Legislation Would Allow States to Choose Heavier Trucks

September 11, 2015

U.S. Representative Reid Ribble (R-Wisc.) introduced legislation that would allow states to decide whether they want heavier trucks, potentially ending the long-standing battle over heavier truck limits.

Titled the "Flexible and Efficient (SAFE) Trucking Act," the measure would allow states to decide for themselves whether they want to increase truck weight limits to 91,000 pounds from the current 80,000 pound limit. Trucks would be required to have a sixth axle. And the U.S. Department of Transportation has indicated that this configuration would be compliant with the existing federal bridge formula.

In introducing the measure, Rep. Ribble said the SAFE Act would help the trucking industry to move more goods with fewer trucks.

Rep. Ribble said U.S. counterparts in Canada and Europe have successfully employed trucks over 100 thousand pounds and that in Maine, where a special exception was granted to allow heavier trucks, road deaths are at 70-year lows.

Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman's photo

Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman

Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman develops and executes communications strategies to advance NATSO’s public relations and advocacy goals. Tiffany also develops and oversees partnerships related to the NATSO Foundation’s public outreach initiatives. Tiffany lives in the D.C. metro area with her husband and their two sons.More
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