ATRI identifies top issues facing today’s truck drivers

by Debbie Sklar - Published: 5/02/2017

For truck drivers, bottlenecks and other types of delays are not only frustrating, but may become entirely detrimental to one's ability to move freight in timely matter.

There is positive news for drivers in this respect - thanks to the American Transportation Research Institute.

It was announced today that the ATRI board approved its 2017 list of top research priorities identified by ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee. Some of those findings will focus on improving congestion choke points at the nation’s top truck bottlenecks.Other priority topics will look at various impacts of technology on the industry now and into the future.

And in case you’re wondering where those big-time bottlenecks are, according to the ATRI’s annual list here are the top five, but you may see the entire list of 100 here.

1	Atlanta, GA: I-285 at I-85 (North)	GA	38	26	44	1.72	0
2	Fort Lee, NJ: I-95 at SR 4	NJ	35	27	38	1.41	Up 1
3	Chicago, IL: I-290 at I-90/I-94	IL	27	22	28	1.26	Down 1
4	Louisville, KY: I-65 at I-64/I-71	KY	39	32	43	1.36	0
5	Cincinnati, OH: I-71 at I-75

Other 2017 ATRI research priorities will include:

Driven to Distraction – Examining the impact of technology deployment inside the truck which may either exacerbate or reduce truck driver distraction.The research will also look at the role of car driver distraction on trucking industry crash involvement.

Cumulative Economic Impact of Trucking Regulations – Examining the potential for developing a standardized methodology for conducting regulatory impact analyses (RIA) of trucking industry regulations which can then be applied across agencies and regulations to identify industry costs.

HOS Flexibility: A Possible Solution to Bottlenecks – exploring the opportunity for addressing some of the nation’s worst congestion choke points through flexibility in the federal Hours-of-Service rules, which would allow drivers to wait out the most congested periods of the day.

Impact of E-Commerce on Trucking – Mapping potential impacts of E-Commerce to the trucking industry’s top industry issues.

Truck Bottleneck Trends: Economic Changes or Infrastructure Improvements – conducting a deep dive into ATRI’s Annual Truck Bottleneck List to identify specific infrastructure improvements that will positively impact congestion.

Autonomous Truck Impacts on the Truck Driver – a detailed analysis of how autonomous truck technologies will change the operational environment and driving requirements for commercial drivers.

What’s all mean for you, the trucker? As the ATRI explores these findings even further this year things might just be looking up.

The ATRI

As for the ATRI,the organization is considered a leader in transportation-related research and an organization whose hallmark is innovative thinking, critical analysis and uncompromised excellence. As part of the American Trucking Associations Federation, ATRI benefits from the broad support of the ATA and its members.

The ATA represents more than 35,000 motor carriers through the affiliated trucking associations in 50 states. As a result of ATRI’s prominence within the trucking industry, state and federal agencies turn to ATRI for trucking-related research, particularly when industry insight and cooperation is essential to the success of the project. ATRI is the trucking industry’s 501(c)(3) not-for-profit research organization.

Furthermore, ATRI is engaged in critical research relating to freight transportation’s essential role in maintaining a safe, secure and efficient transportation system.