3 Critical Factors That Can Affect The Cost Of Towing Your Semi-Truck
Posted on: 31 March 2022
Every owner-operator knows that calling for a tow is often the last resort. Heavy-duty towing is a tough job, which means it's typically far more costly than a light-duty tow. This higher price buys the skills and equipment necessary to move tractors that can easily weigh 20,000 pounds or more. Unfortunately, sometimes there's no choice except to call in the heavy hitters to tow your truck to a garage.
If you find yourself in this situation, several things can influence how the job will impact your bottom line. While every tow is unique, these three critical factors are likely to significantly affect how much you'll spend to get your truck back to safety.
1. Your Truck's Condition
A simple roadside breakdown is among the easiest (and least costly) towing jobs you're likely to face. If you were able to pull your truck to the side of the road safely, most towing companies will be able to quickly and easily get you hooked up to a heavy-duty wrecker. Remember that you are paying for your driver's time and effort, so these easier jobs are often less costly.
On the other hand, you can expect to pay more for more challenging recovery operations. For example, it takes far more time and effort to pull a truck from a ditch. Even if your rig is in relatively good condition, you can expect to pay more if the driver needs to winch your truck free or use heavy equipment to move it into position for a tow.
2. Your Location
Towing a truck from a parking lot is an easy job, but moving a stuck tractor-trailer from the middle of a busy highway is far more challenging. You can expect to pay more for tows that are particularly dangerous or challenging, such as in cases where you find yourself broken down without being able to reach the safety of the soft shoulder.
In general, you can expect to pay more for situations that may require traffic management. If your truck is blocking a lane of traffic or presenting a danger to nearby motorists, the towing company may need to coordinate with local law enforcement to manage traffic as they hook your truck up. These operations are often much more costly than pulling a truck from the side of the road.
3. Your Trailer and Cargo
A heavy-duty tow truck is typically more than sufficient to pull a cab or even an unladen trailer, but a full trailer may require a second truck or a much larger recovery vehicle. If you need to get your cargo off the side of the road, you can usually expect to pay more. These towing operations may also be more complex and time-consuming, especially if they involve multiple recovery vehicles.
While heavy-duty towing may be expensive, it's important to remember that these operations involve skilled operators using highly-specialized equipment from a company like Jensen Towing. The cost you pay ensures that you can quickly and efficiently get your truck and cargo to safety.
Share