ATRI reveals top research priorities
The American Transportation Research Institute has identified its research priorities for 2023, which include truck parking and entry barriers for female drivers.
On Monday, May 8, ATRI’s board of directors approved the 2023 top research priorities. The list consists of issues that most truckers are familiar with.
Truck parking
Specifically, ATRI plans to look into expanding truck parking at public rest areas. Research will identify and map truck driver needs to rest stop attributes, develop best practice case studies and utilize truck driver data to identify strategies for expanding truck parking capacity available at public rest areas.
On March 29, the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act was reintroduced in the House and the Senate. The Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, or HR2367 and S1034, will allocate $755 million over three years to the construction of parking spots. According to the bill text, any project funded by the bill cannot include paid parking. All parking under the bill must be publicly accessible and free of charge.
Other truck parking news:
- These regions have the worst truck parking availability.
- The Truck Parking Zone – May 2023.
- Add more truck parking? Sure, just NIMBY.
- OOIDA launches truck parking information webpage.
Barriers for female truck drivers
Female truck drivers represent less than 10% of the truck driver workforce, yet ATRI research documents that female drivers are safer than their male counterparts. This research will identify gender issues and proactive steps that the industry can take to make truck driving careers more appealing to women.
More coverage of female drivers:
- Women of Trucking Advisory Board holds first meeting.
- New data shows the number of women drivers continues to grow.
- Female trucker alleges Walmart’s uniforms discriminate.
Complete Streets effect on freight mobility
Complete Streets is a U.S. DOT program designed to make transportation accessible for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists and transit riders. However, planning decisions to deploy Complete Streets often negatively affect freight transportation and those who rely on truck-delivered goods. ATRI’s study is intended to quantify these effects and recommend approaches for transportation planners to better facilitate freight movement.
Diesel technician shortage
This research will work with government and industry to identify the factors underlying the shortage, including mapping career attributes to workforce needs, and assessing high school-level vocational training availability, industry recruitment practices and competing career opportunities.
Driver detention
Truck drivers and motor carriers consistently rank driver detention at customer facilities as a top industry concern. ATRI’s research, supported by shipper groups, will include quantitative data collection to identify detention impacts, costs, and strategies for minimizing detention. LL
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