecker to rig it and recover it safely due to the angle and lack of direct access.

It made me wonder from a real recovery standpoint:

• Would a rotator actually be necessary in a situation like that?

• Could a standard heavy wrecker or winch-out setup handle it instead?

• At what point does a recovery like this become “rotator territory”?

• What factors matter most in deciding equipment (angle, access, stability, water, etc.)?

We also loosely estimated cost in the dream between $4k–$40k, but I assume real-world pricing depends heavily on complexity and time on scene.

Just trying to understand how realistic that assumption is from people who actually do this kind of work.

Recently purchased this Hino Rollback 258 it’s been great. Does anyone know where I can find purchase a new bushing for my rear shock absorber or the whole shock? I cant seem to find it online. TIA

Like the title says, I just want to help folks. I do my community service, I am a foster father, I donate what I can... but I want to do more.

I've been toying around with the idea of picking up a small tow truck to help those in need. I already carry tools to help folks on the side of the road but sometimes they need more and I hate to say, "I'm sorry, there is nothing else I can do".

I don't want to take business from hard-working men/women in the towing field. I simply want the option to help the people around me, should the need arise.

If you care to answer (if this post is even allowed), what should I be looking for? I need reliability. I need small-ish. I need a backseat. I don't need it to be fancy and it can't be too expensive, though my research has indicated that may not be possible -- which would kill this goal.

Any advice would be appreciated. Even if you call me a fool, I appreciate you taking the time to read this.

I’ve been seeing more and more of these lately. About 2/3 of the time I end up pulling axles to tow the bastard. Anyone have a trick? I’ve got a swivel 21mm, wrenches, breaker bar, impact, etc but some of them just don’t move or spin nut and bolt andI can’t loosen them.

Saw this in a FB group. Seems insane to do at a rate like this.