Crucial Look at Truck Routing

There’s a breakdown somewhere when transportation officials authorize a truck to take a freeway with a bridge too low to allow the rig to pass. A driver following such a truck lost his life recently in Anaheim when falling cargo crushed him.

It later became apparent that this was the third time since June that Caltrans had sent trucks under overpasses that were too low. The review of procedures that the agency says now will be undertaken is badly needed.

This review must determine whether the problem results from mistakes in judgment about individual trucks and their proposed routes or whether new demands caused by more truck traffic have overwhelmed the staff. If the latter is the case, more staff might be needed.

The recent accident occurred at the La Palma Avenue overpass on the westbound Riverside Freeway. The driver of the truck was hauling cargo to Ogden, Utah, according to the permit. While the permit did list a planned closing of the transition over that weekend, there was no specific mention of height problems that might arise at the La Palma Avenue overpass, which crosses the freeway just before the transition. That overpass, at 14 feet, 10 inches, did not provide enough room for the truck. The correct clearance for that site is available on a database for Caltrans bridges.

The permit was issued by an office in San Bernardino that approves such travel anywhere in Southern California. This service generally receives solid ratings from trucking companies, and this permitting and route approval system is considered one of the best in the nation.

The office processes many such permits every day, and it is easy to imagine that on occasion the review might not be as careful as it should be. But whether the remedy is more staff or more diligence, this accident is a reminder that in drawing and approving routes, the lives of countless motorists are at stake.