What counts as an emergency tow

If the vehicle cannot be driven safely, or cannot be driven at all, it is an emergency tow. The most common calls in Pueblo:

• Engine failure, overheating, or a blown hose on I-25 between the Eagleridge and Pueblo Boulevard exits.
• Transmission trouble that leaves the car stuck in gear or stuck in place.
• Electrical failure: the car dies and will not restart even with a jump.
• A wheel, axle, or suspension failure that makes the vehicle unsafe to roll on its own.
• A vehicle blocking a driveway, lane, or business entrance that has to move now.
• Breakdowns in bad weather, when leaving the car on a shoulder is the worst option.

If your problem is simpler, it may not need a tow truck at all. A jump start, a spare tire change, or a lockout opening can each be handled at the roadside, and the person on the phone will tell you honestly which one fits.

How an emergency tow works

1. You call and describe the problem. Where the vehicle is, what it is, and what happened. If you are on a highway, the nearest exit or mile marker matters most.
2. You get the price on the phone. The price is set before the truck leaves, based on distance and the work involved. No meter running while you wonder.
3. The right truck is sent. A car that rolls and steers can go on a wheel lift or flatbed. A car that cannot roll goes on a flatbed. AWD and 4x4 vehicles are loaded so the drivetrain is not dragged.
4. The vehicle goes where you say. Your home, your mechanic in town, a dealership, or a family member's place in Pueblo West. You ride arrangements are up to you, so plan for a ride if the truck cab is not an option.

Broken down on I-25 or US 50

Highway breakdowns are the calls that matter most. Traffic on I-25 through Pueblo moves at full highway speed, and the shoulder is not a safe place to spend an hour. A few things help:

• Coast as far right as you can and stop straight, with your wheels turned away from traffic.
• Turn on hazard lights. At night, leave the lights on so the car is visible.
• Read the nearest mile marker or exit sign before you call. "I-25 southbound, just past the City Center Drive exit" gets a truck to you far faster than "somewhere on the highway."
• If the car is in a travel lane and cannot move, call 911 first. A patrol car with lights protects you and the driver while the vehicle is loaded.
• Wait outside the car on the far side from traffic when it is safe to get out, especially with kids or pets.

Pueblo weather makes breakdowns worse

Pueblo sits on the high plains at about 4,700 feet, and the weather swings both ways. Summer heat cooks weak batteries, old hoses, and tired cooling systems on the climb out of town. Winter brings the other half: snow squalls on I-25, black ice on bridges over the Arkansas River, and cold mornings that finish off batteries that were barely hanging on. During the Colorado State Fair in late summer, traffic around the fairgrounds gets heavy and a breakdown in that crawl is miserable. Whatever the season, an emergency tow gets the vehicle off the road and out of the weather, and gets you out of it too.

What an emergency tow costs

Emergency and after hours towing can cost more than a planned daytime tow, and the honest answer is that the total depends on distance, vehicle, and the work at the scene. The full breakdown of what goes into a towing bill is on the towing cost guide page. The rule here never changes: your price is confirmed on the phone before the truck rolls, and that is the price you pay.

Related help

• After a crash instead of a breakdown: accident towing and recovery.
• Off the road or stuck: winch out service.
• Vehicle needs to go out of town: long distance towing.