Women in Towing: Part 5
Earning Respect Doesn't Come with the Uniform
Discover how respect is earned through professionalism, skill, consistency, and service—not simply by wearing a uniform.
Florence, AZ | Towing Company
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Respect Is Earned One Customer at a Time
When I first entered the towing industry, many people assumed I was dispatch, a passenger, or simply helping out. What they didn't see was the training, planning, and experience behind every call. I quickly learned something that most people never think about. The truck doesn't automatically earn respect.
The uniform doesn't either.
And being a woman in towing certainly doesn't guarantee that people will believe you know what you're doing. In fact, some of the biggest lessons I've learned over the years have had nothing to do with tow trucks and everything to do with earning trust, building confidence, and proving yourself through your actions. I've had customers look right past me while waiting for “the tow truck driver” to arrive. I've had people assume I was a dispatcher or "Office Girl". I've had people assume I was just helping my husband. I've even had people ask if I needed help or knew how to operate the truck I had just driven to their location.
At first, those situations were frustrating. Over time, I realized something important. Most people aren't trying to be disrespectful. They're simply operating on assumptions based on what they've experienced throughout their lives. For decades, towing has been considered a male-dominated profession. Heavy equipment, long hours, difficult recoveries, roadside emergencies, and challenging working conditions have traditionally been associated with men. Most people simply aren't used to seeing a woman step out of a tow truck ready to handle the job. What I've learned is that arguing with assumptions rarely changes minds.
Professionalism does. Knowledge does. Results do.
Every roadside assistance call, vehicle tow, accident recovery, winch-out, and off-road recovery became an opportunity to demonstrate that I belonged there—not because I wanted to prove women can do the job, but because I wanted every customer to know they were in capable hands. One thing many people don't realize is that towing is far less about strength than it is about knowledge. Of course, there are physical aspects to the job, but the most important skills involve problem-solving, safety, planning, and decision-making. Every vehicle is different. Every recovery is different. Every roadside situation presents its own challenges. The real work begins long before a vehicle is loaded onto a truck. It starts with evaluating the situation:
• Where is the vehicle?
• What type of vehicle is it?
• Is it safe to access?
• Are there traffic concerns?
• Is special equipment required?
• Could additional damage occur if the vehicle is moved incorrectly?
Those are the questions that run through a professional tow operator's mind before the first chain is attached or the first control is touched. Good towing isn't about rushing. It's about making the right decisions. That is especially true here in Arizona. Working throughout Florence, Coolidge, Eloy, Casa Grande, Gold Canyon, Globe, Apache Junction, Queen Creek, San Tan Valley, and surrounding communities means dealing with conditions that many people don't think about:
Extreme Heat
Remote desert locations
Off-road trails
Two-Lane Highways
Construction zones
Heavy traffic
Dust storms
Every environment requires a different approach to monsoon weather. A vehicle stranded on Florence-Kelvin Highway requires a different strategy than a side-by-side stuck out on the toughest trail out in Box Canyon. A disabled vehicle on Highway 79 requires a different plan than transporting equipment from a construction site. The ability to adapt and make safe decisions matters far more than appearances. Over the years, I've also learned that some of the most important parts of this job have nothing to do with the vehicles themselves. They involve people. When customers call a towing company, they're usually having a bad day. Their vehicle broke down. They were involved in an accident. They have somewhere important to be. They're stressed, frustrated, worried, or overwhelmed. Sometimes they simply need someone to show up, take control of the situation, and help them move forward. That's something our team takes seriously. Whether we're responding to a roadside breakdown, an off-road recovery, an accident scene, a vehicle transport, or equipment transport call, we understand that we're not just moving a vehicle. We're helping a person through an unexpected challenge. One of the things I love most about towing is that every day is different. No two calls are exactly the same. No two customers are exactly the same. Every situation requires problem-solving, communication, and a willingness to adapt. It's also why I continue learning. The towing industry changes. Equipment changes. Vehicles change. Technology changes. The best operators never stop learning, whether they've been in the industry for six months or thirty years. Looking back, I realize that earning respect was never really about proving anything to anyone else. It was about showing up consistently. Being prepared. Treating people with respect. Doing the job correctly. Taking pride in your work. When you do those things consistently, people notice.
Customers notice. Partners notice. Communities notice. Respect follows. For anyone considering a career in towing—or any profession where they may feel like they don't fit the traditional mold—my advice is simple: Don't focus on proving people wrong. Focus on becoming really good at what you do. Knowledge builds confidence. Experience builds confidence. Preparation builds confidence.
And confidence allows you to focus on serving others rather than worrying about what others think. For customers, the lesson is equally simple: choose a towing company based on professionalism, equipment, local knowledge, experience, and reputation. Those qualities matter when you're stranded on the side of the road. At the end of the day, customers don't care who shows up nearly as much as they care that the right person shows up. Someone who is professional. Someone who is knowledgeable. Someone who treats them with respect. Someone who can solve the problem safely. That's what we strive to provide every day at Shad Randall's Towing & Recovery. Whether we're helping a family stranded on the side of the road, recovering a vehicle from an Arizona desert trail, transporting equipment, assisting after an accident, or providing roadside assistance, our goal remains the same: Show up. Do the job right. Treat people well.
The truck may get us there. The uniform may identify who we are. But respect? Respect is earned one customer at a time.
Need Towing or Roadside Assistance? If you need professional towing, roadside assistance, accident recovery, winched-out or an off-road recovery, vehicle transport, or equipment transport in Florence, Coolidge, Casa Grande, Gold Canyon, Apache Junction, Queen Creek, or the surrounding Arizona communities, our team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. At Shad Randall's Towing & Recovery, we're committed to providing safe, professional service when you need it most. When You Need Us, We're There — 24/7.
About Shad Randall's Towing & Recovery: Shad Randall's Towing & Recovery is a Husband & Wife towing company (backed by Family) proudly serving Florence, Coolidge, Casa Grande, Eloy, Gold Canyon, Apache Junction, Queen Creek, San Tan Valley, Globe, and surrounding Arizona communities. We provide 24/7 towing, roadside assistance, accident recovery, off-road recovery, winch-outs, vehicle transport, equipment transport, and recovery services with professionalism, integrity, and a commitment to helping our neighbors when they need us most.
Passing down more than skills—teaching Brinlee the next generation the value of hard work, integrity, and doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.
Stephanie Randall is a wife, mother, grandmother, and entrepreneur who hasco-founded Shad Randall's Towing & Recovery. With a background in marketing, trained in towing, and a passion for serving others, she is dedicated to helping customers and supporting her community throughout AZ.
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