AAA Mid-Atlantic
Encyclopedia
AAA Mid-Atlantic is among the largest of the clubs in the American Automobile Association
(AAA) National Federation. It serves nearly four million members in a territory stretching from northwest New Jersey
to Richmond, Virginia
. Headquarters are located in Wilmington, Delaware
. Like the national federation, AAA Mid-Atlantic is a not-for-profit organization. The club's primary purpose has always been to protect motorist's interest, mobility and safety.
These partnerships, followed by the year in which they occurred, are:
The Club also offers - to both members and non-members - home and auto insurance, financial services such as home loans and credit, as well as automotive guidance, including AAA's Approved Auto Repair ratings and driving improvement programs, auto buying guides and service advice.
The official publication of the club is AAA World, a bi-monthly magazine published by AAA World Publishing Group based in Wilmington, Delaware
. Receipt of the publication is open to both club members and non-members; subscription dues are included in club membership.
1910s AAA Clubs of Philadelphia and Delaware County battle against speed traps, unjust taxes and excessive tolls. The first AAA "Road Patrol" is initiated.
1920s AAA starts the School Safety Patrol for children and leads a campaign for posting route signs on U.S. highways.
1930s The first formal driving training program and study materials are developmed by AAA, and the first AAA driving school opens in Pennsylvania. AAA drafts model environmental act for highway beautification.
1940s The "School's Open, Drive Carefully" campaign is introduced to promote alert driving in school zones.
1950s AAA plays a major role in passage of legislation that establishes the Federal Highway Trust Fund
and paves the way for building the U.S. Interstate Highway System.
1960s AAA pushes for installation and use of seat belts in cars, and begins alcohol and drug education programs to reduce DUI
.
1970s Programs and educational materials are created to encourage gasoline and energy conservation.
1980s Child passenger safety initiative begins, encouraging use of car seats. National Car Care Month is initiated to promote proper car maintenance and help reduce air pollution.
1990s AAA launches campaigns to reduce agreesive driving and boost investment in highway and bridge repair.
2000s AAA efforts continue to protect consumers, work for fair insurance laws and relieve traffic congestion.
American Automobile Association
AAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...
(AAA) National Federation. It serves nearly four million members in a territory stretching from northwest New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
to Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. Headquarters are located in Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
. Like the national federation, AAA Mid-Atlantic is a not-for-profit organization. The club's primary purpose has always been to protect motorist's interest, mobility and safety.
Territory
AAA Mid-Atlantic members reside in the following states, counties and regions:- DelawareDelawareDelaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
- entire state - PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
- Columbia, Delaware, Luzerne, Montour, Philadelphia, portions of Bucks, Chester, Carbon, Montgomery and Schuylkill counties - MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
- entire state - New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
- Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren counties. - VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
- Northern, Shenandoah Valley, Central and Southern regions - Washington D.C. - entire District
History
The genesis of what is today AAA Mid-Atlantic began on April 20, 1900, at the Hotel Flanders in Philadelphia. Seven people attended the first meeting, which on November 1, 1900 evolved into the Automobile Club of Philadelphia serving 50 members, who each paid a $6 annual fee. In the years that followed, the Club grew through partnerships, absorbing smaller clubs to better serve members and the interest of motorists.These partnerships, followed by the year in which they occurred, are:
Keystone Automobile Club, 1965
The Shore Motor Club (Cape May and Atlantic counties NJ), 1981
The Delaware Motor Club, 1987
The Automobile Club of Maryland, 1990
AAA Virginia, 1993
AAA Anthracite (northeast Pa.), 1995
Valley Automobile Club, 1997
AAA Potomac, 1997
AAA Central-West Jersey, 2001
Advocacy, Public Service
AAA Mid-Atlantic lobbying draws attention to traffic safety, transportation funding, motorist distraction and other issues, including legislation that will:
Raise the quality of travel
Promote better driving and safer cars
Build awareness of safety
Protect consumers
Make roads safer
Ensure fair traffic enforcement
Make transportation funding transparent
Call for equitable distribution of tolls
Limit distractions to drivers
Educate the youngest drivers among us (GDLGraduated driver licensingGraduated driver licensing systems are designed to provide new drivers of motor vehicles with driving experience and skills gradually over time in low-risk environments. There are typically three steps or stages through which new drivers pass...
)
Ensure mobility for senior drivers
The Bill of Rights for Transportation Funding
BILL OF RIGHTS FOR THE NATION’S MOTORISTS ON TRANSPORTATION FUNDING
1. The United States requires a new vision for transportation that addresses 21st century needs, ensures broad access, adequate funding, and equitably allocates benefits and payments among users.
2. A new transportation vision must ensure that the system significantly enhances safety, mobility, and reliability to provide an appropriate return on investment to motorists who will continue to pay most of the costs.
3. Transportation improvements should be based upon needs that are clearly identified, and
outcomes that are supported by research and assured through application of performance
standards.
4. Transportation taxes, fees and other revenue collected from motorists must be equitable and
transparent. Transportation agencies must demonstrate to the public that transportation
resources are managed wisely and efficiently.
5. Motorists must receive direct and recognizable improvements to their travel experience if they are asked to pay more.
6. Revenues generated from taxes, fees and other pricing mechanisms paid by motorists must be
dedicated solely to meeting identified transportation needs and protected from diversion to
other uses.
7. Funding alternatives to supplement or eventually replace motor vehicle fuel taxes must be
carefully evaluated as to their ability to be efficiently implemented, accepted by the public,
allocated fairly, fully dedicated to transportation needs, and be resistant to fraud and evasion.
8. Public-private partnerships to increase transportation investments must be carefully managed to ensure that motorist fees are fair and equitable, that motorist fees are not diverted to nontransportation purposes, and that the facility is consistently maintained and improved.
9. Publicly-owned transportation facilities should only be sold or leased to private interests if agreements require the maintenance of high levels of service and remain under public oversight.
Revenues resulting from the sale or lease must be used only for transportation purposes and
compensate the public for the value of the facility.
10. Transportation fees, taxes, and other revenue collected from motorists should fairly represent their use of the system, and all transportation system users should bear a proportionate share of financing the system.
Services
Like all AAA clubs, AAA Mid-Atlantic is well known for emergency roadside assistance and travel planning.The Club also offers - to both members and non-members - home and auto insurance, financial services such as home loans and credit, as well as automotive guidance, including AAA's Approved Auto Repair ratings and driving improvement programs, auto buying guides and service advice.
The official publication of the club is AAA World, a bi-monthly magazine published by AAA World Publishing Group based in Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
. Receipt of the publication is open to both club members and non-members; subscription dues are included in club membership.
AAA Mid-Atlantic Initiatives Timeline
1900s AAA helps develops the first federal highways and "Good Roads Bill," and publishes the first road maps for automobile travelers1910s AAA Clubs of Philadelphia and Delaware County battle against speed traps, unjust taxes and excessive tolls. The first AAA "Road Patrol" is initiated.
1920s AAA starts the School Safety Patrol for children and leads a campaign for posting route signs on U.S. highways.
1930s The first formal driving training program and study materials are developmed by AAA, and the first AAA driving school opens in Pennsylvania. AAA drafts model environmental act for highway beautification.
1940s The "School's Open, Drive Carefully" campaign is introduced to promote alert driving in school zones.
1950s AAA plays a major role in passage of legislation that establishes the Federal Highway Trust Fund
Federal Highway Trust Fund (United States)
The United States Highway Trust Fund is a transportation fund which receives money from a federal fuel tax of 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon of diesel fuel and related excise taxes...
and paves the way for building the U.S. Interstate Highway System.
1960s AAA pushes for installation and use of seat belts in cars, and begins alcohol and drug education programs to reduce DUI
DUI
DUI is a three letter acronym that may stand for:* Driving under the influence * Democratic Union for Integration — the largest ethnic Albanian party in the Republic of Macedonia* Data Use Identifier...
.
1970s Programs and educational materials are created to encourage gasoline and energy conservation.
1980s Child passenger safety initiative begins, encouraging use of car seats. National Car Care Month is initiated to promote proper car maintenance and help reduce air pollution.
1990s AAA launches campaigns to reduce agreesive driving and boost investment in highway and bridge repair.
2000s AAA efforts continue to protect consumers, work for fair insurance laws and relieve traffic congestion.