FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 2008-12-18

ROAD RANGER SPONSORSHIP ADDS SERVICE VEHICLES IN BROWARD AND PALM BEACH

(FORT LAUDERDALE, 11 a.m., December 18, 2008) --- Three additional Road Ranger service vehicles are being  added to the southeast Florida interstate highways as the result of a new sponsorship by State Farm Insurance, Florida transportation officials announced today at a news conference in Fort Lauderdale. Two vehicles will join the 10 vehicles that patrol on I-95, I-595 and I-75 in Broward County and one will join the five vehicles that patrol on I-95 in Palm Beach County.  The Road Rangers are on duty weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. “State Farm is proud to sponsor and expand the Road Ranger program in Broward and Palm Beach Counties. This partnership will serve to further increase the safety and protection of drivers traveling on Florida roads, just in time for the high travel holiday period, ” said John Pisula, State Farm Insurance Public Affairs Specialist.  Due to the extremely challenging economic conditions in the past year, state funding for the Road Ranger program was decreased by 50%.  That reduction meant cutting the number of vehicles on the road, as well as the hours and days of operation.   “In June we made a plea for sponsors to help save our program and fortunately State Farm, like a good neighbor,  was there,” said Maggie Ramos, Vice-President of Sunshine Towing who operates the Road Ranger program by contract with FDOT.  State Farm’s sponsorship includes wrapping all of the Road Ranger vehicles that patrol the interstates in Broward and Palm Beach.  “I am very excited to unveil our fleet’s facelift today. The new Road Ranger look is crisp, clean and highly visible to the motorists,” Ramos said. “Road Rangers have become one of the most effective elements of the Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) incident management program and we are grateful to State Farm for their sponsorship with Sunshine Towing to supplement this service, “said FDOT District Four Secretary James Wolfe.  “Road Rangers reduce incident duration and increase safety at incident scenes,” Wolfe said, “South Florida motorists will benefit from this additional coverage,” Wolfe said. Other benefits of the Road Ranger program are removal of road debris, reduction of accidents, reduction of congestion-produced air pollutants, assistance and increased safety to disables or stranded motorists. The Florida Department of Transportation began funding the Road Rangers service patrols in 1987.  Initially, the Road Rangers were used for management of vehicle incidents in construction zones on I-95 in Broward.  The Road Ranger program went statewide in 1999. To date, Road Rangers have recorded nearly 2.5 million incident and motorist assists statewide. In southeast Florida, Road Rangers average 3,851 incident and motorist assists per month in Broward County on I-95, I-595 and I-75.  In Palm Beach County they average 2,255 incident and motorist assists per month on I-95. Contacts:    John Pisula, State Farm Insurance, Phone:  954-205-3961                      Maggie Ramos, Sunshine Towing, Phone:  305-218-7913                      James Wolfe, FDOT, Phone: 954-777-4111 or                      Barbara Kelleher, FDOT, Phone: 954-777-4090 

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