Free Towing Service in Bay Area & other part of CA...

[TurtleMan]

I posted this in hot deal, but thought i might share with the OTers..




If you drive in the Bay Area, you should read this
incredible service:

My car had a flat tire a week ago on the highway. I
was lucky that a CHP officer stopped by within seconds.
He told me he will call for a "free service" to change
my tire or tow my car. I didn't quite understand it at
the time (how can anything be free in this world?),
but 10 minutes later, a tow truck showed up, changed the
tire for me, and the guy would not even accept tip.
Turns out this is a service paid for by the Bay Area
Transportation Commission, Caltrans and CHP. For
every tax dollar spent on this service, the public
supposedly realizes 3.4 times that amount in benefits (in fuel
and time saved).

Nex time, your car breaks down in the Bay Area,
just call 707-551-4100. Make sure you give this number to
your spouse. For more details, see:

http://www.mtc.ca.gov/projects/fsp/fspfacts.htm

 

[axelfox]

I thought they had this all over the state (or maybe just LA county?).

My car stalled on 605 and a tow truck pulled right in front of me when it stalled. The tow off the freeway was free and the guy called AAA for me. He told me that there was some thing where a bunch of tow trucks cruise the freeways and tow people off the freeway.

 

[flavio]

SWEET!

 

[andylawcc]

so what happen if I ran out of gas on a local street and CLAIMED that I was on the highway and rolled into the local street for safety reason... can I still get a free toll?

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: andylawcc
so what happen if I ran out of gas on a local street and CLAIMED that I was on the highway and rolled into the local street for safety reason... can I still get a free toll?

It would probably depend if the "local street" was 50 feet, or 1500 feet from the highway.

 

[The Stigenator]

The thing is called "the freeway service patrol". During teh rush hours (morning and evening) they are located in strategic points and they can respond faster than CHP for accidents, stalls etc etc. They listen to the CHP scanner and their own. Anyway the trucks are white and it says "freeway service patrol" on it (atleast in so.cal).

These guys have made life so much easier. I have seen them respond much faster than CHP.. if its something like a stalled car or an accident they can move it faster than a tow. However they are limited to taking you off the freeway and that's about it.

 

[MaxDSP]

I wish we had something like that here. Only things we have are the CVS Good Samaritan white vans that cruise up and down the freeway. I doubt they can do much, since they dont have a tow line. Probably help people with stalled cars, change tires, etc

 

[flavio]

but 10 minutes later, a tow truck showed up, changed the
tire for me, and the guy would not even accept tip.

But now I'm wondering why you couldn't change your own damn tire?

 

[TurtleMan]

Originally posted by: flavio

but 10 minutes later, a tow truck showed up, changed the
tire for me, and the guy would not even accept tip.

But now I'm wondering why you couldn't change your own damn tire?

Too hard.. too hard..