Wheel-Lift Tow Truck Driver · Full-time or Part-time · Based in Linden, NJ · · $20–$28/hr base + commission · Posted September 20, 2026 · Open through 2026-12-31
What a wheel-lift driver does here
The wheel-lift is the truck for speed and tight spaces: a dead commuter car in a Jersey City deck with a seven-foot clearance, a sedan double-parked in the Ironbound, a quick shop-to-shop hop on Route 27, a private-lot removal for a property manager. You lift by the wheels, secure with straps, and go. You also know the limits: all-wheel-drive, electric and low cars go on the flatbed, and the dispatcher relies on you to say so before the customer is disappointed.
Dispatch runs 24 hours a day from Linden. A dispatcher takes the call, quotes the customer one flat price before anything moves, and sends the nearest available truck. You get the pickup, the destination, the vehicle and the customer's number on your phone; you call the customer when you are a few minutes out; you photograph the vehicle before and after; the receipt goes out itemized. No upselling on scene, no surprise fees, and you never quote a price yourself. That is the whole system, and it is why customers call back.
A typical shift on the wheel-lift
Evenings start with the station lots: a battery that died at Rahway or Metropark and turned out to be more than a battery. Then the deck calls in Hoboken and Jersey City, where you dolly the car to the entrance and lift it outside. Overnight brings the accident scenes on Routes 1 & 9 and Route 22, where you clear the lane, get the customer safe and photograph everything, and the private-property calls where the paperwork has to be right. Mornings are the commuter cars that would not start, headed to the shops on Route 27 and St. Georges Avenue before they open.
The wheel-lift driver who reads a street correctly, gets the truck in and out without a second trip, and treats a stressed customer decently is the one dispatch keeps sending first.
Where you will drive
The territory is the 45-minute circle around Linden: Union County first, then Middlesex, Essex and Hudson, out to Somerset, Morris, Monmouth, Bergen and Passaic. You will learn the Turnpike exits from 9 to 16, the Parkway from 105 to 159, Routes 1 & 9, 22, 27 and 35, I-78, I-280 and I-287, and the local streets in 163 towns. On the Turnpike and Parkway the shoulder belongs to the Authority's authorized garages; our trucks meet those cars at the exit or in the garage's lot and take them from there.
Pay, schedule and what the company provides
This is an employee position on a company wheel-lift truck. We provide the truck, fuel, insurance, straps, dollies and lockout tools, the dispatch app, uniform shirts and a safety vest.
What you will do
- Respond to dispatched local tows, impounds and private-property removals across the territory inside the quoted window.
- Lift by the wheels with the correct straps and safety chains; use dollies in decks and on cars that cannot be lifted from one end.
- Recognize AWD, EV, low and damaged vehicles that need the flatbed and say so before loading.
- Photograph every vehicle before and after and log the job in the dispatch app.
- Handle private-property tows with the paperwork New Jersey requires, and treat the vehicle owner with respect.
- Call the customer when a few minutes out; explain the process on scene.
- Keep the truck clean, fueled and inspected; report defects the same shift.
- Work shoulders safely with lights and cones; on the Turnpike and Parkway, meet the car at the exit or the authorized garage's lot.
What you need
- Valid driver's license from New Jersey or a neighboring state, at least 21 years old, clean motor vehicle record for three years.
- Able to obtain a DOT medical card; no CDL required for our light-duty trucks.
- One year or more of wheel-lift or light-duty towing experience preferred; trainees with a strong driving record are considered.
- Confident maneuvering a tow truck in tight urban streets, alleys and parking structures.
- Able to lift 75 pounds and work outdoors in all weather, including night shifts in winter.
- Calm, clear communication with customers and property managers.
- Able to pass a background check and a pre-employment drug screen.
- Smartphone for the dispatch app; monthly stipend paid.
Nice to have
- Experience with private-property and impound towing paperwork
- WreckMaster or TRAA light-duty certification
- Spanish or Portuguese
- Knowledge of Hudson County decks and Newark one-way grids
Pay and schedule
$20 to $28 per hour base depending on experience, plus a per-call commission on every completed tow, paid weekly, with a differential for nights, weekends and holidays. With commission, full-time wheel-lift drivers typically earn $48,000 to $65,000 a year; the base is set on the first call from your record and experience.
Full-time and part-time shifts on a 24-hour board, with the busiest wheel-lift hours in the evening and overnight. Nights-only and weekends-only schedules are available.
What we provide
- Company wheel-lift truck, fuel and insurance
- Straps, chains, dollies and lockout tools
- Dispatch app and phone stipend
- Uniform shirts and high-visibility vest
- Paid training with a senior driver
How to apply
Two ways. Call or text (908) 444-0129 and ask for hiring; the dispatcher takes your details and hiring calls you back, usually the same day. Or use the form below and we call you.
The NJ Towing Service is an equal opportunity employer. We consider every qualified applicant without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, marital or familial status, pregnancy, veteran or military status, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, New Jersey or local law. We provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants with disabilities. Hiring decisions are based on qualifications, driving record, and the needs of the dispatch board.