Readers write for July 30, 2010

Getting past the negative connotation of the July 22 headline "Long-haul fatigue," Star Tribune readers will find the real story: Truck-related fatalities hit a 10-year low in 2009.

In fact, according to the Department of Public Safety's Minnesota Motor Vehicle Crash Facts 2009, fatal crashes involving trucks dropped an astounding 26.5 percent during the last year alone.

It is truly amazing that Minnesota's professional truck drivers achieved this improvement despite hazardous weather, congested roadways and increasingly distracted car drivers.

As for fatigue, we agree: Tired drivers should not be behind the wheel, regardless of the vehicle. This is why trucking companies invest countless hours and dollars into processes and technology to keep drivers fresh.

It is also why the Minnesota Trucking Association supports the current hours-of-service regulations, which reasonably limit the time a truck driver can drive.

The article confirms that those regulations are working, stating that since they were enacted in 2005, "the number of people killed in big truck crashes nationwide shrank steadily." Minnesota data reflect this reality.

Our commitment to safety continues. The Minnesota Trucking Association is in the middle of its "Keep Both Hands on the Wheel" campaign, a yearlong effort designed to educate truck drivers about the dangers of distracted driving.

However you measure it, when you are driving near a big truck, you are sharing the road with one of the safest, most alert drivers on the highway.

JOHN HAUSLADEN, PRESIDENT, MINNESOTA TRUCKING ASSOCIATION

As a St. Louis Park resident, I read "Rail plan roils St. Louis Park" (July 28) with great interest. I want to thank the St. Louis Park school board and City Council members for passing resolutions supporting further study of proposed freight-rail changes to facilitate the Southwest light-rail corridor.

While some light-rail proponents may be impatient, these local leaders are encouraging broader community participation in a process that started with an initial county meeting convened last week.

I am proud to live in a city where civic engagement is a cornerstone of good government.

As an urban designer and frequent bicyclist, I applaud Minneapolis' proposed refinements to Hennepin and 1st Avenues. Bicycling is an increasingly popular travel choice for people coming downtown for work, shopping and entertainment. The proposed improvements will make these streets more consistent and clear for drivers; safer and more comfortable for bicyclists, and more beneficial for pedestrians.

While bicycling in the shared bus/bike/right-turn lane on Hennepin, I am often honked at or passed by car drivers going too close for comfort. The proposed green paint lines, used successfully in Long Beach, Calif., and Salt Lake City, will provide more visibility and clarify that bicyclists should use the full lane.

The protected bike lane on 1st Avenue provides a needed alternative for people who do not feel comfortable bicycling in a lane with buses and cars.

The current bike lane, between the curb and a row of parked cars, was a great first step in providing protection from traffic. The proposed buffer will dramatically improve the lane by lessening the danger of being hit by a car door. As an added benefit, the buffer provides more protection for pedestrians visiting businesses that line the street.

Together, these low-cost improvements provide visibility and protection for Minneapolis bicyclists, and they will help open up bicycling as a healthy and fun travel option for more people.

The July 26 article "Cottage Grove runaway, 14, found in Vegas" is a good reminder to readers that help can be found through the National Runaway Switchboard (NRS).

The NRS operates the 1-800-RUNAWAY hot line for runaway, homeless and at-risk youths and their families. Of the more than 100,000 calls handled through the hot line last year, 1,189 came from the 612, 651, 763 and 952 area codes.

Of all the youths about whom the NRS received crisis calls throughout the country in 2009, more than 50 percent were already on the street as runaways or throwaways, or were homeless. It is estimated that between 1.6 and 2.8 million youths run away in a year.

Once on the streets, youths often turn to panhandling or prostitution or to activities such as selling drugs and stealing in order to survive.

The NRS works to prevent young people from running away, helps them get services once they are on the street and reunites them with their families when appropriate. The organization's Home Free program, in collaboration with Greyhound Bus Lines, provides free bus tickets to runaways wishing to return home. And the NRS Street Team, which consists of teens and adults, raises awareness and provides information to communities around the country.