A rollover on the interstate at 3:00 a.m. is already a bad day. But for a growing number of motor carriers, even worse financial damage comes from the tow bill that follows. Stephen Brasher, Travelers Inland Marine Claim Unit Manager, joined FreightWaves’ What the Truck?! with host Malcolm Harris to break down how predatory towing practices are draining carriers of tens (and sometimes hundreds) of thousands of dollars per incident. Brasher says the tow operators hold nearly all the leverage, invoices are routinely inflated, and motor carriers who don’t respond immediately can watch storage fees consume whatever margin they had left. “Imagine it’s 3:00 a.m. and one of your drivers is involved in a rollover accident on the interstate,” Brasher said. “The truck and trailer are blocking the roadway, the trailer is breached, and cargo is strewn across the highway. When the County Sheriff shows up, his priority is to get those travel lanes cleared as fast as possible, so he dispatches a tow company.” The motor carrier has no say in which company responds, and the moment that tow operator hooks up, a billing clock starts running that can be extraordinarily difficult to stop. “Motor carriers need to understand, you do not get to choose that tow company,” Brasher said. Once the tow company takes possession of the truck, trailer, and any salvageable cargo, those assets typically go to the operator’s storage facility. From that point forward, every day on the lot costs money, and the fees compound across…
