Service Patrols to Reduce Traffic

Through the program, service patrol trucks will monitor the H-1 Freeway and the H-201 Moanalua Freeway during weekday rush-hour traffic to assist stranded motorists, help clear minor incidents and assist with the safe management of traffic around major incident scenes.

"Studies show for every one minute a vehicle is stalled on our roadway means an extra 10 minutes of traffic. The Freeway Service Patrol is another component in our continuing effort to reduce traffic congestion and increase safety on our highways," said DOT Director Brennon Morioka. 

The DOT this week awarded a $3.9 million contract to develop and manage a pilot demonstration of the Freeway Service Patrol program. Ninety percent of the $3.9 million contract will be funded with federal dollars, with the remaining 10 percent being funded by the state.  

Similar programs across the U.S. have demonstrated significant driver satisfaction, safety and cost benefits, all of which are goals and expectations of the DOT program.  Florida's Road Ranger service patrol program reported over a million hours of reduced vehicle delay and a savings of over 1.7 million gallons of fuel from their program in 2004. According to a 2004 survey conducted by the University of California, Berkeley, the Los Angeles County FSP program has an average cost/benefit ratio of more than 8 to 1.  For every $1 spent on FSP, there is an $8 savings for the motorist.

• Visit the Department of Transportation website to learn more.
• "Service patrol to roam O`ahu freeways, offer aid to motorists," Honolulu Advertiser, September 6, 2008