Company History

After returning home in 1965 from his enlistment in the Air Force, Eddie Pearce started Pearce DX Service Station on the corner of Lindell and University Streets in Martin, Tennessee.  Eddie started by offering tune-ups, brake repair, service, clean-up, and gas.

In 1967 the need to add a tow truck became apparent. Eddie couldn't get his banker to realize the need for a tow truck in Martin so he purchased a tow truck with a hand crank winch using his savings.  This truck was used for two or three years before he saved enough to purchase a new Holmes 500. It was around this time that he was approached by two local trucking companies who wanted Eddie to get into the heavy-duty towing business. So Eddie invested in a Holmes 600 on a C70 Chevrolet chassis.  Pearce Truck and Auto is still towing for these two customers today.

In 1978 Mr. Pearce purchased a shop building (former Beard Chevrolet) on Lindell street and added to his service offerings. He began selling BF Goodrich tires along with offering body repair, exhaust replacements/installation, and front-end alignment.  The family owned business, Pearce Tire and Auto, remained in this location until it was destroyed by fire in 1982.

The remains of the business was moved further up Lindell street to a vacant shop building and the name was changed to Peace Truck and Auto. Having only the wreckers and service truck left, Eddie started over offering body repairs and towing/recovery. The body repair business soon turned into a fire truck repair center as fire trucks from all over the country were being restored for various customers. Eddie also began custom building fire trucks for several fire departments all across the United States.

Then the request for custom truck chassis became so commonplace that they began to replace the fire trucks. Pearce Truck and Auto became renowned nationwide for customized Peterbilt chassis for various applications. This shop on Lindell street saw a large number of these trucks come through it from 1982 through 2000.

In 2000 Pearce Truck and Auto expanded and purchased the location where we are today. We are now located at 241 Courtright Road in Martin, Tennessee which is just off TN Hwy 43/Skyhawk Parkway. This facility was the former Doyle Sims and Sons Trucking Company's home terminal. This move offered more shop space along with the real estate for future expansion. By this point, our focus in the shop had shifted to heavy-duty truck repair as customer demand had dictated.

Over the years our need for tow trucks changed as their application evolved. We often had to build our own chassis because new "ready-to-go" equipment was simply not affordable. The demand also led us to build a couple of wrecker bodies for our own use.

In 2008 we became a direct distributor for PAI Industries, a medium and heavy duty truck parts manufacturer. Today we serve as a Master Distributor for PAI and sell wholesale and retail parts for them nationwide.

In 2013 Pearce Truck and Auto was ranked on the "Towman 500," a list of the most experienced towmen in America complied by American Towman Magazine. To help put this prestigious award into perspective there are almost 700 towing companies in Tennessee alone.

Eddie Pearce worked side by side with his wife, Judy, and sons Joe and Michael until he passed away in September 2016.  For decades they worked alongside Eddie in the business. In 2017 Judy, Joe, and Michael formed a partnership with the company and became Pearce Truck and Auto LLC.

The fleet at Pearce Truck and Auto has grown to include four heavies with the newest addition becoming the flagship. In 2017 the company purchased a Challenger 9909 70-ton Rotator on a Peterbilt 378 Sleeper chassis. The story behind the purchase of this Rotator is inspiring as Eddie Pearce had seen and attempted to purchase it before his passing.  Some time later, Michael inquired with a used wrecker dealer to see what trucks were coming in. They said they had three "Nused" trucks on the way in and would email information and pictures.  The salesman sent information and pictures for only one truck and it was the Challenger 9909!

Along with the towing and recovery, parts distributor, and truck repair business, Pearce Truck and Auto LLC became a distributor for Dynamic Towing and Recovery Equipment in 2019. We will be using our vast knowledge and expertise to build equipment that will be a perfect fit for anyone in the wreck recovery business. 

In the early spring of 2019, B/A Products was added to the extensive product offering of Pearce Truck and Auto LLC.  For over 40 years B/A Products has designed and developed products that went on to become industry standard for OEM's and end-users of the Towing, Vehicle Recovery, Fire Rescue, Auto Transport, Industrial, Agricultural industries and more.  B/A Products' philosophy of collaborating with the men and women who rely on their products every day in the field to find the best solution for the task at hand and then integrating that knowledge into the design process was a natural fit with Pearce Truck and Auto's philosophy of finding the best solutions that fit the customer's needs.