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Motor vehicles that are broken down have to be towed away. The vehicle may be involved in a collision or may have broken down. This has to be transported to a repair garage or to another location. The vehicle that tows away these broken down vehicles is known as tow truck. The tow truck is also used to recover vehicles stuck on a surface which is not fit for driving. Sometimes vehicles are towed away as part of being impounded for legal reasons. Tow trucks are also called as recovery truck, a breakdown truck or a wrecker.

Tow services can be requested over wireless telephone or mobile radio. A text message can also be sent through the mobile phones. Tow trucks have also begun incorporating latest technology such as the GPS (Global Positioning System). Locating either a tow truck or a broken down vehicle has become easy. The Automatic vehicle location (AVL) system is used to locate the tow truck closest to the location of the vehicle that need to be towed. This is made possible from a map which displays the location of all tow trucks. Tow service providers may also have the capability to store the vehicles in their storage lot. They may charge a fee. There are many dealers and websites that announce  used tow trucks for sale.

Usually if the towing service is required in a major highway, it is the highway authority who will provide this service. Towing services are also provided by private businesses. Various government departments who operate a large fleet of vehicles often have their own tow trucks. For instance, the public works department, the public transport authority and the police may have their own two trucks for their own use. The police may use their tow trucks to confiscate errant vehicles. There are a number of private businesses who operate large fleet of vehicles. These include those who are involved in taxi and transport services, and cargo movers. They use their tow trucks to tow their own vehicles that may have broken down. Tow services are provided by those operating private emergency road services. They can be called up to come to your need.

It could be an accident. Or it could be that the vehicle simply broke down. Whatever it is, it has to be towed away. If the vehicle is stuck on a major highway, then the highway authorities will come to tow it away. If not, a private agency that provides towing service can be called in to tow it away. Just send them a text message or call them up over your mobile phone. Government departments who own a fleet of vehicles may have their own tow trucks. Cargo movers or transport owners too may have their own tow trucks.

Tow trucks also vary in how they lift the vehicles and tow them away. It depends on the situation of the vehicle that has to be towed. For instance, if the vehicle is caught in a steep embankment, then it needs to be dragged if possible, and if not, lifted up. The tow trucks should have the equipment to undertake this task. Tow trucks come with a variety of equipments. A boom winch is useful to pull up vehicles from places from where it is not possible to drive out. If the vehicle is to be lifted bodily, then hooks and chains, or slings are used. If towing requires the drive wheels to be lifted, then a wheel lift is sufficient to lift the wheels. What if the vehicle cannot be towed? But what if the vehicle is to be lifted bodily and carried away?

The flatbed tow truck is best suited to lift a vehicle off the ground and haul it away. There is a flatbed mounted on to the flatbed tow truck. You can incline the flatbed and lower to the ground level at the same time. This operation is done hydraulically. The vehicle is then pulled up or drawn up off the ground on to the flatbed by a winch. The winch is mounted on to the tow truck.  The task of carrying and hauling away the vehicle is ably done by rollback tow truck . This truck is also known as Rollback Tow Truck

The guarantee of a steady uninterrupted flow of traffic is when obstructions created often by accidents or breakdown are removed. Tow trucks are critical for traffic management. The tow trucks are easily identified visually and in some countries are given number plates that end with ‘TT’.

If there is an accident or a break down of vehicle or the vehicle has run down into a culvert or an embankment, or jumped off into a ditch, then you will surely have to get it hauled up and towed away to a garage. A tow truck wrecker is what you will have to summon to get the vehicle out. A tow truck wrecker, popularly known as tow truck, is also called a recovery truck or a breakdown truck or a breakdown lorry.

Different kinds of trucks are deployed for towing. Tow trucks with adjustable boom winch is used to recover vehicles that have fallen over or slipped into any place where it will not be possible to back-up safely. This could be a culvert, ditch or a steep embankment. Hooks and chains are used to loop around the axle or frame of the vehicle and lifted with the help of a boom. Sometimes slings are also used though it may scratch the bumpers of the vehicle. Wheel lift can be fitted under the drive wheels, rear or front wheels as the case may be. They are then hoisted with a hydraulic hoist for towing away. Sometimes the entire vehicle to be towed away is placed on the flatbed of the truck. Some tow trucks have an integrated lift which is a combination of wheel-lift and boom to move the vehicles.  

Light duty trucks as well as heavy duty trucks are used to make tow trucks. Having details of where you can call up for tow truck wreckers is useful and comes in handy in times of need.

If the need for a tow truck wrecker comes in a major highway, then it is usually the highway authorities who come to tow away the vehicle. Towing services are also offered by private agencies. You will have to call them up over the phone. You may also send them a text message. A tow truck closest to the site of the need is then tracked and informed to rush to the place. GPS system is used as a tracking device to locate the precise location of the tow trucks at any point of time. The closest one to the site of the need is then deployed.