How do I check a towing company’s overnight dispatch coverage before buying?

Start with the call records. Ask for overnight logs showing when each call came in, who took it and how long before a truck left. Look for missed calls and long gaps. Then phone the number yourself late at night, on a weekend as well as a weeknight, and note how quickly a person responds and how well the job is captured.

Next, ask how the night is staffed. Is it an in-house dispatcher, a rotating on-call driver, an answering service or the owner’s own phone? Each has a different cost and a different weakness. If the seller personally takes the night calls, ask how that will be handled once you own the business and whether you want that life.

Then look at the cover around it: insurance for drivers who work alone, rules on rest between shifts, and how the trucks are checked at the start of a night. Ask whether any contract promises a response time and what the penalty is when it is missed. Your insurer can explain what cover applies to after-hours work, and your lawyer can read any contract wording. Ask the drivers what a typical night feels like, too. Their view of waiting times, odd calls and unpaid hours will tell you whether coverage is planned or merely tolerated by tired people.

Key takeaways

• Review overnight call logs for missed calls and slow dispatch times.
• Phone the line yourself at night and judge the response.
• Find out who really covers nights, and whether that person is staying.