Recently I wrote to my state rep and Tx-DOT concerning the idea of truck only lanes. Following is my letter and the response from TX-Dot.

For long I have considered this; and now that I drive a truck it is ever
more prevalent in my mind.
Many sections of the highway system have truck restrictions declaring "No
Trucks in Left Lane." Allow me to propose the opposite, "No Cars in Left
Lane."

Reasoning; trucks are typically passing through unless they have business
in said area. It is more hazardous TO truckers and to other motorists for
trucks to be confined to lanes where traffic is merging onto and off of
the highway. Trucks, being large, restrict the view of motorists who are
watching for signage and exists and increases motorists aggravation as
well as chances of driving erratically in order to get to their exits.
This is also the case because of the large amount of space trucks take up
on the roadway. (I can easily attest to this in light of people who cut
across me and two lanes of traffic in less travel space than my truck is
long.)

This situation is exacerbated by the fact that more and more trucking
companies are governing the speed of their trucks to less than 65 mph
while speed limits are increasing.

In light of this; it would be better for the commuting traffic as well as
for truck drivers to be confined to the left two lanes unless they are
entering or exiting the highway; and even safer if passenger vehicles were
prohibited from the far left lane where only trucks were allowed.

In closing, please allow me to share with you a website where Missouri is
putting into plan "Truck Only Lanes" on Interstate 70.
http://www.moreproductivetrucks.com/...nly_lanes.html

Thank you sincerely for consideration,

And the response from TX DOT:

Thank you for your May 25, 2012, comment provided to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) regarding truck lane restrictions within the North Central Texas Region. TxDOT has forwarded your comment to us, the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), because our agency conducted the initial pilot study in 2005 and 2006 regarding truck lane restrictions and we continue to be the lead agency in implementing new corridors.

While we can certainly understand the frustration of truck drivers with unsafe passenger vehicle drivers, our study found that restricting trucks from driving in the far left (passing) lane improves both the safety and travel time in the corridor with the restriction. The study also looked into whether such restrictions would create a so-called "wall of trucks" where it was difficult for non-truck vehicles to maneuver onto and off of the highway, but found no evidence of this effect due to truck lane restrictions on test corridors.

The final study report is posted on our website at http://www.nctcog.org/trans/goods/tr...COG_Report.pdf. There is a brief Executive Summary that explains the questions posed and the answers to those questions on pages 7 through 9 of the report. Thank you again for your interest in truck lane restrictions and for your important work delivering goods to consumers.

If you would like to receive notices of transportation-related public hearings, feel free to sign up at http://www.nctcog.org/trans/outreach...e/notifydb.asp.

Thank you,
Amanda Wilson


Amanda Wilson, AICP
Communications Supervisor
North Central Texas Council of Governments
Transportation Department
616 Six Flags Drive
Arlington, Texas 76011
(817) 695-9284 - phone
(817) 640-3028 - fax
awilson@nctcog.org

So there we have it folks; we must create a "wall of trucks" and block all the entry/exit ramps to encourage the highway department to create "truck only" lanes to keep dangerous passenger cars out of our way. And on the in-case that someone thinks I faked this, go right ahead and and contact Amanda Wilson and find out for yourself that she's "fer real."

Wall of Trucks




Wall of Trucks in the future