"A growing shortage of freight capacity. . . 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," reports Fleet Owner.  A number of transportation safety organizations, along with some State DOTs, oppose modifying the federal limits.  Western DOTs recently expressed their concerns about modifying federal limits (see below).

Nine House members wrote 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."

WASHTO > WGA re Fed Limits on Truck Configuration