AMA or a Local Tow Truck in Edmonton? When Each One Makes Sense

The short version

If you are an AMA Plus or Premier member with roadside calls left this year, and your car needs a tow longer than a few kilometres, call AMA first. That tow is already paid for in your membership.

A local tow company makes more sense when you have no membership, when you have Basic and the tow is longer than 5 km, when you have used up your calls for the year, or when you want a set price and a direct line to the person driving the truck.

Neither option is “the cheap one” in every situation. It depends on your membership level, how far the car has to go, and how quickly you need it moved.

What each AMA level actually covers

AMA has three roadside levels for cars, SUVs and light trucks. This is the part most people don’t remember until they need it:

Two details matter more than the prices:

• The membership follows the person, not the car. AMA says you can use it in anyone’s vehicle, but a spouse driving your car is not covered by your membership unless they have their own (AMA sells associate memberships for that).
• Basic covers a 5 km tow. In Edmonton, 5 km rarely gets you from where you broke down to your own mechanic. Anything past that is not covered by the membership.

“I’ll just join AMA right now”

We hear this a lot at the side of the road, and it is worth knowing how it works before you try it. According to AMA, if you need roadside assistance within 72 hours of buying a membership, a one-time $60 Instant Use fee applies, and you get Basic-level service no matter which level you bought. Plus or Premier coverage only kicks in after the 72 hours.

So joining at the roadside works, but for that first call you are paying the membership, the $20 registration fee and the $60 fee, and you get the 5 km Basic tow. For a short tow inside your neighbourhood that can still be fine. For a tow across the city to your shop, compare it with a local quote first.

When AMA is the better call

• You have Plus or Premier, you have calls left, and the tow is long. A 40 km tow to a dealer in another part of the region is exactly what the membership is for.
• You are travelling outside the Edmonton area. AMA coverage goes with you across Canada and the U.S.; a local operator like us covers Edmonton and the surrounding communities.
• You ran out of fuel and you have Plus or Premier. Free fuel and delivery is hard to beat.
• You simply prefer to deal with your auto club and you are not in a hurry. That is a reasonable choice.

When a local tow company makes more sense

• You don’t have a membership. Paying for one tow is usually cheaper than paying for a membership, a registration fee and an Instant Use fee on the same day.
• You have Basic and the tow is longer than 5 km. Most tows inside Edmonton are longer than that.
• You have used your calls for the year. Check the AMA app before you call; Basic has 4 calls a year, Plus and Premier have 5.
• You want to know the price before the truck comes. With a local company you can get a full quote on the phone and in writing before the car is hooked up.
• You want to talk to the driver. With a small local company, the person who answers the phone is often the person who shows up. You can tell them exactly where you are and what the car is doing.

How a local call works with us

You call, a real person answers, and we ask where the car is, what it is, what happened, and where it needs to go. We give you the price on the phone. Before we hook up, you get it in writing, which Alberta’s towing regulation requires anyway. Then we tow it where you chose: your mechanic, your dealer, a body shop, or your driveway.

A few honest limits so nobody wastes a call:

• We tow cars, SUVs, minivans and half-ton pickups with a wheel lift. AWD and 4WD vehicles go on dollies so all four wheels are off the road. See AWD and 4WD towing.
• We don’t tow heavy trucks, equipment or anything bigger than a half-ton pickup. If that is what you need, we will tell you on the phone so you don’t wait for the wrong truck.
• We don’t run a storage yard. Your car goes where you tell us, not to our lot.

Our current rates are on the pricing page. We don’t put them in blog posts because they change with the season.

Roadside calls: boosts, lockouts, fuel and flat tires

For calls that don’t need a tow, the comparison is closer. AMA Plus and Premier include free fuel and delivery and up to $100 for a vehicle locksmith; Basic includes up to $50 for a locksmith and free fuel delivery. If you are a member with calls left, a boost or a lockout through AMA is part of what you paid for.

If you are not a member, or you want someone on the way right now, we do boosts for gas and diesel vehicles, car lockouts, fuel delivery and spare tire installs. For lockouts we ask for proof of ownership once the car is open, and if we can’t get it open, there is no charge. More detail on each service is in what roadside assistance actually covers and on our roadside assistance page.

Your rights are the same either way

Whoever tows your car in Alberta has to follow the same rules. You choose where the car goes. You get a written estimate before the vehicle is secured, and you keep a copy. The final bill can’t go more than 10% (and no more than $100) over that estimate unless you agree. We wrote a full guide on this: your rights when your vehicle is towed.

That is the part that protects you, whether the truck comes from AMA, from us, or from someone else. If a driver won’t give you a price in writing before hooking up, you can say no.

A quick way to decide

1. Is anyone hurt or is the car in a live lane? Call 911 first.
2. Do you have Plus or Premier with calls left, and is the tow longer than a few kilometres? Call AMA.
3. Do you have Basic and need a longer tow, have no membership, or have no calls left? Get a local quote.
4. Either way: get the price before the hook-up, and choose where the car goes.

If you need a tow in Edmonton now, call (780) 655-9779. We answer 24/7 and give you the price on the phone. More about the service on our towing page.

Common questions

How far will AMA tow my car for free?

It depends on your level. According to AMA, Basic covers 5 km, Plus covers 160 km, and Premier covers 320 km for one tow and 160 km for the other four. Anything past your limit is not covered by the membership.

Can I join AMA and use it right away?

Yes, but AMA charges a one-time $60 Instant Use fee if you need roadside help within 72 hours of joining, and you get Basic-level service during that time regardless of the level you bought. New members also pay a $20 registration fee.

Does my AMA membership cover my spouse driving my car?

AMA says memberships are not transferable: the membership covers the member, not the vehicle. Family members in your household can get their own associate membership.

How many AMA roadside calls do I get?

Basic includes 4 roadside calls a year, and Plus and Premier include 5. You can check how many you have used in the AMA app.

Is a local tow company more expensive than AMA?

If you already have Plus or Premier with calls left, AMA is usually the cheaper option for a long tow, because you have already paid for it. If you have no membership, have Basic and need more than 5 km, or have used your calls, a single paid tow is often cheaper than joining on the spot. Ask for the full price on the phone and compare.

Can you tow AWD cars or big trucks?

We tow AWD and 4WD vehicles on dollies so all four wheels are off the ground. We don’t tow anything bigger than a half-ton pickup, so for heavy trucks or equipment we will tell you on the phone to call someone else.