Federal and state officials are taking steps to alert the trucking industry about what to do as the sky darkens during next week's coast-to-coast solar eclipse.
But authorities in several key states are reportedly more concerned about people traveling to get the best view of the eclipse rather than about the phenomenon itself.
Although a partial eclipse will be visible throughout the country, a 70-mile-wide swath from Oregon to South Carolina will experience a total eclipse, and Transport Topics reports that Oregon, Missouri and Idaho made changes in effort to avoid potential traffic congestion.
Transportation officials in those states altered their freight schedules, limited over-sized loads or sought to curb deliveries on Monday altogether. In a handful of other states, government or industry groups distributed information to truckers but did not implement any cargo or delivery restrictions.
(AP Photo)In Oregon, which will be the first to see a total eclipse shortly after 10 a.m., officials cautioned the industry against being complacent.
“There are some who are in denial — like this is a Y2K thing,” Oregon DOT Motor Carrier Transportation Division spokesman David House told TT. “All we can do is warn them. We can’t suddenly double our highway capacity.”
