DOT and Governor to enforce new trucking regulations

5/12/08

Quote:

NEW YORK STATE -- The State DOT is looking to gets large trucks off of main streets in small communities. The DOT will begin enforcing new regulations aimed at forcing large trucks to stay off main streets and use the interstate system instead. The announcement comes from Governor Paterson and state officials in Skaneateles on Monday. The goal is to improve the quality of life for people living in those communities. The new regulations will first be implemented in the Finger Lakes region and then branch out across the state. http://news10now.com/content/all_new...s/Default.aspx

__________________



The Truckers Report Merchandise

More stupid fear-mongering by this nation's hateful politicians. Does that include the household movers drivers sent to a small town to move somebody's stuff?

Governor: Big rigs will stay out of villages

Paterson announces that tractor trailers must keep to Thruway and other highways.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008 By Delen Goldberg


The loud, stinky big rigs that rumble through Skaneateles and other rural Upstate communities, dropping garbage, threatening watersheds and annoying residents, are soon going to be a thing of the past, lawmakers promised Monday.
Gov. David Paterson and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer visited Skaneateles to announce that the state Department of Transportation will implement new policies to prevent tractor trailers from leaving highways and taking shortcuts through towns and villages.
Almost 2 million trucks a year, or about 280 trucks a day, carry freight through the rural roads of Central New York to shave time off their trips, reduce toll costs and use less fuel.

They saved a few dollars and ruined the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of residents. This problem is going to be solved," Schumer said to the cheers of about 100 local officials and residents gathered Monday outside the Sherwood Inn.
Residents yelled from the crowd that they have been waiting decades for a solution.
"You've been waiting 20 years?" Paterson asked. "Well, there's a new sheriff in town."
The new regulations will require tractor trailers to use the state Thruway and other highways. Municipal and state police will patrol local roads, and companies that fail to obey the rules will be fined.
Paterson and Schumer did not disclose the amount of the fines, but Schumer said companies "will pay such a fine that they will wish they paid the tolls."
As the elected officials made their announcement, several large trucks carrying cement, beer and construction materials rolled down West Genesee Street.
"This was clearly a situation that was out of hand," Paterson said.
"We're going to save a real tragedy here by doing this," said Barbara Clary, president of the Upstate New York Safety Coalition Task Force, which has lobbied against the truck traffic.
Paterson got the DOT on board with his plan through an administrative action. That means it does not need the approval of the state Legislature.
Still, the governor's solution closely resembles a bill drafted by Sen. John DeFrancisco, R-Syracuse. That bill passed the Senate several times, but stalled in the Assembly, where some members argued it was unconstitutional.
DeFrancisco and other lawmakers had asked previous Govs. George Pataki and Eliot Spitzer to make an administrative ruling on the issue, but neither did.
DOT officials will draft the new policy by the first week in June, Paterson and Schumer said, and it should take affect by summer.
"I have a feeling," Schumer said, "that this summer, along Route 20, will be a lot more pleasant."

yeah every truck runs the interstate and never gets off of it

this ought to be great , i make alot of NY state delievies in small towns

Upstate trash hauling deal reached

By CRAIG FOX
Tuesday, May 13, 2008 9:38 AM CDT

Gov. David Paterson and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer were in Skaneateles Monday to say that the state will soon develop regulations requiring trash haulers to use Route 81 from downstate and the state Thruway to get to the Seneca Meadows and other area landfills.

The New York State Department of Transportation will institute a new policy intended to keep non-local large trucks on the National Interstate Highway System. The truck route should be in place by June 1.

Over 1.9 million trucks carry freight through the area each year. In recent years, there have been numerous accidents spilling fuel, garbage and chemicals, all posing a potential threat to the Onondaga County watershed and surrounding neighborhoods. In addition, the trucks disrupt communities at all hours of the day and night, Schumer said.

For years, Geneva Town Supervisor Mary Luckern has complained about trucks going down County Road 6 to get to the Flint landfill, operated by Casella Waste Management.

“I am anxious to know the details of the proposal,” she said this morning, adding that she'll be happy, the town board will be happy, and residents will be overjoyed.
Mike Bentley, who lives off Route 89 in Varick, has had to put up with more than 85 trucks roaring past his house daily. He was relieved to hear a solution may be near.

“That's great news,” he said. “It's always fell on deaf ears when we wanted the DOT to do something about it before.”

Margery Backlund, who lives four miles south of Canoga in Seneca County, said that the big trucks come ripping though Route 89 so fast that her dishes sometimes rattle, although the speeds aren't as bad as they used to be.

“We're looking for any good news that'll become a reality,” Backlund said. “Sometimes four or five trucks come through at a time, and you don't want to get in between and become a ham sandwich.” The Finger Lakes and surrounding wine region is the first area where this new policy will be instituted. The area is a premier tourist draw for Central New York and a resource that the governor has said he is committed to developing as an

economic and cultural asset.

Of the approximate 200 officials and property owners who were present for the news, many were from the Auburn and Ithaca areas, where they've been trying to get a state truck route in their municipalities.

Owasco resident Barbara Clary, president of the Upstate New York Safety Coalition Task Force, which has fought for years to get something done, is convinced that the regulations and truck route will help. “It's going to depend on enforcement,” she said, adding that the short cuts through rural roads don't save money for truck drivers. “It adds 90 minutes to their driving. They don't think so, but it does.”

In April, Schumer said Paterson had pledged to take a fresh, hard look at ways to solve the problem.

Seneca Meadows' parent company, the Texas-based IESI, has the hauling contract with New York City, but it subcontracts with the companies that do the actual hauling.“It's not Seneca Meadows,” Clary said. “It's the haulers.”

Seneca Meadows District Manager Don Gentilcore couldn't be reached for comment.

There is so much stupidity from these lawmakers it makes MY head hurt.

__________________

"and you don't want to get in between and become a ham sandwich."

Here's an idea. . . DON'T GET IN THE WAY!

Seriously. Small towns all across America sit right on legal truck lanes. Are they going to redraw the Motor Carrier Atlas? And the average speed a truck travels in these small towns is 25 to 30 mph.

Agreed. Basically, we have to pay to go anywhere in NY if this really sticks. I hate to be captain obvious, but most of the small towns are on the truck routes because the highways bring a lot of business. My small town? Right at the intersection of M-99 and US-12, likely only getting by because of the traffic US-12 brings, especially when there are races at MIS. I wonder how the company routing will look next time I have to pick up/deliver somewhere in NY. I'd hate to have to tell them I have to go 80 miles out of route because I can't leave the interstate.

I like that someone pointed out these tiny routes actually ADD time to our routes. Maybe the problem isn't the shortcut, maybe it's the tolls these guys have to pay just to travel down the roads they're already paying a fuel tax for.

thats alright, lets stop all trucks to NY...wonder how much they will have? last time i checked the train doesnt go everywhere and small box trucks arnt running that far to get goods....

Ah, they say the same about California, but there's still plenty of trucks. I do imagine their freight rates will be seeing a hike, though, and I'll be seeing a higher-paying route going to Canada. You'd think these people would eventually realize when it costs us more to get it there, we pass the price hike onto them.