[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 10 (Friday, January 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2699-2701]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-934]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration
[FHWA Docket No. FHWA-98-4498; FHWA-95-5]


Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Study; Availability of Volume 
III, Scenario Analysis

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is announcing the availability of a draft of Volume 
III, Scenario Analysis of the report for the Comprehensive Truck Size 
and Weight (TS&W) Study (October 1998) for review and comment. The 
document will be mailed to individuals that have previously expressed 
an interest in the study.
    Volume III presents a description of the analytical framework used 
to evaluate a set of alternative TS&W options selected for review by 
the DOT. Data and analytical tools have been developed to evaluate 
critical impact areas: highway agency costs (pavement preservation, 
bridge protection and geometric requirements), externalities (safety of 
the system, environmental quality, energy consumption and traffic flow) 
and economic impact (rail competitiveness and shipper costs).
    For each of five scenarios, the impacts, as delineated above, have 
been assessed and compared to a status quo baseline. These findings are 
presented in Volume III. The DOT identified three illustrative core 
scenarios for initial evaluation. In addition, two policy proposals, 
initiated by external groups, were targeted for analysis. Scenarios 
were specified using a building block approach which includes 
configuration, highway network, and geographic options.

DATES: Comments must be received by March 16, 1999 in order to be 
considered for inclusion in the final draft of the Volume III document.


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ADDRESSES: Your signed, written comments must refer to the docket 
number appearing at the top of this document and you must submit the 
comments to the Docket Clerk, U.S. DOT Dockets, Room PL-401, 400 
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, D.C. 20590-0001. All comments received 
will be available for examination at the above address between 9 a.m. 
and 5 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays. Those 
desiring notification of receipt of comments must include a self-
addressed stamped envelope or postcard.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Regina McElroy, Office of Policy 
Development, HPP-10, (202) 366-9216, or Mr. Charles E. Medalen, Office 
of the Chief Counsel, HCC-20, (202) 366-1354, FHWA, 400 Seventh Street, 
SW., Washington, D. C. 20590-0001. Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 
4:15 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

    Internet users can access all comments received by the U.S. DOT 
Dockets, Room PL-401, by using the universal resource locator (URL): 
http://dms.dot.gov. It is available 24 hours each day, 365 days each 
year. Please follow the instructions online for more information and 
help.
    An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded using a modem 
and suitable communications software from the Government Printing 
Office's Electronic Bulletin Board Service at (202) 512-1661. Internet 
users may reach the Federal Register's home page at: http://
www.nara.gov/fedreg and the Government Printing Office's database at: 
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara.

Availability of Copy

    A copy of draft Volume III may be obtained by contacting Ms. April 
McCrory, Office of Policy Development, HPP-10, facsimile: (202) 366-
7696. It is also available on the FHWA home page at the following 
Internet address: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/reports/tswstudy.

Background

    The DOT currently has under way a Comprehensive TS&W Study. The 
study was initiated in 1994 by Secretary of Transportation Rodney E. 
Slater, who was then the Federal Highway Administrator. The study will 
provide a policy architecture or a fact-based framework for decision 
makers as they consider the relative impacts of alternative TS&W policy 
options. Specific policy recommendations are not included in the study.
    Volume III of the study focuses on scenario analysis. Five 
scenarios were analyzed to assess the potential impact of changes in 
national TS&W policies. Each scenario was compared to a Base Case. The 
three illustrative scenarios analyzed are: ``Uniformity,'' ``North 
American Trade'' and ``Longer Combination Vehicles (LCVs) Nationwide.'' 
The two policy scenarios analyzed are: H.R. 551, ``The Safe Highways 
and Infrastructure Preservation Act'' and ``Triples Nationwide.''

Base Case

    The Base Case retains all features of current law and provides a 
baseline against which the other scenarios may be compared. It also 
includes existing grandfather rights and the freeze imposed by the 
Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991 (Pub. 
L. 102-240, 105 Stat. 1914) which restricted the use of LCVs to the 
types of operations in effect as of June 1, 1991.

Uniformity

    Under the Uniformity scenario, current grandfather provisions that 
now allow some States to retain gross vehicle weight (GVW) and axle 
weight limits higher than the Federal limits on the Interstate System 
would be eliminated. This scenario would also extend Federal limits to 
non-Interstate portions of the National Network (NN) for large trucks, 
resulting in nationally uniform weight limits on the NN.

North American Trade

    The North American Trade scenario is focused on trade among the 
North American countries. This trade could be facilitated by allowing 
the operation of six-axle tractor-semitrailer combinations at 97,000 
pounds GVW. Under this scenario, a 51,000-pound tridem-axle weight 
would be allowed. Currently, the weight allowed on a three-axle group 
is limited by the Federal Bridge Formula. A 51,000-pound tridem-axle 
weight limit would provide for the legal transportation of 40-foot 
containers loaded to maximum international weight limits. Because a 
tridem-axle weight limit of 51,000 pounds would have adverse 
infrastructure and safety impacts, a 44,000-pound tridem-axle weight 
limit was also analyzed. Under these limits a six-axle tractor 
semitrailer combination could operate at 90,000 pounds. In addition, 
this tridem-axle weight limit could provide a productivity increase for 
short wheelbase straight trucks.

Longer Combination Vehicles (LCVs)

    The LCVs Nationwide scenario explores the impact of lifting the 
ISTEA freeze on LCVs. The ISTEA included language to prevent the 
expansion of LCVs into States that did not permit them before June 1, 
1991. The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (Pub. L. 105-
178, 112 Stat. 107) did not amend or remove the freeze. In this 
scenario, LCVs would be afforded higher GVW limits than other 
commercial motor vehicles, subject to their number of axles. All other 
Federal TS&W controls would remain.

H.R. 551

    On February 4, 1997, Representative Oberstar introduced H.R. 551, 
entitled Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act of 1997. 
This bill would phase out trailers longer than 53 feet, freeze State 
grandfather rights, and freeze weight limits on non-Interstate portions 
of the National Highway System.

Triples Nationwide

    The Triples Nationwide scenario was recommended as a result of 
outreach efforts. This scenario is a subset of the LCVs Nationwide 
scenario and would permit the operation of triple-trailer combinations 
across the country. This scenario focuses on a seven-axle triple-
trailer combination which would be permitted to operate nationwide at a 
GVW of 132,000 pounds.
    The scenarios, as well as the impact areas, were selected based on 
comments received through the study's extensive outreach process. 
Outreach activities have included: (1) a Federal Register notice 
requesting initial public comment under FHWA Docket No. 95-5 (February 
2, 1995, 60 FR 6587); (2) public meetings with representatives of large 
and small carriers, trucking industry associations, safety advocates 
and representatives from State and local governments (March 13, 1995, 
60 FR 13510); (3) regional focus sessions to secure input from major 
constituencies and experts; (4) special teleconference sessions 
addressing issues of importance with our State partners; (5) external 
review of draft documents by Congress, State representatives and other 
interested parties prior to finalization; and (6) an Impact Methodology 
Review Conference (April 30, 1998, 63 FR 23822).
    The study approach also reflects extensive internal Departmental 
coordination. Policy oversight and direction for the study were 
provided by a DOT Policy Oversight Group (POG). The POG is comprised of 
executives

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from throughout the Department including representatives from the 
Office of the Secretary of Transportation, FHWA, the Federal Railroad 
Administration, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and 
the Maritime Administration. In addition to POG oversight, a Multimodal 
Advisory Group (MAG) was established to ensure that major technical 
decisions shaping the Study would be made on an intermodal basis. The 
MAG is comprised of staff-level representatives from throughout the 
DOT.
    The DOT anticipates that the final Comprehensive TS&W Study report 
will be transmitted to Congress in the spring of 1999. It will include 
four volumes: Volume I--Executive Summary, Volume II--Issues and 
Background, Volume III--Scenario Analysis, and Volume IV--Guide to 
Documentation. A draft version of Volume II was distributed for 
external review in June 1997.

    Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315; 49 U.S.C. 301, 302, and 305; 49 CFR 
1.48.

    Issued on: January 7, 1999.
Kenneth R. Wykle,
Federal Highway Administrator.
[FR Doc. 99-934 Filed 1-14-99; 8:45 am]
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