New shipping restrictions in Houston may become a reality with city officials recently proposing a trucking regulation. Houston is one of the most significant U.S. cities for international and domestic transport. With the Port of Houston being one of the busiest U.S. ports, freight is constantly entering the city. A side effect is the amount of trucking for moving the goods is also high. With an excessive number of carriers carrying cargo, the chances of safety hazards and roadway damage can also increase. The primary purpose of the restriction is to improve roadway safety by limiting potential risks in Houston.
What Are The Restrictions
City officials are proposing restrictions called the Citywide Truck Route Plan (TRP). TRP is part of the Vision Zero action plan, which aims to create safer streets globally. The plan is to limit the truck routes for vehicles with a gross weight of over 26,000 pounds. This includes the mass of the freight that the carrier is moving. TRP will separate the routes into three different categories. The categories include:
- Through Truck Routes: include interstate and state highways, toll roads, and crucial urban freight passageways. General roadways that are suitable for trucks are also in this category.
- No-through-truck streets: TRP will prohibit truck traffic through these sections. Examples may include residential and environmentally sensitive areas.
- Local Truck Routes: These truck routes include passageways that carriers may use in case of road construction and other emergencies.
If a carrier violates the potential new regulations, they may face penalties of up to $500. Vision Zero action plan, a multinational traffic safety project beginning in Sweden, has recently gained traction in various U.S. cities. The target is to create safety by reducing traffic fatalities and severe injury. Testing will begin in Settegast, Houston, in the spring of 2024 before the finalization of the project.
What Can Shipping Restrictions In Houston Mean for Supply Chains?
As previously mentioned, Houston is one of the significant cities in the U.S. for freight movement. The Port of Houston is the 5th largest port in the country regarding container volume. With the amount of freight that passes through the city, the restrictions may impact an extensive number of supply chains. Trucking companies that move goods domestically could begin to feel the strain from the reduction of available delivery routes. Fewer routes may also lead to more traffic with the number of carriers that ship freight daily in the city. This leads to potential transport delays for supply chains that rely on trucks to move their shipments domestically.
Trucking companies also feel it is unfair to restrict carrier movement when they have to pay taxes for road infrastructure. Despite this, the belief is that the TRP is necessary to improve overall road safety in Houston. While alarming, this should not stop a shipper from moving freight. Shippers should take greater precautions to prevent supply chain disruptions. Speaking to a freight broker is ideal for ensuring your shipment’s success. Contact A1 Freight Solutions at 786-375-9420 or info@a1fsinc.com for assistance transporting your cargo domestically. Whether you are shipping to or from Houston, Miami, or any other U.S. city, we help you through the process.