Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)
Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.2 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $11.3bn in 2025.
Trends and Insights
Technology adoption is transforming dispatch and operations across the towing industry
- Widespread use of GPS tracking, digital dispatch platforms and mobile apps has made service more efficient and responsive. Real-time updates reduce confusion and improve response times, creating a better experience for customers needing tow services in busy urban and suburban environments.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2025-2030)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Advanced vehicle technologies will reduce accident-related towing demand
- The expansion of advanced driver-assistance systems and autonomous features is changing roadside emergencies. These technologies monitor road conditions, automate braking and steering inputs and use machine learning to reduce human error, leading to fewer collisions and rollover incidents. Industry analysts expect a steady decline in accident recovery calls, especially in cities with newer vehicles.
Biggest companies in the Automobile Towing in the US
| Company | Market Share (%)
2025 | Revenue
2025 | Profit
2025 | Profit Margin (%)
2025 |
|---|
There are no companies that hold a market share exceeding 5% in the Automobile Towing in the US industry.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Light duty vehicle towing, short wheelbase, Light duty vehicle towing, long wheelbase and Buses and single-unit and combination truck towing. Light duty vehicle towing, short wheelbase is the largest segment of the Automobile Towing in the US.
Trends and Insights
Light duty vehicle towing for short wheelbase vehicles dominates the market, but faces slower growth
- Light duty vehicle towing for short wheelbase vehicles includes towing for passenger cars, vans, SUVs and motorcycles with a wheelbase of 121 inches or less, spanning urban and rural regions. This segment excludes roadside assistance, focusing strictly on vehicle transport after incidents like collisions, mechanical breakdowns or abandoned vehicles.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
Automobile towing companies tow light or heavy motor vehicles over short and long distances. Automobile towing companies may also provide incidental services, including storage and emergency road repair services.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in the Automobile Towing industry in the United States include Emergency road repair services, Motor vehicle towing services , Tow truck services and Wrecking services for motor vehicles .Companies
Companies covered in the Automobile Towing industry in the United States include .Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
Related terms covered in the Automobile Towing industry in the United States include electronic stability control systems, miles per gallon (mpg) and american automobile association (aaa).Industry Code
NAICS 48841 - Automobile Towing in the US
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
The industry is prioritizing technology adoption and service diversification to meet rising competition and changing customer needs. Investing in digital dispatch, analytics ...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Light duty vehicle towing for passenger cars, vans and motorcycles remains central to the market, but its growth is slowing as advanced safety features reduce towing demand. ...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2025
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2025
- Major market segmentation in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
In the Southeast, fast population growth, major highways and severe weather events sustain strong year-round demand for towing services. Companies invest in larger fleets and...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each state in 2025
- Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of employees in each state in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Most towing companies serve small, local areas because customers value fast service and knowledge of local conditions, which keeps the market highly fragmented. This structur...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
There are no companies that hold a market share exceeding 5% in the Automobile Towing in the US industry.
Analyst insights
There are no major companies. Small, locally focused owner-operators make up the bulk of all automobile towing operations. Consolidation is nearly nonexistent.
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Higher numbers of vehicle registrations, accidents and older cars directly increase towing demand since more vehicles and breakdowns create more business for operators. As th...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Profitability in towing is squeezed by competition, rising labor costs and pandemic impacts, forcing operators to prioritize efficiency and keep prices low. New entrants in c...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Industry Multiples (2018-2023)
- Industry Tax Structure (2018-2023)
- Income Statement (2018-2023)
- Balance Sheet (2018-2023)
- Liquidity Ratios (2018-2023)
- Coverage Ratios (2018-2023)
- Leverage Ratios (2018-2023)
- Operating Ratios (2018-2023)
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
- Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Average Wage (2015-2030)
- Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
- Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2015-2030)
- IVA (2015-2030)
- Establishments (2015-2030)
- Enterprises (2015-2030)
- Employment (2015-2030)
- Exports (2015-2030)
- Imports (2015-2030)
- Wages (2015-2030)
Top Questions Answered
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Automobile Towing industry in the United States in 2025?
The market size of the Automobile Towing industry in the United States is $11.3bn in 2025.
How many businesses are there in the Automobile Towing industry in the United States in 2025?
There are 39,202 businesses in the Automobile Towing industry in the United States, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.7 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Automobile Towing industry in the United States?
The Automobile Towing industry in the United States is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Automobile Towing industry in the United States?
The Automobile Towing industry in the United States is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Automobile Towing industry in the United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Automobile Towing industry in the United States has been growing at a CAGR of 0.2 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Automobile Towing industry in the United States over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Automobile Towing industry in the United States is expected to grow.
What does the Automobile Towing industry in the United States include?
Emergency road repair services and Motor vehicle towing services are part of the Automobile Towing industry in the United States.
How competitive is the Automobile Towing industry in the United States?
The level of competition is high and steady in the Automobile Towing industry in the United States.
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in the US include:
- US Census Bureau
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics
- US International Trade Commission
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
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