Westworld Alberta

behind the wheel Road Rescue Tales Stories of winter calls that slowed us down – and how to help us get you on your way Winterize your vehicle early this year to avoid needing AMA Roadside Assistance. L ast winter AMA's call centre answered 216,377 calls from members. The top three Roadside Assistance requests were for boosts, tows and unlocking doors. For the most part, the calls were routine and the responders were able to get the motorists on their way with little diffi culty. That said, over the season, there was a spike in the number of calls that took longer than necessary, and calls that could have been avoided altogether. Read on for three tales of Roadside Assistance calls that were less than routine – and tips on how you can help speed up the system for everyone. The Buried Minivan A string of snowstorms hammered the city of Edmonton last winter. Phone calls and online requests for battery boosts and vehicle tows fl ooded in to AMA's 24-hour contact centre. Halfway through the season, Joe Morris, automotive services shift lead with AMA's Calgary fl eet, was seconded to Edmonton, with nine other AMA service vehicle operators, to assist with the increased call volume. One day, Morris responded to a call to tow a red minivan whose transmission had failed. When he arrived with a fl at deck, he couldn't even see the vehicle. The street in front of the address was a fi eld of white, with one suspicious bump. A swipe of his snow brush revealed a splash of red; the van had obviously been parked there all winter. "The road hadn't been cleared of the most recent snowfall and underneath the powder there were two feet of hard-pack," recalls Morris. So it was no longer a routine call. He struggled to clear the snow off the van, losing his footing and sinking up to his waist. After much maneuvering, Morris managed to clear the way and load the van onto his truck – in an hour and 45 minutes. In other circumstances, he could have dealt with three calls in that time. HOW YOU CAN HELP The responsibility for clearing snow belongs to the driver, not the responder. When AMA responders spend extra time digging out a vehicle, it slows down the system for everyone. So if you've called for assistance, clear any snow from on top or around your vehicle and shovel a path so that the AMA service vehicle operator can reach it. 44 WESTWORLD >> NOVEMBER 2011 (top) J. David Andrews/Masterfile, Getty Images

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