They knew that America's truck drivers were, for the most part, experts in the technique of maneuvering the large vehicles they drive for their livelihood. But they also felt that the most dramatic way to show this skill and increase the driver's pride in his job, as well as to demonstrate the industry's interest in improving its relation with the public, was to establish an annual national exhibition of the techniques which make truck drivers the safest on the highway. Thus was born the annual driving exhibition known as the American Trucking Associations' "Truck Roadeo "
Walter W. Belson, a native of Hartford, Wis., and a graduate of Marquette University, has been identified with trade-association activity and public relations work since 1925 and with the trucking industry since 1934. In 1943 he became director of public relations of the American Trucking Associations, and assistant to the president in 1952. He has served as president of the Washington Forge of American Public Relations Association, and lias been eastern vice president of PRSA. He is the author of "Life in Washington" and contributor to Public Relations textbooks. His htest hook, a satire, was published under the title "Who Me?"
In the first Truck Roadeo drivers from 21 states participated. The first championship was won by William Frederick of the Kentucky Motor Transport, Louisville, Ky. The Roadeo then became a feature of the annual ATA conventions.
From time to time the rules have been revised and strengthened to increase emphasis on safety. For example, no driver is eligible for competition unless he has a certified perfect safety record for the year prior to the Roadeo. Usually, his record extends back for many years.
How does the program work? Each year hundreds of motor freight companies throughout the country run competitive events for their drivers. The champion of these local affairs is then sent to the State Roadeo to represent his company and to compete against the champions of other companies. The thousands of drivers who strive to attain the state semifinals work long and hard to achieve the no-accident record required for entrance in the competition. They not only endeavor to indoctrinate themselves with facts about their industry, but study safe-driving rules, first aid, and fire prevention. They must pass a stiff written examination on these subjects which becomes part of their score in competing for the title of "Roadeo Champion."
During the interview the views of the driver so far as his contact with the public is concerned are drawn out. The judges impress upon him the importance of courtesy and good appearance in his work.
Emphasis is also placed on vehicle condition. A vehicle is booby-trapped with defects, and each contestant is required to make a "pretrip check" of the vehicle. He is graded on the number of defects he observes and upon his methods and thoroughness in making the inspection.
The actual driving competition, of course, is the heart of the Roadeo. Company champions compete against each other in the semifinals of the state competition. The winner and runner-up in the semifinals then compete against each other and against the champion of the previous year in the finals. The state champion then goes to the National Truck Roadeo, where he works through to the semifinals and into the finals in his efforts to win the title of National Champion. Because of the big difference in the variety of types and sizes of trucks, Roadeo competition is divided up in several categories of vehicles. Contestants select the class in which they desire to compete, and vie for championship honors in that class, normally using the type of truck they usually drive. Thus, several national champions are selected each year.
The tests which the contestants take to prove their driving ability are varied and tough. A good example of this is the straight line test. In this test the contestant must steer the right wheels of his truck between two rows of
tennis balls. The rows are only 4 inches apart from the width of his tires. Each time a ball is touched the driver loses five points from a possible score of 50 for the test.
In a second test the driver is required to back his vehicle within 6 inches of a simulated loading platform. The platform is at the end of an alley which runs at right angles to the street on which the driver approaches. The contestant is required to drive past the alley entrance and then back his vehicle sharply to the left into the alley. To accomplish this maneuver with a tractor-trailer, or in any vehicle composed of two units, the driver must first turn his steering wheel in the opposite direction of that in which he wants the vehicle to go. This causes the trailer to go left and the tractor to go right. At just the right moment the driver must turn the wheel in the opposite direction, so that the trailer will go straight back and not keep on around until it forms a V with the tractor. The alley into which the driver backs is only about a foot wider than the trailer on each side. Therefore, if the driver does not turn his unit with split second precision the trailer will go in crooked and hit the alley walls. In judging the 6 inches or less distance from the rear of the truck to the loading platform which he must achieve, the driver must stay in his cab. He has no rear window from which to look out. His only means of judging is by looking out of his door to watch the trailer, which may be more than 30 feet long. His perception must be excellent.
Other skill tests which the driver must take include a parking problem in which the contestant has a space only 4 feet longer than the length of his vehicle in which to park. There's a serpentine problem in which the driver must weave in and out of barrels both backward and forward-the barrels being set only a vehicle's length apart. Then, a diminishing-clearance and stop-line test where the driver approaches a stop-line by running between two funnel-shaped rows of stanchions which narrow to within inches of the width of the truck. The front bumper of the vehicle must then be stopped within 6 inches of the line. Then there is an offset alley test requiring a vehicle to be steered between three sets of barriers -each set being out of line with the other two sets, so that the vehicle must be snaked from one into the other. In this last test the quarters are so close that it is possible for four parts of the vehicle to hit at one time if the operator is not careful. When entering one set of barriers and leaving the first, the driver must turn sharply left and then sharply right-thus the right rear of the trailer and left side of the trailer could possibly hit the barriers on the left, and the left front and right side of the tractor could hit the barriers being entered.
All of the skill tests which the drivers take are patterned on traffic problems which they may encounter in their day-to-day driving. Each driver is a professional and has a job to do. Therefore, a time limit is set on the course which the driver runs-thus simulating on-the-job conditions in the trucking industry.
