Tip #98: The make, model and drive type decide the truck, so say them first
The first thing a dispatcher needs is the vehicle: make, model, year, and whether it is all-wheel drive, hybrid or electric. Those details decide the truck, and the right truck arriving first saves time and protects the car.
Tip #98 in one line
The first thing a dispatcher needs is the vehicle: make, model, year, and whether it is all-wheel drive, hybrid or electric. Those details decide the truck, and the right truck arriving first saves time and protects the car.
Stuck right now? Skip the reading and call.
Call nowWhy the vehicle comes first
A front-wheel-drive sedan that rolls and steers can go on a wheel-lift. An all-wheel-drive SUV, an electric car, a lowered sports car or a car that will not roll goes on a flatbed. A loaded work van or a big pickup may need a truck from our heavy-duty side. A motorcycle needs motorcycle towing gear. The dispatcher cannot pick the right one without knowing the vehicle.
If you are not sure whether the car is all-wheel drive, look for a badge such as AWD, 4WD, 4x4, xDrive, quattro or 4MATIC, check your registration or the owner's manual, or just say you are not sure. The dispatcher will err toward the flatbed.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowThen anything unusual
Lowered suspension, a front lip or splitter, oversized wheels, a roof rack or ladder rack, a trailer hitch, a damaged wheel that will not turn, a parking brake that will not release, or a car with no power at all. Each changes how the car is loaded. A car in a parking garage needs the clearance height. A car on a steep driveway or in mud may need a winch-out before it can be loaded.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowWhat happens with that information
Once the dispatcher knows the vehicle, the location and the destination you choose, you get a quote on the phone before the truck rolls: a flat hook fee plus a per-mile rate. Roadside jobs are one flat price each. There are no night, weekend or holiday surcharges, and the quote does not change because the car turned out to be what you said it was.
Keep the owner's manual in the glove box or a digital copy on your phone. For EVs and many modern cars, it explains towing, neutral and transport mode, and it is the authority on your specific vehicle. Call (908) 444-0129, or read more in the towing guides.
The location is the second thing the dispatcher needs. Give it in a way a driver can find: an address, a business name, a lot row, a parking deck level and pillar number, or the road, direction and nearest exit. A dropped pin from your phone helps. Then the destination: the shop, dealer, body shop or home you have chosen. With those three facts, most calls are booked in a couple of minutes.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowMore on towing rules & pricing
Keep reading, or go back to every post on the blog.
- Flatbed vs wheel-lift towing: which does your car need?
- What happens to your car after a police-ordered tow in New Jersey
- Towed from private property in New Jersey: your rights
- Towing pricing red flags in New Jersey
- Local tow company vs national roadside network: who actually shows up?
- Moving a car long distance from New Jersey: towing vs car carrier
- Tip #34: Choose the destination before the truck arrives: home, shop or dealer
- Tip #35: Ask the destination about storage charges before you pick it
- 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.