Ambrose Creek Towing has your back

by John Dowd

Calling a tow truck is the last thing most people think about until they need one.

Justin Lattin is the owner, manager and dispatcher for Ambrose Creek Towing. Towing is a way of life for Lattin, and something he thinks about every day. He prioritizes safety, and wanted to offer some advice to others in the community that might save their lives, and maybe his life, and also save everybody some money.

Lattin started his business about eight years ago. Before that, he spent 21 years as a commercial truck driver around the area and the state. He takes towing and customer service seriously. For Lattin, it all started from a personal experience. 

Nine years ago, after his vehicle broke down while he and his wife were having lunch in Lolo, he called a tow truck. According to him, on a beautiful clear day, it took the truck four and half hours to get there. Then, just getting it towed to Stevensville, around 19 miles, cost him over $250.

“I thought that was kinda ridiculous,” said Lattin.

After that, he figured he could do it better and for cheaper. At that time, there were only three tow companies in the Bitterroot, and all of them were located in Hamilton. 

Lattin started looking around, and within four months he had a truck.

“It all just fell into place,” said Lattin, “like it was supposed to happen.” That summer, he spoke to a place in Charlo, where he used to get coffee all the time when he was passing through. It just so happened that they had a truck for sale. A year later, he had all the insurance, training and set-up to start a business. 

Now, he owns seven trucks, has four drivers and said his business grows every year. 

Lattin loves what he does. He said his job is about integrity and safety, both for his drivers and the people they are helping.

“People are always excited to see a tow truck because we are there to help,” said Lattin.

However, this doesn’t always transfer to the other drivers. 

According to Lattin, more tow truck drivers get hit on the road than any other first responder. In Montana, the law requires drivers to move over and slow down for tow trucks. Lattin said, for some reason, many people do not do this when they see a tow truck, instead of something like an ambulance. 

Winter is his busiest time. Last year during the cold snap early in the year, Lattin’s company had to jump start more than 140 cars in three days. This year, there were a lot of people out on the roads, even with the heavy snow seen the first week of the year.

“If the roads are crappy, you should try to stay home,” advises Lattin. 

Lattin believes there are a lot of things a person should know, before they end up needing to call him. One thing he mentioned was that roadside assistance will cover tows, tire changes and fuel deliveries, but not winch-outs. He said insurance will always try to pay as little as possible. A  person’s best bet is to call the tow company directly, then get reimbursed afterwards.

“If you pay out of pocket, you can get towed wherever you want, and submit the bill later.” 

Another important note was how long it can take a tow truck to arrive. Especially in nasty conditions, where there are a lot of wrecks, crashes will always be priority calls. This is because state law obviously wants to get any vehicles blocking highways and roads out of the way. This could mean a person may need to wait a long time for the truck to arrive. Lattin mentioned that, in winter conditions, a person should bring extra clothes and be prepared.

“If you go off the road, and you’re not prepared for the winter, you’re in trouble,” said Lattin.

Another thing Lattin said people should be aware of is the cost of getting pulled out of the woods. He said drivers should go out prepared, regardless of the weather. He had to get a vehicle once that got stuck up in the National Forest. The couple were lucky they had reception, he added. They ran out of gas after sliding off the road. According to him, they could have turned around, instead of pushing on into the snow. They also probably would have been fine, had they brought chains. He suggests people bring equipment to start a fire, as these calls can take a long time. That couple he mentioned had to wait for nearly six hours. 

He also said, these calls can be extremely expensive.

“It’s so much wear and tear on the trucks, and we miss so many other calls to do that,” said Lattin.

He added that this happens a lot in the spring, when people are ready to get back out into the woods. The spring snowpack can be the most dangerous for a vehicle.

“I don’t think people realize how much it costs to go into the woods to get someone out,” said Lattin, adding that it can be over $1,000.

Ambrose Creek Towing offers a lot of services, including unlocking vehicles, tire changes, fuel drop-offs and towing, up to medium duty and trailers.

Lattin has lived in the valley his entire life, and said if a person can describe their surroundings, he probably knows where they are. 

To reach Ambrose Creek Towing, interested parties can call (406) 777-1565. They are available 24 hours a day. The company also has a website, where customers can schedule a pick up, ambrosetow.com. Another option is their Facebook page, Ambrose Creek Towing LLC. Interested parties can find informational videos posted there, three times a week. These cover topics ranging from company history to tips and road safety advice.