This paper was presented at the `Cost-Effective Designs for Trucks' session. This paper will discuss the findings of the study "The Effect of Vehicle Length on Traffic on Canadian Two-Lane, Two-Way Roads", carried out for the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC), along with other research completed since the time of the report, identifying the critical issues relating to truck dimensions and performance effects on traffic operation and geometric design. Although the Memorandum of Understanding signed by all Ministers of Transportation in 1991 establishes limits of weights, dimensions and performance for long trucks, current geometric design and traffic operation guidelines are primarily based on passenger cars from the 1940's and 1950's. Both Canadian Manuals need to be updated to reflect current vehicle dimensions and performance characteristics, including trucks, and cost-effective guidelines developed for when trucks should be used as design vehicles. (A)
Samenvatting