Your box truck just stopped on US-27 outside South Bay. Or your pickup, pulling a loaded trailer, won’t restart on SR 80. Take a breath. The first thing a dispatcher will ask is simple: how big is it? That one answer decides which truck comes for you, and getting it right means less time waiting on the shoulder.
Short answer: Short answer: Light duty towing is for cars, SUVs and most pickups (up to 10,000 lbs). Medium duty covers box trucks, RVs and small buses (about 10,001 to 26,000 lbs). Heavy duty is for semis, big buses and loaded trucks over 26,000 lbs. Not sure which one you have? Call (561) 594-5822 and we’ll help you figure it out.
What do light, medium and heavy duty mean in towing?
Towing is sorted by weight, because weight decides the truck, the equipment and how your vehicle is secured. Most of the industry follows the federal weight classes shown in the U.S. Department of Energy’s vehicle weight class chart. Those classes are based on GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating): the most your vehicle is rated to weigh, including fuel, passengers and cargo. You can usually find it on a sticker inside the driver’s door.
| Towing type | Weight classes (GVWR) | Common examples |
|---|---|---|
| Light duty | Class 1 and 2, up to 10,000 lbs | Cars, SUVs, minivans, most pickups, small vans |
| Medium duty | Class 3 to 6, 10,001 to 26,000 lbs | Box trucks, step vans, RVs, shuttle and school buses |
| Heavy duty | Class 7 and 8, over 26,000 lbs | Semis, dump trucks, city buses, large farm trucks |
Some charts put Class 3 trucks, like heavy pickups with dual rear wheels, in light duty, and others put them in medium duty. That’s one reason we ask a few questions before we send a truck.
Which towing does my vehicle need?
- Car, SUV, minivan or pickup: light duty towing, on a flatbed or wheel lift. Luxury, low and all-wheel drive cars ride on a flatbed.
- Box truck, RV, step van or shuttle bus: medium duty towing.
- Semi, tractor, dump truck, bus or loaded work truck: heavy duty towing.
- Pickup pulling a trailer: tell us about the trailer too. The combined weight can change the truck we send.
What should I tell the dispatcher?
You don’t need to know your weight class. These details are enough, and most of them are on your registration or the door sticker:
- Where you are: the road, the direction and the nearest cross street or mile marker (for example, US-441 north of Canal Point).
- The year, make and model, or the type of truck or RV.
- What happened: it won’t start, a flat tire, an accident, or it’s stuck off the road.
- Whether it’s loaded, and whether a trailer is attached.
- Whether it’s all-wheel drive, lowered or a luxury car, so it goes on a flatbed.
With that, we can send the right truck the first time and give you a free estimate before anything is hooked up.
What if I don’t need a tow at all?
Sometimes a vehicle just needs help where it sits. Roadside assistance covers jump starts, spare tire changes, fuel delivery and car lockouts, and we can jump light, medium and heavy duty batteries. If a vehicle has slid off the road into soft ground, a winch-out can pull it back onto solid footing, for vehicles up to medium duty. Heavy recovery is a different job, and we’ll tell you plainly if that’s what you need.
How do I stay safe while I wait?
- Pull as far onto the shoulder as you can and turn on your hazard lights.
- If it’s safe to get out, set warning triangles or flares behind the vehicle. With a big truck, place them farther back so traffic has more time to react.
- Stay away from the traffic side. If you can’t get well off the road, stay in your seat with your seatbelt on.
- Wear a reflective vest at night if you have one.
- Keep your phone charged and your location ready for the dispatcher.
Florida’s Move Over law asks drivers to move over a lane, or slow to 20 mph below the speed limit, for stopped tow trucks and disabled vehicles with warning lights. You can read the details on the FLHSMV Move Over page.
Light, medium and heavy duty towing in Belle Glade and the Glades
We’re based in Belle Glade, FL 33430, and we help drivers day and night across Pahokee, South Bay, Clewiston, Canal Point and Lake Harbor. That includes the long stretches of US-27, SR 80 / Main Street, US-441 / SR 15 and SR 715, where farm trucks, buses and family cars share the same roads. Whatever the size of your vehicle, call (561) 594-5822 for an affordable, free estimate, 24/7.
Frequently asked questions
Is a pickup truck light duty or medium duty?
Most pickups are light duty. Heavy pickups with dual rear wheels can fall into Class 3, which some charts count as medium duty. Tell us the model and whether it’s loaded or pulling a trailer, and we’ll match the truck.
Is an RV medium or heavy duty towing?
Most motorhomes are medium duty. Large Class A motorhomes can be heavier, so share the length and model when you call.
Where do I find my vehicle’s GVWR?
Look for the sticker on the driver’s door frame. It’s also in the owner’s manual. If you can’t find it, the make and model are enough to start.
Do you tow luxury cars on a flatbed?
Yes. Luxury, low and all-wheel drive cars ride on a flatbed, so the wheels stay off the road.
How much does medium or heavy duty towing cost?
It depends on the vehicle’s size, the distance and the work needed at the scene. We keep it affordable and give you a free estimate before we start. Call (561) 594-5822.