Fairfield County · 43130
Towing Lancaster, Ohio: Long Runs on US-33 and Moves Across Town
Lancaster marks the far end of our regular southeast coverage, and a lot of what we do there involves carrying a car the full distance back toward Columbus.
- Open 24/7, 365 days
- Flatbed-only fleet
- Price quoted before dispatch
- Licensed & insured
Lancaster is about 28.1 miles southeast of our yard, the longest regular trip we make in this direction. The route is the US-33 freeway almost the entire way, out past Canal Winchester and down to the bypass that has skirted the city since 2005. Because the drive is long, the arrival time the dispatcher quotes depends heavily on where our trucks already are and on how traffic is moving on 33.
That distance shapes the calls we take. Many Lancaster customers need a car moved between Fairfield County and Columbus: a commuter whose car quit on the drive home, a student at Ohio University Lancaster sending a car back to the family mechanic, or a buyer bringing home a purchase from a Columbus dealer. Others are local moves inside the city, from a downtown curb on Main Street or a lot on Memorial Drive to a repair shop across town.
Every car rides on a flatbed, which is the right way to carry it a long distance with no wear on the drivetrain. Ask for the full price before we head out, and that is the price you pay at the end of the drive unless the job changes. Call (614) 633-8163 or read about our long-distance towing.
Where calls come from
Roads we get called to in Lancaster
US-33 bypass
The controlled-access route around the city, finished in 2005. Breakdowns here are highway calls, so have your direction and the last exit ready.
US-22 (Main Street)
Downtown's east-west street, carrying SR-37 and SR-188 with it, and lined with curbside parking near the Sherman House.
Main Street at High Street
Where several state routes meet in the middle of downtown; a car stalled at this corner needs to be moved quickly.
Memorial Drive
The city's main retail road, where store lots account for most of our lockout and dead-battery calls in Lancaster.
Granville Pike
Leads north to Lancaster High School and Ohio University Lancaster, so it gets busy at the start and end of the school day.
SR-158
Begins downtown and runs north toward Baltimore; its rural stretches are the kind of road where a car can slip into a ditch in winter.
Services available in Lancaster
Towing
Roadside help
Specialty transport
Know the area
Around Lancaster
Landmarks
- Sherman House Museum
The 1811 house on East Main Street where General William T. Sherman grew up; parking around it is mostly on the street.
- Square 13 Historic District
One of the original town blocks, on the National Register since 1983, with narrow residential streets for a carrier to work around.
- Ohio Glass Museum
A downtown museum on the county's glassmaking past, where visitors usually park on the surrounding streets.
Parks
- Rising Park and Mount Pleasant
A North High Street park wrapped around a sandstone bluff; if you hike down to a car that won't start, tell us which lot you used.
Hospitals
- Fairfield Medical Center
Lancaster's hospital and largest employer; we can move a car out of its parking areas once the owner gives the word.
Colleges
- Ohio University Lancaster
The regional campus on Granville Pike, where commuter students from the Columbus side sometimes need a car hauled all the way home.
Schools
- Lancaster High School
The Golden Gales' school, also on Granville Pike and close to the OU campus, so say which school's lot you are in.
Big employers
- Anchor Hocking glass plant
A longtime Lancaster glassmaker whose shift workers' cars are the type of late-night job our dispatch handles any day of the week.
Towing in Lancaster: common questions
Do you really drive all the way out to Lancaster from Columbus?
Yes. Lancaster is part of our regular service area, about 28.1 miles from our Harrisburg Pike yard, and our trucks run US-33 out there whenever a call comes in. It is the farthest regular stop on our southeast side, so the trip naturally takes longer than a call in the city, and the dispatcher gives you a live estimate.
Can you tow my car from Lancaster to a dealer in Columbus?
That is one of the most frequent Lancaster jobs. The car goes on the flatbed and rides to the dealer or shop you pick, anywhere in the Columbus area. Call the shop ahead if it has after-hours drop instructions, and have the keys and any paperwork in hand when the driver arrives.
My car died on the US-33 bypass around Lancaster. What should I tell the dispatcher?
Your direction of travel, the last exit you passed, and whether you are on the shoulder or still in a lane. The bypass is controlled-access, so you cannot simply turn into a side street. Keep the flashers on and wait off the road, behind a barrier if there is one, until the driver gets to you.
Can you pick up a car from the Ohio University Lancaster campus?
Yes. Tell us which campus lot and building you are near, because the campus shares Granville Pike with Lancaster High School and the two are easy to mix up. Many students want the car taken home to the Columbus area, and we can quote that run before a truck is sent.
Is downtown Lancaster tricky for a flatbed?
A little. Main and High streets carry several state routes at once, and parking around the Sherman House and Square 13 is mostly at the curb. The driver might park the carrier around the corner and winch the car over to it. If you can, note the nearest cross street when you call.
Do you tow within Lancaster, or only back to Columbus?
Both. Moving a car from a Memorial Drive lot to a shop across town is a normal job for us. The difference shows up in the price: our trucks start in Columbus, so the trip out to Lancaster is part of any quote there, even for a short local move.
Why does a Lancaster tow cost more than one in Columbus?
Mostly distance. Every quote counts the miles from our yard to your car and from your car to its destination, and Lancaster is our longest regular trip to the southeast, so the travel portion is larger. The dispatcher gives you the complete price before the truck leaves; our rates page shows how it is built.
Can you help with a dead battery at Fairfield Medical Center?
Yes. Tell us which lot or entrance you are near, and the driver will try a jump first. If the battery will not hold a charge, we can talk about replacing it on the spot or tow the car wherever you want it. Visitors often call after a long day at the hospital, and dispatch answers at any hour.
Do you cover the towns between Columbus and Lancaster?
Yes. On US-33 our trucks pass Canal Winchester and run near Pickerington, so a breakdown anywhere along that stretch is on the way. Give the dispatcher your exact location, whether that is an exit number, a mile marker or a store parking lot, and the call can be worked into a run already headed out this way. Pickups in Canal Winchester are a shorter drive and priced accordingly.
Broken down in Lancaster?
One call covers it: where you are in Lancaster, what you drive, where it should go — and the quote comes first.
Next towns over
- Canal Winchester · 14.5 mi from our yard
- Pickerington · 16.5 mi from our yard
- Groveport · 10.4 mi from our yard
- Columbus neighborhoods
- Every town we cover
Where the trucks start
All four carriers that work Lancaster start and finish the day on Harrisburg Pike (US-62) on Columbus's southwest side. Call around the clock, 365 days a year.
1620 Harrisburg Pike
Columbus, OH 43223
Phone: (614) 633-8163
Email: lisa@autolyftusa.online
Directions to the yard