24/7 towing and roadside help
Towing and Tow Truck Service in London, Ontario
Stuck in London? Call 1-888-TOW-1213. We lock your price by text, send the nearest available partner tow company and check on you until help arrives.
If anyone is hurt or you're stopped in a live lane, call 911 first.
- Check-ins until help arrives
- Driver card and truck tracking
- Price locked by text
- Photo-protected tow
How it works in London. Sentinel Towing is a network, not a tow company. A vetted local partner in the London area does the job. We stay with you by text and hold them to your locked price. Not in London? Find a tow truck near you.
London tow truck service
Towing in London: the 401, the 402 and Wellington Road
London sits where Highway 402 from Sarnia runs into Highway 401. No freeway cuts straight through the city. The 401 runs across the south end instead. Here's how to tell us where you are.
- Coming in on the 402. It passes the Highway 4 interchange south of Lambeth, then Wonderland Road, and merges into the 401. From there the 401 widens to six lanes.
- The 401 across the south end. Interchanges at Colonel Talbot Road, Wonderland Road, Wellington Road and Highbury Avenue, plus Veterans Memorial Parkway at Exit 194. The Colonel Talbot interchange is an old cloverleaf, so give merging traffic extra room.
- Wellington Road. The stretch between Commissioners Road and Southdale Road is the busiest in the city. Farther south, it passes White Oaks Mall on the way to the 401. A stall there backs up traffic fast, so call right away.
- Commissioners Road hill. Between Springbank Drive and Westmount Drive, the road climbs a steep, winding hill. On ice, that's where a winch-out beats spinning your tires.
- Veterans Memorial Parkway and Highbury. The Parkway runs from Wilton Grove Road to Clarke Road and was built to link the 401 with the airport. Highbury is a 100 km/h controlled-access road for 4.5 km, linking the east end to the 401.
Carnage Alley and fog
The 401 between Windsor and London has long been called Carnage Alley. On September 3, 1999, an 87-vehicle pile-up in thick fog there became the worst in Canadian history. Environment Canada's 1981 to 2010 normals show fog at London's airport on about 44 days a year. In fog, slow down early. If you break down, get fully onto the shoulder, hazards on.
Southwestern Ontario winter
Snow Squalls off Lake Huron
Lake Huron sits about 60 km northwest of London. When cold wind blows off it, squalls can roll in, and some parts of the city get more snow than others. The airport normals show about 194 cm of snow a year, with 5 cm or more falling on about 13 days. Freezing rain or drizzle turns up on about 10 days.
Some years are extreme. In December 2010, up to 2 meters of snow fell in parts of London. That same month, a whiteout from lake-effect squalls closed 80 km of the 402 for several days. The whole run between Sarnia and London can get squalls and whiteouts.
If a squall catches you
- Stay with your car. Ontario's driver handbook says to stay with your vehicle for warmth and safety until help arrives.
- Keep the tailpipe clear of snow if you run the engine for heat.
- Check Ontario 511 before you drive the 402 or the 401 east toward Woodstock, a stretch known for early-winter squalls.
- In the city, plows hit local streets after 10 cm. When a snow event is forecast, overnight street parking isn't allowed, so a car left out may be in the way of the plow.
Dead battery after a cold snap? That's usually a jump start, not a tow.
Your Rights When You Get a Tow in Ontario
On January 1, 2024, the City of London stopped licensing tow trucks. Tow operators now need a certificate from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation. The province's know your rights page spells out what you can expect:
Consent comes first
Unless police or another authorized official started the tow, the operator needs your consent. You can pick the company and where the car goes.
Rates and rights up front
Before your car moves, they must give you their maximum rates, a list of your rights and a copy of the consent form.
An itemized bill, paid your way
You get to see an itemized invoice before paying, and you can pay by credit card, debit or cash. No fuel surcharges.
Proof of certificate
The company name and certificate number go on the truck and the paperwork. Drivers must show their certificate if you ask.
Sentinel adds one more layer. Your price is locked by text before we dispatch, and if the bill is higher, you pay the texted price. That's part of the Stay-With-You Promise. And on the highway, Ontario's Highway Traffic Act says drivers must slow down for a tow truck stopped with amber lights flashing, and change lanes when they safely can.
Areas We Cover Around London
- Downtown, Victoria Park and The Forks
- Old East Village
- Byron and Westmount
- Oakridge and Whitehills
- Masonville and the north end
- White Oaks, Pond Mills and Stoneybrook
- Lambeth
- Arva, Komoka, Nilestown and Dorchester at the edges
- St. Thomas, south on Highway 4
- Strathroy and Delaware along the 402
Know who's coming
You get your driver's name, photo and truck by text, and you can track your truck on a map. At Western, Fanshawe College or a hospital lot, that means no guessing which truck is yours.
London Towing Questions
Can I pay for my tow in London by credit card?
Yes. Ontario lets you choose how to pay, including credit card, debit or cash. You also see an itemized bill before you pay. With Sentinel, you already know the total, because we text it to you before the truck is sent.
My car died on the 401 in fog. Should I get out?
Usually not. Ontario's handbook says to use your hazard lights, get to the nearest shoulder and never stop in the driving lanes. Then stay inside with the doors locked while you wait. If you're stuck in a live lane, call 911 first.
Do I have to use the tow truck that shows up at my crash?
Outside the Toronto area's restricted tow zones, you can choose the company and the destination, unless police direct the tow. Tell the driver you have a tow on the way, then call us.
Can you help if my car is snowed in on a side street?
Yes. If it's stuck but not damaged, a winch-out pulls it free. If you just need to get going, we can also send a tow to a shop of your choice.
Roadside help in London, ON
Tow Truck and Roadside Services in London
Sentinel is a 24-hour towing and roadside assistance network for London drivers. Tell us what happened, and we send a vetted local towing company near you with a truck suited to the job: a tow truck for a car that can't be driven (a flatbed where the vehicle needs one, like many all-wheel-drive cars), or a service truck for a jump start, lockout, flat tire, fuel delivery or winch-out.
Car towing
Cars, SUVs, minivans and light pickups. Price locked by text, photos before hookup.
Car towing
Jump starts
Clicks, dim dash lights or nothing at all? A dead battery jump, day or night.
Jump starts
Car lockouts
Keys locked inside, on the seat or in the trunk. A partner works to get you back in without damage.
Car lockouts
Flat tire changes
Got a spare but no safe way to put it on? A partner swaps it for you.
Flat tire changes
Fuel delivery
Ran out of gas? Enough fuel to get you to the nearest station.
Fuel delivery
Winch-outs
Stuck in snow, mud or a shallow ditch near the road? A partner can usually pull you out.
Winch-outsThe Sentinel Stay-With-You Promise
Seven Promises on Every London Call
Read the fine print on the promise page.
We stay with you. From your call until the truck arrives, we check on you by text.
See your driver before they arrive. You get their name, photo and truck by text, and you can track your truck on a map.
Your family knows too. Give us one number, and we text them your location and arrival time.
Photo-protected tow. Before hookup, your driver photographs all 4 sides of your vehicle. We text you the photos.
Price locked by text. You get your price by text before we dispatch. That price is the most you pay for the job. If the job changes, we text a new price first and you decide.
Never stranded after. Ride along in the truck when it's safe and allowed, or we help you get a ride. We also point you to a good repair shop.
Free Sentinel Circle. After your first job, your vehicle is on file. Next time, just text "TOW" for priority dispatch.
How it works
From Your Call to Your Driver
- 01You call
Our 24/7 line answers
Call 1-888-TOW-1213. Tell us where you are, what you drive and what went wrong.
- 02We lock it in
Your price, by text
We text your price before anyone is sent. That's the most you'll pay for the job you described.
- 03A partner accepts
The nearest truck takes it
The nearest available partner tow company accepts your job. They're vetted for insurance and licensing.
- 04You see who's coming
Driver card and tracking
You get your driver's name, photo and truck, plus a link to track your truck. We check in until they arrive.
Nearby cities
- Towing in Kitchener
- Towing in Hamilton
- Towing in Windsor
- Towing in Barrie
- Towing in Sudbury
- Towing in North Bay
- All Ontario cities
- All cities
London roadside guides
London, ON
Stuck in London? Call and We'll Stay With You.
Our line answers 24/7. Your price is locked by text before we send anyone.