Triple A (road service) rant

[Sigarms]

Did you know AAA is a motor club that mostly contracts out the work? With 5 or 6 trucks, motor clubs can keep the trucks busy, but you have to wait on the check. If you have one or two trucks you might not want to fool with their paperwork, delays and lowball payments.
Your son must have broken down somewhere that they don’t have coverage.

1 - I know they contract out all their work. Generally why I tip the tow truck driver as it's not costing me anything other than my membership.

2- I find it hard to believe that 30 miles north of a city with a population of 150,000 people they (Triple A) doesn't have coverage.

3 - Triple A told me they had coverage, just that they couldn't get someone to him at least until the next day.

Like I had mentioned, BFE Maryland on 68 going to WV to move. Had to walk to a gas station to make a call (luckily gas station was open as this was before I owned a cell phone).

Sorry, having a kid on the side of the road at 9PM out in the middle of nowhere telling him you won't be able to get to him to the next day is pushing my customer service expectations, particularly where the only place to sleep is in your car on an off ramp.

A basic business principal on service plans is you pay more on different plans because the benefits increase, but by the same token, the company offering those plans make more gross profit.

I know I had at least 100 milage coverage for towing on our family plan, and at worst, they should have been able to take him somewhere within 6 hours of the initial phone call IMO.

 

[Sigarms]

Gaiko is $10 for 6 months no limitation I think

Tow truck driver I called was great.

Old fashion business owner who is in the customer service business. Read his business reviews this morning, all said the same thing I felt calling him at 9:30 at night out of the blue.

I'll take my invoice from him to Triple A for reimbursement.

I'll be addressing my issues with Triple A next week along with the invoice. I may be looking at another service company in this field as my card expires in a couple of months with Triple A.

At least this will be a learning experience for my son. Broke down in the middle of the night in the middle of no where, do you have what you need in your vehicle to get by?

This is also another teaching moment to him as to why we get on him driving home at night on a Friday instead of coming up on a Saturday morning.

 

[D&D]

2- I find it hard to believe that 30 miles north of a city with a population of 150,000 people they (Triple A) doesn't have coverage.

3 - Triple A told me they had coverage, just that they couldn't get someone to him at least until the next day.

If they only had 2 companies and both were busy….Simple economics also, AAA is a low tier club. Let’s say AAA pays $20 for a flat, CCM pays $30 for a flat and cash pays $40. AAA pays $30 for hook and 1.50 per mile, CCM pays $40 for hook and 1.75 per mile, cash is $100 for hook and 3.00 per mile. Where are you gonna send your truck?

Of course they say they have coverage. Anyone can say anything.

 

[Sigarms]

If they only had 2 companies and both were busy….Simple economics also, AAA is a low tier club. Let’s say AAA pays $20 for a flat, CCM pays $30 for a flat and cash pays $40. AAA pays $30 for hook and 1.50 per mile, CCM pays $40 for hook and 1.75 per mile, cash is $100 for hook and 3.00 per mile. Where are you gonna send your truck?

Of course they say they have coverage. Anyone can say anything.

Completely understand your comments.

Only point being that in 30 years, first time I ever really had a issue, and being stuck 30 miles north of a city with a population of 150k, I find it surprising.

Sorry if Triple A is a low tier club. When my parents joined, I didn't know many of these companies existed and so far, no complaints. Still remember as a kid when my parents were planning a vacation and them getting the trip tic "book" with the yellow highlights on where to go LOL.

 

[LouNY]

I have only had half a dozen vehicles towed in my lifetime, most of those accidents. In the recent times my "15" RAM lost a sensor while under warranty. Picked up and towed in about an hour. Knock on wood I have had good luck in the towing department even when the kids were driving and living at home.

 

[Oaktree]

AAA pays $20 for a flat, CCM pays $30 for a flat and cash pays $40.

What's CCM?

 

[Sigarms]

What's CCM?

I was going to ask, but that may be for another thread after talking with Triple A next week

 

[D&D]

What's CCM?

Cross country motor club

 

[deserteagle71]

Wife and I both had AAA memberships but dropped them after we found out they would refuse to respond to calls off pavement. Wife had a flat on a wide smooth graded road near town and AAA told her "Sorry". We were not the only ones who've had this problem with AAA...lots of stories like this with people complaining about AAA saying their coverage was everywhere but when they were called they refused if it was off pavement:

 

[Sigarms]

Wife and I both had AAA memberships but dropped them after we found out they would refuse to respond to calls off pavement.

Wow

Spent a lot of time in Utah in my younger years. There is a difference between being out 50 miles being on BLM land from the nearest paved road and 2 miles from your house from a paved road. Seems like there is a crap load of "unpaved" roads out west.

I've had AAA come out to my home to tow a vehicle, and the driveway is only 100 yards long, but it is unpaved. Curious how they make that distinction.

I would think that most of the tow truck drivers in your area have common sense and know what can and can't be done in their local area on roads.

Heck, I know a lot of unpaved roads in better condition that some of the interstates in Pennsylvania.