Fun may not be a word associated with tow trucks, but there are several exciting things we can learn from them. When your vehicle gets stranded in the middle of nowhere, tow trucks come to save the day! These seemingly invincible vehicles can lift and transport any car to safety, so it’s worth looking into their backstory. If you are curious to learn more about the history of these specialized vehicles, you may be surprised by the road tow trucks have taken to be what they are today. Who knows, you might look at tow trucks differently after reading this article!
What Are Some General Facts About Tow Trucks?
- When was the tow truck created, you may wonder? The correct answer would be 1916! A Chattanooga mechanic named Ernest Holmes was the mastermind behind this invention after an acquaintance asked if Holmes could help extract his automobile from a creek bed. After using bricks, wood, and rope for eight hours, the vehicle was rescued by Holmes and six other men.
- We all love a good museum- and if you’re a fan of all that tow trucks can handle, there’s a museum for you! The International Towing and Recovery Museum in Chattanooga, TN, features tools, equipment, and a timeline of towing and its genesis. You may even learn some towing traditions while you’re there!
- With all the vehicle brands there are, you may be wondering which brand has the honor of being connected with the first tow truck- and it’s the Cadillac! Holmes drafted his prototype and modified it with a 1913 Cadillac model, complete with a crane and pulley system. After making a few tweaks to his design, he filed for a patent in 1917 with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
What Are Some Final Takeaways About Tow Trucks And Their History?
- More than a hundred years after its inception, we now have five types of tow trucks. These are:
- Flatbeds
- Integrated
- Wheel Lift
- Hook and Chain
- Boom
- Heavy-duty vehicles are classified as weighing 10,000 pounds or more. Vehicles from semi-trucks and trailers to ambulances and tour buses fall under this category.
- And our final point: You need more than just driving experience to be a tow truck driver! You would need a Commercial Drivers License (CDL) and extensive training to drive a heavy-duty tow truck. The hours can be grueling, similar to a 24-hour maintenance service since you never know when an emergency can strike in this line of work!
We hope you learned something new about tow trucks today- maybe you can see these incredible vehicles in a new light! While your car needing a jumpstart in the middle of the road or experiencing a mechanical breakdown isn’t ideal, our Tow Pro team can put your mind at ease by doing all the heavy lifting- literally! With our diverse fleet of light-duty, medium-duty, and specialized transport for heavy-duty vehicles, we offer 24-hour assistance and quality towing services to the Middle Tennessee area. With experience that spans over two decades and our personable crew who will take the edge off of your day, why wouldn’t you pick Tow Pro for all of your towing and hauling needs?