The Baby Boomer News does know, baby boomers all must interact with semi trucks, when out and about, on the USA interstates and roads. Love them, or hate them, the big trucks are a necessity, such to keep the USA economy viable.
Baby boomers should know: The USA is facing a shortfall, of sufficient highway capacity, such to effectively process the future growth, which is earmarked for freight traffic.
This problem is exacerbated by the fact, ninety percent, of USA freight, is hauled by trucks.
There are related problems.

• USA business is unable to enjoy lower shipping costs, which are accruing from the nationwide use of Longer Combination Vehicles (LCV). Double, and triple trailer rigs are so classified.
• The big trucks are, currently, involved in incidents, which are accounting for 5,000 USA deaths each year.
• The interstate highway system is experiencing increasing, congestion, amounts.

The Reason Public Policy Institute is suggesting, in a 2002 study, these aforementioned problems are addressed via the addition, of toll truckways, to the interstate highway system.
These toll truckways would manifest as barrier separated traffic lanes, which would make use of "heavy-duty" construction methods. LCV usage would be legal in, all, of these truck toll lanes. In theory, the LCV usage would result in productivity gains for trucking companies. This productivity gain would be used, in part, such to pay the tolls, which would be necessary, such to pay for the toll lanes' construction expenses.
The Institute does state; the trucking companies are agreeable to paying the tolls, which are deducted from the trucking companies productivity gains.
The Institute does hold to the opinion, twenty, high freight volume, corridors do offer the most potential as test beds for the toll lane implementation. These twenty, most desirable, corridors are selected from four dozen initial, possible, corridors.
Selected, from these twenty, desirable corridors; the Institute is, currently, identifying ten corridors which are judged to have:

• The highest revenue potential
• Right away available. Right of way is usually found, within the median.
• Friendly nature, of the terrain, through which the roadway is passing.

Right now, the most important change needed, within federal policy, is the permission, such to use LCVs in the states, where such usage is, currently, forbidden, by federal law. Right along with this usage change, the federal government is required to grant permission, which is allowing for the tolls collection. Also, the Institute is envisioning federal legislation, which is resulting in the creation, of a mechanism, which does facilitate multi-state corridor planning.
The institute is suggesting; the federal surface transportation program, which is due for reauthorization, during 2004, is the ideal instrument usable, such to create a toll truckways pilot program .

Reason Foundation: Surface Transportation Innovations