What Does A Tow Truck Driver Do?
While at first blush it may seem like a silly question to ask. Of course tow truck drivers tow vehicles all day long. DUH!
Yes – we do tow trucks for a living, but believe it or not, there’s a lot more involved with the job than just simply transporting a vehicle from point A to point B.
On any given day, here’s what you’ll find us doing while on the job…
Customer Service
The first duty of a tow truck driver is to provide customer service. If you can’t get this right, you won’t be in business very long.
Although some towing companies have a designated person to answer call, most of the towing business owners themselves answer the calls.
Tow truck drivers who answer the call can also know what questions to ask the customer. In this way, they can better prepare the equipment needed for the job. They can also advise the customers on what steps to take for their safety.
Whether tow truck drivers answer a call or meet a customer in person, they should be courteous. In the future when vehicles have the function to automatically call a towing company, it’s still nice that there is a human that will courteously answer your call. This helps the customers calm down a bit especially if it’s their first time to need the towing or roadside assistance.
Minor Repairs
The tow truck driver is also responsible for troubleshooting the car. They will figure out any issues the car has. If minor repairs are needed, he or she can do it on site. Some minor repairs would include jump-starting a dead battery, changing or inflating a tire, bringing gas, or reconnecting parts.
In case the keys get locked inside the vehicle, they will also be responsible for opening the car doors without the key. They can also determine if the car only needs minor repairs or if it needs to be towed to the nearest service car shop.
Car Towing
The main duty of a tow truck driver is to tow the vehicle out of the road. Before they can successfully do this, they must first make sure that the car is securely attached to the tow truck.
Cars that need towing may be in different situations. The tow truck driver must assess those situations and find a suitable solution. Sometimes, they need different equipment to successfully tow cars. Other times, the situation will just require the simplest tow truck.
No matter what tow truck is used, tow truck drivers must secure them properly in place. They should also know how to drive carefully so that their cars won’t get further damage as it is transported.
Equipment Maintenance
Tow truck drivers are also responsible for maintaining their equipment. They need to regularly check on their trucks and make sure they are functioning properly.
These will help make sure that their tow trucks won’t malfunction while being used.
NEXT UP: Driving a tow truck is tough work during normal driving conditions. Add rain and slick driving conditions, now you’re talking a white-knuckle ride. Check out our article on “Safely Driving A Tow Truck Through The Rain”
