A new towing service launched by the Queensland Government promises to reduce peak hour congestion on roads surrounding the state
A new towing service launched by the Queensland Government promises to reduce peak hour congestion on roads surrounding the state capital.
The towing service, covering vehicles up to 2.5 tonnes GVM, will clear the main roads fo broken down cars, utes and vans, allowing the road network to flow more freely.
Paid for by the Queensland Government, the service will drop vehicles off at designated ‘safe zones’, where owners can then wait for their own contractor to take them home or to a workshop.
Importantly for freight operators, the new service will work on key transport routes such as the Ipswich Motorway, Bruce Highway, Houghton Highway and the Pacific and Gateway Motorways.
RACQ General Manager of Operations Paul Williams said the quick clearance contract would be a major plus for motorists in terms of improved safety and traffic flow.
It would also create 15 new jobs, and involve the purchase of four additional tow trucks and three safety vehicles, boosting the quick clearance fleet to a total of 10.
“Through this contract with Main Roads, RACQ will have a dedicated fleet of 10 vehicles to ensure we can remove people from broken down vehicles to safety as quickly as possible,” Williams says.
“A car broken down on the side of the road for 15 minutes can add an hour’s delay to passing traffic.
“That’s something that causes a lot of congestion and stress for other motorists, and often results in nose-to-tail crashes. With dedicated tow trucks available to clear obstacles quickly, we’ll be helping motorists reach their destinations sooner.”
The new trucks will all have dual cab configuration, with mounts for two baby seats, to ensure broken down family vehciels can be moved quickly and safely.