MANSFIELD — Towing is a business people never want to think about until they need it.
“That’s our biggest thing, and I think why we’re getting recognized more now, is because we strive for showing that compassion and understanding,” said Auer Towing owner Megan Auer.
“When people get in accidents, they’re shaken up and upset, and towing can have this stigma of being intimidating or scary. We have clean trucks, responsible and reliable drivers — we do background checks on everybody — so we really strive for that compassion and responsibility.”
Megan and Chad Auer, owners of Auer Towing & Recovery, saw the need for more locally owned towing services in Mansfield. They celebrated a ribbon cutting for their new office on Tuesday afternoon.
Megan said they started operations at their 225 Oak Street location in Mansfield last fall.
The couple opened the original location in Ashland in 2011 and added a Wooster location in 2022.
The Mansfield office is located at 225 Oak Street in Mansfield. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, but roadside services are available 24/7. The lot also has a locked gate to keep cars safe.
“Towing has had a bad stigma due to bad experiences, sketchy people, questionable rates or unsecured lots,” Megan Auer said. “We want to change that.”
Auer Towing & Recovery specializes in accident recovery and offers a full range of 24/7 roadside services and towing for light, medium and heavy-duty vehicles.
Megan Auer said while they only have three locations, their 10+ drivers can go anywhere in Ohio.
She shared a time they helped a young woman who was not old enough to rent a hotel room. Her car was not drivable, and she was hours from home. Chad Auer offered to drive her home, almost to the Indiana state line.
Auer Towing offers services across Ohio
“With 71 and 30, we get calls from all over,” she said. “We give people an option of which location they want to pick their car up at for what’s most convenient for them.
“We do everything from motorcycles to semi crashes — regular cars, pickups, equipment, tractors.”
President and CEO of the Richland County Chamber Ellen Heinz thanked the couple for opening a new office in Richland County.
“You put your lives on the line to keep people safe and get them where they need to be,” Heinz said. “Thank you for all you do. We are proud to have you in Richland County.”
Auer Towing has connections with emergency services and insurance companies so they can help customers more efficiently.
The Auers said they are working to grow their community education practices, too. The owners talked to Safety First Driving Academy students about roadside safety recently and taught them how to change a tire.
“If these kids know basic roadside safety, they are not on the side of the road getting hit or killed. It is all about helping and keeping others safe,” Megan said.
“Any schools that have touch-a-truck, or fire departments that need cars, we love to help out with any of that.”
Auer Towing also works with the Wooster Training Facility and local fire departments, helping use irreparable cars they recover for extraction practice.
“We give scrap cars for them to practice before giving them to the scrap yard,” Megan said.
Auer Towing and Recovery services include winch out/recovery, heavy-duty towing, jump start and lockout, repair services, tire sales, fuel delivery, rollback/wheel lifting and enclosed motorcycle trailers.
“I don’t think we have had anything we can not do yet,” Auer said.
Customers can contact Auer Towing & Recovery at 419-281-5000. The company is also online at auertowing.com and on Facebook.
