Who wrote this, and why
We are a local tow company in Edmonton, and “how long until you get here?” is the first thing almost every caller asks. This page is our honest answer: what our own calls look like, what makes a tow truck faster or slower, and what to do while you wait. No company can promise the same arrival time for every address in the region, so we explain how the number is worked out instead of quoting one that sounds good.
Written for Edmonton and area. Last reviewed October 2026.
The short version
Across our calls, the average time from your phone call to our truck arriving is about 45 minutes. Some calls are quicker, especially when the truck is already close by. Others take longer, usually because of distance, a snowstorm, rush hour, or because we are finishing another tow.
When you call, we ask where you are and give you a realistic time for your location, not a standard line. If that time changes on the way, we call you back. If someone is hurt or the car is in a live lane, call 911 first.
What decides how long a tow truck takes
Arrival time is mostly simple arithmetic: where the truck is now, how far away you are, and what the roads are doing. Here is what actually moves the number.
1. Where the truck is when you call
A tow truck is not parked waiting at a station. It might be at the yard, on its way back from a drop-off, or hooked up to someone else’s car. If the truck is free and on your side of the city, the wait is short. If it is just starting another tow, we will tell you that and give you an honest time.
2. Distance and which side of the city you are on
Edmonton is spread out. Getting from one corner of the Henday to the opposite one is a real drive even with empty roads. If you are in St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Leduc, Beaumont, Fort Saskatchewan or Morinville, add the drive out of the city. Calls on rural highways and range roads take longer again, partly because we need an exact spot to find you.
3. Traffic and time of day
Weekday rush hours on the Henday, Whitemud, Yellowhead and Gateway Boulevard are the slowest part of the day. A collision on one of those roads can close lanes for an hour and push every call behind it. Late evening and night are usually faster to drive, so a 2 a.m. call across the city can be quicker than the same trip at 5 p.m.
4. Weather
The first real snowfall of the season and the first deep cold snap are the busiest days of the year for every tow and roadside company in the region. Roads are slower, more cars end up in ditches, and more batteries die at once. On those days every company’s arrival times go up, ours included. We would rather tell you that on the phone than promise a time nobody can meet.
5. The right equipment on the first truck
A truck that shows up without the right gear does not count as arriving. AWD and 4WD vehicles need to come off the road on all four wheels, so we carry dollies on every call and you won’t wait for a second truck. Tell us the make and model on the phone so we can confirm the setup before we leave. More on that in our AWD and 4WD towing page.
6. Getting to you once we are close
Underground parkades, gated complexes, back lanes and big parking lots can add minutes. A clear location saves them. “West Edmonton Mall, Parkade 2, level P2, near the elevator” is much faster to find than “the mall.”
Be careful with very short promises
If a company quotes the same short time for every address in the region, ask a few questions before you agree:
- Is it your own truck? Some numbers you find online take the call and then look for a driver. The time you hear is not always the time the actual truck needs.
- Where is the truck right now? An honest dispatcher can tell you roughly which part of the city it is in.
- What is the full price? In Alberta you are entitled to a written estimate before your vehicle is hooked up. Our guide to your rights when your vehicle is towed covers this.
A realistic 45 minutes with a fixed price is a better deal than “15 minutes” that turns into an hour and a different bill.
How we give you an arrival time
- You call and a real person answers, 24/7.
- We ask where the car is, what it is, what happened, and where it needs to go.
- We tell you the price and an arrival time based on where our truck is right now.
- If something changes on the way, like a closed road or a longer job before yours, we call you.
- When we arrive, you get the estimate in writing before the car is hooked up.
If you are in a dangerous spot and we can’t get there fast enough, we will say so, so you can decide what to do. That is better for you than a promise we can’t keep.
What to do while you wait
Most of the risk at a breakdown happens while people wait. A few habits make a big difference:
- Turn on your hazard lights and leave them on, day or night.
- On a highway or the Henday, if you can safely get well away from traffic and behind a barrier, do it. If you can’t, stay in the car with your seatbelt on rather than standing beside it.
- Don’t stand between your car and traffic, and don’t stand behind the car.
- In winter, keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow if you run the engine for heat, and crack a window.
- Keep your phone charged and answer unknown numbers. It may be the driver asking for your exact spot.
Alberta law requires drivers to slow down when passing a tow truck or emergency vehicle stopped with its lights flashing. Not everyone does, which is why we ask you to stay out of the lane.
For snow and ditch calls specifically, see what to do if you’re stuck in snow or a ditch.
Have these ready when the truck arrives
- Your keys, or tell us if they are locked inside or lost.
- Where the car is going: your mechanic, a dealer, a body shop or your home. You choose.
- If the shop is closed, ask them whether they take after-hours drop-offs and where to leave the keys.
- Anything you need from the car. Take it out before we hook up.
We don’t run a storage yard, so the car goes straight to the place you choose.
Need a tow now?
Call (780) 655-9779. We answer 24/7, give you the price and a realistic arrival time on the phone, and cover Edmonton and the surrounding communities. More about the service on our towing page, and current rates are on the pricing page.
Common questions
How long does a tow truck take in Edmonton?
Across our calls, the average from your phone call to our arrival is about 45 minutes. It can be shorter when the truck is close, and longer in rush hour, bad weather, or for towns and rural roads outside the city. We give you a time for your exact location when you call.
Is a tow truck faster at night?
Often, yes. Roads are emptier late at night, so the drive is usually quicker than at rush hour. We answer and tow 24/7, so night calls are normal for us.
Why does it take longer when it snows?
Roads are slower and many more people need help at the same time. On the first big snow days, every tow and roadside company in the region gets busier. We will give you an honest time on the phone and call you if it changes.
Do you come to St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Leduc and other nearby towns?
Yes. We cover Edmonton and the surrounding communities. Expect a longer arrival time than inside the city because of the extra drive, and tell us the closest intersection or highway marker so we can find you quickly.
Can I wait somewhere else instead of with the car?
If you are somewhere safe, like a coffee shop or a friend’s car close by, that is fine. Keep your phone on and tell us where you will be. We need to meet you, or you need to leave the keys somewhere we agree on, before we can tow.
Do AWD vehicles take longer to tow?
Not with us. We carry dollies on every call, so an AWD or 4WD vehicle can be towed with all four wheels off the road without waiting for a different truck. Hooking up with dollies adds a few minutes on site, not a second trip.