For decades, Ventura County motorists who became stranded on some of the county’s key highways turned to emergency call boxes for help. But now, the network is being decommissioned, and with personal cell phones so commonplace, the need for the roadside phones has dropped dramatically.
There are more than 400 emergency call boxes along major Ventura County highways, such as Highways 101 and 23. In 2005, more than 5,800 motorists used the boxes to call for help. Last year, the network handled just 849 calls, a drop of more than 80% in almost 20 years.
Another problem popped up a few months ago: The only company that maintains phone systems of this type said it wouldn’t renew its contract. There are no other companies which maintain systems of this type.
The Ventura County Transportation Commission decided to decommission its system. Plans call for the call boxes to be removed by September 1.
The Commission spent more than $350,000 a year on the network, with the money coming from vehicle license fees. It’s now considering using the money for increased CHP patrols or beefing up the VCTC’s fleet of tow trucks, which patrol highways looking for stranded motorists.
