Cheltenham, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cheltenham: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Cheltenham and Montgomery County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Montgomery County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1.5 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Montgomery County compares with Pennsylvania
Montgomery County against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Montgomery County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Montgomery County | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 46.6 | 57.2 | 49.7 | 19% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.2 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 54% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.39 | 0.47 | 0.49 | 17% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 6.0% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 1.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.4% | 9.1% | 6.2% | 63% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.3% | 24.5% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.4% | 19.0% | 13.8% | 13% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.9% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 9% below the state |
| After dark | 19.8% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 18% below the state |
Montgomery County sits below Pennsylvania on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
Montgomery County at a glance: 1 in 17 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 6.0%, vs 3.6% in Pennsylvania.
Overview
Since 2015, 4,799 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Montgomery County. They injured 1,910 people and killed 54.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
Cheltenham had 82 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Montgomery County numbers.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 9.6% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (7.1%).
November through March accounts for 38.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Pennsylvania.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 8.1% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 3.4% of truck crashes, compared with 9.1% in Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-130 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (7). Next come I-95 (6), I-76 (3) and SR-611 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 283 crashes, 5.9% of the total, against 3.6% across Pennsylvania.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in August (12% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 1.5, vs 1.2 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Cheltenham fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along US-130; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: August is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Montgomery County.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 28.3% of truck crashes here, more than Pennsylvania; adjust start times where you can.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Montgomery County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-130 | 7 |
| I-95 | 6 |
| I-76 | 3 |
| SR-611 | 3 |
| I-276 | 2 |
| I-676 | 2 |
| SR-1003 | 2 |
| SR-232 | 2 |
| 11th St | 1 |
| Algon Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Montgomery County) |
|---|---|
| I-6000 | 519 |
| I-0076 | 488 |
| I-7476 | 419 |
| I-0476 | 262 |
| SR-0422 | 208 |
| SR-0063 | 188 |
| SR-0309 | 143 |
| SR-0202 | 115 |
Cheltenham at a glance
| Population | 38,840 |
| Land area | 9.0 sq mi |
| Density | 4,303 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 19027) | $106,066 |
| Median home value (ZIP 19027) | $391,307 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Montgomery County since the 1990s
Combines the FMCSA crash file (all reported truck crashes, real coverage from about 1990) with NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes involving a large truck, 1982–2024).
| Decade | Truck crashes / yr | Change | Fatal crashes / yr (FARS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 267 | — | 4.7 |
| 2000s | 344 | +29% | 4.5 |
| 2010s | 332 | -3% | 3.5 |
| 2020s | 428 | +29% | 4.0 |
In the 1990s about 267 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 428. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.2 a year in 2016–19 and 4.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Cheltenham
How many truck accidents are there in Cheltenham?
Montgomery County has had 4,799 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,910 people and killing 54.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Cheltenham?
NHTSA data shows US-130 with 7 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Cheltenham since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Cheltenham?
Truck crashes in Montgomery County peak in August, with 9.6% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Cheltenham?
Since 2015, Montgomery County has reported 283 garbage-truck crashes, or 5.9% of its truck crashes.
How does Cheltenham compare with Pennsylvania for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Montgomery County has 46.6 truck crashes a year; Pennsylvania has 57.2.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Cheltenham?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.