Do You Tip Tow Truck Drivers? SHOULD YOU? WHEN?

Tips are essential to the success of the American service sector. In actuality, leaving a tip is now expected when paying a service charge or tab. For services such as hairdressers, valet parking, and restaurants, tips are generally expected. Some of those might even request that you leave a tip and figure it out for you. Tow truck drivers and roadside assistance are two services, though, where leaving a tip isn’t always appropriate.

So, do you tip tow truck drivers?

Yes, to answer briefly. Although giving tips for roadside assistance is not generally encouraged, a tow truck driver or other service provider will always be grateful for one. Particularly if they traveled a long distance to assist, finished a particularly challenging task, or went above and beyond. It’s possible that you got stuck late at night or in a congested area of the road and needed a tow right away.

For more information, continue reading.

When Should You Tip a Tow Truck Driver?

You won’t frequently find a driver who declines a tip, despite the fact that most tow companies advise customers not to give their drivers tips. You are welcome to leave a tip if you believe that your service was worthwhile.

How do I know when to tip a tow truck driver? Consider tipping in these situations:

• The location where your car is stuck is hazardous, like a congested highway or a dark road.
• In bad weather or at night, you need a tow.
• The distance the driver must travel to get to you is considerable.
• When your car is buried in snow or ice, it requires more effort to get to it.
• The driver offers prompt or courteous service.

Please tip whenever you are pleased, as is customary for most services.

What occurs, though, if your tow is covered by a roadside assistance plan, such as one from AAA insurance? There is no need to feel obligated to tip your driver because the majority of roadside assistance programs state that this is not appropriate. The same rules still apply, though, so if your driver goes above and beyond to make your trip go smoothly, think about tipping them.

When Are You Not Able to Tip Roadside Assistance?

There are times when a tow truck driver or a roadside assistance worker won’t take your tip. This isn’t because they don’t want it; rather, it could be against company or insurance policy policy. The local or state municipal owns and funds a number of roadside services. Employees of a city or town are typically prohibited by policy from accepting any payment other than what the local government pays them for their services.

If you received a tow or assistance from your insurance company, that is another situation in which you might not be able to tip. In the event that your car breaks down, roadside assistance is covered by an add-on to your car insurance. Although the driver who comes to assist you may decide whether or not to accept a tip, your insurance providers will tell you that you are not required to do so.

How Much Should You Tip a Tow Driver?

Let’s start with the price of getting towed. As well as a tow truck use fee or base rate, they typically charge per mile. This base rate can range from $35 to $100. They will charge between $2.50 and $5 for each mile traveled. A tow job generally costs $109 to complete. Some drivers might be reluctant to leave large tips because the fare is so expensive. Drivers developed this excellent general rule of thumb as a result.

You can give them a five-dollar tip for smaller tasks like changing a tire or jump-starting your car. It’s not excessive or insufficient and expresses your gratitude for a job well done. For bigger jobs, like big towing runs or a late-night service, a tip anywhere from $10 to $15 will do. Given how far they went to tow your car, you might want to give them a nice tip at this point. $20 is the maximum amount, but if you feel they truly did a stellar job, then that would be considered a good tip in the business world.

Considererations for Tipping

Drivers of tow trucks are renowned for going above and beyond. The work is extremely skilled. You must pay attention and handle challenging and hazardous situations.

It’s not an easy job performing skilled labor in risky circumstances while maintaining composure and keeping the customer informed.

You do, however, somewhat rely on the driver to get you to safety as soon as possible. He avoids any major headaches while tidying up a situation that is mostly chaotic.

The kinds of things they do to help you out:

• crawl under your car in the pouring rain or in the mud
• work along the side of the road in the middle of the night
• give you a ride home (if you get lucky)
• calling around to auto parts stores to find parts for your dead car
• checking under the hood to save you the towing cost
• pull over so you can get a drink or go to the bathroom

Other Things You Could Do Or Give

There are alternatives to tipping if you are unable or unwilling to do so at the moment.

Some people mention that when their car breaks down and they are stranded on the side of the road, they won’t have the money available. That naturally makes sense. The tow truck driver will comprehend as well. Simply inform them that you would like to tip them but do not have the funds available.

Here are other things you could do:

• give them your coupons for free drinks or meals
• leave a positive review online
• ask for some business cards and share them

Here are ways to make their job easier

Being an excellent sport doesn’t require tipping. You can also just help them out to make their jobs (and lives) easier. Straight from the horse’s mouth, here’s what tow truck drivers recommend you do:

• Give clear directions – what side on the road are you on
• Describe your vehicle on the phone
• Don’t negotiate in the middle of the night

Tipping Can Make Your Experience Better

On what could be a long day of bad luck, the tow truck driver is probably one of the first people you’ll encounter. Your experience will be improved if they are respectful and professional rather than rude and unprofessional.

Giving the driver a tip is a wonderful way to show your appreciation and motivate them to go the extra mile. Some of the most helpful and underappreciated people in our society are tow truck drivers. You might even make someone’s day with a tip just to say “thank you.”

How Much Does a Tow Cost?

Finding a problem with their car is never pleasant. Your day can be ruined by anything that renders your car immobile, be it a simple flat tire or a mechanical problem. If you get stuck on the side of the road while traveling away from home, it is even worse.

Sadly, towing services are often expensive, especially if you need to be saved on a busy street. You can avoid the cost with a roadside assistance plan, but those without one risk paying hundreds of dollars. Look into the best insurance providers for roadside assistance.

Without access to roadside assistance, drivers should budget for unexpected car repairs like new brakes or flat tires as well as the cost of a tow. However, a lot of drivers wait until it’s too late to prepare for a tow.

When your car breaks down while you’re driving, especially, you typically need to have it towed to a shop for repairs, which adds to the cost of the tow. You can make sure you have the money set aside for any issues that might arise in the future by knowing how much a tow can cost.

How far you need your broken-down vehicle moved determines tow prices more than anything else. Other elements to consider are where your car is, what services you require, the weather, and the business you select.

No matter how far the driver must tow you, the price of the tow starts with a flat fee that you must pay. For car pickup, the majority of businesses charge anywhere from $35 to $100. Some companies may give you the first five to ten miles for free before charging more, while others may charge you for each additional mile.

You typically pay between $2.50 and $7 per mile when the company starts charging you for mileage.

If you drive a vehicle other than an average-sized car, you might have to pay more for your tow. For instance, the cost of picking up a large van, a truck, or a heavy-duty vehicle is typically higher than that of a small car.

Your tow will be at least partially covered if you have roadside assistance, whether it’s a standalone plan or an add-on to your auto insurance. The majority of policies include tows up to a certain distance, but there are restrictions. Verify what is covered by your plan to avoid any issues. See more details about How Much Does A Tow Truck Cost?

What Do Tow Truck Drivers Make?

• AAA Tow Truck Drivers make anywhere between $14 – $17 per hour
• The national average hourly wage is $13.34 per hour
• Most tow truck drivers make between $10 – $19

How Much is Roadside Assistance?

No matter what kind of vehicle they drive, all drivers should consider roadside assistance. While roadside assistance provides towing services, it also covers the following:

• Flat tires
• Fuel delivery
• Battery jump starts
• Locksmith services

In a roadside assistance plan, these are the most frequently offered services, but most businesses also provide supplemental services to further your protection.

Roadside assistance is typically paid for in monthly or yearly installments, though some insurance companies permit you to use their services as needed.

How Does Roadside Assistance Tie into Car Insurance?

As was already mentioned, roadside assistance is covered by auto insurance companies. This can particularly help you save money on the cost of towing or servicing your car while it is stranded on the road. Prior to having to make payments on your own, these policies will cover you for a specific amount of towing. A roadside assistance policy can include coverage and mileage restrictions. Say you want $100 or a maximum of 25 miles per towing incident. The majority of the towing expenses in this situation would be covered by insurance. The final benefit is that you won’t have to worry about your rates going up after having your car towed. Owning a car entails breakdowns on a regular basis. Roadside policies are provided by insurance companies for this reason.

Here Are the Important Things to Know When Tipping Tow Truck Drivers

Giving a roadside worker a tip has no negative effects. In terms of compensation, the driver will receive their hourly rate, as well as commission, if their employer permits it. They would receive a tip right away.

To review, the only things to keep in mind when tipping a tow truck driver is:

• The work they did – How stuck your car was will have a significant impact on the size of your tip. It is deserving of a five dollar tip even if it only required a jump start. A tip of at least $10 should be left for tows and larger jobs.
• Ten percent of the total bill – This is a common method for calculating tips, which involves taking ten percent of the total amount charged for the service.
• The worst they could say is that they can’t accept tips because government-run roadside services don’t allow it. For tow truck drivers, this is the situation.
• The circumstances under which the job is finished – A nighttime tow requires more effort than a daytime one would. A storm is present, it’s raining or snowing, or worse. Don’t forget to give the driver a generous tip for enduring the bad weather and road conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Words

We’ve covered a lot today. Driving a tow truck is much trickier than I first thought. Now that I am aware of the risks, I believe I would tip them more frequently. Furthermore, tow truck operators are service providers who have a significant impact.

They are the ones you depend on to get to safety, so they can either take advantage of that or do their best to assist you. You might think about tipping them if they genuinely seem to care about you and assist you. It’s not necessary, though. Although it’s not expected and not customary, doing so would be greatly appreciated.

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