KEY TAKEAWAYS
- A car that only ran dry needs fuel, not a tow truck.
- We bring enough gas or diesel to reach a station, then you fill up there.
- Tell us if the car is underground; fuel goes in at street level where possible.
- Gauges and range readouts can drop faster on short, cold, stop-start trips.
- The price is confirmed on the phone before any fuel goes in.
Fuel delivery on River Drive: when an empty tank does not need a tow
If your car stopped on River Drive because the tank is empty, fuel delivery is usually all it needs. The engine, battery and tires are fine, so towing it to a shop only to put gas in it costs time and money. We bring a measured amount of the right fuel, pour it in, wait while you start the car and watch that it keeps running. Then you drive to a station and fill up. That is the difference between this and car towing on River Drive, which is for cars that cannot be fixed where they sit. Our Bridgeport fuel delivery page explains what happens on the highways nearby.
Most River Drive calls are cars that coasted to the curb on the way home, or would not start in the morning after the light came on the day before. Some are cars that sat for months while an owner travelled. If a car has sat a long time and the battery is also weak, ask for a battery boost on River Drive on the same trip, and tell us the details so the driver brings both.
Fuel delivery on River Drive near Tait Waterfront Park and the dike
Fuel delivery on River Drive is quickest when you give us the nearest building number and the side of the street. The stretch by Tait Waterfront Park, at the north end of McLennan Avenue, and the curb along the Parc Riviera buildings are where most street calls come from. On warm evenings that curb is full of park visitors, so the driver may stop a few cars back and carry the fuel over. Stay with the car, and if you can, wait on the sidewalk rather than in the road. For flats or lockouts in the same spot, see mobile tire changes on River Drive and lockout help on River Drive.
If the car ran dry on the way in, it may have stopped on No. 4 Rd or Shell Rd rather than River Drive itself. Those roads carry more traffic, and a stalled car is more exposed. Put the hazards on and stay well clear of the traffic side. BC's Slow Down, Move Over rule requires drivers to slow to 40 km/h when passing a stopped tow truck with flashing lights in a zone under 80 km/h, which helps once our truck is behind you. Our blog on the move over law explains more, and our Tait fuel delivery page covers the quieter residential streets close by.
Fuel delivery on River Drive when the car ran dry in a parkade
Fuel delivery on River Drive gets more careful when the empty car is underground. Pouring gasoline in an enclosed parkade is something we avoid where there is another option, so tell us when you call that the car is below ground. If it is on a ramp or near the gate, it may be possible to roll it a short way to an open spot with help. If it is deep in the parkade, the driver will look at the stall and the airflow and agree a plan with you before any fuel comes out. In some cases the better answer is to bring the car up with underground towing on River Drive and fuel it outside. Our contact page is a good place to describe the stall if you want to plan ahead.
Before the driver arrives, find these, and check your strata rules if you are not sure about fuel on the property. The same preparation helps for a light duty tow from River Drive if the car turns out to need one, or an accident tow on River Drive if it was damaged in the parkade.
- Your fob, to open the parkade gate for the driver
- The building number, garage entrance and stall level
- Whether the car takes regular gas, premium or diesel
- Whether the car has been sitting dry for days or just stopped
Fuel delivery on River Drive and why the gauge can surprise you
Many River Drive drivers who need fuel delivery trusted the range number on the dash. That number is an estimate based on recent driving, and it can drop quickly. Natural Resources Canada notes that real fuel use varies with driving habits, temperature, weather, traffic and accessories like air conditioning, so the published rating may not match your car on the road. Short trips from a River Drive parkade to Bridgeport Rd and back, with the heater on in winter, use more than the label suggests. When the warning light comes on, plan to fill up that day. Our blog on what to do when your car breaks down covers the first steps, and our Mitchell Island fuel delivery page serves drivers across the river.
Hybrids are a special case. Some will run on battery for a short while after the tank is empty, then stop without much warning. Tell us the make and model when you call, and if it is a plug-in or a Tesla that has run out of charge, fuel will not help, so we send Tesla towing on River Drive or a flatbed instead. The Number 5 Road fuel page covers fleet vehicles.
What fuel delivery on River Drive brings and what happens next
Fuel delivery on River Drive brings enough of the right fuel to reach a station, not a full tank. Tell us whether the car takes gas or diesel, since putting the wrong one in causes far more trouble than running dry. Once the fuel is in, the driver stays while you start the car. Some engines need a few tries after running empty, and a diesel can need priming, so allow a little time, and read our Bridgeport fuel delivery guide for the steps. The table below shows what to expect, and our 24 hour roadside assistance on River Drive covers calls at any hour.
If the car will not catch after a fair try, stop cranking so the battery does not go flat as well. At that point it needs a mechanic, and a flatbed from River Drive can take it there. The price for fuel delivery is confirmed on the phone before anything goes in the tank, and our post on late night towing costs explains how timing can affect what you pay.
| Your car | What we bring | What happens next |
|---|---|---|
| Gas engine | Enough gas to reach a station | Start, then fill up at a pump |
| Diesel | Enough diesel to reach a station | Start, may need priming |
| Hybrid | Gas | Start, then fill up soon |
| Electric car | No fuel; a truck instead | Tow to a charger |
Fuel Delivery on River Drive: questions drivers ask
Can you bring fuel into my parkade?
Tell us the car is underground when you call. Where possible we fuel at street level or in an open spot. If the car cannot be moved, the driver will look at the stall and agree a plan with you.
How much fuel do you bring?
Enough to reach a station, not a full tank. You fill up at the pump right after.
What if the car still will not start?
Stop cranking to save the battery. We can boost it, or tow it to a mechanic if the problem is more than fuel.
Is the price confirmed first?
Yes. We confirm the price on the phone before any fuel goes in.