The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) Board of Directors has approved the 2022 Top Research Priorities, as identified by ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee (RAC). ATRI’s RAC developed the list of recommended research topics which the ATRI Board reviewed and approved.
ATRI’s RAC selected research topics that are focused on impacts on the industry’s workforce, operational impacts from predatory towing, and expanding the driver population through international work permits.
The 2022 ATRI top research priorities are:
- Marijuana: Impacts of Decriminalization on Trucking Industry. As more states move to decriminalize marijuana and other Schedule I drugs, this study would update ATRI’s 2019 report by examining roadway safety and workforce impacts in those states that have changed their controlled substance laws.
- Quantifying Industry Impacts from Predatory Towing. Predatory towing can take many forms – including tow operators who park near known crash locations, take possession of vehicles, and charge exorbitant rates for release of the vehicle and cargo. This research will quantify the extent of the issue and identify best practices from states that have successfully addressed unscrupulous tow operators through legislation.
- Efficacy of Driver Training on Safety Outcomes and Driver Retention. Driver shortage and driver retention were identified as the top two industry concerns in 2021. Understanding how initial driver training contributes to the successful and safe integration of new entrants into trucking will be the focus of this research, updating an earlier ATRI study from 2008.
- Utilizing EB-3 Work Permits to Help Mitigate the Driver Shortage. This research will explore the potential for recruiting drivers from outside the US through the employer-sponsored EB-3 Work Permit.
SEC Climate Rule Impacts on the Trucking Industry. This research will quantify the potential impacts of new SEC climate rules on the trucking industry and their supply chains, focusing on possible Scope 3 reporting requirements. It will document entities within the supply chain of publicly traded companies that will have to report carbon outputs.
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