DE PERE, WI (WTAQ) – If you see a tow truck with State Farm and Wisconsin DOT logos rolling down Interstate 41, you might be curious what exactly it’s purpose might be.
The trucks are part of the DOT Safety Patrol. Mark Kantola with the DOT says they’re out during peak traffic times to offer free roadside assistance to stranded drivers.
“If you run out of gas or your tire gets flat or for some reason you’re in a minor crash, these patrols can help get you off the side of the highway quickly,” Kantola told WTAQ News. “These vehicles basically are timely and proactive roadside assistance.”
They patrol the two-lane stretch of Interstate 41 between Appleton and De Pere to help keep traffic flowing. There have been over 1,000 crashes on that stretch over the past five years.
The Safety Patrol assists in relocating disabled vehicles, providing small amounts of fuel, handling minor repairs (changing flat tires, battery jump starts), removing small non-hazardous debris from the roadway, and assisting with traffic control and crash scene clearance.
“Traffic tends to back up, people on the other side always rubberneck and look over to see what’s happening. So the whole goal is to help stranded motorists to make sure the traffic can flow without being impeded by those stranded motorists,” Kantola said. “Patrols are going to be running during peak travel times, so 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. in the evenings and during the morning rush hours. You don’t have to call anybody, okay? These trucks are out there driving back and forth, back and forth…If you do run out of gas or have a flat tire or minor disabled vehicle and they’re operating at that time, all you have to do is wait.”
State Farm has been sponsoring the Safety Patrol since 2017.
You can learn more about how the program works by heading to the Wisconsin DOT website.
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