Survey of Motor Carrier Opinions on Potential Optional Truck Only Toll Lanes on Atlanta Interstate Highways

In 2005 Georgia’s State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA) released a feasibility study of optional Truck Only Toll lanes (TOT) on Interstate highways within the Atlanta metropolitan region . The study examined a series of TOT lane alternatives aimed at congestion mitigation in response to existing conditions and forecasts of increased commercial and passenger vehicle demand. As a follow up to the study, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) was commissioned by SRTA to determine willingness to pay for use of optional TOT lanes in Atlanta. A total of 71 Georgia based trucking firms, ranging from small carriers (1-10 power units) to large carriers (over 200 power units) responded to the survey. The results of the data collection and analysis associated with this effort are outlined in this paper as they relate specifically to the SRTA TOT study and to national highway congestion and funding shortage issues. Research results indicate that Georgia carriers are willing to use optional TOT lanes when no costs exists, and that a pricing mechanism could successfully keep TOT lanes at free-flow levels. Results also indicate strong pressure from shippers regarding delivery times, thus leading Georgia carriers to conduct business during hours of peak highway demand. Such information suggests that increased capacity is critical to reducing congestion, while attempts to change the times at which trucks operate by pricing trucks during peak periods may not address the issue.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Short, Jeffrey Bradford
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 86th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2007-1-21 to 2007-1-25
• Date: 2007

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: CD-ROM
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Maps; References;
• Pagination: 17p
• Monograph Title: TRB 86th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers CD-ROM

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Carriers; Motor carriers; Peak hour traffic; Toll roads; Traffic congestion; Truck driving; Truck lanes; Truck tractors; Truck traffic; Trucking
• Uncontrolled Terms: Toll road development
• Geographic Terms: Atlanta (Georgia)
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Highways; Motor Carriers; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Terminals and Facilities; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01046369
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 07-1664
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Feb 8 2007 6:20PM