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PRODUCTIVITY LEGISLATION INTRODUCED
Congressman Michaud Introduces H.R. 1799 as transportation professionals
move on Washington
Release: March 31, 2009
CONTACT: Neil Ward (301/838-9385)
nward@forestresources.org
Washington, DC - Productivity, safety, and competition in the world of
trucking transportation all got a boost this week when Congressman Mike
Michaud introduced H.R. 1799, the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act
of 2009.
H.R. 1799 would give the option to individual states to increase their
allowable weight on a single-trailer truck up to 97,000 pounds on their
Interstate highways. These vehicles would be required to add a sixth axle
for better braking and handling. Every truck that added the additional
axle would be required to pay a higher fee to ensure that this legislation
will be a financial net-gain for the federal government.
According to three coalitions that have been working for trucking
productivity reform, this legislation will address many growing problems
on our nation’s highways such as:
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Congestion – Fewer trips will be needed to haul the same amount of
freight, thus improving productivity and reducing fuel use.
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Global Warming – This improved productivity will reduce carbon emissions
from truck transportation by as much as 42 billion pounds annually.
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Safety – Most importantly, making trucking more efficient, along with
moving more traffic off of secondary roads and onto Interstate highways,
will lead directly to fewer accidents and fatalities.
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Global Competition – Every one of America’s major competitors allows
six-axle vehicles on its highways, creating a competitive disadvantage for
US companies.
In anticipation of this legislative proposal, three coalitions agreed to
host a fly-in event in Washington, DC this week. Members of the
Agricultural Transportation Efficiency Coalition (AgTEC), Americans for
Safe and Efficient Transportation (ASET), and the Coalition for
Transportation Productivity (CTP) are in Washington to lobby in favor of
H.R. 1799. “We will make our case that standing by while congestion and
pollution continue to rise is not an option,” commented ASET’s Jake
Jacoby. “We must think creatively when considering improvements to our
entire transportation system.”
John Runyan, of CTP, pointed out that studies ranging from the US
Department of Transportation to the State of Wisconsin have highlighted
the benefits of this important change. In a report issued in January of
this year, the Wisconsin DOT found that if a proposal similar to Rep.
Michaud’s bill had been in place in 2006, there would have been 90 fewer
heavy truck-related accidents on the highways of Wisconsin. “This is
exactly the experience we want to replicate across the United States,”
Runyan said.
“This reform is long overdue for forest and agricultural producers,” added
AgTEC’s Richard Lewis. “We need to improve flexibility for haulers of
basic raw materials, to pull costs out of the system and to reduce
congestion and accident exposures on local roads.”
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