Tow trucks are usually only a part of your life if your car breaks down or is involved in an accident. However, they have a unique history that makes them more interesting than you might think. So, below are some of the most unexpected facts about towing trucks along with how they’ve evolved to become the rescue vehicles they are today.

Fun Facts About Tow Trucks & Their History

1. The Tow Truck’s Origin Was Due to an Overturned Model T

Mechanic Ernest Holmes Sr. initially conceived of the idea for a towing vehicle due to a friend’s car accident. The friend’s Model T had overturned into a ditch, and it required six men, ropes, blocks and several hours to get the vehicle safely back on the road. Holmes Sr. realized that a machine, and not manpower, was the most efficient way to retrieve future vehicles.

2. The First Tow Truck Was a 1913 Cadillac

After the incident with his friend, Holmes Sr. altered his own car, a 1913 Cadillac, to tow and pull vehicles out of tough situations. In addition to an iron chain, he also used a pulley and poles fastened to the back of the car. 

3. Tow Trucks Have Been Around for 100 Years

Holmes Sr. became the pioneer of the tow truck industry by patenting his pulley design in 1918. His design was specifically for a vehicle that had fallen down into a ditch. It was deemed a “split-boom” wrecker, which secured the damaged car on one side and was able to pull the car up using the other side.

4. Holmes’ Grandsons Invented Modern-Day Towing Equipment

Holmes Sr. passed away in 1945 after being president of his towing company, Ernest Holmes Co., in Tennessee. His grandsons continued his towing ingenuity by not only inventing hydraulic towing equipment but by also making it affordable. This equipment is now used throughout the modern towing industry.

Platinum Towing and Transport provides reliable and safe towing services to drivers in and around St. Louis, MO. The founder has been in the industry for more than 20 years, and as a family-owned and -operated business, he employs many relatives who have the same passion for towing and transportation. In addition to roadside assistance, they also tow commercial fleets, perform filter changes and can even provide minor auto repair work. Give them a call at (314) 300-8694 if you need roadside assistance in the St. Louis, Shrewsbury, Maplewood, Webster Groves, or Richmond Heights areas. You can also visit their website to learn more about why they’re the reliable truck and vehicle towing company.