Countywide : New Service Patrol Takes to Freeways

When a California Highway Patrol car, with lights flashing, pulled up behind his parked van on the shoulder of the Riverside Freeway in Anaheim, Richard Castillo of Fullerton thought he was in trouble.

Two more patrol cars arrived, carrying news photographers and reporters. Then a television news van came and Castillo thought he was in trouble--big time!

A tow truck with distinctive white paint and blue stripes pulled in front of his van. The driver got out. He was carrying a bright orange container.

“Gas,” Castillo said to himself.

As the group pressed near him, Castillo muttered: “I just ran out of gas, why the instant fame?”

In less than five minutes, Castillo and his companion, Juan Duran, were photographed, interviewed and given a gallon of gas, and were back on their way to Norwalk. “This is great,” Castillo said. “So many cars break down on the freeway, but if help comes this fast, congestion will be greatly reduced. I hope this program lasts a long time.”

Castillo and Duran were among more than 100 Orange County motorists who got the first taste of a pilot program to help speed up traffic on county freeways by assisting stranded motorists.

The Orange County Transportation Authority, the California Department of Transportation and the CHP are jointly sponsoring and funding the program, which involves 15 roving tow trucks that will patrol the busiest sections of local freeways during rush hours.

It’s part of a $1-million program, patterned after similar services in Los Angeles County and Northern California, to improve freeway flow and reduce smog caused by stop-and-go traffic.

The tow truck drivers will clear roadway debris, jump-start dead batteries, fix radiators or, as in the case of Castillo, provide a gallon of gas.

“These incidents, while minor, can snarl traffic for hours. Our aim is to keep the freeways safe and congestion-free,” said Gary Hausdorfer, chairman of the OCTA board, at a press conference launching the project.

The service patrol, which started operating Thursday, will cover the Artesia-Riverside Freeway between the Los Angeles County line and the Riverside and Costa Mesa freeways’ interchange; the Orange Freeway from Nutwood Avenue south to the interchange of the Santa Ana, Garden Grove and Orange freeways, and the Santa Ana Freeway between the Los Angeles County line and State College Boulevard.

The patrol will also cover Interstate 5 between Jeffrey Road and the Oso Parkway exits, and the San Diego Freeway between the Los Angeles County line and Beach Boulevard.

Patrols will be coordinated with Caltrans’ Orange Angels service, which helps motorists along the various freeway construction sites. The two trucks will patrol from 5 to 9 a.m. and from 3 to 7 p.m. on weekdays.

In just four hours Thursday, the tow truck drivers, culled from two private towing companies, helped about 80 motorists, CHP officials said.

Don Dutwiler, 22, whose “beat” is the Orange Freeway, helped six motorists, including Dennis Centurioni of Costa Mesa, who was coming home from Rancho Cucamonga when his motorcycle developed battery trouble near the Katella Avenue off-ramp in Anaheim.

“I like this. I love driving a truck and helping people,” said Dutwiler, one of five drivers from Quality Towing. The Automobile Club of Southern California provides 10 regular drivers and three backups, and 10 tow trucks.

One of the Auto Club drivers is Fernando Ortega of Riverside, who has 10 years’ experience. Ortega said there should be more bilingual drivers to help motorists who speak little English.

There are no blacks or Asians among the drivers, but Clarence Tuck, commander of the CHP’s Border Patrol Division, said efforts are being made toward more minorities among drivers.