Arlington, VA – The American Transportation Research Institute today released its annual list highlighting the most congested bottlenecks for trucks in America.

The 2020 Top Truck Bottleneck List assesses the level of truck-involved congestion at 300 locations on the national highway system.  The analysis, based on truck GPS data from over 1 million heavy duty trucks uses several customized software applications and analysis methods, along with terabytes of data from trucking operations to produce a congestion impact ranking for each location.  ATRI’s truck GPS data is also used to support the U.S. DOT’s Freight Mobility Initiative.  The bottleneck locations detailed in this latest ATRI list represent the top 100 congested locations, although ATRI continuously monitors more than 300 freight-critical locations.

The intersection of I-95 and SR 4 in Fort Lee, New Jersey is once again the Number One freight bottleneck in the country.  The rest of the Top 10 includes:

1. Atlanta: I-285 at I-85 (North)
2. Nashville: I-24/I-40 at I-440 (East)
3. Houston: I-45 at I-69/US 59
4. Atlanta, GA: I-75 at I-285 (North)
5. Chicago, IL: I-290 at I-90/I-94
6. Atlanta, GA: I-20 at I-285 (West)
7. Cincinnati, OH: I-71 at I-75
8. Los Angeles, CA: SR 60 at SR 57
9. Los Angeles, CA: I-710 at I-105

“ATRI’s bottleneck analysis is an important tool for TDOT as we work to maximize the safety and efficiency of our transportation system, and ensure we are making the smartest investments possible,” said Tennessee Department of Transportation Assistant Bureau Chief Freight & Logistics Dan Pallme.  “The additional capacity we are providing as part of the ongoing I-440 Reconstruction Project should improve the safety and reliability of this important corridor, which we know is critical to freight movement.”

ATRI’s analysis, which utilized data from 2019, found that the number of locations experiencing significant congestion – with average daily speeds of 45 MPH or less – has increased 92 percent in just five years, far outpacing the 10 percent growth in traffic congestion for that same time period.

“ATA has been beating the drum about the continued degradation of our infrastructure, and thanks to ATRI’s research we can see exactly how decades of ignoring the problem are impacting not just our industry but our economy and commuters everywhere,” said American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear. “This report should sound the alarm for policymakers that the cost of doing nothing is too high, and provide a roadmap of where to target investments to really solve our nation’s mounting infrastructure crisis.”

There are six locations in Pennsylvania in the top 100. There were just two in 2018 and five in 2019. Four of the six bottlenecks are in the Philadelphia are (I-76 at I-676, I-76 at US 1, I-476 at I-95 and I-76 at 476), one is in the Harrisburg area (SR 581 at I-83) and one is in Pittsburgh (I-70 at I-79 East).

For access to the full report, including detailed information on each of the 100 top congested locations, please visit ATRI’s website at TruckingResearch.org.

ATRI is the trucking industry’s 501c3 not-for-profit research organization. It is engaged in critical research relating to freight transportation’s essential role in maintaining a safe, secure and efficient transportation system.

ACTION: Interim final rule with request for comment.

SUMMARY: FMCSA is amending its December 8, 2016, final rule, "Minimum Training Requirements for Entry-Level Commercial Motor Vehicle Operators" (ELDT final rule), by extending the compliance date for the rule from February 7, 2020, to February 7, 2022. This action will provide FMCSA additional time to complete development of the Training Provider Registry (TPR). The TPR will allow training providers to self-certify that they meet the training requirements and will provide the electronic interface that will receive and store entry-level driver training (ELDT) certification information from training providers and transmit that information to the State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs). The extension also provides SDLAs with time to modify their information technology (IT) systems and procedures, as necessary, to accommodate their receipt of driver-specific ELDT data from the TPR. FMCSA is delaying the entire ELDT final rule, as opposed to a partial delay as proposed, due to delays in implementation of the TPR that were not foreseen when the proposed rule was published.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Mr. Richard Clemente, Driver and Carrier Operations Division, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001, (202) 366-4325, MCPSD@dot.gov. If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, contact Docket Operations, (202) 366-9826.

On Dec. 18, 2019, the PA Turnpike Commission approved a new permit fee structure at cashless tolling points only across our system for overweight/over-dimensional vehicles.  Beginning Jan. 5, these vehicles must apply for a Special Hauling Permit and pay a $37 flat fee along with an additional 24 cent-per-ton-mile fee on all weight in excess of 80,000 pounds. Those cashless tolling locations are:

• Gateway Toll Plaza Milepost 2, I-76 (near Ohio line);
• Beaver Valley Express­way (PA Turnpike 376);
• Findlay Connector (PA Turnpike 576);
• Greensburg Bypass/AKH (PA Turnpike 66); and
• Delaware River Bridge Toll Plaza, Milepost 42.6, I-95 (near NJ line);
• Keyser Avenue and Clarks Summit Toll Plazas, Mileposts 122 and 131, (I-476 near Scranton).

Changes for Overweight/Over-dimensional customers at cashless tolling locations only include:

• All customers applying for a Special Hauling Permit for Overweight/Over-dimensional vehicles must pay a new permit fee online using a credit card or ACH when the application is submitted.  There will be no print function for approved permits until payment is made.
• All customers must print and carry a hard copy of the approved permit.
• Tolls will be assessed electronically as customers travel the cashless tolling system. There is no need to stop to process permits or pay tolls at cashless tolling locations.
• Tolls will be charged to your E-ZPass account; if you do not have E-ZPass, an invoice will be mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle through the PA Turnpike TOLL BY PLATE system.
• All customers must apply for a permit within two weeks of the anticipated travel day.

While the permit fees for overweight and over-dimensional haulers at cashless tolling locations are new, the toll rates have been adjusted so that the overall trip costs are comparable to those of existing Class-9 toll rates.

The PA Turnpike’s standard permit requirements — weight, width, length, height, etc. — remain in effect for these new Special Hauling Permit procedures at cashless tolling locations.  Visit https://www.paturnpike.com/commercial/permit_info.aspx to learn more. Or call 1-800-331-3414 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday).

Thank you all for attending the 2019 Fall Safety Day Conference, below are some of our best shots from last week's event.

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is alerting motorists to the closure of the I-81 rest areas in Dauphin County while the Department of General Services completes the demolition and rebuild of the facilities over the next year-and-a-half. Motorists will be prohibited from entering the ramps or parking areas of the northbound and southbound facilities until Summer 2021

The next rest area available for motorists traveling southbound is in Cumberland County at mile marker 38, just south of Carlisle. The next rest area available for motorists traveling northbound is in Luzerne County at mile marker 157, near Nuangola.

Information on the rest area closures will be posted on PennDOT’s permanent message boards and on signage along I-81. The closure information will also be broadcast on the Highway Advisory Radio System at 1640 on the AM dial.  PennDOT thanks I-81 travelers for their patience during these inconvenient closures. 

Click photo above for more pictures

PITTSBURGH – The nine Pennsylvanians participating in the 2019 National Truck Driving Championships last week combined to bring home the Team Championship Trophy along with a few other pieces of hardware.

The champions from the PA Truck Driving Championships in June that participated in the nationals last week were: Robert Burnett (Step Van, FedEx Ground), Robert Dolan (XPO Logistics, Straight Truck), Andy Glock (A. Duie Pyle, 3-Axle), Matthew Fletcher (Martin Brower, 4-Axle), Bryan Krol (Martin Brower, 5-Axle), Brian Smeltzer (R.H. Crawford, Tanker), Terry Wood (Walmart, Sleeper), Zachary Eckenroth (FedEx Freight, Flatbed) and Eric Waybright (Walmart, Twins).

Three of those drivers advanced to the championship finals on Saturday where the top five drivers from each class competed for the top prize. Krol, Dolan and Wood each reached the finals.

Dolan and Wood each earned second-place finishes in their division. Dolan was also recognized with the highly-coveted Neill Darmstadter Professional Excellence award. 

Scott Woodrome from Middletown, Ohio representing team FedEx Freight, was named the Bendix Grand Champion for the second year in a row. He took top honors in the Twins division last week as well as being one of nine competitors to have a perfect score on the written exam.

ATA also recognized John Sanderson as the 2019 Rookie of the Year. Sanderson, representing FedEx Express from Oregon, claimed the title after an outstanding performance in the 3-axle division. To be a “rookie,” drivers must be first-time competitors at the state level who advanced to nationals. This year, there were 32 rookies competing at the National Truck Driving Championships. Sanderson was the only rookie who advanced to the championship round of competition. 

Jason Imhoff of Walmart Transportation took home the Vehicle Condition Award for his outstanding performance during the pre-trip inspections. 

The nine drivers with perfect scores on the exam were: Paul Brandon, Miguel Corral, Ina Daly, Brent Glasenapp, Julie Hjelle, Barry Kraemer, Jottyn Santos, Jimmie Wisley and Woodrome.

Nine drivers achieved perfect scores on the written exam phase of the championships and are receiving the Highest Written Exam Award for their efforts. The nine drivers were: Paul Brandon, Miguel Corral, Ina Daly, Brent Glasenapp, Julie Hjelle, Barry Kraemer, Jottyn Santos, Jimmie Wisley, and Scott Woodrome. 

The National Truck Driving Championships are made possible by dozens of NTDC committee members and volunteers who judge the course, serve as liaisons to the drivers, conduct course walk-throughs and perform a number of other key tasks. As such, ATA and ATA’s Safety Management Council honor one volunteer each year with the Sam Gillette Volunteer of the Year Award. This year’s Sam Gillette Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to James Wilcox.
 
ACT 1 served as a premier sponsor of the 2019 National Truck Driving Championships and National Step Van Driving Championships.
 
Since 2011, Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems has been the sole sponsor of the Bendix National Truck Driving Championships Grand Champion. 

ATA continues to develop relationships with key industry partners looking to promote the elite, dedicated drivers who lead the trucking workforce. As such, ATA thanks NTDC Corporate Sponsors AAA Cooper Transportation, ABF Freight System, Inc., FedEx, FedEx Express, FedEx Freight, FedEx Ground, Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc., PITT OHIO, PrePass Safety Alliance, UPS Freight, and Walmart Transportation LLC. ATA also recognizes Bendix as the Grand Champion award sponsor and PrePass Safety Alliance as the Breakfast of Champions sponsor. 
  
Champions from each of the 9 vehicle classes were also announced. Joining Woodrome on the list of national champions are:

3-Axle                
    1    Brian Walker    UPS Freight    North Carolina
    2    Jeffrey Slaten    YRC Freight    Florida
    3    John Sanderson    FedEx Express    Oregon
                
4-Axle                
    1    Adam Heim    FedEx Freight    Idaho
    2    David Rohman    FedEx Express    North Carolina
    3    James Plaxco    Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.    Oregon
                
5-Axle                
    1    David Hall    ABF Freight     Arkansas
    2    Ina Daly    XPO Logistics    Arizona
    3    Alphonso Lewis    YRC Freight    Alabama
                
Flatbed                
    1    Basher Pierce    FedEx Freight    North Carolina
    2    Scott Osborne    FedEx Freight    Mississippi
    3    Eric Flick    FedEx Freight    Nevada
                
Sleeper Berth                
    1    Mike White    Walmart Transportation, LLC    Indiana
    2    Terry Wood    Walmart Transportation, LLC    Pennsylvania
    3    Michael Barnes    Walmart Transportation, LLC    Virginia
                
Straight Truck                
    1    Jason Imhoff    Walmart Transportation, LLC    Ohio
    2    Robert Dolan    XPO Logistics    Pennsylvania
    3    Matthew Hart    FedEx Freight    Nevada
                
Tank Truck                
    1    Paul Brandon    FedEx Freight    Connecticut
    2    George Wells    Shamrock Foods Company    Arizona
    3    Cecil Hicks    FedEx Freight    North Carolina
                
Twins                
    1    Scott Woodrome    FedEx Freight    Ohio
    2    David Mogler    FedEx Freight    Colorado
    3    Shannon Lynch    United Parcel Service, Inc.    Indiana
                
Step Van                
    1    Adam Stroup    FedEx Express    Nebraska
    2    Gregory Long    FedEx Express    Virginia
    3    Eric Damon    FedEx Express    Colorado
 

YORK, Pa. – The 2019 Pennsylvania Truck Championships were held in at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in York over the weekend and saw 128 of the state’s best drivers in action.

The drivers competed in a three-part competition that included a written test, a pre-trip exam and a driving course. The nine different classifications were straight truck, 3-axle, 4-axle, 5-axle, sleeper, tanker, flatbed, twins and step van.

Bryan Krol from Martin Brower was named grand champion of the competition after taking the top spot in the 5-axle division. His teammate Matthew Fletcher had the highest score on the written exam and also took first place in the 4-axle division. As a result, Martin Brower won the small team top prize.

FedEx Freight was named the top large team (five or more drivers) at the event.

The top three places in each class are listed below.

Step Van:

• 1.       Robert Burnett, FedEx Ground
• 2.       Bart Mascuilli, FedEx Express
• 3.       Chad Keefer, FedEx Ground

Straight Truck:

• 1.       Bob Dolan, XPO Logistics
• 2.       Michael Thorne, Pitt Ohio
• 3.     Edgar Lopesz, FedEx Freight

3-Axle:

• 1.       Andy Glock, A. Duie Pyle
• 2.       Daniel Miller, FedEx Freight
• 3.       Chris Sutton, UPS Freight

4-Axle:

• 1.       Matthew Fletcher, Martin Brower
• 2.       John Burns, R H Crawford
• 3.       Steve Kishbaugh, A. Duie Pyle

5-Axle

• 1.       Bryan Krol, Martin Brower
• 2.       Matt Brimmeier, Walmart
• 3.       Dean Herb, Giant Food Stores

Tanker:

• 1.       Brian Smeltzer, R H Crawford
• 2.       Allen Boyd, Walmart
• 3.       Mark Sitarchyk, Old Dominion Freight Line

Sleeper:

• 1.       Terry Wood, Walmart
• 2.       Randy Gray, FedEx Ground
• 3.       William Bennett III, UPS Freight

Flatbed:

• 1.       Daryl Miller, Lift, Inc.
• 2.       Zachary Eckenroth, FedEx Freight
• 3.       Troy Wolf, A & S Services Group

Twins:

• 1.       Eric Waybright, Walmart
• 2.       Jerry Barndt, FedEx Freight
• 3.       Stacy Lane, UPS Freight

Small Team: Martin Brower
Large Team: FedEx Freight

Highest Written Test Score: Matthew Fletcher, Martin Brower
Highest Pre-Trip Score: Daniel Miller, FedEx Freight
Top Rookie: Jeff Johnson, FedEx Ground

Team Cooking Competition: Pitt Ohio

Each of the division winners punched their tickets to the National Truck Driving Championships which will be held in Pittsburgh this year. The NTDCs run August 14-17 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.

Click the picture below for the full gallery.