Bill to increase truck weight rejected by House

A panel of members from the House of Representatives recently voted to maintain current tractor-trailer size and weight limits for three years, until more research can be done on the effects of trucks on roads across the United States.

The U.S Department of Transportation will perform the research, looking at how trucking safety is influenced by the condition of roads, as well as measures for improvement in highway safety, roads and bridges.

"All trips begin and end on local roads, said Republican Representative Lou Barletta from Pennsylvania. "The cost of fixing these roads is in the hands of local taxpayers. Heavier trucks will damage local roads, which are not built to handle the extra weight. Local roads will become potholed, buckled and broken much more quickly."

The railroad industry believes that American taxpayers would suffer from the heavier trucks on the nation's roads because the repairs for the roads would be borne by them, but certain members of the trucking industry have criticized the railroad interests for conducting a campaign against the transportation bill out of fear that it would give trucks a competitive advantage over trains, according to Bloomberg.

Bill to increase truck weight rejected by House

Friday, February 3rd, 2012