Kentucky Cracks Down on Truckers with New Restrictions on Secondary Routes

In an effort to reduce accidents, Kentucky is taking action to limit CDL holders from driving on roadways not designed for heavy duty commercial vehicles.

Collaboration between the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the State Police Division of Commercial Vehicle Enforcement aims to protect the safety of all drivers by keeping tractor-trailers off highways that can’t handle their size and weight.

“This is a recurring issue as drivers try to save on time and fuel,” KYTC District 1 Chief District Engineer Kyle Poat reportedly stated. “But our rural secondary roads were not built for regular through-travel by vehicles of such size and weight.”

Kentucky officials are cracking down on rural route shortcuts in the state’s Western region. In an effort to increase safety and reduce accidents, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) is pushing to officially designate these roadways as no-truck routes. If truckers are caught using these routes, they can expect to be pulled over by state police.

One particular road, Highway 286 in Ballard County, has become a major accident hotspot. In the past three years, there have been a staggering 116 accidents along its 16.6-mile stretch. These accidents have resulted in 40 injuries and five fatalities. While only 30 of these accidents involved semis or vehicles with a large turning radius, officials are concerned that half of the most recent 24 accidents involved large commercial vehicles.

To address this issue, “NO TRUCK” signs will soon be posted along these shortcuts, and state troopers will be enforcing the prohibition.

Local farmers will still be allowed to use farm equipment and heavy-duty commercial vehicles for agricultural purposes.

“The signs will help with enforcement efforts as additional cases come up in district court,” Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer Mark Townsend reportedly said. “The legal responsibility falls on the CDL-carrying professional driver. The driver is required to follow a route that keeps the truck on the National Truck Network.”

Using cell phone GPS apps for logistics can lead to truckers taking shorter routes on rural roads, according to reports. However, most popular apps lack features that help tractor-trailer operators choose the fastest route that is truck-approved. To address this issue, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) recommends the following GPS applications for truckers in Western Kentucky: