From a locksmith call, pioneers of roadside assistance in Puerto Rico
Updated: Sep 11
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – The story of AsistenciaEnLaCarretera.com did not begin on a computer, in a mobile app, or as part of a digital strategy. It began on the road, helping real people who needed assistance during emergency situations.
Long before smartphones, geolocation apps, or modern roadside assistance platforms existed, Locksmith 24 Hours was already responding to calls from people who had lost their keys, locked them inside their vehicles, or simply found themselves stranded somewhere on the roads of Puerto Rico.
What initially began as a natural extension of professional locksmith services gradually evolved into something much larger.
With every call, new needs emerged.
It was not always about a key.
Sometimes it was a dead battery.
Other times it was a flat tire.
At times, it was a family stranded on the side of the road with no idea who to call.
That was when a roadside assistance operation began to take shape, eventually becoming one of the pioneering operations in Puerto Rico.
The Early Years: Pioneers of Roadside Assistance in Puerto Rico
During the 1980s and 1990s, when most service coordination was handled by telephone and radio communication, the company began participating as a service provider for internationally recognized roadside assistance organizations, including programs associated with United States Auto Club (USAC) and General Motors of Canada.
Those experiences helped develop response protocols, customer service practices, and emergency assistance procedures that would later serve as the foundation for the creation of a platform specifically designed for the Puerto Rican market.
During those years, drivers depended on the experience, availability, and commitment of the people answering the phone.
There were no apps to request assistance.
There were no real-time maps.
There was no artificial intelligence.
There was simply the responsibility to reach someone who needed help.
A New Step Toward the Future
With the arrival of the internet and the growth of e-commerce, the company recognized that consumer habits were changing.
People were beginning to search for services online.
Computers were gradually replacing printed telephone directories.
Search engines were becoming a new way to connect businesses with customers.
It was in 2012 that the organization made a strategic decision that would mark the beginning of a new era: the acquisition of the domain AsistenciaEnLaCarretera.com.
The goal was simple, yet forward-thinking: to create a specialized platform that would allow people to find assistance more quickly and efficiently when facing a vehicle-related emergency.
What had previously depended exclusively on referrals, printed directories, or telephone calls became accessible to anyone with an internet connection.
Greater Reach, More Service, More People Assisted
The creation of AsistenciaEnLaCarretera.com significantly expanded the reach of the services being offered.
Drivers in municipalities throughout Puerto Rico began finding assistance more quickly. The platform helped connect thousands of people with services such as:
Vehicle lockout assistance.
Battery jump-start service.
Tire changes.
Emergency fuel delivery.
Emergency roadside assistance.
Towing coordination.
Services related to vehicle keys and automotive access systems.
What began as an extension of Locksmith 24 Hours evolved into an operation with its own identity within Puerto Rico’s roadside assistance market.
A New Commercial Identity: Road Assist
As part of the continued evolution of its digital and commercial presence, on September 11, 2026, AsistenciaEnLaCarretera.com began identifying itself publicly under the commercial name Road Assist.
Road Assist represents a new stage in the image of the operation while preserving the history, experience, and structure developed over decades by Asistencia en la Carretera.
The change reflects the natural evolution of a company that began responding to emergency calls long before the arrival of mobile applications and that continues today to adapt to new technologies and new ways of connecting drivers with the services they need.
The name changes. The experience remains.
Adapting to Changing Times
The automotive industry has changed dramatically over the years.
Modern vehicles now incorporate technologies that would have been unimaginable when this story began. Today, technicians must work with:
Smart keys.
Push Start systems.
Hybrid vehicles.
Electric vehicles.
Electronic immobilizer systems.
Computerized modules.
Advanced security technologies.
Despite these changes, the philosophy remains the same:
Helping drivers when they need it most.
A Legacy Built on Service
For José Colón, President of Locksmith 24 Hours and Asistencia en la Carretera, the company’s history represents much more than the evolution of a business.
It represents decades of commitment to the Puerto Rican community.
“Our story began by helping people. We did not start by thinking about websites or digital strategies. We started by answering calls and solving real problems. When we acquired AsistenciaEnLaCarretera.com in 2012, we simply found a new way to reach more people and continue doing what we had always done: helping those who need assistance.”
Looking Toward the Future
Today, AsistenciaEnLaCarretera.com, under its commercial name Road Assist, continues to evolve in order to respond to the needs of a new generation of drivers.
However, its fundamental principles remain the same as those that gave rise to the operation decades ago:
Service. Experience. Availability. Commitment.
Because even as technology changes, people will continue to need help when an emergency occurs on the road.
Featured Quote for Publication
“Before apps, before smartphones, and before internet searches, we were already responding to emergency calls on the roads of Puerto Rico. In 2012, we acquired AsistenciaEnLaCarretera.com to bring that same experience into a new digital era. Today, that evolution continues under our commercial name, Road Assist.”
About the Company
AsistenciaEnLaCarretera.com, under its commercial name Road Assist, is a Puerto Rican company specializing in roadside assistance and vehicle emergency services. Born as an extension of the operations of Locksmith 24 Hours, the organization has decades of experience serving drivers throughout Puerto Rico and continues to provide services 365 days a year.
Contact José O. Colón Cruz, President / Road Assist
Tel. (787) 645-8080
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