MEDIA ADVISORY : May 15, 2007
FROM: The Kansas Highway Patrol
CONTACT: Captain Daniel D. Meyer (785) 296-7189
Lieutenant John A. Eichkorn (785) 296-6800
Trucks on Patrol for Safety Moves Southeast
TOPS Program Looking for Violations
The Kansas Highway Patrol's newest safety program, Trucks on Patrol for Safety (TOPS), will be traveling the southeast area of the state until Friday. Following the week-long deployment, there will be a news conference in Chanute on Friday, May 18, 2007, at 10:00 a.m. The conference will be held at the Patrol's Troop H Headquarters, 301 W. 14th, in Chanute.
The Patrol is partnering with commercial vehicle companies and drivers to equip the companies' large trucks with a temporary five-camera system. The truck is then operated by either a driver for the company or a Kansas Motor Carrier Association road-team driver. Troopers onboard the large trucks will relay information to other troopers in KHP patrol units. These troopers will enforce the crash-causing violations observed from the large trucks.
The truck and camera system will be on display, in addition to other photo opportunities with Kansas Highway Patrol troopers. Interviews to discuss the success of the program will be available as well. Statistics collected from enforcement action from the past five weeks of the program will be released at that time, as well.
The Kansas Highway Patrol has set a goal to reduce the number of fatality, injury, and property damage crashes in the state. The TOPS program was instituted with this goal in mind.