By A Treasure Coast essay by Paul Janensch
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wqcs/local-wqcs-924648.mp3
Fort Pierce, FL – You've heard of knights in shining armor. I'm going to tell you about knights in white pickup trucks. They are called Road Rangers, and on Labor Day they started patrolling the 71 miles of Interstate-95 along the Treasure Coast. The Road Rangers take care of distractions and help traffic flow more smoothly. They assist motorists whose vehicles have broken down. They clean up around collisions. They remove road debris and report abandoned vehicles. The State Department of Transportation program already was in place on other highways, including I-95 in South Florida. The Road Rangers are a really good idea for I-95, considering that several months ago Florida's 382-mile stretch of the interstate was named America's deadliest highway. On the Treasure Coast, Road Rangers in nine pickups work two shifts Mondays through Fridays from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Each truck carries a fire extinguisher, a first-aid kit and repair tools. If the Road Rangers can't fix the problem, they will help you summon a tow service. A motorist with a cell phone can call the Road Rangers by pressing Star-FHP. The program is funded with state gasoline taxes. You won't be charged for receiving assistance. After all, a knight in shining armor never sent the rescued maiden a bill for his services.