Roadside Assistance vs. Towing and Labour

Roadside Assistance versus Towing and Labour

In a province as big as Alberta – and even in a city as spread out as Calgary – there are a lot of places where a malfunction or a breakdown can cause major headaches. Whether it’s out on a remote grid road coming back from an oil well or on the side of Crowchild Trail during rush hour, getting the issue dealt with quickly (and without spending more than necessary) is a top priority.

That’s why we offer roadside assistance for trucks and commercial vehicles across southern Alberta. This service means that a fully equipped work truck and expert technician will come to your location, instead of you waiting for a tow truck. So, you’re probably wondering: “Is roadside assistance worth it?”

Pros and Cons of Towing

Almost everyone who drives for a living has a horror story about a breakdown with inconvenient circumstances – maybe it was far out of town, or during a brutal Alberta winter, or in the middle of the night. Often, it will involve a long wait for a tow truck, which – depending on location and how busy they are – might mean an entire day of work lost. And that doesn’t even factor in the time spent waiting for repairs or parts once the vehicle has been towed.

All told, when you factor in the cost of towing, fuel surcharges, time spent waiting, and parts and labour, the final bill can be eye-watering. But – since you have to get your vehicle fixed, so you can get back to work – you’re not left with a lot of other options.

Pros and Cons of Roadside Assistance from WTM

Our roadside assistance for semi trucks and other commercial vehicles combines the best of both worlds.

Simple repairs come to you for an immediate fix.

Roadside assistance from WTM is not applicable to every situation, since billable time starts when we leave our shop to head to your location. So, if your malfunction is something minor – like a burnt-out light, meaning you’re still mobile – it’s likely not worth the cost just for that.

However, if you have a flat tire, a broken belt, or something else that prevents you from getting back on the road, a mobile repair unit is a perfect fit. Our techs show up with a fully stocked truck that is capable of doing many fixes right there on the roadside, meaning that you don’t have to wait for long tow rides back to the city or for regular repair shops to open up in the morning.

If you do need a tow, it's easier with a WTM tech.

With that said, sometimes the problem we identify is more than we can safely do at the breakdown location, and your vehicle needs to be towed anyway. In those cases, we’ll handle those calls and we can give you a lift back to where you need to go.

If your truck is de-rated because of after-treatment regen issues, and our diagnosis finds that it needs extensive repairs, we can use our software to increase the driving speed from 10 km/h to about 70 km/h. This is enough to allow you to drive back to the shop, eliminating the need for towing altogether.

We can order the right parts, quicker.

Whether you let us know over the phone during the initial call, or our technicians show up and do a thorough diagnosis, the benefit of roadside assistance is that even if you do need a tow back to our shop in Calgary, we already know what the problem is. So, while the tow is happening, we can put in parts orders and ensure people are available to help on arrival. This cuts down on more unnecessary waiting while your vehicle is out of commission.

Getting Roadside Assistance Without a Membership

We proudly offer our roadside services to anyone, no membership required (though we do require a credit card, like any other mechanical or tow service). Since you are the one in the vehicle and you know your situation best, choosing between a regular tow or a dispatched roadside assistance unit is up to you, and sometimes one will be a clear winner over the other. But as with every situation, it all depends on the circumstances – and it’s nice to know what options you have if yours are not ideal.

Should you find yourself the unfortunate victim of a breakdown or maintenance issue anywhere around Calgary or southern Alberta, call for roadside assistance at (403) 899-8805 – 24 hours a day. We’ll help you find the best way forward and get you back on the road ASAP!