Tow truck drivers have a hard job – putting their lives on the line every day to provide assistance to broken down vehicles when drivers need it most. Towing can also be very complicated – and the entire process is always made easier when customers understand the best practices to follow when hiring professional Chicago Towing services.
Tow truck drivers are employed in a wide variety of professional industries, as well as dealing directly with civilian clients who may require towing assistance. Whether a vehicle gets somehow disabled, in an accident, ends up parked in an unauthorized place, or needs to get re-possessed, a tow truck driver will bring it to it’s required destination. The requirements stipulated for tow truck drivers vary state-by-state, but all in all they are present in order to ensure the full level of competence for all tow truck drivers on the road. In this brief blog post, the experts at Chicago Towing will detail some of the intense requirements for our professional tow truck technicians.
All qualifications including certificates and licenses for tow truck drivers are distributed and administered by either, or both, locally based or State run governing agencies. The standard age requirement is usually 18 years old at the minimum. Many State regulations stipulate that all prospective tow truck drivers submit their fingerprints so their criminal background can be investigated – and others require the payment of a fee- and of course, the holding of a valid driver’s license. The United States Dept. of Transportation requires large haul tow truck drivers to carry a separate commercial tow truck driver’s license.
The United States Dept. of Transportation requires possession of a commercial driver’s license for tow trucks or cargo exceeding over 26,001 pounds, many local or state agencies require the possession of a commercial driver’s towing license for every kind of towing job. Commercial licenses are only rewarded after attendance of classes, accredited training, and the successful grade of a written test as well as driving test. The major benefit of gaining a commercial driver’s license for drivers is that it leads to an increase in employment opportunities for them.
Local, state, and federal licensing agencies require that tow truck drivers are in good physical health states. Tow truck drivers are required to qualify a selection of assessment tests that measure vision, hearing, response time, and physical fitness. Many employers also issue required drug tests in order to qualify for their insurance policy. Tow truck drivers often work strange overnight hours, as well as during weekends and holidays. Anyone interested in being a tow truck driver has to be willing to work according to this strange schedule, and even work overtime sometimes.
Many organizations exist like the Towing and Recovery Association of America, as well as the Professional Truck Driver institute that can provide tow truck driver certification. While certification isn’t always required by employers, official certification can vastly increase employment chances for prospective drivers, so it’s a common professional route. These non-governmental organizations also require passing of coursework or maintaining current employment as a tow truck driver, filling out an application, payment of a fee, or the successful passing of a nationally administered credential exam.
There’s few everyday day-ruiners like automobile trouble. However, you’re lucky that Chicago Towing can always help provide roadside assistance to you when you need it. Here’s some of the most common vehicle issues that might lead to calling for roadside help for a good fix.
Sometimes you place your key in the ignition slot and turn it, only to find that it has no effect. This can be unbelievably annoying when you’re in a huge rush to get somewhere, or if someone you know or are related to can’t get there in a rush to help. Calling Chicago Towing for roadside assistance is a fantastic quick solution to get a jumpstart and get you back on the road. If you find that your car needs jumpstarts often, it should have it’s battery completely replaced.
Flat tires are a very common cause for roadside assistance. It’s always smart to carry a spare tire inside your car, but it can be very very hard to change your tire when you’re all by yourself. Getting professional roadside assistance can help you swap your faulty tire for a good new one, and get you back on the road in a matter of minutes.
Roadside assistance can help when you get locked outside of your car. This is one of the most common issues for motorists. Within a matter of minutes from your call, a technician from Chicago Towing will arrive directly at your location, get your car unlocked instantly, and get you back on the road right away.
Sometimes you’re in a hurry to leave your house, so you leave bevor checking the gas meter, or hoping that you have enough to pull you through the day, and just refuel at a gas station after work. However, you’re driving down the street and your car begins feeling weird – this means it needs to be refueled, but this can be difficult especially when you’re in the middle of nowhere. Gas delivery is a commons service performed by roadside assistance groups – one of our technicians will simply drive to your location and refill your gas tank as soon as possible.
There’s tons of misunderstanding about the professional towing industry. And yes, there’s many scam artist fake towing professionals out there that can not only provide poor service, but actually damage the vehicles that they poorly tow, Here’s how to understand how to find a professional towing company. At Chicago Towing, we take pride in our expert towing service, and for providing our customers high levels of serious service. Here’s exactly what makes a professional towing company.
When professional towing companies make their customers happy – or even exceed their wildest expectations, they will receive a growing healthy public perception. Any trustworthy towing company will make sure to put special emphasis on customer service and the upkeep of a loyal customer base. If you’re looking for a professional towing company, check out their online reviews – or even call them in order to get a feeling on how they treat even potential customers.
Not all tow trucks operate at the same level of quality, and some faulty tow trucks can actually seriously damage your vehicle. Any really trustworthy tow truck company will provide many options for towing including flatbed truck towing, winch recoveries, and heavy duty towing. When you all the tow company pay attention to whether they ask questions about what kind of vehicle you have – this way you know they are figuring out which specialized equipment to send you, which is always a good sign.
You can never predict when your car or vehicle will break down. Nobody plans for it really because nobody wants it to happen. It might happen in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere – and if this happens, what good does it do to have a contact for a tow truck company that can only come in the morning? You don’t want to sleep outside! A trustworthy tow truck company should be able to cater to your roadside emergency breakdown at any time of day or night, any day of the week, any week of the year. Any respectable quality company will come rescue you from your situation right on your call.
Any reputable towing company should have full license and insurance. Any company that is not licensed or does not have insurance should not be trusted. Any tow truck driver should proudly display their DOT ID number right on their truck along with any of the other particular licensing information required by their specific State. This ensures customers that the towing company has full liability for any potential damage, and allows the customer to have peace of mind in knowing that their vehicle will be handled by a truly trustworthy towing company.
We at Chicago Towing care about our customers safety – and it’s important, deep in this winter, to understand safe driving techniques for icy or snowy roads that might have slippery traction and low amounts of visibility. In order to lower the chances of having an accident, follow our tips for preventing winter car accidents. And if you do have an accident, don’t hesitate to contact us for expert roadside assistance.
Ice is going to cause your car to slide whether you’re braking slow or fast, but what really makes the difference is when your car is going to stop. If you slowly decelerate your vehicle before stopping, it gives it less physical momentum while it’s on ice. This means even if you’re going to slide, you won’t be sliding as far, and it will be easier to reclaim control of the vehicle. If you’re on ice and suddenly break, you will skid for a while, which can be potentially very dangerous.
Poor visibility causes many snowy weather automobile accidents. It’s important to keep track of when it will be rainy or snowy by keeping watch of daily weather reports before heading out on the road. If you have to drive around inside the snow, make sure that your windshield has been cleared of snow or ice, and that the window wipers work.
It can be a smart move to inspect and upgrade your vehicle. Get your car checked out by expert technicians, and perhaps install brand new winter tires with a strong tread that can easily work with icy or snowy conditions. We also recommend applying a rust coat before taking it on salty roads, which will prevent exponential corrosion and damage. Also, make sure your brakes are always tested throughout the year – and if they slip, make a weird noise, or feel generally like their not working, make sure to replace them before embarking on an icy journey.
Any low air temperatures will cause the tire pressure of your car to drop, and if it drops enough, it can be quite dangerous. Make sure that your tires are always fully filled, and even regularly tested. Full tires work much better, and are much better equipped to handle any cold weather related challenges that might pop up on the road – for reasons such as an increased efficacy of the tire’s treads.
There’s three main kinds of tow trucks commonly used, but five common categories of equipment. The three main kinds of trucks are used for different crisis or labor scenarios like emergency towing, and determine what kind of tow truck that a service will send out. The three main kinds of tow trucks are:
Hook and chain tow trucks are rarely used today because, due to their design, damage is often sustained to the bumpers or front end of the cars. This truck works by looping a chain around the frame or axle of the vehicle, which is then wound up with a boom winch. Sometimes the sling truck is used on towing vehicles that have suffered an accident, or are missing one or both of the rear wheels, since the car can’t be securely towed by another kind of wrecker truck.
These trucks are fit with beds that can be hydraulically positioned at an incline, and slid down to ground level – the truck is then driven onto the bed, or pulled on to it with a truck mounted winch. This is the most common and popular kind of tow truck used for emergency towing.
If you happen to be in the unfortunate occurrence of a breakdown, it’s essential that you try to relax to whatever extent is possible, and stay clear minded. This will make the experience go in a much smoother and less stressful way – and will actually make the time seem like it’s going faster. In this blog post, I’ll detail a foolproof way to make yourself feel relaxed on the spot.
Controlling your breathing is a time honored technique that can help you manage stress on the spot. This tool, also known as combat breathing, helps firefighters and soldiers in high stress and high risk situations every single day. With just a bit of practice, you can fully control your breathing, relax, and manage your stress. Here’s how to do it.
Whether you’re towing a well worn dinghy or a high-end speedboat, it’s common knowledge that the kind of car you’re using to do the towing will affect the way that it handles a towed boat. Different cars yield different kinds of acceleration maneuvering, and stopping speeds. Whatever vehicle you’re using to tow your boat, here are some essential rules to follow in order to keep you (and your boat) safe and secure.
While you’re loading the boat up onto whatever trailer it will be towed on, make sure that it’s weight is evenly distributed throughout – this means from both horizontal and vertical axis, from side to side, and from the entire length. You might have to shift around any other equipment inside the boat or on the trailer to find the right balance – anything can throw it off, from fuel, technical equipment, and even rations like water – make sure to stay vigilant in ensuring that the boat’s weight is evenly balanced.
The towing vehicle and the trailer should both be exactly or just about parallel to the ground – make sure to research the trailer’s tongue weight so you can be certain that you’re not overloading the hitch with weight – the load (in this case, the boat) should weigh around 10 percent of the entire trailer’s weight.
Make sure the boat is securely attached to the trailer with ratchet straps, and make sure that the trailer’s winch strap is attached securely to the bow eye.
Since the trailer and towed boat adds a great deal of weight to the entire vehicle, make sure to keep this in mind while driving – your vehicle will require additional time to stop completely, so drive slow and break somewhat in advance of when you would instinctively break normally. Never make sudden starts, stops, or turns that can throw off the stability of the trailer or else the boat could fall away. When driving downhill, make sure to drive in low gear for extra traction.
You can never be too prepared. Make sure to bring a spare tire for your trailer, a lug wrench and tire gauge that fit your tires, and a grease gun for additional on the spot lubrication as needed. You don’t ever want to be caught stranded at a standstill with a boat attached to a trailer.
In advance, make sure that the lights on your trailer are working properly, and just in case, make sure they are on even during the day. Before you embark, walk completely around the trailer and make sure everything looks right and that the weight seems evenly distributed. Every few miles of driving, check to make sure that no straps attaching the car has come loose – this way, even though the trip might go somewhat slower, you can be certain that you’re undertaking it with the maximum amount of safety and care.
The most common cause of a call to request roadside towing is the incidence of a flat or blown out tire. If this happens to you, the skilled technicians at Chicago Towing are more than prepared to provide roadside assistance to pull you out of this situation – but of course, prevention is absolutely the best method. If you want to be proactively prepared and prevent any sort of tire failure, you need to learn a bit about proper tire maintenance.
The first step towards sustainably healthy tires is maintaining a proper inflation pressure for all four. By doing this you not only optimize your car’s performance, but also increase its safety – not to mention your monetary savings on fuel. In order to make sure that your car’s tires have correct pressure, check them periodically, about once or twice a month. Make sure that the tires feel cool to the touch – so don’t check them right after you finish driving – and use a working pressure gauge. The inflation level of your tires is specifically very important to maintain before embarking on a long car trip when your vehicle suffers slightly more wear than it usually does on a day to day level, and when you’re far from your local repair shop or even far away from anyone who can help. As a stated rule – always check your tire’s inflation before leaving on a long trip.
Depending on the manufacturer and model of your vehicle, it has a specific ideal tire pressure level – this can usually be found inside the car’s placard or inside the car’s owner manual. The single most effective way to preserve the working order of your car, it’s tires, and their tread life is to maintain a regular ideal tire pressure. Underinflation is the largest cause of tire failure – which can crack your tires, separate internal mechanisms, or even blow out the entire wheel. You don’t want that to happen when you’re on the road; no less in the middle of nowhere.
Secondly, make sure not to spin your tires in excess. The usual instinct that drivers follow when their vehicle is stranded in mud, sand, snow, or ice is to spin the tires and try to get out. This can be very harmful to your car because the centrifugal forces generated by the spinning tire could cause a sudden tire explosion – if you’re trying to get out of a pile of dirt or sand that you’re stuck in make sure not to drive above 35 mph, and use a slight back and forward rocking movement to gently free your car from its predicament.
On a regular basis check to see if your tires are worn out. Your tires should be taken out when they are worn down to 2/32’’ of tread depth left. All currently manufactured tires have indicator lines to show how far the treads are worn into – smooth lines inside the tread groove. Driving on tires with worn out treads is dangerous as the majority of rain or snow based accidents happen when a car starts skidding on worn out – or “bald” – tires. Not to mention the ease with which worn out tires can be punctured and blown out by any glass or roadside debris.
Since tires have broad contact with possible road debris, it’s essential that you check them on a monthly basis – at least – to preserve your safety. Any sorts of air loss, cracks, bulges, holes, or knots should warrant the removal of the tire and a close inspection by a professional. If you can, don’t overexert your car. The vehicle owner’s manual should have a set limit to pressure and exertion which should never be raised – as that can cause lots of problems, including affecting how your vehicle drives and how fast it eats up fuel – not to mention raising the possibility of tire failure. In some situations, exceeding your vehicle’s limits can cause serious cracking or a blowout.
In order to prevent abrasive vibration or excess tire wear, have your tires rotated on a regular basis – make sure they are properly inflated, aligned, and balanced – and replace any broken or worn out suspension mechanisms. Misalignment can cause scrubbing against the surface of the road which abrades the tire and unbalanced them – causing extreme vibration that can not only exhaust the human driver of the car, but can seriously take a toll on the suspension of the vehicle.
If you are able to change a tire, make sure that you have a spare one in your car at all times. That can save you a great deal of money and stress in situations where you get stranded. In fact, keep a tire on you even if you don’t know how to change it – so you can save some money once you contact a roadside assistance provider. We hope that the above tips will help you preserve the longevity of your vehicle’s tires – if you find yourself in a dire situation, Chicago Towing is always available to help you. Simply call us with any questions and we can be at your direct location in minutes.
In the frigid winter weather, Chicago residents often encounter poor to bad driving conditions. Since most drivers never learn defensive driving techniques for bad weather, during the winter many accidents occur that otherwise never would have. Because of this, it’s absolutely essential that you prepare for driving under poor weather conditions; first of all, always keep a raincoat, umbrella, and gloves/scarf in the trunk of the car. You might have to change a tire in the middle of a snowstorm or cold downpour. Also keep a working flashlight in the trunk; as you’ll never know when you’re going to have to change a tire on a dark street or highway. Always remember to keep jumper cables in the trunk – you want to avoid being stranded in a car with a dead battery without the materials to jump start it. Keep your gas over the halfway mark as a force of habit, that absolutely reduces the chances of accidentally depleting your car’s gas. Ensure that you have a car jack, the proper tire iron for your vehicle, and a correctly blown-up spare tire. If your area gets especially cold during the winter, it couldn’t hurt to have a certified mechanic look at your car to make sure that everything is working correctly. Ideally, if there’s any problems found, you would get them taken care of before being caught driving in an unpleasant weather event, when it might really affect you. By following active awareness and preparation, you can avoid having to spend even more time, effort, or money if your vehicle suffers a breakdown.
Whenever any bad weather event occurs – be it a blizzard, hail, frozen roads, or a rainstorm – one of the most important defensive driving techniques one can adopt is to drive slowly. By driving at a slower speed, you’re increasing the amount of time that you will have to react in case you come into/across some kind of accident. Also, if you’re driving slowly, and keep a large space between your car and the other vehicles that are driving, you’re going to have a much lesser chance of bumping into the back of one of them if they suddenly break. If the roads are incredibly slippery, one thing you should do is keep the brakes lightly applied while driving at a slow pace – for extra traction.
