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Bay Area Freeway Service Patrol
Fast, free freeway roadside help for California drivers.
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Business
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Fast, free freeway roadside help for California drivers.
Bay Area Freeway Service Patrol provides free, on-site roadside assistance for drivers on California freeways, including the 101 corridor. Praised for fast, courteous help, it supports towing, fuel, and tire needs and moves vehicles to safer locations. The service works with CalTrans and Nelson's Tow, earning high marks from motorists.
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Towing vehicles to safer locations off the freeway to clear traffic and ensure safety.
Providing enough gas to reach the nearest gas station for drivers who run out of fuel.
Helping with flat tires, including installing spares to get drivers back on the road quickly.
Jump-starting dead batteries to restore vehicle operation without delay.
Assisting with minor issues like stuck vehicles or overheating to prevent accidents.
Monitoring highways during peak hours to proactively assist stranded motorists and reduce congestion.
Overall rating
Dee Dee McCall
511 is miracle service in California that is free to the public and another reason to love California! My husband and I found ourselves stuck in mud just off the 580 heading into SF. An experienced driver in difficult conditions, my husband sprang into action, but it was quickly clear we were not going anywhere without being towed out. The sun was setting. We were expected in SF much earlier. The only next step was to call AAA. With rush hour traffic into/out of the city, we'd have a 45 - 90 min wait. The split second we came to that conclusion, from out of nowhere a tow truck pulled up, and S. Bothwell from FSP jumped out. Of course, we both thought he was passing by and would help for a fee. Potentially a big fee considering the circumstances. Then the miracles started - First he had "seen us pulling into the turn-around spot and knew it was a mud trap" so he came back to help us! Second, he knew our car was prone to front-wheel traps like the one we were in and knew we'd need a tow out. Third, he was polite, helpful, smart, and in 5 mins got us out of the mud! And fourth, he told us about the 511 services, and that it was completely free - wouldn't even accept a grateful tip. I've been a CA resident for 40+ years, and I'm so proud to be a Californian! Thank you Mr. Bothwell and the FSP!!
Samantha Carson
Had to use them 7/24/25. Driver C. Hansen was great and made an unfortunate situation so much better. He is amazing! Love the Bay Area freeway service patrol! Thank you guys for all the hard work you do.
Swetharaksha Jayakumar
This service is truly godsend!!! We ran out of gas in our rental car and were waiting for a paid service that was 45 min out. K.Walls from FSP drives up behind us and helps us right away with enough gas to drive to the nearest gas station. A true blessing to the community and K.Walls is truly our hero. Thank you so much!!!!
Fernando Orozco
I can't tell you how much I appreciate this service provided by CalTrans! My car died on the freeway and this service roams the 101 corridor during community hours for people unfortunate like me. Chris from Freeway Service Patrol which works in conjunction with Nelson's Tow in a particular strip of the 101 pulled up behind me and told me they provide the free service of getting vehicles off the freeway to a safer location. Thank you Chris for your professional nature and thank you CalTrans and Nelson's Tow for the service!!
Boo Brazier
WOW! What a service. Coming down 80 I got a flat tire in Vacaville and before I could get off the phone to get a tow truck driver, Erik Gow showed up to help. What a quality kid! He showed patience and problem-solving with getting my spare on and helping me get back on the road! Thank you Erik G. and FSP for the timely help!
