That's why there in NO AAA provider in my area. 
I towed for a company that did about 4000 AAA calls a year. They were mostly in town and we subsidized AAA a little more than $4 a call. The company that I'm at now doesnt do nearly the volume, (300-400 ), but I'm in a rural area and the calls are 90% 40 miles or more in tow. Sure do like the lower volume of calls and the average call is worth running.
Don't really care if we keep AAA or not. Would probably rather not have them.
Some of my problems with AAA are:
-The low rates.
-The "exceptions" that they try and make. When they make an exception to the contract agreement they are pimping me and taking business from the local towing industry. I wouldnt get every one of those tows but I would get some of them and at retail rates. They make the exception, they can pay the retail rates.
-Does AAA inhibit me from going after more retail business? Better faster reputation bringing in more business.
-During the busiest times are when AAA is rockin and we have missed retail calls cause we're all out on AAA.
We have de-prioritized auto clubs in general. Police and Retail calls have priority. About not towing for AAA yet but giving it a try. Take that guys advice and know exactly what your calls take you to run, and go from there.
I'm also new to this business and trying to ramp up more business all the time. Everyone I talk to warns me about AAA. I think you guys need to get with the major towing organizations to form a boycott of AAA. Let the press hear about it. Let their competitors capitalize on it. Roll to the scene ready to tow but explain to the customer they have to pay you directly and get AAA to reimburse them. When they find that AAA doesn't reimburse well they will leave that motor club. Talk to the small towers in your area about what is going on. I can't get enough advice from the big guys as long as they are friendly about it. Put signs on your rollback "Just say no to AAA, they don't pay the towing bill!" or something like that. If an organized attack is done they will respond. Picket their headquarters??? I think you guys just need someone to step up and lead the attack. Just my two cents from the outside looking in.
I've never had problem with aaa,except one time they black listed me from being able to tow for a company that had aaa for one year back in the 80's out in arizona.but they do have alot of problems like responce time,low rates,and just general overall attitude.now i have been offered a contract if they continue to have a problem with the local provider.i worked for aaa in barstow,ca. and brought home about 3000.00 a month in commisions in just aaa alone.but if it came down to it and they were the bread and butter for me its money,i'm always out to make money.now as far as boycott,picketing,going to the press a losing battle they'll come out smelling like roses as they always do. 
I don't understand how you guys can afford to have a $50K truck and and tow cars for $16. That's crazy. You guys are a commodity to AAA. Like pork bellies in the stock market. If there are plenty of pork bellies then they sell cheap. If you guys are careful and only do a tow for $50 then that's that's what the pork belly is worth. The farmer selling pork bellies cheaper is going to put himself out of business. He won't be able to make the mortgage on the farm or tow truck. I'm new and I might be talking out my butt but that's how I see it so far. I wish I had the skills, knowledge, time, etc to help make this thing right. It seems from my reading of AAA that we need to learn more about their business structure. I suspect they are set up in zones and it's up to that zone manager as to how cut throat he wants to be. He is probably responsible for his quartly numbers. If we understood it better we would have more influence over it.
Thats the problem we don't aaa rules our way or the highway is the way they see it,and we really don't have a say so therefore they say jump and we say how high.and no joking there are company owners who kiss a lot of a$$ with aaa,i've seen it for myself working for aaa providers,both in california,nevada,arizona,and here in new mexico.i had a boss tell me one time that you gotta kiss thier a$$ if you wanna make money,or else you starve to death.but i haven't seen this with other motor clubs just aaa.but thats my oppinion.
There are more providers that have decent relationships with AAA than it looks like, they just haven't posted, I'm sure. We honestly do love AAA. I suppose maybe we are lucky to have a good rep since most of what I read is negative. No, we do not make a killing running for AAA but we honestly feel it has been a win-win business situation for both sides and it has to be in order for both sides to show success from the relationship. We do not kiss their *** and haven't been asked to. The rates we are paid show a decent profit or we wouldn't do the calls. There is something to be said for negotiating rates and not accepting them in a win-lose situation. We have had numerous situations arise involving damages, (they happen) pay changes, etc and so far they have all been handled in a fair and timely manner. But then, we have to do the same for them when something is our fault. We step up and correct the issue. I do believe that companies have problems with them, I simply want to let it be known that there are some good AAA/provider relationships out there and as long as your business is diversified enough to stand on it's own without AAA, you are going to see more of a positive situation working with them as it stands to reason, you won't be looking to them to make you or break you.
Wow that's great that in all of these far off places contractors make money and also profit from AAA. We are a back up station for AAA and when we do calls we make sure they are outside our area this way your able to charge 15 miles to the call because they only pay after the first 10 miles down here and a 27 dollar base rate so with the extra 5 miles at 1.50 each your up to a total of 34.50 per call. AAA reps here in llinois are some of the worst i have ever dealt with they never return calls and if you do get through to them they will get back to you in a weeks time and they never never never take a contractors words over a customers they take the money for a damage and ask questions later if you happen to find out about it . There are a few ways for all providers to make extra with them here is one way . when someone is called to tow a Porsche they require special tie downs equipment that is not covered in most AAA contracts so you make the dispatcher call national and get a approval for what ever rate you would like to charge. ( times out of 10 they will pay the fee's we charge$225.00 to load them and the same with any locked ignition on a mazda vehicle or lexus and mini coopers as well. You must get the ok from National before you run the call cause some may ask AAA supervisor which means you will not get paid because the AAA sup cannot give the ok to spend funds from that comapny . Most towing companys don't carry this equipment so you will make out like a fat rat in your area and others. Planet Towing 
Good thing i don't own a porshe 225.00 to load heck i'll pick the thing up and carry it to a repair shop. 
but what you said makes sense to me on triple a.
For ABCSUSAN,
Interesting.... I have polled and gone over P&L's of over 250 AAA contractors, and NONE of them are making a profit towing for AAA! So I must ask, do you really know how much it costs you to run a call? Do you really know how to figure that up? (99% of all towers do NOT understand this procedure, and it actually takes us about 7 hours of using our specially designed program and sitting down with them, going over their business, feeding it into the computer, to find out their TRUE cost of running a call!
. Again, we have not seen a SINGLE company making a profit, IF they are running their business correctly and LEGALLY. (You know, paying legal wages, classifying their drivers correctly under workers comp(most companies are putting their drivers under either "Owners", or Body Shop Men", or "Automotive", etc..They are NOT classifying them as "Tow Truck Operators" which is a whopping 50% more in premiums!!. Some aren't even taking a salary for themselves! Yet they still at first say they are making money with AAA, that is until we show them that they AREN'T. Honestly, how ignorant do you have to be, to work as hard as you do, to take the risks and assume the liabilites that you do in order to own and operate a tow company, and then not take a decent salary???!!! It's so sad, but we encounter it many times. So again, if you TRULY are making a decent (or any) profit towing for AAA, congratulations, it is truly the "Holy Grail" of the towing world. But again, with no disrespect to you, I sincerely have my doubts. Good luck either way.
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