NYSDOT Region 8 HELP Trucks (NY)

New York State Region 8 HELP Trucks

Information

HELP - Highway Emergency Local Patrol

Statewide:
The Highway Emergency Local Patrol (HELP) program provides free roadside emergency services on many major roads throughout the state during peak travel times. The assistance was established in 1994 to increase safety and decrease congestion by clearing broken-down vehicles from active lanes of traffic.

70 service trucks cover 16 patrol areas in many metropolitan areas throughout NYS, aiding more than 65,000 motorists annually.

Region 8 - Hudson Valley:
The HELP began operation in 1994 as the first part of a comprehensive response to increased traffic on the highways in NYS DOT Region 8. The program now boasts 38 trucks and over 800 patrol miles in the region. In 2018, these HELP trucks logged over 26,000 assists.

Each HELP vehicle patrols a specific segment of the roadway called a "sector," the combination of one or more sectors creating a "beat." There are six beats in Region 8 that cover portions of the Sprain Brook Parkway, Saw Mill River Parkway, Hutchinson River Parkway, Taconic State Parkway, Palisades Parkway, I-287, I-684, NY 17, I-84, US 6, US 9, Cross County Parkway, I-95, and I-87 (NYS Thruway)

Radio Operations/Setup

Unlike other NYS DOT Regions, R8 Help Trucks operate on the OneVoice Network DMR System. Except Units on the Thruway in Orange County.

They were using the OneVoice system with the TGs 100501 & 100502 until October 2022, when they switched to the NYCOMCO DMR System. When they were using the NYCOMCO DMR System, they were operating on TG 19118 & 19119. But then, in April of 2023, they switched back to OneVoice Network due to poor coverage with NYCOMCO.
Now HELP trucks on the OneVoice Network DMR System. They can be heard on various sites and talkgroups listed below.

Sites

Site	Site Name	County	Notes
011 (B)	Pomona	Rockland NY	Both TGs 1898909 (HV) & 1898909 (WC)
012 (C)	Valhalla	Westchester NY	TG 1898910 (WC) Only
013 (D)	Alpine	Bergen NJ	Both TGs 1898909 (HV) & 1898909 (WC)
014 (E)	Beacon	Dutchess NY	Both TGs 1898909 (HV) & 1898909 (WC)
015 (F)	North Salem	Westchester NY	Both TGs 1898909 (HV) & 1898909 (WC)
016 (10)	Tinker Hill	Putnam NY	Both TGs 1898909 (HV) & 1898909 (WC)
017 (11)	Warwick	Orange NY	TG 1898909 (HV) Only
019 (13)	Westfall	Pike PA	TG 1898909 (HV) Only
021 (15)	Woodbury	Orange NY	TG 1898909 (HV) Only
023 (17)	North East	Dutchess NY	TG 1898909 (HV) Only
024 (18)	Dover	Dutchess NY	TG 1898909 (HV) Only
046 (2E)	Depot Hill	Dutchess NY	TG 1898909 (HV) Only
070 (46)	Putnam Valley	Putnam NY	Both TGs 1898909 (HV) & 1898909 (WC)

Talkgroups (Towing and Auto Service)

DEC	Mode	Alpha Tag	Description	Tag
1898909	TDMA	R8 HELP HV	R8 HELP Trucks - Hudson Valley	Public Works
1898910	TDMA	R8 HELP Westchtr	R8 HELP Trucks - Westchester	Public Works

Operations

HELP trucks in Region 8 (Westchester & Hudson Valley) Operate:

• • Monday-Friday, 06:00-10:00 and 15:00-19:00
  • Hours are expanded as needed for special events and holidays.

HELP Trucks in the Hudson Valley Operate in Dutchess, Putnam, Ulster, Orange, and Rockland Counties. While Help Trucks in Westchester operates in Westchester County Only. A breakdown of their coverage area is listed below.

Patrol Area:

Dispatch Agency:	Road & Patrol Length:	County:	Talkgroup:
NYSP SP Hawthorne ("TMC") (NYSP Troop K)	Road Patrol Length Interstate 684 Hutch Parkway to Interstate 84 Taconic State Parkway Kensico Circle (BRP) to Westchester/Putnam County Line US 9 Ansville Circle to NY 9A NY 9A US 9 Split (Briarcliff) to Saw Mill Parkway US 202/US 6 ("Goat Trail") Bear Mountain Circle to Ansville Circle Bear Mtn. Parkway Ansville Circle to US 202 Intersate 287 & Cross Westchester Expressway Tappan Zee Bridge to Interstate 95 Interstate 95 Westchester/CT State line to Westchester/NYC Line Interstae 87 NYC Line (Exit 1) to Tappan Zee Bridge Sprain Brook Parkway Sprain/BRP Split (Yonkers) to Taconic State Parkway	Westchester	1898910 (Westchester)
Westchester County Police	Road Patrol Length Saw Mill Parkway Westchester/NYC Line to Intersate 684 Bronx River Parkway Westchester/NYC Line to Kensic Circle Hutchinson River Parkway Westchester/NYC Line to CT State Line Cross County Parkway Saw Mill Parkway to Hutchinson River Parkway	Westchester	1898910 (Westchester)
NYSP SP Poughkeepsie (Troop K)	Road Patrol Length County Taconic State Parkway Westchester/Putnam County to Putnam/Dutchess County Line Putnam Taconic State Parkway Putnam/Dutchess County Line to Exit 54 (US44) Dutchess Intersate 84 Putnam County/CT State Line to Luddingtonvile Rd Putnam Intersate 84 Luddingtonville Rd to Newburgh/Beacon Bridge Dutchess	Putnam & Dutchess	1898909 (Hudson Valley)
NYSP SP Middletown (Troop F)	Road Patrol Length Interstae 84 Newburgh/Beacon Bridge to NY 17 NY 17 NYS Thruway (I87) to Interstate 84 US 6/Long Mountan Parkway NY 17 to Bear Mountan Circle Interstate 84 Rockland/Orange County Line to Interstate 84 (Newburgh)	Orange	1898909 (Hudson Valley)
Rockland County Communications	Road Patrol Length Palisades Parkway Rockland County/NJ State Line to Bear Mountan Circle Intersate 287/Intersate 87 (NYS Truway) Tappan Zee Bridge to Orange/Rockland County Line GSP Conector (NYS Truway Spur) I287/I87 to NJ State Line	Rockland	1898909 (Hudson Valley)
NYS Truway Authority	Road Patrol Length I87 Rockland County/Orange County Line to I84 (Newburgh)	Orange	Truway Ch 1 Truway Ch 2