How H.E.R.O. Crews Are Making Texas Highways Safer

Midland, Odesa and other cities in Texas' Permian Basin are copying a program El Paso has been using for years to keep highways safer.

The Texas Department of Transportation, (TXDoT), has special crews throughout the lone star state that patrol highways looking for motorists in distress, clearing debris from roadways and helping police at accident sites among other things.

The H.E.R.O., (Highway Emergency Response Operator), program started operating in El Paso about 5 years ago and has helped an untold number of 915 drivers, including me. Now, it's spreading across the state.

READ MORE: Watch For HERO Vehicles And Slow Down

In my case, it wasn't a mechanical failure or anything. I was moving a washing machine and the door kept flying open. I pulled over, (on I-10, on a busy day), to deal with it and a H.E.R.O. truck appeared, I'm not kidding, out of nowhere. A strap wouldn't do the job and I didn't have any tape but he did and the problem was solved quickly.

Anyway, great crews, doing a great job. They can help with just about anything including changing tires, giving jump starts, moving junk out of the road, clearing debris after accidents, putting out car fires and more.

I don't know what they get paid but it's probably not enough. If they see you stopped, they'll stop. If you're having trouble and they don't come across you, you can call them at 915-790-HERO (4376).

READ MORE: Texas' Longest Highway Is An 11 Hour Haul

Now, cities in the Permian Basin like Midland and Odessa are giving H.E.R.O. a try. No matter where you are, watch for these vehicles, slow down as you pass them and give them as much room as you can.

This happened recently in El Paso when an inattentive driver clipped a HERO truck stopped on the far left shoulder to help another motorist.