There has been a lot of talk recently about the upkeep of our nation’s highways and how heavy commercial vehicles do more than their fair share of damage to the roads. Regulations about the number of wheels required per pound of weight carried are supposed to keep trucks from putting too much weight on any one section of road, thereby reducing wear and tear. Now congress has been presented with a bill, HR612, which would allow longer and heavier trucks on our highways.
The issue of wear and tear is only one of the many reasons why trucking groups like OOIDA are claiming that this change would be a terrible mistake. The main issue, as you might expect, is one of safety. Contrary to the ATA’s claim that longer and heavier trucks are someone safer, OOIDA and other industry groups assert that the laws of physics won’t change just because the super-carriers want them to. If you add disproportionately more weight to a vehicle than you do friction (in the form of more wheels), the stopping distance will increase and the maneuverability of the vehicle will decrease.
“Increasing the weight limit for trucks presents serious questions about highway safety, road and bridge damage,” Rep. Lou Barletta stated in a letter to other members of Congress.
As Rep. Barletta points out, in a time when such a significant portion of our bridges are out-of-date and can’t bear the weight of commercial vehicles, trucks shouldn’t be getting any heavier than they already are.
“While some within the trucking industry argue that the entire industry is supportive of a weight increase, the overwhelming majority of trucking, from independent owner-operators up to most fleets, does not see a benefit from increasing truck size and weights,” OOIDA President Jim Johnston wrote Tuesday, Feb. 26.
Johnston went on to write that if congress didn’t feel comfortable rejecting the bill outright, that they should at least wait until studies that have already been ordered to look into this issue are completed by the DOT. “At the very least, Congress needs a complete understanding of the issues surrounding size and weight before considering any potential change to current policies,” he said.
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Flatbed Lady says
I find it very ironic that we have one government agency pushing for changes in our HOS to make things safer for all on the roads…but then another agency wants to change the weight limits which would do the opposite for safety. The left hand and the right hand do not work well together.
Flix says
It is understandable for us owners-operators to be against this not only because of perceived safety issues but also because we’d be at a disadvantage in front of the “super-carriers”.
HOWEVER, our perceived safety concerns are misguided. Yes, it’s definitely true that a heavier vehicle can do much more damage. But at the same time, if more weight is allowed, there will be fewer trucks on the roads overall. So, unless a heavier vehicle is somehow more likely to crash, the total number of crashes will be greatly reduced.
To illustrate the point, consider this exaggerated example:
Max. GVWR 50,000: 10 truckloads
Max. GVWR 100,000: 5 truckloads
In this example, to get the same number of incidents, the heavier truck would have to be twice as likely to crash, which of course is absurd.
Tom says
what are you smoking….as i read and reread your comment i fnd it crazy…500 horse power can pull your 50,000 but 100,000 will slow them down and cost more fuel and will create more many many more safty concerns…and shippers will still push the limits as they do now…longer and heaver trucks is not the way to go….and the rates wont change because your going that way anyway…shippers and recivers need to be reuglated not the drivers but that wont happen untill we ban together and take a stand to protect our rights….no seems as though nobody has the balls to take this on or take on the Gov and the shipping industry…i dont have the funds but i am willing to….any ideas!!!!!!!!!! i am willing to hear them!!!!!
mike says
a truck weighing 100,000 does not use as much fuel as two trucks weighing 50,000…
more profitability helps all involved, period. and less traffic helps all involved as well.
Douglas Kirk says
I have been pulling trains out here in the west for many years. All people see is the total weight but they dont stop to think about the extra brakes that come with the extra axles. I have pulled legal loads of 129,000 pounds or more up and down all kinds of mountains in all kinds of weather. No problems. By the way, I am a 35 year driver with 5 million miles and no accidents. If cars out-number trucks by a million to one – they do- then i submit that a lighter load repeated many times causes more damage than fewer heavy ones.
Tom says
Mr, Kirk…..BULL PUCKS Sir
wow says
pull your head out of the ground Kirk. Sounds to me like u want that heavier load. Thats nuts more fuel being used, Loads won’t pay more just the same or less. Its the shippers and recieviers pushing the heavier loads they figure looks better on paper for heavier loads means less trucks means more money in their pockets.
KIRK look at the BIG PICTURE not the one just in front of your nose!!!!!!
Douglas Kirk says
To illustrate my previous point, a 5axle truck at 80k pounds has 10 brakes. An 11axle truck at 129k pounds has 22 brakes. This is 2.2 times as many brakes with only a 61% increase in weight. Are you following?
magicokie says
Ok, so you mean in other words you would rather have a 61% increase in weight, like a boy weighting 129 lbs stand on your head for 5 minutes in stead of a boy weighting 80 lbs stand on your head for 10 minutes. Is it about safty or the damage pressure point to the ground ?
mike says
i dont see an issue with raising weight/size limits, there is no safety issue..less trucks is less trucks and safe driving prevents an at fault accident 100% of the time.
trucks have the power with current engines to haul significantly more weight, more axles/ newer trlr’s can be made to address other issues associated with the additional weight.
it would all depend on whether it would be financially beneficial for all involved or not, and it should be…carriers, shippers, rcvr’s,drivers and consumers.
Rebecca Robinson says
I am a company driver and I was fined, arrested and released for not having a up to date IFTA sticker, Is that legal? This happened in Charleston, Missouri.
Todd Gardner says
I agree with kirk more axles more brakes and as to fuel there’s not much in difference to be concerned about.