[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 25, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S191-S194]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. COLLINS (for herself, Mr. Leahy, and Ms. Snowe):
  S. 112. A bill to authorize the application of State law with respect 
to vehicle weight limitations on the Interstate Highway System in the 
States of Maine and Vermont; to the Committee on Environment and Public 
Works.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, improving public safety, growing our 
economy, increasing energy independence, and protecting the environment 
have always been among my top priorities as a Senator. Today, the very 
first bill I am introducing in this new Congress will advance all of 
those goals by allowing the heaviest trucks to travel on our Federal 
interstate highways in Maine rather than being forced to use secondary 
roads and downtown streets.
  I am delighted to have the senior Senator from Vermont, Patrick 
Leahy, as my Democratic cosponsor, and my good friend and colleague 
from Maine, Olympia Snowe, also as an original cosponsor. Vermont has 
the same problem as we do in Maine. Thus the bill I am introducing 
applies to our two States.
  In 2009, I authored a law to establish a 1-year pilot project that 
allowed trucks weighing up to 100,000 pounds to travel on Maine's 
Federal interstates--I-95, 195, 295, and 395. According to the results 
of a preliminary study by the Maine Department of Transportation, this 
pilot project, which ran until mid-December of last year, helped to 
preserve and create jobs by allowing Maine's businesses to receive raw 
materials and to ship their products more economically.
  Also important, the pilot program improved safety, saved energy, and 
reduced carbon emissions. Let me give a specific example. On a trip 
from Hampden to Houlton, ME, the benefits are obvious. A truck 
traveling on I-95 rather than on Route 2 avoids more than 270 
intersections, 9 school crossings, 30 traffic lights, and 86 
crosswalks. In addition, the driver also saves more than $30 on fuel. 
Given the cost of diesel, it is probably even higher than that now. 
Additionally, 50 minutes is saved by traveling on Interstate 95 rather 
than on the secondary road of Route 2.
  Unfortunately, despite the clear success of this pilot project and 
the strong support of the administration and many of my colleagues in 
the Senate, the House of Representatives failed to include my provision 
making the pilot permanent in the Federal funding bill. As a result, 
for both Maine and Vermont, the program expired on December 17 and the 
heavy trucks are once again unable to use our most modern, safe, and 
efficient highways.
  It is important to emphasize that our legislation does not increase 
the size or the weight of trucks in our States. Maine law already 
allows trucks weighing up to 100,000 pounds to operate on State and 
municipal roads. Heavy trucks already operate on some 22,500 miles of 
non-Interstate roads in Maine, in addition to the approximately 167 
miles of the Maine turnpike. But the nearly 260 miles of non-turnpike 
interstates that are the major economic corridors in my State are off 
limits. This simply makes no sense.
  Furthermore, trucks weighing up to 100,000 pounds are already 
permitted on many Federal interstates in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, 
New York, and the neighboring provinces in Canada. So that puts Maine 
and Vermont at a distinct competitive disadvantage. All around us, the 
States and our Canadian counterparts allow the heavier trucks to use 
the Federal interstates, but unfortunately Maine and Vermont have been 
excluded. That is why my friend from Vermont, Senator Leahy, has joined 
me in this effort to help provide a level playing field for our States.

  Here are a few more important points about our bill.
  The 100,000-pound trucks are no larger or wider than 80,000-pound 
trucks. This change would remove an estimated 7.8 million truck miles 
from our local roads and streets. Increasing the truck payloads by 35 
percent would reduce the overall number of trucks needed. In addition 
to saving fuel by traveling fewer miles, the steady pace of interstate 
driving improves the fuel economy of trucks by 14 to 21 percent. And 
the Maine Department of Transportation's engineers say they are 
confident our interstate bridges are safe and can handle the additional 
weight in the State of Maine.
  Countless Maine small business owners have told me how this change 
would improve their competitiveness. For example, at a recent press 
conference, Keith Van Scotter discussed the savings his company accrued 
under the pilot project. Under the pilot project, his company Lincoln 
Paper and Tissue was able to save 1.1 million billable truck miles, a 
28 percent decrease from the year before. These savings are the 
equivalent of the company being 220 miles closer to its primary market. 
Also, the owner-operator of a logging business in Penobscot County said 
that being able to transport his pulpwood to the mill on I-95 rather 
than on secondary roads would save his company at least 118 gallons of 
fuel each week. That benefits not only this small business but also our 
Nation as we seek to reduce our overall fuel consumption and reduce 
carbon emissions.
  The pilot program has also made a dramatic improvement for some of 
our communities. According to the Maine DOT, before the pilot program 
began last December of 2009, more than 200 heavy trucks heading north 
on Route 201 crawled through downtown Vassalboro a small town of about 
4,000--each day even though I-95 runs

[[Page S192]]

parallel just a few miles away. During the span of the pilot program, 
the number of northbound trucks on Route 201 decreased by roughly 90 
percent. These trucks were using the interstate where they belong.
  I will tell you that since the pilot project expired, so many of my 
constituents have talked to me about the return of these heavy trucks 
to the residential neighborhoods in which they live, to downtown 
Portland, Orono, Brewer, Freeport, and other towns throughout our 
State. The fact is, this kind of road congestion caused by diverting 
these heavy trucks into downtowns and along secondary roads can lead to 
tragedy. A study conducted by a nationally recognized traffic 
consulting firm found that the crash rate of semitrailer trucks on 
Maine's secondary roads were 7 to 10 times higher than on the turnpike. 
It estimated that allowing these trucks to stay on the interstates 
could result in three fewer fatal crashes each year. Public safety 
agencies in Maine, including the Maine State Police, have long 
supported my efforts to bring about this change. In fact, Bangor's 
police chief joined me at a press conference last week where he spoke 
eloquently about the safety implications for downtown Bangor.
  In 2010, as a result of this pilot project, people throughout our 
State saw their roads less congested, our States safer, our air 
cleaner, and, most important, our businesses more competitive. That is 
why I am so committed to ensuring that these improvements are allowed 
to continue and are made permanent.
  This legislation simply is common sense. It will benefit our economy 
as well as lower fuel costs and make our roads safer for most tourists 
and pedestrians. Most important, we now have the concrete evidence from 
this pilot project showing why this bill should become law.
  I am grateful for the support and leadership of my colleague from 
Vermont and the steadfast support from Maine's senior Senator as well. 
I urge its swift passage. This is the highest priority I have for the 
State of Maine this year.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record 
a number of letters I have received endorsing this bill. These letters 
are from the Maine Motor Transport Association, the City of Bangor's 
chief of police, the Professional Logging Contractors, the Northeast 
Region for the Forestry Resources Association, and from a well-known 
trucking firm in Maine, H.O. Bouchard.
  In addition, I expect to have a letter from the Governor of Maine 
later today that I will also ask unanimous consent to have printed in 
the Record.
                                  ____



                            Maine Motor Transport Association,

                                 Augusta, Maine, January 21, 2011.
     Hon. Susan Collins,
     U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Collins: Your introduction of the bill to 
     permanently increase the truck weight limit on Maine highways 
     comes as great news for the trucking industry, for shippers 
     and consumers who rely on efficient transportation of goods 
     and for the people of our state who utilize these roads. We 
     have heard from many of our members who were thrilled to 
     operate on the entire interstate system in Maine under the 
     recently-expired pilot project, as well as hearing from 
     citizens who live along the previously traveled truck routes 
     who were happy to have them off Maine's secondary roads. Your 
     support for this common sense solution has been tremendous 
     and we very much appreciate your continued efforts to educate 
     your peers in the Senate.
       As you know, when Federal Highway froze interstate weight 
     limits in 1998 and allowed the Maine Turnpike and southern 
     portions of 1-95 to be grandfathered, there was much concern 
     about the same things that concern some people from other 
     states now--safety and the impact on our infrastructure. 
     Results in Maine have shown these concerns were unnecessary 
     as there is ample proof of the improved safety and 
     infrastructure costs and all we ask is for Maine to close the 
     donut hole that puts us at a competitive disadvantage with 
     our neighbors all around us. New Hampshire, Massachusetts and 
     Canada already have permanently higher weight limits on their 
     entire interstate system which put our businesses at a 
     disadvantage, a fact not lost on the hundreds of small 
     trucking companies hauling raw materials to the few mills 
     still left in this state. A strong argument can be made that 
     this is an economic development issue with many jobs at stake 
     for the mills that rely on efficient transportation with both 
     their inbound freight and the outbound movement of goods to 
     markets outside Maine.
       Your proposal to allow for a more productive vehicle 
     configuration makes sense for both state and federal roads. 
     More efficient configurations mean fewer trucks on the road. 
     Fewer trucks on the road reduce engine emissions and promote 
     fuel conservation, all while lessening our dependence on 
     foreign oil. The whole notion that heavier trucks will use 
     more fuel and pollute more is inherently false, especially 
     since it would take approximately three trucks operating at 
     80,000 pounds to replace two trucks operating at 100,000 
     pounds to haul the same amount of freight.
       In fact, a study by the American Transportation Research 
     Institute (ATRI) commissioned by the Maine DOT found that the 
     fuel efficiency of these rigs would improve up to 21 percent 
     by allowing state weight limits on the entire highway system 
     and emissions would decrease from 6 to 11 percent. 
     Extrapolating their findings over an entire week resulted in 
     savings of as much as 675 gallons of fuel, up to 6.8 metric 
     tons of CO2 and almost 94 grams of Particulate Matter. Yes, 
     that's each week and only from trucks shifting from Route 9 
     to 1-95 once the weight limit exemption pilot project went 
     into effect. This efficiency has gone away now that the pilot 
     project has expired.
       Safety, however, is the most important reason to embrace 
     this pilot project and we are proud that the safety record of 
     the trucking industry continues to improve. Federal Highway 
     Administration statistics tracking truck-involved crashes has 
     shown consistent improvement by the trucking industry, with 
     current crash rates at the lowest levels since the U.S. 
     Department of Transportation began tracking large truck 
     safety records in 1975. Not resting on our accomplishments, 
     the trucking industry is actively working on ways we can 
     improve highway safety by improving driver performance with 
     rigorous licensing and training, focusing on equipment 
     improvements and by giving carriers access to the proper 
     tools that are critical for them to fulfill their 
     responsibility to the safety of the motoring public.
       Allowing these trucks to use the safer interstate system 
     would also decrease the interactions with other vehicles and 
     pedestrians if they are able to avoid secondary roads and 
     having to go past driveways and through towns to deliver 
     their goods that move the Maine economy. A four lane divided 
     highway with all traffic going in the same direction at 
     relatively the same speed has been statistically proven to be 
     the safer road for all vehicles--not just trucks.
       It's hard to find a topic that garners widespread and 
     bipartisan support these days when partisan bickering and 
     political polarization are the norm. This issue is not only 
     strongly supported by groups you would expect like the 
     trucking, oil dealers and forest products industries, but it 
     also finds support from the Maine Legislature, 
     municipalities, the Maine DOT, Maine Department of Public 
     Safety as well as the Maine State Police and many local and 
     regional chambers of commerce. We all may not see eye-to-eye 
     on every public policy issue, but we are in lock step on this 
     one.
       There may never be a better opportunity than now to enact a 
     permanent solution relative to vehicle productivity. The 
     Maine Motor Transport Association, our members and our 
     partner trade associations will work diligently to provide 
     you with additional statistics and information as they become 
     available. Your work on this issue, especially getting the 
     pilot project implemented last year, has not gone unnoticed 
     by our members and we continue to appreciate your efforts to 
     address it in your recently proposed bill.
       If Maine is going to be able to compete in a regional and 
     global economy, it is essential that we encourage efficient, 
     effective and safe transportation solutions such as the one 
     you have proposed. Thank you.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Brian D. Parke,
     President and CEO.
                                  ____

                                            City of Bangor, Maine,


                                            Police Department,

                                                 January 24, 2011.
     Hon. Susan Collins,
     Dirkson Senate Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Collins: First and foremost, thank you again 
     for being a champion for the effort to increase the truck 
     weight limits on Maine's interstate highways. Without your 
     diligence and dedication to this extremely important matter, 
     any further progress to correct the inconceivable injustice 
     of the current law would be most assuredly abandoned for the 
     foreseeable future. Your legislation, which would allow 
     trucks weighing up to 100,000 pounds on all of Maine's 
     Interstate highways, would correct this injustice once and 
     for all.
       I would like to reiterate what I have previously stated 
     regarding the present law that forces trucks weighing over 
     80,000 pounds off Maine's interstate highways. These trucks 
     do not belong on Maine's city streets and secondary roads, 
     just as they do not belong on those of New Hampshire, 
     Massachusetts, and New York. I, along with other Maine chiefs 
     of police across the state, believe that these trucks pose a 
     significant risk to the safety of citizens as they travel 
     upon the populated city streets and narrow and winding rural 
     roads of Maine's cities and towns. We have seen, first hand, 
     the dangers these trucks pose to Maine citizens as they 
     travel on our secondary roads. The constant changing of 
     speeds and their repeated starts and stops cause regular 
     disruption to the flow of local traffic, and their presence 
     have resulted in traffic accidents and tragedies.

[[Page S193]]

     During the winter months, Maine's secondary roads become much 
     narrower, rural roads are more slippery, and speed limits are 
     reduced, thereby increasing the danger to pedestrians and 
     other drivers. No matter how experienced the truck driver may 
     be, they cannot stop these trucks on a dime; they cannot 
     anticipate every situation that can occur in heavily 
     populated areas; and they cannot prevent the shifting of 
     their heavy loads from occurring.
       It is important to do everything possible to insure safety 
     for the public. Therefore, I offer my utmost support for your 
     legislation that will keep these heavy loads on Maine's 
     interstate highways where they belong. I continue to 
     encourage you and others, like Senator Leahy of Vermont, to 
     continue your efforts to keep these 100,000 pound trucks on 
     interstate highways, and off our local streets and rural 
     roads.
           Sincerely,
                                                 Ronald K. Gastia,
     Chief of Police.
                                  ____



                             Professional Logging Contractors,

                             New Gloucester, ME, January 24, 2011.
     Hon. Susan Collins,
     U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Collins: I am writing to express the 
     Professional Logging Contractors of Maine's full support for 
     your proposed legislation to permanently allow trucks 
     weighing up to 100,000 pounds to use federal Interstate 
     highways in Maine and Vermont.
       Our logger members rely on trucks to deliver their logs, 
     chips and biomass to market. We are surrounded by states and 
     provinces which allow higher Interstate truck weights, 
     putting loggers in rural Maine at a significant competitive 
     disadvantage. Many of our members are small business owners 
     for whom the increased costs of being forced to make longer, 
     less efficient trips on secondary roads could make the 
     difference between profitability and unprofitability. This 
     could lead some business owners to exit the market place, 
     costing jobs and placing an additional strain on wood 
     supplies.
       Interstate highways are designed and built to handle higher 
     truck weights and wherever possible trucks should be able to 
     utilize this system, taking unnecessary traffic off of state 
     and local highways and out of our communities. PLC of Maine 
     believes each state should have the right to adjust the 
     weight limits on Interstates within its borders to meet the 
     needs of its people.
       Last year's pilot project in Maine, allowing 100,000 pound 
     trucks to access Interstate highways, was tremendously 
     successful. The loss of the pilot in December was a real blow 
     to our loggers, the forest products industry, and our rural 
     communities as well.
       Restoring the terms of the pilot is one action Congress can 
     take that would immediately benefit industry and the public, 
     without imposing new burdens on taxpayers. The benefits of 
     the increased weight limits are clear:
       Safety--Fewer miles travelled, on safer roads, with reduced 
     contact with pedestrians, automobiles, rail crossings and 
     school zones;
       Environmental--Reduced fuel consumption, reduced emissions 
     from start and stops; and
       Economic--Reduced secondary road and bridge wear, improved 
     truck efficiency for loggers.
       Please let me know if there is anything the Professional 
     Logging Contractors of Maine can do to promote your 
     legislation. Thank you again for your continued support for 
     Maine's loggers.
           Sincerely,
                                             Michael A. Beardsley,
     Executive Director.
                                  ____

                                                  Forest Resources


                                            Association, Inc.,

                                     Holden, ME, January 21, 2011.
     Hon. Susan Collins,
     U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Collins: I am writing to express the Forest 
     Resources Association's full support for your proposed 
     legislation which would permanently allow trucks weighing up 
     to 100,000 pounds to use federal Interstate highways in Maine 
     and Vermont.
       Our members--forest landowners, loggers, truckers, wood-
     using mills, and associated businesses, as well as our 
     families and neighbors--all rely on safe and efficient 
     transportation of goods and services by truck for our 
     livelihoods.
       Our industry relies on trucks to deliver raw materials from 
     the forest to our mills and shipment of finished product to 
     market. We are surrounded by states and provinces which allow 
     higher Interstate truck weights, putting our industry in 
     rural Maine at a significant disadvantage.
       The federal Interstate system is designed and built to 
     handle these loads, as are Maine highways and wherever 
     possible trucks should be able to utilize this system, taking 
     unnecessary traffic off of state and local highways and out 
     of communities. FRA believes that, within reasonable 
     guidelines, each state should have the right to adjust weight 
     limits on Interstates within its borders to conform with its 
     needs.
       By all accounts, last year's pilot project in Maine and 
     Vermont allowing these trucks to access Interstate highways 
     was tremendously successful. Attached is a Forest Resources 
     Association Technical Release presenting testimony on the 
     pilot's benefits. The loss of the pilot in December was a 
     real blow to our industry and rural communities.
       Restoring the terms of the pilot is one action Congress can 
     take which immediately benefits both industry and the public 
     without imposing new burdens on taxpayers. The benefits are 
     clear:
       Safety Benefits--Fewer miles travelled, on safer roads, 
     with fewer exposures.
       Environmental Benefits--Reduced fuel usage, reduced 
     emissions.
       Economic Benefits--Reduced wear on secondary roads, 
     improved efficiency for haulers.
       Please let me know if there is anything FRA can do to 
     promote your legislation--and thanks again for your continued 
     support for Maine's forest products community .
           Sincerely,
                                                     Joel Swanton,
     Region Manager.
                                  ____

                                                     H.O. Bouchard


                                      Transportation Services,

                                    Hampden, ME, January 21, 2011.
     Hon. Susan Collins,
     Dirkson Senate Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Collins: I am writing on behalf of H.O. 
     Bouchard in favor of allowing trucks weighing up to 100,000 
     pounds gross vehicle weight on Interstates in Maine. We are a 
     major motor carrier in Maine whose fleet is made up of 6-axle 
     units transporting heavy bulk products throughout Maine, 
     Canada, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New 
     York. These products include: cement powder, liquid asphalt, 
     fuel oil, road salt, raw forest products, chemicals, logs and 
     machinery. We have done this safely for 27 years.
       I ask that you help those who are not from this area to 
     understand that the whole New England area (with the 
     exception of Vermont), New York and Canada allow up to at 
     least 99,000 pounds on 6 axle combination units. New York 
     allows more than 100,000 pounds and Canada allows more than 
     109,000 lbs. on 6 axles. The only areas that do not are a 
     very small slice of Maine that is Interstates 95, 295, 395 
     and interstates in Vermont. Presently the freight moves on 6 
     axle units, but on secondary roads. Commerce to and from 
     Bangor to Aroostook County must travel on secondary Route 2, 
     rather than 1-95, which runs parallel. To go the same 
     distance takes 50 minutes longer at a cost of approximately 
     $70.00 more. This is multiplied by hundreds of trips daily of 
     fuels, logs, lumber and many other consumer commodities. This 
     commercial traffic is very noticeable in all of the small 
     towns where the trucks must constantly stop and start for RR 
     crossings, crosswalks, school buses and emergency vehicles. 
     That same truck traffic was not even noticeable when it was 
     on the interstate, a road that can handle much more traffic 
     with ease. We have paid for the best roads and cannot use 
     them.
       The future of our nation must include increased 
     transportation productivity to keep from clogging highways 
     and slowing the economic recovery. Using 2 trucks to haul the 
     freight of 3 is a simple, safe, cost effective way to 
     accomplish this. Your proposal to allow 6-axle vehicles 
     weighing up to 100,000 pounds to use the interstate system in 
     Maine and Vermont (99,000) is all benefit at no cost. It is 
     simply good business.
       Thank you for your support in helping with this important 
     legislation.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Brian Bouchard,
                                                        President.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I rise today with my good friends and 
neighbors from New England--Senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe 
from Maine--to introduce a bill that would allow Vermont and Maine to 
set the appropriate truck-weight standards on the interstates in their 
states.
  For too long, Vermont and Maine have been at a competitive 
disadvantage while our next-door neighbors in New York, New Hampshire, 
Massachusetts, and Quebec have enjoyed the economic benefits that come 
with higher highway truck weight limits. Due to these restrictions, the 
heaviest truck traffic in Vermont and Maine must travel over smaller 
and narrower roadways, creating significant safety concerns for 
pedestrians and motorists and putting pressure on our already 
overburdened secondary roads and bridges.
  That is why Senator Collins and I included language in the 2010 
transportation funding bill to implement pilot programs that allowed 
heavier trucks on interstates in Vermont and Maine for one year and 
studied the impacts of this policy change on highway safety, bridge and 
road durability, commerce, truck volumes, and energy use in Vermont.
  During the past year I have heard from a number of Vermont truckers, 
business owners, and state and local officials who support extending 
the pilot program because of the economic and safety benefits they saw 
when the trucks were on the Interstates. Most importantly, many 
Vermonters reported a significant reduction of heavy truck traffic in 
our downtowns and villages.
  Unfortunately, last month the leadership on the other side of the 
aisle

[[Page S194]]

blocked consideration of an omnibus budget bill that included a 
provision Senator Collins and I authored to extend the Vermont and 
Maine truck weight pilot programs for another year. This sudden and 
senseless reversal of a previous commitment to support the bill led to 
the end of the Vermont and Maine pilot programs in December.
  As a result the heaviest trucks in our states have been forced to 
divert back to secondary roads--and the negative economic impact of 
these trucks is once again being felt in downtowns and villages 
throughout Vermont and Maine.
  I am pleased to join with Senators Collins and Snowe in introducing 
this bipartisan bill today. It will stop overweight trucks from having 
to rumble through our historic villages and downtowns, and it will 
better protect our citizens and our ailing transportation 
infrastructure.
  I appreciate the support this legislation has received from the State 
of Vermont, the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, the Vermont Truck 
and Bus Association, the Vermont Petroleum Association, the Vermont 
Fuel Dealers Association, and many individual businesses and 
municipalities throughout Vermont.
                                 ______