Hendren Had Tarp Bill Right (Editorial)

Former state Rep. Kim Hendren, R-Gravette, should be commended for his hardline stance on the truck tarp issue (Arkansas Act 1706).

The bill Hendren pre-filed in December for this year’s General Assembly in Little Rock was more stringent than state Rep. David Hausam’s House Bill 1492, which became law in April. Although we appreciate the service and effort by Hausam — who in May lost to Hendren in the Republican primary for the Arkansas Senate— we believe Hendren had it right the first time.

According to the new law, open-load commercial trucks purchased after September 2001 must properly tarp their cargo. The Association of Arkansas Counties and the Arkansas Truckers Association supported the measure as a “reasonable compromise.”

Unfortunately, Northwest Arkansas is home to a large number of carriers with older model trucks that remain exempt. Until the fleets are replaced, which for small operators can take a decade or more, the same problems will persist.

Hendren’s bill would have required the retrofitting of every open-load commercial carrier in the state with tarps. The goal, obviously, was to protect motorists and their windshields from flying gravel and other debris. Daily commuters on Interstate 540 know how difficult it can be to duck windshield chips and paint dings in heavy traffic.

Besides the inevitable cost of property replacement — most windshield insurance deductibles are $250, slightly higher than the common cost of new glass — flying rocks are a safety hazard and undoubtedly contribute every year to highway accidents.

But the general public is far from the only victim that gets hit. Other commercial vehicles, rental cars and public transportation also fall prey to those cracks and crags that come winter can spread until they make vision difficult or affect the winshield’s structural integrity.

The public pays more deductibles. Businesses file more claims. Insurance companies charge more to cover their costs. And in rush-hour traffic, the worst situation can even cause the ultimate price to be paid.

We find it hard to believe that $500-$800 tarps, even if a firm had a fleet of 20 or 40 trucks, aren’t worth the investment. The Association of Arkansas County Judges, the main lobbying group against tough tarp measures, disagrees.

They say we’re not worth the cost or labor involved to outfit their county maintenance and other open-load vehicles. Maybe Hendren will prove them wrong by taking another crack at this nuisance.