Productivity group lauds lawmakers for seeking more sponsors for heavier trucks bill
The head of CTP called trucking a critical link in the agricultural supply chain that stretches from the farm to the consumer.
The Trucker News Services
7/1/2010
WASHINGTON — The Coalition for Transportation Productivity (CTP), a group of more than 150 shippers and allied associations dedicated to responsibly increasing federal weight limits on interstate highways, Thursday applauded Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Ohio, and Rep. Steve Kagen, D-Wis., for encouraging fellow members of the House Committee on Agriculture to support The Safe and Efficient Transportation Act (H.R. 1799) by becoming co-sponsors.
Schmidt and Kagen sent the letter — signed by seven other co-sponsors who serve on the House Committee on Agriculture — to the full Committee.
The bill, which was introduced in March 2009, was sent to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which has not acted on the legislation.
A e-mail to the committee to determine whether any further action was planned on the bill was not immediately returned.
The letter emphasized the agricultural benefits of raising federal weight limits as outlined in the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act.
Under the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act, state transportation officials could set weight limits of up to 97,000 pounds for six-axle trucks in order to safely ease the flow of goods, improve highway safety and reduce environmental impact.
“Trucking is a critical link in the agricultural supply chain that stretches from the farm to the consumer,” said John Runyan, executive director of the Coalition for Transportation Productivity. “Trucks often serve as the first, last, or only mode of transportation for agricultural products and other goods produced in the U.S. As Reps. Schmidt and Kagen know, the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act would safely improve the efficiency of truck shipment, making our highways safer, greener and more productive.”
The Safe and Efficient Transportation Act of 2009 (H.R. 1799) was originally introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Michael Michaud, D-Maine, and Schmidt.
The bill would allow heavier – but not larger — trucks on interstates by giving each state the option to increase its interstate vehicle weight limit to 97,000 pounds for trucks equipped with a sixth axle for safety.
Without changing truck size, the additional axle maintains current braking capacity and weight-per-tire distribution and minimizes pavement wear.
A user fee imposed by the bill would fund vital bridge repair.
The Coalition for Transportation Productivity (CTP) is a coalition of more than 150 shippers and allied associations dedicated to addressing the safety, economic and environmental challenges facing our nation’s freight transportation network through carefully crafted truck weight reform.
The Trucker staff can be reached to comment on this article at editor@thetrucker.com.