Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

What can you get for nearly $1M?

How about the largest factory built tow truck in the world.

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

That's exactly what Kelowna based Mario's Towing has done.

The truck, built at NRC in Quebec, rolled into town last Wednesday.

It was put through its paces Thursday morning in the back parking lot of Kelowna's main fire hall on Enterprise Way.

Mario's GM, Nicholas Moretto, says it's taken a lot of work and planning to get the truck here.

"We've been working for nearly a year to build a twin steer, tri-axel rotator. With the winch package and the boom package, it's the largest factory built tow truck in the world," says Moretto.

"It's an 80-ton boom with a 60k winch package on the back. That configuration makes it the biggest in the world."

It does seem a little strange that the largest factory made tow truck would land in, of all places, Kelowna.

"With the demands of towing changing. The demands of road safety and the importance of keeping roads open, we decided to make the investment," says Moretto.

"We give them extra lifting power, more control of the roads. We can keep the roads open. We have a long reach with the boom so we are able to work in one lane and keep other lanes open and traffic moving. It will minimize damage in recoveries. We are able to do some pretty crazy things with it."

Mario's Towing took possession of the truck last Wednesday.

It should hit the streets soon.

"We will use it where it's needed. If there is a tractor trailer recovery in town... sometimes there is equipment we need to reach in and get... things other trucks can't in our fleet."

The truck will be based in Kelowna.