The Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau (TRIB) is preparing for another year of federal advocacy as congressional support for retread legislation could shift after the November elections.
At TRIB's annual membership meeting Nov. 2 in Las Vegas, Managing Director David Stevens said TRIB and the Tire Industry Association (TIA) remain committed to two federal retread bills. Support currently stands at 10 lawmakers in the House and three in the Senate, and 12 of those faces were on the ballot, so the groups may need to reassess their approach heading into 2027.
What the bills would do
TRIB and TIA have spent much of 2026 building support for H.R. 3401, the Retreaded Tire Jobs, Supply Chain Security and Sustainability Act of 2025, and its Senate companion, S. 2790, the Resilient Tire Supply and Jobs Act.
The legislation would create a tax credit equal to the lesser of 30% of the purchase price or $30 per qualifying U.S.-purchased, U.S.-retreaded tire. It would also require federal agencies to buy a matching retread from the GSA tire schedule when one is available in the desired size, load range and tread designation.
Both bills remain at the introduced stage. Advocates have looked at larger packages, including year-end tax legislation, defense authorization and surface transportation reauthorization, as possible vehicles. In July, commercial tire dealers and retreaders joined a congressional fly-in to discuss domestic manufacturing, supply chain security and fleet operating costs. Stevens said the effort remains a priority for TIA and for government affairs teams at major tire manufacturers into 2027.
Education and membership priorities
TRIB is also weighing new services after its first membership satisfaction survey since 2019. Members most often asked for more conference presentations and educational sessions, followed by expanded lobbying, technical materials, best practices, webinars and career resources.
TRIB's Net Promoter Score rose from 53 in 2019 to 95 in 2026. About 97% of respondents said they were likely to renew, and roughly 65% have been members for more than five years.
In 2026 the group promoted retreading at events including The Tire Cologne, Latin Tire Expo and Truck World Canada, and partnered with CalRecycle on a webinar about tire life and total cost of ownership. It also completed its fourth annual State of the Retread Industry Survey and has made more than 30 member-business visits over the past three years.
Scholarship and board
TRIB is considering expanding the Marvin Bozarth Memorial Scholarship program after more than 100 applications in the 2026 cycle. Two $500 scholarships went to Barret Schmidt of Round Mountain, Texas (School of Automotive Machinists & Technology) and David Johnson of Franktown, Colo. (WyoTech).
Members also approved board nominees Trey Burleson of Central Marketing, Martin Collet of RTS Canada, Alan Rider of Sparton Enterprises, and Jason Smith and Tim Puck of Liberty Tire Recycling.
More on TRIB is at retread.org. Bill text for H.R. 3401 is on Congress.gov.
