MAP: the common sense solution
The Chronicle has a great op-ed by Bob Lemer, chairman of Citizens for Public Accountability, where he advocates what blogHOUSTON has advocated -- the city should end this $AFEclear nonsense and contribute to an expanded Motorist Assistance Program:
Houston doesn't need Safe Clear, with its padding of the coffers of the city and favored tow truck operators.
All Houston needs is for the city government to join Harris County's Motorist Assistance Program, or MAP, as it should have done long ago.
MAP offers free assistance to motorists in Harris County from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday (except for Harris County holidays), on I-45 north and south, I-10 east and west, U.S. 290, Loop 610, and U.S. 59 north and south. If the city joined, other freeways could be added to the covered areas.
MAP's stated services, by specially trained deputy sheriffs, include:
• Assistance in changing a flat tire.
• Supplying fuel, water and air.
• Assistance with minor engine repairs.
• Jumpstarting vehicles with dead batteries.
• Providing traffic control at major and minor accidents.
• Removing stranded vehicles from the roadway by use of the push bumper or by summoning a tow truck.
• Providing use of mobile phones to notify relatives or employers, or to summon additional help.
• Providing courtesy transport of stranded motorists to a safe location.
• Rendering first aid and summoning medical assistance.Compare these free and citizen-friendly services to the expensive and heavy-handed Big-Brother-type Safe Clear alternative. The choice is crystal clear.
In answer to my inquiry, MAP advised me that it handled 2,486 requests for assistance last month and only 96 required a tow truck. Safe Clear's first month of operation has barely started, yet it already has had hundreds of vehicles towed, according to news reports.
Lemer points out some more facts -- that the fleet of MAP vehicles is provided, free of charge, by the Houston Auto Dealers Association (the group that initially started the program, before handing it over to Harris County), TxDOT provides MAP office space and pays for MAP's eight dispatchers, Metro funds the 18 sheriff deputies who work the MAP shifts and Cingular provides cellphones and free airtime to MAP vehicles.
Lemer also passes on the information that when Lee P. Brown was HPD chief, he declined to participate in MAP, and the city has continued to pass ever since.
Lemer writes that he carries the MAP phone number with him, on speed dial, as Kevin Whited suggested we all do. MAP's number is 713-225-5627.
One last point: on Chris Baker's program yesterday, a MAP driver called in and encouraged everyone to call MAP if they breakdown, for whatever reason. HPD and $AFEclear tow truck drivers cannot force MAP personnel to leave the scene; MAP takes priority over $AFEclear.
UPDATE: I need to clarify that last paragraph a bit. In the comments Kevin Whited points out that a MAP driver can help with the things listed in the Chronicle op-ed, but cannot call for a tow truck. If a tow is needed, $AFEclear takes over, fees and all.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/11/05 07:47 AM | Print |
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