Courtesy Patrol Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Courtesy Patrol: New Sponsor Along W.Va. Turnpike

The West Virginia Parkways Authority announced that State Farm is sponsoring the Courtesy Patrol program along the 88-mile stretch from Charleston to Princeton.

West Virginia Governor Jim Justice says in a news release that his goal is to have people from all over using the turnpike every day, making the well-being of these motorists a top priority.

He says he is excited to work with State Farm to make the safety patrol program better and give peace of mind to those traveling through West Virginia.

The free, state-run program has been renamed the WV Turnpike State Farm Safety Patrol. It helps stranded motorists with flat tires, minor engine problems and other issues.

It is expected to attend to more than 9,000 incidents annually.

State Farm sponsors similar programs in 19 other states.

Courtesy Patrol Could Save $8 Million If State Took Control

An audit says a roadside assistance service using state money could save up to $8.4 million over three years if the Division of Highways controlled it, among other changes.

Legislative Auditor Aaron Allred’s office released highlights of the Courtesy Patrol audit on Sunday.

The audit says Citizens Conservation Corps of West Virginia, which runs the program, received $23.9 million in state money from fiscal year 2006 through 2014.

It says the highways division overpaid the group $96,100.

It says the division potentially increased costs by replacing Courtesy Patrol vehicles and renewing contracts at an increased rate. The division expedited payments through the state auditor’s office and paid the group before the service period ended.

It says the division didn’t monitor fuel spending or use traffic data to manage scheduling.

Two Bids Submitted to Run W.Va. Courtesy Patrol

State highways officials are evaluating two bids for a contract to operate the West Virginia Courtesy Patrol.

The bidders are the patrol’s longtime operator, Citizens Conservation Corps of West Virginia, and IncidentClear. IncidentClear operates service patrols in Massachusetts, Nevada, and Dallas County, Texas, along with similar programs in several large cities.

Department of Administration spokeswoman Diane Holley-Brown tells the Charleston Gazette that the state plans to have a new contract in place as of July 1.

The Courtesy Patrol provides roadside assistance to motorists in West Virginia.

Several legislators voiced concerns about high salaries paid to executives of the nonprofit Citizens Conservation Corps of West Virginia during last week’s special session. The Tomblin administration determined that the state doesn’t have the authority to set salaries for executives of nonprofits.

Gov. Tomblin Calls Legislature Into Special Session

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has called the Legislature back into session to deal with funding and other measures.

The special session begins Monday.

Tomblin’s agenda includes a supplemental appropriations bill that would allocate up to $4.7 million to the Courtesy Patrol. The funding would come from the Tourism Promotion Fund.

Also on the agenda is the proposed creation of a new fund to distribute unappropriated excess lottery revenue.

Tomblin also proposes modifying legislation passed during the regular session that raises the minimum wage in West Virginia. The proposed changes include exempting certain employers from state maximum hours and overtime requirements.

W.Va. Courtesy Patrol Contract Extension Sought

The operator of West Virginia’s Courtesy Patrol is seeking a two-month extension of its state contract.

The Courtesy Patrol is one of nine nonprofit entities overseen by the nonprofit Citizens Conservation Corps of West Virginia.

The Register-Herald reports that the Beckley-based nonprofit’s contract through the Division of Highways expired in July 2013 and has received three-month extensions since then.

Due to an oversight, the Legislature didn’t appropriate money for the roadside service for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Local lawmakers say they expect the funding to be addressed in a special session before then.

Courtesy Patrol director Jennifer Douglas says the Citizens Conservation Corps of West Virginia has operated the service since it was revived in November 1998.