Landline article ! Good read! Link!

You raise a lot of good concerns about the industry in general, but I'm not sure they relate directly to the truck weight. Several states allow trucks to go up to 105,500 on an extended weight permit, and I haven't heard any complaints. There are already a lot of loads that don't gross 80K, so it's not like we'd suddenly see every single truck on the road weighing 97K.

I've always thought they should just regulate axle weights and dimensions, and not bother with a maximum gross.

 

I do agree with that, for the most part. I will say, though, that the higher weights in many states are not utilized by the BFI's and I think that's the distinction. I could be way off base here, but where I've seen the higher weights used it was mostly by farmers, or by truckers doing something specific to the area they're in. Also, I think the majority of the drivers using the higher weights are O/O's, who I feel will in general do a better job of caring for equipment than the newbies that the ATA behemoths will turn out.

I can totally agree on the axle weights, though.

I guess my opposition to the whole thing is mostly in two areas, drivers pay and training. Both could be better, even if the gross weights were to return to 73,280.

 

And on the east coast those heavier new trucks will have to pay more tolls, and the rates won't increase, so once again the owner operator gets screwed.

 

As was mentioned earlier the article is truck load carrier speak for heavier weight and foreign drivers. Schneider, Celadon, etal are already set up in Mexico all that is needed is for Congress to give the go ahead. That will come at some point as soon as enough politicians pockets are filled.

 

The argument that there is any kind of labor or driver shortage with 9% unemployment is just not true. There is a wage or price that will attract labor / drivers. It's simple economics. Those that are pointing at the BFI companies pushing for foreign labor I think are right on the money. Just another nail in the coffin of the working class American. I'm sure our govt. reps - both republican and democrat - are looking out for our best interest so I'm not too worried.

 

We can get permits for certin commoditys, ie forestry and construction but not for genaral freight. The runs i do that i use a permit for i am paid for the extra weight i carry. If they go to 97,000lbs nation wide a lot of loads that paid real good are going to go in the crapper because now anybody can run it. And to get the 97,000 if it ever passes you will need a tri axel trailer and dont for one second think the shippers wont load it to the max and not want to pay one cent more for the extra weight. Leave the system the way it is most off these guys cant handle 80,000lbs never minded 97,000lbs. As far as a driver shortage i dont see it there to many newbies every day comeing into the system and it will stay this way. There might be an exsperienced driver shortage but not a driver shortage in general.