Consolidated Towing is always accepting applications for qualified individuals.
Please read the following job descriptions before contacting us regarding employment. Should you decide to complete an application, there will be one you can download and complete in your own handwriting for submission at the end of each job description.
Applications must be faxed, mailed or delivered by hand. We do not accept online or emailed applications. Although resumes are always appreciated, they cannot be accepted in lieu of a completed application.
Driver || Dispatcher
Before an interview can be done, we must have a completed application. Although a resume is always appreciated, our application must be completed in full and in your own handwriting.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Consolidated Towing is staffed 24/7 with drivers and dispatch. We currently dispatch for not only our company, but various towing companies in the state of Oregon. As such, you will be required to learn not only the ins and outs of our company, but the policies and procedures for our dispatch accounts as well.
Towing operators perform towing and road assistance calls for a variety of customers:
Fleet (Fed-Ex, Qwest, U-Haul, etc)
Shops (auto body, dealership, general repair, etc)
Police (state, county, city)
Retail (cash, check, visa or mastercard)
Motor clubs (AAA, Allstate, etc.)
Insurance (State Farm, Geico, Progressive, etc.)
Tow calls might include passenger cars, pickup trucks, SUV’s, motorcycles, or various trailers. A call might require towing a combination of the disabled vehicle and it’s pull trailer ie: camper, boat or utility trailer. Sometimes you will be asked to tow various pieces of equipment such as a forklift.
Contrary to what you might think, most of the calls we respond to are not accidents. Yes, we do those types of calls but the majority of the requests for assistance are for vehicle transport from a home or business parking lot to a repair facility.
Consolidated prides itself on being “the good guys in orange” and therefore we do not do repossessions (REPOS) and neither do any of the other tow companies for which we answer.
At Consolidated road assistance calls are usually run by the service driver and include changing a flat tire, performing lockout service, jump starting a vehicle or selling and installing a battery if necessary. Other duties will include providing passenger transport or assistance with traffic control (safety) on a call already in progress for a tow truck driver.
During the winter, we often perform a “return to road” service for motorists who have become stuck or have slid off the main roadway. Simply getting them back on the road is all that is required before sending them on their way. Sometimes the job is more complex and an all out recovery is needed followed by a tow.
At Consolidated, our response and coverage area for towing is primarily in Bend, but we do respond to all of Central Oregon and beyond for some customers.
Dispatching for the other tow companies is primarily limited to after hours (M-F, 6pm to 7am), weekends, and holidays. Although every dispatcher should be familiar with the other accounts, depending on the shift you are hired for, you may do very little dispatching for anyone but Consolidated….or you may get VERY familiar with everyone if you are working a Sunday!
EXPECTATIONS:
As the dispatcher, you are the first person to represent the business and “close the sale” so to speak. Yes, we are in the business to help people, but because it is a business a lot of time, money and work went into garnering each and every potential customer.
Unlike most other businesses that focus their advertising to sway you instantly towards a new purchase (whether you need their product or not) be it a new car, mattress or even dinner out; in towing, we may spend years building an image and reputation for that one moment when your vehicle breaks down and you remember: “That’s the company I want. The one with the orange trucks! I see them everywhere.”
Dispatching can be very hectic. Not only do you need to “make the sale” but you need to “control it” too. It requires a careful balance of obtaining the information quickly (so we can get a truck rolling out to assist them faster) and letting the customer talk and share their frustrations about what is wrong with the car, or how they are going to deal with this inconvenience, etc.
Being able to muli-task and utilize the “hold” button are critical to maintaining control of the situation. Especially when the calls are coming in fast and furious. Which they do from time to time.
However, it isn’t always that way and there can be some very “dead” times too. We always try to have side projects and tasks that need to be accomplished, but there may be some stretches where a good book is your best friend! As such, this job (more specifically, some shifts) can be ideal for those seeking to continue their education, as there can be plenty of time for studying.
Finally, we work very much as a team. And because we are staffed 24/7, it is very important that each member of the team realize how crucial it is to be on time for your shift or (if necessary) stay late to help get everything under control before just dumping it on your co-worker and scooting out the door. We aren’t saying you will always work late, but being that this is a “calamity” based business, we never know when the calls just might start pouring in and it might be right at a shift change!
HOURS and SHIFTS:
As we have already stated, this is a 24/7 business and we are staffed every hour of every day in dispatch. We answer the phones for other towing companies so they get days off!
We typically run the following shifts:
Days (7a-3p)
Swing (1p-9p)
Graveyard (9p-7a)
EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS:
- In order to dispatch for our police contracts, applicants must pass a 15-year criminal background check, which will be done once you reach the interview stage.
- Applicants will be required to perform a pre-employment drug screen after the interview and background check and be subject to random screenings throughout their employment.
- Applicants must be able to write legibly and spell correctly. Information on dispatch cards is handwritten before being entered into the computer. Dispatch cards are not only used by co-workers but seen by our accounts.
- Applicants must be able to type a minimum of 35wpm (a typing test will be administered) and be familiar with computers. The ability to enter information off of a dispatch card quickly and accurately is crucial.
- Applicants should be detail-oriented and organized. They should know what it takes to share a workspace and that everyone is responsible for keeping it clean and functional.
- Applicants should be prepared for long periods of sitting.