The short answer
An AI receptionist for towing companies built on HighLevel Voice AI costs about $0.16 per answered call, or $96 a month for 600 calls averaging 2 minutes, phone line included. Roughly 270 of those calls (45%) would come outside office hours, which is where an AI answering service earns its keep. Emergencies, complaints and anything needing judgment should go to a person.
What the AI should handle
Check for danger first
Ask whether anyone is hurt or in immediate danger. If so, tell the caller to call 911 and transfer to the dispatcher, and escalate any vehicle stopped in a live travel lane.
Pin down the location
Ask for the road, direction of travel, nearest exit or mile marker, landmarks and lane position, then read the details back and text a request for a map pin.
Collect vehicle and destination
Get the year, make and model, whether it is all-wheel drive, whether keys are available and where it should go, so dispatch sends the right truck.
Answer impound questions
Give the storage lot address, hours and release requirements from the knowledge base, and log a callback for anything involving disputes or fee complaints.
What to send to a person
- Any call with an injury, a vehicle in a live lane or a caller who feels unsafe
- Accident scenes and police-requested tows
- Disputes over private property tow charges
- Heavy-duty recovery and commercial accounts
HighLevel's voice agents can transfer a live call, create a task, or trigger a workflow that texts the owner. Set the handoff rules before the agent goes live.
Cost per call and per month
Assumptions for a typical towing company: 600 calls a month answered by the AI, averaging 2 minutes. Phone minutes are billed per call and rounded up, so each call bills 2 phone minutes at $0.01165.
| Setup | AI cost | Phone line | Per month | Per call |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay per use, Standard voice, GPT-4.1 Mini | $81.60 | $13.98 | $96 | $0.16 |
| Pay per use, ElevenLabs voice, GPT-4.1 Mini | $105.60 | $13.98 | $120 | $0.20 |
| Pay per use, speech-to-speech (OpenAI) | $240.00 | $13.98 | $254 | $0.42 |
| AI Employee Unlimited, $97 flat | $97.00 | $13.98 | $111 | $0.18 |
The breakdown of every Voice AI charge is in our Voice AI pricing guide. Agencies can price this as a monthly service with the calculator's Price a client tab, preloaded for a towing company.
Compared with staff time
Those 600 calls take about 20 hours of talk time a month. At the US median receptionist wage of $18.27 an hour (May 2025, Bureau of Labor Statistics), that talk time alone is worth about $365, before hold time, breaks, benefits and the calls that come in after hours. An AI receptionist does not replace a good front desk; it catches the overflow and the evenings, and frees staff for the people in front of them.
Sample call
AI AGENTThanks for calling Route 9 Towing. I'm the automated assistant and I'll get a truck moving quickly. First, is anyone hurt or in danger right now?
CALLERNo, nobody's hurt. My car just died on the highway.
AI AGENTGlad you're okay. Are you on the shoulder or in a travel lane, and which highway and direction are you on?
CALLEROn the shoulder, I-84 eastbound, just past exit 12.
AI AGENTThanks. What's the vehicle, and where would you like it towed?
CALLERA 2019 Honda CR-V. To Main Street Auto across town.
AI AGENTGot it. I'm alerting our driver now, and they'll call you from their cell in a few minutes with an arrival time. I'm also texting you a link to share your exact location.
CALLEROkay, thank you.
AI AGENTYou're welcome. Wait somewhere safe away from traffic, and if anything changes or you feel unsafe, call 911 first, then call us back.
Prompt tips
- Tip 1Put the danger check first in the prompt, before price or vehicle questions, and write the exact 911 and transfer wording so it can never be skipped.
- Tip 2Give the AI a location checklist: road, direction, exit or mile marker, landmarks and lane position, and require it to read the location back before the call ends.
- Tip 3Separate prices the AI may share, such as a base hookup fee and per-mile rate, from work only dispatch prices, like winching, off-road recovery or heavy-duty tows.
Rules to watch
A human path for emergencies. A roadside caller may be in danger, so the AI must never be the only option. Anyone reporting injuries or a vehicle in a travel lane should be told to call 911 and then transferred live to dispatch. Voice AI supports call transfers; test that path regularly, including overnight.
State and local towing rules. States and cities set their own towing rules, especially for non-consent tows from private property. Texas, for example, requires tow companies, trucks and operators to be licensed by TDLR and limits non-consent tow fees to those set under state law. Keep the AI to your published fees and release rules.
USDOT numbers for tow trucks. FMCSA requires a USDOT number for companies operating commercial vehicles in interstate commerce with a weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more. This does not change phone scripts, but confirm your trucks' registration before advertising long-distance or cross-state transport.
General information, not legal advice.
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Questions
Is it safe to use an AI receptionist for towing calls?
Can the AI get accurate locations from stranded drivers?
What does an AI receptionist cost a towing company?
Can the AI answer 'where is my towed car' calls?
Sources
- HighLevel pricing
- HighLevel help: AI Voice Agents overview
- HighLevel help: AI product pricing
- Texas TDLR: Tow trucks, operators and vehicle storage facilities
- Texas TDLR: Towing laws and rules
- FMCSA: Do I need a USDOT number?
- HighLevel AI product pricing (help center)
- AI Voice Agents overview
- HighLevel Phone System pricing and billing guide
- BLS Occupational Outlook: Receptionists (May 2025 pay)