Tennessee Expands Rural Service Patrol to Assist Drivers Statewide

TDOT's HELP Program adds coverage for rural interstate travelers and first responders.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is expanding its successful HELP Program to assist motorists in rural areas of the state, thanks to additional funding from Governor Lee and the General Assembly. The Rural Service Patrol will launch this spring, starting in Region 2 and extending across all four regions by summer 2026, covering more than 870 miles of interstate.

Why it matters

In rural areas, crashes are often more severe due to higher speeds, limited detour routes, and longer distances to hospitals. The Rural Service Patrol will fill a critical gap in emergency response coverage, improving safety and reducing incident clearance times for interstate travelers and first responders.

The details

The Rural Service Patrol will provide around-the-clock operations 7 days a week, 365 days a year, with active patrols from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on-call overnight support from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. for major incident response and traffic control. The program will be managed through TDOT's Transportation Management Centers for rapid, localized response, and will offer motorist assistance like fuel, water, minor repairs, and roadside support, as well as incident response like first aid, traffic control, debris removal, and maintenance reporting.

  • The Rural Service Patrol will launch this spring, starting in Region 2.
  • By the summer of 2026, the program will extend across all four TDOT regions, covering more than 870 miles of interstate.

The players

Will Reid

TDOT Commissioner, P.E.

AutoBase, Inc.

An industry leader with over 25 years of experience augmenting DOT capabilities across the country, awarded the contract for the Rural Service Patrol program.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Will Reid, TDOT Commissioner, P.E.

What’s next

The Rural Service Patrol will launch this spring, starting in Region 2, and extend across all four TDOT regions by the summer of 2026.

The takeaway

This expansion of TDOT's HELP Program to rural interstates demonstrates the state's commitment to enhancing roadway safety and supporting economic growth across Tennessee, even in the most remote areas.