Freeway Service Patrol Rides to the Rescue

Just as you hit a comfortable clip on the Golden State Freeway, the car starts to sputter and smoke. You manage to pull off safely onto the freeway shoulder. Reaching for the cell phone, you remember that it’s sitting on the kitchen counter at home--and that you’ve already used your annual AAA towing allotment anyway.

Suddenly, in the rearview mirror, you see a truck with a big “M” and a yellow triangle on its side pull up. It’s the Los Angeles Freeway Service Patrol to the rescue.

The FSP comprises a fleet of 150 privately owned tow trucks that offer free service to vehicles stalled on L.A. freeways.

This little-known 8-year-old program--the first of several now operating throughout Southern California--is a cooperative effort of the California Highway Patrol, the state Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Patrolling 394 miles of freeway in Los Angeles County essentially from dawn till dusk, the FSP handles everything from flat tires and dead batteries to abandoned cars and debris in the roadway. The trucks can also be summoned from freeway call boxes or 911 calls. The truck operators provide a free gallon of gasoline to drivers who run out, so they can get to a service station to fill up.

The freeway system is divided into 10-mile beats, each of which is patrolled by three to five trucks driving in loops, says Al Martinez, FSP program manager for the MTA. As a result, the average response time is less than five minutes. Last year, the FSP helped out 350,000 drivers, or nearly 1,000 a day.

During peak commuting hours, the entire fleet hits the freeways, Martinez says. If a problem requires more than a quick fix, the FSP tows the vehicle to a CHP-approved site off the freeway where further service can be obtained.

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About half of L.A.’s freeway congestion is caused by accidents or stalled vehicles, Caltrans says. Quickly removing stranded cars from the road helps cut tie-ups and keep traffic moving, says MTA spokesman Ed Scannell.

Because many Los Angeles drivers were unaware of the program, the MTA budgeted $145,000 in January to promote the service. Those who learn firsthand about the FSP generally have good things to say, Martinez says.

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Although the L.A. program was the first in the area and remains the largest, it certainly isn’t the only one in Southern California. Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties all have FSP programs.

The MTA is considering extending service into the Santa Clarita area and into the Grapevine, Martinez says.

Although the Automobile Club of Southern California seems to serve the same demographic, it remains a members-only operation, with more than 4.5 million drivers in Southern California. (AAA members typically get four free roadside assistance calls annually. If they run out of gas, they have to pay $1.50 to $2 a gallon.)

AAA members may still want to use FSP for minor problems, says Dan Beal, the Auto Club’s transportation policy manager. This could help them conserve their allotted AAA roadside assistance calls for more serious problems.

However, members and nonmembers need to make sure they really are dealing with the FSP or AAA, because unscrupulous “bandit” tow services are trolling the roads for unsuspecting drivers, Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring warns. These operators can end up essentially holding your vehicle for ransom, charging exorbitant fees once they’ve towed you to their shop, he says.

FSP and AAA trucks are identifiable by their respective logos. The FSP trucks have placards with the MTA’s signature “M” and the FSP logo: a tow truck inside a yellow triangle, surrounded by a black horseshoe-shaped border. Be sure to ask for identification, Spring suggests--don’t simply ask whether the tow operator is affiliated with either organization.

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Michelle Maltais can be reached via e-mail at michelle.maltais@latimes.com.