Hattiesburg sits at the crossroads of the Pine Belt, where I-59 and US 49 meet. I-59 runs northeast toward Laurel and Meridian and southwest toward New Orleans, passing along the city's west side. US 49 runs north toward Jackson and south toward Gulfport and the Coast, and US 98 runs west toward Columbia and east toward Mobile. Hardy Street is the main east-west arterial, running from downtown past the University of Southern Mississippi to the shopping and medical district in West Hattiesburg. US 11 follows the old route through town, and MS 42 heads east toward Petal.
Hardy Street and US 98 in West Hattiesburg carry most of the city's traffic, and the I-59 interchanges there back up at rush hour and on game days at USM. Breakdowns often happen in that traffic or on US 49 between Hattiesburg and the Coast. Most neighborhoods are laid out with wide streets and driveways, so a mechanic can reach a home in Oak Grove or a student apartment near campus without much trouble.
Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport is north of the city near Moselle, and its lots are easy to work in. Camp Shelby, the large National Guard training site, is south of town on US 49, and many guardsmen and their families live in the area. Most people drive everywhere, so an on-site repair saves a trip across town.
Hattiesburg is also the shopping and medical hub for much of the Pine Belt, so people drive in from small towns all around it. A car that breaks down far from home in a hospital lot or a shopping center is a common situation, and an on-site repair saves a long tow back to a home town.