NEWS RELEASE: April 11, 2008
FROM: The Kansas Highway Patrol
CONTACT: Captain Daniel D. Meyer (785) 296-7189
Sergeant Pauline Ferguson (785) 296-7189
Trucks on Patrol Throughout North Central Kansas
TOPS program begins second annual deployment
For the second consecutive year, the Kansas Highway Patrol's Trucks on Patrol for Safety (TOPS) program is rolling across highways throughout the state. The program, pairing commercial vehicle companies and drivers with the Patrol, and supported by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) was implemented in the state of Kansas in 2007. The goal of TOPS is to help reduce injuries and deaths related to large truck crashes on Kansas' roadways.
"It's vital to continue raising citizens' awareness of the importance of safety on the roadway,"said Governor Kathleen Sebelius. "With the number of trucks on Kansas roadways each day it's important we work together to decrease the number of injuries and fatalities throughout our state."
The TOPS program provides troopers an opportunity to ride with professional semi truck drivers. The troopers onboard the large trucks have a front seat view to witness, document, and report violations to other troopers on patrol in the immediate area. Each vehicle is equipped with a temporary five-camera system that records violations by both passenger vehicles and other commercial vehicles. Through TOPS, troopers will enforce state laws and federal regulations in and around large trucks, as well as educate the motoring public of the dangers that exist around semis. The trucks, trailers, and drivers that the Patrol will be using have been donated by the industry. The companies partner with the Patrol for a week in a specific region of the state to make these resources available.
TOPS will be traveling around the state of Kansas for two separate seven-week deployments. The first deployment started this week in the North Central region of the state. A Kansas Motor Carriers Association (KMCA) member company donated a driver for this week's deployment. There will be a media conference at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April 11 to discuss results for the first week of TOPS. The conference will be held at the Kansas Highway Patrol’s Training Academy, 2025 E. Iron Ave. in Salina. The truck and trailer, with the camera system will be available for photo opportunities, as well. Each week, the violation data is being tabulated and posted on the Kansas Highway Patrol's Web site. Go to http://www.kansashighwaypatrol.org to the latest TOPS information.
One of the primary focuses of the TOPS program is to raise the public's awareness of the added precautions that must be taken when sharing the road with large trucks. Because of the benefits of educating the public and striving to reduce traffic deaths on the highways, FMCSA is encouraging more states to get involved in programs similar to the TOPS program. To help raise awareness, this year's TOPS program includes a media campaign, which Kansas residents can expect to see and hear later this summer.