6 Types Of Tow Trucks: Differences, Benefits & Uses

🚚 Know Your Towing Options in NYC

At City Service Station, we know that no two breakdowns are the same. The Bronx, Harlem, and Westchester roads are busy, and every vehicle

from a compact car to a commercial truck needs the right tow truck for the job. Choosing the right equipment ensures your vehicle stays safe and secure from pickup to drop-off.

Here’s what you should know about your towing options the right type of truck can ensure you save on maintenance. In today’s blog, we’ll review the different types of tow trucks and which is right for you.

1. 🔩 Flatbed Tow Truck

If you drive an all-wheel-drive, electric, or luxury vehicle, a flatbed tow truck is your safest choice. It keeps your entire car lifted off the ground, preventing transmission wear and body damage.

A flatbed tow truck comes with a platform that can accommodate an entire car. It’s often powered by hydraulics, giving extra strength. Flatbed Trucks are also referred to as Rollbacks, due to the fact that their flatbed is angled down to the ground to help the car drive onto it. By putting the car entirely on the platform, you can avoid any type of accident from happening on the road.

More importantly, a Flatbed Tow Truck is often used to transport either totaled or immobile vehicles. Additionally, these tow trucks help transport new cars across state lines and even to car dealerships. Bottomline is if your customer wants optimal protection of their vehicle, the Flatbed Truck is the best way to go.

Advantages: They are a versatile and safe option because vehicles are fully lifted off the road, reducing the risk of damage.

Disadvantages: It’s costlier and not ideal for quick tows because it requires more space and time for loading and unloading.

2. ⚙️ Wheel-Lift Tow Truck

Rather than being tilted or hauled, the Wheel Lift instead lifts the towed vehicle. Specifically, it’s lifted by the component called the Yoke, which fits around the underside of your front wheel tires. Like the Hook and Chain Tow Truck, the yoke acts as a hook and is attached to the back of the recovery truck. Though, it leaves very little room for damage to happen to a person’s vehicle by lifting it off the ground. Making it even better, the Wheel Lift is super easy to operate. It provides flexibility by attaching to the car with either the front or back wheels. They’re primarily used when damaged cars need to be removed off the highway immediately. Additionally, they can be used to transport vehicles and passengers as well.

Advantages: It’s faster and easier to maneuver than a flatbed tow truck. Great for short-distance towing.

Disadvantages: Doesn’t tow the entire vehicle, two wheels stay on the ground which may cause damage. Doesn’t offer full protection as compared to a flatbed tow truck.

3. Hook & Chain

   A older popular tow truck you’ll see on the road is the Hook and Chain Tow Truck. In fact, whenever you call a tow truck company, you’re probably expecting to see this version. As the name implies, the Hook and Chain Tow Truck comes with a hook at the back of the tow vehicle. Moreover, that hook can be extended to the vehicle’s bumper, and the chain wraps around its frame.

   At that point, a boom is used to lift the front of the vehicle. However, the back end stays on the ground. This could potentially cause damage to the back of your vehicle. On a more positive note, the Hook and Chain Tow Truck does have the ability to pull your vehicle out if it’s stuck in the snow. Like the Flatbed Tow Truck, they’re even great at handling totaled cars.

   
   

   Advantages: Faster and easier option for towing wrecked, abandoned, or junk cars. Doesn’t require a huge setup.

   Disadvantages: Not suitable for modern vehicles since towing through chain and hooks put pressure on the vehicle’s frame.

   

4. Boom

   Similar to the Hook and Chain Tow Truck, a Boom Truck will use a hydraulic arm, known as a Boom, to lift the vehicle. The Boom device primarily helps to keep the truck balanced whilst it tows a vehicle. Unlike the previous truck styles, though, the Boom Truck uses a belt or sling to haul a vehicle, which causes less damage. However, you should refrain from using a Boom Truck for vehicles with all-wheel drive. More importantly, they’re used to pulling cars out of ditches. You can really get a lot done with a Boom Truck.

   
   

   Advantages: It offers strong lifting power with hydraulic arms. Perfect for recovering vehicles from mud or areas not accessible by normal tow trucks.

   Disadvantages: Not used for day-to-day towing because it’s hard to maneuver, requires more space to operate, and is costlier too.

   

5. Integrated

   Considered one of the most powerful tow trucks in the towing industry, an Integrated Tow Truck helps transport larger vehicles, such as trucks, RVs, motorhomes and buses by using towing and hauling . Specifically, the arm on an Integrated Tow Truck helps promote the stability of the truck when towing larger vehicles. Additionally, they’re used in recovery situations where they remove cars from busy roads. Overall, an Integrated recovery truck makes towing larger cars feel like a breeze. This tow truck can even handle most towing jobs bigger than itself. There’s clearly no job too large for the Integrated Recovery Vehicle.

6. 
   

   Advantages: Built with heavy-duty material and ideal for towing large trucks, buses, and machinery.

   Disadvantages: Too large for smaller vehicle tows. Expensive to own and operate, typically used by professionals only.

   

7. Oversized tow truck

   If you’re constantly towing giant vehicles every day, then you should definitely look into operating an Oversized Tow Truck. The Integrated Tow Truck doesn’t even compare to what the Oversized Towing Vehicles can handle. As the name suggests, these trucks can transport a variety of large items, such as boats, vehicles, tractor trailers, and construction equipment by using high-quality tow products Apparently, they can do it all. Furthermore, truckers can count on an Oversized Tow Truck to help move a semi-truck with no problems at all. All in all, these tow trucks are meant to handle huge to extreme vehicles. If you want a job well done, then an oversized Recovery Truck is the right choice for you.

   
   

   Advantages: Designed to tow construction equipment, large semi-trucks, and industrial machines. Extremely powerful and rugged.

   Disadvantages: Requires skilled operators, is not suitable for daily towing, and is restricted to specific routes due to its huge size.

Benefits Of Owning A Tow Truck

1. Owning a tow truck opens up extra revenue opportunities apart from your regular hauls. Be it roadside assistance or vehicle recovery, you can use towing as a side hustle during off-peak freight seasons.

2. Owning a tow truck means you don’t have to rely on towing services for urgent assistance. Lesser delays, quick recovery, saves you money, and better control over time.

3. Emergency situations can arise anytime, especially during bad weather, accidents, or breakdowns. For quick rescue, people call different types of tow trucks. Owning a towing truck can boost your reliability and value among people and trucking communities.

4. It saves you a lot of money when you own a tow truck, cover your own requirements and eventually help others at a fair price. Buying a tow truck seems like a huge investment but it will bring you great returns in the long-term.

5. You can start with a single tow truck and grow it as a business. Once you have gained real-time experience, you can offer towing services mixed with the right approach to create a successful venture.

What Safety Tips Should You Follow During Towing?

1. Inspect Tow Truck & Other Equipment Before Towing: Double check your hitch, coupler, safety chains, lights, and tires to ensure safety and avoid breakdowns on the road while towing trucks.

2. Even Weight Distribution: Ensure that the weight is distributed evenly over the trailer axle. Poor distribution can result in swaying and losing control.

3. Secure the Cargo Properly: Tighten your cargo firmly using good quality tie-downs, straps, or chains. Loose load can cause vehicle imbalance or fall off during large vehicle towing.

4. Drive Slow and Maintain Distance: Towing a vehicle means you are carrying a huge weight. Driving slowly will keep you safe, and keeping a distance from the vehicle ahead can safeguard you from sudden brakes.

5. Stay Cautious at Turns: Avoid sharp turns and sudden maneuvers as it leads to swaying specially with heavy loads.

6. Keep a Frequent Check on Lights, Mirrors, and Brakes: While towing trucks proper working of lights and brakes are vital for road safety. Clear visibility is important for safer lane changes and spotting hazards quickly.

Choose The Right Tow Truck

Now that you know the differences between the several types of tow trucks, you can choose the one that best suits your needs and explores TOW TRUCK EQUIPMENT INVENTORY to make your towing application. Though, you should always ensure that the customer’s car remains safe during transport and towing. At the end of a long work day, you want to walk away knowing you did a job well done.

View our entire selection of towing equipment, which includes wheel lifts, dollies, hooks, sturdy straps and chains, all designed to help you deliver the task on time. Our different types of tow truck equipment can make every task go more smoothly, safely, and quickly. Nothing compares to knowing that you handled each tow with professionalism and care at the end of a long day on the road. In difficult situations, let Allcityservicestation.online Products be your partner; we have the resources to support you every step of the way.

FAQs:

What is the most common tow truck?

A flatbed tow truck is the most common tow truck because of its versatility, safety, and ease of use. It can tow cars, bikes, light trucks, and equipment.

What trucks are used for towing?

The trucks used for towing are flatbed, wheel-lift, hook and chain, integrated, and boom tow trucks.

What is a semi tow truck?

A semi tow truck is designed to tow heavy vehicles like trailers, buses, RVs, semi trucks, and other commercial vehicles.

What is the difference between a rollback and a wrecker?

A rollback tow truck is designed for low-clearance cars or luxury vehicles that should be kept off the ground.

A wrecker is a traditional tow truck ideal for short-distance towing and roadside assistance. Not designed for severely damaged vehicles.

📞 Call the Bronx Towing Experts

When you call City Service Station, our dispatchers will ask for your vehicle make, model, and exact location — for example:

“Grand Concourse near 167th Street”“Harlem River Drive northbound”“Bronx River Parkway exit near Gun Hill Road”

This helps us send the right tow truck and equipment fast, so you’re not waiting long on the side of the road.

💻 Need help right now?👉 Call us directly at 646-655-7735 or book online at City Service Station for 24-hour towing, roadside assistance, and vehicle recovery anywhere in the Bronx, Harlem, or Westchester area.

Day or night, rain or shine — City Service Station is your local towing team you can count on to get you and your vehicle back on the road safely.

“Call City Service Station – Your 24/7 Bronx Towing and Roadside Partner”