Edmonton, Alberta — Wait times for roadside help from the Alberta Motor Association (AMA) have reached a high as the province continues to experience extreme winter weather.
According to the AMA’s website, at 1 pm on Friday, January 12, the estimated wait time for a tow in Edmonton was 144 hours, and this was up from 121 hours in the morning on the same day.
Over the same time period, the wait time for a battery boost, lockout, flat tire, or fuel delivery increased from 47 to 72 hours.
“It’s just from the extreme call volume that we’re experiencing,” automotive services supervisor Brandon Klassen in Edmonton originally told CTV News Edmonton.
“It’s all hands on deck for us and we have every available resource working for us right now.”
From Tuesday to Thursday, AMA also received 10,000 calls for help across Alberta.
The company is prioritizing customers who are in unsafe conditions, but says there is little else to do to speed up queues beyond encouraging preventative care.
“All of our staff are in on overtime hours. Extended hours. All of our service providers and contractors are currently out working as well,” Klassen said.
“Again, it’s all preventative. So if you can plug your car in, you may not need to call us.”
While 10,000 calls for service may seem high, AMA said it is not the highest call volume it has ever seen. During one 24-hour period in February 2019, AMA received 17,600 calls, and this was followed by a day in January 2020 when the company received 16,000 calls in 24 hours.
Still, this latest bout of winter woes makes the charts, and AMA reminds drivers to take precautions when traveling or to limit travel as much as possible.
