Speaking Out

Towers Voice Their Key Issues on Capitol Hill

By Brian J Riker

Working on your business, not in it, is more than just a platitude. It’s an ongoing effort. Successful business owners understand that there is more to owning a business than just mastering a set of skills to provide a service to the public. In towing, many of us began as operators and have mastered those specific skills, yet as we grow, we fail to develop other skills necessary to growing a business. Perhaps the most important of those skills are delegation and communication. A prime example of how both of these skills play important roles in growth was on full display during the 5th annual Legislative Action Workshop & Hill Day event presented by the Towing and Recovery Association of America (TRAA) on March 7 to 9 in Washington, DC. Towers from across America descended upon Capitol Hill to represent the industry and speak out on important issues facing us today.

Over 42 towers from 23 states, plus representatives from 19 state towing associations, participated in over 65 meetings with members of Congress and their staff. This large group of towmen pointed out the importance of a number of issues. These included education about the Slow Down Move Over (SDMO) laws, critical size and weight relief, opposition of mandatory speed limiters on commercial vehicles, and the importance of including tow operators’ needs as plans for electric and autonomous vehicles are being developed.

Being Heard

So why is this important? While it seems like nothing ever happens in Congress, when it does it can often be detrimental to small businesses— unless we speak up. Speaking up is working on, not in, your business. If we do not let our voice be heard, we have no say in what happens to us. This is where active participation in your state and national association is critical. While there is power in numbers, nothing reinforces your association’s messaging better than individual constituents talking to the legislators about their own personal experiences, and how a proposed law or regulation will affect them and their employees.

The recent TRAA event in Washington, DC highlights how the average tow business owner can make a huge difference. Towers come from all walks of life, many different backgrounds and both sides of the political aisle, yet we all have one thing in common: the love of the towing industry and the desire to see our fellow towers succeed. This unified message resonates loudly with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

Legislators Seek Out Towers

TRAA, and its lobbyist group Tremont Strategies Group, orchestrated an impressive display of key members of Congress, both Democrat and Republican, that were willing to take time away from their day and come to see the attendees at the Kimpton George Hotel. This gathering speaks volumes about how important the towing industry has become; they were willing to come to us instead of insisting we go to them. With seven offices represented, all members of key transportation related committees in Congress, towing’s issues were well received.

The keynote speaker was a returning champion and dear friend of the industry, Representative James McGovern (D-MA-02). Ranking Member of the powerful House Committee on Rules, Congressman McGovern’s support of the industry is critical to our success with events like these. Sponsoring a second National Move Over Law Resolution in Congress, McGovern works tirelessly to promote education on important safety issues facing the towing industry. The Congressman also has worked closely with Congressman Pappas in the past to have a size and weight exemption included in the House Infrastructure Bill that would have granted much needed relief to towers everywhere.

Developing Relationships

A large part of these types of events is educational. With the 118th Congress just beginning to get to work the timing of this event could not have been more perfect. With the delay in setting leadership within the 118th Congress and committee membership selections, towers were given the opportunity to speak with several Freshmen members, both Representatives and Senators, before many other groups had the chance to muddy the waters. This early education is important in developing relationships and becoming the go-to person on issues important to the industry.

These Freshmen all connected with the room, sharing common experiences from their professional past with several others very familiar with the transportation industry in general and the towing industry specifically. Congressman Mike Collins, (R-GA-10) who serves on the House Infrastructure Committee, owns a large trucking company, related well with the towing audience, recognizing the critical role we play in maintaining the nation’s highway system.

Another Freshman Representative, Marc Molinaro (RNY-19), also serving on the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee and the House Committee on Small Business, really connected with the towers in attendance. Serving as a volunteer firefighter for the last 29 years, Molinaro has worked alongside many towers on crash scenes and truly understands the struggles towmen face as the only private sector responder on the roadway.

The Need For Size And Weight Reform

A returning favorite, Congressman Chris Pappas (DNH-01) spoke to towers from his perspective as a small business owner. A champion of the towing and trucking industries, Congressman Pappas continues to support SDMO education, removing burdensome regulations on the towing industry and just recently co-sponsored a Bill designed to repeal the 12 percent Federal Excise Tax imposed on new trucks. This change would be a huge benefit to towers, given the rising cost of new equipment.

Congressman Pappas was key in getting TRAA’s size and weight reform included in the House Infrastructure Bill in 2021. Unfortunately, due to some lastminute negotiations, the final bill was stripped of these much-needed improvements, however this has not dampened Representative Pappas dedication to helping towers achieve much needed relief from burdensome regulations harmful to small businesses.

Speaking of size and weight issues, Megan Kenney, Legislative Assistant with Senator Deb Fischer’s (R-NE) office took time to come speak to the attendees, providing an update on where we stand with moving the size and weight legislation forward in the 118th Congress. She has met with the TRAA multiple times and has dedicated countless hours on behalf of Senator Fischer, researching the issue and speaking with supporters and opponents alike, in order to achieve a workable compromise.

Strange Bedfellows

Beyond relationships with members of Congress and their staff, relationships with other special interest groups and lobbyists are critical. It is often said that Washington, DC makes for strange bedfellows, and that was evidenced by two other special guest speakers. Collin Long, Director of Government Affairs with the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) and Brad Roseberry, President of the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks (CABT).

These organizations, especially OOIDA, have been at odds with towing in the past, yet have found common ground to come together. Recently the TRAA worked successfully with an OOIDA-led coalition to oppose mandatory insurance increases. These would have raised our costs without providing any benefits to towers regarding collecting payment on liability-only issues. The two associations are also working together to oppose mandatory speed limiters on commercial vehicles, another burdensome and dangerous regulation being proposed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

CABT and OOIDA generally oppose longer, heavier and bigger trucks due to infrastructure and safety concerns. Yet both groups have agreed to remain neutral on the towing industry’s request for much needed relief from the current size and weight limits imposed on interstate movement of combination vehicles. This unity is a huge win for the industry, leaving only the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials as the major resistance to size and weight relief. With some perseverance, and a lot of data collection, towing should be able to come to a workable compromise that allows us to service the vehicles already using our highways with the most modern, safe and effective tow trucks available today and into the future.

Heartwarming Messages

Other speakers at the Hill Day Event included Dr. Scott Parr from the Transportation Research Board, addressing how highway design impacts responder safety. Also speaking on issues facing towing were James Austrich and James Tebo, Transportation ◀

Specialists with the Federal Highway Administration, both highlighting the importance of education and training for all roadway responders as well as the motoring public.

It was heartwarming to witness the well-rounded group of speakers, both from Capitol Hill and from within the towing industry, willing to take time from their busy schedules to help educate the industry on how to better represent ourselves on Capitol Hill and effectively portray our message. It was even more exciting to see towing well received by the members of Congress and their staff. If you have not attended one of these events, or even if you have, please consider attending next year. Bringing individual voices together ensures that they are heard loud and clear.

Now, merely attending an annual event and speaking with your elected representatives once a year is not going to move the needle much, although it helps. As lobbyists, the national association alone cannot speak for the industry. Lawmakers, whether local, state or federal, love to hear from their constituents, even from the other side of the aisle, and your voice carries much more weight than the professional representatives do.

That said, it takes more than one meeting with a staffer to become the voice on a specific set of issues. Local participation is key to becoming your lawmaker’s go-to person. Please take the time to visit your representatives when they are back in their home state, and stop by their local office and get to know their staff. Then followup by sending them personalized letters introducing yourself, your business and those that work for your team. This sort of personal contact really facilitates towers’ voices being heard when you speak out on issues affecting towmen.