PLANO, Texas — The Safety Operation Center is considered to be the heartbeat of the North Texas Toll Authority. NTTA has over 2,000 cameras monitoring the roads 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

What You Need To Know

  • The North Texas Toll Authority is a free service available to Texans who need roadside assistance while driving on toll roads

  • The NTTA keeps an eye out for anyone who needs help with their more than 2,000 cameras that monitor the roads 24/7

  • The roads are also equipped with sensors that help dispatchers know what’s happening. The sensors are most helpful when winter weather conditions start to brew

  • If you ever find yourself stranded on the side of an NTTA toll road, just call #999 and someone will be there to help you

“If something's sitting for about 20 to 30 seconds, it will send us an alert and tell us,' Hey, there's something here, pay attention to me,'” said Eric Hemphill, the director of traffic & incident management.

Hemphill says the cameras and roads are equipped with sensors to help dispatchers know what’s happening. The sensors are most helpful when winter weather conditions start to brew.

“As the pavement temperatures get to a certain thing, we will mobilize and move stuff. It allows us to not put things where they're not needed. If pavement temperatures in the south are a lot warmer, we can move resources to the north and help treat and move the stuff around there. So they're vital as part of our response to snow and ice events,” says Hemphill. 

NTTA responded to over 50,000 calls last year.

If there’s an incident on the road, Kareem Williams will most likely be sent for roadside assistance service. Williams has been a part of the roadside assistance team for over a decade.

“You don't know how scary it is being on the side of a road until you're there,” Williams said.

In rain, sleet, snow or sunshine, NTTA's goal is to get you from off the road as safely as possible.

A woman needed help getting her truck from facing the wrong way on I-635 exit ramp. Williams and his team showed up to help her safely get off the busy highway. 

Williams says when the winter weather settles over North Texas, his team will be out there, patrolling, waiting to help anyone in need.

“Our guys are trained how to drive and scan at the same time. And when they see something, they call it into the SLC and report it,” Williams said. 

And the best part of their service is that it's free.

If you ever find yourself stranded on the side of an NTTA toll road, just call #999 and someone will be there to help you.