Post by Logan on Jun 10, 2016 16:12:48 GMT -6
Budget cuts are threatening a Department of Transportation program that assists motorists with car trouble on the state's highways.
The budget that was recently approved by the legislature and signed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy includes a $641,000 reduction to eliminate the Connecticut Highway Assistance Motorist Patrol, or CHAMP, which provides free roadside assistance including tire changes, jump starts and fuel. Disabled vehicles are also pushed off the roadway until a tow truck arrives.
Andrew Matthews, president of the state police union, said the service reduces crashes on highways by keeping stranded vehicles out of travel lanes and protecting them from a rear-end collision. The DOT trucks are specially designed to absorb such an impact.
"DOT service patrols don't just reduce highway congestion," he said. "They save lives."
Read more: www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-dot-highway-assistance-cuts-20160609-story.html
The budget that was recently approved by the legislature and signed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy includes a $641,000 reduction to eliminate the Connecticut Highway Assistance Motorist Patrol, or CHAMP, which provides free roadside assistance including tire changes, jump starts and fuel. Disabled vehicles are also pushed off the roadway until a tow truck arrives.
Andrew Matthews, president of the state police union, said the service reduces crashes on highways by keeping stranded vehicles out of travel lanes and protecting them from a rear-end collision. The DOT trucks are specially designed to absorb such an impact.
"DOT service patrols don't just reduce highway congestion," he said. "They save lives."
Read more: www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-dot-highway-assistance-cuts-20160609-story.html