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TRUCKS' SIZE * USA - Battle lines drawn over
The battle over whether federal laws should expand truck weights and lengths or keep the present limitations is heating up
Washington,DC,USA -eTrucker, by Jill Dunn -18 May 2009: -- The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, the Teamsters and safety groups support the current limit of 80,000 pounds and 53-foot limits for tractor-trailer trucks on interstate highways of the National Highway System... The NHS covers about 160,000 miles of highway, while interstates represent 44,000 miles... The American Trucking Associations, National Private Truck Council and some shipping organizations favor expanding these limits. They support the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act of 2009 or H.R. 1799. It was introduced by Rep. Michael Michaud (D-Maine) March 30 and was referred to a House subcommittee with 12 co-sponsors... That legislation would allow trucks a maximum gross weight of 97,000 pounds, provided the vehicle has at least six axles, including a tridem axle group with a weight limit of 51,000 pounds. Axle weight increases of up to 2,000 pounds would be authorized at the state's option... The heavier weight limit would be allowed only if approved by a state legislature... On May 4, safety advocates launched the StopBiggerTrucks.org grassroots campaign to ask Congress to reject size and weight increases for trucks... They noted a new national poll by Lake Research Partners, which indicated eight out of ten Americans believe bigger trucks will decrease highway safety. Only 16 percent would support Congress approving bigger overweight trucks and rolling back the 1991 congressionally mandated freeze on longer combination trucks – double and triple trailer trucks... (Photo from tfhrc.gov, vy Peter Samuel - double trailer trucks are at a service area on the Indiana Toll Road)
Labels: trucks sizes
posted by Unknown @ 4:58 AM
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