Cafe standards will kill motorists - Political Ravings Forum

trashwagon · #1 05.22.2009

It's certainly not a new debate, but many large shippers and the American Trucking Associations have made increasing truck size and weight one of their top priorities this year. Disguised as being environmentally friendly and fuel efficient they are peddling the idea of opening up roads across the nation to "higher productivity vehicles" (a.k.a. heavier/longer trucks and longer combination vehicles). Obviously their real intentions are to get you to run heavier for less and to limit your ability to compete.
The main bill that they are pushing is the "Safe Efficient Transportation Act" introduced by Congressman Michaud (D-ME). That legislation would allow weight limits on the Interstate Highway System to be raised to 97,000 lbs. from the current 80,000 lbs. limit (some states have higher grandfathered limits) and would require a third trailer axle to haul the heavier loads.
To pay for the increased wear and tear on roads and bridges, the Act would change the annual Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT) to $100 per year, plus $22 for each 1,000 pounds in excess of 55,000 pounds. That means an increase in the HVUT from $550 to $650 for 5-axle trucks licensed for 80,000 pounds. To make matters worse, the bill would cap HVUT at $800 per year, instead of $1024 to haul 97,000 pounds with the new formula. Even the proponents of heavier limits admit the increased weight will cause more damage to the nation's bridges. So why should heavier trucks get a break while everyone else pays more?
OOIDA strongly OPPOSES the Safe Efficient Transportation Act.
On the other hand, in March Congressmen James McGovern (D-MA) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) introduced the "Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act" (H.R. 1618). That bill will maintain current truck size and weight limitations on the Interstate Highway System as well as extend a freeze of current size and weight limitations on the larger federally funded National Highway System (NHS). Size and weight standards that already exist on the NHS would not be changed. Senator Frank Lautenberg (NJ) introduced the same bill in the Senate (S.779).
H.R. 1618 and S.779 are consistent with OOIDA's longstanding position of opposing increases to truck size and weight limits on the National Highway System.
OOIDA strongly SUPPORTS both H.R. 1618 and S.779.
Please call your lawmakers on Capitol Hill to ask that they commit to supporting H.R. 1618 or S.779 by signing on as cosponsors to those bills.
To contact your Representative or your two Senators, simply call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and provide the operator with your home zip code. The operator will connect you to the offices of your lawmakers.
You are also welcome to call OOIDA at (800) 444-5791. Association staff will be happy to provide you contact information for your elected officials.

Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Assn., Inc

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