DeKalb County School District-Towing Comparision

DeKalb County School District — Towing Services
ANALYSIS

Based on the districtwide towing services bid tabulation dated April 14, 2026, this
comparison aligns similar service categories and highlights where each vendor offers the
strongest value.

In summary, S&W is more cost-effective for routine towing of large buses, while Quick Drop
is generally the lower-cost option for small buses, support vehicles, out-of-county mileage,
and heavy-recovery services.

Summary of Key Pricing Differences
   •   Routine bus towing: S&W offers the lower rate for large student buses, while Quick
       Drop is less expensive for small student buses and small EV student buses.
   •   Support vehicles: Quick Drop is lower for standard support vehicles, including
       sedans, pickup trucks, SUVs, and transit vans. S&W holds only a slight pricing edge
       for pickup trucks, SUVs, and transit vans.
   •   Heavy-recovery work: Quick Drop is significantly less expensive for up-righting,
       accident recovery, and extraction involving large buses. These are the largest pricing
       gaps in comparison.
   •   Winching: S&W has a modest advantage for large-bus winching.
   •   Out-of-county mileage: Quick Drop charges the lower mileage rate, which may
       reduce total cost when service outside DeKalb County is expected.
Vendor Strengths and Limitations
Quick Drop Impounding Towing & Recovery Inc.
Strengths

   •   Significantly lower pricing on heavy-recovery tasks (up-righting, accident recovery,
       extraction) for large buses.
   •   Lower per-mile surcharge outside the county ($5 vs. $6).
   •   Generally cheaper for small-bus towing and most support-vehicle tows (car/sedan and
       pickup/SUV/van).
   •   Competitive on support-vehicle (car/sedan) towing and slightly under S&W in that lane.

Limitations

   •   Higher price on large bus towing versus S&W (by a wide margin in the sample).
   •   Higher price on large-bus winching than S&W by a modest amount.

Best Use Case

   •   District scenarios emphasize heavy recovery, extractions, and small-bus or
       support-vehicle tows, especially when out-of-county mileage is likely.



S&W Services of Atlanta, Inc. (S & W Towing)
Strengths

   •   Lowest price on large student bus towing.
   •   Very strong price on large student bus towing (substantially lower than Quick Drop).
   •   Slight edge on winching for large buses versus Quick Drop.

Limitations

   •   Substantially higher prices on heavy-recovery tasks (up-righting, accident recovery,
       extraction) for large buses in the values shown.
   •   Slightly higher per-mile surcharge outside the county ($6 vs. $5).
   •   Higher on several small-bus and support-vehicle towing line items.


Best Use Case

   •   Routine towing for large buses where heavy recovery is unlikely and most work is within
       county limits.
Recommendation
   •   If your primary risk is heavy incidents involving large buses (up-
       righting/recovery/extraction), prioritize S&W.
   •   If most calls are straightforward large-bus tows, S & W offers clear savings.
   •   For mixed fleets with frequent small-bus and support-vehicle tows and occasional
       out-of-county trips, Quick Drop’s lower base and mileage can reduce total cost.
   •   Although a dual-award approach could be effective in theory, it is not feasible here
       because Quick Drop does not appear to hold certification as a heavy-duty towing and
       recovery provider. As a result, the district cannot designate Quick Drop for heavy-
       recovery work and small or support vehicles while assigning S&W as the primary
       provider for routine large-bus bus towing.
   •   S&W holds a Towing and Recovery Certificate. Quick Drop does not possess this
       certificate.
   •   S&W offers 24/7/365 services.
   •   S&W is recognized as a certified DOT/FMCSA compliant recovery towing company
       with satisfactory BBB rating.
   •   S&W is an On-Scene (1) / Incident Management certified by local law enforcement to
       legally respond to, manage, and clear vehicle accidents at the crash.



Detailed Price Comparison
Vendors Compared: Quick Drop Impounding Towing & Recovery Inc. and S & W Services of
Atlanta, Inc. (S & W Towing).
   •   Quick Drop Impounding Towing & Recovery Inc.
   •   S & W Services of Atlanta, Inc. (S & W Towing)

The comparison below groups pricing by service type:
   •   Routine towing
          o Large Student Bus: Quick Drop at $525.00; S & W at $350.00. Advantage: S &
             W by $175.
          o Small Student Bus: Quick Drop at $295.00; S & W at $350.00. Advantage:
             Quick Drop by $55.
          o Support Vehicle (Car/Sedan): Quick Drop at $175.00; S & W at $200.00.
             Advantage: Quick Drop by $25.
          o Support Vehicle (Pick-Up Truck/SUV/Transit Van): Quick Drop at $185.00; S &
             W at $200.00. Advantage: Quick Drop by $15.
  •   Recovery and incident services
         o Winching, Large Student Bus: Quick Drop at $375.00; S & W at $350.00.
           Advantage: S & W by $25.
         o Up-righting, Large Student Bus: Quick Drop at $950.00; S & W at $3,500.00.
           Advantage: Quick Drop by $2,550.
         o Accident Recovery, Large Student Bus: Quick Drop at $850.00; S & W at
           $3,500.00. Advantage: Quick Drop by $2,650.
         o Extraction, Large Student Bus: Quick Drop at $1,250.00; S & W at $3,500.00.
           Advantage: Quick Drop by $2,250.

  •   Mileage surcharge
         o Out-of-County Mileage (per mile): Quick Drop at $5.00; S & W at $6.00.
            Advantage: Quick Drop by $1.00 per mile.


Pricing Takeaways
  •   S & W provides the lowest pricing for large student bus towing.
  •   Quick Drop is generally more economical for small student buses, support vehicles,
      and out-of-county mileage.