Tollway Wants $2 Million Corporate Backing for Roadside Aid Program
A corporation can get its logo and name on emergency trucks, signs, uniforms and more.
Photos
If you or someone you know has ever been stranded on the Illinois Tollway, the tollway assistance truck was a welcome sight.
The next time you see the truck, it may be sporting a corporate name. A total of 13 trucks are part of the Highway Emergency Lane Patrol (H.E.L.P.) Program. They are driven over the 286-mile tollway system, and provide an array of services including changing flat tires, charging dead batteries, adding coolant and fuel, assisting with incidents and arranging for tows. The program costs the Tollway about $2 million annually, and officials want to cover the costs with corporate sponsorship.
So the Illinois Tollway has issued an invitation for bid (IFB) to select a sponsor to foot the bill.
“We are continually looking for new ways to improve service to our customers,” said Executive Director Kristi Lafleur in a prepared statement. “By seeking a sponsor we’re confident that we can continue to put our customers’ safety needs first and help offset these operating costs. The Tollway receives no state or federal funds for maintenance and operations, so every bit helps.”
The new sponsorship would include a three-year contract with three one-year renewal options and feature a menu of high-profile sponsorship elements, including 22 branded roadway signs, advertising on the 13 trucks, corporate logo on H.E.L.P. employee uniforms, logo and message on more than 280 tollbooth posters, logo and message in the Tollway’s e-Newsletter sent to more than 1.3 million subscribers and sponsorship credit in program news releases and on the Tollway’s website, illinoistollway.com.
The Tollway’s H.E.L.P. Program has 11 on-duty patrols throughout the Tollway system, from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. In 2011, the Tollway’s H.E.L.P. trucks patrolled more than one million miles and helped more than 33,000 customers.
Bids will be evaluated based on the proposed sponsorship fee and the appropriateness or relevance of the sponsor’s business to that of the Tollway, officials said. The Tollway may award the contract as soon as this summer.
To view and download the IFB, go to Goods and Services located in the Doing Business section of the Illinois Tollway’s website.
TDUB
1:33 pm on Saturday, May 12, 2012
Tollway Authority crying poor? Are you kidding Tollway Authority? My nearly doubled tollway fees tax are going where if not to help the motorists paying through the nose? Director LaFleur says, "help offset these operating costs"? How about funneling some of the completely unnecessary $500 million I-57/294 exchange project to help your customers? Reads as if the Tollway will further raise tolls if private sponsorship does not come to the rescue.
Todd Sorvino
11:12 pm on Saturday, May 12, 2012
From the Tollway website:
"In one year, H.E.L.P. truck operators drive enough miles to circle the Earth 24 times! H.E.L.P. truck operators provide an array of services:
* Changing tires
* Battery boosts
* Adding coolant*
* Dispensing fuel*
* Transporting customers
* Moving vehicles away from traffic
* Calling for a tow
Gratuities are strictly prohibited.
*Small fees may be charged for this service and must be mailed to the Tollway. H.E.L.P. truck drivers cannot accept payment."
It appears a fair amount of the expenses, most of them are indeed mandatory such as gas, are already being paid for by the motorist receiving them. Now we will be exposed to even more corporate ads to satisfy their lust for more money. 2 million dollars is a mere drop in the bucket when compared to the waste that occurs on a regular basis. Many vendors charge more than full margin retail, simply because they're "approved", which essentially translates into the proper political contributions. The tollway has always been notorious as a place of political favoritism. After doubling all the tolls it's still not enough???
And we complain about corporate greed. Want to fight back a little? Every motorist should write a letter to the sponsor stating emphatically that they will under no circumstance buy or use any of the products. Sure, tolls may go up again because of that, but won't they anyway???