Postattack Impacts of the Crisis Relocation Strategy on Transportation Systems. Volume III. The Role of Truckstops in Crisis Relocation.

摘要

In the two decades since they have become a prominent part of the intercity transportation picture, the more than 3,000 truckstops located along the nation's highway system have proven themselves to be an invaluable source of emergency assistance to travelers and commercial truckers in natural disasters. This report investigates the potential role of the nation's truckstop network in an evacuation of U.S. cities in the face of natural disasters or nuclear attack. In addressing the potential role of truckstops in such evacuations, or crisis relocations, a directory of 2,682 primary and secondary truckstops has been assembled. Profiles of typical truckstop activities have been developed, and the role of truckstops in providing relief for travelers during severe winters and hurricane warnings has been chronicled. Nearly 70 percent of the truckstops surveyed in this investigation could be expected to survive a population-based nuclear attack. The relative invulnerability of truckstops to attack, coupled with their importance in the day-to-day movement of intercity cargo, makes them a valuable resource in any crisis relocation plan.