Cost(s) to tow

Stores do not put truck parking spaces on their property to give local drivers a place to park on the weekend. They provide truck parking for customers in trucks. It is selfish AF to take o e of those parking spots for your hometime.

 

Reading this thread in some ways makes me glad I am retired. I have seen many a driver play chicken with a property owner using their HOS as some get out of jail free card. I know this is not the topic, but I wanted to add that. I have lost count of the number of loads that were lost because a driver dropped a trailer in an unsecured place. Let me put it this way. The only real time a driver should be worried about the cost of a tow is if they are Owner Operators.

 

OP towing costs are variable by region and location.

I've seen rollovers recovered for under $3K with $25.00/ a day storage for each unit and some that were over $10K and over $50.00 a day storage for each.

Major urban areas will be more costly, yet the costs can still vary even in the same area.

I've been retired a few years now so costs are probably even higher now depending on where and what's needed.

We all gripe about equipment costs but the recovery companies also have a huge investment too, a rotator is a couple million for a truck that doesn't work every day!

 

I frequently stop and shop at the Walmart in Reno, Nv. The one up by Amazon on North 395. They always had signs that said No Overnight Parking. Well, I get there a couple weeks ago and there are big signs with a picture of a truck, NO TRUCK PARKING, and some smaller ones with No Parking and the tow company info. So, I called the tow co. and asked if truckers could still park and shop and then leave. They said they have to get an order from Walmart to tow a heavy truck, and they haven't had a call from Walmart to do a heavy truck tow ever at that site. They said no we don't have anyone hiding waiting for a tow and I would be fine parking there for a couple hours. So, then I went inside and found a manager and he said truckers are welcome to park and shop, they just can't stay overnight. He also confirmed that any semi truck tow has to be ordered by Walmart. The tow company can't wait for a truck to park, driver go inside, then they grab the truck. He said the people that live in their car and park for days/weeks, those are the ones that the tow company can tow at their discretion.

 

There is a BJ's wholesale near where I live. They have a huge parking lot that is at most 1/3 full even at the busiest times. Over a year ago trucks, mostly tractor trailers, started to park there, then more and more. Mostly on the weekend. I suppose word got around. Then a few months ago all of the trucks suddenly disappeared, parking area empty again. New signs all over the place, No Trucks Tow Away Zone.

 

Walmart's are not truck stops. Nor are the rest areas, drop yards or oil change places. We should be thankful that there are some that allow us to stop and shop, then leave. Some even have designated parking for tractor trailers.
Sadly i once had to inform the manager of a driver parked over a storm drain, changing his oil. The police were there when i had finished my shopping and had gone out to leave. Wonder how much that cost him in fines and fees?

 

Why not just tell us how much. Wasn't that the point of the post.

 

Doesn’t sound to bad actually. An 80 year old man made a left turn in front of my younger brother several years ago, and it cost almost 2 times more than that to get a pickup and gooseneck towed away and stored overnight.