System of interstate truck-only highways?

Question

Taking the big-rigs off the public highways and allowing them to run 100 feet-long truck-trains down truck-only highways at high speeds would seem a logical way to accomplish many positive things: reduce oil consumption; reduce traffic congestion while increasing effective fuel economy; and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Truckers seem to love the idea. How about you?

Answer 1

Trucks are not efficient.  Trains and river barges are slower, but more energy efficient.  Trucks should be used for short haul delivers only. Trucks are a left over of the cheap petroleum days.  Look at Europe and Asia and you will see trains doing the long distance transportation.

Answer 2

I think railway trains are much more efficient than trucks and require only one driver.  I love the idea of taking all heavy trucks off the road, period.

Why would I spend my tax dollars to support a trucker's lifestyle?

How naive you are.

Answer 3

As a truck driver, I am all for it. Some States are banning trucks from some State routes in an effort to control traffic.

However, since there is no money to be made for the politicians, it will still be a great idea ignored.

Answer 4

We already have railroads. The problem is that when little Johnny orders his ipod off amazon.com he wants it in 2 days not 3 weeks.

Who told you truckers love this?

Answer 5

We already have such a thing.  It's called railroads.  Maybe we should build more tracks, and repair the ones that have fallen into disrepair.  We should also try buying products that are made or grown locally instead of having them shipped from far across the country.  When I was a truck driver, I used to haul orange juice from Florida to California.  Why?  CA is loaded with orange groves.  Buying locally also creates jobs locally.

Answer 6

They have something similar to this and they are called trains.

Answer 7

I think it would be a wonderful idea, but the big issue is the cost and the time. Would it use exsisting highways? Or would it be new highway/freeways for this idea. I live in Orange County,CA, and the population so quickly exceeds the available highways and streets, all highway construction takes 5-10 years just to get to the point where once it's completed, you might as well start rebuilding again.

If you want new highways, where wolud you put these highways in highly congested areas such as LA? We have a hard enough time just widening the local freeways. Many counties don't have enough room already in certain areas just for expansion. Even with emminant domain removing nearby businesses and housing, there still isnt enough room.

With some of the busiest freeways in the country for trucking, namely the 710 down to the Port of Long Beach, I'm sure most of the populous would take any congestion relief. I know I've spent 2-3 hours trying to drive 35-40 miles to get home and thats without accidents

Essentially all these routes would have to go towards highly populated areas , thats where all commerce ends up. I just can't see how this could be completed in less than 50 years from now, if we're talking interstate. and in that amount of time, I'm sure that has to be better alternatives we won't explore. And although it's great PC that oil companies are advertising that their all time high company profits are going to research for alternative fuels or transportation, who can really believe or trust that?

After seeing your additional update, I'm wondering if you live in the general LA area? Although the 60 and 10 do run parrallel to each other, my next question is where would put all the vehicles once you eliminate the accessabilty or either freeway. Roughly from downtown LA eastbound from either to the Inland Empire i.e the 15 freeway is about 40 miles, it can take 2 hours to drive it anytime after 2:00 PM. Even with the extension of the 210 which runs parrallel to both 60 and 10 and ends in the IE, its still as congested as ever. Where will everyone go?

Answer 8

Why all this trucking? Railways can transport goods in more volume and for a lower price. Think of the cost to make special highways for truckers. Would that mean constructing about a million miles of trucking roads? I can see it in some places closer to big cities, but the trucks still have to get into the cities.

Answer 9

Where would you build these highways?  Areas with high traffic congestion get that way because either there is no space to build additional roads/lanes, or there isn't enough money available to build additional roads/lanes.   Making separate roads for different types of vehicles would make things less efficient.  And though larger truck-trains may seem to be more fuel-effective, running them at higher speeds would not be, and would decrease safety.  Of course the truckers like that idea!  Personally I'd like a separate highway just for green Ford trucks, but I'm not holding my breath!

Obviously I'm not a fan of the idea, but I do like the question - I am a fan of thinking outside the box

And newdad - not sure if you're new to trucking, but the high-beam thing is so you don't have to stare into rear-view mirrors and guess distance - it's a courtesy and it is something that experienced truckers appreciate!  I don't know what it's like where you live, but new cars in Canada have headlights on at all times, so high-beams are our only option for signalling with headlights.  Or can you convince the other truckers on the road to stop flashing to thank me after doing that?

Answer 10

I do not feel that ripping through oodles of additional forest and land and laying down tons of hot tar to create additional highways dedicated to trucks is the way to go.

I am OK with adding a dedicated lane or 2 in places where the community feels that it is warranted as the areas of high congestion can then open the lanes to all traffic when needed, due to accidents or whatever.

Generally when there is traffic congestion it is localized to certain sections of a road that could use widening... and to me it just does not make sense to build a whole new system for a few "corrupted" areas.

Long haul truckers generally like to travel late at night and in the wee morning hours when the roads are virtually clear, anyway... The truckers that are most likely to get stuck in the traffic are those who are local drivers with several deliveries during the day in those congested areas that necessitate them being there... so chances are those same truckers are going to have to be in that same spot regardless of any different highways built.

As far as allowing them to drive at higher speeds... higher speeds do not decrease emissions. In fact, my first source below from the epa has listed that the change from 55 mph to 65 mph that was made several years ago made the co emissions jump 153% under absolutely ideal conditions!

Other countries with high and no speed limits have been fighting back and forth for at least the last couple of years over concerns of the environmental impact that the high speeds have made.