CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for motor vehicle towing companies in South Carolina
162 motor vehicle towing companies operated in South Carolina in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 162CBP 2023
- Employees
- 902mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 3.0U.S. 3.1
- State rank
- 21st of 51by count
Motor vehicle towing companies in South Carolina by the numbers
County Business Patterns counts 162 establishments in South Carolina classified as Motor Vehicle Towing (NAICS 488410) for 2023. They employed 902 people in mid-March and reported $43.8 million in annual payroll. That is the 21st highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Motor vehicle towing companies make up 0.13% of the 122,958 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) South Carolina has 3.0 motor vehicle towing companies, 4.8% below the national rate of 3.1. The average establishment has 5.6 employees against 6.9 nationally. Payroll per employee is $48,585, 5.9% below the U.S. figure of $51,644.
| Measure | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 162 | 10,566 |
| Mid-March employees | 902 | 73,320 |
| Annual payroll | $43,824,000 | $3,786,569,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 5.6 | 6.9 |
| Payroll per employee | $48,585 | $51,644 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 3.0 | 3.1 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Where motor vehicle towing companies in South Carolina are concentrated
Census published towing company counts for 14 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of South Carolina. The largest is Charlotte, NC-SC, with 97 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans). Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 85% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC-SC | 97 | 592 | 3.4 |
| Columbia, SC | 34 | 211 | 3.9 |
| Charleston, SC | 33 | 277 | 3.8 |
| Augusta, GA-SC | 18 | 82 | 2.8 |
| Spartanburg, SC | 17 | 133 | 4.3 |
| Greenville, SC | 15 | 35 | 1.5 |
| Myrtle Beach, SC | 8 | 76 | 1.9 |
| Florence, SC | 8 | 14 | 4.0 |
| Hilton Head Island, SC | 6 | — | 2.5 |
| Orangeburg, SC | 4 | 4 | 4.8 |
| Newberry, SC | 4 | — | 10.2 |
| Sumter, SC | 3 | 15 | 2.9 |
| Seneca, SC | 3 | — | 3.6 |
| Murrells Inlet, SC | 3 | — | 4.5 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at motor vehicle towing companies in South Carolina
68.3% of South Carolina's motor vehicle towing companies with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 60.5% nationally. 83.2% had fewer than ten. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 110 | 68.3% | 60.5% |
| 5–9 employees | 24 | 14.9% | 19.2% |
| 10–19 employees | 18 | 11.2% | 12.4% |
| 20–49 employees | 9 | 5.6% | 6.6% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 1.2% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Why the phone matters for motor vehicle towing companies in South Carolina
Towing is dispatched by phone at all hours, and the company that answers gets the tow. Dispatchers coordinate drivers, customers and repair shops. That holds for motor vehicle towing companies in South Carolina as much as anywhere.
A few of the calls that come in to motor vehicle towing companies in South Carolina:
- A repair shop calls about a vehicle drop-off.
- A property manager calls about an illegally parked car.
- A stranded driver calls for a tow.
When nobody can pick up
Nights and weekends are core hours, so after-hours routing to drivers is essential.
Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.
What a phone system costs a towing company in South Carolina
Motor vehicle towing companies in South Carolina average 5.6 employees, so the comparison uses a 6-person team. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 6 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $180.00 a month and 6 on Ooma Office Pro cost $149.70. On Callata the same 6 people cost $119.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $732. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $119.00 | $1,428.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $114.00 | $1,368.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $138.00 | $1,656.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $149.70 | $1,796.40 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $162.00 | $1,944.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $180.00 | $2,160.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in South Carolina
South Carolina has 6 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your drivers know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 803 | 784 | Eastern | 1947 | 839 |
| 864 | 784 | Eastern | 1995 | 821 |
| 843 | 783 | Eastern | 1998 | 854 |
| 839 | 190 | Eastern | 2020 | 803 |
| 854 | 182 | Eastern | 2015 | 843 |
| 821 | 42 | Eastern | 2024 | 864 |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for motor vehicle towing companies in South Carolina
Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.
If you already have a number in South Carolina, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many motor vehicle towing companies are in South Carolina?
162 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 902 people in mid-March.
Which South Carolina metro area has the most motor vehicle towing companies?
Charlotte, NC-SC, with 97 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 6-person towing company?
$180.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $149.70 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $119.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a South Carolina number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.