Any motorist who regularly travels on the Las Vegas Valley’s freeways has likely seen the Nevada Department of Transportation’s Freeway Service Patrol helping a driver in need.
The Freeway Service Patrol operates on the most-traveled urban freeways around Las Vegas and Reno to increase safety and mitigate traffic congestion. FSP trucks of various models are often seen on freeway shoulders helping a motorist with a vehicle problem, such as running out of gas, getting a flat tire or even being involved in a crash.
“FSP helps keep traffic flowing by quickly responding to incidents and removing roadway hazards,” Transportation Department spokeswoman Kelsey McFarland said in a statement. “FSP technicians assist with a variety of roadway incidents, including stalled vehicles, roadway debris and minor crashes.”
The Freeway Service Patrol is free but is not an on-call service. Technicians assist motorists while on their regular route and provide services as needed. Its primary goal is to clear traffic issues as quickly as possible to prevent secondary crashes.
Each FSP technician is certified in hazmat safety, CPR, first aid, basic automotive repair and traffic incident management, allowing them to address a variety of situations.
The service patrol also works with area law enforcement, first responders and towing companies to help manage more complex situations.
“FSP operates a fleet of specialized vehicles equipped with flashing lights, traffic control equipment, pop-up arrow boards, push bumpers and basic automotive repair tools,” McFarland said. “Some vehicles are also capable of towing disabled vehicles from freeway travel lanes to safer locations where they can await further assistance.”
The Freeway Service Patrol program costs $3.4 million annually, with $2.6 million spent in the Las Vegas Valley and $735,000 in the Reno area. The program gets most of its funds from the federal government, with some sponsorship support from Geico.
FSP techs keep busy. Through the first nine months of 2024, the latest program data available, the FSP assisted more than 31,500 motorists in Las Vegas, according to the Transportation Department.
July was the busiest month in that period, with 4,136 motorists helped as the city sweltered through a record-breaking heat wave. The slowest month was February 2024, when 2,939 motorists were assisted by FSP techs, according to the department.
Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.
