State Transportation Group Looks to Stem Tide of Recent Deadly Highway Crashes

LANCASTER, Texas, June 25 -- The Texas Motor Transportation Association will reveal its state-of-the-art Mobile Classroom/Driver Simulator to the media and the public on Wednesday, June 26 at FFE Transportation in Lancaster.

"In light of the recent tragedies here in the Metroplex, the message of highway safety is even more critical," said TMTA President Bill Webb. "Our industry wants to inform the public and better educate truck drivers on the importance of sharing our roads safely."

Sharing the Roads Safely - Texas Style is a program dedicated to illustrating the commitment the trucking industry holds toward highway safety.

The Mobile Classroom/Driver simulator is a one-of-a-kind tool intended to keep Texas motorists safer on the roads. The simulator can be set up in two distinct modes:

1) In a classroom setup, truck drivers will receive unique training, complete with a full-motion simulator and interactive computer-based learning systems.

2) In exhibit setup, car motorists will get the chance to experience the feeling of driving an 18-wheeler.

The simulator, developed by GE Capital I-SIM of Salt Lake City, is the first full-motion mobile simulator ever assembled. In the simulator, individuals are sitting in the cab of a working truck. Several scenarios can be provided at the touch of a button, from tire blowouts to severe fog conditions.

The approximately $1 million project is funded in part by a grant from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). More than 350,000 individuals are expected to pass through the simulator over the next year.

TMTA is an Austin-based statewide trade association representing more than 36,000 trucking companies and commercial vehicle operators in Texas.

Who: Texas Motor Transportation Association Texas Department of Transportation Various State Legislators

What: Mobile Classroom/Driver Simulator Press Conference and Open House

When: 11 a.m., June 26

Where: FFE Transportation, 3400 Stonewell Drive, Lancaster (FROM I-35 EXIT WHEATLAND/DANIELDALE)