Why don't city planners, traffic engineers and architects understand how big a tractor trailer is? (largest, suburban)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I certainly realize that there are far more issues to any project construction or engineering decision than truck access. But, as a truck driver, I'm frequently frustrated that city planners, traffic engineers and architects work like they have NO idea how long a 53' trailer is or how much space is needed to manuever a big truck. New big-box retailers build stores with postage stamp sized dock areas and landscaping that you can't get your trailer wheels past even IN THE FRIGGIN' DOCK AREA. Then local officials throw up "NO TRUCKS" signs that eliminate all but the most convoluted access to a shopping area for us. Too many of these pretty new industrial parks have all kind of landscaping and other impediments that make truck access difficult. And don't even get me started about all the "NO PARKING" signs on the streets. Even though there's no truckstops anywhere nearby. (Or they fill up before it gets dark) Too many ciites have this "show up right before your delivery appointment. Unload. Then leave our town immediately." And that's with a growing shortage of truck parking/services all over the country...
I fought my township for months before they removed a "NO LEFT TURN" sign that made truck access to our Sam's Club more difficult and even less safe.
Even such things as turn lanes that don't accomodate 53' trailers, telephone poles and other obstacles placed right next to the street (or right on the corner). I LOVE cities that put "The Next intersection is:____ Street"! (They are truly a blessing!) And showing which side of the road the freeway on-ramp is so that truckers have enough time to get into the proper lane also helps.
Roadways are designed to accommodate the vehicles that predominantly utilize them... private, passenger vehicles. I understand it's frustrating but I'd imagine you knew it would be when you got into that career. I can't imagine living in a city that was designed to scale for tractor trailers. It would be a nightmare for everyone else and it just doesn't make sense considering that tractor-trailer trucks are a tiny minority of road traffic in the country. Then you have to consider that most cities in the U.S. were developed before 53' tractor trailers were even used. It's like going to a medieval city in Europe and complaining that the streets weren't designed for cars.
At the same time, I think better road signs could REALLY making things easier. I can't imagine having to shift a 53' truck across 3 lanes of traffic at the last minute to get onto a freeway just because it wasn't marked properly. It's not exactly like you can just pull a U-Turn.
irfox, I'm VERY aware that Boston was laid out long before motor vehicles of any kind were around. That's not my complaint. We can even accept that buildings and docks that were designed before 53' trailers require a little more effort to get into. I'm talking about NEW development. The retailer I deliver to has built several new stores over the last few years and the truck access seems to get more challenging with every new grand opening. Making truck access easier really wouldn't require that much more space. I believe that there's really a lack of knowledge about trucks and trucking on the part of those who design and lay out such things as streets, shopping centers and industrial parks. One of the new stores I deliver to has the traffic light at the main road so that, instead of turning left out of the dock area and going 100' to the main road we come in on, we must turn right and go all the way around the block to bring us to a traffic light. Another has a dock area so small that we must do a VERY tight u-turn in front of the docks to back in. When they pile up snow in the corner of this area, we must go out into the car parking lot and dodge landscaping to get turned around. This store's only been open a year...
No truck driver expects residential areas to be laid out for trucks. Although moving van trailers are also 13' 6" high and 53' long... Trucks might be in the minority on the roads, but we still bring EVERYTHING you eat, wear, touch & own...
If you're talking about suburban shopping centers and industrial parks, then I completely agree. Those places aren't designed for pedestrians anyway, so why not make them more accessible for their lifeblood (trucks)?
I thought you were talking about urban cores. If you designed urban centers (even new ones) to accommodate the largest tractor trailers, you'd completely counter the purpose of a dense, urban core which is supposed to provide pedestrian scale, compact set up, etc. I know that most large cities have distribution centers in the suburbs where the large trucks make deliveries and the goods are transferred to smaller trucks or vans for delivery. I've rarely ever seen tractor trailers in central Boston or any large city I've spent significant time in (with the exception of the wee morning hours).
Hi Irfox! You ain't gonna believe this, but I spent my first five years in our long haul fleet and ran quite a bit of the "Nawtheast". I miss it! Yeah, it's challenging to get a big rig through downtown Boston/Hartford/Brooklyn or wherever up there. But, you've got it; getting in at night or on Sunday works with some prior planning. And most places in central cities that regularly get big truck deliveries are used to 'em. (Yep, the deliver large loads to an outlying warehouse and send in smaller trucks option is a good one. They still could site telephone poles and other hazards a little farther from the curb, though... (I don't believe ANYTHING can be done about car drivers that park right on the corner or in front of docks...)
Before I go, I gotta tell ya that I sure miss those "roach coach" lunch trucks I'd get to eat from every now and then. ESPECIALLY those breakfast sandwiches!
In some places roads "Parkways" have been built that specifically exclude truck traffic. Mostly in the Northeast, but Chicago has Lake Shore Drive.
Yep, most of the parkway overpasses are too low for 13'6" trucks. I can't imagine using Lake Shore Drive unless I had to deliver there...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Then local officials throw up "NO TRUCKS" signs that eliminate all but the most convoluted access to a shopping area for us. Too many of these pretty new industrial parks have all kind of landscaping and other impediments that make truck access difficult. And don't even get me started about all the "NO PARKING" signs on the streets. Even though there's no truckstops anywhere nearby. (Or they fill up before it gets dark) Too many ciites have this "show up right before your delivery appointment. Unload. Then leave our town immediately." And that's with a growing shortage of truck parking/services all over the country...
)
