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May 23, 2007

BILL * USA - Pennsylvania's one, would split speed limits, ban trucks from left lanes

PEN,USA -Land Line Magazine, by Keith Goble -May 22, 2007: -- A bill in the Pennsylvania Senate would require truck drivers to travel 5 mph slower than they do now and stay to the right on certain highways in the state... The bill would mandate that vehicles with a registered gross weight in excess of 26,000 pounds be slowed to 60 mph on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, rural interstates and other limited-access routes. All other vehicles would be allowed to continue to travel at the current 65 mph speed limit... Opponents say requiring trucks to drive at speeds slower than other vehicles does not promote safety on the highways... (Photo by westcoastdriver Public Gallery: Hwy 23 South North Carolina Beautiful Morning)

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May 10, 2007

BILLS * USA

* Texas bills with eye on trucking rules advance
TX,USA -Land Line Magazine -May 9, 2007: -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry has signed a bill into law intended to curb unsafe trucking operations in the state. Several other bills of interest continue to draw consideration in the statehouse... Existing state law doesn’t prohibit intrastate travel for motor carriers that have been deemed unfit or unsafe for interstate travel by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration... The new law, previously SB332, prohibits motor carriers from operating intrastate if the FMCSA has prohibited them from operating in interstate commerce because of safety concerns. It takes effect Sept. 1... Another bill – SB331 – would change the maximum length for saddlemount vehicle transporter combinations in the state from 75 feet to 97 feet... Two more bills deal with cargo securement... One bill – SB387 – would add refuse and aggregates to the list of material that must be covered to prevent from blowing or spilling from trucks. State law now includes sand, gravel, dirt and wood chips under the items that must be covered... A bill, relates to the construction of cattle guards on county roads... Texas law now only permits counties with populations of less than 60,000 to construction of cattle guards on county roads. The bill – SB66 – would remove the population limit...

* California Senate approves bill to ban high-tech driver’s licenses
CAL,USA -Land Line Magazine -May 9, 2007: -- A bill in California that would prohibit the use of radio frequency identification devices in driver’s licenses passed the state’s Senate. The devices aren’t used by the California Department of Motor Vehicles, but they are legal... Radio frequency identification devices, or RFIDs, are tiny chips that provide information by emitting radio signals. The devices are used in a variety of ways, including keeping tabs on store inventories, providing access to buildings and assessing toll-road fees...

* Michigan bills would boost fuel tax rates
MICH,USA -Land Line Magazine/The Times Herald of Port Huron, MI -May 9, 2007: -- Bipartisan legislation in the Michigan House looks to increase the state’s per-gallon fuel tax rates to generate more than $1 billion in new funding each year for road work... House Transportation Committee Chairman Hoon-Yung Hopgood, D-Taylor, has introduced a measure – HB4576 – that would boost the state’s 15-cent-per-gallon diesel tax by 13 cents during the next three years. It also would increase vehicle registration fees by 50 percent... House Minority Leader Craig DeRoche, R-Novi, has offered a bill – HB4575 – that would raise the state’s 19-cent-per-gallon gas tax by 9 cents during the next three years... The 6 percent general sales tax added to fuel purchases would be unchanged... The bills would increase the fuel tax rates to 22 cents per gallon next year. Two annual increases of 3 cents per gallon would follow in 2009 and 2010, taking the rates up to 28 cents per gallon...

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Apr 20, 2007

BILLS * USA

* Nevada bill would add weight-distance tax for trucks
NE,USA -Land Line Magazine -April 18 , 2007: -- A bill moving through the Nevada Assembly calls for truckers to chip in more to help pay for $3.8 billion in road work in the state... The Assembly Transportation Committee approved the bill, which would add a weight-distance tax of 15 cents per mile for many large trucks. The tax would affect trucks weighing more than 55,000 pounds, including local garbage trucks and cement haulers...

* Pennsylvania bill would allow leasing of toll roads
PEN,USA -Land Line Magazine -April 19 , 2007: -- Gov. Ed Rendell would really like to see state lawmakers approve legislation soon to authorize public-private partnerships in Pennsylvania... The governor wants to auction off the Pennsylvania Turnpike to help raise money for transportation projects throughout the state. To do that, the legislature must send a bill to the governor’s suite authorizing such deals... Rep. Rick Geist, R-Altoona, has offered a bill that would grant the governor’s wish. The measure in the House Transportation Committee would allow the state to enter into agreements with private business to lease toll roads and bridges...

* Texas Senate committee considers bills to curb private tolling
TX,USA -Land Line Magazine -April 19 , 2007: -- Since the Texas Legislature opened early this year dozens of bills have been offered to curb the state’s tollway powers. A handful of bills that are moving forward include a provision to place a two-year moratorium on private toll roads... The Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee took up a pair of bills Wednesday, April 18, that are intended to buy the state more time to review the effects of handing over roadways, such as the proposed Trans-Texas Corridor, to private business...

* Road safety bills advance in Delaware
DEL,USA -Land Line Magazine -April 19 , 2007: -- To improve safety on roadways in Delaware, one bill would prohibit drivers in the state from talking on hand-held devices while driving. Another bill would toughen the state’s open container law... The House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee approved a bill that would prohibit drivers from using hand-held cell phones while behind the wheel. Talking on a phone equipped with a “hands-free” accessory would still be permitted... Another bill approved by the House panel also is intended to make the state’s roadways safer... The bill would ban consumption and possession of open containers of alcohol in vehicles traveling highways in the state. Exceptions are included for passengers in RVs, fifth-wheel trailers, buses, limousines and taxis...

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Apr 19, 2007

BILLS * USA

* Illinois legislators discuss several trucking bills
Ill,USA -Land Line Magazine, by Keith Goble -April 17, 2007: -- A bill awaiting consideration on the floor of the Illinois House would allow some large trucks access to local roads in the state. Sponsored by Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville, the truck-access bill would change restrictions on how far trucks may travel off main routes to deliver their loads, fuel up or get rest... The bill – HB918 – would allow those truckers to travel off any highway – not just those designated by the state – for whatever distance is necessary to load, unload, get a meal, fuel or repair their vehicles, or obtain needed rest. The only requirement would be that the trucker take the “shortest practical” route to his or her destination... Another bill would repeal a $400 fee targeting Illinois-based truckers. Sponsored by Rep. Careen Gordon, D-Coal City, the measure would eliminate the annual commercial distribution fee charged on each truck... Uproar from the trucking industry led to the law being amended the following year to gradually reduce the surcharge amount... A bill nearing passage in the Senate is intended to lower diesel emissions in the state. Sponsored by Sen. Jacqueline Collins, D-Chicago, the bill would put impose a 2.5 percent surcharge on the sale or lease of trucks that don’t have 2007 engines. The measure – SB268 – also would set up a program to register all diesel-powered vehicles – on-road and off-road... Another emissions bill is moving along much slower. Sponsored by Rep. Elaine Nekritz, D-Des Plaines, the bill would require all 1993-1998 model trucks in excess of the 16,000 gross vehicle weight rating to have federally mandated computer hardware and/or software installed to control nitrogen oxide emissions...

* Washington bill targets unsafe intrastate truckers
WASH,USA -Land Line Magazine, by Keith Goble -April 16, 2007: -- Unsafe trucking companies are the subject of a bill headed to Washington state Gov. Chris Gregoire’s desk... The Senate approve a bill – HB1304 – that would make it easier to shut down trucking operations in the state with faulty trucks and people who drive them recklessly... Sponsored by Rep. Ruth Kagi, D-Lake Forest Park, the bill would authorize the Washington State Patrol more authority to monitor, inspect and penalize intrastate carriers...

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posted by Unknown @ 10:53 AM  0 comments

Apr 10, 2007

BILLS * USA

* Minnesota bill would increase truck weight limit
Minn,USA -Land Line Magazine -April 9, 2007: -- A bill moving forward in the Minnesota Senate would increase the gross vehicle weight of trucks allowed on certain roads in the state by as much as 8.5 tons... The Senate Transportation Committee voted to advance the bill to the Senate Taxes Committee that would permit truckers hauling timber, forest products and raw farm products to load heavier on state and county roads. Load limits on interstates would not change... The measure would allow six-axle trucks with gross weights of 90,000 pounds and seven-axle trucks up to 97,000 pounds on the affected roadways. State law now limits trucks to 80,000 pounds...

* Legislation on the move in Missouri focuses on trucks; road safety
Miss,USA -Land Line Magazine -April 9, 2007: -- The Senate approved a bill that would increase the maximum gross vehicle weight limit and axle weight limit for large trucks equipped with idle reduction technology. The measure also would authorize affected trucks to weigh up to an additional 400 pounds... A measure that has advanced from the House to the Senate would take advantage of an income tax credit made available by Congress in 2005. The bill – HB488 – would create a tax credit for installing idle reduction technology for the next two years. The credit would be equal to 50 percent of the amount of purchase and installation on class 8 trucks – up to $3,500 per truck... Another bill would revise procedures for conducting roadside inspections. The bill would set up a program to certify local law enforcement officers to enforce CMV laws... One other bill would prohibit the expungement of records for commercial driver’s license holders who are convicted of or plead guilty to an offense with a blood alcohol content of 0.04 percent or above... A House-approved bill would require applicants for commercial driver’s licenses to be able to speak and read English. It’s been forwarded to the Senate... Opponents say there are no studies that suggest English proficiency makes better drivers. They also voice concern that adopting the strict standards would push certain trucking companies to go “underground” to hire people to sit behind the wheel of trucks...

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posted by Unknown @ 10:55 AM  0 comments

Apr 6, 2007

BILLS * USA

* Alabama bills address fuel taxes, left-lane use and probable cause
AL,USA -Land Line Magazine (Grain Valley,MO), by Keith Goble -April 5, 2007: -- Several bills of interest to the trucking industry have been offered this year in the Alabama Legislature. Those efforts include legislation to increase fuel taxes, limit left-lane use and law enforcement officers more power to arrest people for misdemeanors... A bill in the House Government Appropriations Committee would allow county commissions to increase the excise tax on motor fuels by resolution. Would allow a 6-cent-per-gallon tax to be added on diesel and gasoline purchases to pay for roads and transit... Another bill in the House Public Safety Committee is intended to combat aggressive driving on multi-lane highways by keeping the far left lane clear of most traffic. Would limit left-lane use to vehicles passing or overtaking slower moving traffic... And a bill, would give law enforcement officers more power during roadside stops. Under existing state law, an officer is not generally authorized to arrest a person for a misdemeanor traffic offense that is not committed in the presence of the officer...

* Toll ban bill advances in Texas
TX,USA -Land Line Magazine (Grain Valley,MO), by Keith Goble -April 5, 2007: -- A bill that is intended to buy the state more time to review the effects of handing over roadways to private groups is advancing in the Texas Senate... The Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee unanimously approved the bill, which would place a two-year moratorium on toll road leases with private groups... The bill also would require a study of the long-term effects of public-private partnerships... If it were to make it through the Legislature the bill likely would get a veto stamp from Gov. Rick Perry. He has condemned the concept because of concerns about congestion and the complications it could create for attracting business... The governor also said the state will always own the land beneath private toll roads – and toll-free alternatives will be available for drivers...

* Illinois Senate approves effort to end split speed limit
Ill,USA -Land Line Magazine (Grain Valley,MO), by Keith Goble -April 5, 2007: -- For the third time in recent years, legislation making its way through the Illinois statehouse would bring an end to split speed limits in the state... The Senate voted 45-10 in late March in favor of the latest attempt to eliminate the provision in state law that set up slower speed limits on rural interstates for vehicles weighing more than 8,000 pounds. Currently, those vehicles are required to travel 10 mph below the 65 mph speed limit for other vehicles... The bill – SB540 – would allow the Illinois Department of Transportation to increase large truck speeds to as much as 65 mph. It now heads to the House for further consideration... OOIDA and other trucking industry officials have fought for the elimination of the state’s split speed limit for years. They cite federal statistics showing that split speed limits actually lead to more accidents...

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