Quick Summary:
- Move to a safe shoulder or exit, switch hazards on immediately.
- Call your rental roadside number first, then toll-road assistance if needed.
- Ask about authorised towing, rates, and where the vehicle will be taken.
- Keep receipts and tow details to dispute tolls and admin fees.
A breakdown on a Texas toll road can feel expensive before you have even made a phone call. The good news is that most extra charges come from preventable missteps, such as leaving the vehicle in a tow-only zone, using an unauthorised tow operator, or ignoring how toll billing works on rental cars. This guide explains where to stop, who to contact, and how to keep toll and towing costs from snowballing.
If you arranged your car hire through Hola Car Rentals for arrivals in Dallas or Houston, it helps to know your pickup location paperwork is your first reference point, because the rental agreement and roadside instructions are often tucked into the same email or wallet pack. For example, travellers collecting at Dallas DFW airport car hire or Houston IAH car rental in Texas typically receive a roadside number and guidance on approved towing.
Step 1: Get to a safer place without creating a bigger problem
Your first aim is to reduce risk. On Texas toll roads, traffic often moves fast and shoulders can be narrow. If the car still rolls, do not stop in a live lane. Signal early, switch on hazard lights, and coast to the right shoulder. If you are close to an exit, it is usually safer and often cheaper to exit and stop in a well-lit area, such as a fuel station car park, rather than waiting on the shoulder.
Only attempt to drive further if it will not damage the vehicle. If you have a flat tyre, severe overheating, or warning lights indicating critical failure, continuing can convert a manageable repair into negligence and extra charges. If the vehicle cannot be moved, stay belted with hazards on while you assess your exact location and contact help.
On toll roads, stopping in a signed no-stopping area can trigger rapid removal by contracted towing. That tow can be costly, and it may not be the tow your rental company authorises. If you can safely relocate even a short distance to a wider shoulder or an emergency bay, do so. Look for signage that indicates an emergency stopping area or a service access point, but never cross barriers or drive into restricted maintenance lanes.
Step 2: Pinpoint your location the way responders expect
Telling someone you are “on a toll road near Dallas” wastes time. Use the clues toll-road operators and tow dispatchers understand:
Use road name plus direction. Examples include “President George Bush Turnpike eastbound” or “Sam Houston Tollway southbound”.
Find the nearest mile marker or gantry. Many toll roads have small mile markers or signage near exits and interchanges. If you can see an exit number, note it.
Use your phone maps pin. Read out the closest cross-street or interchange name. If you are uncomfortable sharing GPS coordinates, state the nearest exit and direction of travel.
Note lane closures and hazards. If you are partly in a lane, mention it, since that changes the urgency and sometimes who is dispatched first.
Step 3: Who to call first, to avoid unnecessary towing and fees
To avoid extra charges, the order of calls matters.
1) Call your rental company roadside assistance number. This is usually on the rental agreement, the key tag, or the confirmation email. The rental company can authorise service, dispatch an approved tow, and record the incident so you are not later accused of abandoning the vehicle. If you used Hola Car Rentals to compare providers, your confirmation documents still point you to the operating rental brand for roadside assistance, because they control the vehicle.
2) If you are in danger, call 911. If the car is stuck in a live lane, visibility is poor, or there is a collision, emergency services take priority. Safety costs less than delays and secondary crashes.
3) Contact the toll-road operator’s roadside programme if applicable. Some Texas toll facilities provide courtesy assistance for minor issues, such as moving a vehicle to a safer spot, traffic control, or contacting a tow. This can reduce the risk of a private tow showing up first. Your rental roadside team can advise whether to involve toll-road assistance in parallel.
4) Use a tow only if it is authorised. A common source of extra charges is accepting the first tow that stops. On busy corridors around major airports, opportunistic operators sometimes appear quickly. If you have not been dispatched a tow by the rental company or toll-road operator, treat it as unauthorised until proven otherwise.
What to say on the call, to keep control of costs
When you speak to roadside assistance, ask specific questions that limit surprises later.
Confirm whether towing is covered. Some agreements include roadside assistance cover, others do not. Even when towing is not included, the rental company may still require you to use an approved vendor. Using an unapproved tow can add admin fees on top of the tow bill.
Ask where the vehicle will be towed. Ideally it goes to a rental branch, approved repair facility, or a secure impound lot the rental company recognises. If the tow driver suggests a different destination, confirm with roadside first.
Clarify storage and after-hours fees. Many big bills come from overnight storage at an impound yard, not the tow itself. If the breakdown occurs late, ask whether the vehicle can be towed somewhere without storage fees.
Request an estimated arrival time and reference number. Record the time, the dispatcher name, and any case number. If you later dispute a fee, these details help.
How toll billing works during a breakdown
Toll roads in Texas often use cashless billing via transponder tags or licence-plate invoicing. With a rental vehicle, tolls are typically billed to the rental company, then passed to you, sometimes with an added admin fee per day of toll usage or per toll programme.
During a breakdown, there are three toll-related scenarios to watch:
You entered the toll road before the breakdown. You will still owe the toll for that segment, even if you exit early or get towed off. That is normal and not a “breakdown charge”.
The vehicle is towed through toll points. If the tow truck carries the vehicle along the toll road rather than exiting immediately, additional tolls might be recorded. Ask for the tow route to minimise toll segments where possible. The rental roadside dispatcher can often instruct the tow to exit at the nearest safe point.
The car is moved after you leave it. If an unauthorised tow relocates the vehicle, toll charges can appear that you did not expect. This is why it is crucial to keep towing authorised and documented.
Also note that some toll agencies bill by licence plate if the transponder is absent or not detected. That can lead to higher “pay-by-mail” rates. Rental companies generally handle the administrative receipt of those invoices, then pass through the charges. Your best defence is documentation and an incident record created promptly.
Avoiding admin fees and disputed charges
Admin fees are not always avoidable, but many are triggered by uncertainty. Reduce ambiguity with a paper trail.
Take photos. Photograph the dashboard warning lights, the tyre or leak if visible, and the location. If you can safely capture a nearby mile marker or exit sign, do it.
Save receipts and tow paperwork. If you pay anything out of pocket, keep the invoice. Ensure it shows date, time, pickup point, drop-off point, and the tow company details.
Do not abandon the vehicle without instructions. If you must leave for safety, tell roadside assistance and follow their process. Unreported abandonment can lead to recovery fees and storage costs.
Ask for a replacement vehicle process. If the car needs towing, confirm where and how you will get a replacement, and whether you must return to the original pickup location. If you started your trip from a major hub such as San Antonio SAT car rental, there may be multiple nearby branches that can help.
Know that “accident” and “mechanical failure” are treated differently. If there is any collision, even minor, report it as required. Accident handling can involve different fees and insurance steps than a simple mechanical breakdown.
Special considerations on major Texas toll corridors
Texas has several major toll networks around Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio, with different operators and signage. The practical approach is the same, but traffic patterns differ.
Dallas and Fort Worth area. High-speed interchanges and heavy commuter traffic make shoulder stops risky. If you hired an SUV for space or family travel, remember that heavier vehicles can take longer to stop safely. If your trip began with SUV rental at Dallas DFW, keep the roadside number readily accessible, because quick dispatch helps you avoid secondary incidents and unplanned tows.
Houston area. Long loops and feeder roads mean you might have an immediate non-toll frontage road option. If you can safely reach a frontage road exit, you may avoid extra toll segments during towing. Travellers using Enterprise at the airport may have a dedicated process, as outlined for Enterprise car rental at Houston IAH, but always follow the roadside number on your own agreement.
What not to do, even if you are stressed
Do not accept a tow on the spot without authorisation. The biggest surprise bills often start here.
Do not leave the car in a prohibited zone if it can be moved. Contracted enforcement towing can be fast and expensive.
Do not pay cash without a full invoice. If you must pay, use a method that produces a clear receipt and insist on documentation.
Do not assume tolls stop when the car stops. If the vehicle is transported on tolled lanes, tolls can still accrue.
Do not ignore follow-up. After you are safe, email or note the timeline while it is fresh, including who you spoke to and when.
After you are back on the road, check for toll and towing pass-throughs
In the days after your trip, review your final rental charges. Tolls often arrive later than fuel charges, and pass-through systems may post after the rental is closed. If you see tolls that do not match your route, compare them with the breakdown date and tow route. Your saved case number, tow invoice, and photos make it easier to query any anomalies.
If you believe tolls were generated while the vehicle was under the control of a tow operator or impound, highlight that in your dispute. Be precise: state the time you stopped driving, the time the tow picked up the vehicle, and the destination. The goal is not to avoid legitimate tolls, but to avoid paying for someone else’s movements or avoidable administrative add-ons.
FAQ
Q: If my car hire breaks down on a Texas toll road, should I call the toll operator or the rental company first?
A: Call the rental company roadside assistance first, unless you are in immediate danger. They can authorise towing and document the incident, which helps prevent extra charges.
Q: Will I be charged tolls if the car is towed off the toll road?
A: You will usually pay the toll for the segment you entered. Additional tolls can appear if the tow continues along tolled lanes, so ask that the tow exits at the nearest safe point.
Q: Can I use any tow truck that stops to help me?
A: It is safer financially to use only a tow authorised by your rental company or arranged via the toll-road operator. Unauthorised towing can lead to higher fees, storage costs, and admin charges.
Q: What information should I collect to avoid disputed toll and admin fees later?
A: Note the road name and direction, mile marker or exit, time of breakdown, dispatcher name, case number, and keep tow invoices. Photos of the location and dashboard warnings also help.
Q: Could I be charged for abandoning the vehicle if I step away to get help?
A: Potentially, yes. If you must leave for safety, inform roadside assistance, follow their instructions, and document what you did, so the vehicle is not treated as unreported abandonment.
