NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Story Courtesy of WVLT / WSMV) – The Tennessee Department of Transportation announced it will be expanding its HELP Program to rural areas of the state.
Currently, TDOT’s HELP trucks patrol the largest urban areas of the state: Nashville, Knoxville, Memphis and Chattanooga.
With this expansion, the rural program will launch in spring 2026 and by the summer, it will extend across all of TDOT’s regions, covering more than 870 miles of interstate.
“In rural areas where crashes are often the most severe — drivers tend to speed, traffic is confined to two lanes with limited detour routes, and hospitals are farther away, the Rural Service Patrol fills a critical gap in emergency response coverage, improving safety, and reducing incident clearance times,” said TDOT Commissioner Will Reid, P.E.
Below is a look at the program and its move to rural Tennessee:
- Around-the-Clock Operations – Protecting interstate travelers and first responders statewide 7 days a week, 365 days a year
- Active Patrols – 6:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
- On-Call Overnight Support – 10:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m. for major incident response and traffic control
- Regional Coordination – Managed through TDOT’s Transportation Management Centers (TMC) for rapid, localized response
- Motorist Assistance – Fuel, water, minor repairs, and roadside support
- Incident Response – First aid, traffic control, queue protection, debris removal, and maintenance reporting
