High volume of roadside assistance calls causing issues for AMA wait time system

A tow truck operator in Edmonton loads a car on Jan. 12, 2024, in -30 C temperatures. (CTV News Edmonton / Dave Mitchell)

The Alberta Motor Association (AMA) received a potentially historic number of requests for roadside assistance over the past few days – leading to some issues with their online wait time system in Calgary and Edmonton.

In a statement Monday, AMA said its dispatch system wasn’t displaying accurate wait times due to its high call volume.

“We're committed to providing accurate and transparent information, which is why we've temporarily taken wait times off our website as we resolve this issue,” AMA said in a statement.

According to a service alert on AMA’s website, a predicted time of arrival will be provided to customers online through their AMA account when available.

AMA said the service vehicle operator will reach out when they are en route.

Due to frigid temperatures across the province, the motor vehicle association said it received more than 32,000 calls for roadside assistance between Tuesday and Sunday, not including online requests.

That includes 22,000 motorists requiring a rescue from Friday to Sunday. Friday was the peak, with just over 9,000 calls in 24 hours.

“Every available operator is working overtime in these bitterly cold temperatures to ensure Albertans are helped as quickly and safely as possible, and we thank everyone for their patience,” AMA said.

As of 9 a.m. on Monday, the province-wide number of requests for boosts was 19 times higher than normal for this time of year.

Requests for a tow or winch service were 12 times the normal amount.