Tag Archives: dr. hook towing

Pulling for the Community

Do you have what it takes to pull a 33,000 lb. semi with 53 ft. trailer 125 feet? We’re proud to say at Dr. Hook, we’re not only willing to give it a try – but to sponsor such a good cause.

The 8th Annual Truck Pull in support of the United Way was held at by the Manitoba Trucking Association at Assiniboine Park. For members of the trucking industry, we spend our days and nights pulling freight or pulling you out of the ditch and we’re honored to be part of pulling the community forward.

At Dr. Hook, we’re proud to be part of the sponsors that allow 100% of the money raised in the truck pull to go directly to United Way.

team-pulling img_3100 part-of-our-fleet sponsor team-before team-during Dr Hook Community Support

Peace of Mind on the Road

If you are a driver, you may have experienced a problem with your vehicle while out on the road. Whether your car won’t start, a flat tire, ran out of gas or locked your keys in your car. Whatever the situation might have been and whether your are an experienced driver or not, you know the immense amount of frustration and panic that most likely kicked in.  Think others would feel the same?  You’re probably right. Why not help out a fellow driver by offering a Dr. Hook prepaid gift card. This takes the hassle out of trying to figure out what to do when caught in a jam. Plus, providing that extra financial help during an emergency situation is an added bonus.

Not sure who to give it to? Dr. Hook offers complete roadside assistance to every type of vehicle, from cars to big rigs. We also provide roadside assistance to company vehicles.

Our employees are constantly trained, upgraded, and certified in all aspects of the Towing and Recovery Industry. All our calls are answered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  Make driving one step easier by offering someone a Dr. Hook pre-paid gift card.  You may conveniently purchase a gift card on our website or learn more about Roadside Assistance.

World’s Largest Truck Convoy 2014

On September 6th, the 7th Annual World’s Largest Truck Convoy was held in support of Special Olympics Manitoba. This year there were a record 190 trucks that participated and raised a grand total of $59,000!

Dr. Hook was happy to be a part of this great event to raise money and awareness for the Special Olympic athletes. Thank you to all the drivers who participated.

Safe Travels for a Festive Canada Day Weekend

Winnipeggers, your time has come!

The open road this (long) weekend beckons families before moms and dads separate from sons and daughters. Cottage country and lake life has never looked so serene.

Getting to your destination, however, comes with its challenges. Having Suzie and Sam in the back seat is certainly a blessing when you consider just how few trips you get together, especially as they get older; but as amazing as these trips are, they can also be hazardous for your highway driving.

Consider statistics reported by Medical Today. a study by the Monash University Accident Research Center found that drivers were 12 times more distracted by their kids than by cell phones, and spent more than 3 minutes of a 16-minute trip looking at or talking to their offspring.

So when you’re driving, remember – when the fuss begins, it’s better to pull over than to threaten, less you end up in trouble and require roadside assistance.

A History of Driving Disaster in Canadiens Stanley Cup Lore

The fate of the Montreal Canadiens was sealed Thursday night when they were eliminated by the New York Rangers in the sixth game of the Eastern Conference Finals. Despite the loss, the progress the team made this year has helped renew faith in a franchise that has been without a Stanley Cup in 20 years.

But for the safety of the fabled championship trophy donated by Lord Stanley of Preston, a Habs drought may not be a bad thing.

The tales of damage and dings to the famed chalice are legendary, and the Canadiens, winners of 24 Stanley Cups in their history, are far from immune. In fact, there was one occasion where Les Habitants could have definitely benefited from roadside assistance, courtesy of Dr. Hook.

Back in 1924, the Canadiens were celebrating their latest Stanley Cup victory over the Calgary Tigers. A group of players – and the Stanley Cup – were en route to owner/general manager Leo Dandurand’s home for a a celebration when their vehicle got a flat tire.

This is where, perhaps, the team should have called for a fix, rather than working on their own. Instead, the players got out of the card and did the work themselves.

Amidst the drama over fixing their flat, however, the team quickly got back in their car and drove off to Dandurand’s, leaving the Cup on the side of the road.

One can only imagine the stories that hockey historians would share today had the Cup not been recovered soon after. While the trophy wasn’t in its recognizable form today, it still was an impressive silver presentation bowl at this time and easily could have been stolen.

The moral of the story?

First, when you have a flat, the last thing to do is take your valuables out of the car if you’re going to DIY getting back on the road.

And second, don’t take chances – if you encounter a flat, calling for roadside assistance when you’re at all unsure of what to do is your best course of action.

Our Trucks Are Ready For You All Easter Weekend

Winnipeg, congratulations – you’ve reached the hallmark moment of the winter/spring turnover – Easter Weekend.

Over the past number of years, we’ve received such a variance in conditions outdoors that we can’t label any single day as the ‘unofficial’ start of the warm season; yet even in this, the coldest winter since the late 1800s, we’re looking great for this weekend with warmer temperatures and almost a full dissipation of snow.

Having said all this, there is a cautionary note – Winnipeg streets have fallen victim to the freeze/thaw/repeat cycle that we’ve had over the last couple weeks, continued problems are surfacing on Winnipeg roads. The result is that driving over the next few weeks will still involve some bobbing and weaving to avoid.

If you do hit one of Winnipeg’s potholes this weekend though, don’t fret – help is on the way and will indeed be here for you throughout the Easter weekend. That’s right. Our trucks will be in service throughout Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, just as we are each and every day of the year, regardless of holidays.

Our mission is to help Manitobans in need when automotive issues arise. Whether you’ve been in an accident, run out of gas or simply locked yourself out of your car, we’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for your roadside assistance needs.

Have a safe holiday weekend Winnipeg. Stay alert when driving!

Have a New Driver? Make Sure They Are Protected

Ahh to be 16 again.

We can remember the excitement of finally being old enough to be behind the wheel of our parents’ car or truck. Sure, the ‘milkman van’ wasn’t the funkiest four-tire transportation we had to drive, but it served its purpose – it gave us freedom to go out on
Manitoba roads, riding high with our cronies.

Of course, we can all remember incidents that happened during those carefree days that all the sudden made them not-so-care-free. From running out of gas (and not having cash) to our first fender benders, we went through that all-important rite of passage and came out on the other end that much wiser for it.

That rite of passage continues today for teens in Winnipeg and across the province. Inevitably, something will happen  either to you new driver of one of their friends. It’s the unfortunate reality that new drivers face.

Of course, as parents, we want to do all we can to protect our kids, and short of giving them hockey helmets to wear in the car (which we all know they wouldn’t be caught dead wearing), the best we can do is to arm them in case there an emergency arises.

This is where Dr. Hook comes in. Our pre-paid, rechargeable gift cards will help your new driver out when they’re in a pinch without them having to resort to the credit card with a tight spending limit.

Shop online now for your rechargeable Dr. Hook gift cards and let your teen start driving with a little piece of mind.

Winnipeg Street Clearing, But….

If you saw a deluge of snowplows on the way to work this morning, there’s good reason – as of 7am today, Winnipeg has enacted a city-wide operation to clear residential streets.

As reported by the Winnipeg Free Press, clearing began with the plan to clear in anticipation of the spring melt. This plan will be moving forward over the next few weeks.

With this news comes questions by motorists, naturally, of whether their cars need to be moved from the street in advance of their zone being plowed. Some may have thrown up their arms in defeat to Mother Nature which blanketed Winnipeg once again Sunday night with a large sheet of snow and not shovelled off carpads or driveways, figuring the streets were just fine.

The good news is that an overnight parking ban is not in effect. Cars will not be ticketed or towed if they are found on residential streets while clearing operations are running.

That’s the good news. The bad news, however, is that by not removing your car you are hampering the city’s progress; so we still advise Winnipeg vehicle owners to move their ride, especially if you are parked in front of any drainage spots.

Pothole Season has Started! Beware!

Good news Winnipeg, the overnight parking ban has been lifted!

Bad news Winnipeg, pothole season has officially begun.

After a pre-season that already proved hazardous thanks to a couple days in and around 0, the Winnipeg road landscape now looks to be fully picked apart by the remnants of a soon-to-be-departed winter (once the snow stops falling of course, but more on this in a moment).

Potholes are unfortunately unavoidable as a phenomenon, and can be downright treacherous for drivers. Depending on the size of a pothole, the speed of the driver and the condition of tires, damage can occur with nary a moment’s notice and be as severe as busting tires, cracking bumpers and throwing off wheel alignment.

What makes potholes worse, now, is that with the snowfall we experienced over the last couple days, they’ve been unfortunately hidden from plain sight, and with slush developing from the melt we’ll have with above-0 temperatures on Sunday and Monday, pools will start to form in these spots, making them hard to differentiate from a paved road.

We strongly advise all drivers to stay calm on the streets and keep your speed levels down. While you may have the temptation to plow through streets at higher speeds after cutting your km/hr by 10 or 15 during the slippery snow-coated conditions of the past few months, we’re not in a safe zone yet.

Drive Safe Manitoba!

Dr. Hook Gift Cards for All Seasons… and No Reasons

At long last, the gift-giving season is over.

Christmas and Valentine’s Day, unquestionably, are the two biggest present times of the year. Leaving aside birthdays and anniversaries, you’re more likely to spend money on someone else in late December and early February than any other time of the year.

Just because these seasons are finished, however, doesn’t mean that kindness stops; in fact, the best way to show someone you care is to give them a gift during one of the ‘off seasons’ when a gift is least expected.

One of those times is now, when you’re clear of the holidays and into a dreary time between Valentine’s Day and Easter, where the snowy weather is giving one last inclimate push before the mess of melt happens.

This is going to be a problematic driving time ahead for Winnipeggers, as slush and melt turn frozen overnight on a regular basis and leave an air of unpredictability when you head out in the morning or leave an event in the evening.

Arm your loved one in case a roadside emergency occurs with a Dr. Hook gift card. These refillable cards can be ordered in a variety of denominations and help you make sure those close to you have a safety net should an accident occur.

For more on Dr. Hook gift cards, click here or call 204 956 HOOK today.

Stay safe Winnipeg!