A Look Back

Phew – sometimes we just get lucky! This rig used up lottery luck when it ended up hanging from an overpass near Lake Louise. Fortunately no one was injured and flying debris from the trailer missed a passing freight train.

Big Rig Towing was called to the scene and was able to haul the damaged rig, using it’s seventy-five ton rotator, back onto the highway so it could be loaded onto a flat deck and returned to Calgary.

If you find yourself in a scary, precarious or disabled situation, or have a piece of heavy equipment to haul, give Big Rig Towing a shout at 1 (866) 398-7444. We’re available 24/7 for all your heavy duty towing and recovery needs.
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More than towing & recovery!

A friendly reminder that not all Big Rig Towing jobs are the recovery of crashed or stuck rigs! And… not all solutions have to be complicated hookups or rotator coordinated events either. Sometimes it’s as simple as a big, heavy snowfall.

When a parked rig has a large amount of snow on its roof it can’t just take off down the road. If the truck gets up to speed and a few hundred pounds of snow comes flying off, it could cause damage to the vehicles following, or worse, send a trailing vehicle into an oncoming lane. Definitely not a good situation.

The snow removal challenge in the images below was remedied by hooking up a volunteer shoveller to the rotator and hoisting them on top of the rig to get rid of its snowy burden.

Keep Big Rig’s number – 1 (866) 398-7444 – on hand and call for IMMEDIATE 24/7 service if you find yourself in an emergency situation! 

Rollover retrospective

Vehicle rollovers can be one of the most frightening accidents and can happen in the blink of an eye. When this rig rolled over some of the frozen meat load scattered. It’s always good to keep your meat cold to prevent it from spoiling, but a rollover in cold temperatures is definitely not the ideal way to preserve it! 

Not long after this rollover occurred Big Rig Towing was onsite to right the rig and rescue what was left of the valuable cargo. Fortunately, the best news was that no one was hurt in the mishap.

Big Rig Towing & Recovery works with highly qualified and certified technicians and are reliable and experienced. If you find yourself in an unstable, dangerous or difficult roadside emergency, give us a call TOLL FREE AT 1 (866) 398-7444. We’re available 24/7.
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Driving in snow & on ice is serious business

Winter weather elements can be a challenge to negotiate out on the highway and can cause harrowing risks.

Ice is particularly dangerous precisely because it’s hard to detect in advance and ice-covered roads make driving much more dangerous. These pictures are from a recovery west of Hwy 40 up by Burnt Timber. The road was pure ice. Make sure you know when it’s time to get off the road!

Be proactive and take note of Big Rig’s toll free number (866) 398-7444. You may not be in a precarious position today but with many winter months ahead you can never be too pro-active. We’re available 24/7 to service all of your heavy duty towing and recovery requirements anytime, anywhere.
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Make sure your load is secure!

The danger in trucking isn’t always with sketchy weather or poor road conditions. It can be as simple as just not tying down your load properly.

How many times have you seen a big truck with an even bigger load trying to negotiate around a tight corner looking like it was going to topple over? Or a flat deck with a load wider than the deck and not looking like it was centered? You can tie it down but if it’s not in the right place to begin with you’re going to have issues.

Big Rig Towing lifted this heavy 65,000 pound steel coil from it’s deck after it shifted during transport. Not an easy task to pick it up and transfer it to another trailer, but having state-of-the-art equipment makes a huge difference.

So why risk it? Know which tie-downs to use and how to safely strap down your load so it does not shift or affect your centre of balance.

In the event this happens to you Big Rig is here to help. Just call toll free 1 (866) 398-7444 for 24/7 service.
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Big Rig Towing Secure Your Load     Big Rig Towing Secure Your Load

Be safe – stay in your rig & call for a tow

Having your rig break down is always stressful. If you find yourself in this position, especially on a major roadway or jam-packed highway, look for an emergency lane to pull into so you can stop more safely or pull over onto the hard shoulder.

Being stranded on the shoulder of the road can be extremely dangerous so pull over as far to the right as safely possible. Traffic zooming by creates a whole new level of danger and is the most common cause of collision and other injuries.

If you find yourself broken down in any situation, high traffic or otherwise, be alert. Stay in your rig as long as possible & call for a tow.

The coronavirus continues to be top of mind as we practice physical distancing and try to keep each other healthy and safe. Big Rig Towing not only makes sure that its staff are fully trained in traffic safety and recovery methods when on the scene, but have been instructed on best hygiene practices to ensure the safety of themselves and our customers when called to a big rig break down.

To reach us toll free, call 1 (866) 398-7444.

Big Rig to the ditch rescue!

Canadian winter weather can be pretty unpredictable so if you’re a driver who spends a lot of time on the highway, be proactive and keep our number on hand.

As in the image below, sometimes it is almost impossible to see where the road ends and the ditch begins. Add blowing snow to the mix and the equation becomes even harder to discern. Under extreme conditions it is a testament to the drivers of big rigs that more don’t end up in the ditch.

When temperatures go below -30 ending up in the ditch, whether day or night, presents a whole new set of problems. Not just for the driver of the rig but for the tow truck operators as well. Keeping warm and safe while working with thousands of pounds of frozen steel is a difficult process.

Because the human body is mostly made up of water and we know that water freezes at -32C getting stuck in the ditch on a -40 degree night becomes more of a timely rescue than a tow.

We hope you never find yourself in this position, but rest assured if you do, Big Rig Towing & Recovery offers 24/7 dispatch service!

To reach us toll free, call 1 (866) 398-7444

Not all solutions have to be complicated hookups or rotator-coordinated events

Not all Big Rig Towing jobs are the recovery of crashed or stuck rigs. Sometimes it’s as simple as a big, unexpected wet and heavy snowfall.

When a parked rig has a large accumulation of snow on its roof you can’t just take off down the road. If you do, and the truck gets up to speed, a few hundred pounds of that wet, heavy snow could fly off and cause serious damage to the vehicles following, or worse, send a trailing vehicle into an oncoming lane. Definitely not a desired situation.

Not all solutions have to be complicated hookups or rotator-coordinated events either. This snow removal campaign was remedied by hooking up a volunteer shoveller to the rotator and hoisting them on top of the rig to get rid of its snowy burden.

BE PROACTIVE!

Keep Big Rig’s number – 1 (866) 398-7444 – on hand and call for IMMEDIATE 24/7 service if you find yourself in an emergency situation! 
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Problems on the road?!

Big Rig specializes in, and is dedicated solely to, the heavy duty towing and recovery industry.

Over the years we have recovered and towed thousands of transport trailers, big rigs, transport trucks, 18-wheelers, coaches and buses, concrete mixers, cranes, motor homes and large equipment. Our professionally trained servicemen have been specifically selected for their knowledge in big rig towing and transport recovery, as well as their ability to use and manipulate their own heavy tow trucks.

We are licensed & insured in all U.S. & Canadian jurisdictions and our certified recovery technicians have Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Certification and have completed our four-step training program. All of our trucks are Alberta Safety Certified.

Based out of Calgary, Alberta, and with branch offices in Airdrie and Red Deer, Alberta, Big Rig Towing & Recovery has 24/7 dispatch service for all your heavy duty towing and recovery requirements. As we head into the winter season it’s critical to have a reliable service at your fingertips.

Keep this toll free number on hand: 1 (866) 398-7444

More Winter Preparedness

Last week we posted a link to an article about winter preparedness as far as your rig is concerned. This week is a checklist of winter emergency supplies most important to keep in your truck during the winter months. While they seem obvious, it never hurts to be pro-active and do a thorough double check before the cold weather sets in.

  • Snow Chains
  • Jumper Cables
  • Windshield Scraper
  • Extra Batteries
  • Flashlights
  • Flares
  • Shovel
  • Radio
  • Heavy Duty Bungee Cords
  • Kitty Litter/Salt
  • Half-full Tank
  • Anti-gel Fuel Additive
  • Heavy Duty Winter Clothing & Footwear
  • Heavy Duty Knee Pads
  • Extra Blankets/Sleeping Bags
  • Extra Food and Water
  • First Aid Kit

And…take advantage of the warmer weather and do a thorough cleaning of your vehicle inside & out to make life on the road more safe and comfortable!