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Regional Boards => Pacific Southwest => Topic started by: blawp on June 28, 2012, 01:21:32 AM

Title: Freeway Service Patrol
Post by: blawp on June 28, 2012, 01:21:32 AM
Does any place implement the Freeway Service Patrol-type of program better than Los Angeles County? I used to have a 50 mile commute along the Ventura Freeway / Foothill Freeway and I saw these trucks every 5-10 miles, at the ready. It's a great service and I'm glad they are out there helping motorists.
Title: Re: Freeway Service Patrol
Post by: Brandon on June 28, 2012, 06:33:09 AM
IDOT has "Minutemen" along all the expressways in IDOT District 1 (Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane, McHenry, and Will Counties), and ISTHA has their own H.E.L.P. trucks alogn the entire Tollway System.  Then, Indiana has "Hoosier Helpers" in the Calumet Region and Indianapolis.  I've seen plenty of these trucks around helping people.
Title: Re: Freeway Service Patrol
Post by: NE2 on June 28, 2012, 06:35:28 AM
Nope. California is best at everything.
Title: Re: Freeway Service Patrol
Post by: kphoger on June 28, 2012, 01:14:11 PM
I'm famliar with the Motorist Assist trucks here in Kansas, as well as the Ángeles Verdes on the toll roads of México.  I'm not sure how the Motorist Assist trucks are dispatched, but I believe the Ángeles Verdes no longer actively patrol the highways but rather must be called in the case of a breakdown.  Certainly neither one sounds as good as what you mention.
Title: Re: Freeway Service Patrol
Post by: myosh_tino on June 28, 2012, 04:53:41 PM
I believe the Freeway Service Patrol up here in the S.F. Bay Area are supposed to be on the road actively looking for motorists that need assistance, not parked on the side of the road waiting for a call.  Either way, they provide a pretty valuable service and help minimize delays by getting disabled vehicles off to the shoulder (or off the freeway entirely).
Title: Re: Freeway Service Patrol
Post by: qguy on June 28, 2012, 05:39:11 PM
Quote from: blawp on June 28, 2012, 01:21:32 AM
Does any place implement the Freeway Service Patrol-type of program better than Los Angeles County?

PennDOT: http://philadelphia.pahighways.com/philadelphiatmc.html

(with a tip of the hat to one Jeff Kitsko for pulling all that info together in one place)
Title: Re: Freeway Service Patrol
Post by: roadfro on June 28, 2012, 06:31:19 PM
Nevada DOT also has Freeway Service Patrol vans on I-15 & US 95 in Las Vegas and I-80 & US 395 in Reno.
Title: Re: Freeway Service Patrol
Post by: deathtopumpkins on June 28, 2012, 10:54:13 PM
Both Virginia and Massachusetts do this, and in both places I have seen trucks very frequently (either in transit or assisting a disabled motorist - never stopped otherwise).
Title: Re: Freeway Service Patrol
Post by: on_wisconsin on June 28, 2012, 11:06:29 PM
Wisconsin also has a freeway service patrol service (highway helpers) in the Madison and Milwaukee areas. http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/travel/stoc/patrols.htm
Title: Re: Freeway Service Patrol
Post by: Zmapper on June 30, 2012, 12:45:41 AM
Colorado has a road patrol service along E-470, though I don't know if there is such service along other routes.
Title: Re: Freeway Service Patrol
Post by: cpzilliacus on June 30, 2012, 02:42:28 PM
Quote from: blawp on June 28, 2012, 01:21:32 AM
Does any place implement the Freeway Service Patrol-type of program better than Los Angeles County? I used to have a 50 mile commute along the Ventura Freeway / Foothill Freeway and I saw these trucks every 5-10 miles, at the ready. It's a great service and I'm glad they are out there helping motorists.

Maryland's State Highway Administration and the Maryland Transportation [toll Authority patrol their freeway-class roads and crossings.

I don't know how they match up against the ones in the Southland.