Towing And Recovery Association Of America, Inc.

What Towing And Recovery Association Of America, Inc. does

Towing and Recovery Association of America, Inc. (TRAA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit membership trade association founded in 1979 and headquartered at 700 12th St. NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC. The organization serves as the federal advocate and national trade voice for the U.S. towing and recovery industry, representing towing companies, individual operators, affiliated state associations, and associated companies (equipment, insurance, fuel, and technology suppliers) across the United States, Canada, and internationally. TRAA's scope is anchored on three functions: federal legislative and regulatory representation (including a full-time lobbying engagement with Tremont Strategies Group), industry education through proprietary certification programs and resource guides, and industry representation across federal and safety coalitions.

The association's product portfolio centers on three registered certification programs administered online through the towcert.com platform: the Towing and Recovery Operator Certification Program (TROCP), developed in partnership with WreckMaster Inc. as the industry's first unified operator credential; the Towing and Recovery Support Certification Program (TRSCP), the industry's first certification for non-operator support staff; and the National Driver Certification Program (NDCP). Supplementary offerings include the federally-recognized National Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Responder Training program, resource guides for light-duty and medium/heavy-duty towing published on Amazon, an Advanced Towing & Recovery Manual, and a separate TRAA Education Foundation (501(c)(3)) that administers scholarship programs. TRAA also distributes branded merchandise and ANSI Class 2/3 Hi-Viz gear through its e-commerce storefront.

Revenue derives from four streams: recurring annual membership dues, voluntary donations (including earmarked Lobbyist Support and Legal Action Funds), certification testing fees across TROCP/TRSCP/NDCP, and one-time merchandise and resource guide sales through Amazon, Shopify, and the TRAA merchandise store powered by Zips Outfitters. Marketing and member engagement are executed through the traaonline.com website, blog, email newsletters, the Tow Professional Podcast, the FHWA Talking TIM Webinar Series, and signature events such as the annual Legislative Action Workshop & Hill Day in Washington, DC. Day-to-day operations run on a lean 1-10 employee base supported by federal lobbying and coalition partnerships with ATA, OOIDA, IACP, IAFC, AAA National, NTSB, and the Transportation Research Board.

Name

Towing And Recovery Association Of America, Inc.

Legal name

Towing and Recovery Association of America, Inc.

Website

https://traaonline.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Towing and Recovery Association of America, Inc. (TRAA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit membership trade association founded in 1979 that advocates for the U.S. towing and recovery industry through federal legislative representation, proprietary certification programs, and industry education. Its members include towing companies, individual operators, and associated businesses across the United States, Canada, and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from towing companies, operators, and associated companies across the US, Canada, and abroad.
2. Donations: Financial contributions and donations, including to Lobbyist Support Fund and Legal Action Fund.
3. Certification Testing Fees: Revenue from administering professional certification exams for TRSCP and TROCP programs.
4. Products and Merchandise: Sales of resource guides, manuals, and TRAA branded merchandise through Amazon, Shopify, and merchandise store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

TRAA is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association that sells annual memberships to towing companies, individual tow operators, associated companies, and state associations. Its core offerings include federal legislative advocacy and lobbying representation in Washington DC, proprietary professional certification programs (TRSCP, TROCP, NDCP), educational resource guides and manuals, traffic incident management training, and member-only benefits such as discounts, events, and networking.

Product overview

TRAA operates as a national trade association (501(c)(6)) offering a portfolio of professional certification programs and educational resources for the towing and recovery industry. The core offerings include the Towing and Recovery Operator Certification Program (TROCP) — the industry's first unified certification for tow operators developed in partnership with WreckMaster — and the Towing & Recovery Support Certification Program (TRSCP) for non-operator support staff. Additional offerings include the National Driver Certification Program (NDCP), resource guides published via Amazon (covering light duty, medium/heavy-duty towing, and support specialist levels), National TIM Responder Training, and branded merchandise through the TRAA store. TRAA also administers scholarship programs through its affiliated 501(c)(3) Education Foundation. All certification exams are administered via the towcert.com platform. The association does not offer a software product with technical integrations but rather credentialing, education, and advocacy services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Towing & Recovery Support Certification Program® (TRSCP®) The towing and recovery industry's first educational certification program designed for individuals providing support to incident management efforts who are not tow truck operators, including dispatchers, office managers, company safety managers, compliance directors, and non-operator company owners.
• Towing and Recovery Operator Certification Program™ (TROCP™) The industry's first unified certification program for tow operators, developed in partnership between WreckMaster Inc. and TRAA, combining elements of both organizations' established programs into a single certification body for tow operators at all levels.
• National Driver Certification Program® (NDCP)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 20,000 tow operators certified through TRAA programs
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• WreckMaster Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2021WreckMaster and TRAA partnered to create a new standardized certification body overseeing TROCP (Towing & Recovery Operator Certification Program). This unified certification combines the best elements of both programs. WreckMaster has trained over 45,000 operators since 1991.
• Tremont Strategies Group (TSG)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerTRAA employs Tremont Strategies Group as its full-time federal lobbying firm in Washington DC. TSG has been rated as one of the country's top performing lobbying firms by Bloomberg Government. TSG provides expert guidance on federal legislative matters and helps raise the profile of the U.S. towing and recovery industry.
• Professional Certification Coalition (PCC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRAA is a member of the Professional Certification Coalition, advocating for legislation to treat postsecondary credentialing expenses as qualified higher education expenses for 529 accounts.
• Anti-Speed Limiter CoalitionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRAA is a member of the Anti-Speed Limiter Coalition working to prohibit FMCSA from requiring speed limiting devices on commercial motor vehicles.
• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRAA works directly with FHWA on traffic incident management (TIM) initiatives. TRAA is a member of EDC-6 NextGen TIM Group. FHWA provided grant funding for TRSCP program development.
• National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA TRAA representative serves on the NTSB, contributing to investigations and safety recommendations related to emergency responder safety and electric vehicle incidents.
• Transportation Research Board (TRB)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRAA represents the industry on TRB committees and initiatives related to transportation safety.
• International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRAA works with IACP on traffic incident management and roadside safety initiatives. IACP has endorsed TRAA's National Move Over Law Day Resolution.
• International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRAA collaborates with IAFC on traffic incident management and responder safety initiatives.
• American Trucking Associations (ATA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRAA secured a dedicated seat as the tower's representative on ATA's Towing Task Force. TRAA advocates against predatory towing legislation and works to combat negative industry perception.
• OOIDA (Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRAA and OOIDA work together on coalitions opposing speed limiter regulations and other trucking industry proposals that could impact towers.
• CoastminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTRAA members receive a $250 sign-up bonus and exclusive discounts on Coast fleet and fuel cards. Coast is a financial technology company offering fuel cards for fleet expenses.
• AAA NationalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAA National has supported TRAA's National Move Over Law Day Resolution and other safety initiatives.
• NFPA (National Fire Protection Association)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRAA promotes NFPA's Alternative Fuel Vehicles Training Program for Emergency Responders and distributes their emergency field guides to members.
• Emergency Responder Safety Institute (ERSI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRAA partners with ERSI on struck-by incident reporting (ReportStruckBy.com) and supports their research on emergency vehicle lighting and responder safety.
• University of AlabamaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRAA partnered with University of Alabama on tow truck operator safety research.
• Towing and Recovery Association of Missouri (TRAM)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMissouri state towing association that worked with TRAA to defeat SS#2/HB 661.
• Indiana Towing & Wrecker Association (ITWA)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndiana state towing association that helped TRAA secure Senator Braun's support for National Move Over Law Day Resolution.
• Zips OutfittersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorZips powers TRAA's branded merchandise store with a vast assortment of styles and affordable pricing.
• Randy Meyer RacingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTRAA partnered with Randy Meyer Racing on a national Slow Down Move Over campaign to raise awareness of roadside safety.
• Baker DonelsonminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal counsel providing opinions on essential critical infrastructure workers during COVID-19.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA): A national trade association representing independent truck drivers and small-carrier operators. OOIDA is comparable to TRAA in serving SMB transportation operators with federal advocacy and coalition work, and is a direct TRAA coalition partner on speed-limiter opposition.
• American Trucking Associations: The largest national trade association for the U.S. trucking industry. ATA is comparable to TRAA because it operates the same membership-based advocacy model at federal level, and TRAA holds a dedicated seat on ATA's Towing Task Force as the towers' representative.
• WreckMaster Inc. A tow operator training and certification company that partnered with TRAA to create the unified TROCP certification. WreckMaster is comparable as a domain-specialized training and certification provider in the towing industry, with over 45,000 operators trained since 1991.
• American Moving & Storage Association: The national trade association for the moving and storage industry. AMSA is comparable to TRAA in operating as a 501(c)(6) membership organization providing federal advocacy, training resources, and industry certification for SMB operators in a transportation-adjacent industry.

Broad incumbents

• AAA (American Automobile Association): The largest U.S. membership organization providing roadside assistance, towing, and automotive services. AAA is comparable to TRAA in business model (dues-funded membership organization) and service overlap (towing/roadside), but operates at vastly greater scale and consumer-facing brand recognition.
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA): A major U.S. trade association developing codes, standards, and training for fire and life safety. NFPA is comparable to TRAA as a membership-based standards and training organization, and is a current TRAA partner for the Alternative Fuel Vehicles Training Program for Emergency Responders.
• National Safety Council: A long-established U.S. safety advocacy and training organization. NSC is comparable to TRAA in delivering industry training, certification, and federal advocacy on responder and roadway safety, though it operates across all industries rather than towing specifically.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Towing And Recovery Association Of America, Inc.