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About FSP

Operates 145 tow trucks on 400+ miles of Los Angeles County freeways to assist disabled motorists and to reduce traffic congestion

• Operates 7 days a week primarily during daylight hours
• Jointly managed by Metro, CHP and Caltrans
• Funded by state highway funds and by Proposition C, the voter approved 1/2 - cent Los Angeles County sales tax
• Started as one of the first programs of its kind in the United States
• Since its inception in July 1991 and has assisted almost 4 million motorists
• It is the largest program of its kind and one of 13 major metropolitan programs in California

The Goal...

Throughout Los Angeles County, your public dollars are hard at work supporting the operation of the largest fleet of tow and service trucks (145) in the country. Known as the Los Angeles County Metro Freeway Service Patrol (FSP), FSP contracts private tow operators to patrol designated portions of freeways (beats) during the morning and afternoon commute hours. Their goal is to quickly repair or remove disabled vehicles to relieve freeway congestion. Each beat is approximately ten miles in length and contains three to five trucks that continuously patrol a freeway route.

The Partners...

The Freeway Service Patrol is a jointly managed program involving the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). It is funded through the local Prop C - 25% sales tax and state highway funds.

The History...

The FSP Program was started in LA County in July 1991. More than 4 million motorists have been assisted since its inception (see graph). There are 13 FSP programs located in major metropolitan areas throughout California.

The Service…

Over 70 percent of assisted motorists wait less than 5 minutes during FSP hours before an FSP truck arrives to provide assistance. In four out of five assists, FSP drivers are able to repair the problem at the scene within 10 minutes of arriving. FSP drivers will change a flat tire, fill a radiator, tape a leaky hose, provide a jump-start, provide a gallon of gas, or when necessary, tow the vehicle to a safe drop location off the freeway.

The Benefits...

According to a 2004 survey conducted by UC Berkeley, the Los Angeles County FSP program has an average cost/benefit ratio of more than 8 to 1. This means that for every $1 spent on FSP, there is a $8 savings to the motorist.

The Cost...

The FSP service is FREE to motorists. FSP drivers are not allowed to receive any payment from motorists for freeway assistance.

The Hours...

The FSP operates on every freeway in Los Angeles County. The typical hours of operation are Monday - Friday 6am to 7pm on weekdays and 10am to 6:30pm on weekends.

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