Towing and Recovery Service Partnership (TRSP)

What is a Towing and Recovery Service Partnership?

Towing and Recovery Service Partnerships (TRSPs) help public and private partners establish protocols, and often training and incentives, to ensure that the right responders, tow equipment and operators are brought in to rapidly restore traffic flow, based purely on the type of incident and the vehicles involved.

Already at work in several states, each partnership means the stalled motorist is safer, responders are safer, and the likelihood of secondary accidents is reduced, increasing safety and mobility for all. TRSPs are customizable to the needs, laws, and practices of each region or agency.

TRSPs are public/private partnerships with the tow industry which use local tow vendors who have the equipment, personnel and expertise to respond and remove vehicles in their assigned zones, safely and quickly, depending upon the nature of the incident.

See the technology nomination for additional information.

Contacts – Lead States Team

TRSP Library

• Factsheet
• Hand-Outs
  • download or desktop print
  • professional print-ready
• Presentations
  • Major Incident Tow (MIT) Program
    
    • WSP/WSDOT MIT Program - 2012 MIT Refresher Training
• Other Publications
  • Major Incident Tow (MIT) Program
    
    • Major Incident Tow (MIT) Program Handbook
      Provides the overall explanation and operations of the program.
      (Effective January 13, 2012-June 30, 2013)
  • Instant Tow Program
    
    • Measuring Transportation Investments: The Road to Results
      The May 2011 Pew Center report on state government transportation investments which highlights Washington's Instant Tow program.
      (see page 45)
    • Instant Tow
      One-page document describing Washington's Instant Tow program.
      (2007)
  • Other Programs
    
    • Evaluation of the Towing and Recovery Incentive Program (TRIP)
      (February 4, 2011)
    • Georgia's Towing and Recovery Incentive Program Specifications
      (October 31, 2011)
• Additional Resources
  • Major Incident Tow (MIT) Program
    
    • Interagency Agreement
      An interagency agreement between the Washington State Department of Transportation and the Washington State Patrol as joint operators of an MIT program.
    • Registered Tow Truck Operator Agreement
      An agreement document to be used between the Washington State Patrol and the towing businesses that are used for the program.
    • Pocket Cards
      Cards carried in the field to provide activation guidelines.
    • Major Incident Tow (MIT) Activation Report
      Form used in the field by tow truck operator to document an MIT activation.
  • Other Programs
    
    • Chattanooga, Tennessee Towing Ordinance
      A 2008 ordinance to amend Chattanooga's Traffic Incident Management Service ordinance in relation to towing.
    • Evaluation of the Heavy Tow Quick Clearance Program
      A 2008 evaluation of the Colorado Department of Transportation's Quick Clearance "Heavy Tow" program for I-70.
    • Georgia's Towing and Recovery Incentive Program (TRIP)
      One-page summary describing Georgia's Towing and Recovery Incentive Program (TRIP).
    • Towing Recovery Incentive Program (TRIP) - Activation Card
      Card used to help determine when to activate Georgia's TRIP.
    • Criteria for Activating Program
      Criteria for activating Georgia's TRIP based on the vehicle type involved.