The state is considering replacing its free roadside assistance program with a private company that would charge to change a tire or charge a battery.
The Emergency Service Patrol has been in existence since 1994. Its team of 90 drivers operate Monday through Friday from 4 a.m. through 8:30 p.m., with some weekend hours in the Cherry Hill region.
The service was created to keep lanes clear and reduce congestion.
Transportation Commissioner Jim Simpson says privatizing the service could free up as much as $12 million that the state gets annually from the federal government to run the program.
Simpson says the DOT will do a cost-benefit analysis of the program.
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Information from: The Record of Bergen County, http://www.northjersey.com
