Breakdowns and roadside emergencies are costly expenses that no commercial truck operators enjoy. But while larger trucking fleets often have national service plans, owner-operators and independent drivers often find themselves alone on the road, negotiating their own prices for repairs. Thanks to a new program from Continental Tire the Americas, LLC’s Commercial Vehicle Tire business unit, members of the Owner-Operator and Independent Driver Association (OOIDA) can now remove some of the uncertainty that comes with emergencies.

As of August 1, 2012, OOIDA members are automatically enrolled in a new emergency road service program exclusive for the organization, called “TrukFix for OOIDA.” The program allows OOIDA members free access to a 24 hour, seven day per week call center with access to more than 1,000 points of sale in the U.S. and Canada. According to Clif Armstrong, director of marketing for commercial vehicle tires in the Americas, the program has no membership costs for OOIDA members and gives them added peace of mind.

“With TrukFix for OOIDA, drivers only have to call our toll-free assistance hotline at 877-TRUKFIX and provide their OOIDA membership number. From there, our trained emergency assistance operators will help identify the issue, locate a service provider, provide regulated pricing for tires and related services, and stay in contact with the driver until he or she is back on the road,” Armstrong explained.

“It’s a reliable service that not only helps OOIDA members get back on the road faster, but gives them a predictable, competitive price for Continental and General brand truck tires and emergency services,” he said. “We’ve taken some of the guesswork out of breakdowns so that independent drivers don’t have to worry about the unpredictable prices for tires when they need them most.”

For OOIDA members who have iPhone or iPad mobile devices, the TrukFix for OOIDA service is also accessible with just a tap of the screen through Continental’s Truck Tires Dealer Locator app. The application can be found on the iTunes App Store by searching for “Continental Truck Tires Dealer Locator.” Continental has also published a QR code to instantly download the application from its Web site at www.continental-truck.com. With this application, there is just a single click to dial the TrukFix call center from an iPhone.

TrukFix for OOIDA also offers convenient credit card billing, as well as follow-up calls made the next day to make sure that the owner-operator is satisfied with the service they have received, said Armstrong.

“We’re happy to be working with OOIDA on this valuable service for its members. Unfortunately, roadside emergencies can happen to any commercial driver, whether affiliated with a large carrier or independent. But our new TrukFix for OOIDA ensures that its members have fewer headaches when it comes to pricing for tires in an emergency,” Armstrong said.

The TrukFix for OOIDA program joins Continental’s suite of emergency road service plans, which also include TrukFix for Continental national account customers and ContiFleet for smaller fleets. For more information about any of these plans, visit www.trukfix.com.