Young drivers, electric trucks and pot among institute's research priorities

Updated Jun 7, 2021
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One of the trucking industry's leading research organizations has staked out its priorities for this year.,

The American Transportation Research Institute's Board of Directors recently approved 2021's research priorities as identified by its Research Advisory Committee. That committee developed the list of recommended research topics at its meeting held in Atlanta May 4-5, and the ATRI Board reviewed and approved the list of recommended topics at its recent meeting.

ATRI lists its top research priorities as:

Understanding How to Best Integrate 18-20-Year Olds into the Trucking Industry. This research will utilize a case-study approach to document best practices for recruiting, training and retaining younger individuals into trucking careers.

Charging Infrastructure Considerations for Electric Trucks. From examining power demand scenarios to availability of grid connectivity and vehicle charging requirements, this research will be a trucking industry-focused assessment that identifies the electrical infrastructure issues associated with deploying electric trucks. 

Marijuana and Other Drugs: Impacts of Decriminalization on the Trucking Industry. As more states move to decriminalize marijuana and other drugs, this study would update ATRI’s 2019 report by examining roadway safety and workforce impacts in those states changing their controlled substance laws. 

Quantifying the Impacts of Driver-Facing Cameras on Fleets and Drivers. This analysis will focus on safety, litigation, and workforce impacts from deployment of driver-facing cameras.

Understanding the Environmental Impacts of Zero Emission Trucks. This research will be a comparative environmental impact study of the full lifecycle – manufacturing, operations and disposal – of electric versus diesel Class 8 trucks.