Cold keeps Sudbury tow truck operators, CAA 'crazy' busy

A collision between a car and pickup truck Monday morning blocked traffic on Brady Street at around 8:30 a.m.

The front ends of both vehicles had a significant amount of damage.

An ambulance and fire truck were at the scene, but police have not yet reported if there were any injuries. Roads in some parts of the city were slick Monday morning.

Dave, a dispatcher with Boyuk Towing Services, based in Lively, said he responded to more calls about collisions and engines that could not start, due to the cold weather, than usual Monday morning.

“Crazy is a little bit of an understatement,” he said, describing business that morning. The company had around 50 tow trucks on Sudbury's roads Monday.

Temperatures dropped to -38 with the windchill Monday morning. Environment Canada has forecasted the temperature will remain low in Sudbury until the weekend.

Alexa Cheater, a spokesperson for the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), said Sudbury was placed under a “code red” Monday, which happens when the temperature drops below -25.

“We are seeing a definite increase in call volume,” she said. Wait times are still normal, Cheater said, because CAA has brought in extra drivers for roadside assistance.

A person stranded on the side of the road, can expect to wait 30 minutes for assistance, while a person at a safe location can expect to wait around 45 minutes to an hour.

“Our call volume will likely remain increased for the remainder of the week,” Cheater said. “What we're encouraging people to do is to plug in their cars if that's possible for them. If you don't need to go anywhere, just stay home.”