Emergency assistance calls can triple on "Code Red" days.
Know what to expect when you call CAA!
Did you know that on an average winter day, CAA North & East Ontario (CAANEO) receives about 500 calls for roadside assistance? And on extremely cold days, that number can easily triple as calls flood in for dead batteries. That’s right, heavy snow isn't the reason for longer wait times - it’s subzero temperatures!
“Snow doesn’t drive our call volumes up as much as the cold does,” says Hassan Al-Khairalla, Assistant Operations Manager, Automotive Services for CAANEO. “This is because extreme cold can cause batteries to fail, and the surge in calls can lead to longer wait times for Members.
“We call them Code Red days,” he explains. “Any day that is -25°C or colder, or when there are several cold days in a row in the range of -20°C.”
To prepare for these potentially high call-volume days, the Club hires and trains seasonal workers, and pulls in staff from other departments to take calls for emergency roadside assistance. But even with more hands on deck, CAA Members could still encounter longer than normal wait times (of up to 24 hours if a Member is safe at home).
Al-Khairalla explains why: “We try to get to each caller as quickly as we can. To do that, we prioritize our calls. First priority is stranded Members who are in an unsafe location and have nowhere to go to keep warm,” he says. “When it’s -25°C, that’s a dangerous situation with real risks, and we want to get to those calls first.”
Second priority is when the caller is in a safe location - for example a mall or the library. Wherever the location may be, the Member is indoors and warm.
“Our third priority is Members that call in for help, but from the safety of their homes. We try to get to them as soon as possible – but only after helping those that are in more immediately dangerous situations.”
No matter which priority a service call falls into, CAANEO is committed to staying in touch with the Member from the moment they call in for help. All service calls are monitored continuously, and Members are notified immediately of any change to CAA's estimated time of arrival.
Want to skip wait times over the phone? Download the CAA Mobile App and get roadside assistance at your fingertips! With a few swipes, you'll be able to make your service request, plus track it in real-time from start to finish. Available for iPhone and android smartphones, get on-the-road peace of mind and download the app today!
