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May 29, 2008 6:51 pm US/Central
More Drivers Running Out Of Gas On The Road
Marianne Martinez
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
Courtesy Patrol cruises the highways, responding to drivers in trouble. They'll change a flat, make minor repairs and even give drivers gasoline all at no charge.
In the last few months, the number of gasoline stops has doubled. Each crew used to see an average of three or four stops per day. Now, they're seeing up to eight because drivers are running on empty.
"We can only give out a gallon, or two gallons at the most," said Lonnie Lankford, with Courtesy Patrol. "Four dollars a gallon is steep."
CBS 11 cameras followed a Courtesy Patrol crew Thursday and found a stranded motorist on I-635 near Hillcrest. Samuel Okagbue said he had been on empty for a day and was trying to get to his mother's house.
"I'm a student, and I don't have any money to put gas in my car," Okagbue said. "I never fill up my tank anymore. I always put $10 or $15 in my car and that's about it."
Officials with Courtesy Patrol say people driving on empty are causing accidents, sometimes getting stuck in the middle lanes.
Drivers are even trying to take advantage of the free service.
"They'll stop on one stop, and then they'll go another mile or two and ask for another gallon of gas because a lot of them don't have money," said Janette Womack, Courtesy Patrol.
Despite the higher demand, Courtesy Patrol has no plans of cutting its gasoline service.
Courtesy Patrol is funded by a federal grant and operated by The Texas Department of Transportation, the North Texas Transit Authority and the Dallas County Sheriff's Department.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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