The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association has sent a letter to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee opposing a bill that would allow heavier trucks on the nations roadways.
On May 18, the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association sent a letter to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee urging members to oppose HR3372. If passed, the bill will increase the maximum weight of trucks from 80,000 pounds to 91,000 pounds with a 10-year pilot program.
In the letter, the rail association calls the 10-year pilot program a “farce.” The association states that 10 years “spans the average lifecycle of two full surface transportation reauthorization bills.” Furthermore, once the pilot program ends, it can be extended an additional 10 years.
“There are no constraints on the program; for the next decade, under a vague and hazy new framework, USDOT would be forced to let any state that so desires increase its permissible commercial truck weight by almost 14%,” the letter states.
The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association also challenges claims that heavier trucks would lead to fewer trucks on the highways.
“While proponents of larger trucks would argue that larger trucks would mean fewer trucks, that would only be true in a sealed vacuum,” the rail association states. “In the real world, trucks and freight rail compete fiercely for traffic every single day – dramatically increasing the size and weight of trucks shifts the economics of freight transportation and would shift more freight onto public highways.”
The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association also claim the heavier trucks bill would have other effects:
- Wreak havoc on the supply chain and spark new inflation on consumers.
- Create significant new dangers on American roads.
- Cause more disrepair on our roads and impose news costs on American taxpayers.
- Unleash more pollution and greenhouse gases.
“We strongly urge you to oppose this unwise bill, HR3372,” the letter states. “Advancing it would be an abdication of the committee’s responsibility to promote safety, protect the integrity of our public roadways, bolster the supply chain, protect the taxpayer dollar, and mitigate environmental harm.”
Coalition Against Bigger Trucks
The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association’s letter comes one day after the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks sent a similar letter to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
The groups, which includes the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, oppose such efforts as a provision in the SHIP IT Act, which would create a 91,000-pound pilot program.
“As we look to rebuild our roads and bridges, allowing heavier and longer trucks would only make matters worse,” the coalition wrote. “The U.S. Department of Transportation studies the impact of various longer and heavier truck configurations on interstate and U.S. highways and found that the additional cost of damage to both roads and bridges would require billions of dollars in new federal spending, adding to our budget deficit.” LL
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