Written by the Pro-Tow Team, proudly serving Spokane, WA, and the Pacific Northwest
Pro-Tow by FleetEasy has a location in Spokane, Washington, but that doesn’t mean our services are limited to that area. Recently, our team responded to a call about a smashed budget truck in Whitefish, Montana that needed a lift to Kent, WA.
This towing service was unique because it took us through three states and required a relay-style tow between multiple drivers. Like many emergency towing jobs we do, it also came with a few unexpected challenges. We are proud of this job, because it’s testiment to how our experienced team works together to provide an exceptional and smooth towing service for our customers.
Towing Service from Whitefish to Ellensburg to Kent
Above: Towing service pickup location in Whitefish, Montana.
A smashed 16-foot box truck needed to be picked up on East Lakeshore Drive, Whitefish Lake, MT. Pro-Tow in Spokane dispatched a tow truck to do the pickup and take it part of the way to its final destination: a budget truck yard in Kent, WA.
Box truck hooked up for towing.
Roadside Repairs Along the Way
Unfortunately, the first leg of the tow had a hiccup that required our trained operator to perform a roadside repair to the box truck. The linkage rod came apart, and the rubber portion of it broke clean off.
Acting fast, our team located a levelling rod repair kit at a nearby supplier and had an Uber driver deliver it from Missoula, MT, to their roadside location near Haugan, MT. Once our driver had the part, he was able to fix the truck, rig it back up, and continue the tow!
Roadside repair mid-journey in Montana.
Truck Swap in Ellensburg, WA
Our Spokane driver met up with a team member from Auburn and handed off the box truck. The second driver continued the tow to the final destination in Kent, while Driver Number One made the journey home to Spokane.
Once at the budget yard, he was able to drop off the vehicle and clear the call.
Truck successfully dropped off at the customer’s location in Kent, WA.
Compliant Towing Services Across State Lines
You don’t always need a special permit to tow a vehicle across state lines, but we did in this instance. Every state has its own legislation around trip permits, and in this case, we could go through Idaho because we had registration, but we needed a permit to tow in Montana. Here are some circumstances when you might need to get a permit:
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- The load exceeds 26,000 pounds or is over a specific width, height, or length.
- The vehicle is not registered, and you don’t have a valid registration for it in another state.
- Commercial vehicles with specific registration might be subject to different regulations.
- Sometimes the trailer needs a registration sticker, depending on the state.
If you’re unsure, you can contact the Department of Transportation for the state you’re entering and inquire.
Team Work Makes the Dream Work
There’s a reason why we always refer to ourselves as Team Pro-Tow. We really are a close-knit team that works hard to solve problems, coordinate complicated recoveries, and provide a top-notch towing service.
In this case, we had to coordinate between our Spokane location and our East Washington locations near Kent. Our two teams had to work together to coordinate a pick-up in another state, an emergency roadside repair that included a parts delivery, casualty swap midway, and a timely drop-off for the customer. Open communication and collaboration ensures every job runs as smoothly as possible.
Read more stories like this one in our recovery blog.
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