24 hour towing in Piscataway, NJ: common questions and the answers our night dispatcher gives

Yes. The overnight dispatcher answers (908) 666-3168 the same way the day shift does, with the trucks on a screen in front of them. Calls from the campus lots, the I-287 ramps and the Centennial Avenue parks come in all night, and none of them go to a recording.

The yard is in Linden, about 28 minutes from the middle of the township by the Turnpike or Route 1 and then I-287. We say that plainly because it is true. On most nights, though, a truck is already out on I-287 or Route 18, and the window the dispatcher gives you is based on where that truck is, not on the yard.

Booking by phone is $149 for the truck coming out and the hook-up; the same tow booked online is $129. Mileage to the address you choose is added and read out before the truck leaves. Jump starts, tire changes, lockouts and fuel runs are one flat price each, and nothing is added for the hour. The prices page has the full breakdown.

Yes. Tell the dispatcher the lot, the nearest building on Frelinghuysen Road or Bartholomew Road, and the color of the car. Wait inside a lit building if you prefer, and the driver calls when he enters the lot. Most of these calls end with a jump and no tow.

Usually for a little while, because nothing moves quickly out of those lots right after a game. Call as soon as you know, give the lot and the row, and the dispatcher times the truck to arrive as traffic thins. A jump costs one flat price, and if the battery refuses the charge the tow is priced on the spot.

We do it regularly. Avenue E and Joyce Kilmer Avenue lead into the Livingston lots, and the driver comes in from River Road or Route 18. Tell dispatch the lot and which side of the arena you are on.

Do not try to restart it, since that can pull water into the engine. Get out if the water is rising, move to high ground and call. A flooded car rides a rollback only, and the driver checks the depth before backing in, then takes the car straight to your mechanic.

Yes, as long as someone can open it or tell security we are coming. Give the building name, the gate and a contact person when you call. Employee cars, vans and box trucks are all routine here, and bigger trucks get a medium or heavy-duty unit from the same yard.

Yes, I-287 is direct dispatch in both directions. Tell us northbound or southbound, the last ramp you passed (Stelton Road, Washington Avenue, Possumtown Road or River Road) and whether you are on the mainline or on a ramp. Get behind the guardrail before you call if you can.

On the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway the shoulder itself is served by the Turnpike Authority's authorized garages; book with us anyway, and once the authorized truck has the car off the highway we take it from the exit or the garage's lot to the shop or driveway you choose, at the same flat quoted price.

No. The $149 booking fee, the $129 online fee and the mileage rate are the same at every hour and on every day of the year. There is no line for night, weekend, holiday or fuel on the receipt.

Yes, on a rollback, with all four wheels on the deck. Towing an EV or AWD car with two wheels on the road can damage the drivetrain, so tell the dispatcher what you drive and the right truck is sent.

No. A lockout is one flat price and the driver opens the door with proper tools, no broken glass and no scratched paint. Tell dispatch which plaza and which store you parked near.

The dispatcher gives you a real window from the nearest truck, often one already on I-287 near the Washington Avenue ramp. If another car is blocking the driveway, mention it so it can be moved before the driver arrives. A jump is tried first because it costs less.

Yes. The car goes wherever you choose: a mechanic on Stelton Road, a dealer on Route 1 in Edison, a body shop in New Brunswick or South Plainfield, or your own driveway. We have no storage lot, so we never hold your car.

No. Call, hear the price, agree and pay the driver. If you do have a plan or towing coverage, send them the itemized receipt for reimbursement; at night that is often faster than waiting for the plan to find a contractor.

Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover, Apple Pay, Google Pay and cash, paid to the driver when the car is delivered. Businesses around the Centennial Avenue and Hoes Lane parks can set up a fleet account on net terms.

Yes, there is room in the cab for you and usually one more person, and there is no charge for riding along. At 2 a.m. on a campus road that is often the simplest way home.

Yes. Motorcycles go on a rollback with proper wheel chocks and soft straps. Vans, box trucks and buses need a medium or heavy-duty truck, which comes from the same Linden yard and is quoted on the same call.

Not necessarily. The driver winches the car back onto the road first, which is cheaper than a tow. If it steers, brakes and has no bent wheel, you drive home; if something is damaged, the tow is priced right there.

Yes. A car that needs to reach a shop tomorrow morning or a move between two garages can be booked for a time that suits you, by phone or online for $20 less. The price is the same flat structure.