Texas Transportation Officials Expand HERO Road Service

AUSTIN, TX — Not all heroes wear capes. Some of them tote tool boxes and jumper cables.

Thanks to grant funds, state transportation officials have expanded the Highway Emergency Response Operator, or HERO, patrol service program to seven days a week. As a result, the free roadside service will soon patrol Interstate 35 from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on both Saturdays and Sundays to come to the rescue of motorists who find themselves stranded or involved in a crash on weekends.

The expansion is made possible via a $2.1 million in funds from the Texas Transportation Commission.

In addition to the expanded hours, the HERO program is increasing its fleet from 24 to 26 trucks, officials said. A dedicated debris trailer is also being added to help remove debris hazards from the roadway and shoulders, to prevent further incidents from occurring. A second trailer will be available to handle lane closures that last beyond two hours.

Related story: Motorists Now Have A HERO In Texas Roadways, Officials Announce

The HERO program, in partnership with the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, patrols 138 miles of I-35, US 183, US 290, SH 71 and MoPac, and has proven successful in providing assistance to stranded motorists and clearing minor crashes throughout the Capital region. More than 22,000 total services have been provided by HERO since October 2017, officials noted.

HERO trucks are equipped with fuel, water, oil, and air to help stranded motorists, along with tools to complete tire changes and jumpstarts. In addition, the trucks have digital message signs to help with incident management.

“Since October of last year, HERO has helped more than 15,000 motorists, including the changing of more than 1,300 tires,” Terry McCoy, Austin District Engineer, said. “The HERO program has had a huge impact on drivers and we’re excited to see it expand.”

The $4.3 million annual cost of the program is shared between TxDOT and CAMPO. Serco, Inc. manages and operates the HEROprogram. Motorists can call 512-974-HERO (4376) between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, if they need assistance.

TxDot provided a map of the expanded service area at Patch's request:

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>>> Top photo courtesy of Texas Department of Transportation