A new app lets stranded drivers summon the nearest tow truck by tapping the screen of their smartphone.
Rapitow Roadside Assistance uses a cellphone's built-in GPS to find the closest tow truck to a disabled vehicle. It lets the app's user request the tow truck's assistance and then displays the truck's route so the user knows how long the truck will take to reach him or her.
"It's like Uber for tow trucks," a news release from the Mississauga-based company said Wednesday, referring to the popular taxi-hailing smartphone app available internationally.
The app was created by a software consultant and his brother-in-law, a man who operated a tow truck for more than 15 years.
The service is available in across Canada for $9 per month. Users pay the monthly fee, rather than paying the cost of a tow.
Subscriptions are based on vehicles, not drivers, so one subscription can cover several drivers using the same vehicle.
Rapitow membership is free for the month of December. It launched in Toronto on Dec.1 in the Greater Toronto Area, and will be rolled out across Canada through the month.
The app is available for download on iPhone and Android.
