ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Associations representing both trailer dealers and manufacturers have come together to share information.

The North American Trailer Dealers Association (NATDA) has launched the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers affiliate program to allow dealers to tap into the resources of trailer manufacturers, the group announced.

“We’re very excited about providing our members access to this very valuable information. The great relationship that we are building with NATM will lay the foundation for a successful future for the trailer industry,” said Amy Rubenstein, vice-president of NATDA. “This is a great opportunity for these two associations to work together to better educate the dealers, and ultimately the end users, on the safety and regulatory information. In these tough economic times it is critical that the dealers, manufacturers and vendors that serve the industry work together to stay strong and tackle these times together. Having NATM and the Trailer Dealers Association on the same page and working towards the same common goal will unify our industry, which is exactly what we need right now.”

As part of the agreement, NATDA dealer members will have direct access to safety and regulatory information collected by trailer manufacturers. Manufacturers will also provide educational materials to dealers, such as wheel torque, lighting and compliance posters, the group announced.