Capacity shortage driving demand for higher weight limits

July 6, 2010
A growing shortage of freight capacity across the transportation sector – along with an increasing need to boost economic productivity – is putting more support behind legislative efforts to increase weight limits for U.S. commercial trucks

A growing shortage of freight capacity across the transportation sector – along with an increasing need to boost economic productivity – is putting more support behind legislative efforts to increase weight limits for U.S. commercial trucks.

Last week, for example, Rep. Jean Schmidt (R- OH) and Rep. Steve Kagen (D-WI) along with seven other Congressional members wrote an open letter to the House of Representatives’ Committee on Agriculture in support of the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act, H.R. 1799, which would boost the current 80,000-lb federal weight limit on commercial trucks to 97,000 lbs.

“If a cattle rancher, sugar producer, or corn farmer can ship their goods utilizing 15 trucks each day instead of 20, the shipping savings, environmental benefits and safety impacts are clearly evident,” they said in the letter.

“At some point, almost all agriculture travels by truck. Unfortunately, with the current federal weight limit … many trucks are forced to leave the loading dock half-full,” Schmidt and Kagen stressed. “They all want ways to increase their ability to compete in the world market while reducing carbon emissions. We believe H.R. 1799 will go a long way in helping the agricultural community do just that.”

Originally introduced last year in the House of Representatives by Reps. Michael Michaud (D-ME) and Jean Schmidt (R-OH), H.R. 1799 would allow heavier – not larger– trucks on interstates by giving each state the option to increase its interstate vehicle weight limit to 97,000 lbs for trucks equipped with a sixth axle for safety.

Without changing truck size, the additional axle would maintain current braking capacity and weight-per-tire distribution and minimizes pavement wear, according to the legislation. And a user fee imposed within the bill would aim to fund bridge repairs caused by these heavier weights.

“The agricultural sector needs as much efficiency as possible as quickly as possible because we’re seeing a l t of constraints now on transportation as the economy begins to recover,” John Runyan, executive director of the Coalition for Transportation Productivity (CTP), a shipper/carrier group that supports H.R. 1799, told FleetOwner.

“A lot of ocean carriers, truckers, and railroads, because of the depth of this recession, are now skittish about bringing new capacity on line as the global economy begins to recover,” he added.

“And if the recovery does continue on course, it will be slow and thus it will be more costly to add new capacity,” Runyan noted. “That’s why we’re getting a lot of support for heavier [truck] weight rules from many different industrial sectors, particularly those that ship heavier products. We hope those concerns will help move the needle on this issue.”

About the Author

Sean Kilcarr | Editor in Chief

Sean Kilcarr is a former longtime FleetOwner senior editor who wrote for the publication from 2000 to 2018. He served as editor-in-chief from 2017 to 2018.

 

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of FleetOwner, create an account today!

Sponsored Recommendations

How to Maximize Fleet Management with Vehicle Bypass

Join us on February 18th to discover how vehicle bypassing can improve fleet safety, boost efficiency, and enhance driver satisfaction while saving time and money.

Optimizing your fleet safety program using AI

Learn how AI supports fleet safety programs with tools for compliance monitoring, driver coaching and incident analysis to reduce risks and improve efficiency.

Mitigate Risk with Data from Route Scores

Route Scores help fleets navigate the risk factors they encounter in the lanes they travel, helping to keep costs down.

Uniting for Bold Solutions to Tackle Transportation’s Biggest Challenges

Over 300 leaders in transportation, logistics, and distribution gathered at Ignite 2024. From new products to innovative solutions, Ignite highlighted the importance of strong...