COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Department of Transportation’s State Highway Emergency Program (SHEP) is celebrating 30 years of providing free roadside assistance to motorists traveling on the state’s busiest highways.
The program was launched in 1996 as part of SCDOT’s effort to improve highway safety and assist drivers experiencing vehicle emergencies. The original SHEP team included James Williams, Verno Kelley, Brian O’Cain, and Michael Bookman, who helped establish what has become a statewide service.
Since its inception, SHEP has expanded well beyond its original coverage area. Today, the program serves motorists in Charleston, Columbia, Florence, Myrtle Beach, Rock Hill, and along the Upstate I-85 corridor.
Over the past three decades, SHEP operators have responded to tens of thousands of highway incidents, assisting hundreds of thousands of motorists and helping keep traffic moving safely across South Carolina.
Whether responding to disabled vehicles, mechanical problems, crashes, or providing traffic control, SHEP teams are available year-round to assist drivers on the state’s major highways.
Motorists in need of SHEP assistance can request help by dialing *HP (*47) from their mobile phone.
Pictured are members of the original SHEP team. From left are James Williams, Verno Kelley, Brian O’Cain, and Michael Bookman.