National Network Connects Thousands Of Service Techs

Anyone who has traveled along major highways throughout North America has likely seen one of the many properties owned and operated by TravelCenters of America. Headquartered in Westlake, Ohio, the company conducts business in 43 states and Canada, primarily under the TA and Petro Stopping Centers travel center brands. 

The company’s connection to the trucking industry has been an important one from the beginning, so it should come as no surprise TA Truck Service has provided roadside assistance services for more than 40 years. However, it re-branded these services in 2005 and created the RoadSquad Dispatch Center, which connects customers to roadside assistance 24/7/365 throughout the Lower 48 states via more than 240 service locations.

Now called RoadSquad Connect, it is billed as the “nation’s largest roadside provider” and features a network of more than 3,000 professional technicians – all with Automotive Service Excellence and/or Tire Industry Association certifications. Dispatched from either a TravelCenters of America location, or that of a certified provider, these technicians perform a wide range of services and repairs. They include emergency fueling, full mechanical, jump starts, brakes, roadside diagnostics, air leaks, lights and electrical, and belts and hoses. The technicians even do roadside tire repairs and can fix other damages caused by blown tires — all of which is good news for drivers who need help. In fact, RoadSquad’s average dispatch time is 30 minutes and the average one-way mileage to a driver in-need is only 19 miles.

Fleet of F-350s at the ready

“Our services are available for Class 5 through Class 8 tractors and associated trailers,” said Karen Piccolomini, director of RoadSquad and RoadSquad Connect, adding that there is no membership requirement or service fee for use of the TA Truck Service RoadSquad program.

In order to deploy its technicians nationwide, RoadSquad relies on a fleet of more than 550 Ford F-350 trucks outfitted with such key features as jacks and vises, impact wrenches, ladders for trailer repairs, as well as tools and diagnostic equipment. The trucks are also equipped with fuel tanks for emergency refueling as well as rear cameras and other safety features to ensure a safe working environment for technicians.

“We outfit the body to fit our unique specifications. For example, our trucks are equipped with a 20 horsepower, state-of-the-art, Start-All compressor system with large air capacity. The fuel hose is also 50 feet in length and is on a coil to ensure easy, safe, and extended access to the customer’s fuel tanks,” Piccolomini said. “All of our trucks are also equipped with GPS technology to ensure accurate and thorough oversight of each repair, as well as to ensure safe operations.”

Safety is a top priority, which is why all service vehicles come equipped with safety cones and safety flags, she said. Specialized equipment for communications is also utilized. And each technician must pass a RoadSquad Safety training course before going out in the field.

Truck replacements now more frequent

Keeping a service fleet of this size moving efficiently takes some work, which is why managing resources and equipment is something the company takes seriously. In the past, the company replaced its service trucks every 10 years, but starting in 2016 that was changed it to every eight years. As a result, 137 new trucks will enter into service this year. In addition, the entire fleet is reviewed multiple times during the year in order to address wear-and-tear and the growth of the service network, Piccolomini said.

“The F-350 is used in a heavy-duty environment, so we follow Ford’s applicable service recommendations,” she said. “We also manage maintenance and downtime through a proprietary fleet management system. This includes using GPS to tag critical components of the transit, as well as the equipment.”

RoadSquad’s ongoing technician training and the equipment specs for their service trucks prepares technicians to handle all aspects of almost any type of roadside repair, Piccolomini said. This, in-turn, reduces tow occurrences for customers and limits their need to deal with multiple service providers.

“What makes RoadSquad unique is a combination of our oversight capabilities, like managing our own resources through our own dispatch center, and our large scope of services,” Piccolomini said. “We are constantly monitoring and educating ourselves on new tractor/trailer equipment; and we make continuous adjustments on training and inventory in order to expand our scope of services to be as responsive as possible to the needs of our customers.”

For more information, visit www.roadsquadconnect.com, where one can download the TruckSmart App for immediate access to the dispatch center.

Mark Yontz is a freelance writer from Urbandale, Iowa.