Nearly four years after it was instructed to conduct a comprehensive study on truck size and weight limits by Congress, the Department of Transportation has finally released one. But even they admit it’s far from comprehensive. Or even at all useful.
In the conclusion of the study, the DOT writes that “In many ways, this study produced more questions than it sought to answer.” That’s a problem when the whole point of the multi-year effort was to give a well-researched and thoroughly vetted recommendation on whether or not larger and heavier trucks should be allowed on our nation’s roadways.
Instead, despite all of their research, the DOT stated that “the current model and data limitations were so profound that the results could not accurately be extrapolated to confidently predict national impacts. Subsequent public input and peer review has not altered that view.”
So instead of offering definitive proof and then giving a recommendation, the DOT is advising that no changes be made to truck size or weight limits because they don’t know what impact that would have.
Some see this as a welcome change after the FMCSA has been accused of barreling ahead with new regulations without having the proper data to back up their actions. Others however are disappointed that not only is the data not available, but the DOT claims that gathering all the data necessary is not within its capacity at all.
So the DOT’s official recommendation on size/weight limits is as follows:
“The Department stresses that no changes in the relevant Federal truck size and weight laws and regulations should be made until these limitations are overcome. Despite recent Congressional action approving additional size and weight exceptions and waivers on a piecemeal and nationwide basis, DOT recommends a thoughtful approach to future policy making.”
Source: gobytrucknews, truckinginfo, fleetowner, overdrive, fhwa, fhwa
They should go back and look at other rules they made, that they also know nothing about.
Your tax dollars at work…”Duh.. I dunno boss”.
Hahaha, that’s only acceptable for those idiots in DC, if we tried that we’d be out of a job.
How refreshing to read that the FMCSA (a bureaucracy that regularly infringes on individual liberty with the issuance of each new regulation) will not (for now) be rewriting the rules for size & weight.
Isn’t it amazing how a relatively small group of unelected bureaucrats can impose rules, regulations, fines, & taxes on millions of people that happen to own commercial vehicles, without EVER having to face the criticism & review of those they seek to regulate?
I intended to refer to the DOT, not the FMCSA, in my comment.
I’ll save my criticism of the FMCSA for another story.
The FMCSA is a joke… Non elected officials representing the Trucking industry is a joke… The entire Commercial Transportation industry better get a grip on things. It’s a matter of time before we are all obsolete!!
Can we, the taxpayers, get a refund for this study?
Wow, four years!? Since when did increasing truck size and weight concurrently with the roads crumbling ever sound like a good idea?
We can barely get in and out of some of these rest areas, truck stops, shippers and receivers now. The roads and bridges just can’t take it. New York, LA, Chicago, forget about it. Then you have stated that say things like ” it’s the big heavy trucks that are damaging our roads, lets toll/tax them more.
A tandem axle maxed out at 34,000 lbs puts more pounds per square inch on the highways surface than a triple axle maxed at 43,500 pounds. Also giving you and extra axle for braking. MAXED tandems Therefore cause more stress on the roadway than MAXED triples do. A quad axle is even less psi on the road. More axles equal less road stress and higher pay.
“Extrapolated” must be the word of the day for this website
Heavy trucks already pay more in taxes. When you pay your annual GVW tax, trucks that purchase 110,000 lbs pay a much higher rate as those who are taxed for 80,000. Heavier loads are hard on bridges, but the more axles in the ground the less PSI the highway surfaces.
What about when three & four axle rigs make turns. Isn’t that bad for the road?
It depends on the exact configuration. Axle spacing and the requirements for steerable axles will determine exactly how hard the pavement is hit. As someone who routinely pulls multi-axle trailers around, I can vouch that the 4 and 5-leggers (with steerable lift axles) actually go around regular corners without excessive drama. But once you get to 6 axles, you start to hear that pavement-rubber grind.
The tires do scrub in a real tight turn Ezmule but not as bad as a spread axle trailer. Most 4 axles have a steerable rear axle to alleviate that issue.
Just what we’d expect from years of government training.
Just goes to prove what we’ve said for year’s that DOT doesn’t have a clue what really goes on out here, get out from behind that overpaid desk and get in a truck for awhile and then real changes will happen.