Truckers get $16k-$200k invoices after highway crashes because they cannot choose their own tower

When a commercial truck is involved in a highway accident, law enforcement calls whichever tow company is on the rotation list or arrives first, and the trucker has no say in the choice. These operators then charge $16,000 to $200,000+ for heavy-duty recovery, with vague line items like 'environmental cleanup' and 'traffic control' that have no market benchmark. Over one-third of carriers surveyed by the American Trucking Association reported never being allowed to choose their own towing company. The practice persists because police want the road cleared immediately and default to whoever shows up fastest, there are no standardized rate schedules for heavy-duty recovery, and tow companies hold the truck and cargo hostage — a perishable load or time-sensitive delivery gives the trucker no leverage to negotiate.