We are the first to admit that these haul trucks are a necessary part of the coal industry and many people in Eastern Kentucky make their living operating these vehicles every day. But while they remain a necessary component, that doesn’t mean they have to remain a dirty one.
Anyone who drove on Ky. 80 or Ky. 15 in Perry County following Monday morning’s rainfall can attest to the problematic drive the mud being tracked onto those roads can cause. During wet times that mud can cut down on visibility, especially to a driver low on washer fluid or with bad wiper blades. In the dry season the dust kicked up can simply cut down visibility period. This is something, while not high on anyone’s priority list, that should be addressed on a legislative level at most, and at a local level at least.
Coal companies can (and some do, and we applaud them for that), at relatively low cost, install wheel washers for their haul trucks that operate on public roadways. Other companies go so far as to pave a portion of their haul roads so much of the muck carried out is knocked off before the truck ever hits the public road. But not every company goes this far. They should, and our elected officials need to ensure there is some sort of mechanism in place that can justly enforce the legislative requirement for companies to ensure their trucks are not burdening the traveling public.
This is not just an issue of nuisance, but one of public safety, and we implore those who have the power to do so to grow a little nerve and help ensure the safety of the public is being looked after. But in truth, it shouldn’t have to go that far. We’re all very impressed with the recent civic mindedness the coal companies and especially their employees in Perry County show with initiatives such as Coal For Kids, Shop With a Coal Miner and the like, but why not take that civility a step further and help keep our roadways clean as well? It makes sense, and it’s the right thing to do.
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