Dear Editor,

In response to the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) proposed speed limitations on trucks, there are some underlying issues that should be looked at. Can the OTA supply statistics from Europe indicating rear-end truck-auto collisions?

This is very important as the proposed speed limitation would see auto traffic that sometimes travels upwards of 140 km/h with trucks traveling 90 km/h. Seventy five per cent of the motoring public would have to be re-trained to merge and exit the highway safely!

As for a more level playing field, I always thought it was an open market. What happened to competition? What will it be next year? Carrier A has better paint schemes than carrier B, so they have an unfair advantage, so let’s propose that all trucks be painted the same colour? Let’s paint them all the same just for safety’s sake. Let’s pick a fluorescent colour so motorists can see the trucks.

Fuel savings I agree with but, when fuel savings roll in, are the generous OTA members going to pass this new-found wealth down to their drivers, mechanics, dispatchers, etc.?

It is up to owner/operators whether to slow down or suffer with more fuel costs.

I have seen company trucks that are going down the road on cruise control with drivers actually reading the newspapers or entering data into computers. This is called boredom: it is not SAFE! It will only get worse if the proposal passes.

The majority of truck accidents are caused by inexperience and inability to judge the road and traffic conditions. In the race to alleviate the driver shortage, drivers are trained at a fast pace.

Companies turn drivers loose after an interview and road test with a quarter of a million dollar load to go across the country.

Think about it, it is like giving someone your bank card and PIN number.

Would you actually do that? If the truth were known, this proposal really goes back to driver retention.

If the OTA wants mandatory speed limitations, why don’t they pack their boardroom in their lorries and head for Europe where there is a level playing field?

J.L. (J.J.) Alderton

Thamesville, Ont.