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What does a Tow Truck Driver do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
What does a Tow Truck Driver do

Typically working upon the directives of dispatchers, a tow truck driver is in charge of driving to areas where a vehicle accident or breakdown took place, connecting the vehicle to the tow truck, and transporting them to repair stations or particular places. Their responsibilities include communicating with clients to identify their needs, answering inquiries, providing assistance by performing minor repairs, changing tires or jump-starting cars, and recommending solutions when necessary. Furthermore, as a tow truck driver, it is essential to perform regular maintenance checks on towing trucks for a safe and efficient service.

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Tow truck driver responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real tow truck driver resumes:

  • Manage and expedite the secure transportation and accountability of logistic materials and HAZMAT chemicals to commercial, state and government facilities.
  • Operate tow truck and equipment (dollies, go jacks).
  • Drive rollback tow truck, load and unload cars, secure cars on truck bed, operate hydraulic, maintain truck
  • Right eye injury and ineligibility for CDL )
  • Job require current CDL with clean driving record.
  • Maintain contracts with several companies as well as CHP work.
  • Read maps, GPS and follow written and verbal geographic directions.
  • Maintain the vehicle in proper working condition as per CHP regulations.
  • Drive and operate towing trucks, wheel lift wrecker and rollback.
  • Load and secure heavy transport vehicles with cranes and relate equipment.
  • Maintain heavy transport trucks, trailers, cranes, forklifts, and lighter duty vehicles.
  • Operate all kinds of tow trucks and wreckers from light duty and self loaders to heavy duty
  • Prepare various vehicles for painting by cleaning, patching surfaces and applying primers and base coats.
  • Perform roadside assistance including tire changing, fuel deliveries, battery charging and changes, lockouts.
  • Provide quality customer by transporting customers, vehicle lock-outs, battery jump starts, and tire changes.

Tow truck driver skills and personality traits

We calculated that 22% of Tow Truck Drivers are proficient in Transport Vehicles, CDL, and Customer Service. They’re also known for soft skills such as Hand-eye coordination, Hearing ability, and Physical health.

We break down the percentage of Tow Truck Drivers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Transport Vehicles, 22%

    Tow vehicles, drive a variety of roll bed tow trucks, perform lock outs, safely transport vehicles.

  • CDL, 17%

    Light, medium, and heavy duty trucks and also semi tractor trailer with a class a CDL.

  • Customer Service, 14%

    Provide excellent customer service *Transporting vehicles from dealerships *Transporting private vehicles *Vehicle Recovery *Impounding of vehicles for local Police Departments

  • Loaders, 10%

    Required to drive Tow Truck/Flatbed and heavy equipment such as front end loaders.

  • AAA, 8%

    Owned and operated towing business - ran police calls, road side assistance calls (AAA), and private calls.

  • Fuel Delivery, 5%

    Responded to and resolved roadside assistance calls (lock outs, fuel delivery, tire changes, battery problems).

"transport vehicles," "cdl," and "customer service" are among the most common skills that tow truck drivers use at work. You can find even more tow truck driver responsibilities below, including:

Hand-eye coordination. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a tow truck driver to have is hand-eye coordination. Their role and responsibilities require that "drivers of heavy trucks and tractor-trailers must be able to coordinate their legs, hands, and eyes simultaneously so that they will react appropriately to the situation around them and drive the vehicle safely." Tow truck drivers often use hand-eye coordination in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "answer police calls and assist with accident scene coordination.- provide customer service and vendor relations. "

Hearing ability. Another essential skill to perform tow truck driver duties is hearing ability. Tow truck drivers responsibilities require that "truck drivers need good hearing." Tow truck drivers also use hearing ability in their role according to a real resume snippet: "transport and deliver customer goods while adhearing to strict deadlines and safety regulations for professional drivers. "

Physical health. tow truck drivers are also known for physical health, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to tow truck driver responsibilities, because "federal regulations do not allow people to become truck drivers if they have a medical condition, such as high blood pressure or epilepsy, which may interfere with their ability to operate a truck." A tow truck driver resume example shows how physical health is used in the workplace: "dot physical certification as of 8/16/2016 until 8/16/2018"

All tow truck driver skills

The three companies that hire the most tow truck drivers are:

  • AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah2 tow truck drivers jobs
  • North Central Group
  • TRU TECH Systems

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Compare different tow truck drivers

Tow truck driver vs. Cdl driver

A CDL driver is responsible for the transportation of goods from the manufacturing warehouse to specific store locations. CDL drivers' duties include inspecting the items before and after the delivery to ensure that the orders are correct with the right quantity, providing proof of delivery from the receiving customers, following the delivery schedule and report any delays immediately, monitoring the vehicle's engine for efficiency, and escalating concerns of incorrect deliveries and defective items. A CDL driver must have excellent time-management and multi-tasking skills, following safety procedures and road rules at all times.

The annual salary of cdl drivers is $24,557 higher than the average salary of tow truck drivers.Even though tow truck drivers and cdl drivers are distinct careers, a few of the skills required for both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require customer service, emergency equipment, and gps in the day-to-day roles and responsibilities.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a tow truck driver are more likely to require skills like "transport vehicles," "cdl," "loaders," and "aaa." On the other hand, a job as a cdl driver requires skills like "dot," "cdl-a," "otr," and "pet." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

Cdl drivers tend to make the most money working in the retail industry, where they earn an average salary of $63,457. In contrast, tow truck drivers make the biggest average salary, $39,670, in the transportation industry.The education levels that cdl drivers earn slightly differ from tow truck drivers. In particular, cdl drivers are 0.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a tow truck driver. Additionally, they're 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Tow truck driver vs. Van driver

A van driver is responsible for operating a wide and a larger-sized vehicle than a regular car, usually used as a company shuttle to pick up and drop employees to designated areas. Van drivers should have a clean driving record, ensuring the safety and comfortability of the passengers while on the road. They should also be familiar with the location, considering alternative routes for any road complications to avoid delays. A van driver must have comprehensive knowledge of the mechanical industry, inspecting the engine's condition, and perform repairs as necessary.

A career as a van driver brings a lower average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a tow truck driver. In fact, van drivers salary is $2,301 lower than the salary of tow truck drivers per year.While the salary may differ for these jobs, they share a few skills needed to perform their duties. Based on resume data, both tow truck drivers and van drivers have skills such as "cdl," "customer service," and "gps. "

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, tow truck driver responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "transport vehicles," "loaders," "aaa," and "fuel delivery." Meanwhile, a van driver has duties that require skills in areas such as "otr," "vehicle inspections," "patients," and "pet." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

Van drivers earn a lower average salary than tow truck drivers. But van drivers earn the highest pay in the transportation industry, with an average salary of $37,113. Additionally, tow truck drivers earn the highest salaries in the transportation with average pay of $39,670 annually.In general, van drivers achieve similar levels of education than tow truck drivers. They're 1.5% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Tow truck driver vs. Driver

Drivers are responsible for safely transporting people, packages, or goods from one destination to another. They should be familiar with the different routes that may be taken to reach the desired goal. They should be expert navigators and may use navigation apps to help them along the way. They should also be familiar with the basic mechanics of the vehicle they are using and the proper maintenance and cleaning needed to ensure that the car is running well. Drivers are expected to have excellent customer relation skills, a strong sense of direction, and superb organizations.

On average, drivers earn lower salaries than tow truck drivers, with a $3,784 difference per year.tow truck drivers and drivers both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "cdl," "customer service," and "emergency equipment," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from tow truck driver resumes include skills like "transport vehicles," "loaders," "aaa," and "fuel delivery," whereas a driver is more likely to list skills in "math," "basic math," "safety rules," and "cleanliness. "

Drivers earn the highest salary when working in the manufacturing industry, where they receive an average salary of $39,688. Comparatively, tow truck drivers have the highest earning potential in the transportation industry, with an average salary of $39,670.Most drivers achieve a similar degree level compared to tow truck drivers. For example, they're 0.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Tow truck driver vs. Mixer driver

A mixer driver is responsible for operating mixer trucks to deliver construction materials and concrete mixtures to construction and industrial site. Mixer drivers must inspect the condition of the truck's engine before and after operations to ensure its stability and performance that would prevent operational delays and avoid potential hazards. They should also dispense the mixtures properly and clean spills after delivery. A mixer driver must have excellent organizational skills to control the truck safely and ensure that the correct materials are delivered.

Mixer drivers typically earn higher pay than tow truck drivers. On average, mixer drivers earn a $13,449 higher salary per year.While their salaries may vary, tow truck drivers and mixer drivers both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "cdl," "customer service," and "emergency equipment. "Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. A tow truck driver uses "transport vehicles," "loaders," "aaa," and "fuel delivery." Mixer drivers are more likely to have duties that require skills in "dot," "post-trip inspections," "ladders," and "asphalt. "mixer drivers enjoy the best pay in the construction industry, with an average salary of $51,169. For comparison, tow truck drivers earn the highest salary in the transportation industry.In general, mixer drivers hold similar degree levels compared to tow truck drivers. Mixer drivers are 0.2% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of tow truck driver

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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