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.
Subscribe to Updates
NATSO provides a breadth of information created to strengthen travel plazas’ ability to meet the needs of the travelling public in an age of disruption. This includes knowledge filled blog posts, articles and publications. If you would like to receive a digest of blog post and articles directly in your inbox, please provide your name, email and the frequency of the updates you want to receive the email digest.