ecovery groups praise AA revamp
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El Higher recovery rates from the AA have been welcomed by breakdown operators who will now be able to charge mileage door-to-door on many jobs.
The AA has increased its rates by 5% and introduced a new category, Local Recovery, which allows its 1,200 agents to charge £20 for a turnout plus 62p per mile from base.
Previously the AA had only two categories, Breakdown Service and Relay Service. Breakdown Service now pays operators a £20 flat rate for up to 20 miles and £24 for up to 25 miles with 62p per additional mile.
Relay Service pays operators a £20 turnout fee with 62p per mile from base.
This rate applies to the new Local Recovery service which recognises that operators may have to take a broken down car many miles out of their way to a specialist garage. Under the old system operators would have been paid under the lower breakdown rates in which broken down vehicles are towed to the nearest garage.
Chris Nieman, chairman of the Association of Vehicle Recovery Operators, says the new category is a "significant movement". The increase is only a "marginal improvement", he adds, but he describes the local recovery rate as a "brilliant idea which the RAC should copy".
The Road Rescue Recovery Association also welcomes the new local recovery rate, but it has "reservations" about the AA's new invoicing system.