Tip #94: Fleet managers get a van moving faster with six facts ready before the call
A fleet manager who calls with the unit's details, exact location, vehicle type, load, problem and destination gets the right truck dispatched on the first call. Keep this list next to the phone.
Tip #94 in one line
A fleet manager who calls with the unit's details, exact location, vehicle type, load, problem and destination gets the right truck dispatched on the first call. Keep this list next to the phone.
Stuck right now? Skip the reading and call.
Call nowThe six facts
**1. The unit.** Year, make, model and body type: a cargo van, a high-roof van, a box truck or a pickup with a utility body. Add the plate, the unit number on the side, and whether it is all-wheel drive or a dual-rear-wheel model.
**2. The location.** An address, a business name and lot, or cross streets. For a highway, the direction and the nearest exit or mile marker. Ask the driver to drop a map pin from their phone.
**3. The load.** A loaded van weighs much more than an empty one, and ladders on the roof change the height. If the cargo is heavy, say so; it decides whether a standard flatbed or a truck from our heavy-duty side is sent.
**4. The problem.** Will not start, flat tire, out of fuel, keys locked in, accident damage, or a warning light and a noise. Many of these are handled on site through roadside assistance at one flat price each.
**5. The destination.** Your yard, your fleet's shop, or a dealer. You choose it, and the price is quoted before the truck rolls: a flat hook fee plus a per-mile rate.
**6. Who approves and who meets the truck.** Name the person who okays the quote and the person on site with the keys, with both phone numbers.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowSmall habits that save time
Keep a copy of the registration and insurance card in every vehicle, and a spare key at the yard. Tell drivers to stay out of the travel lane and keep their phone on. Have the cargo secured or moved to another vehicle if it is valuable and the van is going to a shop overnight.
Call (908) 444-0129 any hour. The heavy-duty towing guide explains when a bigger truck is needed, and book online works for planned moves.
If the van carries tools or stock that the crew needs for the rest of the day, plan for it. Have another vehicle meet the tow so the load can be transferred, or tell the dispatcher that the cargo stays in the van to the shop. A box truck or a large high-roof van may need a heavier truck than a car carrier, so the earlier the dispatcher hears the vehicle class, the better.
For vans with a bulkhead, a partition or a liftgate, mention it. Small details like these change how the vehicle is approached and secured.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowMore on fleets & business
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- Tip #97: Property managers can help a tenant with a broken-down car, but the owner books the tow
- What to do when your car breaks down in New Jersey
- Flatbed vs wheel-lift towing: which does your car need?
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Need towing and roadside assistance right now? One call, truck on the way.
Real dispatcher, 24 hours a day. Quoted price before we roll.