The Motorist Assistance Program started in 1986, with two vans operating four hours in the morning and four hours in the afternoon. Now, seventeen years later, there are nine vehicles operating from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and nine vehicles operating from 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday. The program expanded considerably in 1989, when Metro joined in this productive partnership of public and private organizations.

These vehicles are manned by highly trained, uniformed Deputy Sheriff's. During the seventeen year history of the Motorist Assistance Program, over 600,000 motorists have been assisted. M.A.P. deputies assist an average of 3,000 stranded motorists per month. The vehicles average 47,000 miles a month, patrolling the Harris County freeways.

The M.A.P. program receives over 1,000 thank you letters each year from motorists who were assisted by the deputies in this program. The M.A.P. deputies are there for the safety of the motorist and to keep freeway traffic flowing with as little delay as possible. The M.A.P. deputies are not on the freeways to strictly enforce traffic laws, they are there to assist stranded motorist. They have the authority to both issue traffic citations, and to have disabled vehicles removed from the roadways.