Towing cost calculator
An estimate of a tow bill from the hook-up fee, the miles towed, any waiting time and extras like winching or dollies, for drivers pricing a tow or towing companies quoting one.
Your numbers
See your resultResult
Estimated tow bill $225.00 Mileage charge $100.0020 miles × $5.00 Time and extras $0.00 Cost per mile towed $11.25 Stop working this out by handFleetZap Dispatch puts every tow, delivery and pickup on a plan with its truck, driver, route and ETA.
See FleetZap Dispatch · Try the demoThe formula
Tow bill = Hook-up fee + Miles × Rate per mile + Hours × Hourly rate + Extras
With the example numbers: $125 + 20 × $5 = $225. These inputs are examples, not market rates: towing prices differ by region, vehicle size, time of day and whether it’s a light or heavy tow, and many cities cap rates for police-ordered tows. Ask for the hook-up fee, the per-mile rate and what counts as extra before the truck is dispatched.
Using the numberWhat to do with it
- Heavy-duty tows for trucks and machines are priced very differently from light tows; quote them by the hour as well as by the mile.
- For fleets, a breakdown’s tow is part of its downtime cost; the downtime cost calculator adds it up.
- Towing companies: price from your real cost per mile and hour, so long tows and slow recoveries still pay.
Guides behind this calculator
Tow truck dispatch software Tow truck maintenance Truck routing softwareMore free calculators
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Plan deliveries, pickups and yard moves, route each driver the quickest way with one-click optimization, and keep customers in the loop with a live tracking link.
- Dispatch board
- Route optimization
- Driver app
- Live customer tracking
Good to know
How is towing cost calculated?Most tows are a hook-up fee plus a rate per mile towed, with extras for winching, dollies, after-hours calls, waiting time or storage.
Why do towing prices vary so much?Region, vehicle size, light or heavy-duty equipment, time of day and the recovery work involved. Ask for the hook-up fee and per-mile rate before the truck is sent.
Are heavy truck tows priced the same way?Often by the hour as well as by the mile, because recoveries take longer and need bigger equipment.
See FleetZap on your own fleet
Book a 20-minute walkthrough, or poke around the live demo company right now.
- Set up with you, on your machines
- Works fully by hand, GPS optional
- Live demo, no sign-up