The Five Hardest Parts of a Tow Truck Driver’s Job

Whether you’re a kid who loves watching heavy equipment, someone who’s thinking about switching careers or just someone who’d like to know how other people live their lives, plenty of folks ask themselves, “What’s it like driving a tow truck?” As you can imagine, the job has its advantages and drawbacks.

Here’s a closer look at five of the toughest parts of being a tow truck driver:

• Towing motorists in dangerous areas: In many cases, whether it’s an accident or a vehicle breakdown, drivers may not have enough time or the opportunity to get to a safer location. This means that tow truck drivers find themselves towing motorists in dangerous areas, like on the side of a busy freeway, in dangerous intersections, on windy mountain roads and more. It can be difficult to do the job even in the best circumstances—when you add extra danger on top of that, you can see why not everyone is cut out to be a tow truck driver.
• Fighting distractions on the job: Tow truck drivers are often on call, which means that they’ve got to focus despite distractions. Fatigue during a long day, talkative bystanders, traffic, additional work calls and other demands on their attention can make it difficult to get the work done. If you’re going to be a tow truck driver, you should be able to focus easily—even in strange or stressful situations.
• Dealing with other motorists: Ever notice how everyone on the road is a worse driver than you are? Now imagine that you’re surrounded by bad drivers, but you have to do your job on the side of the road, the middle of the road or in other dangerous locations. On top of this, those bad drivers are veering close to you and your tow truck, speeding or otherwise driving unsafely. That can make the work of a tow truck driver much more difficult than it needs to be.
• Navigating through tricky areas: No matter where you live, there are always some areas where it’s more difficult to drive than it should be. If it’s hard for you to navigate these tricky areas in your four-door sedan, imagine doing so with a large vehicle and another vehicle trailing behind you. Certain roads and areas can be quite difficult to maneuver around, so tow truck drivers have to have special skills to do the job.
• Doing your job in bad weather: Finally, bad weather can make the job even harder. Rain, snow and ice make it much harder to navigate any road. Tow truck drivers operate on the assumption that one tiny mistake could have serious consequences—which makes their job even more difficult.

Now that you know what it’s like driving a tow truck, you may be more inclined to call one next time you’re in a jam. Luckily, there are plenty of tow truck drivers who not only enjoy their job but excel at it. If you find yourself in need of a tow or repairs, get in touch with the team at S & R Repairs Towing & Recovery Inc. for assistance today.

Categorised in: Truck Driving