Towing and Recovery Association of America (TRAA) 2026 Hill Day

TRAA Hill Day has been a fantastic event allowing tow professionals face-to-face interaction with the lawmakers that can protect or affect their business. Hill Days gives tow professionals and industry leaders the opportunity to put a face and a voice behind our industry. This year TRAA had a new Executive Directo behind this event, Bruce Bender, at the helm with gears changing adding a new management team (Tow Professional Magazine) took over the tasks of sponsorships and getting the word out to tow professionals across the nation. This year the event grew immensely from 10 to 17 sponsors, and attendance jumped from 72 to 104 registered. TRAA’s Bruce Bender and the entire board of directors knocked it out of the part this year. Tremont Strategies group, the lobbyist for TRAA, planned a day of strategy educating all on the proper ways to introduce topics, educate and provide our asks to our lawmakers.

Prior to this event an OEM Partners roundtable was organized by Tow Professional Magazine owner Darian Weaver and held over zoom. Custom Built Manufacturing, Miller, and Jerr-Dan attended the call to work together on a united front sharing idea, and resources to effect legislation that is affecting you. The consensus of the meeting was 4 top concerns for our owners:

1. Insurance
2. Weights and Measures
3. Roadside Safety
4. EV’s fires & remediation

Attendees of Hill Day Event were given a form to choose which of the 4 was most important. All 3 OEM Partners: Jerr-Dan, Custom Built, and Jerr-Dan agreed to take on the top need to promote unity and to increase effectiveness for all.

Day one included a fire side chat with FMSCA Administrator Derek Bars, Jim Jennings (Guardian Fleet) and Brian Riker (Worldwide Equipment). This was very candid and informative talk enjoyed by all. Tremont held a Legislative workshop with an overview of legislative priorities, policy presentation and Hill Day preparation. TRAA also incorporated a State Association Sharing allowing Association presidents, key members to discuss laws and regulatory concerns effecting their business on the state level. This year 31 of all 50 states were represented and were excited to take the needs to Capitol Hill.

Legislative priorities for 2026 Hill Day centered around policies that will enhance roadside safety, strengthen enforcement and promote awareness of Slow Down, Move Over laws.

The legislative priorities that members took to the Hill in 2026 were:

• Surface Transportation Reauthorization: Emergency Towing Exemptions: Congress recognized towing’s public safety role with the Fast Act in 2015. TRAA is asking Congress to clarify the weight exemption and extend it to length
• Clarifying Insurance Reimbursement and advancing Transparency for Safety -Critical Towing: TRAA supports congressional attention on this issue and encouraged creating a Towing Services Transparency Task Force (TSTTF).
• Clarifying the coverage for Mandated debris cleanup: This critical service is needed to clear crash scenes and reopen roadways, family-owned business frequently faces denied or disputed claims. TRAA is working with USDOT raising awareness and looking for clarity FMSCA to better align insurance frameworks with modern TIMS practices.
• Considering Towing Industry concerns with Electric vehicle Policy. TRAA supports the Responder and Recovery Safety in EV Fires Act.

This event was made possible by the gracious sponsors that step-up year after year to support the Tow Professionals in this industry. I have listed all sponsors below of the 2026 Hill Day Event. These sponsors are your true Industry Leaders that stepped up because of their heart and passion for this industry and did so for the support of the wonderful people in our great industry!

• Guardian Fleet Services
• Fleetnet / Cox Industries
• Peak Auto Auctions
• Auto Data Direct (ADD)
• Towbook
• Azuga
• Zips
• Copart
• HAAS Alert
• Allstate
• Miller Industries
• Custom Built Manufacturing
• Jerr-Dan Corporation
• INA Towing
• Worldwide Equipment
• Tow Professional Magazine
• International Towing Hall of Fame Museum

This event was a tremendous event and has shown the most growth this year since its inception! I again want to thank the Board Members of TRAA and Executive Director Bruce Bender taking the reigns and putting tremendous work ethic, heart, and passion behind the efforts.

This event is not to be missed from the HAASpitality Cocktail hour, to wrapping up the work done at the Hill with a trip to the famous “The Prime Rib,” in D.C. This was a meal sponsored by INA Towing and fantastic ending to two days of powerful meetings! We urge our tow professionals not only to mark your calendar for this event in 2027 but encourage the next generation of towers to attend. We are counting on our children and theirs to carry this industry forward, let’s get them to D.C. and educate them on how to interact with our elected officials,  and the importance of advocating  for or against,  laws and regulations  to protect and safeguard their business in the future!