DENVER — With the official start of winter just days away — Monday, Dec. 21, in fact — the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), in partnership with the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and Colorado Motor Carriers Association (CMCA), has created a video to help educate truckers on the challenges and best practices for safely traveling the Interstate 70 Mountain Corridor.
The Mountain Rules video includes information on potential hazards truckers may face driving the corridor year-round, including sudden weather changes such as heavy snowstorms, high winds, poor visibility and avalanches — along with rockfall, wildlife and wildfires.
“Our mountains can be an immense challenge for all drivers, but especially for those who drive semi-trucks. Producing this video as part of The Mountain Rules program is another tool designed to prepare in-state and out-of-state truckers for what they may encounter when driving through the high country,” said Shoshana Lew, CDOT’s executive director. “The mantra is simple — ‘Slow, Steady, Safe for the Long Haul’ — no matter the time of year you’re traveling I-70.”
In addition to the natural hazards along the route, the video details other challenges truckers may encounter, including chain laws, steep grades and overheated brakes.
“Safety is our first priority, and the video reiterates the necessary key practices and what the existing options are when driving the I-70 West corridor, including the availability of runaway truck ramps,” said CSP Colonel Matthew Packard. “Those ramps exist for all commercial carriers. Should your brakes fail, please save lives and use those ramps. You will not be cited by law enforcement for using them in an emergency.”
CDOT’s Freight Office and CMCA are distributing the video to numerous freight industry stakeholders, including state and national trucking companies and associations, ports of entry, truck-driving schools and other educational institutions.
“The Mountain Rules video provides an excellent framework for safe driving for truck drivers through the forever-changing and unpredictable conditions that one may experience in traveling through Colorado’s High Country,” said Greg Fulton, president of CMCA. “The video provides a great overview of the mountain terrain, geo hazards and extreme weather conditions as well as preparing drivers for snow, wind, rain, chaining up/down and navigating the steep hills to avoid overheating brakes.
The video is narrated by Colorado truck driver and America’s Road Team Captain Nate McCarty of ABF Freight.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
