Tow Truck Operators: Why do people hate us?

Towing is a difficult job. Long hours in a challenging work environment can take a toll on the mind and body. If you do any research on forums around the internet, plenty of people have bad experiences with towing companies. We hope we can give you a fresh perspective on our line of work.

When do you need a tow truck? When your multi-thousand dollar machine has broken down. Or maybe, after you've been in an accident. Perhaps one of your most valuable assets is being repossessed. Whatever the situation you might be in when you pick up the phone to call a tow truck, I doubt you are in a happy mood. While most of our customers handle adversity with the grace of a Kennedy, a few find a need to voice their frustrations.

Now we're big supporters of the first amendment and would never want someone to not have the freedom to speak their mind. But, unfortunately, the dissenting opinion seems to be the loudest. As we said, only a few customers have been unhappy with our services. So, why aren't most online pieces praising tow truck operators for getting them out of sticky situations? We have a theory.

When we have the privilege of helping someone, we experience their gratitude face-to-face. Maybe we'll get a few-word review online, but not a thesis on the "evil tow truck driver" you'll find just about everywhere else. When someone has a bad experience, they want to be heard. When someone writes a positive review, they want to be nice to the folks who helped them. So, what do we do?

A towing service is just that: a service. We find meaning in our job serving the public. But, unfortunately, tow truck operators need to get the recognition they deserve. We don't do it for recognition. But it does help us get through the day knowing that there are folks out there who appreciate us.

What if the operator who shows up to help you is different from the friendly guy or gal you thought was coming? What if your operator is cold and only says a few words to you? Do you think you should leave a comment or call their supervisor to fix this issue? It's a possibility. We don't want bad representatives of the profession out there on the street. But, before you do, ask yourself: this is the most significant problem of my day but is it theirs? Maybe the last call the operator had was to a pile-up. Perhaps the previous vehicle was repossessed because someone didn't pay their bills. What if their prior "customer" yelled at them and threatened their lives? Do you think being "less than friendly" is acceptable? Would you be a chipper service provider if that was your experience?

You have to take all of this with a grain of salt. You have to be the judge of acceptable and unacceptable behavior. So it's a challenging situation. One side is being empathetic towards someone with a tough job. The other side is being treated fairly when you're already having a bad day. So, where do you draw the line? We can't answer that for you. That's up to you as an individual. However, regardless of where you draw the line, we'll still show up if you need us.

What is the point of all this? Why is this guy going on about the interactions between the public and tow truck operators? Well, I don't believe the voice for the side of the operators is loud enough. If you've personally had a bad experience, I understand and offer my sympathy. I never hope you find yourself in that situation again. But, if you find yourself between a rock and a hard place, I hope your next interaction makes up for the bad one. Most operators are alright people. They have families they love and have to provide for. Whatever motivation they have to show up to work day in and day out, it's strong enough to keep them coming back to answer your call.

Well, that's about all I have to say about that. But I'll leave you with a challenge. The next time you find yourself with a broken-down vehicle, take a deep breath and realize the tow truck is coming to help you with your problem. Who do you want to be in the face of adversity? Let's all agree to do our best, knowing we're human. Thank you for reading, and stay safe on the road.

Dan