Highway 35 from the truckers' view

Barry "Spook' Stang

Executive Vice President

Montana Motor Carriers Association

This is in response to the column written by Don Schwennesen in regard to trucks and Highway 35 and his implication that the Montana Motor Carriers Association (MMCA), and its members do not care about safe highways in Montana. That simply is not true!

In our on going effort to promote motor carrier safety in Montana, the MMCA has been the chief advocate for primary seat belt enforcement, reporting of failed drug tests on motor vehicle records, additional training for drivers of Longer Combination Vehicles and other issues such as no open container laws. In 1999, MMCA was successful in passing legislation that would limit truck speeds in Montana to 65 mph. In addition to supporting these laws we also have provided safety training that is available to all truck drivers and company officials including non-members, to help improve the safety of our roads.

MMCA members and volunteers have spent countless, unpaid hours training thousands of students and Drivers Education teachers about the No Zone and how to operate their vehicles around large trucks. One of the worst things that any driver can do is pull out in front of a loaded truck. At 50 mph under perfect conditions, it takes that fully loaded truck the length of a football field to come to a complete stop. Part of that "Share the Road" training allows the students to sit in the truck and actually see what the truck driver sees. It is an amazing course, and should your schools driver education course ever offer one, all citizens should be invited.

As in most segments of society, it only takes one bad apple to destroy the positive images of those who have worked so hard and honorably.. The MMCA does not and will never condone the type of driver or driving behavior that Mr. Schwennesen describes in his column. As a matter of fact, as strong supporters of the national Highway Watch community, we would and have turned in a driver that exhibited such behavior. A number of fuel truck drivers who use Highway 35 are quite upset at being lumped into the group of so called mavericks and scofflaws that have caused the trouble.

MMCA also drafted and supported a law that prohibits the use of a compression brake on a truck that does not have a muffler. We have always asked our members and their drivers to be courteous in the use of these devices when used and not to use them when not necessary.

I am proud of the work that MMCA members have done to improve their image and to provide more professional drivers for the trucking industry. The MMCA and the trucking industry have worked hard to improve our public image and let the motoring public know we are essential for society to exist. How quickly we forget the good done by our professional drivers. Trucking delivers to 100% of the communities in Montana and we strive hard to do that safely and more efficiently than ever.

MMCA will continue to educate the public about sharing the road with large trucks and do all we can to provide safe, professional drivers to our member. The economy of Montana and the entire nation rely heavily on the trucking industry and we sincerely hope that we will be invited to the table when the talks begin about closing ANY roads in Montana to commercial motor vehicles.