Survey Says! Top Trucking Industry Issues In 2020

The 2020 Top Industry Issues Survey Provides Data That Benefits The Trucking Industry

A 501(c)(3) not-for-profit the American Transportation Research Institute's focus is on making the transportation of freight by truck more efficient, safer, and more secure. For 66 years, the ATRI has collected and analyzed data on issues affecting truckers. The 2020 survey of truckers' concerns is currently open. The information collected will be used to research solutions to the topics respondents rate most important.

The Questionaire

Open to anyone who works in trucking the questionaire is completed online. The gathering of data for this year began on 8 September. The deadline for participation is 16 October. The questionnaire consists of three parts.

• Information about the participant
• The three most important industry concerns
• Respondent concerns not otherwise listed

The results of the study become public on 27 October.

Why The Survey Matters

Stressing the brevity of the survey form Randy Guillot, the American Transportation Research Institute Chairman, described the importance of the information gathered as “immeasurable.” Completing the survey gives voice to those whose livelihood depends on the trucking industry.

ATRI Research

A lack of safe parking for drivers who have reached their maximum number of driving hours is a perennial issue. The efficient locating of available parking is just one of the matters for which the American Transportation Research Institute is seeking a solution.

The GPS Parking Supply Study

An increase in the number of trucks on the road, the utilization of former parking places for other purposes, and a lack of land to build new parking areas are to blame for the shortage of safe places for drivers to stop and rest. Recently, the ATRI conducted a two-part study addressing the locating of rest areas. Both parts involved using a truck's GPS to aid truckers in locating available parking.

Part 1

Part 1 of the study concentrated on four truck stop sites in Minnesota. GPS data was analyzed to determine the availability of truck parking. The break down of data collected included the time-of-day and day-of-the-week.

Part 2

During the second phase of the GPS study, the American Transportation Institute tested methods for relaying parking availability to truck drivers.

• Electronic signs
• A web portal
• Direct messaging to the truck

The University of Minnesota worked in conjunction with ATRI in this study.

Conclusions

Both the use of GPS and the above-listed approaches proved viable in guiding commercial drivers to available resting places. As a secondary benefit of not having to search blindly for a parking place, driver efficiency improved.

More About The ATRI

The American Transportation Research Institute provides advisory services to 31 Departments of Transportation. The institute oversees the U.S. DOT's Freight Mobility Program. Intelligent Transportation Systems America and the Institute of Transportation Engineers have helped finance ARTI's efforts on behalf of the cartage industry. All information compiled by ARTI is available online free-of-charge at truckingresearch.org.