BURLINGTON, Ont. – Over 4.5 million car drivers across the country benefit from the Canadian Automobile Association’s roadside service every year, but who’s there to rescue truck drivers when they break down on the side of the road?

I-Truck Assist is launching its emergency roadside assistance for trucks program and is aiming to establish a membership base of owner/operators and small fleets.

“We have targeted owner/operators because they’re in a thinly margined business with few cost breaks. Independently they are difficult for industry product and service providers to cost-effectively access. Collectively they represent a massive business opportunity,” said Ron Gardner, president and CEO of I-Truck Assist.

The program offers members a full service, non-warranty program including emergency roadside assistance 24 hours a day/365 days a year anywhere in Canada or the continental U.S. for anywhere from $.41 to $1.25 a day.

Enrolling in the Gold I-Truck Assist Plan would cost a driver $449 per truck for a year, and would consist of toll-free support across Canada and the U.S., and access to a Ryder truck replacement program if the driver’s truck cannot be fixed on the side of the road. Towing services, concierge services, hotel discounts, prompt dispatches and a follow-up to ensure the service provider arrived on time are also part of the package. The Gold program will also cover up to $335 for three of the following roadside assistance services: towing, tire change or repair, and battery boosts, fuel delivery and lockout service.

Gardner says that a service provider will be on its way within 10 minutes of receiving the client’s call and will arrive at the scene within four hours if the driver is in rural North America or within an hour if the driver is located near an urban centre.

“A driver only needs to use our service once for it to pay for itself,” said Gardner. “Within two years, we believe we will have the largest network of its kind in North America.”

Roadside assistance is only one of four pillars that I-Truck Assist plans to venture into.

I-Truck Assist also offers comprehensive insurance products, employee benefits and a Geotab GPS reporting technology, said Gardner.

“When an accident occurs for a small business, they face a huge loss especially if the vehicle is off the road for a long time, and it could result in the loss of a client,” said Gardner. “With our services, we want to make this business interruption as minimal as possible.”

If an incident occurs, I-Truck Assist will look after a replacement tractor, the continuation of the load and towing while partnering with Kingsway General Insurance, which has committed to providing competitive and stable insurance pricing models for owner/operators with good driving records.

Geotab GPS reporting systems is another partner with I-Truck Assist and can generate reports that summarize a vehicle or driver’s activity. In the event of an accident, explains Gardner, the Geotab system has a black box recorder that captures detailed information from the last 100 minutes.

When a company uses such a system, it is able to display good risk management practices to insurance companies supported by hard facts, added Gardner.

I-Truck Assist is able to provide this service through its partnerships with other industry associates.

Norassist makes the phone support and roadside assistance possible. The Precept Group Insurance Brokers has specific knowledge of the owner/operator industry. Custard Insurance Adjusters help with adjusting for I-Truck Assist clients. Transportation and Heavy Equipment Appraisers has partnered with the I-Truck Assist program to provide appraisals. Kim Richardson Transportation Specialists is providing educational and training support. Paling Industries will provide vehicle recovery services and Macdonald Administration Services is offering benefits and alternatives to WSIB.

For more information or to enroll in I-Truck Assist’s programs, call 1-877-487-8259 or visit www.itruckassist.ca