San Antonio, Texas, is considering banning trucks from the fast lane of major highways during peak travel times.

The San Antonio Express-News reported that the city might begin a pilot program as soon as this summer on U.S. 90 and I-10. The Texas Transportation Department sent letters to San Antonio and 71 other Texas cities promoting a 1997 law authorizing cities to restrict truckers from fast lanes. Houston had been the first to take advantage of the law two years ago, and a Texas Transportation Institute study said accidents dropped by 68% on the portions of Houston's I-10 affected by the lane restrictions.
A Texas Motor Transportation Assn. spokesman said the decline in crashes might have also come from the presence of more police along I-10. As to the perspective of the trucking industry, representatives of the industry have warned that the lane restrictions might cause congestion for traffic trying to merge onto the interstate.