Trucking Industry Brings High-Tech Tractor-Trailer to Steps of Mississippi Capitol

JACKSON, Miss., Jan. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Mississippi Trucking Association and the America's Road Team will bring Interstate One, the American Trucking Associations' high-tech Image Trailer, to the steps of the Mississippi State Capitol to show lawmakers and the media the importance of the trucking industry.  National Driver of the Year Rickey Oliver, a professional truck driver from WalMart Transportation, will be on hand to talk safety.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100129/ATALOGO)

Who: Mississippi Trucking Association 
America's Road Team Captains, professional truck drivers with millions of accident-free driving miles
National Truck Driver of the Year Rickey Oliver 
American Trucking Associations

What:  A custom show trailer will be positioned at the state capitol allowing lawmakers, media and the public to visit the high-tech demonstrations in the trailer, or to climb behind the wheel to see what a professional truck driver can and cannot see.  Meet Members of the Mississippi Trucking Association, as well as Rickey Oliver, 2011 National and Mississippi Professional Driver of the Year.  America's Road Team Captains will be available to talk about the high-tech safety technology and safety on the highways.  Try the truck simulator to see how to maneuver a tractor trailer on our nation's highways and ultimately learn more about the trucking industry and what an important role it plays for the state of Mississippi.

When: Wednesday, January 18, 2012 – 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Where: Mississippi State Capitol; North Parking Area

Interviews: America's Road Team Captains, National Driver of the Year Rickey Oliver, and David Roberts, MS Trucking Association President, will be available for one-on-one media interviews Wednesday during the event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in front of a truck, or inside the high-tech trailer.

The demonstration will take place on the South Capitol steps (Kanawha Boulevard side).

About America's Road Team:
The America's Road Team, sponsored by Volvo Trucks North America, is a national public outreach program led by a small group of professional truck drivers who share superior driving skills, remarkable safety records and a strong desire to spread the word about safety on the highway. www.americasroadteam.com 

About ATA's Image Trailer:
The Image Trailer, which was donated to ATA by GE Trailer Fleet Services, travels the United States visiting State Capitols, high schools, community events and more. The 53-foot custom drop deck show trailer, fully wrapped in an American flag themed graphic, features a mobile conference room with seven projection screens, educational displays and room for interactive trucking demonstrations. The trailer is pulled by a 2011 Volvo VN780 tractor, donated by Volvo Trucks North America. 

About American Trucking Associations:
American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of 50 affiliated state trucking associations and industry-related conferences and councils, ATA is the voice of the industry America depends on most to move our nation's freight. Follow ATA on Twitter or on Facebook. Good stuff. Trucks Bring It!

SOURCE American Trucking Associations