Overhead image of GW Bridge bottleneck
For the fourth year in a row, the intersection of I-95 and SR 4 in Fort Lee, New Jersey (aka the George Washington Bridge onramp) has been identified as the #1 worst chokepoint for truckers in America. In what likely comes as no surprise to our members, the other Top-10 freight bottlenecks were:
2. Cincinnati: I-71 at I-75
3. Houston: I-45 at I-69/US 59
4. Atlanta: I-285 at I-85 (North)
5. Atlanta: I-20 at I-285 (West)
6. Chicago: I-290 at I-90/I-94
7. Los Angeles: SR 60 at SR 57
8. Dallas: I-45 at I-30
9. San Bernardino, CA: I-10 at I-15
10. Chattanooga, TN: I-75 at I-24
Each year, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) uses GPS data from over one million commercial vehicles to quantify the impact of traffic congestion on truck freight at more than 300 specific locations. ATRI publishes the list to assist truck operators in better planning their routes and hours, where possible, to avoid peak congestion times. For the complete list of the top 100 freight bottlenecks, click here.
For truckers, testing for marijuana continues. Just as with testing for cocaine, amphetamines, PCP, and opioids, testing for marijuana will continue to be conducted on a pre-employment, random, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, and return-to-duty basis.
As temperatures rise, so do the risks associated with tires, brakes, and overall vehicle condition. Summer heat doesn’t just stress drivers, it amplifies mechanical weaknesses, making maintenance and inspections more important than ever.
The 2026 road construction season is going to be one of the largest in U.S. history and anyone using the roads should be prepared for what’s coming.