sive backlog of infrastructure projects, the myths about why that backlog exists and plans for making oversize/overweight permit fees more uniform. In addition, the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles unveiled an employer notification system that will let trucking companies know within 24 hours if a driver's license status changes. Officials from the Federal Highway Administration discussed how to reduce work-zone accidents; a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration representative provided an update on recently enacted regulations; Louisiana State Police officials reported on mobile scales and inspections and warned of reduced weight limits on bridges affected by August’s floods; LMTA’s general counsel suggested trucking companies pass on business interruption insurance because the coverage is so limited; and a Wal-Mart executive offered an overview of the company’s driver fatigue management program. For Wilson, the big takeaway from the Shreveport-to-Lake Charles ride-along?
Transportation officials and experts discussed a number of ideas, including an indexed fuel tax to fund road construction and transportation management plans that keep truckers safe in work zones at LMTA’s Fall Transportation Conference. DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson kicked off the presentations with a talk that that touched on what he learned from a ride-along in an 18-wheeler during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, proposals for funding Louisiana’s mas-
8 ❘ Open Road Q4 2016
“In less than a mile on I-20, I saw two vehicles jump in front of less than 15 feet ahead of where we are, and I thought, ‘Man, this is a whole different world than sitting in a fourdoor vehicle or a two-door sedan,’” Wilson said. More thought will also be required to overcome Louisiana’s transportation issues, including the myth that the state has enough money, Wilson said, if only DOTD properly distributed the funding and improved efficiency. The problem is there’s no excess to redistribute and no ef-