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Spring 2012

Safety Service Patrol Business Models Strive to Meet Varying Needs

An inside look at centralized versus decentralized SSP programs

By Mindy Long

Forty states have Safety Service Patrols (SSP), yet how state agencies or other patrol operators administer those patrols within each state varies widely. While many SSPs are funded and operated by state departments of transportation, others are funded and operated by regional metropolitan transportation authorities like the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, local toll road authorities like E-470 in Colorado or by a local government agency like the Transportation Agency for Monterey County. In many cases, these entities have varying levels of control over the funding and operating procedures of their SSPs… Read More


Centralized with a New Addition

As a result of economic budget constraints and a need for alternate solutions to meet incident management objectives, in late 2010 the MD SHA entered into a sponsorship agreement that introduced a new funding source for the Emergency Patrol program as well as a new third-party patrol operator. SHA’s centralized model would now need to incorporate both new entities without causing any disruption to its primary mission of managing traffic nor to its secondary mission to assist stranded motorists… Read More


Headlights On… Ira Promisel

New York State Police’s Chief Technical Sergeant for the Hudson Valley Transportation Management Center and Vice Chair for the National Traffic Incident Management Coalition, Ira Promisel shares his views on the NYSDOT HELP Patrol and coordination between the patrol and the state police as well as future changes to incident management… Read More


News & Notes

A look at developments from Safety Service Patrols from state to state… Learn More


Driver Question of the Quarter

The INDOT Hoosier Helpers added extra patrol coverage during the week of The Big Game, and every spring the GDOT HERO’s increase coverage during the Master’s Tournament. Are there special annual events and/or large gatherings in your area that alter/increase your standard coverage schedule? What special events in your area could use additional SSP presence?… Read Responses


Editor’s Note

This quarter Safe Highway Matters’ team got to thinking about the various regions across the country and how just like each region is unique in its economy and governance so are Safety Service Patrols’ funding and operations within those regions… Read More

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