Tip #50: Tell the dispatcher where, what and which way in the first 30 seconds
Start the call with four things: where you are, whether you are safe, what the car is, and what is wrong. Then the destination. In that order, a dispatcher can send the right truck to the right spot before you finish talking.
Tip #50 in one line
Start the call with four things: where you are, whether you are safe, what the car is, and what is wrong. Then the destination. In that order, a dispatcher can send the right truck to the right spot before you finish talking.
Stuck right now? Skip the reading and call.
Call nowThe four things, in order
**Where you are.** The road, the direction, and the nearest exit, milepost, cross street or address. If you are in a parking garage, the level; if you are in a jughandle, which side of the highway. The towing questions page lists the details that help most.
**Whether you are safe.** Are you off the road, on a shoulder, or stuck in a lane? Is anyone hurt? If you are in danger, the dispatcher will tell you to call 911 first.
**What the car is.** Year, make, model, and the things that change the equipment: all-wheel drive, electric, lowered, a motorcycle, a heavy pickup or a van.
**What is wrong.** Will not start, clicks but does not crank, flat tire, out of fuel, keys locked inside, stuck in snow, crashed. Say whether the car rolls, steers and shifts into neutral.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowThen the destination and your number
If it needs a tow, say where it is going: home, a shop or a dealer, with the address. That lets the dispatcher quote the full price on the call: a flat hook fee plus a per-mile rate to the destination you choose. Roadside jobs like a jump start or car lockout are one flat price each. There are no night, weekend, holiday or fuel surcharges.
Give a callback number that will work, especially if your phone battery is low, so the driver can reach you when he is close.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowWhy it matters
A clear first thirty seconds means the right truck leaves Linden immediately instead of after three follow-up calls. Call (908) 444-0129 any time, day or night, or book a non-urgent job online. Our emergency towing page explains the rest of the call.
If you are a passenger calling for someone else, or calling for a family member who is stranded somewhere else, give their location and their phone number, and tell them to keep the phone on. The driver will call the person at the car, not you. A short, clear call from the right person gets help moving faster than any amount of detail given later.
If you are not sure of an answer, say so and move on; the dispatcher would rather hear I do not know than a guess that sends the wrong truck.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowMore on breakdowns
Keep reading, or go back to every post on the blog.
- What to do when your car breaks down in New Jersey
- Where to tow your car: home, repair shop or dealer?
- Tip #23: With kids in the car, decide in the first minute whether they stay buckled or get out
- Tip #24: Ask the dispatcher about your pet before the tow truck arrives
- Tip #32: Close the trunk, windows and sunroof before the truck pulls away
- Tip #33: Take your valuables with you, or lock them out of sight
- Tip #45: In a parking deck, give the level and the clearance before a truck is sent
- Tip #48: Call 911 for danger, a tow company for a car that will not go
- All posts
Need towing and roadside assistance right now? One call, truck on the way.
Real dispatcher, 24 hours a day. Quoted price before we roll.