The AAA (pronounced "triple-A"), formerly known as the American Automobile Association , is a 50 million member North American not-for-profit automobile lobby group, service organization, and seller of vehicle insurance. Its national headquarters are in Heathrow, Florida.
History
The American Automobile Association was founded on March 4 , 1902 , in Chicago, Illinois as a response to a lack of roads and highways suitable for automobiles. The organization originally had 1000 charter members, generally auto enthusiasts. AAA’s membership base is and was formed from 9 local and regional motor clubs that combined to create a more powerful organization.
The association expanded its services over the years. The first AAA road maps were published in 1905, and AAA began printing hotel guides in 1917. AAA began its School Safety Patrol Program in 1920, and many driver safety programs followed in the decades to come. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, which conducts studies on motorist safety, was established as a separate entity in 1947.
AAA was a sanctioning organization for auto racing in the United States until 1956. It sanctioned many races, including the Indianapolis 500. After the 1955 Le Mans disaster, AAA decided that auto racing distracted from its primary goals, and the United States Automobile Club was formed to take over the race sanctioning/officiating.
Current operations
Members belong to one of 69 individual clubs (such as AAA Northwest Ohio, AAA Mid-Atlantic, AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah, the Automobile Club of Southern California, AAA Oregon/Idaho, AAA Merrimack Valley or Auto Club South, for example), and the clubs in turn own AAA. The member clubs have arranged a reciprocal service system so that members of any participating club are able to receive member services from any other affiliate club. Member dues finance all club services as well as the operations of the national organization.
From the standpoint of the consumer, AAA clubs primarily provide emergency road services to members. These services, which include everything from lockouts, winching, tire changes, automotive first aid, and towing, are handled by private local towing companies contracted by a state AAA club. Many AAA clubs have an automotive fleet division serving large metro areas, while private towing companies cover the surplus call volume by area. Recently, certain clubs have implemented an "on the go" diagnostic/installation automotive battery program, which offers members an additional service to an ever more demanding commute. This is part of AAA's vision for the future of automotive services, termed "Go, not Tow".
Clubs also distribute road maps and travel publications (TourBooks), and rate restaurants and hotels according to a "diamond" scale (one to five). The best hotels and restaurants according to AAA's criteria receive the Five Diamond Award. Many offices sell automobile liability insurance, provide travel agency, auto-registration and notary services. Maps, TourBooks, and travel agent services are generally free to members. AAA also offers member discounts at places like Payless ShoeSource and LensCrafters, and in some regions Burger King, Pizza Hut and Arby's through its "Show Your Card & Save" program.
International affiliates
The AAA has reciprocal arrangements with a range of international affiliates. In general, members of affiliates are offered the same benefits as members of the AAA while traveling in the United States, while AAA members are offered equivalent benefits while traveling in the territory of the affiliate.
International affiliates include:
- ARC Europe, encompassing the leading European clubs, including the AA, ANWB and ADAC below.
- The Automobile Association in the United Kingdom.
- The Royal Dutch Touring Club ANWB
- The Canadian Automobile Association in Canada ( TourBooks and maps of Canadian places are published by AAA, and are distributed by AAA and CAA clubs using both AAA and CAA logos).
- The ADAC in Germany.
AAA and motorist rights
The AAA has a mixed record with its support of motorist rights.
The AAA is known for occasional high profile motorist advisories of unreasonable traffic enforcement, such as when it rented a billboard to warn motorists of the speed trap town of Lawtey, Fl.
However, the AAA has taken positions contrary to motorist rights. Prominent examples include:
- Support of Virginia's now-repealed traffic citation tax because of its revenue generation potential.
The AAA is a supporter of the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act, first introduced in 2001 but which has not become law.
AAA and the environment
Criticism
AAA's lobbying positions are perceived by some as hostile to mass transit and environmental interests.
Daniel Becker, director of Sierra Club's global warming and energy program, described AAA as "a lobbyist for more roads, more pollution, and more gas guzzling." He observed that among other lobbying activities, AAA issued a press release critical of the Clean Air Act, stating that it would "threaten the personal mobility of millions of Americans and jeopardize needed funds for new highway construction and safety improvements." "AAA spokespeople have criticized open-space measures and opposed U.S. EPA restrictions on smog, soot, and tailpipe emissions." "The club spent years battling stricter vehicle-emissions standards in Maryland, whose air, because of emissions and pollution from states upwind, is among the nation's worst."
Response
In response to these concerns, several competing organizations have emerged, including Better World Club. These organizations generally provide similar roadside assistance, trip planning and other services, in an environmentally friendly manner. This includes discounts for fuel-efficient vehicles and donations to environmental organizations.
Also as a response to the critics, the California State Automobile Association, a branch of AAA, set up a booth at the San Francisco International Auto Show to raise awareness regarding plug-in hybrid vehicles.
List of AAA regional clubs
Notes
- The Automobile Club of Rhode Island merged with the Bancroft Automobile Club (based in Worcester, Mass.) in 1987 to form the AAA South Central New England. AAA Massachusetts (formerly the Boston Automobile Club) joined in 1996, and AAA Berkshire County in July 2004 to form the present AAA Southern New England.
- The Cleveland Automobile Club (founded in 1900) merged with the Alliance Automobile Club, the Tuscarawas County Autombile Club, and others to form the Ohio Motorist Association in 1978. The Ohio Motorist Association (based in Cleveland) merged into AAA East Central on January 1, 2005.
- The Auto Club Group, based in Dearborn, Michigan, operates AAA Michigan, AAA Minnesota/Iowa, AAA Nebraska, AAA North Dakota, AAA Wisconsin and the Chicago Motor Club.
- AAA South Dakota is part of AAA Oklahoma.
- AAA Texas, AAA New Mexico and AAA Hawaii are part of the Auto Club of Southern California Enterprise.
See also
- Alliance Internationale de Tourisme
- AAA Travel High School Challenge
References
- ^ Meenan, Kyle (2005). "Billboard Wars Over Lawtey As A 'Speed Trap'". First Coast News . http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/news-article.aspx?storyid=32199 . Retrieved 2008-09-16 .
- ^ Fisher, Marc (2007-08-26). "Rage Over Driver Fees Has Va. Legislators Asking, 'Huh?'". The Washington Post : p. C01 . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/25/AR2007082501223.html . Retrieved 2008-09-16 .
- ^ Rogalsky, Joe (2007-12-26). "Va.
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