Tag Archives: Road Assistance

Dominican Republic Road Assistance

Status

An expanded section of the Gregorio Luperón Highway (RD-5) between Puerto Plata and Navarrete is serviced by Road Assistance. 

The government of the Dominican Republic offers through the Public Works and Communications Ministry (MOPC), via the Military and Police Division, the free service of Road Assistance in the roads and highways throughout the country. The service can be reached by Dominican citizens, foreign residents of the Dominican Republic, and international tourists by calling 829-688-1000. It should be noted that operators speak Spanish only and the personnel of the service speak Spanish too, and some speak another language. Also, since the service is unknown by many international tourists, most of the users of the service are Dominicans.

This article gives an introductory understanding regarding the service and how it functions.

Dominican Republic Road Assistance Map

The Road Assistance program service roads and highways of the Dominican Republic. These are some of the transited roads and highways in the country. In fact, the Juan Pablo Duarte Highway (RD-1) between Santo Domingo and Santiago is the busiest in the Dominican Republic and one of the busiest in the Caribbean. The RD-3 route between Santo Domingo and Punta Cana, plus the East Boulevard, has the highways most frequented by international tourists in the Dominican Republic.  
In the Cibao Road Assistance is offered on the Juan Pablo Duarte Highway (RD-1) between Santo Domingo and Santiago, Santiago Beltway (RD-1), Joaquín Balaguer Highway (RD-1) between Santiago and Navarrete, Gregorio Luperón Highway (RD-5) between Navarrete to Nagua passing by Altamira,  Puerto Plata, Sosúa, Cabarete, Gaspar Hernández, Río San Juan among other places. Also included is the stretch of the Juan Pablo II Highway from Los Haitíses National Park to the El Catey International Airport and continues on the Atlantic Boulevard until reaching Las Terrenas.
The East is the region most visited by international tourists. The Road Assistance service exist in the Las Américas Highway (RD-3) between Santo Domingo and Boca Chica, Juan Bosch Highway (RD-3, previously known as The East Highway) between Boca Chica and La Romana passing near San Pedro de Macorís, La Romana Beltway (RD-3), El Coral Highway (RD-3) between La Romana and Punta Cana, The East Boulevard (RD-3) from Punta Cana until Macao passing through Coco Loco, Bávaro, and Arena Gorda. This highway then continues along the coast until Miches. The section between Santo Domingo Este and the Los Haitíses National Park of the Juan Pablo II Highway and the eastern part of the Santo Domingo Beltway also has the road assistance service.
The Road Assistance service exist in the South as well. It is available on the 6 de Noviembre Highway (RD-2) from Santo Domingo Oeste to San Cristóbal, Francisco del Rosario Sánchez (RD-2) from San Cristóbal to Baní, it will exist in the currently under construction Baní Beltway (RD-2), and the continuation of RD-2 until San Juan de la Maguana. In addition, this service is available starting on the bifurcation near Azua until the deep south passing by Vicente Noble, Barahona, Enriquillo, Los Patos, Oviedo until reaching Pedernales. The westerm part of the Santo Domingo Beltway has the service as well.

Units

The four vehicles types that  units of the Road Assistance in the Dominican Republic.

There are four types of vehicles that form the different units of the Road Assistance service scattered throughout the geography of the Dominican Republic. These are the following.

  • Patrol / Supervisor: These are pick up trucks with double cabins. They offer security guards/police and if necessary help direct traffic in areas receiving Road Assistance.
  • Ambulance: They offer the first aid and if necessary transportation to the nearest hospital.
  • Mobile Mechanics: They offer auto repairs and assistance in the changing of tires, extra gasoline if a vehicle runs out in the middle of nowhere, engine startups, etc. In more severe situations where an auto repair can’t be done on the side of the road, they will refer to the tow truck to take it to the nearest auto repair shop.
  • Tow Truck: They transport vehicles that have engine problems, the driver is compromised or vehicles with severe damage from an accident to the auto repair shop. Abandoned vehicles are taken to the pound yard.
A vehicle with a mobility problem as it was being positioned in a Road Assistance tow truck.

In general, each unit numbers as follows.

  • 95 Rapid Response Units
  • 37 Ambulances
  • 23 Tow Trucks
  • 22 Mobile Mechanics
  • 1 Helicopter

It also offers the following.

  • 2 Health Clinics
  • 2 ICU Units

In addition, Road Assistance includes a Regional Command Center (Mobile COE) and 99 rescue stalls. They are involved in providing alternate routes in areas with a high pedestrian traffic such as Higüey, Santiago, and the Colonial City of Santo Domingo.

The Data

Road Assistance has 3,341 people all over the Dominican Republic. They consist of brigades, doctors, nurses, military, police, and rescuers. Over 30,000 drivers have been helped by Road Assistance in the roads and highways of the country. The following corresponds to one month.

  • 11,901 in the Cibao.
  • 7, 172 in the East.
  • 4,441 in Greater Santo Domingo.
  • 1,132 in the South.
First aid kit of Road Assistance.

In terms of the type of help used by Road Assistance in the various situations presented in the former paragraph are as follows.

  • 46% mechanical failures
  • 32% punctured tires
  • 13% runout of gasoline
  • 8% safety
  • 1% tow trucks and ambulances