Posted April 24th, 2025 by Peter Lukevich, JD
In this edition of “On the Hook” from Service Member Data LLC (SMD) we are excited to tell you about a new service that SMD is providing to our customers. SMD now provides tow operators with high quality compliance training on your obligations under the SCRA that is delivered to you efficiently and remotely no matter where you operate!
This new service examines the SCRA and the rules and regulations surrounding the law. Your highly qualified SMD instructor will provide you with tips and suggestions on how your drivers, office staff, auction coordinators and even management can take steps to comply with the SCRA. Steps that could help protect you if a complaint is filed against you in your state or by the Department of Justice and steps that help to prevent a complaint from being filed in the first place.
The training takes place in one-hour sessions and can include more than one session tailored to your company needs. It is offered to meet you where you and your staff work. SMD provides you with a free online link for the training and uses a slide deck that will inform and educate. Each session will incorporate questions and answers and is offered in a relaxed environment. Having your staff complete this training will provide you with the proof you need to convince an attorney general that you are taking reasonable steps to comply with the SCRA.
SMD is excited to work with you to customize the training to fit your operation. For example, we can adjust our training to include the process of how you obtain registered owner (RO) information. We can incorporate local rules and regulations about RO notice and methods. SMD can even make your training reflect your methods for filing documents into your company impound records. In other words, the training is not just generic. It is designed to be relevant while at the same time accurate and useful.
SMD prides itself on being an industry leader in SCRA education. One of our main goals as a company is to advance the knowledge of our customers on the law and how to comply. This new education service is a complement to our educational role at tow shows across the country. If you’re interested in learning more about this service and you’re attending the American Towman Show Place Las Vegas this week, stop by booth 1609 and learn more.
SMD wants tow operators to learn about the law and take the necessary steps to comply with the law. Service Member Data can now combine its long record of providing active-duty military status information for our customers with our ability to conduct professional training at a very reasonable cost. We can discuss timing and costs when you contact Service Member Data to arrange for your training.
Don’t let lack of information about the SCRA cause you challenges. Taking the time to have your staff trained by Service Member Data is a good investment in your ongoing compliance with law. Being confronted by the DOJ or a state attorney general with a lawsuit naming you as a defendant is not pleasant. The result can be costly and time consuming. Taking the time now to update your staff is consistent with the requirements of a consent decree if a tow operator is found to have violated the Act. Making SCRA training a priority for your operation now is a good investment. Service Member Data would welcome the opportunity to help you meet your SCRA training needs.
Finally, if you are wondering if this type of training is worthwhile, just read the comment by Vince Serano from ASAP Towing in Jacksonville FL:
“Service Member Data was great. Peter and his staff were professional, on time, and the training my entire crew received covered the materials we needed to cover on the SCRA. They made sure that our classes reflected how we did business. I highly recommend Service Member Data for your SCRA training needs”.
Please stay safe.
Peter Lukevich
Peter Lukevich is an attorney who serves as the President and CEO of Service Member Data LLC located in Seattle, WA. Peter has served as the Association Director of the Towing and Recovery Association of Washington. Currently, he is an advocate for the towing industry in the legislature of Washington State.
He is recognized as an expert authority on the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). He has experience representing towers in SCRA litigation commenced by the attorney general in his home state and has provided consultation and guidance to towers across the US on the SCRA. Service Member Data LLC provides active-duty military status determination of registered owners of vehicles that are sold to satisfy the lien or fees owed to a tower for towing and storage of an impounded vehicle.
NOTE: The contents of this blog post are not offered as legal advice or the advice and assistance of an attorney. The findings and analysis are prepared to be consistent with federal law. Each tower should consult with independent legal counsel to determine what, if any, laws apply in the jurisdiction in which the tower operates and conducts his/her business.