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Towing service and roadside assistance prices near you

Hiring a towing service or requesting urgent roadside assistance can be a stressful experience. TowGator makes it easy and hassle-free to get in direct contact with reputable companies near you and wherever you are in the United States.

The following guide is intended to provide customers with a good idea of how much they can expect to pay for quality towing and roadside assistance.

Companies listed on our website provide the following services:

  • Free, no-obligation quotes
  • Removal of junk cars from your property
  • Roadside assistance (fuel delivery, jump starts, flat tire replacement, etc.)
  • Towing (roadside towing, junk car removal)

Calling a towing or roadside assistance company near you shouldn’t be a roll of the dice. Our network of towing companies in the United States is growing every day and customers are able to get better value services thanks to our emphasis on quality service and fair competition.

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There are many factors which will affect how much you can expect to pay for towing or roadside assistance. Consider the following:

What type of service do you need?

Whether you’re in need of towing or roadside assistance, the price will naturally depend on the type of job that needs to be done and how complex it is. However, you pay nothing using TowGator and get the best prices from local service providers.

If you need your car towed, however, consider that the farther away your vehicle is from the tow truck, how far it needs to be towed, and at what time you need the service will all factor into the quoted cost. Likewise, roadside assistance prices vary depending on the service. Jump starts, tire replacement, and fuel delivery will likely end up costing less than having to tow it to the nearest mechanic’s shop, for example.

Also consider where you find a towing company. Although towing services are regulated in many states across the US, meaning they can’t gouge prices on you after having agreed to a price, this still unfortunately happens so buyer beware. Using TowGator is a transparent, reliable way to find trustworthy companies in your county since you’re getting free quotes from multiple competing companies.

Where your vehicle is located

Companies listed on TowGator range from independent contractors to small and medium-sized businesses specializing in towing and/or roadside assistance. Every business listed on our platform operates in a given area, so it’s best to search for companies near you by putting in your ZIP code and filtering the results.

This will affect the quotes you’ll be given, since different geographic areas have varying costs of service. Towing in rural Pennsylvania, for example, might generally be more affordable than towing a car from midtown Manhattan. Roadside towing and assistance prices will likewise fluctuate based on location, since the company will have to come out to you. If your car has broken down on the Interstate far away from the business location, you’ll be expected to pay more in mileage than if your car is close by.

The speed of service you want

There are times when you can afford to wait a few days to have your car hauled away, such as a junk car sitting on your property. Other times, however, you simply can’t wait that long and need urgent assistance right away. Emergency towing and roadside assistance services are widely available in the United States, but you’ll almost always be looking to pay substantially more for an emergency call-out service.

When speaking to a towing or roadside assistance company over the phone, be sure to ask the call-out rate in cases of emergency so you know what you can expect to pay before calling them over. Obviously, you may feel that you cannot negotiate since you need assistance right now, but one way to get a better price is to get in touch with a few companies rather than the first one you see.

The good news is that with TowGator, you’ll find plenty of reputable mobile mechanics, and towing companies near you so you can always pick and choose based on availability for urgent matters.

Get quotes before choosing

There is plenty of power in choice, which is why TowGator makes it easy to shop around for prices that are fairer and more transparent to you, the customer. One of the features that makes TowGator a sensible choice for you is that you’ll get free, no-obligation quotes from towing companies near you, so feel free to choose based on the best possible price if you like.

Towing services

Most of us probably dread the idea of having to phone a towing company, but it’s nevertheless important whether your car has suffered damage from a collision or has broken down on the side of the road. The necessity of calling a towing company isn’t something that can be chosen, but it is possible to choose which company to call and to compare prices. Having a greater freedom to choose can give you reassurance that you won’t be made an unfair offer and that you can request towing services exactly when you need them from a reputable towing company.

Towing companies listed on TowGator must all demonstrate a solid track record of reliable quality and a commitment to customer service, so every company you find will be reputable. Things they may not have in common and are worthy of consideration include:

  • Scope of operations: which city, county, and state do they operate in?
  • Available towing equipment: integrated trucks, flatbeds, wheel lift tow trucks.
  • Hours of operation: are they open only during weekdays or do they work after hours or on weekends and holidays?
  • Accident response: is the towing company experienced at towing destroyed vehicles from a collision or a car that’s in a ditch?
  • Prices: what are the company’s hook-up fees, emergency call-out rates, mileage costs, etc.?

What affects the price of towing services?

The price of towing varies widely, since there are many factors that affect the total cost you can expect to pay.

Nearly every state has made car insurance mandatory, so your insurance provider should be the first place to ask about towing (emergency or not). In many cases, your insurance will cover the cost of towing, so it’s free for you. Same thing with roadside assistance.

If your insurance does not cover towing and/or roadside assistance, you will have to pay out of pocket. But how much? Consider the following when contacting a towing company:

  • Geographic location: towing services tend to cost far less in rural areas than in metropolitan centers. Likewise, towing in California will almost always cost more than towing in Arkansas, for example. Colorado and Oregon tend to cost about twice as much as the national average whereas Texas and Kentucky are among the cheapest states to have your car towed.
  • Terrain: if your car is on the side of the road or in a parking lot, it should be pretty straightforward. If your car is wrecked in a ditch or the towing company has to navigate through mountainous terrain, the extra effort will be reflected in the price.
  • Time of day/week: after-hours, middle-of-the-night call-outs will certainly cost more than daytime call-outs, and weekend/holiday towing may cost more as well.
  • Size of the vehicle: small passenger cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs can normally be hauled off with a standard flatbed tow truck, but large vehicles (buses, trucks, etc.) will require specialized towing equipment.
  • Distance from the garage: naturally, short hauls will cost less than long hauls across the Interstate.
  • Availability: can the towing company assist you when you need them? If the towing company claims they provide emergency services, will they be there within the hour?
  • Warranty coverage: if your car is still under the manufacturer’s warranty, you may be able to claim for towing and mechanical repairs but the manufacturers are often very specific about the services (the car may need to be brought to an authorized dealer, for instance) that can be carried out.
  • Experience and reputation: legally-operating towing companies in the United States have a reputation to uphold and a great towing company will have years of experience to ensure that they get the job done right the first time. Beware of cowboy towing companies operating cash businesses - they may offer lower rates to compete but you may invalidate your insurance should your vehicle suffer damage from a shoddy job.

Average towing prices in the United States

Hiring a towing service is something most of us would rather not do unless absolutely necessary, but when it is necessary it’s good to know roughly how much you’ll be expected to pay.

Generally, towing costs around $2.50-$7 per mile in the US. Short hauls up to 7 miles might cost up to $100, medium hauls of 40 miles might cost up to $250, and long hauls of 100 miles or more can cost up to about $600.

Additionally, nearly all towing companies have towing fees. The base ‘hook-up’ fee can be anywhere from about $50-$100, depending on the type of towing required. Flatbeds and large vehicle towing will cost more whereas small car towing tends to cost about $50.

Lastly, if your vehicle has been in an accident the towing fee may be higher and cars that have been towed away and impounded will almost always cost far more.

A constant problem that many customers face is that towing companies quite often aren’t very transparent when it comes to towing, which can in some cases leads to price gouging. Using TowGator is a reliable way to get fair, transparent quotes from towing services so you have an accurate idea of what you can be expected to pay.

Roadside assistance

Nobody wants to be stranded on the side of the road with a broken down car, but the good news is that roadside assistance can give you peace of mind and get you back on the road safely or at least tow away your vehicle and get you off the side of the road.

There are many reasons why people use roadside assistance in the US, but the most common reasons for call-outs include:

  • Flat tires, tire replacement, tire patching
  • Lockouts such as keys locked inside of the car, malfunctioning key fobs, physical keys, etc.
  • The car simply won’t start up again in the cold of winter
  • Dead batteries from having the lights left on and jump starts
  • Running out of gas either on the driveway or on the side of the road
  • Engine problems requiring mechanical repairs
  • Emergency towing services

How does roadside assistance work in the United States?

There isn’t a unifying approach to roadside assistance programs in the US, which means that states have their own approaches. In most states, emergency roadside assistance is available by calling 911 and requesting roadside assistance.

Highway patrols which often work in conjunction with emergency response and law enforcement can provide you with emergency assistance such as fuel cans, jump starts, or pushing your vehicle out of the way for traffic to pass through while waiting for a tow truck to arrive.

Note that in some states there are restricted roads on which roadside assistance companies are simply unable to provide their services, so the only option is to call 911.

When it comes to paying for roadside assistance, many vehicle owners pay for auto insurance which often covers roadside assistance. The amount of coverage you’re entitled to depends on your insurance policy, so make sure you understand what can be claimed for and what you’ll have to pay for out of pocket. Many insurance providers provide roadside assistance even if you’re not on the road but at home, so it pays to be well-acquainted with your insurance policy!

If you’re insured and require roadside assistance, always choose a roadside assistance provider that operates a legal business and has a good, reliable track record of quality service. This ensures that you can make a successful claim and that your vehicle won’t be further damaged from shoddy work.

Average roadside assistance prices in the United States

Since roadside assistance and towing companies often work hand-in-hand and provide a wide range of common services, much of the pricing information for roadside assistance is similar to the rates above for towing services (provided you require towing, that is).

Furthermore, most drivers have some form of roadside assistance coverage in their insurance policy, whether through membership with AAA, Allstate, Geico, and even cell phone providers and credit card companies often provide coverage of some sort. This means that you often won’t have to pay anything out of pocket.

Sounds good, right? Mobile mechanics, locksmithing services, and roadside assistance in general shouldn’t cause any significant risks to your vehicle, so naturally you should look for reputable companies with which you can make an insurance claim. TowGator puts you in direct contact with reputable towing and roadside assistance companies to get the right kind of service for fair prices if you do end up having to pay out of pocket.

Many mechanical repairs are not included in insurance policies for roadside assistance, so in some cases you can expect to pay, for example:

  • $60-200 or more for a tire replacement on the side of the road (and more for all-terrain tires or larger tires);
  • $50-250 for a battery replacement;
  • $35-250 or more for auto locksmithing services.

As with towing services, roadside assistance prices can vary widely depending on many factors, so it’s worth spending some time to shop around. TowGator helps you get in direct contact with multiple roadside assistance providers and to obtain free, no-obligation quotes without any hassle.