One state trooper is working to improve trooper-trucker relations through a Facebook page.

"These guys are out here on the road 24/7, so are we. Why not make it a better working relationship?" Brent Hoover, with the Indiana State Police, told MyWabashValley.com.

"With the trucking industry there's so many federal regulations and there's so many different ways those regulations can be looked at and scrutinized," Hoover said. "A lot of cases there's very short limited time for both parties to basically step off on the right foot."

"If they do have a question or something they can't pull into a scale house comfortably and ask, say about a bad tire, because they're worried about getting ticketed or placed out of service."

So earlier this year, he created the "Hoover Club" on Facebook. In the "about," section, he says the page is "Teaching the public and trucking individuals what DOT Inspectors do. I want to bridge the gap and create positve [sic] interactions!"

He shows photos and short videos of violations -- worn bushings, fuel leaks, chafing airlines, flat tires, bad tiedown chains, cracked wheels, a loose axle bolt -- plus other items of interest, from pictures of superloads and antique trucks to a short video on how to figure the working load limit for load securement to "did you know" posts. ("Did you know that if your air tank moves more than 1 inch in any direction it falls into the Out of Service Criteria?")

The interactive nature of Facebook allows drivers to comment and ask questions on items and gives Hoover a chance to answer those questions.

What a great way to improve trucker-trooper relations and educate drivers about the important safety rules, to help keep highway safe and CSA scores down. As of this writing, he has 2,600 "likes" and counting. I would love to see more troopers do something like this.