When you search for a tow truck near me, the first number you find is not always the closest or the fairest. Some listings route you to a call centre in another city, which then sends whoever is free. A few minutes spent checking who you are dealing with can save you a long wait and a surprise bill. Send us the pick-up point and destination, and operators who actually run trucks in your area quote you directly. It is free and you are under no obligation.
How to find a truck that is really nearby
Look for operators with a physical yard in your town, not only a cell number. Ask on the phone where the truck is now and how long it will take to reach you. A local truck 15 minutes away often beats a cheaper one an hour out, because the clock and the kilometres on the empty leg may be added to your bill. Our locations pages show the areas operators cover.
Five questions to ask on the phone
- What is the call-out fee, and what is the rate per km after that?
- Are you sending a rollback or a wheel-lift? Say if the car is automatic or all-wheel drive.
- Where will the car go, and is there storage at your yard? At what rate per day?
- Is VAT included, and do you charge for waiting time or winching?
- What is the operator's name and the truck's registration, so I know which truck to expect?
Safety while you wait
Switch on your hazards, put out a warning triangle well behind the car and wait behind the barrier or well off the road, not inside the car on a busy shoulder. If a different truck from the one you booked stops, do not hand over keys. Ask which company sent it and check against what you were told. Take a photo of the truck and of any slip before signing. Never sign a blank tow slip or authority.
Planned tows cost less than panicked ones
If the car is safe at home or at work, you have time to compare. Minimum call-out is often about R850 to R1,000, and longer tows run about R15 to R25 per km. Booking a daytime slot in the week usually avoids after-hours rates. If you are stuck on the road after dark, see 24-hour towing, and for a car that simply will not start, a breakdown service may fix it on the spot.
What to include in your request
- Your exact location or nearest cross street
- Where the vehicle must be taken
- Vehicle type and whether it is automatic
- Whether it runs, rolls or needs winching
- How soon you need the truck
Tow Truck Near Me for different clients
- Motorists and families: a commuter car that died in the office parking lot, collected by a nearby truck
- Company fleets and rental firms: a local operator on call for company cars across one city at agreed rates
- Truckers, buses and logistics: a light delivery truck collected from a client's yard by the closest suitable truck
- Farmers and 4x4 owners: the nearest operator sent out to a farm road for a bakkie with a broken axle
- Dealers, panel beaters and workshops: a workshop calling the closest truck to collect a customer's non-runner
- Construction, mining and plant hire: a site bakkie stuck at a remote work site, collected from the next town
- Caravan, boat and bike owners: a holiday car that will not start at a resort, taken to a workshop in town
- Municipalities, estates and schools: a school or hospital clearing a broken-down vehicle blocking a gate or ambulance bay
Frequently asked questions
How long does a tow truck take to arrive?
Can I hire a tow truck for a planned move, not an emergency?
How do I know the tow truck that stops is legitimate?
Who are the operators who quote through this site?
Tow Truck Near Me by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg