Stepping Up Roadside Assistance with Online Tracking

Perhaps it was when you were trudging down a long, dusty highway holding a jerry can, or when piping hot steam from a cracked radiator scorched your hand, but at some stage we’ve all longed for reliable roadside assistance.

Whether navigating our growing cities or plying their trade on the highway and byways, any truckie worth their salt views quality roadside assistance to be as essential as a working knowledge of their rig. Choosing a trustworthy provider is crucial, so we’ve produced the following guide.

What you need to know

Given the importance of roadside assistance, there are a lot of ‘must-haves’ for the best support. A company offering roadside assistance without a comprehensive customer service team is a bit like a telephone with a dodgy receiver – no matter how good the help is on the other end, you might not get through when you need it most. Likewise, choosing a policy without nationwide coverage could leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere, so it’s important to ensure that your roadside assistance covers you across our wide brown land. Breakdowns can occur at any time, so the service should also operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. But the most important factor is the quality of the program’s service technicians. By choosing roadside assistance offered by your truck manufacturer – which uses specialist mechanics that know your vehicle back to front – you’re removing the risk that when a technician does arrive, they’re not going to be familiar with your truck. Last, but not least, is the fine detail. Does your plan cover towing? What if you lock your keys in the truck on a bathroom break? A plan that covers locksmiths can be invaluable.

Innovation arrives

One of the most annoying elements of roadside assistance is sitting by the side of the road, not knowing how long the mechanic will be, beginning to doubt they understood you when you told them your location. Isuzu’s roadside assistance program, Isuzu Assist, has solved this problem through its partnership with National Transport Insurance (NTI). Isuzu Assist customers are now able to track their service technician’s location in real time – just like tracking an Uber driver – through NTI’s sleek new Truck Assist Service Provider app. Isuzu Assist service providers will use the location-tracking app to SMS a link to Isuzu Assist customers. Customers can then follow this link to access a webpage showing their respondent’s real-time location, giving them an accurate estimated time of arrival. In addition to roadside assistance, NTI’s Truck Assist offers club membership, trucking forums, expert help and advice, and insurance policies specially tailored to truckies. Isuzu Assist is available at no extra cost for three years with every new Isuzu truck purchase, it  can also be extended or purchased by visiting https://isuzu.truckassist.com.au/renewal.