What is AAA most famous for? Our roadside assistance program of course! So as the new marketing guy with AAA WNY, I wasn’t surprised to find out that I was scheduled for a “ride along” with one of AAA’s Fleet Drivers.

As it turned out, my ride along took place during one of Buffalo’s most brutal winter storms in recent memory, providing me the experience of braving the cold and snow while AAA Fleet Driver Christopher McArthur did all off the hard work. 

The poor weather conditions led to a spike in service calls that McArthur correctly predicted would revolve around depleted batteries and cars trapped in snow and ice. 
 

CAR STUCK IN SNOWY DRIVEWAY

AAA Fleet Drivers’ workdays are busy and often unpredictable. Factor in a winter snowstorm to complicate the busy Monday morning commute and you have a recipe for chaos. 

A driver attempting to return home on Buffalo’s East Side tried her luck at parking in an unshoveled driveway. Unfortunately, her low profile sedan immediately got stuck in the thick snow, leaving the back end of the vehicle hanging out into the residential street.
“Don’t worry, we’ll get you out in no time,” McArthur told the driver. 

With temperatures in the low teens, McArthur gathered some of his more primitive tools—a mallet and chisel—to help the car’s tires gain some traction. As McArthur explained, the driver had created very slick ice surfaces by spinning her tires while attempting to drive out of the snow. McArthur broke up the polished ice with his tools, shoveled excess snow out from under the car’s tires and strategically drove the car back into the road. 

The driver hopped behind the wheel, thanked McArthur, and drove off. 

“That’s one down,” McArthur said as he sat back down in his fleet truck, ready to take on the next challenge.

DEAD BATTERY IN THE GARAGE

Dead car batteries are one of the top reasons for AAA service calls, McArthur said, particularly when the weather is frigid and especially after vehicles have been sitting for a few days, like on a Monday morning. 

That was the case for our next call just a few miles away where a driver had unsuccessfully attempted to start her car to get to work. McArthur explained that he was going to test the health of the battery to determine if he could use his mobile charger to get the car started. 

The battery, which the owner said was relatively new, was determined to be healthy and McArthur was able to quickly jump start the car. He explained to the AAA member that her car was equipped with a high output alternator that would fully recharge the battery quicker than a standard alternator. This was pleasant news to the car owner, who knew her battery would be fully charged by the end of her morning commute. 

“God bless you,” the AAA member said. McArthur accepted the praise graciously before turning to the next call.  

JEEP LOCKOUT AT THE ARMORY

“Looks like we’re going to the Armory for a lockout,” McArthur said. Driving to the historic military complex on Masten Avenue, McArthur quickly located the black Jeep described in his call notes before spotting a uniformed serviceman, underdressed for the weather but unflinching as he watched McArthur do his work. 

There’s a real art to opening a locked car door from the outside while not damaging the vehicle. McArthur used an assortment of tools to methodically create a gap between the door and the frame of the Jeep. He then shimmied a blue pole into the Jeep and managed to unlock the door.  

“Great job,” the serviceman said. 

ALL IN A DAY'S WORK

That wasn’t all McArthur accomplished before lunchtime. He assisted with two flat tire calls, towed a car that had its brakes fail and recharged another battery before the morning was over. In a matter of a few hours, one AAA Fleet Driver had helped get seven disabled vehicle back on the road.

That’s the type of work ethic and problem solving skills that AAA’s Fleet Drivers stake their reputation on. Dedicated technicians are the foundation of AAA’s exceptional roadside assistance.

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