Did you see the new "Count on Shell" TV spot this spring, the one designed to teach motorists about trucks' blind spots? The TV spot was part of a campaign that included full-page ads in major magazines and several million booklets distributed at Shell gas stations and from the Web site, www.countonshell.com.

The new campaign was in response to a controversial one last year in which a truck barely misses a stalled car parked on the shoulder, but too close to the road. Many in the trucking industry criticized it as showing truckers in a bad light, while others thought it only dramatized an all too familiar event.

This year's ad was made with the assistance of Jean Bellegarde, manager of the American Trucking Associations' (ATA) How To Drive program, and America's Road Team Captain, Maggie Peterson of Roadway Express, Inc. They went to L.A. as consultants for the ad shoot. Peterson said their comments significantly influenced the ad and helped educate those involved in producing it. Road King congratulates Shell for doing this year's ad in a positive way for both trucker and motorist.