GDOT HERO units returning to 24/7 operations

A HERO unit helping a stranded motorist. (Courtesy of GDOT)

The Georgia Department of Transportation says its Highway Emergency Response Operators (HERO) will once again be back on the highways 24/7.

GDOT will also store its full coverage of nearly 400 miles of interstate highways across the metro Atlanta areas.

What we know:

The HERO program began in 1994 and offers motorists free roadside assistance, which includes helping with flat tires, dead batteries, and low fuel or coolant.

Back in 2023, GDOT was forced to reduce services to 5 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily due to staffing issues as well as reducing the service area.

Now, officials say that an aggressive recruitment effort to hire and train new operators has allowed them to go back to full coverage.

The HERO patrol routes. (Courtesy of GDOT)

The new hours will start on July 1 ahead of the busy Fourth of July travel weekend.

By the numbers:

GDOT says from July 2023 to April 2025, HERO units and units with the Georgia DOT's Coordinated Highway Assistance & Maintenance Program (CHAMP) responded to more than 135,000 motorists and crash assists.

What they're saying:

"HEROs are our first and best resource to keep traffic moving safely and efficiently in metro Atlanta," said Georgia DOT Commissioner Russell R. McMurry, P.E. "The reinstatement of full service of HERO's coverage area with 24/7 patrols is reflective of the Department's commitment to providing consistent and immediate assistance to everyone who uses our roadways."

"Traffic incidents do not operate on a schedule and through the hard work and dedication of our HERO and CHAMP units, every interstate was monitored during the reduction of the HERO active patrol schedule and coverage," said Tyrone McCord III, HERO Unit Manager at Georgia DOT. "Now that we are back to a full staff, thanks to effective recruitment strategies and intensive training, we are committed to patrolling the nearly 400 miles of metro Atlanta roads at all hours to improve public safety, reduce traffic delays and be better prepared for emergencies."

What you can do:

To request assistance from HERO or CHAMP units, contact 511GA by calling 511 or by downloading the 511GA app to your Apple or Google device.

The 511GA system also allows users to see travel speeds, traffic incidents, construction events, lane closures and severe weather data across the area.

The Source: Information for this story was taken from a release by the Georgia Department of Transportation.

GeorgiaTravel NewsNews