There is nothing more frustrating, whether to a truck driver or commuter, than gridlock and congestion, so it is no surprise that after this week’s winter storms, there are a lot of frustrated people in and around Atlanta.
Trucks are on the road for a reason. Many people expressed frustration at the trucks they saw in the morass around Atlanta this week; but those trucks are doing a critical job, moving the American economy and ensuring Atlantans have the goods they need when they go to the store. Trucks deliver 100 percent of the consumer goods — the milk, medicine, gasoline, food and clothing — sold in this country.
The drivers of those rigs are just trying to get to their destination safely and efficiently. Pointing a finger at them is counterproductive, because when the weather clears, those drivers will be back on the road making sure store shelves are stocked.
In response to the storm, the Atlanta field office of the American Transportation Research Institute, the not-for-profit research arm of the trucking industry, is conducting an analysis of truck operations and delays caused by the storm, which affected as many as 40,000 trucks.
This week’s events have shown us a few things about our transportation system. First, truckers, like other motorists, were caught in the storm as a result of late or inaccurate forecasts. Better communication and forecasting would have led trucks to use other routes or avoid the area.
Second, this gridlock is a symptom of an overtaxed highway system. Our infrastructure is failing us, and without improvements to increase capacity, even minor incidents can lead to incredible congestion. As we’ve seen, major incidents can cripple a city.
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) is one of several groups lobbying our elected officials to do more — to find the funds to rebuild and expand a network that was designed in the last century so it functions safely and efficiently into the next one. The key phrase here is safely. Safety is at the heart of what our industry does every day. That commitment has led to a nearly 40 percent reduction in truck-involved crashes over the last decade.
ATA urges motorists and truckers to use common sense and appropriate caution when traveling during inclement weather. Our America’s Road Team, a group of professional drivers with millions of accident-free miles of driving under their belts, often talks to motorists and other truck drivers about the hazards of driving in inclement weather.
ATA and the trucking industry are committed to keeping our highways safe and efficient for all motorists. Our commitment means we push for improved roads, safer behaviors and recognition of the critical and essential role trucking plays in our economy and our daily lives.
By working together, we can make sure that after the next storm, we’re talking about how well it was handled, rather than discussing what went wrong.
Bill Graves is president and CEO of the American Trucking Associations.
