GENTRY -- Students from Gentry High School and Middle School had opportunity to learn about safe driving around big trucks when the Arkansas Trucking Association road team brought a tractor-trailer rig to the school and showed students the truck and areas where drivers would not be able to see them if they were driving a car in that space.
Two full-time truck drivers -- Jerry Whittenburg, who drives for Stallion Transportation, and Larry Rhein, who drives for FedEx Freight -- and David O'Neal, director of safety services for the Arkansas Trucking Association, spoke to students, pointed out the danger zones if driving next to a big truck and gave students opportunity to sit in the driver's seat of a truck to see what truck drivers can see when they are on the road.
"We were proud to visit with Gentry students," said O'Neal. "We want our highways to be safe for all drivers, and we hope the students will remember our keys to safety: stay off your phone; always buckle up; and give other vehicles plenty of room."
The trio also spoke to students about truck driving as a career and explained the variety of jobs available in the driving field.
"We made the connection with Gentry assistant superintendent Judy Winslett through James Berry of McKee Foods Transportation," O'Neal explained. "James is a member of our association's Maintenance & Technology Council and knew we were scheduling visits to schools and other events around the state."
The ATA visit advocating highway safety was able to dovetail nicely into Gentry's focus on career opportunities, O'Neal said. "Although the much heavier focus is on highway safety (especially distracted driving, and how to safely drive around big trucks), we definitely talk about the wide variety of options for careers in the trucking industry as part of our program. Arkansas has such a heavy trucking presence, we want to make sure students know what's available to them down the road. The driver shortage gets a lot of headlines, but there's also a significant need for diesel mechanics, and companies are investing in training programs so new hires can get started -- in some cases -- without a lot of prior experience. Trucking has something for everyone. Some positions require a college degree, but many don't, and we believe it's important for students to know that they have options."
The Arkansas Road Team is a select group of professional drivers chosen for their commitment to highway safety, communication ability and interest in improving the image of the trucking industry. This complimentary outreach program of the Arkansas Trucking Association serves as a public education service to address highway safety and to educate the motoring public on safe driving, especially near large commercial vehicles. The Arkansas Road Team is comprised of 12 drivers from six different trucking companies. These industry professionals are available to conduct Share the Road demonstrations, safety best practices and other educational events and promotions.
ATA's Share the Road program delivers lifesaving information to audiences across the state through the Arkansas Road Team, an elite collection of safe and professional drivers. They share valuable tips on safe driving, provide a hands-on, behind-the-wheel view of a professional driver, and communicate career opportunities and industry facts.
General News on 05/25/2016