NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Drivers on rural Tennessee interstates will soon see more help on the side of the road.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation says it is expanding its Highway Emergency Local Patrol, known as the HELP program, into rural areas across the state. The new Rural Service Patrol is set to launch this spring, beginning in Region 2, which includes Chattanooga.
TDOT says the program will eventually cover more than 870 miles of interstate statewide by summer 2026.
“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…