Emergency Towing in London, Ontario: 24/7 Fast Response
Emergency towing means one thing: you call, and a truck starts moving toward you right away, no appointment, no next-day slot. EMS Towing dispatches around the clock for breakdowns, accidents, and anything else that leaves you stuck on a London-area road, whether that's a stall at the Wellington Road and Commissioners intersection during rush hour or a dead battery in a parking garage downtown at 2 a.m.
Not every tow is an emergency, and knowing the difference matters for how fast we move and what we send.
What actually counts as an emergency tow?
If you're blocking traffic, stopped in a live lane, stranded after dark, or dealing with an accident, that's an emergency call and it jumps the queue. Same goes for anything on a highway shoulder, since every extra minute out there on the 401 or 402 is a real safety risk with transport trucks running 110 km/h a few feet away.
A car that won't start in your own driveway on a Saturday morning is still a tow, but it's not the same urgency. We still get to those the same day in almost every case, but a truck blocking the lane on Highbury Avenue at rush hour gets the next available driver before a driveway call does.
What happens when you call?
A live dispatcher answers, not a call centre reading a script off a screen. They'll ask where you are, what's wrong with the vehicle, and whether anyone's hurt. If you're not sure of your exact location, the nearest cross street or a landmark is enough. We know the difference between "just past the Highbury off-ramp" and "past Wonderland" without needing a pin dropped.
You get a real ETA on that first call, not a vague "sometime in the next hour." If traffic or weather changes that window, the driver calls you directly. For the actual minute-by-minute breakdown of how response time varies by area, see our tow truck response time guide.
What if I break down on Highway 401 or 402?
Highway calls get treated as emergencies by default, full stop. Get as far onto the shoulder as you can, keep your hazards on, and stay belted inside the vehicle with your seatbelt on if you're anywhere near the travel lanes, rather than standing beside the car. A stopped car on the 401 near the Veterans Memorial Parkway interchange is exposed to fast-moving traffic on both sides, and that's more dangerous than the breakdown itself. We stage trucks so we can reach highway calls fast; see our full 401 breakdown guide and 402 breakdown guide for the specifics of each stretch.
What if it's the middle of the night or a storm?
Same crew, same dispatcher, same response. Night and bad-weather calls are actually where a lot of tow companies quietly slow down, because fewer trucks are staffed and drivers are stretched across a wider area. We staff 24/7 on purpose, since a breakdown on a dark rural stretch outside London is a worse situation to be stuck in than one downtown at noon.
Do I need to stay with my vehicle?
Yes, if it's safe to do so. Staying with the car means the driver can confirm they've got the right vehicle and location the moment they arrive, and it means you're not standing on foot near live traffic trying to flag someone down. The only exception is if staying with the car puts you in more danger than leaving it, like a blind curve with no shoulder, in which case get to a safe spot off the road and call to tell us exactly where you moved to.
Emergency towing vs. roadside assistance: what's the difference?
Roadside assistance covers the stuff that doesn't need a flatbed: jump starts, lockouts, a flat tire swap, running out of gas. Emergency towing is for when the vehicle actually needs to move, whether that's to a shop, home, or an accident processing lot. A lot of calls start as one and become the other once the driver's on scene. See our full breakdown of what's included in roadside assistance if you're not sure which one you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast is emergency towing in London, Ontario?
Most in-city emergency calls get a truck moving within minutes of dispatch, with arrival typically inside 30 minutes depending on your exact location and traffic. Highway and rural calls run longer. Full numbers are in our response time guide.
Does emergency towing cost more than a scheduled tow?
Rates depend on distance, vehicle type, and time of day rather than whether it's labelled an emergency. Call for a quote specific to your situation; we'll give you a real number before the truck rolls, not a surprise on arrival.
What areas do you cover for emergency towing?
London, St. Thomas, Woodstock, Strathroy, Tillsonburg, Aylmer, Port Stanley, Thorndale, and Belmont, plus the highway corridors connecting them.
What information should I have ready when I call?
Your location (or nearest cross street), vehicle make and model, and whether anyone needs medical attention. Everything else, the dispatcher will ask.
Stuck right now? Call (226) 476-4176. We're already staged across London and St. Thomas, day or night.