Explore
Roadside recovery & repossession
Tow Truck Operator
You work when the weather is worst, because that is when they call.
Typical pay
$36k-$85k
How you get in
On-the-job training; CDL for heavy duty
Outlook
Steady; heavy recovery specialists are scarce
Tow operators recover disabled and wrecked vehicles. The job runs on call volume, which peaks in storms and at night, and heavy-duty recovery work pays dramatically more than light-duty towing.
A day in the life
- 7:00aPre-trip inspection and check the call queue
- 8:00aBreakdown recovery from a highway shoulder
- 10:30aAccident scene with police on site
- 1:00pLunch in the truck
- 2:00pPrivate property impound
- 11:00pOn call — the calls come when the weather turns
How to get in
Light-duty operator
Duration
2-8 weeks
Cost
$0 — paid training
Credential
Clean driving record; TRAA certification recommended
- Get hired by a towing company with no experience
- Learn winching, loading and roadside safety
- Get TRAA certified for professional credibility
- Roadside safety training is not optional — operators are killed doing this
Heavy-duty recovery
Duration
2-5 years
Cost
$0-$8,000
Credential
CDL plus advanced recovery certification
- Build light-duty experience first
- Get a Class A or B CDL
- Train in heavy recovery — rotators, rigging and load calculation
- Heavy recovery operators earn multiples of light-duty pay
Own a towing business
Duration
3-6 years
Cost
$60,000-$300,000 per truck
Credential
Business licensing, DOT authority and insurance
- Learn the business working for an established company
- Secure motor club and municipal rotation contracts — this is the revenue base
- Buy trucks and carry substantial insurance
- Rotation contracts with police departments are the most valuable asset
What people love
- · Hired and trained in weeks
- · Heavy-duty recovery pays very well
- · Real independence in the truck
- · Achievable to own your own truck
What wears people down
- · Roadside work is genuinely dangerous
- · Worst weather means highest call volume
- · Repossession work draws hostility
- · On-call nights and weekends