CDOT produces educational video about The Mountain Rules

New to trucking or need a refresher course about The Mountain Rules in Colorado? The Colorado Department of Transportation has you covered.

CDOT has launched a new video in an effort to educate truckers on the challenges and best practices for safely driving along the Interstate 70 mountain corridor. In partnership with the Colorado State Patrol and Colorado Motor Carriers Association, the video discusses “The Mountain Rules.”

“Our mountains can be an immense challenge for all drivers but especially for those who drive semi-trucks,” CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew said in a statement. “Producing this video as part of The Mountain Rules program is another tool designed to prepare in-state and out-of-state truckers for what they may encounter when driving through the high country. The mantra is simple – ‘Slow, Steady, Safe for the Long Haul’ – no matter the time of year you’re traveling I-70.”

Specifically, “The Mountain Rules” video addresses year-round issues truckers may face, including sudden weather changes, high winds, poor visibility, avalanches, rockfalls, wildlife and wildfires.

Those are just the natural obstacles. The video also informs truckers about chain laws, steep grades and overheated brakes. For a complete list of U.S. chain laws, click here.

The Mountain Rules video is being distributed to many companies, ports of entry and truck driving schools. Truckers that have not come across the video can view it below.

The Mountain Rules is a pilot program that was launched last year on the I-70 Mountain Corridor. According to a news release, The Mountain Rules program is an “effort to inform and educate in-state and interstate trucking companies and drivers on the challenges of driving in Colorado’s mountains.” The program includes information regarding potential hazards and on the need to be “slow, steady and safe for the long haul.”

Additionally, it will include installing signs on I-70 eastbound and all eastbound chain stations with information on brake check locations.

CDOT also will restripe the eastbound exit ramp at the Genesee Park interchange. The restriping will provide a more defined short-term parking area for trucks where overheated brakes can cool down. Truckers can also conduct equipment checks at the interchange before traveling the descent into the Golden area.

Furthermore, The Mountain Rules will provide a subscription-based in-cab alert system. Alerts will warn truck drivers about areas where brake failures could occur. The system also will alert drivers of the locations of brake check and runaway truck ramps.

According to CDOT documents, the 12 runaway truck ramps were used 35 times between August 2016 and May 2019. The most-used ramps are Rabbit Ears Pass off of U.S. 40 westbound at milepost 142 and Lower Straight Creek off of I-70 westbound at milepost 209, each used eight times. LL