GDOT Rolls Out "Bigger and Safer" HERO Units

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Atlanta, GA -- The big yellow trucks of the Georgia Department of Transportation’s popular Highway Emergency Response Operator program will soon be “bigger and safer,” the agency said Tuesday.

The new, larger vehicles will enhance the safety of HERO patrol operators who are credited with assisting stranded motorists and helping keep the highways in metro Atlanta safe and clear.

Measuring 13’ long x 8’ wide x 8’ tall, the new vehicles are even more visible when stopped on the side of the roadway.

“Georgia DOT HERO prides itself as being a leader for safety within the safety service patrol industry,” said Andrew Heath, Georgia DOT state traffic engineer. “These new vehicles are one way that we continue to challenge ourselves to provide a safer environment for our employees and for motorists.”

The new trucks, which are expected to hit the road Dec. 8 and will replace 10 percent of the existing HERO fleet, will feature roll-up doors and compartments, which take less time to open and are more easily maneuvered than traditional swing doors.

The compartments are well-lit and easy to navigate, so operators can quickly access the necessary tools to respond to an incident.

“When HERO patrol operators are responding to a call, every second counts,” said Jason Josey, Georgia DOT HERO manager. “Our goal with these new vehicles is to improve response time, while also improving the safety of the HERO patrol operators and the traveling public.”

The vehicles will be co-branded to include DOT markings as well as recognition of State Farm, who has been the program sponsor since 2009. State Farm renewed its support in 2014 and extended its funding to include 511, the contact number for the HERO program. 511 will also be prominently displayed on the new vehicle.

As part of the sponsorship, State Farm will add the HERO program to the website it maintains at www.assistpatrol.com where motorists who receive assistance from patrol operators are invited to take a survey about their experience.

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Images via Georgia DOT