HERO program announced
Mar. 20—MIDLAND — Several public-private partnerships on Thursday announced the launch of a free roadside assistance program to help travelers and prevent additional crashes along two of the busiest roads in the Permian Basin.
The introduction of the Highway Emergency Response Operator Roadside Assistance Program was held at the Midland County Horseshoe Thursday. The pilot program is expected to start June 1. The initial rollout will focus on Interstate 20 and State Highway 191.
Deborah Richmond, director of of road safety at the Permian Strategic Partnership, said the total funding for two years is $5 million with $3 million coming from PSP and $1 million each from Midland County and the Texas Department of Transportation.
"Our HERO trucks patrol the highway to assist motorists in need and clear minor crashes from the roadways quickly, thereby providing some much-needed relief to our local law enforcement and first responders," said Eric Lykins, TxDOT Odessa District Engineer.
A few of the services provided by the HERO program will include moving disabled vehicles to safety, removing minor crashes from the roadway, providing traffic and lane closures at crash scenes and removing debris from lanes, Lykins said.
Tracee Bentley, president and CEO of PSP, said the introduction of HERO was an exciting moment for the community and an important step toward making the roads safer.
"This absolutely would not be possible without member companies from the Permian Strategic Partnership ... more specifically, our Road Safety Committee, led by Deborah Richmond, our director of road safety. They have worked tirelessly to put this together, along with Midland County and TxDOT," Bentley said.
The HERO Program, she said, is a roadside assistance service designed to improve safety and reduce the risk of secondary accidents and it will be free to motorists.
"These secondary incidents make up one in five traffic accidents nationally, and unfortunately, can be fatal," Bentley said. "By quickly and safely removing stranded motorists and alerting drivers to stopped vehicles ahead HERO services will help prevent these very dangerous situations. The HERO program's goals are simple but very powerful — enhance roadway safety, ensure smooth traffic flow and minimize the risk of additional crashes," Bentley said.
"Today's launch is historic. This is the first time HERO is operating outside of a metro Texas city. And again, this is possible because of our partnership with TxDOT and Midland County. Together, we've made it possible to bring this critical service right here to the Permian," she added.
HERO trucks will patrol I-20 and State Highway 191, two of the area's most dangerous corridors with the highest crash rates in the district, Bentley said.
There will be three trucks on I-20 and one on Highway 191, Richmond said. I-20 is longer than 191 and has a higher crash rate so it will have more HERO trucks.
Anecdotally, she said, they have heard communities with HERO have experienced more road safety awareness and lower crash rates. Richmond said people also like having another public service available to them for free.
They hope to expand the service eventually.
"These trucks will provide free services like traffic control at crash scenes, flat tire changes, minor vehicle repairs, jump starts for dead batteries and support for first responders," Bentley said. "This will also allow law enforcement and emergency personnel to extend their resources and focus on more serious accidents. This will save lives."
The program will also provide cell phone service and drinking water to stranded motorists, according to information from PSP.
In 2022, she said, the Odessa-Midland area had the highest fatality rate among all 25 TxDOT districts.
"While we've made progress, thanks to investments in infrastructure, enforcement, education and public engagement, there's still so much work to be done. Every time we drive on the Permian roads, we all can see these challenges firsthand.
"We live in the largest, most secure energy basin in the world, and we deserve to drive on safe, reliable roads to get home to our families every night. HERO will help us achieve this goal," Bentley said.
Alvin New, a Texas Transportation Commissioner, said the HERO program started in Austin in 2010. It's been picked up by El Paso and San Antonio, as well.
"But to get it out here in 2025 is just amazing. I'm really excited for the safety implications. The program here will start approximately June the 1st. It will run seven days a week, from around 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., so it will pick up all of the to school, to work, home from work hours on these major corridors back and forth between these two cities," New said.
"It will run from on I-20 from Penwell to Martin County, and on State Highway 191 from Loop 338 to (Loop) 250. ... I want to make sure that you know that safety really is something that we work on hard at TxDOT. Everything we do, from the way we engineer roads, from the way we try to get overpasses built to avoid major intersection problems, to building sidewalks to get pedestrians off of the roadway," New said.
TxDOT recently launched a new safety program called Drive like a Texan, he said.
"We're working very hard to end the streak, which is the number of deaths on Texas roadways," New said.
He added that there has not been a single day since November of 2000 when there wasn't at least one death on Texas roadways.
"Again, you see all of these efforts moving forward, and the HERO Program becomes one more tool in the toolbox of doing things to get people away from an accident, get the traffic cleared, get the people off the roadway, get the vehicles off of the roadway, and help people be safe. We're happy to have that new tool in the toolbox, and we're extraordinarily excited about the way you guys are coming together and making this happen," New added.
Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Steven Blanco reminded the audience of the Texas Move Over or Slow Down law, which will also apply to the HERO program.
The law requires all drivers to change lanes or slow down when approaching an emergency vehicle, including law enforcement, fire, EMS, Texas Department of Transportation vehicles, tow trucks and utility service vehicles.
"Specifically, drivers must vacate the lane closest to the stopped emergency vehicle or slow down to 20 miles per hour below the posted speed limit. Remember, you should only move over if it is safe to do so.
"If you cannot move over, you must slow down. Violators in the state's Move Over or Slow Down law can face fines of up to $1,250 for the first offense. Violators who cause serious bodily injury can be charged with a Class A misdemeanor resulting in possible jail time or up to a $4,000 fine.
"It's also important to remind drivers about the dangers of distracted driving, and to give the act of driving your full attention. It's essential to keep your eyes on the roadway, not your phone or not other distractions in the vehicle. That way, the driver can take appropriate action when you come upon emergency vehicle, law enforcement, fire, EMS, or one of our HERO program vehicles," Blanco said.
According to TxDOT, he said, nearly one in six crashes on Texas roadways was caused by distracted driving in 2023. Of those crashes, 399 people lost their lives, and more than 2,790 were seriously injured, Blanco said.
"Sadly, Texas has lost at least one person every day on a road since November 7, 2000. By following the state's Move Over or Slow Down law and distracted driving laws, we can ensure that everyone gets home safely and that we are doing our part to end the streak. In closing, it's undeniable that the HERO Program will save lives and protect motorists stranded on our local roadways," Blanco said.
HERO vehicles are equipped with digital message signs and cameras that can send live images back to help with incident management.
TxDOT began tracking "secondary crashes" in crash reports on April 1, 2023. Since that time there have been 168 secondary incident crashes of varying severity in the Odessa District. In 2023 (latest data available), the Odessa District's fatality rate was 3.24 compared to the statewide average of 1.44 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles travelled (vmt). The crash rate was 88 crashes per 100 million vmt in the Odessa District compared to the statewide average of 116 crashes per 100 million vmt.
There will be 4 HERO trucks operating on a fixed schedule seven days a week.
— I-20 — 3 trucks; 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
— SH 191 — 1 truck; 6 a.m.-6 p.m.
— Cost: $5 million over two years
Funders:
— PSP — $3 million ($1,500,000 per year)
— Midland County — $1 million ($500,000 per year)
— Ector County — $1 million ($500,000 per year)
KPIs — Quarterly reporting on:
— Call volume
— Incident response volume
— Incident and response type
— Crash reductions and hot-spot comparison over time
Funding Sustainability
The PSP's model provides jump start funding to new ideas. Their goal is to pilot this program for two years. After that time, local officials and TxDOT will need to budget for the funds needed to continue the program.
Additionally, during the last legislative session a bill was passed to allow for sponsorships of HERO programs to expand this proven traffic incident management solution across the state. TxDOT is currently working on rulemaking and the implementation timeline for the sponsorship program. The sponsorship program is expected to be rolled out by the end of 2025. This will allow for a public-private-partnership model to be used for long-term sustainability.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
I-35 expansion: TxDOT project takes shape in South Austin
The Brief The I-35 Capital Expressway South Project is starting to take shape in South Austin The project includes a long, elevated section of roadway to speed traffic through that part of town The entire project is targeted to be completed in late 2028 or early 2029 AUSTIN, Texas - A multi-million-dollar construction project is taking shape in South Austin. The I-35 Capital Expressway South Project includes a long, elevated section of roadway to speed traffic through that part of town. What they're saying The massive concrete pillars that are rising above I-35 are part of the Capital Expressway South Project. The T-shaped monoliths will hold up an elevated roadway between Ben White and Slaughter Lane. "There's about 95 to 100 of those when we're done," said Willie Semora, TxDOT's Director of Construction for the Austin District. The caps, according to Semora, are almost 100' wide. "They were pretty massive, really, in the grand scheme of anything I've ever built in my career," said Semora. The $548 million project is being done in four phases. The new fast track in the middle of I-35 is the main feature. It will allow traffic to bypass Stassney Lane and William Cannon. "So, everything is non-toll. So we're calling them managed lanes. The intention is HOV or to really push the transit message and let folks that are, you know, multiple people in a vehicle, buses, those kinds of things use those lanes to ultimately reduce capacity or reduce congestion and increase capacity on the rest of 35. But nothing's tolled when we're finished," said Semora. Multiple heavy lifting cranes are needed to assemble the elevated roadway. There are almost 79 tons of prestressed girders. That's more than 157 million pounds, and, according to TxDOT, the equivalent of eight Eiffel Towers and 700 fully-loaded railroad cars. "It takes two cranes to pick up one set of cap forms. Right. So, everything is bigger. Everything is heavier. And to do it safely, everything requires more resources," said Semora. Advanced planning was done to avoid supply line issues. "We use what we call material on hand. And so they may buy the steel we need to put in those columns two years before we build it. But we're really trying to plan ahead to keep that. From impacting us long term," said Semora. The main contractor for the project, Flour Corporation, has even built their own concrete plant. "We didn't want to tax the resources of the rest of Austin, right? There's a lot of construction going on everywhere. People are building buildings, doing utility work. So, with the amount of concrete that we're putting out there, our contractor brought their own plant and made it themselves," said Semora. Big changes are also being made on the ground. The most notable involves addressing a steep slope around Onion Creek. "We flattened that dip out and that's going to help with getting trucks up and down the hill, start time. A lot of traffic is a truck sitting in lane, and he can't get going up that hill. So, we fixed some of that," said Semora. Part of the fix will require a big detour this weekend at Stassney Lane. The bridge will be closed, requiring a long U-turn. The entire project is targeted to be completed in late 2028 or early 2029. The Source Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Rudy Koski
Car and Driver
2 days ago
- Car and Driver
Bentley Stops Some Exports to the U.S., Keeps Pricing Steady for June
Bentley has halted imports to the U.S. on "stock" that would sit at dealerships waiting to be sold, a ccording to Automotive News. Bentley will continue to import cars directly ordered by customers and said pricing for U.S. models is guaranteed to remain unchanged on orders placed through the end of June. Bentley had around 378 vehicles left in its dealership stock at the beginning of June. The tariffs implemented by the Trump administration have sown confusion and uncertainty in the automotive industry. Even after officials from the United States and the United Kingdom reached a trade agreement in early May, British automakers are unsure of where they stand. According to a report from Automotive News, Bentley has halted some exports to the U.S. while keeping its current pricing unchanged as it awaits further clarification on this trade agreement and what the tariffs mean for its business. Starting on April 3, the U.S. began imposing a 25 percent tariff on imports of all light-duty vehicles. However, the trade agreement between the U.S. and U.K. will see that tariff reduced to 10 percent for the first 100,000 vehicles imported each year from the U.K. After those first 100,000 vehicles arrive, the 25 percent tariff will go back into action on vehicles shipped from the U.K. Prior to the Trump administration's 25 percent tariff, vehicles imported from the U.K. received a 2.5 percent tariff. Bentley In an interview with Automotive News, the CEO of Bentley Americas, Mike Rocco, said, "We are managing the tariff situation day to day," and that "every U.K. manufacturer is trying to understand the matter." The publication states that other Bentley officials confirmed at a media event in Montana that current pricing for U.S. models is guaranteed for orders placed through the end of June. While orders directly placed by customers will continue to be brought over to the U.S. and delivered to customers, Bentley has stopped shipments of "stock" that would sit at dealerships and need to be sold. These vehicles are instead being held in the United Kingdom for the time being. According to Rocco, Bentley had around 378 vehicles in its U.S. dealership stock at the beginning of June. U.K. automakers brought around 102,000 vehicles to the U.S. in 2024, AN said via the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Several automakers import vehicles from the U.K., including luxury specialists such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley, and Land Rover, more affordable cars from Mini, and high-performance sports cars from Aston Martin and McLaren. Although the trade deal between the U.S. and U.K. purports to lower the impact of import tariffs relative to the 25 percent hit applied to cars from other countries, the details of how that cap of 100,000 vehicles will be allocated to different automakers remain unclear. It appears that Bentley's approach for the moment is to wait and see how things shake out. Caleb Miller Associate News Editor Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
New Bentley Dealership to Open in Santa Barbara
Luxury Reimagined: Bentley Arrives in Santa Barbara with New Showroom and Personalized Service Bentley Santa Barbara Now Open Bentley Santa Barbara Opening Soon SANTA BARBARA, Calif., June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Santa Barbara Auto Group is pleased to announce it has been appointed to represent Bentley for sales and service for the Santa Barbara area. Santa Barbara Auto Group was founded in 2004 on the principles of offering their customers 'Simply the Best' automotive products and services. In pursuit of that principle, they are pleased to announce Bentley Santa Barbara as a new addition to Santa Barbara Auto Group. To ensure a seamless and elevated experience, their sales and service teams have and will continue to receive specialized Bentley training. They are committed to delivering the highest level of care and professionalism to meet your Bentley desires and needs. 'Santa Barbara Auto Group has always been about offering our customers Simply the Best automotive sales and service. In our pursuit of offering Simply the Best to our customers, we are pleased to announce Bentley Santa Barbara as a new addition to Santa Barbara Auto Group,' stated Steve Knappenberger, Owner, Santa Barbara Auto Group. Bentley Santa Barbara will have vehicles on display and be ready to sell new Bentleys starting June 12. The service team is completing their Bentley certification and will be ready to begin servicing Bentley vehicles no later than June 30. Bentley Santa Barbara has new Bentley vehicles en route to Santa Barbara and is ready to accept custom orders at your convenience. Bentley Santa Barbara looks forward to welcoming you and providing the extraordinary Bentley experience you deserve. Bentley Santa Barbara is located at 401 South Hope Avenue, adjacent to the Jaguar Land Rover showroom. Bentley Santa Barbara can be reached at 805-682-2800 or at Contact: Melih OztalayCEO, SmartFinds MarketingEmail: melih@ (248) 568-2241https:// PDF Available: A video accompanying this announcement is available at: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
