Updated GPS system may aid trucking safety in Illinois

To help promote trucking safety, the Illinois Governor and General Assembly have formed a task force to investigate the use of GPS technology and a Designated Truck Route System.

The task force, which consists of government and trucking industry representatives, found that the state maintains various databases with critical truck-specific data which are not easily accessible to those in the commercial trucking industry. This information could help keep truck vehicles on approved roads and away from hazard, such as low bridges that may cause public safety issues.

"We believe better, more accessible data with regulatory compliance to keep the data updated will result in reduced accidents, reduced expense for repair and maintenance, and reduced congestion on local roads, all benefitting the citizens of Illinois," said Representative Michael Zalewski, task force chairman.

The task force recommends that the state merge databases and require local jurisdictions to report their designated truck networks and preferred routes through a simplified reporting system.

According to the Federal Commercial Motor Vehicles Administration, nearly 368,000 large trucks were in accidents in 2006.

Updated GPS system may aid trucking safety in Illinois

Monday, February 14th, 2011