While attending a public input session conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation, professional truckers gave  reasons why commercial truck sizes and weight limits should not be raised from current levels. Truckers are concerned that proposals to raise weight and size restrictions would compromise highway safety and infrastructure.
“The recent bridge collapse is a classic example of how the stability of our nation’s highways and bridges is already compromised,” said Todd Spencer, OOIDA executive vice-president. “Adding more weight to the equation is the last thing we need when states are already struggling to come up with funding for maintenance.”
The input session was held to fulfill requirements of the highway bill passed by Congress which tells the DOT to conduct a Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Limits Study. The study will review impacts like safety and infrastructure, cost and effectiveness and other results if federal truck size and weight limits were to be increased.
“The session brought out complexities that have been overlooked or oversimplified,” said Spencer. “Proponents of loosening restrictions would have everyone looking past parking, stopping distance and lack of driver training. It’s no minor change to raise weight limits as they would like everyone to believe.”