What does a tow truck operator do?
A Tow Truck Operator works with a towing company and assists with removing damaged vehicles from accident scenes or broken down vehicles that have been abandoned at the request of the owner of the vehicle or the owner of the property. Typically, the tow truck operator's duties start first by receiving a call from a dispatcher and then driving to the accident or breakdown scene. He/She connects the vehicle to the tow truck and transports it to its final destination, a junkyard or a service station.
Tow truck operator responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real tow truck operator resumes:
- Dispatch through ranger systems GPS.
- Utilize and strongly encourage the proper use of PPE while on and off location.
- Operate and drive tow trucks on CHP rotation calls alongside with police department and insurance calls.
- Work with CHP and city police daily assisting with impounds, accidents, and vehicle recovery.
- Promote AAA membership to non-members including benefits and safety program.
- Assure positive customer experiences while representing AAA and other roadside assistance companies.
- Perform pre-operational inspections on equipment and follow all MSHA and company rules.
- Perform and record daily pre-trip inspections using company checklist and submit detailed reports after trips and deliveries.
- Perform and record daily pre-trip inspections using company checklist and submit detailed reports after trips and deliveries.
Tow truck operator skills and personality traits
We calculated that 25% of Tow Truck Operators are proficient in Transport Vehicles, Tow Truck, and DOT. They’re also known for soft skills such as Hand-eye coordination, Physical health, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Tow Truck Operators that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Transport Vehicles, 25%
Provide professional assistance operating tow trucks to transport vehicles to destinations and complete paperwork for an AAA contracted garage
- Tow Truck, 14%
Performed tow truck maintenance and equipment upkeep to ensure immediate availability for emergency dispatch.
- DOT, 8%
Maintain detailed records of driver qualifications and MVR's in compliance with FMCSA and DOT requirements.
- CDL, 7%
LICENSE: MD State Class B CDL License with Passenger and Airbrake Endorsements
- AAA, 7%
Assured positive customer experiences while representing AAA and other roadside assistance companies.
- Customer Service, 5%
Maintained excellent customer service and professionalism while transporting vehicles accompanied with customers, contractors and shop owners.
Common skills that a tow truck operator uses to do their job include "transport vehicles," "tow truck," and "dot." You can find details on the most important tow truck operator responsibilities below.
Hand-eye coordination. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a tow truck operator 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 operators often use hand-eye coordination in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "managed all scheduling of drivers, vehicle transport coordination, assisting all trouble points with impound and vehicle recovery. "
Physical health. Many tow truck operator duties rely on physical health. "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," so a tow truck operator will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways tow truck operator responsibilities rely on physical health: "developed an understanding of dot, epa & osha regulations and teis health and safety practices. "
The three companies that hire the most tow truck operators are:
- New England Industrial Truck Incorporated
3 tow truck operators jobs
- Scotts2 tow truck operators jobs
- City of St. Louis2 tow truck operators jobs
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Compare different tow truck operators
Tow truck operator vs. Cdl class a driver
A CDL Class A driver is a driver with a Class A commercial driver's license. A commercial driver's license is necessary to operate large, heavy, and placarded vehicles. There are several classifications of a commercial driver's license, and Class A is for a car towing a trailer with a gross vehicle weight of more than 10,000 pounds (5 t). Drivers with this type of license are entitled to operate a commercial motor vehicle such as passenger buses, tractor-trailers, semi-trucks, and dump trucks. They have the choice to add endorsements to their CDL, which allows them to operate particular types of commercial motor vehicles.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between tow truck operators and cdl class a driver. For instance, tow truck operator responsibilities require skills such as "transport vehicles," "tow truck," "dot," and "cdl." Whereas a cdl class a driver is skilled in "otr," "hazmat," "customer locations," and "math." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Cdl class a drivers tend to make the most money working in the transportation industry, where they earn an average salary of $57,733. In contrast, tow truck operators make the biggest average salary, $40,397, in the hospitality industry.On average, cdl class a drivers reach similar levels of education than tow truck operators. Cdl class a drivers are 0.7% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Tow truck operator vs. Transportation driver
A transportation driver is responsible for transporting people and goods from one place to another. A transportation driver must have a clean driving record to operate vehicles carefully and efficiently. Transportation drivers must ensure that the passengers are safe and comfortable during the trip and that goods are in proper condition to avoid damage and defects. They should strictly adhere to the transport schedules and assigned routes to avoid delays of operations. A transportation driver should also understand maintenance basics of vehicles to perform repair and reconditioning of any engine malfunction.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, tow truck operator responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "tow truck," "aaa," "tire changes," and "fuel delivery." Meanwhile, a transportation driver has duties that require skills in areas such as "hazmat," "post-trip inspections," "cleanliness," and "vehicle inspections." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
In general, transportation drivers achieve similar levels of education than tow truck operators. They're 1.2% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for tow truck operators in the next 3-5 years?
Don Lefeve
President & Chairman of the Board, CVTA
Tow truck operator vs. Over the road driver
Over the road, (OTR) drivers are the truckers driving the big semi-trailer truck that hauls all types of goods to their destinations across the states. Their journey typically begins with loading the freight onto the trailer, requiring them to lift heavy materials and load the cargo properly to avoid shifting while in transit. They often sleep in the sleeper berth at a truck stop to eat, freshen up and refuel. They are allowed to go on a 30-minute break after an eight-hour drive.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a tow truck operator is likely to be skilled in "transport vehicles," "tow truck," "dot," and "aaa," while a typical over the road driver is skilled in "pet," "post-trip inspections," "hazmat," and "federal regulations."
Over the road drivers make a very good living in the manufacturing industry with an average annual salary of $62,648. On the other hand, tow truck operators are paid the highest salary in the hospitality industry, with average annual pay of $40,397.When it comes to education, over the road drivers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to tow truck operators. In fact, they're 1.5% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Tow truck operator 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.
Types of tow truck operator
Updated January 8, 2025
