TowingBossPro Blog — Driver App & Routes

The On-the-Way Text: What a Stranded Driver Needs to Hear From the Tow

Think about the person on the other end of a tow call. They are on the shoulder with hazards on, or in a parking lot after dark, or late for work with a car that will not start. They called, someone said a truck is coming, and then nothing. Every minute without news feels like ten.

In Start and Complete: Two Taps That Tell Dispatch Where Every Tow Stands, tapping start told dispatch the driver was moving. The on-the-way text tells the person who matters most.

Why One Text Changes the Whole Call

Silence makes stranded people anxious, and anxious people call the office. They ask where the truck is, then call again in fifteen minutes. Some call a second tow company and leave before your driver arrives. A short text that says the driver is on the way stops most of that.

In TowingBossPro, the driver sends the on-the-way text with one tap from the driver app. No typing, no looking up the customer's number, no using a personal phone.

That last point matters more than it sounds. Drivers texting customers from their own phones leaves your customers with a driver's personal number, and leaves the company with no record of what was said. A text that comes from the company keeps the conversation where it belongs.

When to Send It

Send it when the truck actually starts moving toward the customer. Not when the call is assigned, if the driver still has a vehicle on the deck and a drop-off to make first. An on-the-way text that is really an "in an hour or so" text does more harm than good.

If the call is next on the list, a good habit is to send it as the driver pulls away from the previous drop-off. The customer gets the news at the earliest moment it is true.

If something changes after the text goes out, like dispatch pulling the driver onto a priority accident call, the office should let the customer know. A short, honest update keeps trust. A customer who got an on-the-way text and then waited ninety minutes with no word will not call you next time.

What the Customer Can Do With It

The on-the-way text is not just reassurance. It is the cue for the customer to get ready. On a roadside call, that means having the keys and ID ready for a lockout, or staying somewhere safe off the road. On a tow from home, it means moving the other car out of the driveway and unlocking the gate. At a shop, it means letting the service desk know a truck is coming.

On a jump start, it means popping the hood if it is safe to do so. On a tire change, it means finding out whether there is a spare and a lug lock key in the car. Small things that would otherwise eat five minutes with the driver standing there.

Customers who use the customer app can also watch the driver on a live map, which answers the "how far away" question without a phone call.

Customers Choose Their Alerts

Not everyone wants every message. TowingBossPro lets customers choose which alerts they receive, so a commercial account contact who only wants to know when the vehicle is dropped is not getting texts at every step. For stranded motorists, the on-the-way and arrival texts are usually exactly what they want.

Automated texts and emails also cover other parts of the relationship, like invoices and payment follow-ups, so the on-the-way text is part of a consistent set of messages from your company.

Replies Go to the Office

Sometimes the customer answers. "I moved to the gas station at the next exit." "The car is actually in the back lot." Two-way texting sends those replies to the office, tied to the customer, where dispatch can pass the update to the driver.

That is better than the driver juggling texts on a personal phone while driving. The driver drives; the office handles the conversation and relays what matters.

The Office Feels It First

The first change most companies notice after drivers start sending on-the-way texts is that the office phone is quieter. Fewer "where is my truck" calls means the dispatcher has more time to take new calls and less time on hold with someone who just wants reassurance.

The second change is at the scene. Customers are ready, keys are found, gates are open, and the call goes faster.

The third is in how customers talk about you afterward. People remember the tow company that kept them posted on a bad day. They mention it in reviews, and they call you first the next time.

For how the on-the-way text fits with the arrival text and the customer's live map, see the Tow Truck Driver App page.