Congress should change existing laws to allow larger and heavier trucks on the highways, according to a report by the National Academy of Science's Transportation Research Board, “Regulation of Weights, Lengths, and Widths of Commercial Motor Vehicles.”
The report says vehicles weighing as much as 90,000 lb., 10,000 lb. heavier than current regulations, should be allowed to operate with an extra axle. It also says trucks should be permitted to be 33 ft. long.
However, the group also recommended more research to evaluate the effect of heavier trucks on bridges and roadways, as well as other safety concerns.
