Who Tows When a Tow Truck Breaks Down?

Have you ever seen a tow truck being towed? It’s a funny sight! But when the helper needs help, who comes to save the day? Let’s find out what happens when tow trucks break down.

The Big Problem: Stuck Helpers

Tow trucks help cars that stop working. But tow trucks can break down too! When this happens, someone needs to help the helper.

Who Comes to the Rescue?

Heavy Duty Towing Services

When a tow truck breaks down, a bigger tow truck often comes to help. These are called heavy duty towing trucks. They are made to pull big things like:

• Broken tow trucks
• Big rigs
• Buses
• Work trucks

Heavy Duty Towing Coach Truck services use special big trucks that can pull very heavy loads. These trucks are strong enough to move a stuck tow truck.

Towing Networks and Partners

Most tow truck companies work with other towing companies. When one truck breaks down, they call their friends for help.

Towing Market Size and Growth

The towing business is getting bigger each year:

Year	Market Size	Growth Rate
2024	$17.01 billion	–
2025	$17.88 billion	5.12%
2034 (expected)	$28.03 billion	5.12% yearly

Types of Tow Trucks That Can Help

Different types of tow trucks can help when another tow truck breaks down:

Medium-Duty Tow Trucks

These make up 44.28% of the market and bring in about $2.71 billion in money. They can tow most regular tow trucks.

Heavy-Duty Tow Trucks

These big helpers make up 22.99% of all tow trucks and bring in about $1.40 billion. They can tow the biggest tow trucks.

Steps Taken When a Tow Truck Breaks Down

1. Call for backup – The driver calls their company
2. Find a bigger truck – The company finds a truck that can tow their truck
3. Make the area safe – Put out cones and lights
4. Move any cars being towed – Help the stuck cars first
5. Tow the tow truck – The bigger truck takes the broken one to a shop

Common Reasons Tow Trucks Break Down

Tow trucks can have problems just like regular cars. Here are some reasons they break down:

• Engine problems – Motors can stop working
• Broken towing equipment – Winches and lifts can break
• Tire blowouts – Big trucks get flat tires too
• Hydraulic system failures – The lifting parts stop working
• Overheating – Pulling heavy things makes trucks hot

Safety Issues When Tow Trucks Break Down

When tow trucks break down, it can be dangerous. In fact, tow truck driver safety is a big worry. The Tow Times magazine talks about tow truck driver deaths as an important issue in 2024-2025.]

Cost of Towing a Tow Truck

It costs a lot to tow a tow truck! Some companies in places like India try to save money by using ropes or wires instead of paying for towing services.

What Companies Do To Prevent Breakdowns

Smart tow truck companies:

1. Check their trucks often
2. Fix small problems before they get big
3. Train drivers to spot trouble
4. Keep extra trucks ready for backup
5. Join towing networks for help

Industry Outlook: Growing and Changing

Even with some hard times in 2024, tow truck leaders feel good about 2025. The industry is growing because of:

• More cars on the road
• More traffic accidents
• More people living in cities
• More business trucks and vans
• Bad weather events

Different Markets Have Different Solutions

In some countries, people find cheaper ways to deal with breakdowns:

“In countries like India, people use a rope or metal wire to tow a vehicle instead of using costly towing services in case of breakdown or an emergency.”

Types of Equipment Used to Tow Tow Trucks

When a tow truck needs towing, these tools might be used:

• Lowboy trailers – Flat, low trailers that big trucks can drive onto
• Heavy-duty winches – Strong pulling cables to move stuck trucks
• Towing chains and hooks – Special connectors made for big trucks
• Tow bars – Rigid bars that connect trucks for towing

Mobile Service Vehicle Workshop Truck teams often come to help fix tow trucks that break down on the side of the road.

Legal Rules When Towing Tow Trucks

There are special rules for towing big trucks:

• Weight limits on roads
• Special permits needed
• Rules about how trucks can be connected
• Rules about lights and signs

Real-Life Stories of Tow Truck Rescues

The Triple Tow

In one famous case, three tow trucks were linked together to pull a very heavy truck out of a ditch. The first tow truck couldn’t do it alone and got stuck too!

Highway Heroes

When a tow truck broke down while helping someone during a snowstorm, another tow company came 50 miles to help both the tow truck and the first car.

Industry Changes Coming in 2025

The tow truck world is changing with new rules coming in 2025:

• New safety rules in the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act]
• Some old truck models being discontinued like Kenworth’s W900, T800 and C500
• More focus on driver safety after accidents]

How to Plan for Tow Truck Breakdowns

If you run a tow truck company, you should:

1. Have backup plans for truck breakdowns
2. Keep a list of other towing companies that can help
3. Get good insurance that covers towing your tow trucks
4. Keep truck parts on hand to fix common problems
5. Check trucks before each shift

The Most Common Places Tow Trucks Break Down

Tow trucks often break down in these spots:

• Hills and steep roads
• Hot highways in summer
• Busy traffic areas
• Construction zones
• Bad weather spots

When this happens, often a Crane Truck or other heavy lifting vehicle might be called to help move the tow truck to a safe spot.

When Tow Trucks Can’t Be Towed

Sometimes a tow truck can’t be towed right away. Then they might:

1. Try to fix it where it sits
2. Call a mobile mechanic
3. Move any cars it was carrying first
4. Wait for special equipment

Who Pays When a Tow Truck Needs Towing?

Usually, the tow truck company pays when their truck needs towing. If they have good insurance, it might cover the cost. The person who was being helped when the truck broke down should not have to pay extra.

Fun Facts About Towing Tow Trucks

• The biggest tow trucks can pull up to 80 tons – that’s like 40 cars!
• Some special trucks are made just to tow other big trucks
• Tow truck drivers call getting towed “riding the hook”
• Some drivers take funny pictures when their truck needs towing

Tips If You See a Broken Down Tow Truck

If you see a tow truck that needs help:

• Slow down and move over
• Don’t stop to look
• Call 911 if no one is helping
• Don’t try to help unless you know how
• Be patient if you were waiting for that truck

The Future of Towing Tow Trucks

As trucks get better, fewer might break down. But the towing market will still grow to about $28.03 billion by 2034. New trucks might include:

• Electric tow trucks that need different kinds of help
• Smart trucks that know when they might break down
• Trucks that can be fixed from far away by computer

When Multiple Tow Trucks Break Down

Sometimes at big crash sites or in bad storms, more than one tow truck might stop working. When this happens, towing companies from all over come to help. This is called a mutual aid response.

Final Thoughts

Even the helpers sometimes need help! When a tow truck breaks down, bigger tow trucks, towing networks, and special equipment come to the rescue. The tow truck business is growing and changing to meet these needs.

Next time you see a tow truck being towed, you’ll know there’s a whole system ready to help the helpers!