Mack Trucks announced it would renew its sponsorship of the American Trucking Associations (ATA) Share the Road highway safety program for 2016, continuing a 14-year tradition of supporting the public outreach initiative. The announcement was made during the ATA Management Conference & Exhibition October 17-20 in Philadelphia PA.
“Our customers depend on us to deliver tough, reliable, efficient trucks that keep drivers safe, but Mack’s commitment to safety doesn’t stop there,” said Stephen Roy, president of Mack Trucks North America. “We’re proud to continue our Share the Road sponsorship because the program reaches millions of people across the country with critical messages about highway safety.”
Professional truck drivers selected to be part of Share the Road conduct safety demonstrations for students, policy makers, the media, and other groups showing how to drive safely alongside heavy trucks. All of the drivers have exemplary safety records, and many have logged a million or more miles without an accident. They travel the country in a Mack Pinnacle 70-inch high-rise sleeper model to teach motorists about truck stopping distances, potential blind spots and other safety considerations that can help ensure safe travel for everyone.
“We are extremely pleased that Mack Trucks will once again sponsor the popular Share the Road highway safety program,” said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves. “It is considered a model education program for teaching people how to share the road safely with large trucks.”
The Mack Pinnacle model used for the Share the Road program is a testament to vehicle safety and efficiency. It features a Mack MP8 505C engine with 505 horsepower and 1,760 lb-ft of torque, along with the Mack mDRIVE automated manual transmission allowing drivers to focus completely on the road ahead rather than shifting gears. The Pinnacle model also includes Mack Roll Stability Advantage by Bendix and Bendix Wingman Advanced adaptive cruise control, which helps drivers avoid potential collisions by integrating throttle, engine brake and foundation brakes into the cruise control function.