Public limited assistance
Free roadside assistance in
Minnesota: FIRST.
MnDOT's Freeway Incident Response Safety Team locates and clears disabled vehicles, crashes and debris on Twin Cities freeways.
Official sources checked October 6, 2026Dial 911 for a roadside emergency. The Regional Transportation Management Center dispatches the closest appropriate unit.
Eleven patrol routes covering about 220 miles of Twin Cities metropolitan freeways.
Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., with limited weekend coverage.
At a glance
Key facts about FIRST
This record separates the program operator, request method and actual patrol coverage so motorists can see what the published service does—and what it does not promise.
- Official program
- Minnesota FIRST
- Operating agency
- Minnesota Department of Transportation
- Published cost
- Public limited assistance
- Service area
- Eleven patrol routes covering about 220 miles of Twin Cities metropolitan freeways.
- Request or dispatch route
- Dial 911 for a roadside emergency. The Regional Transportation Management Center dispatches the closest appropriate unit.
- Information checked
- October 6, 2026
Operator and base
Who runs FIRST
Minnesota Department of Transportation administers or operates this public motorist-assistance program. The service works through mobile patrol vehicles and traffic-management dispatch rather than as a repair shop that motorists visit.
The official program material reviewed for this page does not publish a public walk-in patrol base. Use the request or dispatch method above rather than traveling to an agency office for roadside help.
Patrol footprint
Where and when the service operates
Eleven patrol routes covering about 220 miles of Twin Cities metropolitan freeways.
Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., with limited weekend coverage.
The operating agency publishes coverage as a corridor, route or patrol-area description rather than a guaranteed pickup radius. A vehicle inside the described area is not guaranteed an available unit.
Published assistance
What FIRST can provide
These services are summarized from the operating agency's current public information. The attending operator decides what is safe and available at the scene.
- Emergency fuel
- Flat-tire assistance
- Coolant and minor hose help
- Disabled-vehicle relocation
- First aid, traffic control and debris removal
Before relying on it
Coverage and service limits
- FIRST does not provide towing service.
- Coverage is limited to Twin Cities freeway routes and operating periods.
- Dispatch depends on incident priority and unit availability.
If you are stranded
What to do before help arrives
These steps combine the program's published request guidance with basic roadside-safety precautions. Conditions at the scene always take priority.
- 01
Move as far away from live traffic as safely possible and switch on the vehicle's hazard lights.
- 02
Use the published request method for this program: Dial 911 for a roadside emergency. The Regional Transportation Management Center dispatches the closest appropriate unit.
- 03
Call 911 for a crash, injury, fire, vehicle in a live lane or any other immediate danger.
Primary-source record
Check the operating agency
Routes, hours and program rules can change. Use the official sources below for the latest operating information.
