[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 116 (Friday, July 29, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5072-S5073]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. SNOWE:
  S. 1450. A bill to amend title 23, United States Code, to provide for 
the establishment of a commercial truck safety program, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, today I introduce the Commercial Truck 
Safety Act of 2011 to address one of my top priorities, and one of my 
constituents' greatest concerns in recent years, keeping trucks on the 
Interstate Highway System whenever and wherever possible.
  Improving truck safety has been one of my key concerns for more than 
a decade. What seemed like a simple task so many years ago has become a 
long battle, fighting for common sense changes that would allow all 
trucks in Maine to use the Interstate system.
  In 2009, Senator Collins and I, and our colleagues from Vermont, were 
able to secure a one-year pilot program that allowed 100,000-pound 
trucks on Interstates in Maine. The program reinforced the need for a 
permanent change to the outdated and inconsistent regulations that 
govern the weight of trucks on our Interstate highways.
  During the 2009-2010 pilot program, there were 14 fewer crashes, a 10 
percent improvement, involving six-axle vehicles, even with increased 
traffic volume on Maine's Interstate system. In fact, there were no 
fatal crashes on the Interstate during the pilot program, and 5 fewer 
injuries on secondary roads.
  Maine's Department of Transportation collects fatal accident data 
regarding large trucks, and more than 96 percent are on secondary 
roads, not the Interstate, including the portion of 1-95 that has a 
permanent exemption. Crash rates for Maine trucks on secondary roads 
are 7 to 10 times higher than on Interstate highways.
  Trucks belong on the highway, but Interstate highway weight limits 
are inconsistent across state lines, and shippers are forced to use 
secondary roads to move goods through states still restricted by weight 
limits established decades ago. In the 122 miles between Hampden and 
Houlton, Maine, a common route for shippers, these legal 100,000-pound 
trucks are forced to pass by 9 schools, 270 intersections, and more 
than 3,000 driveways.
  The Commercial Truck Safety Act will allow states to petition the 
Secretary of Transportation for a waiver from current Interstate weight 
limits. The Secretary would have the authority to authorize a 3-year 
pilot program, during which time state engineers, highway users, and 
safety advocates would weigh the advantages and disadvantages, and 
report to the Secretary who could then set reasonable, permanent weight 
limits.
  The Secretary would authorize a 3-year pilot program within a state, 
and require the creation of a safety committee, composed of engineers, 
safety advocates, and highway users. This team would report to the 
Secretary on whether the pilot program should be made permanent, 
eliminating the need

[[Page S5073]]

for individual States to come to Congress for special exemptions.
  Under my plan, only six-axle vehicles would be eligible to carry 
loads over 80,000 pounds. A 2000 Federal Highway Administration study 
noted that these trucks cause LESS fatigue on both rigid and flexible 
pavements. There is no question that allowing these vehicles on the 
Interstate will have safety, environmental, and efficiency benefits.
  A total of 27 States already have some type of permanent exemption, 
and 47 states allow trucks weighing over 80,000 pounds on some roads 
within their State. To offer a clear picture of this, if you are 
driving a 100,000-pound truck from Gary, Indiana, just outside of 
Chicago, to Portland, Maine, you would be forced to unload the 
additional weight to continue on the Interstate in Maine, or travel 
through the state on local roads, needlessly raising the risk of an 
accident on a local road or street. Conversely, and inexplicably, you 
can drive a truck weighing 90,000 pounds all the way from Kansas City, 
MO to Seattle, WA, exclusively on the Interstate system.
  If a State's chief highway engineer can certify the safety of a 
route, and the condition of a road, a State should have the flexibility 
to change its weight limit on Interstate highways.
  Pulp and paper produced in Bucksport and Lincoln, Maine, are vital to 
the economic health of my State, but with the return to previous weight 
limits, Maine is at a significant disadvantage due to the higher cost 
of transportation caused by this fundamental inequity. Some of my 
constituents noted that the pilot program increased efficiency so 
appreciably, it was as if the factory had been moved 200 miles closer 
to the customer. While at first glance this may seem insignificant, we 
must not forget that diesel prices are well above $4.00 per gallon, and 
tractor trailers operate at approximately 6 miles per gallon. Not only 
will this bill save fuel and costs for shippers, it will reduce costs 
for states. A 2004 study commissioned by the Maine Department of 
Transportation indicates that a permanent change would reduce the 
state's pavement costs by more than $1 million per year. It would also 
cut bridge rehabilitation costs by more than $300,000 per year.
  It is critical that we maximize our current highway capacity, and 
ensure that freight movement is efficient and timely. The Commercial 
Truck Safety Act will provide states with the flexibility they need to 
improve freight mobility and increase safety on our highways. I urge my 
colleagues to support this bill, and allow States to update truck 
weight limits that no longer enhance safety or boost our economy.
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