There is no way to predict when one’s car is going to break down or when big chunks of metal need to be towed from factories. Many unprecedented events require big vehicles to tow, move or carry specific items.
In Australia, such utility vehicles are prevalent. Aussies devote specific seasons to purchase such utility automobiles as they fall in pricing by the year-end. Utes and tow trucks are well-known options in case of heavy duty towing or camping. During the end of the financial year or what Aussies popularly call ‘tax time’, such vehicles are available for purchase at subsidised rates.
Utes are the Aussie slang for any kind of truck. Typically, however, utes are designed with an open roof to maximise storage. Tow trucks are built more like lorries to provide greater carrying capacity.
What are utility vehicles used for?
Utility vehicles are predominantly used to transport heavy items. Sometimes, if they are open trucks suited for outbacks, they might even be used for camping like canopies. Such vehicles are extremely popular in Australia. In the first half of 2021, over 567,00 utes were sold in the market!
On the other hand, tow trucks are another type of utility vehicle used strictly to transport heavy vehicles and items. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that although Australian cars have an average age of 10 years, they follow older systems and are vulnerable to breakdowns. The Aussie fleet increased 1.7% from 2020 to 2021!
What are tow trucks?
Tow trucks are popular in Australia due to how multipurpose they are. It is commonly called a breakdown lorry or recovery lorry. It is typically used to perform heavy duty towing tasks like moving broken parts, towing vehicles that broke down during travel or recovering a vehicle involved in an accident for legal purposes.
Four major types of tow trucks are used for different purposes:
- Hook and Chain Tow Trucks: These are the trucks that are commonly used to tow repaired vehicles. They have a huge hook at the back of the car with a chain that can drag the damaged vehicle to the destination. The downfall of this truck is that the vehicle will be pulled across the road, risking damage to its tires.
- Integrated Tow Trucks: This is a type of truck that can haul off vehicles. The vehicle is powered by a boom and a weight lifting system that can be controlled from the driver’s seat to lift repossessed cars.
- Flatbed Tow Trucks: As the name suggests, this truck has a flatbed. The flatbed essentially means a large ramp that can carry vehicles. Expensive vehicles or a large number of cars are transported using a flatbed tow truck.
- Boom Tow Trucks: Boom trucks are the most popular type of tow truck detroit. Such trucks have a large ‘boom’ with a rubber sling that can extend and reach different cramped places and lift the vehicle. These trucks are commonly used during accidents or disasters like a fire.
What are the uses?
Utility vehicles are mainly used for heavy duty towing. Some companies use utes for storage purposes as well. However, they also offer some unique services:
- Truck Towing for no parking or repossession vehicles.
- Heavy Haulage in case of vehicle transport.
- Bus Towing
- Recovery and Salvage in case of an accident.
- Road Trains
- Prime Movers and Trailers for migratory purposes.