Frequently Asked Questions

Not always. Modern wheel-lift trucks carry dollies that raise all four wheels, so an AWD car can travel safely without a flatbed. A flatbed is still our first choice for AWD, low ground clearance, and long trips whenever one is available.

Yes, in most cases one or two passengers can ride in the cab with the operator, seat belts on. Nobody may ride inside the towed vehicle. If your group is larger than the cab allows, plan for a second ride from the scene.

Pets are welcome in the cab as long as they are leashed or crated and stay under your control during the ride. Let dispatch know when you call so the operator can plan space, and never leave an animal inside the towed vehicle.

Take anything valuable or essential with you, including phones, medication, wallets, garage remotes, and paperwork. Items left inside are locked in with the vehicle, but retrieving them later from a shop or storage yard can take time and often means an extra trip.

Photos are a smart habit. Walk around the vehicle and capture each side, the wheels, and the interior before the hookup, then again at drop-off. That record settles any question about pre-existing damage and helps with an insurance claim after a crash.

Motorcycles ride on a flatbed with a wheel chock and soft straps over the triple tree or frame, never over painted tanks or plastics. Tell us the make and whether it rolls, since a bike with a seized wheel needs different loading.

Electric vehicles should travel on a flatbed because their drive wheels are tied to the motor even when the car is off, and dragging them can damage the drivetrain. Mention the model when you call so we send the right truck first.

Damage comes from the wrong method, not from towing itself. Lifting the drive wheels or using a flatbed keeps the transmission out of the equation, and padded straps protect bumpers and rocker panels. A trained operator matches the technique to your specific vehicle.

Lowered and modified cars can be towed, but they need a flatbed with a low approach angle and wooden blocks or ramps to clear the front lip. Mention the ride height when you call so the operator arrives prepared to load without scraping.

Many policies include roadside towing, and collision coverage often includes a crash tow. T&J's Towing & Hauling LLC in St. Charles, MI works directly with insurance companies, so bring your policy details and we will sort out the billing side with your carrier.

Ask for a flatbed, a wheel-lift, or a specific capacity when you call, and dispatch will send it if one is available. If your vehicle needs a particular truck for safety, we will tell you and send that one regardless.

Local towing usually means a short hop to a nearby shop or home and loads in minutes. Long-distance transport covers moves across the state or beyond, is scheduled ahead, and is best done on a flatbed to protect the vehicle.

Snow and ice slow everything down. Ditches fill with vehicles, so response times stretch and winch-outs replace simple hookups. T&J's Towing & Hauling LLC keeps trucks rolling through Saginaw County winters from St. Charles, MI, so call early rather than waiting it out.

Driveways, apartment lots, and most parking structures are reachable, though low-clearance garages call for a wheel-lift rather than a flatbed, with the vehicle winched to the street first. T&J's Towing & Hauling LLC dispatch in St. Charles, MI asks about clearance when you call.

Four methods cover nearly every job: flatbed, where the whole vehicle rides on the deck; wheel-lift, which raises the drive wheels; dollies, which lift the remaining wheels; and heavy underlift for trucks. The vehicle, the damage, and the distance decide which we use.

Operators need a commercial driver's license once the truck's rating passes 26,001 pounds, and every operator learns hookup, rigging, and recovery procedures. Our in-house team at T&J's Towing & Hauling LLC in St. Charles, MI runs the same trucks year after year.

Keys are not required. A vehicle can be loaded using a flatbed and dollies or skates, since the wheels do not need to turn freely. It takes a little longer, so mention it when you call and have proof of ownership ready.

Michigan's Move Over law says change lanes or slow to 10 mph below the limit when passing a stopped tow truck. Violations cost $400 and 2 points, and the law protects T&J's Towing & Hauling LLC operators working roadsides around St. Charles, MI.

A vehicle stuck in park is not a problem. Flatbed operators use skates or dollies under the locked wheels and winch the car onto the deck, and many vehicles have a manual shift release under a small cover near the shifter.