Wrecker operators talk benefits of roadside assistance
Oct. 8—Wrecker drivers and operators explain the importance of having roadside assistance.
Most insurance companies don't own their own tow trucks and so those companies contract with wreckers services.
With 24/7 roadside assistance, AAA, State Farm, and Progressive members get towing, free battery testing, flat tire replacement, a locksmith paid for, and emergency fuel service.
Providers bill State Farm directly so members may not have to pay upfront costs.
Vehicles that are insured with Progressive can be towed within a 15-mile radius.
Justin Bruner, owner and operator of Bruners Towing & Recovery, is contracted through AAA he said there are perks to having roadside assistance when wreckers are called.
"If you have AAA, you're not putting it on your car, you're putting it on yourself. You're covered no matter what vehicle you're in as long as you're driving the vehicle," Bruner said.
Each AAA cardholder is entitled to four service calls or reimbursements per year.
"There will be a service charge of $90 for each additional service call after the fourth call or reimbursement. If a cardholder has an unpaid service charge balance and contacts AAA for Roadside Assistance service, AAA may require immediate payment of both the unpaid balance and the charge for the current service call before providing service," AAA stated.
AAA has three tiers of assistance; classic; plus; and premier. Members with the classic level can be towed up to seven miles to any destination or unlimited miles back to the wrecker's impound lot. Plus benefits allow for up to 100 miles to any destination while Premier members can be towed up to 200 miles.
"Lets say you have Plus and you're broke down in Stilwell and you need to go back to Tulsa. [AAA] is going to cover 100 miles of that and after the 100 miles, you're responsible for what's left," Bruner said.
Hypothetically, if a AAA member crashes their vehicle and the next wrecker on rotation isn't contracted with AAA, that wrecker will still respond and take care of business as usual. Bruner said the customer can go ahead and pay the tow bill and give their receipt to AAA to be reimbursed.
"As far as law enforcement [on scene], they care about getting the highway open and if they can figure out who the AAA wrecker is in that area, then they can call their dispatcher ask for the AAA wrecker in the area," he said.
Bruner and Morgan Towing & Recovery are the two services that back up Robbins Wrecker Service when it comes to AAA members. Robbins Wrecker Service Owner Crystal Whittmore said they are the primary wrecker service in Tahlequah for AAA members.
"Anybody can actually have AAA Roadside, you just don't have to have AAA insurance. Everything's now automated through AAA and the days of customers calling us and saying, 'Hey, I'm broke down and need a tow but I have AAA,' they can't do that anymore," Whittmore said.
Customers are now required to call it in and everything is computerized on the wreckers' end.
"My drivers have tablets so we rarely hear from AAA anymore when we do get calls. Their calls will go directly to their tablets and it's all computerized," Whittmore said.
