In 1902, and a circle of local automobile enthusiasts organized a driving club called the Flat Tire Group. Recognizing that motorists needed political representation to promote a system of paved roads, the Flat Tire Group reorganized in 1911, changing its name to the Hoosier Motor Club.
A year later, the club began publishing The Hoosier Motorist (which continued until 1979). In 1917, with nearly 500 members, the club affiliated with the American Automobile Association (AAA). This affiliation allowed the local organization to expand its services greatly. During the following years, the organization became Indiana’s largest automobile club with home offices in Indianapolis.
By the 1960s, AAA Hoosier Motor Club served 50 of the state’s 92 counties and was one of three AAA affiliates in Indiana. By 1973, the club had over 140,000 members, and services included specialized Triptik maps, emergency road service, foreign and domestic travel arrangements, bail bonds, and safety education. In 1980, the Hoosier Motor Club became one of the first AAA affiliates to offer the AAA credit card, and in 1982, it became an official distributor of state license plates. In 1990, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles canceled the contract.
As of the 2020s, the AAA Hoosier Motor Club provided membership benefits, emergency roadside assistance, travel and financial services, and insurance to nearly 400,000 Hoosiers in 50 of 92 Indiana counties. It employs about 350 employees in 11 branches across the state of Indiana.
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