KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Pickup starts at your River Drive building number and parkade level, not just the street.
- Cars in low Parc Riviera parkades are brought up to the curb before the long trip.
- Moves into Alberta need an out-of-province inspection after the car arrives.
- Interior and Alberta trips from October to April are planned around winter tire routes.
- One price is agreed before loading and is the price at delivery.
Long distance hauling from River Drive: getting the car out of the parkade first
The first kilometre of long distance hauling on River Drive is usually the slowest, because the car has to leave an underground parkade before it can go on a flatbed. The condo buildings and townhomes along the north side of River Drive, between No. 4 Rd and Shell Rd, mostly park residents below grade behind a gate. A full-size carrier will not fit under those ceilings, so the car comes up first with the setup we use for underground towing on River Drive, then moves onto the deck at the curb. If the car still runs, you can simply drive it up the ramp and meet us outside, which is quicker and is how most flatbed loads on River Drive begin.
Parc Riviera is split into separate addresses. The Monaco buildings run from 10011 to 10177 River Drive, and the Mews townhomes sit around 10199 to 10233. Give us the exact number, the parkade entrance you use and your stall level. That way the driver waits at the right gate instead of circling the block between McLennan Avenue and River Avenue. If the car has been parked for weeks while you packed, ask about a battery boost before pickup so it can drive itself up the ramp.
Booking long distance hauling on River Drive around a strata move-out
Book long distance hauling from River Drive for the day after your movers, not the same morning, if you can. Moving day in a condo tower means a moving truck at the loading area, a booked elevator and neighbours trying to get in and out of the same parkade gate. A second large truck on the curb at the same time makes everyone wait. Check your strata or property manager's move rules first, then pick a pickup window and confirm it through Zip Towing's contact page. We are open 24 hours, so an early or late pickup is possible when the building is quiet, and our Bridgeport hauling team can hold the car if your dates shift.
Before the driver arrives, a few things make the handover easy, whether the car goes across the province or only to a car tow on River Drive for a pre-trip repair. Movers often forget the small items, so use this list, and see our guide to avoiding hidden towing fees for what to confirm on the phone.
If you are leaving keys with a concierge or a neighbour, tell us their name when you book. We also confirm the receiving person at the far end. For other moves out of Bridgeport, the long distance hauling page for Tait covers driveway pickups, which work very differently from a parkade, and hauling from Number 5 Road covers business units and fleet vehicles.
- Remove the parkade fob from the key ring once the car is outside, and leave it with the strata
- Take out toll transponders, dashcams and the garage door remote
- Leave about a quarter tank, not a full one, for loading and unloading
- Photograph each side of the car at the curb before it is loaded
Long distance hauling from River Drive to Alberta: what happens at the other end
If your long distance hauling from River Drive ends in Alberta, plan for an inspection once the car arrives. Alberta's government explains that a vehicle registered outside the province must pass an out-of-province vehicle inspection at a licensed facility before Alberta plates are issued. The certificate then has to reach a registry agent within 14 days. We deliver the car to your new address or straight to an inspection shop, whichever suits you. Tell us when you book the trip, and if the car needs work before it can be driven, our light duty towing on River Drive can take it to a Richmond shop first.
Moves inside BC are simpler. Your BC registration and insurance stay with the car, so delivery to Kelowna, Kamloops or Vancouver Island is mostly about timing and a ferry booking. Our Bridgeport long distance page explains the ferry routes south on Hwy 99 to Tsawwassen and north to Horseshoe Bay. If the car was in a collision before the move, start with accident towing on River Drive and an ICBC claim, then book the long trip once it is repaired.
| Destination | What to arrange |
|---|---|
| Vancouver Island | Ferry sailing date and a person to meet the truck |
| Okanagan or Kamloops | Winter route timing from October to April |
| Calgary or Edmonton | Out-of-province inspection after delivery |
| Another Lower Mainland city | Parkade access at both ends |
Long distance hauling from River Drive in winter: planning the mountain routes
Long distance hauling from River Drive between October and April is planned around BC's winter rules, not around Richmond's weather. Rain along the North Arm tells you nothing about snow on the passes. The province lists designated winter tire and chain routes where winter tires or chains are generally required from October 1 to April 30. Our truck is equipped for those routes, and your car rides on the deck, so its own tires do not matter for the drive. They do matter once it is unloaded, so mention your tire setup when you ask for a quote. A worn spare is worth replacing before you go, and a mobile tire change on River Drive can swap a flat in the stall so the car rolls onto the deck.
If a pass closes, we wait for it to reopen. The car stays strapped on the deck and you get an update, as our Bridgeport roadside team does on any delayed job. For electric cars, we set tow mode before loading, the same way we handle Tesla towing on River Drive, and the car arrives with whatever charge it left with. Our post on what a tow truck costs from Bridgeport explains why distance and route shape the price.
Long distance hauling on River Drive for a second car, an EV or a motorcycle
Many River Drive households use long distance hauling for the vehicle they cannot drive themselves. One partner drives the main car east while the second car, a project car or a leased EV goes on our deck. That often costs less effort than two long drives and a flight back, and it is the same carrier we use for long distance hauling from Mitchell Island. If the second vehicle is a bike, ask about motorcycle towing on River Drive, which uses wheel chocks and soft straps instead of a car hookup.
Some townhome owners at the east end of River Drive store a vehicle in a private garage rather than the shared parkade. Those pickups are easier, as long as the garage door is open and the lane is clear when the truck arrives. Either way, the price is confirmed on the phone before loading and does not change at delivery. If you want to read how other drivers compare tow companies first, see why drivers choose Zip Towing or the hub for every towing service in Bridgeport.
Long Distance Hauling on River Drive: questions drivers ask
Can you pick up from a low parkade on River Drive?
Yes. If the car runs, drive it up to the curb. If it does not, we bring it up to street level first, then load it on the flatbed for the trip.
Do I need to be there at pickup and delivery?
Someone needs to hand over the keys and someone needs to receive the car. It can be a neighbour, a concierge or a family member, as long as we have their name in advance.
Will you take the car to an inspection shop in Alberta?
Yes. We can deliver to your new home or directly to the inspection facility you choose.
How is the price set?
We look at the full route, any ferry, the vehicle and the pickup access, then agree one price on the phone before loading. That is the price you pay at delivery.