The House of Representatives yesterday unveiled its version of a new highway program that would spend $260 billion over five years. The bill trims the Department of Transportation by consolidating or eliminating programs, gives states a greater say in how they spend federal money and speeds up the project approval process.
One provision that already is stirring controversy would allow states to let trucks weighing up to 126,000 pounds to run up to 25 miles on Interstate segments.
One trucking interest, American Trucking Associations, applauded the move. "Allowing states to choose to open their interstate highways to more productive trucks is an important step to reducing costs to American consumers and reducing congestion on our highways," said ATA Chairman Dan England in a statement.
But long-time opponents of heavier trucks are gearing up to fight the provision. The Teamsters union and safety groups are planning a press conference today, and Association of American Railroads President and CEO Ed Hamberger said in a statement that the public does not want heavier trucks that do not pay their share of highway costs.
The fight over truck weights will spill over to the Senate, which is working on a bill that so far does not contain such a provision.
This is going to bring up a host of debates across the country. Many opponents of the bill are starting to raise money already across the country at a state level - radio ads and pieces are being produced to try and sway people to contact their congressional members to voice a negative opinion of the bill. Let's try and break down what the issues are.
Proponents may be somewhat limited. Trucking companies would eventually see this as a positive because it would allow them to reduce the number of trucks required to move the same number of shipments. Environmentalists are going to be a bit split. Some will see this as a way to reduce the number of trucks running up and down the highways, which would theoretically reduce diesel use and reduce emissions. Secretly, it would also allow more Mexican trucks to run up and down US highways. Mexico allows trucks to carry more weight than we do in the US today. Therefore, under today's supply chain and transportation movement, Mexican trucks can move shipments to the border, but a combination of US trucks has to pick up those loads and move them internally to destination. Allowing heavier weight shipments would allow those trucks to move direct to destination. Obviously, Mexican authorities and the business community applaud the bill. Truck manufacturers applaud the bill - they will sell heavier duty equipment.
But, opponents have a different take on the benefits. First, they argue that the DOT just went to the trouble of passing legislation helping to regulate the trucking industry in order to improve safety. This move would put larger, heavier trucks on the US infrastucture - theoretically making the highways much less safe. Its a contradiction to people with this view. Secondly, labor organizations are against it because it will reduce the number of truck drivers needed to carry the same number of loads. Third, it has been said that it will add significantly more wear and tear on a national infrastructure that is already falling apart (opponents believe that it is). Whether this is a true fact or not is up for debate, but it is an argument that the opponents are using. Fourth, the fact that more Mexican trucks will move up and down US highways is a concern for US security and labor groups.
It will be interesting to see how this develops. The fact that states will be able to determine whether they want to support the move or not could introduce a number of interesting challenges for transportation firms. If a transit moves across three states and two of the three allow for heavier shipments, it will pose an interesting dilemma for shippers and transportation firms.