Company History

In 1923, Bert Reinauer, the company founder, recognized the economic opportunity of transporting fuel through the inland waters, and converted a fishing vessel, the JAMES D, into a self-propelled motor tanker, by installing a 13,000 gallon tank into its hold. As the word spread, and demand grew, so did the company. New vessels were purchased and each carried the distinctive insignia of an “R” in a Diamond. In 1930 the Reinauer Family created a new company to serve the New England Area, which eventually became Boston Towing & Transportation (BTT). BTT’s first tanker vessel, the “LUCY REINAUER,” has the distinction of being one of the first all welded steel vessels in America. The company’s origins that were initiated by Bert Reinauer were furthered by his family and today Reinauer continues its family tradition and is now entering its fourth generation of management. The dynamic resourcefulness, and inventiveness, of Reinauer’s early history have stayed with the company to this day.