New Video Shows Wyoming’s Advanced Runaway Truck System
I've seen a lot of runaway truck ramps, but never one like this one. There's a new video showing Wyoming's advanced runaway truck system.
Thanks to the fact that I've lived in or near mountains much of my life, runaway truck ramps are not a new sight for me. If you've ever gone through Colorado and dealt with the terror that is Wolf Creek Pass, you learn to appreciate the emergency areas if your brakes fail.
If you've seen the runaway truck ramp system near Buffalo, Wyoming, you know this is one of the more advanced systems of its kind in the country. It's the DragNet Vehicle Arresting Barrier. The manufacturer website gives a good description of what it does.
The Dragnet system is a net-type attenuator. It provides a safe, controlled stop with minimum damage to the impacting vehicle, regardless of speed or vehicle size.
Old-school truck drivers have seen many runaway truck ramps that were basically a mammoth trail of sand. This new system is supposed to minimize damage to vehicles that have to use it.
I've heard about these new types of runaway truck ramps, but this is the first video I've seen of one. This is the one thing you hope you never need, but appreciate big time if you ever do.