Truck Planning

Truck travel characteristics are monitored to enable the Regional Transportation Council to identify routes used for goods movement and to assist in the prioritization of recommended projects and infrastructure improvements.

Inventorying and monitoring truck movements allows NCTCOG to consider the impact of proposed projects on goods movement so the effects may be considered during project selection.  As data is collected and monitored, commodity flow forecasting models may be used to evaluate changes to the transportation system to enhance long-range planning

Four significant truck transportation issues within the Dallas/Fort Worth region:

• Inadequate highway infrastructure
• Growing congestion on the Interstate Highways
• Limited productivity gains (specifically the restriction of long combination vehicles)
• Safety concerns

Truck Lanes
Trucks travel more than 196 million miles on U.S. highways each year, carrying more than 1 trillion tons of freight. Truck traffic is projected to grow 2.6% annually. Each year more than 40,000 people die as a result of highway crashes, and 1 in 8 of those crashes involve commercial motor vehicles. Deregulation of the trucking industry, the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), reductions in rail service, growth in time-sensitive freight and a robust economy have greatly impacted the number of trucks on the nation’s roadways. Due to increased trade between Mexico and the United States, the number of trucks that crossed from Mexico into the United States grew from 2.7 million in 1994 to almost 4.5 million in 6 years, a 66% increase. 

The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) joined the SmartWay Transport Program as an Affiliate in October 2006. In this role, NCTCOG promotes the initiative within the region and provides education and outreach to potential partners and affected industries.

Staff Contacts: Jeff Hathcock, Mike Johnson, Dan Lamers