Short answer
Motor club towing work is the roadside and tow volume that clubs, insurers and automakers send to local operators. It can fill slow hours and keep trucks moving, but only if the rates, payment speed and GOA terms work for your company. Roadside MC is the industry-owned motor club, owned by the operators that tow the cars, and US Tow Grade lets operators rate the clubs they work for.
How much motor club work is out there?
A lot. AAA reported more than 27 million emergency roadside calls across the US in 2024, about 13 million of them for towing and about 7 million for batteries. That is one organization. Insurers, automakers, credit card programs and fleet programs all run their own roadside coverage, and almost all of it is worked by local tow companies under contract.
For a towing company, club work means calls you did not have to market for. A truck that would sit between private calls can run jump starts, lockouts and short tows instead.
How towing companies get motor club work
Clubs look for the same things in every market.
- Coverage where they are short. Clubs need providers in areas where their current ones are slow or thin. Rural routes, interstates and nights are often the easiest way in.
- Paperwork in order. Business registration, insurance certificates with the club named as required, W-9, and driver background checks where the contract asks for them.
- Fast ETAs and acceptance. Clubs score providers on how often they accept jobs, how close the actual arrival is to the promised ETA, and member feedback.
- Digital dispatch. Most clubs send jobs through an app or portal now. Someone has to accept them quickly, day and night.
- Clean service. Uniformed drivers, clean trucks, and photos of the vehicle before and after.
What operators dislike about legacy motor club contracts
Ask operators about motor club work and the same issues come up again and again. Every club is different and contracts change, so treat these as things to check before you sign, not a verdict on any one club.
Rates that do not cover the call
Club rates are usually a set base price per service plus a per-mile rate after a number of included miles. Work out your real cost per call, including fuel, driver pay, insurance and deadhead miles to the scene, before you accept a rate sheet. A rate that works in town may lose money 30 miles out.
Slow or uncertain payment
Some programs pay weekly, some monthly, and some only after a job is reviewed or a document is submitted. Know the pay cycle and the steps to get paid, and track every club job to payment in your dispatch software so nothing goes unbilled.
GOA and cancellation terms
A gone-on-arrival call still burns fuel and driver time. GOA pay, if any, depends on the club and the contract, and often on how fast you report it and what proof you have. Take a photo of the empty scene with a timestamp and report the GOA right away.
Surveys and penalties you cannot see
Member surveys and ETA scores can decide how many calls you get next month. Ask how scores are figured and how you can see your own.
What is an operator-owned motor club?
Most motor clubs sit between the driver who needs help and the operator who does the work. An operator-owned club is set up so the companies doing the towing are the owners. Roadside MC is built that way: it is the industry-owned motor club, owned by the operators that tow the cars. Operators enroll to receive roadside jobs.
The idea is simple. When the people who run the trucks own the club, decisions about rates, payment and GOA rules are made by people who know what a call costs.
Rate the clubs before you sign
The best information about a motor club comes from the operators already working for it. US Tow Grade lets operators rate the motor clubs, and it is free with Alliance membership. Before you sign a new contract, look at how other operators grade the club on rates, payment and support. After you have worked a few months, add your own rating so the next operator knows too.
| Check before you sign | Question to answer |
|---|---|
| Rate sheet | Does the base plus mileage cover your cost per call in your area? |
| Pay cycle | When do you get paid, and what can delay it? |
| GOA terms | What does a GOA pay, and what proof is required? |
| Scoring | How are ETA and survey scores figured, and can you see yours? |
| Insurance | What limits and named insureds does the contract require? |
| Exit | How much notice to leave, and how are open jobs paid? |
Making club calls pay once you have them
The contract sets the price. How you run the calls decides whether they make money. Accept the jobs that fit where your trucks already are, and pass on the ones that mean 40 empty miles for a jump start. Give honest ETAs, since a late arrival hurts your score more than a longer promise you keep.
Document every job the same way: arrival photo, condition photos, the hook-up and the drop. Log waiting time and extra work like winching or dollies when the club pays for them, and submit them with the job. Then check each payment against your own job record. Small short-pays add up over a year, and the only way to catch them is to compare.
Balancing club work with your own customers
Club work fills gaps. It should not crowd out your own private-pay calls, accident tows and commercial accounts, which usually pay better. Watch what share of your jobs and revenue comes from clubs. If one program is most of your business, a rate cut there hits you hard.
Keep building your own demand through towing SEO and a strong Google Business Profile so club work stays a choice.
To see where club work fits your fleet, book the free growth audit or see membership pricing.
How the Alliance runs it
- Know your cost per call
Fuel, driver pay, insurance and deadhead miles, by service type.
- Check the grades
Read operator ratings on US Tow Grade before you sign.
- Enroll with Roadside MC
Join the industry-owned motor club to receive roadside jobs.
- Get the paperwork right
Insurance certificates, W-9 and driver checks ready before the first job.
- Track every club job
Photos, GOA proof and billing tracked to payment in US Tow Dispatch.
- Rate and review
Add your own grade and review your club mix every quarter.
Motor Club Work: frequently asked questions
How do I get motor club towing work?
Apply to the clubs and roadside programs that cover your area, with your insurance certificates, W-9 and business documents ready. Clubs look for providers where coverage is thin, so nights, rural areas and interstates are often the easiest way in. You can also enroll with Roadside MC, the industry-owned motor club.
Is motor club work worth it for a small towing company?
It can be if the rates cover your real cost per call and payment is reliable. It fills slow hours without marketing spend. Work out your costs per service type before you accept a rate sheet.
What does GOA mean in motor club towing?
GOA means gone on arrival: the driver reached the scene and the vehicle or customer was gone. Whether and how much a GOA pays depends on the club and contract, so read the clause and document every GOA with a timestamped photo.
What is Roadside MC?
Roadside MC is the industry-owned motor club, owned by the operators that tow the cars. Towing companies enroll to receive roadside jobs.
What is US Tow Grade?
US Tow Grade is where tow operators rate the motor clubs they work for. It is free with US Tow Alliance membership.
How do motor club rates usually work?
Most clubs pay a set base rate per service, such as a tow, lockout or jump start, plus a per-mile rate after a number of included miles. Terms vary by club, region and contract.