A trailer has no engine. A motorhome does. That split is the whole job. If you are looking at a utility trailer, a boat trailer, a pop-up, or a travel trailer sitting on its jack, the operator needs the hitch, the load, and whether the trailer still rolls. Do not describe it as an RV unless it has its own drivetrain.
The RV towing guide is for coaches that drive. What to tell dispatch when your RV needs towing still helps when a fifth wheel is in the mix. This page is the unpowered unit.
Say what is on the hitch, and what is in it
Name the trailer type in plain words: utility, car hauler, boat, enclosed cargo, pop-up, or travel trailer. Give the approximate length if you can read it on a plate. Do not guess a weight. Photograph the VIN or certification label from a safe spot and read what it actually says.
Say whether it is loaded or empty. A trailer full of tools, a boat still on the bunks, or a camper with tanks and gear is a different pull than an empty frame. Say whether the load has shifted.
Describe the hitch end. Is a tow vehicle still attached. Is the coupler on a ball, in a receiver, or sitting on a jack. Do the safety chains, breakaway cable, and lighting plug look connected or torn. For a fifth wheel, say whether it is still locked to a truck bed or standing on landing gear. The operator decides whether this is a trailer tow, a truck-and-trailer combo, or two separate moves.
If electric or surge brakes are on the trailer, say so. If you do not know, say you do not know. Do not promise the brakes work.
Where a Memphis trailer actually sits
A trailer in a Lamar Avenue lot sits in freight. TDOT’s Memphis Congestion Study calls Lamar the region’s top congested state road and a clogged corridor for trucking. Give the plaza name and which curb cut.
A trailer on I-40, I-55, I-240, or SR-385 / Bill Morris during HELP hours can get lane clearance from TDOT HELP, Monday through Sunday, 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Dial 511. Assistance is not guaranteed. HELP’s listed services are flat changes, fuel delivery, minor mechanical help, and clearing blocking vehicles. Jump starts are not on that list. HELP will not tow a trailer to a shop, a storage lot, or a campground.
A trailer behind a house in Bartlett or on a pad in Southaven is private property. If you own it, you can authorize the pickup. A manager calling about someone else’s trailer needs written authorization. Southaven is Mississippi. Tennessee rules do not follow the trailer across Stateline Road.
Boat trailers near McKellar Lake or a ramp need the ramp name and whether the trailer is in water, on the slope, or on the lot. Do not ask a light-duty wrecker to snatch a trailer out of the water. The operator has to see it.
Light-duty hookup vs a trailer-sized truck
Our published standard light-duty hookup starts at $95. That floor is for a light-duty car hookup. A trailer is sized by length, load, and hookup difficulty. Ask for the full total with mileage included, in writing, before you agree. Ask whether the quote is for the trailer alone or for a truck still attached. Ask what would change the amount: a different drop, a loaded trailer that was called in empty, a missing wheel, or a stuck coupler.
Large enclosed trailers and heavy equipment trailers may need heavy-duty towing. The operator chooses the truck. Our RV and trailer towing service is the referral path for this family.
Give the drop address. A storage lot on Lamar is not “somewhere in Memphis.” After-hours lots need a place to leave it.
What not to do while you wait
Do not crawl under the tongue in a live lane. Do not unhook a loaded trailer on a slope to “make it lighter.” Do not drag it with a passenger vehicle. Stay clear of the jack and the coupler until the operator is there.
Quick Tow Memphis matches you with a local operator. The operator does the work and contracts with you. Call (901) 557-8700. The line takes calls 24/7.