The ARBÖ breakdown assistants were often cited last year: in total, they were called upon for 102,000 missions across Austria to get defective vehicles back on the road. This worked perfectly, as Gerald Kumnig, ARBÖ General Secretary, knows: “In most cases we were able to repair the defect directly on the spot and thus enable our members to continue their journey quickly.” Only if the repair could not be carried out on site, We towed the vehicles away.” On average, the breakdown helpers were called out 280 times per day, meaning that help was requested around every five minutes by calling the emergency number 1-2-3 or using the ARBÖ app.

The short waiting time in the event of a breakdown was also pleasing in 2023. Thanks to an efficient and continuously optimized communication chain between the call center, operations centers and ARBÖ technicians, the average waiting time from the breakdown to arrival at the scene of the breakdown in 2023 was only around 38 minutes. The top three most common reasons for use were failing batteries, followed by electronic problems and mechanical problems. The ARBÖ breakdown drivers were particularly in demand during the holiday season: the busiest months were July with around 9,200 missions and August with around 9,300 assistance services. “A functioning breakdown service provides an indispensable service in road traffic, because we not only help members quickly in an emergency, but the rapid action of our breakdown fleet also makes an important contribution to road safety,” says Gerald Kumn, drawing a positive conclusion.

But not only on the road, numerous technical services were also carried out by technicians last year in the 90 ARBÖ test centers: The §57a assessment, which was carried out on a total of 197,000 bathrooms, was particularly well received by the 400,000 members. “At ARBÖ, the §57a assessment is carried out independently of the brand and without any interest in repairs. “This number shows how much our members value the brand-independent expertise of the ARBÖ technicians,” says Gerald Kumnig, explaining the reasons for the positive annual balance in pickerl inspections. But not only the §57a assessment, but also chassis measurement (9,200) and air conditioning maintenance (8,000) are gladly accepted. “Our employees will continue to be well prepared for our members and customers in 2024 and will help quickly, competently and solution-oriented in emergency situations,” concludes Gerald Kumnig.