WBKO-TV
and Ol’ Blue, USA
bring a Safety Message to
the air waves
Drivers
in and around Bowling
Green, Ky., may be more
careful and safer these
days, thanks to a Public
Service Announcement (PSA)
featuring Kentucky Vehicle
Enforcement and Ol’
Blue, USA. The PSA –
possibly the only televised
highway safety message
of its kind anywhere in
the US – is now
airing on WBKO-TV.
The PSA came about as
a unique collaboration
between the station’s
news staff and RJ Taylor,
founder of Ol’ Blue,
USA, the trucking industry’s
leading highway safety
program, which is based
in Van Nuys, Calif.
“It couldn't have
happened without WBKO’s
help,” Taylor says.
“They invested a
lot of time and resources
in this. They believe
it’s important that
their viewers know how
to safely share the roads
with all kinds of big
vehicles, not just trucks,
and how to respond when
they see law enforcement
and emergency workers
rushing to help someone.”
The footage was shot
in May when Taylor and
Ol’ Blue, USA’s
centerpiece 1951 Kenworth
were in Baltimore for
the North American Truck
Show. WBKO had covered
a school visit the previous
March in Bowling Green
while Taylor was en route
to the Mid-America Trucking
Show.
The story featured an
interview with elementary
school students, including
a charming little girl
who recalled the “lesson”
in detail, including advice
such as drivers should
leave windows open about
an inch so they can hear
emergency sirens.
“They said they
ran the segment for two
days, “ Taylor says.
“Several law enforcement
officers told people from
the station that after
that, it seemed easier
for emergency vehicles
to get across town.”
After that, an Ol’
Blue USA volunteer, Beverly
Steele, began discussing
the possibility of WBKO’s
helping produce a PSA
for the safety program.
The opportunity came at
the end of the North American
Show in early May, when
Cliff Cothern, a writer/producer
at WBKO, and Tammy Martin,
the station’s public
relations director, agreed
to help.
Taylor requested the
assistance of Lt. Glynn
Powers and Officer Jeff
Jewell with Kentucky Vehicle
Enforcement, and the TV
team taped about two hours
of on-highway footage.
The finished product
began airing in Bowling
Green in August. It will
run for a couple of months,
then after a break will
air again late this year.
The PSA, and the earlier
WBKO interview, are both
available online at www.olblueusa.org/video/streaming/
.
Founded in 1986, Ol'
Blue, USA (United Safety
Alliance, Inc), a non-profit
501 (c)(3) public charity,
Federal EIN #95-4487026,
California #CT 99171,
is dedicated to educating
the nation on highway
safety and improving relations
between law enforcement,
commercial drivers and
the motoring public. During
its National Safety Tour
‘Ol’ Blue’®,
a 1951 working truck,
pulls a 53-foot “Rolling
Billboard” trailer
featuring sponsor's logos
and those of the California
Highway Patrol, Kentucky
Vehicle Enforcement, Nevada
Highway Patrol, and the
U.S. Department of Transportation.
Ol’ Blue, USA conducts
simulated truck inspections
at trade shows and truck
stops, and also takes
various programs to community
events and public schools
in an effort to teach
safety around all large
vehicles.
Major sponsors include
Shell Rotella T, Michelin
Tire, Alcoa Wheel, the
Mid-American Trucking
Show and The Truck Show
Las Vegas. Other contributors
include Truck Writers
of North America (TWNA),
Fleet Equipment Magazine,
L.O.A.D.S., Midnight Trucking
Radio Network, Movin’
Out, North American Truck
Show, the Open Road Café
on Sirius Trucking Network,
The Trucker and Trade
Show Television Network
and WBKO-TV.
is a registered
trademark.