Work-Zone Safety: What Is Changing for TMAs
From the 2030 non-MASH deadline to automation and higher-speed testing, several shifts are reshaping how fleets spec crash trucks. Here is what to watch.
The core job of a truck-mounted attenuator has not changed: park behind the crew, absorb the impact, redirect the vehicle. What is changing is the regulatory floor and the equipment around it. Fleets planning purchases over the next few years should keep a few shifts in view.
The regulatory clock
MASH 2016 is now the standard, and the older gear is on borrowed time. Non-MASH-2016 attenuators built before January 1, 2023 must be off the road by January 1, 2030. That deadline is driving replacement cycles across the industry, so lead times and inventory will matter as it approaches.
Where the equipment is heading
- Higher-speed applications, with optional testing to 70 mph beyond the standard TL-3 range.
- Automated and driverless shadow vehicles under development to remove the operator from the highest-risk seat.
- Better integration of arrow boards and message boards for clearer approach warnings.
If you run pre-2023 non-MASH units, budget the replacements now. Waiting until 2029 means competing for inventory with everyone else who waited.
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