From Humble beginnings…

We are proud to tell you how we got started in the St. Cloud area. We want you to feel comfortable when you make the call next time you are in need of service. We are not a fly by night operation and stand behind everything we do.

You ask, why are you guys in the St. Cloud area, and how did it start? Well this is the page to find out. Collins Brothers Towing started in 1996 by founder Phil Collins in Elk River, MN. He worked for a towing company since the early 1980's and loved what he did. He started his own company with one truck working nights at another job and taking care of his customers at the towing company during the day. In 2009 he wanted to expand to the St. Cloud area as he gained some good customers in St. Cloud and knew he could keep at least one truck busy. He started looking for the right guy and the right shop to lease to get started. He had a spare truck in Elk River that he purchased and figured it’s the time to expand. He knew a few guys and, in the end, picked James to be the operations manager. He got to know James when James was a child through being neighbors. James started towing in high school for another towing company and become their operations manager. Phil and James found a location in St. Cloud that would work to get them started. The doors opened in St. Cloud on May 11th, 2009. Phil and James started going door to door and meeting new people every day. They started towing for local law enforcement agencies July 17th, 2009 and kept expanding from there. James worked day in and day out meeting new people and potential customers. There were days that it didn't seem like it was going to work. People felt there wasn't room for a 3rd towing company in St. Cloud. Phil and James kept pushing and working hard at it and it kept coming. By December of 2009 they had 5 tow trucks and 5 employees in St. Cloud. People kept calling and it kept growing.

By the end of 2012 with the help of the employees they grew to 24 pieces of equipment between both companies and 14 employees. 2013 started out great and continued, in June, they decided that there was no reason to have two separate companies anymore. They combined the transport and towing into one and kept the name Collins Brothers Towing of St. Cloud, Inc and let Preferred Transport go to wayside. There were many reasons for this, from money savings, to exposure and customer recognition. In October of 2013 the next big change came, James bought out his last partners share of the company to become Sole Owner. In 2013 he added 4 more trucks and swapped a couple out which brings us to now 20 TRUCKS!​ James currently runs both sides hands on daily, you'll either find him in the office or in a truck servicing customers. The company couldn't have gotten where we are today without our great staff and obviously our awesome customers. We pride ourselves with neat, clean employees and trucks. We offer competitive prices, great customer service and go above and beyond what is expected in the towing industry. We have many large accounts we tow for daily, but it isn't just them that count, its every call, every customer that makes us who we are! We are very thankful for that. We currently tow for 9 law enforcement agencies and 8 major road clubs as well. We live in the St. Cloud area, and we are proud to call it home. We are here to help all of our neighbors, family and friends! Our business is very involved with the community as we feel the community is what gives us the business and feel we need to give back. We have donated not only money but time to many organizations. We donate to several Lions Clubs around the area, Fire Departments, The St. Cloud Can-Am Games that was hosted in St. Cloud, the 2013 Air Show and many more! We are also proud to be a part of the St. Cloud area Chamber! With all this being said, if you ever have a question or just want a price quote on a tow, please feel free to call, we are here for YOU the customer and will do our best to give you the best experience possible! THANK YOU to every one of our customers!

We eventually outgrew our shop that we leased and had to find a new home. In October of 2010 we moved to our current location off 27th Ave N. In 2011 we were growing fast, and so was the Elk River and Zimmerman location. Phil decided with owning another business outside of Towing, being a district fire chief, a husband and father of 3 he needed to cut back somewhere. Phil then went to James and offered to purchase the St. Cloud division as he started it with Phil in St. Cloud. James had Preferred Transport, Inc at the time and felt that the two would be a good fit. Preferred Transport Inc. Specializes in hauling heavy equipment which slows down a little in the winter and Towing is usually busier in the winter, so with them off setting each other’s busy times of the year James thought what better opportunity. James knew of a great businessman that had many years of experience, he contacted him, and he was excited to come on board. The Local businessman joined him and the two of them took over the St. Cloud division of Collins Brothers January 20th, 2012. They decided with the Collins Brothers name already known in St. Cloud they discussed it with Phil and decided to keep it. They then changed the legal name to Collins Brothers Towing of St. Cloud, Inc. The two of them knew it was time to push more and they had a mission in mind. With their experience in different spots of the business it started growing even faster. January 20th, 2012 when they bought the business, they had two semi's, two trailers, one gooseneck and two pickups on the Preferred Transport, Inc Side and bought the towing company with 5 tow trucks.