It's a Team's Life

Am I the problem?

Minnesota has this figured out with the zipper merge. What is a zipper merge? This is when everyone stays in their own lane until the point of going into the construction area and then take turns merging. This process keeps both lanes moving and has proven to be smoother and faster to get through construction areas then the one lane approach.

The zipper approach only works if traffic is moving slowly approaching the construction area and one lane of traffic. Studies that were done by Minnesota have shown that the zipper method can reduce the overall length of the traffic back up by 40%. This method also helps with road rage as each lane is moving and taking turns to merge or form the zipper.

During my driving career this is an area where I was prone to road rage after I have sat for sometimes hours in my lane waiting my turn and another vehicle zooms up to cut in front of me. A colleague watched a documentary about the zipper merge and that letting another vehicle in front of you really does not increase the wait time. I realized that he was right and all of my efforts to not let a vehicle in front of me and my stress level was not worth it.

Sit back, enjoy the view and be glad you are in a truck with all of the comforts instead of a smaller vehicle that can only see the vehicle in front of them and has no clue what is happening on down the road.

Being one of "those people" actually helps to keep traffic flowing.

Construction areas are part of our job as well as traffic jams, we can choose to fight the inevitable or sit back, smile, and relax. In other words, don't worry be happy.

To learn more about the Minnesota Zipper Merge

Bob & Linda Caffee
TeamCaffee
Saint Louis MO
Expediters since January 2005
[email protected]

Expediting isn't just trucking, it's a lifestyle;
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