Bill would allow heavier trucks on highways

Oh boy!!!! A 97k SWIFT bomb rollin down the road

 

I much prefer getting paid for an oversize load with the heavy stuff. Not like they will pay more for the heavy loads if the law was changed.
It would just end up being the same low rates for more freight.

 

You'd never see it unless they were intrastate trucks or OH/MI runners. This would be pointless for the fact that you'd only be allowed to gross that weight if a state agrees on it. So if Ohio does it but IN doesn't your gonna have a heavier lightweight so less payload.

Your so right on this one!

Ohio already allows heavier loads. I've got permits for 116,000lbs for a 5 axle (1 or 2 coils). The state just raised the permits from $52 a year to $500. So now what they are wanting is to let everyone have a permit to haul heavy no matter what material they have as long as they have 6 axles. Now don't get me wrong, whats the difference between 80k of bars and 80k of coils...nothing it still 80k! But trust me when I tell you, the rates will be cheap and you'll be hauling alot more weight for the same money!!!

 

Think about this... the trucks and trailers we have now are rated for 80k gross now. If they raise it to 97k, all companies will have to replace a lot of existing equipment to haul that kind of weight. That will be a great expense. Also, just look at the conditions of the roads we have now, that have needed repair for years, and hasn't been done yet. Imagine having heavier trucks on these roads. Every interstate highway in the country would be under construction to make the roads suitable for those weights. This will come to a great expense to the fed and state highway programs. And how do you think they would pay for it? Truckers mainly. More expensive registration fees, more TOLL ROADS, and higher insurance premiums. I think it's a BAD idea.

 

Don't know if you read all that report, but it did state something about higher registration fees and permits...I think?

About the only outfits would be vans that couldn't haul the extra weight safely. I'm sure there are other trailers but vans just popped into my head first.

 

If you are grossing 97k, every trailer would have to be a tri axle. Unless they change all the weight standards, your only allowed so much per axle. Plus, the trailer manufacturer's will not stand behind their warranties if you overload it.

 

You're right . Raising the limit from 73,280 to 80,000 and allowing 53' trailers didn't bring any rate increase .

 

The permits I get from Ohio give me as high as 116k gross on a 5 axle. The trailer I have is rated for a 80k single coil anywhere on the trailer, so yeah I think I got the 97k gross covered...LOL

But this new law is gonna require you to have 6 axles to gross the 97k. Which is a good thing but the law itself is bad!

 

I'm the same as you are with my step deck. It's a 100k trailer, with 80k in 6 feet capacity, but you won't see me loading my reefer like that! This is why I don't like the ATA. They want to put speed limiters on trucks for "safety", but then turn around and want to add almost 10 ton to them. Makes no sense to me.