At the last St. Martinville City Council meeting, the council briefly discussed and then tabled the issue of restricting the use of “jake” brakes in the city, as has been done in many communities.

However, TV10 erroneously reported that the council was discussing the restriction of truck traffic in the city. The discussion was strictly about restricting the use of jake brakes and never about restricting truck traffic.

I’m still not sure how they got their news facts so wrong.

Jake brakes are engine brakes, or compression brakes, that are used on some diesel trucks, mainly to slow trucks down on steep slopes. They conserve the regular brakes of the vehicle, but the drawback is that they make a very loud noise. The noise is why many cities have restricted them, especially after daylight hours.

The council tabled the matter until the next meeting so more information could be obtained. We would welcome any input from the public on this issue that will be discussed a the first meeting in February.

Thank you for allowing me to clarify this issue.

Mike Fuselier

City Council, Dist. 1