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Diesel truck guides · Licensed & Insured · Maryland · 24/7 dispatch

Semi Truck Breakdown in Maryland: What to Do

Safety comes first: turn on your hazard lights, steer to the safest spot you can reach, and move the truck off the roadway if it is safe to do so. If anyone is hurt, there is fire, a hazmat spill, or you are in immediate danger, call 911. Once you are safe, call Priority Towing and Recovery dispatch at (240) 780-8691, 24/7, and we will send a mobile diesel mechanic or heavy recovery equipment.

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Step 1: Get safe

  • Turn on your hazard lights as soon as the truck is in trouble.
  • Move off the roadway if it is safe. Coast to the shoulder, an exit, or a parking area if you can. A stopped truck in a travel lane is the worst case.
  • Stay alert to traffic. If you must leave the cab, watch for traffic, and exit on the side away from moving vehicles when you can.
  • Put out warning devices such as reflective triangles when it is safe to do so, as federal rules for commercial drivers require.
  • Call 911 if there is danger: injury, fire or smoke, a fuel or hazmat spill, a load that has shifted into traffic, or the truck blocking lanes.
  • If you are in a spot where leaving the cab is not safe, stay buckled in with hazards on and call 911.

Step 2: Call dispatch and share what you know

Once you are safe and no emergency exists, call (240) 780-8691. Dispatch is 24/7. Have this ready:

  • Your exact location: highway or road, direction of travel, mile marker or nearest exit or cross street
  • Truck and trailer type, and whether the trailer is loaded
  • What happened: lamps, warning messages, noises, a flat tire, a no-start, a derate
  • Any hazmat, oversized, or time-sensitive load information
  • Whether the truck is on the shoulder, in a lane, or off the road

Step 3: What happens next

Based on what you tell us, dispatch sends the right help from the closest of our four Maryland locations. That can be a mobile diesel mechanic for diagnosis and repair on site, such as a DPF derate, DEF fault, tire, electrical, or air brake problem, or heavy-duty towing and recovery equipment if the truck needs to be moved.

See truck road service, mobile diesel mechanic, and heavy-duty towing & recovery. Shop diesel repair is available only at our Randallstown location, 9325 Liberty Rd.

While you wait for help

  • Keep hazards on and stay in a safe place, away from traffic. A spot behind a guardrail or well off the shoulder is better than beside the truck.
  • Do not attempt repairs on the shoulder of a busy road.
  • Keep your phone charged and answer calls from dispatch.
  • If the truck has an emissions-related fault, do not bypass or disable any system. We repair and restore emissions systems and do not do deletes or delete tuning.

Semi truck breakdown in Maryland FAQ

What should I do first if my semi breaks down?

Turn on hazard lights, move off the roadway if it is safe, and call 911 if anyone is hurt or you are in danger. Then call dispatch at (240) 780-8691.

When should I call 911 instead of a tow or mechanic?

Call 911 for injury, fire, smoke, a fuel or hazmat spill, a shifted load in traffic, or any immediate danger, including a truck blocking lanes.

Do you offer 24/7 help for semi breakdowns in Maryland?

Yes. Dispatch is 24/7 at (240) 780-8691. Priority Towing and Recovery is licensed and insured.

Can you fix the truck where it broke down?

Often, yes. Our mobile diesel mechanic works at the roadside, at your yard, or at a job site. If the truck cannot be finished on site, we can tow it to our Randallstown shop.

What information should I give dispatch?

Your exact location, truck and trailer type, what happened or what the dash shows, whether the load is hazmat or time-sensitive, and where the truck is sitting.

Do you work on cars or pickups?

No. We service commercial diesel trucks only, not passenger-car auto repair.

Mobile diesel service from four Maryland locations

Mobile service rolls from the closest Priority location to the roadside, your yard, or a job site. See the full service area. Shop diesel repair is available only at the Randallstown location.

Related: truck road service · mobile diesel mechanic · heavy-duty towing & recovery · DPF derate repair · contact / fleet quote · service area · all diesel truck guides

Broke down in Maryland? Call dispatch · 24/7

Safe first, then call. One number for the mobile diesel mechanic and heavy recovery. For immediate danger, call 911.

Call (240) 780-8691 Request Fleet Quote heavy-duty towing & recovery