Roadside Service in Memphis: Jump Starts, Flats and Lockouts

For roadside service in Memphis, you have two paths. On I-240, Bill Morris Parkway, the river bridges and parts of I-40 and I-55, the state's free HELP trucks may reach you during their hours. Everywhere else, or after hours, you pay for one job: a jump, a lockout, a spare put on, or gas. Call, say where you are, and get your price by text first. If anyone is hurt, call 911.

Who can help me on a Memphis freeway for free?

TDOT runs HELP trucks on the busiest freeways in Memphis. They are lime-yellow. The service is free, and the operators don't take tips. The trucks carry gas, diesel and water, and they count as official emergency vehicles.

In Memphis, TDOT lists these HELP routes:

• The I-240 loop around the city.
• The I-40 and I-55 bridges over the Mississippi River.
• I-40 from the river east to Exit 25.
• I-55 south of the city, from one state line to the other.
• SR-385, the Bill Morris Parkway.

A separate rural crew covers I-269 from the Mississippi line.

How do I reach a HELP truck?

There is no direct number. TDOT says to dial 511 on a Tennessee interstate. Pick "Motorist Assistance." Let 511 send you a text, then approve the one-time location ping. That alerts the nearest traffic center. If you need emergency aid on a state highway, dial *847 to reach the Highway Patrol.

When does the free option fall short?

HELP runs set hours. On weekdays, Tuesday to Friday, crews work from 5:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Monday ends at 8:30 p.m., and weekend shifts are shorter. TDOT also says help isn't guaranteed. Operators get pulled to big crash scenes first.

So a dead battery at 1 a.m. on I-240 may not get a HELP truck. Neither will a lockout in a Poplar Avenue parking lot, or a flat in your driveway in Whitehaven. That's where paid roadside service comes in.

What can a paid roadside call fix?

Most stops in Memphis are small problems. Here is what a vetted local partner can do where you sit:

• Car won't crank: a jump start when you hear clicks or a slow, tired turn.
• Keys on the seat: a car lockout visit gets the door open. Lost keys need a dealer or locksmith.
• Tire gone flat: a flat tire change mounts your own spare. Nobody patches the tire on the shoulder.
• Tank on empty: fuel delivery brings enough to reach a gas station.

When none of that works, you need a tow to a shop. That covers cars, SUVs, minivans and light pickups.

How does Sentinel work?

Sentinel Towing is a towing and roadside network. We don't own trucks. A vetted local partner tow company does the job. We lock your price by text before anyone is sent, then check on you by text until help arrives. That's our Stay-With-You Promise. Your driver's name, photo and truck come by text, so you know who is pulling up.

There's no plan to buy. Your price depends on the job, your vehicle and where the car sits. If the job changes once your driver sees it, you get a new price by text and you decide.

What do I say when I'm stuck on I-40 or I-240?

Memphis freeways bend and merge a lot. A clear location is the fastest thing you can give.

On the river bridges

I-40 crosses on the Hernando de Soto Bridge, the one locals call the M Bridge. I-55 uses the older Memphis-Arkansas Bridge. Say which bridge, which way you're heading, and which bank you're closer to. Stay in the car, belt on, hazards flashing. If you're in a live lane and can't move, call 911 first.

Downtown on I-40

Name the Pyramid or the Danny Thomas Boulevard exit. Both sit right where I-40 comes off the bridge.

At the East Memphis stack

I-40, I-240, Sam Cooper Boulevard and Summer Avenue meet in one big four-level interchange. Say the road you just left and the ramp you're on. "Coming off Sam Cooper onto I-40 east" works well.

On the south side of I-240

Give the nearest cross road: Lamar Avenue, Getwell Road or the airport exit. Say if you're on the inner or outer side of the loop.

In a lot

Name the place, then the row or garage level. A store lot in Wolfchase looks like every other lot at night. Send your map pin when our text arrives.

What does Tennessee law say when my car stops?

• Don't stop in a travel lane. The state driver manual says to keep moving until you can pull fully off the road. Use your flashers once you stop.
• Small crash, nobody hurt? Under T.C.A. 55-10-117, drivers should move cars that still drive safely off the roadway. TDOT posts signs on interstates saying the same.
• Passing drivers must move over. Tennessee's move over law covers tow trucks and wreckers. Drivers must shift to a lane not next to your driver, or slow down and pass with care if they can't.

Not sure if it's an emergency? Memphis police take non-emergency calls at 901-545-2677. In the county, the Shelby County number is 901-495-1180.

Why do batteries quit in Memphis summers and winters?

Heat wears a battery down long before it fails. NOAA normals show about 64 days a year at 90°F or hotter at the airport. Summer highs average near 91. A car baking all day near Graceland or in a Shelby Farms lot pays for it later.

Cold delivers the last blow. The airport sees about 43 nights a year at or below freezing, and about 7 at 20°F or colder. A battery weakened in August often dies on the first hard frost.

Your battery dies in the Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium lot after a night game. A jump gets you home. If it dies again the next morning, drive it to a shop while it still runs.

What about ice storms?

Memphis gets more trouble from freezing rain than from snow. Ice coats bridges and ramps first. If roads glaze over, stay home if you can. Check TDOT SmartWay for closures before you go. If you slide into a ditch near the road, a winch-out may pull you back on.

What should I have ready when I call?

• Your road, your direction and the nearest cross road or landmark.
• What the car did: clicking, nothing at all, a bang, or sputtering.
• Make, model and color, and whether it takes diesel.
• Whether your spare holds air, if it's a flat.
• Where the car should go, if it needs a tow.

Was your car towed instead of broken down? Read our Memphis impound lot guide. Sentinel doesn't do impounds. For towing from Germantown to Southaven, see our Memphis towing page.

Stuck right now? Call 1-888-TOW-1213, or request help online.

Memphis Roadside Questions

Rules change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: TDOT HELP Program, Tennessee driver manual, NOAA normals, Memphis airport, TDOT SmartWay.