Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson and Nebraska Teamsters visited Washington D.C. last week to persuade lawmakers to vote ‘no’ on a trucking industry bill.It would allow semis to carry more weight, up to 91,000 pounds.Right now the max is 80,000 pounds. Local Teamsters Union President and former Truck Driver Kim Quick says if they haul more, it’ll take longer for trucks to come to a stop and harder to avoid a crash.”The heavier the truck, the more dangerous it is when it would be involved in a collision,” Quick said.Trucker John Moore agrees.”We can’t stop on a dime. So I ain’t going to haul no 90-something thousand,” Moore said.He says it would be deadly.”Somebody pull out in front of them, they ain’t going to be able to stop,” he said. “Ninety-thousand pounds, you gone kill somebody.”Sheriff Hanson spoke to lawmakers on behalf of the National Sheriff’s Association.”We don’t want this bill to pass. We support the trucking industry. They’re a vital part of our economy but we don’t want Congress to allow big trucks to get even bigger,” he said.He says heavier trucks are dangerous for everyone.”That’s going to result in more traffic fatalities and more traffic injuries,” he said.Hanson also says the nation’s infrastructure can’t bear the extra weight.”It would cost tens of millions, maybe hundreds of millions to fortify our local bridges to be able to satisfy the weight requirements for making big trucks even bigger and heavier,” he said.Quick says it’s all about the money.”Profits over people is what it is,” he said. “It doesn’t do anything to improve the safety for the public; it only increases the opportunity for them carry more weight which is increased profits to large companies.”Moore believes the same.”More money, that’s all that is, it’s the corporations,” he said.KETV Newswatch 7 reached out to Congressman Don Bacon about the issue. Bacon says it’s not scheduled for a vote and he has not yet decided how he’s going to cast his.
Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson and Nebraska Teamsters visited Washington D.C. last week to persuade lawmakers to vote ‘no’ on a trucking industry bill.
It would allow semis to carry more weight, up to 91,000 pounds.
Right now the max is 80,000 pounds.
Local Teamsters Union President and former Truck Driver Kim Quick says if they haul more, it’ll take longer for trucks to come to a stop and harder to avoid a crash.
“The heavier the truck, the more dangerous it is when it would be involved in a collision,” Quick said.
Trucker John Moore agrees.
“We can’t stop on a dime. So I ain’t going to haul no 90-something thousand,” Moore said.
He says it would be deadly.
“Somebody pull out in front of them, they ain’t going to be able to stop,” he said. “Ninety-thousand pounds, you gone kill somebody.”
Sheriff Hanson spoke to lawmakers on behalf of the National Sheriff’s Association.
“We don’t want this bill to pass. We support the trucking industry. They’re a vital part of our economy but we don’t want Congress to allow big trucks to get even bigger,” he said.
He says heavier trucks are dangerous for everyone.
“That’s going to result in more traffic fatalities and more traffic injuries,” he said.
Hanson also says the nation’s infrastructure can’t bear the extra weight.
“It would cost tens of millions, maybe hundreds of millions to fortify our local bridges to be able to satisfy the weight requirements for making big trucks even bigger and heavier,” he said.
Quick says it’s all about the money.
“Profits over people is what it is,” he said. “It doesn’t do anything to improve the safety for the public; it only increases the opportunity for them carry more weight which is increased profits to large companies.”
Moore believes the same.
“More money, that’s all that is, it’s the corporations,” he said.
KETV Newswatch 7 reached out to Congressman Don Bacon about the issue. Bacon says it’s not scheduled for a vote and he has not yet decided how he’s going to cast his.
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