Turnout was quite low Friday morning for the opening of Parents Against Tired Truckers’ first symposium on driver fatigue in San Diego.

PATT officials insist they are not anti-truck, but are rather are a grass roots organization working to stop all truck-related deaths.
Approximately 75 people were there to listen to Jim Hall, Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board. He called for the mandatory installation of high tech devices on trucks, including “black-box” recorders, satellite tracking equipment as well as collision avoidance systems that cost between $2,500 and $3,500 per truck.
Estimates are 30 to 35 of those in attendance were connected with the symposium, including speakers from government organizations and driver groups as well as satellite tracking and communication manufacturers.
The event was sponsored by Truck Injury Lawyers, LLP, a legal firm set up to represent victims and their families involved in truck crashes. PATT co-founder Russ Swift defended the legal firm’s sponsorship of the symposium. “There are those who will criticize us for aligning with the lawyers, but they are the only ones who will support us.”
Swift criticized fleets and shippers for not participating in the conference in greater numbers as well as the American Trucking Assns. for its total lack of participation.