Tow Truck Operator Job Description

Roadside Towing with a Truck

Tow trucks are expected to offer emergency roadside towing services when they can't fix things like large repair problems or totaled vehicles. They offer a variety of other towing services. Tow truck drivers must know how to use towing related tools, such as wheel straps, motorcycle straps, safety chains and J hooks, and they must secure vehicles so that they don't suffer damage during transport.

Tow trucks follow up with their dispatch to provide status updates, as well as estimated time of arrivals to vehicles, residences, service stations, and junkyards. A driver completes a variety of paperwork, such as a daily log of tow truck inspection and repair activity, missing or stolen tools reports, travel and mileage logs and a services rendered report. Tow truck drivers usually give their customers an itemized invoice and a handwritten or credit card receipt.

The Wrecker Operators' Role in State Police Regulation

The State Police may establish a rotation system for calling licensed wrecker operators tow or transport disabled, inoperative, or wrecked motor vehicles of owners or operators who are unavailable or unable to do so. Wrecker operators and equipment must meet standards. If strict compliance would be considered unwarranted or impractical, the commissioner may grant exemptions or approve equivalent compliance.

Any action that secures the public safety must be taken. Wrecker operators have several responsibilities. Operators must remove debris from the roadway, spills of fluids used in vehicle operations, and designated vehicles, as well as promptly and efficiently.

Vehicles must be removed from the operator's business place, an alternate storage location, a location the vehicle owner or operator requests, or a facility under State Police control. Unless directed otherwise, the operator's business place must be removed from debris. Wrecker operators are responsible for removing vehicle contents and occupants only if the person cannot be legally transported, or if other arrangements have been made to transport the person.

If the wrecker can't transport everyone, the trooper may help. Each wrecker operator must give a telephone number for the appropriate troop to call. If the call requires performing the service on a road under State Police jurisdiction, the operator must notify the troop before responding.

Tow Truck Operators

Tow truck operators use specially equipped trucks to move vehicles that have broken down, have been damaged in accidents, or cannot be driven for some other reason. Operators work for companies that tow cars. A tow truck operator can drive a variety of trucks.

Tow trucks with a hook and sling are used to raise one end of a disabled vehicle. The operators of wheel-lift or full-float trucks use a system of pulleys to lift cars and place support wheels under one or both of the axles. More expensive cars are transported with flatbed trucks.

The beds are lowered to the ground, disabled vehicles are raised, and then the beds are put back in place. Operators sometimes diagnose and fix problems. They jump-start cars, replace spark plugs, connect loose wires, change flat tires, and add fuel.

Operators may need to bend or cut damaged parts if they have been involved in an accident. Operators do other tasks when they are not towing. Those working at service stations can perform repairs and replace tires.

Operators who work for automobile salvage companies can dismantle vehicles to get rid of parts. The job has no educational requirements, so employers prefer to hire applicants with high school diplomas or the equivalent. Good driving records are required for applicants.

A Personal Injury Lawyer for Tow Trucks

A person who fails to comply with the law and has their vehicle towed may be liable for two times the amount of towing fees, whereas a tow truck company who violates the law can owe up to four times the amount that a car owner was charged to retrieve their car. Tow truck companies that violate the law could be fined and face jail time. Tow truck operators may be held responsible for any damage to a car that is caused when it is taken to the impound lot.

A person can try to recover damages through two different ways. They can either contact their auto insurance company to handle the matter or they can consult a lawyer to find out if they can file a lawsuit against the tow truck company. Local statutes may set the tow truck fees.

If the tow truck was more than the amount prescribed in the local statute, then a person can either file a claim in their local small claims court or consult a lawyer who is knowledgeable about tow truck issues. If a person is able to catch up with a tow truck before the car is towed away, the tow truck company can charge less than half of the total fee. If the car has been towed, already removed from the truck, or is in the impound lot, the person will be responsible for paying the full towing fee.

Tow truck fees are usually based on how long it takes to travel to an impound lot and how much gas it takes. If a person is able to get their car back immediately, the tow truck company or impound lot may not charge them more than they would if they waited for 24 hours. There are no laws regarding what types of payments a tow truck company can accept.

Not every state has laws that require tow truck companies to accept credit cards as a form of payment, and some tow truck companies may refuse to comply with them. If a person discovers that a statute in their jurisdiction requires tow truck companies to accept credit cards as a valid form of payment, they may want to remind the tow truck operator of the law. If that doesn't solve the issue, they should contact local law enforcement or a lawyer to find out what they can do.

Some responsibilities are supposed to be completed by you in the future. The points below can be used to support your application. Take notes with you as you consider the situation.

Tow truck operators need to know some responsibilities. You are supposed to make communications with the company's dispatch. Tow truck operators must go to the accident site to do vehicle diagnostics.

Minor repairs should be done and you should suggest an action plan if needed. A tow truck operator needs to take the vehicle to a junkyard. You must report the damage to the base after analyzing the accident.

It is preferred that you have graduated from a high school. Experience in automotive maintenance or repairs is a must. You should have a driving license in order to be a tow truck operator.

Training tow truck drivers

There are different regulations for tow truck drivers in the US. You need to pass a number of tests to get into a program. You will be able to operate a tow truck once you pass.

If you don't know what your state calls for, contact the U.S. Department of transportation. They can point you to the laws and guidelines in your state. You must be at least 18 years old to operate a tow truck.

The typical age to begin driving is between 21 and 25. It is not a requirement to have a specific education, but many employees like to see a high school degree or GED. Tow chains and tires are heavy equipment that you should be able to operate.

Can you work in the weather? Can you drive in the elements? What about shoveling out a snowed in car?

Mental and physical strength are required for a tow truck job. If you want to become a tow truck driver, you may have to take a drug test. They are looking to see if you are drug-free since heavy machinery is a central component of the profession.

Tow Truck Drivers

There are three types of tow trucks, the conventional low truck with a hook and sling used to raise one end of the vehicle for towing, wheel-lift or full-float trucks that put an extra set of wheels under one or both axles and flat-bed tow trucks that carry the entire When stuck in a small parking garage, the tower would prefer a conventional low truck over a flat-bed. Tow truck drivers learn how to operate their vehicles.

Many employers prefer to hire high school graduates. An experienced driver is the one who explains the safety procedures and company policies when a new hire starts a towing job. Tow truck driving has become more complicated in recent decades, leading to a need for more organized training programs.

The only national standards for tow truck operators are provided by the TRAA, and they also have a national driver certification program. There are three levels of training. To begin Level I, or Light Duty, training, you must meet all state driving requirements and have at least 90 days experience working on a tow truck.

Tow truck drivers are out in the weather. Dead batteries and car crashes are caused by snow, ice and other bad weather. A driver who doesn't want to go out in the cold will strand people who need help.

Tow truck drivers can get injured if they hook up the vehicle. The odds of getting hurt increase if you add in dangerous traffic conditions, road dangers, or unsafe environments. Tower buildings might be exposed to hazardous materials.

Tow truck drivers respond to calls for assistance from motorists, facilities or other entities contracted with the tow company to remove vehicles. They load, transport and unload vehicles. Tow truck drivers assess the situation and decide when and how to remove a vehicle from a road.

Tow trucks need large mechanical arms and chains wrapped around the vehicle's frame. The components lift the tires off the ground to pull the vehicle. Tow truck drivers use conventional tow trucks less often because of the damage they can cause.

A wheel lift truck is a full float truck that lifts one of the vehicle's axles off the ground. The wheel lift trucks use a different method of controlling the lift than hooks and chains. The tow truck pulled the vehicle using the two remaining tires.

Tow truck drivers respond to accidents and vehicle breakdown. It is possible to diffuse a frustrating situation for the vehicle owners by being patient and positive. Operators of vehicles over 26,000 pounds must hold a CDL.

Tow truck drivers who do not need a CDL can operate larger trucks and help their resume stand out. Future employers will decide if you can be hired if you have an accident on your driving record. They can look at the severity of the accident and who was at fault.

Tow Trucks

A tow truck operator is trained to operate a truck that can move vehicles. Vehicles are towed for a number of reasons, they may have broken down, been abandoned, or damaged in an accident. Tow truck operation requires special skills and training, and many truck driving institutions provide training for that.

Before operating the tow truck, inspect it. Make sure the hooks and the clamps are clean and lubricated and that the weight of the vehicle they are towing is manageable. If you need to get under the towed vehicle, you should shut your wheel lift, boom and winches.

The functions of the tow truck will not be activated if you lock out the truck. If you are using a conventional tow truck, you should use the hook and sling to raise one end of the vehicle that is being towed. If you are using a wheel-lift or full-float tow truck, you should use the designated lever to control the winch and lift the car, while supporting the wheels under the axles.

The wheels on the tow truck will be raised slightly in order to give you the support to lift the car and connect it to the tow truck. If you are using a flat-bed truck, lower the bed to the ground and attach the winch to the vehicle to pull it onto the bed. More expensive cars are typically transported by flat bed trucks.