Due to weather conditions, the Florida Highway Patrol has closed the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
Traffic Engineering and Operations Office
For Road Ranger assistance dial *347 (FHP)
Road Rangers - A FREE SERVICE provided by the Florida Department of Transportation
The Road Ranger Mission is to provide free highway assistance services during incidents to reduce delay and improve safety for the motoring public and responders. Since the program's inception in the year 2000, the Road Rangers have made over 3.9 million service assists with more occurring daily.
| Service Assist by Year: | |
| 2012 | 399,008 |
| 2011 | 395,516 |
| 2010 | 351,941 |
| 2009 | 296,041 |
| 2008 | 320,217 |
| 2007 | 383,584 |
| 2006 | 267,358 |
| 2005 | 336,684 |
| 2004 | 342,895 |
| 2003 | 316,883 |
| 2002 | 279,525 |
| 2001 | 198,372 |
| 2000 | 112,000 |
For employment, contact your local contractor
The service patrol concept, known today as the Road Rangers, is a free service of the Florida Department of Transportation and its partners and was initially used for the management of vehicle incidents in construction zones. This program has since expanded to respond to all types of incidents and has become one of the most effective elements of the Department's incident management program. The Road Rangers provide a direct service to motorists by quickly clearing travel lanes of minor incidents and assisting motorists. Services can include: providing a limited amount of fuel, assisting with tire changes and other types of minor emergency repairs. Road Ranger's are typically assigned to work along major interstate corridors and within construction areas on these interstates. Specific Road Ranger patrol locations can be found in the district descriptions below.
The Department began funding the statewide service patrol in December 1999. The benefits of the program have been as follows:
- Reduction of accidents
- Reduction of incident duration by assisting the Florida Highway Patrol
- Assistance to disabled or stranded motorists
- Removal of road debris
- Reduction of congestion produced air pollutants
- Increased safety at incident scenes
The Road Rangers are roving vehicles that patrol congested areas and high incident locations of the urban freeway and are equipped, at a minimum, with the following equipment to assist as needed:
- 2 Ton Jacks
- 5 Gallons of Sand
- Air Compressor
- Auto Fluids
- Booster Cables
- Cell Phones
- Fire Extinguishers
- First Aid Kits
- Flares
- Flashing Arrow Board
- Public Address System
- Radiator Water
- Reflective Cones
- Wood Blocks
- Basic repair tools
Although each contractor has a different make of vehicle, all vehicles are white in color with the Road Rangers logo affixed to the rear and sides of the vehicle.
Service patrol drivers are all in uniform, courteous, and most have or are in training for first aid and CPR. Each service patrol driver provides a comment card to every stranded motorist that is assisted, which can be mailed back to the Department. The response so far has been very positive and the program is considered to be a success. This program along with the already established Motorist Aid Call Box System has enhanced safety and provided a needed service to the motoring public.
The Road Ranger Service Patrol is funded by the Florida Department of Transportation and its partners and is bid out to private contractors. The best news is that this limited service is FREE!
For additional information, please contact Patrick Odom at Patrick.Odom@dot.state.fl.us
