As a tow truck driver, there are many dilemmas you will face each day at work. From encountering serious hazards like retrieving a vehicle in high-speed traffic to dealing with disgruntled drivers to working in traumatic accident scenes, there is a lot you have to be ready for. While these are difficulties you can foresee from the moment you get into your career, there are some situations you might not have thought about.
One of these is the failure of your equipment, leaving you with no choice but to seek an alternative. In such situations, nothing will make greater sense than hiring a rental truck. But is this actually an option? Well, let’s find out.
Basics Of Towing With a Rental Truck
If you are at a point where you need to use a rental truck for towing, the good news is that most rental companies allow it. In truth, some offer towing packages, which means the truck comes with all the equipment you need. Still, you will have to follow any specific guidelines from the company to avoid problems.
Also, you will have to apply the right safety measures, regulations, and other best practices for towing to succeed. That’s one of the reasons why we always advise professionals to invest in ongoing tow truck driver training from a reputable course provider like RocketCert. This ensures you have an updated collection of best practices, the latest knowledge, and advanced skills to deal with almost any towing-related challenge.
Tips for Towing With a Rental Truck
After deciding on the company you want to use, there are several things you should do before diving in to ensure your trip is safe, cost-effective, and successful as a whole. Here are some of these things:
1. Choose the Right Truck
First things first, you must think about what you are towing. As a tow truck driver, this is almost obviously a vehicle, but remember, vehicles are built differently, even those that fall under the same category, such as minivans. That’s why you must consider various factors about the vehicle, such as its size, weight, and even condition.
Understanding what you are towing helps you choose the ideal truck for the job, especially when it comes to the weight. The good thing is that most manufacturers provide guidelines regarding the maximum towing capacity for each model. If not, you can ask the towing company to give you a list of the tow trucks that fit a certain towing capacity.
2. Pay Attention to the Truck Bed Length, Where Applicable
There are cases (such as retrieving an overly damaged vehicle) where you can’t use a tow dolly truck and thus will have to opt for a flatbed tow truck. In such cases, you should consider the length of the tow truck’s flatbed in comparison to the length of the vehicle you are retrieving. This is crucial for ensuring maximum safety and efficiency when towing.
3. Understand Licensing Requirements
Most states don’t need a specific licence for tow truck drivers, but you will need a Commercial Drivers Licence (CDL) for certain situations. Specifically, you need a CDL if the gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of the tow truck is 26,001 pounds or more.
You’ll also need it if the vehicle you are towing exceeds a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10,000 pounds. Some states may require you to have a CDL at all times as a tow truck driver, whether the above conditions exist or not.
4. Think About the Equipment You Need
Before hiring a rental truck for use in towing, you also want to think about the towing equipment and accessories you will need, such as receiver hitches, safety chains, and towing dollies. As mentioned above, some rental companies have towing packages that come with these items as default.
Practise Safe Towing Practices With RocketCert
You now know it’s possible to rent a tow truck if you don’t have one or if you can’t use yours at that moment. That’s some good news, and while it streamlines your services by reducing unnecessary disruptions, you also want to be sure of successful retrieval trips every time.
For this, you need ongoing training from a top-tier education provider like RocketCert. By continuing education as a tow truck driver, you will equip yourself with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed and grow in your career or expand your business.