If you drive often on Mexican highways, you've probably noticed the distinctive green and white pickup trucks patrolling the highways. On their body, Ángeles Verdes is written in large letters. For many drivers, this is just another road service, but in fact we are talking about a government program to help motorists, especially in visiting countries.
Ángeles Verdes (Green Angels) — is a federal road assistance service created and managed by the Mexican Ministry of Tourism. The organization appeared back in 1960, when the Mexican authorities began to actively develop automobile tourism within the state. With the growing number of travelers, there was a need to create a service that could help drivers on the highways, especially in remote areas. Over time, «Green Angels» have become a full-fledged corps of road technicians and inspectors who patrol federal roads and provide support in emergency situations.
The main task of this service — ensure the safety and mobility of travelers on intercity routes. Ángeles Verdes employees are trained not only in auto mechanics, but also in first aid, interaction with travelers and working in emergency situations. Their activities are financed from the federal budget and are considered part of the state tourism support infrastructure. They all speak English.
The assistance provided by the Green Angels covers a wide range of situations that motorists may encounter. In particular, service employees have the opportunity to:
- carry out basic diagnostics if the car stalls on the highway or a technical malfunction occurs:
- condition of the vehicle's brakes, clutch, tires and suspension,
- engine and transmission oil level,
- electrical system,
- cooling system,
- help with engine overheating or other simple problems that can be fixed on site,
- replace a punctured wheel,
- start the engine with a discharged battery using an external power source,
- organize evacuation of the car using your tow truck to the nearest workshop if the problem requires repair,
- help with fuel shortage,
- provide the guest with country information or help navigate the road.
It is important to understand that the support from Ángeles Verdes itself constitutesno payment. The driver does not pay for service visits, diagnostics or technical support on the road. However, if the repair process requires spare parts, fuel or tow truck services, these costs are paid by the owner of the car. The state finances only the work of specialists and the road patrol system itself.
Ángeles Verdes cars are easy to recognize on the road. They are usually pickup trucks or small trucks, painted white with a wide green stripe and the service logo. Amber colored flashing lights are installed on the roof. Workers wear green uniforms with the organization's emblem, for this reason they are difficult to confuse with other road services. Thanks to this recognizable symbolism, many drivers perceive them as a kind of safety sign on the highway.
Service patrols operate in almost all states of the country in 233 areas and 37,000 km of roads, and have 60 service points. But they don't cover absolutely every road. Their main area of responsibility is federal highways and travel routes where traffic is most intense. This service does not work in cities, since its task — help drivers specifically on intercity highways and expressways.
You can contact the Ángeles Verdes dispatch center using the short number 078 from any mobile phone if there is a network signal. When contacting, you should provide the name, type and color of the car, license plate number and, if possible, more accurately describe your location. Usually indicate the road number, direction of travel and kilometer mark. If for some reason you cannot reach this number, you can use the national emergency number 088, which is a public safety number.
If there is no mobile connection, the driver is advised to stop in a safe place on the side of the road, turn on the hazard lights and wait for the patrol. Ángeles Verdes vehicles regularly patrol assigned sections of roads, so in most cases they sooner or later detect cars stopped with hazard lights.
The waiting time for assistance from Ángeles Verdes can vary significantly depending on the location, time of day and traffic congestion. In ideal conditions, help is able to arrive quite quickly. According to regional service officials, the average arrival time reaches about 20 minutes if the patrol is stationed nearby and not busy with another call.
But in practice, the waiting time is often longer. On federal highways, patrols constantly move along assigned routes and serve several sections of the road at once. Therefore, if the nearest car is busy or located far away, you may need to wait 30-60 minutes.
In addition, it is important to take into account the operating mode of the service. Patrols usually provide assistance from 8:00 to 20:00, although on some routes or during holiday periods auxiliary 24-hour assistance points are available.
Ángeles Verdes has a mobile application (look in the Google and Apple app stores) through which you can request support, send your geolocation and track the status of the application. The application was launched in 2022.
Loading
The main idea of the application — Make calling for help as easy as possible. After installation, the user registers and enters his car data (make, model, number, etc.). If a problem arises on the road, just press the button to call for help, and a signal is automatically sent to the service. The system transmits the driver's coordinates and allows operators to immediately determine where the vehicle is located and which patrol car is closest.
The main functionality of the application includes several useful permissions:
- Call road assistance with one touch — sending a request to the service center without calling.
- Automatic geolocation — the system transmits the exact coordinates of the vehicle.
- Help tracking — the operator sees which car has left and the approximate time of arrival.
- Car data storage — information is saved in advance so as not to dictate it to the operator in a stressful situation.
- Traffic information — notifications about accidents, closures, landslides or other problems on the highways.
- Guest map of government facilities — The application has the right to show points of interest and guest country places nearby.
- Communication with government services — quick access to federal security and assistance telephone numbers.
The application is especially convenient for foreigners and travelers: instead of explanations over the phone, all you need to do is send a signal with coordinates. In addition, it helps if a person does not speak Spanish or is unable to accurately describe his location on the highway.
They also have a page onFacebook.
Sometimes motorists confuse Ángeles Verdes with the Caminos y Puentes Federales, better known as CAPUFE. However, their functions differ. CAPUFE is responsible for the operation and maintenance of toll highways and bridges, including road infrastructure and toll plazas. They are also capable of providing free assistance, but only on the roads of their subordination. Ángeles Verdes are focused on providing technical assistance to motorists and supporting tourists on the roads.
For many travelers to Mexico, the «Green Angels» have become a kind of symbol of road safety. Their cars can be found on long stretches of highways, in deserts, in the mountains and on the coast. And while most trips are uneventful, knowing there is service on the road ready to help makes traveling around the country noticeably smoother.