How to hire a Tow Truck Operator

Tow truck operator hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring tow truck operators in the United States:

  • There are a total of 31,514 tow truck operators in the US, and there are currently 72,416 job openings in this field.
  • The median cost to hire a tow truck operator is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per tow truck operator on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Exeter, NH, has the highest demand for tow truck operators, with 4 job openings.

How to hire a tow truck operator, step by step

To hire a tow truck operator, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a tow truck operator:

Here's a step-by-step tow truck operator hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a tow truck operator job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new tow truck operator
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a Tow Truck Operator do?

A Tow Truck Operator works with a towing company and assists with removing damaged vehicles from accident scenes or broken down vehicles that have been abandoned at the request of the owner of the vehicle or the owner of the property. Typically, the tow truck operator's duties start first by receiving a call from a dispatcher and then driving to the accident or breakdown scene. He/She connects the vehicle to the tow truck and transports it to its final destination, a junkyard or a service station.

Learn more about the specifics of what a tow truck operator does
jobs
Post A Tow Truck Operator Job For Free, Promote It For A Fee
  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you post your tow truck operator job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a tow truck operator for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

    Determine Employee vs Contractor Status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A tow truck operator's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, tow truck operators from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    This list shows salaries for various types of tow truck operators.

    Type Of Tow Truck OperatorDescriptionHourly Rate
    ascdesc
    Tow Truck OperatorHeavy and tractor–trailer truck drivers transport goods from one location to another. Most tractor–trailer drivers are long-haul drivers and operate trucks with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) capacity—that is, the combined weight of the vehicle, passengers, and cargo—exceeds 26,000 pounds... Show More$14-29
    CDL Class A DriverA CDL Class A driver is a driver with a Class A commercial driver's license. A commercial driver's license is necessary to operate large, heavy, and placarded vehicles... Show More$17-36
    Transportation DriverA transportation driver is responsible for transporting people and goods from one place to another. A transportation driver must have a clean driving record to operate vehicles carefully and efficiently... Show More$12-33
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common Skills:
    • Transport Vehicles
    • Tow Truck
    • DOT
    • CDL
    • AAA
    • Customer Service
    • Tire Changes
    • Fuel Delivery
    • Customer Vehicles
    • Service Calls
    • Lock Outs
    • Rollback
    • Emergency Road Service
    • Routine Maintenance
    Check All Skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Dispatch through ranger systems GPS.
    • Utilize and strongly encourage the proper use of PPE while on and off location.
    • Operate and drive tow trucks on CHP rotation calls alongside with police department and insurance calls.
    • Work with CHP and city police daily assisting with impounds, accidents, and vehicle recovery.
    • Promote AAA membership to non-members including benefits and safety program.
    • Assure positive customer experiences while representing AAA and other roadside assistance companies.
    More Tow Truck Operator duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your tow truck operator job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A tow truck operator can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, tow truck operators' average salary in south carolina is 50% less than in hawaii.
    • Seniority. Entry-level tow truck operators 52% less than senior-level tow truck operators.
    • Certifications. A tow truck operator with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a tow truck operator's salary.

    Average tow truck operator salary

    $43,448yearly

    $20.89 hourly rate

    Entry-level tow truck operator salary
    $30,000 yearly salary
    Updated March 30, 2025

    Average tow truck operator salary by state

    Rank
    ascdesc
    State
    ascdesc
    Avg. Salary
    ascdesc
    Hourly Rate
    ascdesc
    1Washington$49,587$24
    2Montana$41,310$20
    3Colorado$40,106$19
    4Kansas$39,988$19
    5Minnesota$39,950$19
    6California$39,704$19
    7Arizona$39,342$19
    8Iowa$38,739$19
    9Tennessee$37,685$18
    10Wisconsin$37,637$18
    11Virginia$37,378$18
    12Connecticut$36,366$17
    13New Jersey$36,358$17
    14Alabama$36,230$17
    15Massachusetts$35,979$17
    16Texas$35,798$17
    17New York$32,606$16
    18New Hampshire$32,485$16
    19Pennsylvania$32,268$16
    20Michigan$32,165$15

    Average tow truck operator salary by company

    Rank
    ascdesc
    Company
    ascdesc
    Average Salary
    ascdesc
    Hourly Rate
    ascdesc
    Job Openings
    ascdesc
    17th Street Casino$43,906$21.11
    2Auto Club Speedway$42,241$20.31
    3Scotts$41,565$19.98
    4AAA Northeast$39,588$19.03
    5New England Industrial Truck Incorporated$38,028$18.28
    6AAA AUTO$36,598$17.60
    7City of St. Louis$36,160$17.38
    8D&D Technologies$35,747$17.19
    9Greensboro Auto Auction$34,339$16.51
  4. Writing a Tow Truck Operator Job Description

    A tow truck operator job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a tow truck operator job description:

    Tow Truck Operator job description example

    Tow Truck Operator - Light/Medium/Heavy Duty
    Perform towing, accident recovery, and abandoned vehicle recovery using assigned truck and towing equipment correctly as trained. Present to customer a professional self- image and Company image through excellent service, safe operation, and timeliness. Maintain truck and equipment in compliance with Company guidelines. Perform necessary documentation timely and correctly according to procedures in effect. QUALIFICATIONS:
    • Arrive at work on time daily, ready for duty when shift starts
    • HS diploma (or equivalent).
    • Excellent driving skills and valid driver's license (copy required during interview).
    • Ability to operate a tow truck (experience preferred); heavy duty wreckers.
    • General Understanding of vehicle mechanics, transmission types, front and rear wheel drive vehicles.
    • General sense of direction and understanding of maps and the ability to navigate both day and night.
    • Have a clean driving record and excellent work references.
    • Have a positive attitude, great work-ethic, and be team-oriented.
    • Follow management direction and leadership well.
    • Work well independently, have initiative, and be dependable.
    • Able to calmly handle stressful situations.
    • Be experienced using GPS and/or Map programs on your cell phone.
    • Able to write English well and communicate well and speak English fluently.
    • Work on call, be conscientious about answering your phone when on call and communicate well with your team.
    • Have no physical limitations against working in summer heat or winter cold, rain, working at night and the early hours of the morning. Requires intermittent periods during which continuous physical exertion is required, such as walking, standing, stooping, climbing, lifting, and maneuvering material or equipment, some of which may be heavy (50+ pounds) or awkward.

    Responsibilities:
    • Prepare and maintain records in accordance with company policies and procedures.
    • Provide assistance to resolve customer issues.
  5. Post your job

    To find tow truck operators for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any tow truck operators they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level tow truck operators with the right educational background.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your tow truck operator job on Zippia to find and recruit tow truck operator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting tow truck operators requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new tow truck operator

    Once you've decided on a perfect tow truck operator candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new tow truck operator. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
    Sign Up To Download Full List

How much does it cost to hire a tow truck operator?

Recruiting tow truck operators involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

The median annual salary for tow truck operators is $43,448 in the US. However, the cost of tow truck operator hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a tow truck operator for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $14 and $29 an hour.

Find Better Tow Truck Operators In Less Time
Post a job on Zippia and hire the best from over 7 million monthly job seekers.

Hiring tow truck operators faqs

Search for tow truck operator jobs

Loading...
Loading...
Ready To Start Hiring?

Browse transportation jobs