tow trucks

lexmaz

Member
How good can a tow truck business be?
Can anyone give some advice and info on starting a tow truck business?
I am taking a cdl course next month and taking a machanics course afetr that to be a certified master tech.
I dont have any experience in this field and just looking for some heads up advice.

Thanx
 
This is probably going to be different depending on the State you are in, and then the location of the State you are in.

If you are properly licensed and insured, you can possibly be put on a rotation with the Police Department/State Police and be on call with them to remove accident vehicles, abandoned vehicles, etc... This will most likely require you to have a storage lot to keep the cars that you tow. Also, expect to be on call at all hours, especially during bad weather.

You could get into vehicle repossession. This comes with it's own set of guidelines as well in terms of being insured, being set up with area banks, car lots, etc.. It also comes with the danger of being shot at. I have a family member that does nothing but repo's. I have helped him on occasion, and know first hand that this can be dangerous. He has the bullet holes in his truck to show for it.
 
Can you specialize in more than one thing. for example with police and aaa, mechanic shops, etc.
My plan is to open a tow truck business along with being a mobile auto mechanic. ill tow your car take to your house and fix it there. thats for the broken down cars ofcourse.
There is also towing for other reasons.
 
How good can a tow truck business be?
Can anyone give some advice and info on starting a tow truck business?
I am taking a cdl course next month and taking a machanics course afetr that to be a certified master tech.
I dont have any experience in this field and just looking for some heads up advice.

Thanx

ok first, you need several years of experience to be a certified master mechanic. long before i got into trucking, i had several years turning wrenches, and became ASE Certified as well. Now, if you get ASE certification from the school, i think (if the school is reputable) they hold those certifications for a period of 2 years, the minimum experience for ASE certification. now, if your school DOES NOT hold onto the certificates for that period of time, and just give you those certs, then you have no respect from me, as you didn't EARN those certs..............

its like HAM radio and the morse code requirements. at one time, morse code was REQUIRED for your license as a Ham operator. then if memory serves me right, the feds did away with the morse code requirement. this ticked off the Ham operators that EARNED that license. as a result, at the time, NO Ham operator would communicate with "newbie" licensed operators. this may have changed, but any Hams here will elaborate.

so you see, you need to EARN those certs first, the hard way, not the easy way, for me at least to respect your accomplishments.

now, as for getting into the towing business. definately a "niche market", but you'll work long hours, all types of weather, all days of the week. you'll be on call 24/7 in most instances. you'll have insurance you'll HAVE TO HAVE, like liability, theft, accident. you can and WILL BE sued if you scratch a vehicle. you can and WILL BE sued if you damage any drive train component of the vehicle. you can and WILL BE sued if you tow a vehicle and damage private property. heck, a vehicle can be a badly "in need of repair" type, and you're towing it, and you CAN BE sued just because the owner wants to, and unless you can prove your case, you lose........

if you get on the "police tow list", you HAD BETTER be available 24/7 or kiss good-bye that income. you might need a certain amount of square footage storage area, fenced in, locked gates to meet the criteria of your local zoning laws. you WILL BE sued if you do not meet the required laws, and by-laws of your state requirements, and someone vandlizes a vehicle on your property, since you didn't show "due care"...............

you will have yearly taxes to pay on ALL your equipment, including but not limited to, chains, gas cans, jumper cables, hot-starts, tools, and so on.

this is good, you're asking questions.

i did manage a repair shop, and i do drive a truck (now)..........

i knew of my state's laws as they pertained to towing back then. and the laws change each and every day, in every state.
 
Can you specialize in more than one thing. for example with police and aaa, mechanic shops, etc.
My plan is to open a tow truck business along with being a mobile auto mechanic. ill tow your car take to your house and fix it there. thats for the broken down cars ofcourse.
There is also towing for other reasons.

that's good when you got slow times. what are you going to do when business picks up, and you can't leave the repair job at the customer's house...??

you loose other calls, loose business.............best to "tow & go"..........
 
ase cert

I am going to a school called sheridan technical center in hollywoof,fl. i have to do 2 years and then pass the ase cert tests which i believe are 6 tests.
I am willing to do anything and everything to achieve my goals. i am just trying to get some info on all my ideas right now. they are just ideas im not sure what exactly iam going to do. but i do know that want i want is my own business. i love trucks and i love fixing cars so it will be in that field

Thanks alot for your advice
 

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