Towing and Recovery Incentive Payment (TRIP) Program

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Towing and Recovery Incentive Payment (TRIP) Program is an Indefinite Delivery Vehicle (IDV) designed to provide emergency towing services for large commercial vehicles across specified geographic zones. The contract enables ODOT to rapidly clear blocked travel lanes and reduce traffic congestion by engaging specialized heavy-duty towing contractors. Vendors must possess advanced towing capabilities, including two 35-ton hydraulic wreckers, a skid loader with specific attachments, a fuel transfer system capable of removing 300 gallons of diesel fuel, and a support truck or trailer. The IDV covers comprehensive towing and recovery services, with vendors required to meet strict response time requirements of 45 minutes during peak hours and 60 minutes during non-peak hours, with complete vehicle removal mandated within 90 minutes.

Schaffers Towing LLC has been awarded this competitive selection contract (DOT05525-34) for TRIP Zones 8A and 8B, with a performance period from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027. The contract is a state-level competitive selection vehicle covering Ohio, with an incentive payment structure of $2,499 for successful TRIP events and $600 for cancelled events. Vendors must meet rigorous qualifications, including a minimum of ten years in heavy-duty towing, proper commercial driver's licenses, appropriate insurance coverage, workers' compensation, and completion of Ohio Traffic Incident Management (OTIM) training. While ODOT will award contracts to responsive bidders, there is no guaranteed work volume for individual vendors.