Truck Education and Outreach Partnership for North Dakota

Peterson, Del; Bengtson, Kelly · 2024 · ROSA P / Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute

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Summary

This report details a demonstration project conducted by the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute (UGPTI) at North Dakota State University to establish a sustainable Truck Education and Outreach Partnership (ND TE-OP) in North Dakota. The initiative was motivated by the state’s heavy reliance on a natural-resource-based economy and its disproportionately high rates of large truck-involved crashes, particularly on rural roads. Data from 2016 to 2020 indicated that 66.7% of serious crashes occurred on rural roads, with truck-involved injury crashes resulting in fatal or disabling injuries at twice the rate of other crash types. The project aimed to leverage a multifaceted education strategy to complement law enforcement efforts, aligning with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe System approach. The project design centered on four primary objectives: engaging stakeholders in a sustained partnership, analyzing crash data to identify high-risk regions and driver groups, developing targeted training materials, and facilitating education for diverse audiences. A Subject Matter Expert (SME) committee comprising representatives from the North Dakota Department of Transportation, Highway Patrol, Motor Carriers Association, and agricultural sectors guided the research through eleven meetings. The project introduced a Truck Outreach Liaison (TOL) position to ensure continuity in communication and event facilitation. Key activities included updating the Regional Ag Transportation Handbook to reflect new federal entry-level driver training regulations and state statutes, developing outreach materials focusing on "No-Zone" awareness and agricultural transport safety, and creating a centralized website for resources and events. Significant outputs included the production and broadcast of public service announcements (PSAs) targeting rural and agricultural communities. Partnering with WDAY 970 radio, the team secured funding from industry sponsors to air 134 PSAs by July 2024, covering topics such as defensive driving and farm equipment awareness. These recordings were also made available for digital distribution and further broadcast on affiliated networks. Additionally, the project produced updated hard-copy handbooks with QR codes for digital access, distributed via postcards at conferences. The SME committee identified critical public topics, including sharing the road with large trucks and stopping distances, and industry-specific concerns such as permitting and agricultural hazards, which directly informed the content of these materials. The findings highlight the effectiveness of a coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach in addressing large truck safety. The establishment of the TOL role and the SME committee provided a framework for sustained engagement, while the centralized website serves as a lasting resource hub. The project successfully integrated educational efforts with seasonal agricultural cycles, ensuring visibility during high-risk periods like planting and harvest. Furthermore, the collaboration led to practical safety tools, such as a winter traveler safety brochure for Barnes County and modified agricultural safety presentations for youth camps. The report concludes that this partnership model offers a replicable strategy for other regions to enhance public awareness and reduce large truck crash risks through continuous education and stakeholder collaboration.

Key finding

The demonstration project successfully established a sustained truck safety education and outreach partnership in North Dakota by leveraging a subject matter expert committee, a dedicated liaison, and targeted media campaigns to address high rural crash risks.

Methodology

field_study

Provenance

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Topics

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• truck driver fatigue