Towing in Essex County, NJ: the questions, answered the way our dispatcher answers them

All 22 towns, from Newark and Irvington in the east to Fairfield, the Caldwells and Roseland in the west. (908) 666-3168 reaches the same dispatcher whether you are in the Ironbound or in Essex Fells, and the booking fee is identical in every one of them.

Newark's south side is about 15 minutes from the yard. The Oranges, Bloomfield and Maplewood take longer, and the Caldwells, Roseland and Livingston are the longest run. The dispatcher quotes from the nearest truck on the board, which is often already somewhere in the county.

$149 for dispatch and hook-up when you call, or $129 when you book online. Mileage to the destination is quoted before any truck is sent, and the prices page lays it all out.

No. The booking fee is the same in every Essex County town, wealthy or not. Only the miles to where the car is going change the total.

No. There is no after-hours rate, no weekend rate and no holiday rate. A tow on the Fourth of July costs what it costs on a Tuesday.

On the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway the shoulder itself is served by the Turnpike Authority's authorized garages; book with us anyway, and once the authorized truck has the car off the highway we take it from the exit or the garage's lot to the shop or driveway you choose, at the same flat quoted price. On I-280, I-78, Route 21 and every local road in Essex County we come straight to you.

Yes, from the public roads, lots and business yards around them. Airport-controlled areas and secured port terminals have their own access rules, so tell the dispatcher exactly where you are and who controls the gate.

Yes. Tell the dispatcher which garage or lot, which level and which exit you will wait by. Event nights slow traffic around Mulberry Street and Raymond Boulevard, and the window we give you accounts for that.

Yes. It is the farthest corner of Essex County from Linden, and we tell you that straight. The dispatcher checks whether a truck is already in West Orange, Livingston or on Route 10 before quoting the window.

Yes. The reservation roads are narrow and winding, so give the dispatcher the nearest landmark, such as the Turtle Back Zoo entrance or a named overlook. The driver brings a truck that can turn around on those grades.

Wherever you decide: your body shop, a dealer or your driveway. Call before the police call a rotation truck, and tell the officer a private truck is coming. We photograph the damage and send the receipt to your insurer if you ask.

Yes. Say which garage or lot and which exit, and let security know a tow truck is on its way. Many hospital-lot calls turn out to be a dead battery, and a jump costs less than a tow.

Yes, on a flatbed with all four wheels off the ground. Towing an AWD car or most EVs with drive wheels down can damage the drivetrain. Tell us the make and model when you call.

Almost never. A lockout is one flat price, and the driver opens the door with non-marring tools. Tell dispatch which parking deck and entrance you are near.

Yes, if you have a usable spare. The driver mounts it at the curb for one flat price. With no spare, we tow the car to the tire shop you pick.

Yes. Medium and heavy-duty trucks handle box trucks, buses and tractors, from the warehouses near Port Newark to the office parks on Eisenhower Parkway. Fleets can open an account billed monthly on net terms.

Yes. Trips into Union, Hudson, Passaic, Morris or Bergen County are ordinary local tows. Farther trips become long distance towing, quoted as one figure with tolls included.

No membership or plan is needed. If you have roadside coverage, pay us at drop-off and send the itemized receipt to your plan for reimbursement.

Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover, Apple Pay, Google Pay or cash, settled when the car is set down. Businesses can ask about fleet accounts on net terms.

Yes, there is room in the cab for you and usually one passenger, at no charge. Tell the dispatcher how many are with you.

The town. Several Essex County towns share street names, and "Main Street" means something different in Orange, West Orange and Millburn. Then the cross street or lot, the car, what happened and where it should go.