Bill to raise Truck weights to 97,000 lbs is insane.

[M14 Shooter]

Shit .... they can't handle what's on the road today. Thursday, someone put a case of dumb in their coffee, for instance and I had 2 people try to kill themselves against my bus on my morning run alone.

IIRC, there is one group this bill COULD help outside of the big companies moving more freight and having fewer drivers, owner operators. They can increase their rates and get higher profit (in theory) per load and help them keep running. BUT... as I just learned, their insurance rates and personal danger would shoot way way WAY up. So I don't know who's really the driving force.

Doing this on local roads is very concerning indeed.

Another reason owner/operators don't like it is they wouldn't be competitive without the expensive to install 6th axel.

Regardless, the STATES should decide what is safe, fair, or whatever, within their borders: Not the Feds.

not true. i'd direct you to the cases dealing with the interstate commerce. this one deals with mud flaps, specifically.

BIBB V. NAVAJO FREIGHT LINES, INC., 359 U. S. 520 :: Volume 359 :: 1959 :: Full Text :: US Supreme Court Cases from Justia & Oyez

Oh look - my favorite fraud!

Posting something she found on Google, without any hope of understanding it.
As usual.

 

[Big Fitz]

You mean...trucks have accidents?

Shit! I bet cars do to!

Maybe the Federal government should ban all forms of transportation that exceed 10 mph.

The fact is that the Feds are cracking down on Trucking, and you guys know it. Hell, you cannot stop and take a leak without recording it, and if you don't wipe your ass well enough, you'll lose your CDL.

Yep. If you're too heavy, you gotta get sleep apnea testing cause, you know... 37% of SERIOUS FATAL accidents are caused by falling asleep behind the wheel. I'm sure that the percentage is far greater for all accidents.

They don't want 'unhealthy' or imperfect drivers. The world is not safe and if you can't be perfect, you shouldn't be doing anything in it that could be dangerous at any time.

Fucking morons. Way to grow the economy.

Yeah I heard about the Fat Trucker rule....for christssakes, doesn't that disqualify like 80% of the truckers out there?

That rule cost me $6000 and nearly my job. Insurance wouldn't cover it, even if I did have it unless you had a 'cadillac union plan', and had to pay for it all at my own expense because some 10 year old died in a tragic accident 5 years ago and someone screamed 'we must protect the chiiillllllldreeeennnnnnnn!!!!!'

And if you don't get the testing... you can't have a DOT Health Card. If you are discovered to have sleep apnea, you must now get DOT Health card evals every year doubling the income of the occupational health clinics. Nice fucking scam.

 

[Samson]

Yep. If you're too heavy, you gotta get sleep apnea testing cause, you know... 37% of SERIOUS FATAL accidents are caused by falling asleep behind the wheel. I'm sure that the percentage is far greater for all accidents.

They don't want 'unhealthy' or imperfect drivers. The world is not safe and if you can't be perfect, you shouldn't be doing anything in it that could be dangerous at any time.

Fucking morons. Way to grow the economy.

Yeah I heard about the Fat Trucker rule....for christssakes, doesn't that disqualify like 80% of the truckers out there?

That rule cost me $6000 and nearly my job. Insurance wouldn't cover it, even if I did have it unless you had a 'cadillac union plan', and had to pay for it all at my own expense because some 10 year old died in a tragic accident 5 years ago and someone screamed 'we must protect the chiiillllllldreeeennnnnnnn!!!!!'

And if you don't get the testing... you can't have a DOT Health Card. If you are discovered to have sleep apnea, you must now get DOT Health card evals every year doubling the income of the occupational health clinics. Nice fucking scam.

Yep, and from what I understand, its only the tip of the iceberg.

 

[Big Fitz]

Yeah I heard about the Fat Trucker rule....for christssakes, doesn't that disqualify like 80% of the truckers out there?

That rule cost me $6000 and nearly my job. Insurance wouldn't cover it, even if I did have it unless you had a 'cadillac union plan', and had to pay for it all at my own expense because some 10 year old died in a tragic accident 5 years ago and someone screamed 'we must protect the chiiillllllldreeeennnnnnnn!!!!!'

And if you don't get the testing... you can't have a DOT Health Card. If you are discovered to have sleep apnea, you must now get DOT Health card evals every year doubling the income of the occupational health clinics. Nice fucking scam.

Yep, and from what I understand, its only the tip of the iceberg.

They keep it up and nobody will be qualified for the work. There are thousands of drivers across the nation being weeded out as 'unfit' when they are perfectly fine. All to make medical companies money, and people dependent on gubmint handouts.

 

[Charles_Main]

Frankly I do not understand the big deal over this. You are on the road with trucks all the time hauling 100,000 Pounds and more. They call em over sized loads. To me this is yet another example of Nanny state intrusion. The Industry is trying to find away to increase profitability and half you people in here got your panties in a bunch about a 17,000 pound increase to the weight limit.

Like I said 80% of accidents involving trucks are caused by the other drivers. If you fuck up and pull out in front of a big rig, it is not going to make much difference if it is hauling 80 or 100K Either way you a probably dead.

This will allow them to haul about 20% more Freight in the same number of trips as before, and I maintain that it will save fuel as well. Others have disputed that fact, but having drove truck myself. What I saw in the MPG of my truck is that it did go down as you added weight, but it seemed to me for example that going from 40k to 60k Cost about 1mpg but going from 60k to 80k only cost about another .5 MPG.

I have no problem being on the road with trucks hauling 100,000 pounds, but then like I said I have had CDL training, and drove truck. I respect the trucks, and know not to put myself in stupid situations where I might end up crushed by one. IMO there needs to be more education for regular drivers about trucks. What it takes to stop them, their blind spots, etc. Would make the roads much safer.

 

[Missourian]

I wondered who favored this increase? The non-driving public?

Seems to be a fairly small constiuancy.

However, I like the idea of States deciding how much trucks may carry, or frankly, 99% of whatever happens in the state:

Here are the competing bills:




It appears to me that the "PRO" bill is in favor of states deciding to increase loads, and pays states to upgrade roadways for the increased loads.

The "CON" bill forces all states to be regulated to the federal limits, regardless of whatever might make the most sense in that state, or whatever the people of that state might want.

Frankly, I'd think a state like, say Rhode Island, like the smaller European countries that Zander mentioned that allow larger loads would benefit. And if it wouldn't benefit, it should be up to the state to decide.

Shit .... they can't handle what's on the road today. Thursday, someone put a case of dumb in their coffee, for instance and I had 2 people try to kill themselves against my bus on my morning run alone.

IIRC, there is one group this bill COULD help outside of the big companies moving more freight and having fewer drivers, owner operators. They can increase their rates and get higher profit (in theory) per load and help them keep running. BUT... as I just learned, their insurance rates and personal danger would shoot way way WAY up. So I don't know who's really the driving force.

Doing this on local roads is very concerning indeed.

Another reason owner/operators don't like it is they wouldn't be competitive without the expensive to install 6th axel.

Regardless, the STATES should decide what is safe, fair, or whatever, within their borders: Not the Feds.

Adding a drop axle is around three thousand dollars. Perhaps 2 weeks worth of profit per truck.

If states were REALLY allowed to decide, most would LOWER the gross weight limits in their state. Of course, this bill doesn't allow that. So much for that idea.

 

[Missourian]

Frankly I do not understand the big deal over this. You are on the road with trucks all the time hauling 100,000 Pounds and more. They call em over sized loads. To me this is yet another example of Nanny state intrusion. The Industry is trying to find away to increase profitability and half you people in here got your panties in a bunch about a 17,000 pound increase to the weight limit.

Like I said 80% of accidents involving trucks are caused by the other drivers. If you fuck up and pull out in front of a big rig, it is not going to make much difference if it is hauling 80 or 100K Either way you a probably dead.

This will allow them to haul about 20% more Freight in the same number of trips as before, and I maintain that it will save fuel as well. Others have disputed that fact, but having drove truck myself. What I saw in the MPG of my truck is that it did go down as you added weight, but it seemed to me for example that going from 40k to 60k Cost about 1mpg but going from 60k to 80k only cost about another .5 MPG.

I have no problem being on the road with trucks hauling 100,000 pounds, but then like I said I have had CDL training, and drove truck. I respect the trucks, and know not to put myself in stupid situations where I might end up crushed by one. IMO there needs to be more education for regular drivers about trucks. What it takes to stop them, their blind spots, etc. Would make the roads much safer.

Did you ever pull an overweight load?

I have.

Did you ever own a truck?

I do.

Have you pulled an 80,000 lb. tanker load of liquid?

I have.

Have you pulled a 73,000 set of doubles?

I have.

Have you run 1,000,000 safe miles?

I have...in one truck.

I give you my cast iron guarantee, based on my experience, 100K is unsafe given the caliber of today's truck drivers and the current habits of the driving public.

 

[Missourian]

Yep. If you're too heavy, you gotta get sleep apnea testing cause, you know... 37% of SERIOUS FATAL accidents are caused by falling asleep behind the wheel. I'm sure that the percentage is far greater for all accidents.

They don't want 'unhealthy' or imperfect drivers. The world is not safe and if you can't be perfect, you shouldn't be doing anything in it that could be dangerous at any time.

Fucking morons. Way to grow the economy.

Yeah I heard about the Fat Trucker rule....for christssakes, doesn't that disqualify like 80% of the truckers out there?

That rule cost me $6000 and nearly my job. Insurance wouldn't cover it, even if I did have it unless you had a 'cadillac union plan', and had to pay for it all at my own expense because some 10 year old died in a tragic accident 5 years ago and someone screamed 'we must protect the chiiillllllldreeeennnnnnnn!!!!!'

And if you don't get the testing... you can't have a DOT Health Card. If you are discovered to have sleep apnea, you must now get DOT Health card evals every year doubling the income of the occupational health clinics. Nice fucking scam.

That sucks.

What a crock.

 

[The T]

Senators Introduce Bill to Boost Truck Weights





Four U.S. senators have introduced legislation to allow states to increase truck weights to 97,000 pounds.


The Safe and Efficient Transportation Act, S 747, represents the renewal of a failed effort to get the same bill passed last year. Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio), sponsored the legislation.


A companion bill, H.R. 763, was introduced in the House in February.


The Coalition for Transportation Productivity, a carrier and shipper group that includes American Trucking Associations, described the bill as “a carefully crafted proposal that gives each state the option to selectively raise interstate weight limits.”

Senators Introduce Bill to Boost Truck Weights | Transport Topics Online | Trucking, Freight Transportation and Logistics News

Bullcrap.

97,000 lbs is too heavy, it's not safe and will destroy roadways and interstates.

80,000 is all the trucks brakes and road surface can handle.

Call or email your Senators to vote against S. 747.

Good thing I looked at this. Your title is on the mark. With all the griping about 'crumbling roads and infrastructure, this indeed a bone-headed move.

 

[Charles_Main]

Frankly I do not understand the big deal over this. You are on the road with trucks all the time hauling 100,000 Pounds and more. They call em over sized loads. To me this is yet another example of Nanny state intrusion. The Industry is trying to find away to increase profitability and half you people in here got your panties in a bunch about a 17,000 pound increase to the weight limit.

Like I said 80% of accidents involving trucks are caused by the other drivers. If you fuck up and pull out in front of a big rig, it is not going to make much difference if it is hauling 80 or 100K Either way you a probably dead.

This will allow them to haul about 20% more Freight in the same number of trips as before, and I maintain that it will save fuel as well. Others have disputed that fact, but having drove truck myself. What I saw in the MPG of my truck is that it did go down as you added weight, but it seemed to me for example that going from 40k to 60k Cost about 1mpg but going from 60k to 80k only cost about another .5 MPG.

I have no problem being on the road with trucks hauling 100,000 pounds, but then like I said I have had CDL training, and drove truck. I respect the trucks, and know not to put myself in stupid situations where I might end up crushed by one. IMO there needs to be more education for regular drivers about trucks. What it takes to stop them, their blind spots, etc. Would make the roads much safer.

Did you ever pull an overweight load?

I have.

Did you ever own a truck?

I do.

Have you pulled an 80,000 lb. tanker load of liquid?

I have.

Have you pulled a 73,000 set of doubles?

I have.

Have you run 1,000,000 safe miles?

I have...in one truck.

I give you my cast iron guarantee, based on my experience, 100K is unsafe given the caliber of today's truck drivers and the current habits of the driving public.

I submit that if the caliber of drivers is an issue. It is just as unsafe at 80k as 100k.

No I do not own my own truck, Yes I have hauled over 100,000 Pounds. With Permits of course. Yes I have hauled Doubles.

No I am not yet at 1,000,000 Miles.

Guess we will have to agree to disagree on this one.

Personally I think any slight rise in Accidents would be offset by Being able to haul more with less trips. Which would mean less trucks on the road for the same amount of hauling. Therefore less risk. I also believe the Added Damage to roads would be minimal. 90% of damage to roads is not caused by the traffic on them, it is caused by the weather. I don't see much difference in More Trucks with 80 Pounds loads, or less trucks with 97,000 Pounds as far as road wear. Especially if they add axles.

 

[Missourian]

Frankly I do not understand the big deal over this. You are on the road with trucks all the time hauling 100,000 Pounds and more. They call em over sized loads. To me this is yet another example of Nanny state intrusion. The Industry is trying to find away to increase profitability and half you people in here got your panties in a bunch about a 17,000 pound increase to the weight limit.

Like I said 80% of accidents involving trucks are caused by the other drivers. If you fuck up and pull out in front of a big rig, it is not going to make much difference if it is hauling 80 or 100K Either way you a probably dead.

This will allow them to haul about 20% more Freight in the same number of trips as before, and I maintain that it will save fuel as well. Others have disputed that fact, but having drove truck myself. What I saw in the MPG of my truck is that it did go down as you added weight, but it seemed to me for example that going from 40k to 60k Cost about 1mpg but going from 60k to 80k only cost about another .5 MPG.

I have no problem being on the road with trucks hauling 100,000 pounds, but then like I said I have had CDL training, and drove truck. I respect the trucks, and know not to put myself in stupid situations where I might end up crushed by one. IMO there needs to be more education for regular drivers about trucks. What it takes to stop them, their blind spots, etc. Would make the roads much safer.

Did you ever pull an overweight load?

I have.

Did you ever own a truck?

I do.

Have you pulled an 80,000 lb. tanker load of liquid?

I have.

Have you pulled a 73,000 set of doubles?

I have.

Have you run 1,000,000 safe miles?

I have...in one truck.

I give you my cast iron guarantee, based on my experience, 100K is unsafe given the caliber of today's truck drivers and the current habits of the driving public.

I submit that if the caliber of drivers is an issue. It is just as unsafe at 80k as 100k.

No I do not own my own truck, Yes I have hauled over 100,000 Pounds. With Permits of course. Yes I have hauled Doubles.

No I am not yet at 1,000,000 Miles.

Guess we will have to agree to disagree on this one.

Personally I think any slight rise in Accidents would be offset by Being able to haul more with less trips. Which would mean less trucks on the road for the same amount of hauling. Therefore less risk. I also believe the Added Damage to roads would be minimal. 90% of damage to roads is not caused by the traffic on them, it is caused by the weather. I don't see much difference in More Trucks with 80 Pounds loads, or less trucks with 97,000 Pounds as far as road wear. Especially if they add axles.

"I submit that if the caliber of drivers is an issue. It is just as unsafe at 80k as 100k."

Yes, if it was up to me, I'd LOWER the current weight limit.


Read the post about single axle damage vs. tandem axle damage. http://www.usmessageboard.com/congr...ts-to-97-000-lbs-is-insane-2.html#post3560170

Trucks cause highway damage.

Here it is straight from the GAO: http://archive.gao.gov/f0302/109884.pdf

It's scanned from a type written page so I can't copy and paste is.

EDIT - The DOT was supposed to study the fuel savings from uping the weight limit in 1978...wonder if they did?

 

[Missourian]

Read page ii, "Highway Deterioration", paragraph 2

Paraphrased: Although a 5 axle truck at the current federal limit of 80,000 lbs. weighs only 20 times more than a car, it does 9,600 times more damage. Increasing truck weight causes an ever increasing rate of pavement damage."

GAO Study http://archive.gao.gov/f0302/109884.pdf​

 

[Big Fitz]

The honest truth about what I fear most over this increase in weight? This:

YouTube - 35W Bridge Collapse LIVE VIDEO ACTUAL Minneapolis Minnesota

 

[The T]

The honest truth about what I fear most over this increase in weight? This:

YouTube - 35W Bridge Collapse LIVE VIDEO ACTUAL Minneapolis Minnesota

Indeed. And that was caused apparently by a design flaw.



Design Flaw Likely Cause of Minneapolis Bridge Collapse

Makes you wonder how many more are out there?

 

[Samson]

Shit .... they can't handle what's on the road today. Thursday, someone put a case of dumb in their coffee, for instance and I had 2 people try to kill themselves against my bus on my morning run alone.

IIRC, there is one group this bill COULD help outside of the big companies moving more freight and having fewer drivers, owner operators. They can increase their rates and get higher profit (in theory) per load and help them keep running. BUT... as I just learned, their insurance rates and personal danger would shoot way way WAY up. So I don't know who's really the driving force.

Doing this on local roads is very concerning indeed.

Another reason owner/operators don't like it is they wouldn't be competitive without the expensive to install 6th axel.

Regardless, the STATES should decide what is safe, fair, or whatever, within their borders: Not the Feds.

Adding a drop axle is around three thousand dollars. Perhaps 2 weeks worth of profit per truck.

If states were REALLY allowed to decide, most would LOWER the gross weight limits in their state. Of course, this bill doesn't allow that. So much for that idea.

There are two bills: one freezes the maximum at 80,000 lbs, the other increases it to a 97,000 lb max, with a 6th axel, and provides funding for the road improvements needed in states that adopt this max.

I see no reason to believe states would wanna lower the upper limit.

 

[Samson]

Read page ii, "Highway Deterioration", paragraph 2

Paraphrased: Although a 5 axle truck at the current federal limit of 80,000 lbs. weighs only 20 times more than a car, it does 9,600 times more damage. Increasing truck weight causes an ever increasing rate of pavement damage."

GAO Study http://archive.gao.gov/f0302/109884.pdf​

So, the bill that increases weight also provides funding to improve the roads over which the weight will be carried.

Next?

 

[Samson]

Frankly I do not understand the big deal over this. You are on the road with trucks all the time hauling 100,000 Pounds and more. They call em over sized loads. To me this is yet another example of Nanny state intrusion. The Industry is trying to find away to increase profitability and half you people in here got your panties in a bunch about a 17,000 pound increase to the weight limit.

Like I said 80% of accidents involving trucks are caused by the other drivers. If you fuck up and pull out in front of a big rig, it is not going to make much difference if it is hauling 80 or 100K Either way you a probably dead.

This will allow them to haul about 20% more Freight in the same number of trips as before, and I maintain that it will save fuel as well. Others have disputed that fact, but having drove truck myself. What I saw in the MPG of my truck is that it did go down as you added weight, but it seemed to me for example that going from 40k to 60k Cost about 1mpg but going from 60k to 80k only cost about another .5 MPG.

I have no problem being on the road with trucks hauling 100,000 pounds, but then like I said I have had CDL training, and drove truck. I respect the trucks, and know not to put myself in stupid situations where I might end up crushed by one. IMO there needs to be more education for regular drivers about trucks. What it takes to stop them, their blind spots, etc. Would make the roads much safer.

Did you ever pull an overweight load?

I have.

Did you ever own a truck?

I do.

Have you pulled an 80,000 lb. tanker load of liquid?

I have.

Have you pulled a 73,000 set of doubles?

I have.

Have you run 1,000,000 safe miles?

I have...in one truck.

I give you my cast iron guarantee, based on my experience, 100K is unsafe given the caliber of today's truck drivers and the current habits of the driving public.

Great: then your state should listen to your testimony, and decide for itself what it wants to do.

 

[Samson]

The honest truth about what I fear most over this increase in weight? This:

YouTube - 35W Bridge Collapse LIVE VIDEO ACTUAL Minneapolis Minnesota

If you let birds shit all over the bridge (pidgeon droppings are very corrosive) and you don't paint the gawddamn thing, then it will eventually fall if a Volkswagon Beetle drives across it.

 

[Big Fitz]

The honest truth about what I fear most over this increase in weight? This:

YouTube - 35W Bridge Collapse LIVE VIDEO ACTUAL Minneapolis Minnesota

If you let birds shit all over the bridge (pidgeon droppings are very corrosive) and you don't paint the gawddamn thing, then it will eventually fall if a Volkswagon Beetle drives across it.

and that's happened in every state, ever city, every county of the US. They're too busy raiding the highway funds to buttress up social spending for ingrates and "THA CHIIIIILLLLLLDRRRRRIIIINNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!"

 

[xsited1]

The honest truth about what I fear most over this increase in weight? This:

YouTube - 35W Bridge Collapse LIVE VIDEO ACTUAL Minneapolis Minnesota

If you let birds shit all over the bridge (pidgeon droppings are very corrosive) and you don't paint the gawddamn thing, then it will eventually fall if a Volkswagon Beetle drives across it.

Especially if the Volkswagen Beetle weights 97,000 pounds.