College campuses
Franklin University towing for students who work all day and study at night
Franklin's students tend to have jobs, families and long commutes. When the car fails downtown after class, we get it started or get it to a shop.
- Open 24/7, 365 days
- Flatbed-only fleet
- Price quoted before dispatch
- Licensed & insured
Franklin University built its reputation on teaching adults who already have jobs, and its downtown campus on South Grant Avenue reflects that. People arrive after work, park for a few hours, and drive home to the suburbs late in the evening. Many Franklin students take some or all of their classes online, so a trip downtown is often a specific errand: an exam, a meeting with an advisor, a class that meets in person. Auto Lyft USA handles Franklin University towing and roadside calls for students, staff and visitors when that trip ends with a car that won't go.
A breakdown hits differently when you have to be at work at seven the next morning. Our job is to make the next step clear: a jump or a spare bolted on so you're home tonight, or a flatbed tow to the shop of your choice so the car is in line for repair first thing.
We dispatch from our yard on Harrisburg Pike, southwest of downtown, and every price is quoted before a driver is sent. You can call from the car, from a classroom or from the lobby while you wait somewhere warm.
Evening breakdowns and what to do in the first five minutes
Most Franklin calls come in after dark. Before you call anyone, take a breath and run through a short checklist. It saves time and sometimes saves the call altogether.
- Look for anything left on: headlights, dome light, a charger in the outlet. That points to a battery and a jump start.
- Listen when you turn the key. Rapid clicking usually means a weak battery; a single click or silence can mean a starter. Our guide to battery, starter and alternator trouble explains the difference.
- Check the tires if the car pulled or thumped on the way in. A flat with a good spare is a roadside call, not a tow.
- If your keys are visible through the glass, don't force anything. A lockout visit is cheaper than a new window.
- Move somewhere lit and safe while you wait. Campus buildings, a lobby or a well-lit stretch of sidewalk are all better than standing in a dark lot.
Getting the car to your shop, not just off the street
Franklin students often have a mechanic near home, in Grove City, Westerville, Hilliard or wherever they live, and would rather the car go there than to a shop downtown they don't know. That's fine. Give the dispatcher the shop's address, and the quote will reflect how far the car rides to get there. If the shop is closed when we arrive, check whether it has a night drop for keys; many do, some don't.
If you don't have a regular shop, we'll name an independent shop we partner with that can find the problem and price the repair. We're a repair shop towing service, not a garage, so the diagnosis, estimate and repair happen at the shop. You make the call on the repair after they call you.
How to describe where you're parked
Franklin's campus is in the Discovery District, a short walk from the Main Library and Topiary Park, and its surroundings mix university buildings, offices and apartments. Give the dispatcher the street you're on and the nearest cross street, such as Grant Avenue at Town Street or Main Street, then mention whether you're curbside, in a lot or inside a garage.
In a garage, the level number and whichever stairwell you can see are the two most useful details. If the car is in a lot behind a building, name the building and which entrance the lot is off. Details like these let the driver come straight to you.
What it costs
We price from our published rates. Roadside visits are $75 flat plus $4 per mile from our yard. A tow is $125 to hook up, $7 per loaded mile and $4 per mile en route. After 10 PM and before 6 AM, the job costs $150 more. Weekends cost $50 more. Sales tax follows the county of the pickup. A tow from Grant Avenue to a shop 15 miles away is $125 plus $105 in loaded miles, plus the short en-route leg downtown and tax.
Franklin University: what drivers ask
How quickly can Franklin University towing get to me downtown?
Downtown is close to our yard on Harrisburg Pike, so it's a short run for our trucks. Quoting an arrival time sight unseen would be a guess, because traffic and other jobs shift through the evening, but the dispatcher tells you what the board looks like right then and calls back if that changes. Wait close to the car with your ringer turned up; the driver phones as they turn onto your street.
Will you take the car to a suburban mechanic I already use?
Yes. You choose where the car goes. The price rests mostly on the distance from Grant Avenue to that shop, plus the hook-up and our drive to reach you. Call the shop first if it's after hours to find out whether it has a key drop. If it doesn't, we can bring the car to your home and you can drive it in once it's been looked at.
My car won't start after an evening class. Is it the battery?
Often, but not always. Clicking and dim dash lights usually mean a weak battery, and a jump will get you home. A single click with bright lights can point to a starter, and a car that starts with a jump but dies again shortly after may have a charging problem. After the jump, a battery test helps sort out which of those you're dealing with.
Is there an extra charge for late-night calls near Franklin?
Yes, for calls between 10 PM and 6 AM. That window adds $150 to the job. Weekends add $50. Both are on our published rate card and the dispatcher includes them in the quote you hear on the phone, so you know the full price before deciding. If the car is safely parked and the problem can wait until morning, you can choose to call then instead.
I take most classes online. Do you cover my home too?
Yes. We serve Columbus and the surrounding towns in central Ohio, not just downtown. If your car fails in your driveway in Reynoldsburg or at work in Dublin, the same rates apply. Only the en-route miles change, because they're measured from our yard to wherever the car is. Call the same number, (614) 633-8163.
Can you change a flat in a downtown garage?
Usually, yes. A tire change is a flat-rate roadside job. The driver needs room to get a jack under the car and the spare needs to be inflated. Tell us the garage name and level so we know how to reach you. If the spare is missing or flat too, we'll quote a tow to a tire shop instead.
Do I need to be there when the driver arrives?
For a jump, lockout or tire change, yes, because the car needs to be handed back to you once it's running or open. For a tow, being there with your ID and the key keeps things simple. If you've had to leave, talk it through with the dispatcher, who can tell you what arrangements will work for your situation.
Do veterans get a discount?
Yes. Veterans receive 10% off with ID. If you're a veteran, mention it when you call and show your ID to the driver when they arrive. It's a small thing, but on a long tow home it adds up. The discount applies to the job itself. The dispatcher will factor it into the quote so you know the reduced number up front.
Car won't go?
Someone picks up 24/7, quotes the Franklin University job and texts you the driver's name.
Nearby towns
Franklin University is not affiliated with Auto Lyft USA and does not endorse or recommend our company.
Where the trucks start
Every truck sent to Franklin University rolls out of our yard on Harrisburg Pike (US-62) on Columbus's southwest side. Dispatch runs 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