1. Is a Motorist Assist operator a law enforcement officer?

No, a MA operator is not a law enforcement officer, however they are able to assist law enforcement officers at the scene of an incident.

2. How do I know the person assisting me is an official Motorist Assist operator?

Motorist Assist operators wear brightly colored uniforms to help distinguish them as MoDOT personnel, the uniforms are marked with the MoDOT logo and Missouri State Seal emblem, additionally they drive clearly marked trucks that say Motorist Assist, the trucks also display the MoDOT and Scout logos.

3. Will a Motorist Assist unit ever pass me if I am stranded on the highway?

The primary responsibility of Motorist Assist is to relieve congestion and assist law enforcement with traffic control for all incidents blocking lanes of traffic, if they are in route to a major incident, they may pass a stranded motorist.

4. Can I give them a tip for helping me?

No a Motorist Assist operator is a state employee and is paid by the Missouri Department of Transportation.

5. Can a Motorist Assist operator tow me to the nearest service station or exit?

No, the Motorist Assist program is not a wrecker service and does not tow vehicles.

The can use a push bumper and push your vehicle out of a lane of traffic to the shoulder.

Motorist assist operators are friendly, helpful and courteous they strive to provide assistance when needed and excellent customer service to all they assist. They carry comment cards that are provided on all assist, the comments have been extremely positive and the program continues to be a huge success.