PRNewswire press release:

Fleetworthy has announced an expanded partnership with HAAS Alert digital alerting for roadway safety.

“The towing industry is truly blessed with outstanding individuals who have invested years donating their time and resources to better the industry for all,” said Bill Gratzianna, president of the Towing Museum. “This year’s class exemplifies the spirit of sharing—of knowledge, resources and experience—to help raise the bar.”

The Hall of Fame Class of 2026 inductees are:

Enrique Dueñas Rodríguez, Mexico City, Mexico — A third-generation towing professional, Dueñas Rodríguez has spent more than 50 years building and professionalizing the towing and recovery industry across Mexico and Latin America. Operating Grúas y Servicios Dueñas in Mexico City, he continued the legacy of his father, a 1988 Hall of Fame inductee. He became one of the most active association leaders in the international towing community, helping establish professional standards across an entire continent through cross-border relationship building and sustained organizational leadership.

John H. Gardner, Gilbert, SC — A 53-year veteran of the towing and recovery industry, Gardner is a South Carolina Air National Guard veteran who began his career as a dispatcher for the South Carolina Highway Patrol. He founded American Wrecker Sales in 1983 after acquiring the Century Wrecker distributorship. Gardner is credited with developing the first Towed Vehicle Inspection Report for local police departments—a form still in use today. He is also known for his longstanding generosity, including more than 20 years of youth baseball sponsorship and quietly supporting employees and community members in need.

Bob Huffman, Sanford, FL — Huffman dedicated 35 years at AAA to strengthening relationships between the nation’s largest roadside assistance organization and towing professionals. As Director of Roadside Programs and Benefits, he served as AAA’s ambassador for Slow Down, Move Over awareness, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for the ITRHFM Survivor Fund. He also serves on committees evaluating Survivor Fund requests and Wall of the Fallen nominations, while personally assisting families after the loss of a loved one. Huffman has greatly increased the organization’s advocacy for industry-wide safety reforms.

James “Jim” Jennings Jr., Coral Springs, FL — A second-generation towing professional with 59 years of continuous family involvement in the industry, Jennings served as president of Emerald Transportation Corp. prior to the company being acquired by Guardian Fleet Services. Emerald Transportation Corp. has supported the Florida Highway Patrol since 1964. He founded Towers with a Heart, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds Move Over safety campaigns across Florida. Jennings co-founded the Sunshine State Towing Association, currently serves as TRAA vice president, and has served for approximately 10 years on the ITRHFM Board of Directors. He was named Tow Times Industry Champion in 2019.

Irvin Johns (posthumous), Louisville, KY — Johns, who passed away in 2024, founded Suburban Wrecker Service in 1969 with a single used truck and grew it into Kentucky’s largest towing company, with more than 100 trucks and 80-plus employees. He led the 2nd Street Bridge recovery in 2024, which garnered national news coverage. Johns was also an accomplished NHRA drag racer, becoming the oldest national event winner in NHRA history and earning induction into the NHRA North Central Division Hall of Fame in 2025.

Martin D. Peacock, Americus, GA — Representing the third generation of a family towing business established in 1928, Peacock continues one of the longest-running towing legacies in the United States. He played a key role in founding the Georgia Towing Association and later helped merge organizations to form the Towing & Recovery Association of Georgia (TRAG). He also assisted in forming a towing association in South Carolina and served through the full leadership arc in the Capital City Towing Association, ultimately becoming Chair Emeritus.

Jeff Poquette, Union City, GA — With more than 30 years as an industry consultant and advocate, Poquette has helped shape training standards, safety practices and professional development across the towing industry. He launched one of the industry’s first podcasts in 2018, sharing insights with thousands of towing professionals. He remains active in multiple state associations and continues to advocate for training and education.

Lee Roberts, Paris, KY — Roberts built Roberts Heavy Duty Towing from one truck into a major operation with 66 trucks and 82 employees, bringing international experience from his early career in the United Kingdom. He has served on the ITRHFM Board of Directors, chaired TowCap, and held leadership roles in the Towing and Recovery Association of Kentucky. In 2016, after a competitor lost his business in a fire, Roberts donated a truck and provided office space to help him rebuild—an act widely recognized in local media. Roberts was the first towing company recognized by The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety for outstanding highway safety efforts.

Shannon Douglas Yates, Chattanooga, TN — A third-generation Hall of Fame inductee, Yates has operated Yates Towing & Recovery in Chattanooga for 38 years. He has held leadership roles in the Tennessee Tow Truck Association and maintained active TRAA membership. Yates has also supported the museum for many years, often donating his time and resources. His community engagement reflects the same values that earned his grandfather and father their places in the Hall of Fame: that the towing profession is about more than moving vehicles — it is about serving people.

The International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum was founded in 1986 to recognize outstanding individuals in the towing and recovery industry and to record and preserve its history. Learn more at towingmuseum.com.

POLI EV Analyzer press release:

The POLI EV Analyzer/Detector from mPower is designed exclusively to detect the chemicals that outgas from lithium-ion battery (LIB) fires.

The set of sensors in this handheld, multi-gas instrument will alert you to the following dangers:

• The quantity of gases emitted during a fire.
• The quantity of gases emitted immediately after the fire is extinguished.
• If the lithium-ion battery is about to reignite.

The POLI EV has a built-in pump allowing the user to attach an optional hose and wand to distance the user from these dangerous chemicals.

The POLI EV Analyzer/Detector from mPower is designed exclusively to detect the chemicals that outgas from lithium-ion battery (LIB) fires, including Hydrogen (H2) and Hydrogen Fluoride (HF).

Also available is a Monodock calibration and bump-test station that comes with the specific calibration gases and demand-flow regulators.

Remote monitoring, back to Incident Command, is available for remote communication with multiple deployed POLI EVs.

• Intrinsically safe (Class I, Division 1)
• Up to 5 gas measurements in each monitor
• Selection of 20+ gas sensors
• Programmable custom location identifiers
• Display gas alarm notification, Man-down alarm and Panic Alarm on monitors and mPower RT software.
• Magnetic mount option for quick deployment
• Light-weight (1 lb.) for drone mounting or hand-held operation

IP-67 rated weather resistance (IP-65 for MP400S)

For more information visit Don Wolf & Associates, Inc.

Agero, Inc. announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Urgent.ly, Inc. (Nasdaq: ULY) (“Urgently”), a U.S.-based technology focused provider of roadside and mobility assistance with innovative, tailored solutions within the automotive, fleet, and rental markets, for a cash price of $5.50 per share.

The acquisition brings together two companies that share a vision for advancing roadside assistance through modern technology, AI, data insights, and customer-focused innovation. By combining Urgently and Agero’s operational scale, which serve over 150 million vehicles and managing 13 million events annually, the companies are creating a unified solution that will accelerate an enhanced experience for automakers, dealerships, insurance carriers, fleet operators, and the drivers they serve.

Agero expects the acquisition will allow these capabilities to scale across a diverse client base while continuing to evolve driver assistance solutions.

The acquisition reflects a broader evolution within the mobility ecosystem, where advanced analytics, machine learning/AI, and real-time data are playing an increasingly important role in improving roadside service delivery and customer satisfaction. The companies expect to accelerate innovation across their roadside assistance solutions, including enhancements in dispatch optimization, customer experience management, and partner-facing technology.

Following the transaction’s completion, Agero will remain a privately held company.

For example, if the chain you’re using to winch a vehicle is made of 100 links and 99 are made of hardened steel and one link is made of tin, what will happen? That one link will break. It doesn’t matter how strong the other 99 links are. If just one link is weak, the chain will break. The overall strength of a chain is the strength of the weakest link.

We know the importance of the proper use of a chain for the work we do, but I think this proverb and the meaning behind it  is something the towing industry can apply to how we treat each other as both competitors and colleagues.

I was reminded of how vital it is to adhere to the following standards to keep our industry stronger and better:

Company integrity: Public conflict damages the reputation of a business as a whole.

Recruitment: A unified, professional front is essential for attracting and retaining employees.

Public perception: The towing industry already faces external scrutiny and one weak link only validates uninformed criticism from the public and beyond.

If we don’t help each other achieve the highest standards and integrity, who will? Perhaps it’s time to do a safety check on the links of the chains of our industry.

Authorities said Fischer died at the scene from blunt force trauma.

He was wearing reflective clothing and had his truck lights activated, following standard safety protocols,

The driver, Suk Subba of Antioch, Tennessee, was arrested and faces charges of second-degree manslaughter, first-degree wanton endangerment, leaving the scene of an accident involving death and failure to yield the right-of-way to an emergency vehicle.

Dozens of tow trucks participated in a memorial procession to honor Fischer.

The TRAA Education Foundation, Inc.® is proud to provide annual scholarship aid to students furthering their education through its Scholarship Fund. Since 1990, the TRAA Education Foundation has awarded thousands of dollars in scholarships to the children and grandchildren of TRAA regular members to assist them in completing their postsecondary education. Scholarships are awarded to students each year based on merit and the candidate’s overall character, community involvement, family service, etc.

The Scholarship Committee was pleased to award a total of $29,500 in scholarships in 2025.

The 2025 scholarship recipients are:

Alexandria Bender – $4,500

Kinzie Chron – $2,000

Spencer Hobson – $5,000

Jacey Irwin – $3,000

Taylor Irwin – $2,500

Jonathan Roth – $2,500

Kyra Scardina – $5,000

Brynn Schueller – $5,000

For individuals interested in applying for 2026 scholarship opportunities, look for the TRAA Education Foundation Scholarship Application to run in a Spring edition of TRAA’s National Towing E-News and on the TRAA website, traaonline.com.

Tow to Go provides a free, confidential ride and vehicle tow to a safe location for impaired drivers. AAA stresses that the service is intended as a backup plan rather than a primary transportation option.

“Tow to Go is one way AAA works to make our roads safe,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman for AAA. “We offer this program because too many lives are lost every year in drug and alcohol-related crashes. Although it is available to help prevent a bad situation from getting worse, we strongly encourage people to treat Tow to Go as a last resort. The best plan is always to designate a sober driver or arrange safe transportation before drinking begins.”

Together, alcohol and drug-impaired driving remain preventable threats that endanger motorists, passengers, and pedestrians every day. Alcohol impaired driving alone accounts for about 30 percent of all traffic fatalities nationwide, killing 34 people every day, or one every 42 minutes (NHTSA).

Tow to Go Service Areas for St. Paddy’s Day 2026

Tow to Go will be available in the following states and regions beginning with the St. Patrick’s Day holiday:

• Florida
• Georgia
• Iowa
• Michigan
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Nebraska
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Wisconsin
• Colorado (Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs)
• Indiana (Fort Wayne and South Bend)

Benefits of Tow-to-Go

• Free confidential ride available to AAA Members and non-members.
• The AAA tow truck transports the vehicle and driver home or somewhere safe within 10 miles.
• Appointments cannot be scheduled in advance to use Tow to Go. It is designed as a safety net for those who did not plan ahead. Always choose a designated driver before celebrating.
• In some situations, AAA may need to make other arrangements to get an impaired individual a safe ride home.
• Tow to Go may not be available in rural areas or during severe weather conditions.

AAA reminds drivers that impaired driving is completely preventable. Planning a safe ride in advance can save lives and spare families from devastating loss.

Since its inception in 1998, Tow to Go has provided a safe ride to more than 30,000 people. For more information, visit AAA’s Tow to Go page.