Eligibility for PTBA Membership
As the trade association for the trail industry, only private sector companies are eligible for PTBA membership.
A majority amount of the company’s work must be in trail planning, design, construction, maintenance, or industry related business activities (defined by percent of gross revenue and/or people hours worked).
All applicants must have a PTBA Member Company Sponsor.
All applicants must meet all New Member Criteria (see below).
upcoming deadline: 10/11/24 (2 deadlines/year)
If your company sells products that support the trail industry (i.e. tools, equipment, bridges, trail counters, etc), the PTBA Vendor Network might be a good fit!
Application Process
Step 1: This application form will generate a private web page for your applicant company that will serve as your portfolio application. PTBA will send you a link to this page with further directions.
Step 2: Applicants can customize the About page with pictures and information about your company and employees.
Step 3: Applicants must upload required documentation which includes:
PTBA Member company sponsor letter
3+ letters of recommendation from clients/partners (dated within the last 5 years)
Project Experience Documentation (details below)
Resume/CV of the qualifier/owner
Step 4: All applications will be rigorously reviewed by the Membership Committee and the membership at large who will follow-up with the applicant with questions or clarifications.
Step 5: The Membership committee will recommend companies for membership and their application will be voted on by the PTBA membership (completed typically within 2 months of the deadline).
New Member Criteria (and Required Documentation)
Applicant Companies must comply with all specific new member criteria in order to be considered for membership. As befits a professional trade organization, significant importance will be given to demonstrated experience/ability, as well as to adherence to trail industry recognized best management practices. New member companies are expected to not only be skilled with trails, but also to comport themselves and run their companies as fair, honest, and ethical contractors and business people.
Form of Business
The applicant must demonstrate that they are the owner or legal representative of a for profit entity which is generating income from work in the trail industry. This person will be the company’s qualifier.
Documentation:
CV/Resume of the Qualifier
A majority amount of the applicant's work in that business must be in trail planning, design, construction, maintenance, or industry related business activities (i.e. education and training, general consulting, planning and design related to trails, GIS work related to trails and/or bike parks). Majority can be defined by percent of gross revenue and/or people hours worked.
Any form of business is acceptable, but it must be legally created and registered in the state (or states) in which they base their operation.
The applicant business must have been formed and active for at least one year prior to the date of application.
Professionalism
The applicant must demonstrate, through its Industry references and PTBA sponsor letter, that it operates honestly, ethically, and seeks to avoid conflicts of interest in their business dealings.
Applicants must have a demonstrated history of fair dealing and integrity in the trail industry.
To proactively prevent a potential conflict of interest, no owner, partner or shareholder in an applicant business may concurrently be a government employee with an agency which is involved in trail management. (See bylaws for complete details.)
Documentation:
The applicant must submit a minimum of 3 letters of reference from clients or partners (at least one within the last 3 years and two within the last 5 years);
The application must include a letter from the PTBA member sponsor.
Experience
The applicant must demonstrate competence in the basics of the trail specialties in which the company is working. In particular, the applicant must possess not only a working knowledge, but have shown the ability to translate that knowledge into finished projects.
The applicant must have had three years of professional trail experience before being considered for full membership. Prior work with another trail contractor or land managing agency responsible for managing trails will be considered.
The applicant must have a demonstrated ability to bid and manage contracts, and to satisfactorily complete projects. A minimum of 3 contracts as a lead contractor or 5 contracts as a sub-contractor (preferred to sub contract to another PTBA member) is required.
Documentation:
The applicant can upload project experience documents (i.e. company’s SOQ) to their applicant webpage as one document.
For each project, include: Project Name; Project Location; Client (Company/Agency Name, Contact Name & Title, Phone & Email; Project Description; Contracted Scope; Completion Deadline per Contract; Actual Completion Date; and Photo Documentation of each project. If it is a subcontract, please also include that contact information as well.
PTBA Member Sponsor
Each new member applicant must be sponsored by an existing PTBA Contractor Member. The sponsor must have been a PTBA Contractor Member in good standing for at least two years prior to the date of application.
The sponsor must be familiar with the work of the applicant. Specifically, the sponsor should have actually seen and reviewed the applicant's work in its final form. Ideally, the sponsor will also have seen at least one of the applicant's projects while in progress, in order to observe the applicant's expertise and professionalism while on the job. Preferably, the sponsor will also have worked directly with the applicant on at least one project.
The applicant is encouraged to apply, with a PTBA Member Contractor sponsor, who works in a related trail expertise. For example, a business that is focused on GIS technology and its application within the Industry, is encouraged to seek a PTBA Member Contractor which has similar professional experience in the Industry.
Documentation:
The application must include a letter from the PTBA member sponsor.
Member Dues
Annual member dues are paid upon acceptance. Following that annual member dues are paid by January 31 of each calendar year. Current member dues are: $325 per year
Frequently Asked Questions
Why would a current member sponsor my company if I am likely to compete directly with that company in the future?
Every company member in the association has been nominated and sponsored by another member, who have most likely been both partners and competitors. The PTBA promotes free, fair and open bidding of all trail projects. Every member realizes that they compete against other members of the PTBA. However, every member also realizes that the industry is strengthened by this process, and all members benefit from the promotion of this system.
Am I required to have attended a PTBA conference previous to my application for membership?
It is not a requirement, but it is highly encouraged. Conferences are an excellent opportunity to meet existing members and learn how PTBA operates.
What if my company has a trail department, but a significant amount of the business is not in trail planning, design, construction, maintenance, or industry related business activities?
The PTBA membership committee is working to see if there is an alternative pathway for this scenario, but it is not currently being applied. Email for more information and for up to date information.
What if I can not find a current company member to sponsor my company?
There are a few ways to build a relationship with a PTBA member company:
Look for opportunities to partner with current PTBA member companies
Invite a current PTBA member in your region to view your work.
Attend a PTBA conference and network with current PTBA trailbuilders.
Member Benefits
Credibility
There is currently no industry certification of quality for professional trail builders, as there is with other professional associations. Being associated with the PTBA has therefore become the symbol of credibility in our industry. Founded in 1974, the PTBA has earned respect from and a good reputation with federal land management agencies, state and local agencies, non-profits and private organizations. Agencies of all types see PTBA membership as a positive mark of professionalism. More and more we are seeing the requirement that winning bids must be associated with PTBA or have had training through the PTBA.
Representation
PTBA has become the voice of the trail building industry. We have acted as a public agency watchdog to ensure fair contracting processes, and ensuring that private contractors can remain competitive in winning bids against FS enterprise groups and conservation corps agencies. The PTBA also helps shape government policies affecting trail contractors. For instance, the Forest Specifications for Construction of Trails (EM-7720-103 & EM-7720-104) upgrade the old version using diagrams and text from the experiences of PTBA members.
30% discount on all PTBA Conferences and Workshops
Any employee of your company may attend any PTBA sponsored conference or workshop and receive a 30% discount off of all registration fees and/or exhibitor fees. If you have employees that are also Trail Professional Affiliates, this discount may be combined with your Member Company discount to give a total discount of 45%.
Peer Development
Of course, the best benefit for many members is just being part of a group of like-minded people who freely share their experiences. New members learn how to properly price and bid projects, and how to avoid common pitfalls. Members discuss what tools and equipment have been found to be the best and most cost-effective. They freely share experiences about different clients and agencies, get the inside track on lots of information, and just have fun. For many trail builders, there's no other venue for this.
Access to Experts & Resources
Your fellow PTBA members range from single-person companies to large trail construction outfits. Their skills run the gamut from design to design-build to build-to-spec, from designing and/or building the simplest trails and trail structures to paved trails, large bridges, boardwalks, and even campgrounds. Their backgrounds run from ex-USFS to forestry to soils to general building contractor to software engineer to ballroom dance instructor, making them a rich source of diverse experiences and a lot of talent. Our free-flowing email and communications encourage networking among members-even when those members are competing for the same jobs. Learning from other companies' projects and working styles are one of membership's most significant benefits.
Elevating Industry Standards
A major push of the Board in recent years has been the development of the PTBA Code of Ethics and the start of a PTBA certification program. Our first successful attempt at developing recognized certifications was Chainsaw Safety Certification, based on the USFS curriculum for chainsaw safety.
Contract Solicitations/Referrals
The PTBA website has become a primary resource for a multitude of agencies and organizations seeking qualified trail contractors to bid on trail projects. In fact, many of the projects that have recently come through are requiring PTBA membership or training in order to bid on a project. We are also finding that lots of good contracts are shared amongst members, leading to work for many members, and lots of collaborative projects.
National Affiliations
We have close relationships with many non-profit trails advocacy organizations, including the National Trails Training Partnership, American Trails, The Corps Network, the Coalition for Recreation Trails, and IMBA. We also are members of a cooperative MOU with all of the federal land management agencies. Many of our individual members have close relationships with a wide variety of State and Local Agencies as well. So when you need support in working with or information about certain agencies, odds are there are some great resources within the PTBA ranks to help you out.
Vendor Relationships
Many of our favorite vendors come to our semi-annual Sustainable Trails Conference, and are happy to forward excellent discounts to our members. Members have the opportunity to demo new equipment and talk directly to manufacturers about needed improvements on their equipment.
Aid Members in Promotion of the Trail Building Industry
The PTBA Board recently approved the policy of reimbursing members for a portion of their costs for attending and presenting at conferences where they promote the PTBA.