The Selmon Reversible Express Lanes run about 10 miles elevated between Brandon and downtown Tampa. The lanes have no surface shoulder. The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority clears every vehicle before each reversal. Westbound into downtown runs from about 5 a.m. to noon. After noon, the lanes reverse and run eastbound. A driver who runs out of charge up there has limited time and limited options. Get off the span before a mobile charge, not after.
Why the Selmon REL is its own problem
The REL is an elevated, gated facility. The lanes reverse direction twice a day. THEA clears every vehicle from the span before each reversal. There is no shoulder on most of the run. There is no place to pull off and wait. A stalled car in the REL draws an immediate response. The driver is on the clock.
Florida Statute 316.194 covers a disabled vehicle that cannot leave the paved highway. The REL is the paved highway. A driver who sees the warning light should take the next exit, not try to stretch the last few miles. If the car stops on the span, put the hazards on, stay in the car with the seatbelt on, and call 911 if needed. THEA or FHP will clear the vehicle.
For the wider Tampa interstate pattern, see our Tampa Bay EV roadside guide. For the Veterans Expressway side, see the Veterans Expressway guide.
What a driver can do before reaching the REL
Plan the charge the night before. A driver who commutes into Tampa on the REL should leave home with at least 50 percent charge. Heat here runs well into the 90s from late spring through early fall. Recurrent Auto’s research puts range loss at about 5 percent at 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Above 95, that loss climbs to 20 to 30 percent. AC alone cuts range. A car that left Brandon with 50 percent charge on a 95-degree day may reach the REL with less than the dashboard suggested.
A driver who sees the warning light on the REL should take the next exit, not continue. The exits are at the downtown end, the Tampa Avenue end, and the Brandon end. The Brandon end feeds into SR-60. The Tampa Avenue end feeds into downtown. The downtown end feeds into the crosstown. None of those exits has a charger on the corner. The driver needs a mobile operator.
What an operator can do once the car is off the REL
A local operator brings a 240-volt Level 2 source for an empty pack. For Teslas, the plug is native NACS. For other EVs, the operator brings a CCS or J1772 adapter. A typical charge adds 10 to 20 miles of range from 15 to 30 minutes of charging. That is charging time, not an arrival time. The operator quotes before work starts and bills the driver directly.
For a 12-volt no-start, an operator brings a lithium jump pack and clips the small battery directly. The model and year matter because lead-acid and lithium 12-volt batteries want different jump profiles.
Why a referral line and not the brand app
Brand hotlines dispatch a contractor who may or may not know the REL exits. A Tampa operator on the referral roster already knows which Brandon streets have room for a service truck. They know the SR-60 shoulder from the REL exit to the next signal. Local knowledge is what makes the referral line worth the call.
What to say on the call
State the model, year, and trim. Say if the cabin is fully dark or if the screen still shows a range number. Share the exit you took from the REL or the cross street you are on. The operator uses that to bring the right gear and quote before work starts.
Charge Pro TPA is a referral line. It matches stranded drivers with independent local operators. It does not own trucks, employ crews, set prices, or promise an arrival time. The operator quotes you before starting work.
When to make the call
Call from a safe spot the moment the warning light comes on. Call from the next exit, not the REL itself. Call from the driveway if the car will not wake. Stay with the car if it is safe to do so.
Charge Pro TPA connects Tampa Bay drivers with local operators. Call (813) 536-4545 and we will match you with an independent EV rescue operator who works Hillsborough roads.