Changes to the truck route network, truck parking rules and enforcement are all being considered by NYC’s DOT and they’re looking for input from the industry and other stakeholders. To “better facilitate goods movement and mitigate the impacts of trucking” the DOT, through the Office of Freight Mobility (OFM), is working on a five borough Smart Truck Management Plan, and is reviewing the rules covering trucks and the challenges of compliance and enforcement.
DOT’s goals so far: encourage off-hour deliveries, shift 10% of deliveries to overnight, and explore micro freight distribution centers in highly congested areas. They’re considering changes to the truck routes, enforcement, the permitting process, street signage, and parking problems. And there is also talk about forming a curbside use hierarchy or reservation system to try to make it easier for deliveries. The OFM seems eager to understand the issues and make a plan that will both move traffic and promote safety, however, the planners and consultants involved, by their own admission, had little experience in and were not attuned to the problems trucking firms face each day. This lack of understanding was apparent in discussions about using loading docks in midtown for ordinary deliveries and the issues of overweight and overlength vehicles.
So its up to us in the trucking industry to educate them. OFM has asked the industry to share their ideas. They have asked us to identify differences in City and State regulations that affect the industry. They have asked about enforcement issues that trucking firms regularly encounter. In conjunction with the Trucking Association of New York (TANY), which is participating in the DOT meetings, we are compiling a list of industry issues to present to the agency and we invite your comments and suggestions. Please send them to zach@newyorktruckstop.com. Alternatively, you can contact DOT’s Office of Freight Mobility directly at 212-839-6670 or at freightplan.dot@nyc.gov . Note: the publishers of this site, Zach Miller and attorney Arthur Miller, are not acting on behalf of TANY in this matter, however, they are TANY members and Zach Miller serves as chair of TANY’s Metro Region Government Affairs Sub-Committee.
We appreciate the City’s outreach, are honored to be included in the discussions, and look forward to working with them on a plan that is safe and efficient and, at the same time, mindful of the challenges and issues confronted by our industry.
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