The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has released its annual report listing the worst traffic bottlenecks in the country. The difference between ATRI’s analysis and that of other reports identifying congested corridors is that ATRI specifically identifies granular chokepoints in the nation’s truck freight transportation system using GPS data from over one million trucks. We know carriers that use the report to better plan routes and times of travel to avoid highly congested areas. You can find an interactive map on the ATRI website or download the two-page summary of truck chokepoints.
No driver plans for a breakdown, but every driver should be ready for one. Mechanical issues, tire failures, or other unexpected problems can happen when you least expect it. Knowing how to safely bring your vehicle to a stop and protect yourself and others can help keep a minor inconvenience from becoming a serious incident.
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.