Are you looking for a tow truck company? Here are four interesting bits of trivia about tow trucks that might actually aid you in your search. Read on to learn about the history of towing and how the industry has evolved in the ensuing decades.

The First Tow Truck

The first tow truck was built in 1916 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in the US. Mechanic Ernest Holmes was called to help his former professor pull his car out of a creek after an accident. As this attempt took eight hours and six men, Holmes knew he had to find an alternative solution for future such endeavors.

Holmes constructed a crane system on the back of a car and added outriggers on the front for stability to create the first real tow truck. He began selling his "Holmes Wreckers" to auto repair shops and brilliantly started an entire industry.

The World's Largest Tow Truck

While there have been many iterations of the tow truck since Holmes's day, including popular toy versions for kids, surprisingly the world's largest tow truck harks back to the original. This million-dollar model was assembled in Quebec and shipped to British Columbia for use by a private company.

Featuring an enormous, heavy-duty winch and boom on the rear, the world's largest tow truck has advantages over other trucks. It can park off the road and with its crane-like apparatus reach across lanes to lift vehicles disabled by accidents without taking up a traffic lane itself. Its large weight capacity allows it to handle everything from motorcycles to semis.

The World's Smallest Tow Trucks

It shouldn't come as a big surprise that the world's smallest tow trucks hale from Asia, where the traffic can be extra heavy and cities densely packed with people and buildings. Some tow trucks used in China and other Asian countries aren't even trucks; they're motorcycles.

These tow bikes sport collapsible towing equipment on the back that unfolds to hook up vehicles in distress. The bikes, often utilized by law enforcement, can maneuver to accident scenes through thick traffic or even go off-road when needed.

Specialty Tow Trucks

As the variety of vehicles on the road has increased, so too has the selection of tow trucks to handle them. Now there are specialty tow services for a host of needs, including

• commercial: for towing semis, tractor-trailers, buses, trucks, fire engines, and ambulances
• recovery/rescue: for towing vehicles out of water, on cliffsides, in bad weather, or at accidents involving hazardous materials or fire
• equine and livestock: for assisting horse trailers and livestock transporters with or without animals on board

Don't wait for an emergency to find a towing company to help you in a pinch. With the versatility and responsiveness of today's towing industry, you're sure to find a service that can meet your needs. Get them on speed dial, and you'll have peace of mind whenever you're on the road. To learn more, contact a business like Standish Towing & Recovery Ltd.