Had the truck towed

[ctd]

My truck had some front end problems a while back, I had to have it towed to the nearest community 30km away. My truck is a Dodge 3500 Single rear wheel quad cab, I had a 8 foot trailer on the back. The cost of towing it 30km was a staggering $16/km. I had to unhook my trailer and hook it to the tow truck because the driver couldn't do it himself.
I was expecting a $300 bill but it was almost double that in price. Talk about taking advantage of the situation at the time.
Then the repair shop it was taken to charged almost double the actual cost to repair the problem.
Needless to say My vacation plans to visit the National Park west of Calgary will be put on hold indefinatly out of principle. I will not not support a community where they charge what they want because of where they are.

For anyone travelling through Banff I suggest you pay the $160 a year for the AAA memmbership to save yourself the hassle of paying an outrages tow bill. (I bet AAA would not pay $16/km). And get your vehcile towed to Cochrane or even Calgary to get it repaired.

For the business owners involved I hope one day I am in a position to pay back the practice. It really is a small world.

When I got home I talked to a Rig moving Company and could have had the truck towed home 300km for the same cost as they towed it 30km. Pretty amazing how an industry that crys the blues over how they are perceived by the public can charge such a high rate and get away it under the fair dealings act.

[buckmaster]

Wow, thats a hard one to swallow! "What goes around comes around" hopefully one day for you! And yes, definately a small world....

[Soulcousin]

Interesting story... I had a '90 Nissan Stanza whos rear left strut mount decided to rust through 6 miles east of Field BC on the Trans Canada Highway. To make a long story short, "Sxxxdish Towing" out of Banff ended up hauling the girl back to Calgary where my mechanic confirmed the bad news.

Thankfully my Dad gets me the CAA platinum membership, so I only had to pay for 52 km of towing @ $270, instead of a $1200 + bill that would have certainly been worth more than the vehicle.

Had a buddy go shake a mountain near Banff and he didnt realize he parked in a lot where you apparently shouldnt (I think, cant remember the specifics).
Anyways, cops showed up, treated the vehicle as abandoned, and got the same towing company to take care of his truck. In the end when he got his truck back he was frigged out of $1300.

Seems to me that when that company can take advantage, they certainly will.

Keep your arses covered.

[spirit4u]

I've had AMA for 26 years now. I do a lot of highway traveling and had to use AMA just last month. The alternator quit working on my car, I was heading home from Saskatchewan. The car got towed back to Saskatoon, no charge. I had to stay in a hotel for the night and had breakfast the next morning. Located an alt. and installed it myself. The lodging and meal will be covered under the memberships trip interuption plan. I missed a day of work but wasn't out of cash too bad. AMA has a lot of benefits if you read through their stuff. I even had my old dodge truck hauled out from Spruce co-op in WMU310 years ago when the chain in the transfer case broke. My wife is an associate member and had a couple tows and lock outs, no charge.

[moosemad]

Talk about your hiway robbery>.

[ctd]

I am all for making a living but their towing fees are the highest in the province if not int the country. The response from their front desk by two seperate people were " what do you expect when you break down in a National Park" .

I think the Goverment should be regulating rates especially in a National Park. Because they limit the compitition in the area.

What I feel sorry for is the person who does not have the money for a tow because of the outrages rates.

If I ever break down around there again I will be calling a Hotshot or a bed truck to come get me way cheaper. If I am in a accident I will hopefully be able to ensure that same towing company does not get the privlidge to tow my vehicle.

To the local Dealership there, your one of the reasons why the Auto Companies are in so much debt. I will avoid ever going there again. A one time customer only.

[hillbillyreefer]

There are lots of places in Canada with things to see that aren't in National Parks. Visit those places. Way less gawkers, and far more reasonable prices. YMMV.