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Truckers Guided by GPS Said to Hit N.Y. Bridges 200 Times

Bloomberg -- The U.S. should write standards for GPS-connected devices used by truck and bus drivers to stop them from hitting low bridges after driving onto restricted roads, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer said.

Truckers following faulty directions by global positioning systems devices have hit bridges in New York City, Long Island and Westchester County more than 200 times in the past two years, the New York Democrat said in a letter to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood yesterday.

According to Transportation Department data, there were 15,000 bridge strikes by all types of vehicles in 2010, resulting in 214 deaths and 3,000 injuries.

New York isn’t the only state dealing with truck strikes. On Feb. 15, bridges were struck in four separate cities in Connecticut, according to television stat

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Submitted Sep 26, 2012 By: bar1035

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honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,650 Points:1,612,445 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Sep 30, 2012 11:03:22 PM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse nokaoi: sometimes you've gotta wonder why truckers don't pay attention.
honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,650 Points:1,612,445 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Sep 30, 2012 11:02:32 PM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse thanks for sharing. Leave one wondering, what the heck are truckers (and others who rely on GPS) thinking... or maybe it's the lack of thinking?
LetemEatCake Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:5,615 Points:1,207,555 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2012 10:36:39 PM Ignore LetemEatCake Report Abuse Interesting article Bar1035...thanks for posting!
nokaoi2009 Veteran Author Honolulu Posts:427 Points:1,152,800 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2012 2:10:23 PM Ignore nokaoi2009 Report Abuse If you go to YOUTUBE and search for "crashes" and "bridges" you will find numerous videos of trucks hitting low bridges (or is it high trucks), with some bridges being hit numerous times. I guess drivers don't know how tall their trucks are, or they are not paying attention to the height signs.
sparky808 Champion Author Honolulu Posts:3,018 Points:601,635 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2012 12:23:17 PM Ignore sparky808 Report Abuse Thank you for posting.
jcdakota Champion Author Baltimore Posts:1,347 Points:361,345 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2012 6:25:13 AM Ignore jcdakota Report Abuse Aren't clearances posted on or near bridges and overpasses? Doesn't anybody read any more?
nb52 Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:7,795 Points:1,549,775 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2012 5:28:52 AM Ignore nb52 Report Abuse Please, no more regulations.
ShadowACE Champion Author Boston Posts:9,033 Points:2,152,500 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2012 12:02:40 AM Ignore ShadowACE Report Abuse We have a couple of roads in the Boston area that routinely remove the tops of trucks when the drivers don't pay attention to the very conspicuous signs that warn of low clearances. Storrow Drive, which runs along the Charles River seems to have "truck tops" on it's menu quite often. What I didn't see in this article that I know is often (but certainly not always) the fact in these incidents is that many of them are Average Joe driving his U-Haul Rent-a-Truck and being completely oblivious to the fact that the truck is 10 feet high. The key factor in nearly all of these cases is the DRIVER not knowing HOW TALL his truck or trailer is. I have a fifth-wheel trailer. It is 12'3" from the pavement to the top of the air conditioner on its roof. I have a (several actually) GPS but it does NOT indicate clearances. When I'm towing that trailer it is MY responsibility to know that I need AT LEAST 12'4" and if I'm going to be comfortable I want at least 12'6" before I'll even think about trying to go there. Two years ago we towed 3100 miles in 16 days from Boston to Virginia/North Carolina/Tennessee and back. ONCE my GPS took me along a nice road through a medium size city in North Carolna where the road started down a grade that went about 80-100 yards and then through an underpass below a good size intersection of the surface roads above. I was about half way down that grade when I saw the sign that said the clearance was 11'4"...and I stopped right there. Unfortunately the road was not nearly wide enough for me to make a U-turn. Fortunately there was almost no other traffic in that part of town. My co-pilot walked back up to the top of the grade to be sure something didn't come rolling along and run into the back of the trailer and I backed up about 50-60 yards to the top of the hill where there was enough room to turn around. Then we found a different route through that part of town. There are GPS units that DO indicate clearances and they can use that data when they plan a route for a taller vehicle. They are NOT your typical $129 units, and that's probably why a lot of the once every six month truck drivers don't have them. Any driver who's making his living driving in unfamiliar areas with a big truck should have a trucker's GPS. I do have a new set of POIs for my GPS which do indicate low clearances, Hazmat restrictions (you know you can't take an RV with propane through tunnels,) and other such concerns. It's very inexpensive, easy to use, and it is updated frequently. Is that as effective as a dedicated trucker's GPS that costs $450 or so? I'm going to guess that it is not nearly as effective, and my GPS can't use that information to determine if a route is safe for me. I have to search for hits in that POI category and see if there are any along the route I'm going to follow. So it is still MY job to avoid the problems. If I were going to travel a lot more than I do now I would have one of those fancy GPS units and let it do the work for me. It's amazing how quickly a trailer stuck under as bridge with holf of its roof torn off can ruin your entire day!
SparkieMi Champion Author Kalamazoo Posts:3,277 Points:591,330 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:52:54 PM Ignore SparkieMi Report Abuse Drivers and Companies need to be fined and repair damages!!!!!
Lou08 Champion Author California Posts:1,084 Points:252,410 Joined:Feb 2008	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:52:51 PM Ignore Lou08 Report Abuse TomTom GPS Has great software they can have warnings of too high trucks and low overheads... If register with TomTom (GPS) Truck hight and Cities register the hight of overpasses in their charge... Wow,I can make money when I sell my great software!!! Then I can afford gasoline at stations pumps...
kgbellman Champion Author Ann Arbor Posts:2,728 Points:734,765 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:42:34 PM Ignore kgbellman Report Abuse GPS or not, you still need to read street signs
vulcan96 Champion Author Ohio Posts:26,940 Points:3,106,600 Joined:Aug 2004	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:40:54 PM Ignore vulcan96 Report Abuse the ones for trucks are VERY expensive sounds like some truckers were trying to save some money
CDMAuto Champion Author Connecticut Posts:3,806 Points:756,780 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:38:43 PM Ignore CDMAuto Report Abuse Dumb
BeulahME Champion Author Maine Posts:1,107 Points:444,485 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:38:30 PM Ignore BeulahME Report Abuse It would help if the truckers spoke and read in ENGLISH. I wonder how many of the truckers could read ENGLISH? If they could they could probably read the warning signs.
HailstormCA Champion Author San Diego Posts:7,865 Points:1,473,970 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:36:30 PM Ignore HailstormCA Report Abuse Trucking industry should pay for the development if they really want it.
Vette1967 Champion Author Albany Posts:5,982 Points:1,278,925 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:34:06 PM Ignore Vette1967 Report Abuse Nothing some transponders and receivers can't solve.
LilRedWagonIN Champion Author Indiana Posts:7,791 Points:1,558,060 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:33:23 PM Ignore LilRedWagonIN Report Abuse Look through the windshield and not at the GPS.
rawdog1313 Champion Author Lexington Posts:3,319 Points:1,645,830 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:32:51 PM Ignore rawdog1313 Report Abuse Doesn't anyone pay attention to what the hell they are doing anymore?
langolera Champion Author Akron Posts:1,776 Points:668,905 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:32:23 PM Ignore langolera Report Abuse ok
rippinusoff Champion Author Lexington Posts:7,418 Points:1,490,700 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:32:04 PM Ignore rippinusoff Report Abuse pay attention
Kawibiker Champion Author Illinois Posts:1,175 Points:205,575 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:31:00 PM Ignore Kawibiker Report Abuse ok
CAroadrunner101 Champion Author California Posts:1,837 Points:1,318,125 Joined:Mar 2009	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:30:58 PM Ignore CAroadrunner101 Report Abuse oops...
billk44077 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:3,193 Points:634,480 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:30:46 PM Ignore billk44077 Report Abuse Ok
BobD2009 Champion Author Long Island Posts:7,004 Points:1,242,710 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:29:44 PM Ignore BobD2009 Report Abuse Morons.
northeast2 Champion Author New York Posts:3,849 Points:1,007,200 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:28:25 PM Ignore northeast2 Report Abuse Having driven on many of NY's parkways and commuted on two of them for eight years, it amazes me that a tractor-trailer driver would fail to notice that THERE ARE NO OTHER TRUCKS ON THE ROAD!
Captaintek Champion Author Illinois Posts:1,021 Points:571,325 Joined:Aug 2004	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:26:55 PM Ignore Captaintek Report Abuse Doesn't New York post height limit signs on their highways?
gabfiore Sophomore Author San Diego Posts:151 Points:86,925 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:26:34 PM Ignore gabfiore Report Abuse I agree with HawaiianGuy. Absurdity! Dang!!
unicornpmb Champion Author Buffalo Posts:8,506 Points:1,632,440 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:25:59 PM Ignore unicornpmb Report Abuse One for cars and one for trucks.
HawaiianGuy Champion Author Idaho Posts:9,543 Points:3,082,625 Joined:May 2003	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:25:17 PM Ignore HawaiianGuy Report Abuse This is outrageous! As the saying goes, "If I told you to go jump over a cliff, would you?" Dang!
Bud122CA Champion Author California Posts:7,481 Points:1,608,025 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:22:49 PM Ignore Bud122CA Report Abuse ANYONE who only follows GPS information is stupid
MountedShooter Champion Author Georgia Posts:3,095 Points:744,395 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:20:51 PM Ignore MountedShooter Report Abuse Ok.
batman2010 Champion Author Toronto Posts:1,683 Points:1,017,630 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:20:26 PM Ignore batman2010 Report Abuse imagine that
GLCSHADOW Champion Author Oregon Posts:1,616 Points:1,888,210 Joined:Dec 2005	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:17:16 PM Ignore GLCSHADOW Report Abuse A good gps database could easily alert to that. I'm sure it is in the works, but the liability for such a program my limit its use. Road information changes and if the database isn't updated or the driver doesn't input the right load height crashes could still happen.
Bigwaynef Champion Author South Carolina Posts:11,495 Points:2,083,685 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:16:00 PM Ignore Bigwaynef Report Abuse OK that should save on the gas also...
Hi1 Champion Author Ontario Posts:4,870 Points:1,727,535 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:15:38 PM Ignore Hi1 Report Abuse They need to know the hight off there truck.
rtw777 Champion Author Florida Posts:9,411 Points:1,844,920 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:15:30 PM Ignore rtw777 Report Abuse Truckers should know better.
tco9436 Champion Author Connecticut Posts:1,782 Points:724,975 Joined:Mar 2010	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:14:41 PM Ignore tco9436 Report Abuse no excuse, there is a actual big rig only gps system thta has been out therr for years at a cost of $250. problem is these guys don't want to spend the money and claim, " the gps made me do it" ! LOSERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
rollercoaster All-Star Author Hartford Posts:502 Points:567,760 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:13:52 PM Ignore rollercoaster Report Abuse why can't they have all bridges 14' or taller and put a stop to all of it !!!
Matt G Champion Author Boston Posts:4,548 Points:2,775,965 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:13:44 PM Ignore Matt G Report Abuse Ok
tedjm1 Champion Author New York Posts:5,609 Points:800,300 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:13:19 PM Ignore tedjm1 Report Abuse GPS does not inform about bridge, walk-way height. Where is the dispatcher? Those people who used to route the truckers so that such things were avoided.
obimerrill Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:1,455 Points:292,640 Joined:Jul 2012	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:13:15 PM Ignore obimerrill Report Abuse Ivealso seems cases where road construction added a layer of asphalt to a road, but they didn't think to change the bridge height signs. Result...my dad hit a bridge and destroyed the million dollar oxygen tank he was hauling, which would have fit if the sign was correct. GPS may be bad, or may not be updated if the government doesn't provid updates to the GPS services.
PissedATthePump All-Star Author Pennsylvania Posts:507 Points:119,580 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:12:53 PM Ignore PissedATthePump Report Abuse Schumer said: “If we have the technology to send a truck to Mars, we have the technology to prevent trucks from crashing into bridges.” The Transportation Department is reviewing Schumer’s letter and hasn’t responded, as they decide who regulates these "trucks to mars"
Rageagainsttm Champion Author Tampa Posts:8,313 Points:1,905,055 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:12:23 PM Ignore Rageagainsttm Report Abuse oops
N5EXY Champion Author Austin Posts:5,507 Points:1,513,005 Joined:Jul 2004	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:11:57 PM Ignore N5EXY Report Abuse Might the GPS be as distractive as a cell phone?
malfrog1 Champion Author South Bend Posts:2,216 Points:552,160 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:11:39 PM Ignore malfrog1 Report Abuse The hits are a result of trying to shave time and distance and very tired drivers
Glock26 Champion Author Dayton Posts:1,539 Points:635,310 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:10:58 PM Ignore Glock26 Report Abuse Build the bridges a little taller for the trucks!!!
regout Champion Author Quebec Posts:2,970 Points:835,630 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:10:48 PM Ignore regout Report Abuse They need to be punish.
rahcat Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:2,483 Points:665,875 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:09:57 PM Ignore rahcat Report Abuse Read the sign regarding bridge clearance height and don't just rely on the GPS.
joel27nc Champion Author Raleigh Posts:10,552 Points:1,861,295 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:09:54 PM Ignore joel27nc Report Abuse Can't go by GPS alone!
txkrb Champion Author Texas Posts:1,564 Points:640,110 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Sep 26, 2012 11:09:45 PM Ignore txkrb Report Abuse Schumer said. “If we have the technology to send a truck to Mars Really we sent a truck to Mars, I must have missed that bit of news Schumer said. In addition, the state has spent $3 million for 300 bridge warning signs, he said. $10,000 per sign? Did the defense department sign that contract