Check out these interesting facts about tow trucks as prepared by the Chicagoland heavy duty towing service experts here at Towing Chicago.
General Tow Truck Facts
- Tow trucks were created in 1916, spearheaded by a Chattanooga mechanic named Ernest Holmes. Holmes invented a tow truck after a friend asked if Holmes could help remove his car from the bed of a creek. Holmes used wood, bricks, and rope, laboring for 8 hours – and with the assistance of 6 other men – to rescue the vehicle.
- The International Towing and Recovery Museum is located in Chattanooga, TN, with detailed displays of the history of the towing industry.
- Cadillac made the first tow truck, drafting a prototype and modifying it with a 1913 Cadillac and a chain / pulley system, patenting his design in 1917 with the US Patent and Trademark Office.
Tow Truck Types
The five kinds of tow trucks are flatbeds, integrated tow trucks, wheel lift tow trucks, hook and chain tow trucks, and boom tow trucks. Heavy duty tow trucks weigh over 10,000 pounds – and include semi-trucks, trailers, tour buses, and ambulances. People need unique ceitication, a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and a large degree of training to be allowed to drive a heavy duty tow truck. This is way more than just a simple driving experience. Tow truck driving hours are difficult, more akin to working 24 hour maintenance.
