Towing FAQ for West Palm Beach, FL
Straight answers to what Palm Beach County drivers ask before, during and after a tow.
What do West Palm Beach drivers ask about towing cost and payment?
How much does a tow cost in West Palm Beach, FL?
A local tow in West Palm Beach typically costs $95 to $150 for the hook-up and the first five miles, then $4 to $7 for each additional mile. A flatbed runs $115 to $185. Roadside calls such as a jump start, lockout or tire change usually cost $65 to $120.
What forms of payment do tow trucks take?
Major credit and debit cards and cash are standard. You get an itemized receipt showing the hook-up, the miles and any extra labor, which is what an insurer or motor club needs to reimburse you. If a business or a shop is paying, say so when you call.
What do drivers ask while they wait for a tow truck?
What should you do while you wait for a tow truck on I-95?
Pull as far onto the right shoulder as you can, switch on the hazard lights and stay belted in the car. Note the nearest mile marker or exit, such as Okeechobee Boulevard or 45th Street. If the car is stopped in a travel lane, call 911 first, then call for a tow.
How long does a tow truck take to get to me in West Palm Beach?
It depends on where the nearest free truck is and on traffic. A call from downtown at 2 pm on a Tuesday is quick. A call from I-95 at 5:30 pm in a thunderstorm is not. The dispatcher gives you an estimate when you call and tells you if it changes. No arrival time is promised on this site.
Can I ride in the tow truck?
Usually. Most tow truck cabs seat one or two passengers besides the driver. Tell the dispatcher how many people and pets are with the vehicle so the right truck is sent, or so you know to arrange a ride for the rest of the group.
Where does my car go if it is towed at night?
Wherever you say. Common choices are your driveway, your regular repair shop's lot with the key in its night drop box, or a dealer's service lane. If none of those work, the car can go to a storage yard and be delivered when the shop opens. Storage is billed by the day.
What do I need to tell the dispatcher when I call for a tow?
Five things: where the vehicle is, including the direction of travel on a highway; the year, make and model; what happened; whether it rolls, steers and shifts into neutral; and where it is going. With those the dispatcher can pick the truck and give a price range in one call.
Do I have to be with the car when the tow truck arrives?
For most tows, yes, because the driver needs the key and your signature. If you cannot stay, arrange it with the dispatcher: say where the key will be, send a photo of your ID and registration, and pay by card over the phone. Vehicles are not taken without proof that you control them.
What do drivers ask about flatbeds, garages, flood water and electric cars?
Does an all-wheel-drive car need a flatbed tow truck?
Yes, or a wheel-lift with dollies under the other axle. Towing an all-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive vehicle with two wheels rolling on the road can damage the center differential or transfer case. Say the vehicle is all-wheel drive when you call so a flatbed is sent.
My car sat in flood water after a storm. Can I start it?
Do not try. If water reached the bottom of the doors, it may be in the air intake, and cranking the engine with water in the cylinders bends connecting rods. Have the car carried on a flatbed to a shop. Salt water from a king tide on Flagler Drive is harder on wiring than rain water.
Can a tow truck get into a parking garage?
A flatbed usually cannot. Many garages in downtown West Palm Beach and at Palm Beach International Airport have clearance of about seven feet or less. A low-profile wheel-lift truck pulls the car out to street level, and it is moved to a flatbed there if it needs one.
How should an electric or hybrid car be towed?
On a flatbed, with all four wheels off the ground. Most makers prohibit towing an electric vehicle with the drive wheels turning because the motor generates current. The driver puts the car in its transport or tow mode first. If the 12-volt battery is dead, that is boosted so the car can shift to neutral.
Service details: 24 hour towing in West Palm Beach, roadside assistance, flat tire change, jump start and battery service and car lockout service. The full price table is on the West Palm Beach towing home page.
Stuck on the road in Palm Beach County?
(561) 820-6492Tell dispatch where the vehicle is, what it is and what happened. You get a price range and an honest arrival estimate before a truck rolls. Hard to talk on the shoulder? Text your location instead.