Sharing Road With Truckers

I read the letters regarding the truck situation on the highways. I drove gasoline tankers for many years. I am now retired and take many trips in our large motor home.

I admit there are some “throttle jockeys” out there doing great damage to the image of the trucking industry. I have reported several “bad apples” on my mobile phone directly to the Highway Patrol and was pleased at the cooperation I received from the dispatcher.

Part of the problem is that the average motorist doesn’t realize what he is doing to frustrate the average, good truck driver. Many times I have noticed a trucker trying to leave plenty of “stopping space” between himself and the car in front of him, only to have three or four cars “jump in” and fill it.

On four lanes the trucker is restricted to the two right-hand lanes, but many motorists will stay in those lanes, sometimes well below the legal speed limit, and prevent the truck from passing.

I feel a “National Driver’s License” for long-line truckers would enable the Highway Patrol to eliminate the serious violators.

Also, any driver hauling a dangerous or oversize load should have a special certificate showing he has had proper training.

I recently read in the Heavy Duty Trucking magazine about the efforts of the California Trucking Assn. to help solve this dangerous truck situation.

They have published a booklet, “Cars & Trucks Sharing California Highways.” It is available at Department of Motor Vehicles offices.

It gives a few good pointers for the motorist, but better yet it lists the phone number of the California Trucking Assn. “Highway Safety Hotline.”

It also tells how to obtain “Motorist Report Forms” and where to mail them. If enough people would report the bad drivers their employers would soon know about them.

I’m sure the trucking association will make these booklets available to anyone.

In Southern California the address is: California Trucking Assn., 3650 Rockwell Ave., El Monte, 91731.

MERLYN L. McINTYRE

Hemet