United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1994-08-09 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:RCED-94-106 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-RCED-94-106 P0b002ee18039dc35 f:rc94106 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-RCED-94-106 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-RCED-94-106 RCED-94-106 Trucking operations Freight transportation operations Cost control Transportation costs Transportation safety Shipping industry Highway safety Motor vehicles Traffic regulation Safety regulation Alaska Arizona Colorado Florida Idaho Indiana Kansas Massachusetts Montana Nebraska Nevada New York North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon South Dakota Utah Washington Wyoming FHwA National Bridge Inventory FHwA Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program Chapter Report RCED The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 directed GAO to report on the economic and safety impact of multiple-trailer trucks, known as longer combination vehicles (LCV). Most LCVs are either triple or double trailers that operate at gross weights above the 80,000-pound federal limit allowed on interstate highways, primarily in 14 western states that have "grandfathered" exemptions from the federal weight limits, and on some turnpikes in six other states. While the analyses of benefits from and costs attributable to LCVs are theoretical because of different assumptions, wider use of these combination trucks would reduce annual trucking costs, according to one analysis, by about 3 percent or $3.4 billion. Meanwhile, analyses by the Federal Highway Administration indicate that nationwide use of LCVs on the interstate highway system could require additional investments of $2.1 billion to $3.5 billion to replace bridges, improve interchanges, and provide staging areas for the breakdown and assembly of these vehicles. While limited data on LCVs show they have not been a safety problem where used in western states and on eastern turnpikes, GAO has previously identified operational characteristics of LCVs that could make them a greater safety risk if allowed on more congested highways. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-RCED-94-106/html/GAOREPORTS-RCED-94-106.htm GAO/RCED-94-106 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-RCED-94-106 Chapter Report GAO/RCED-94-106; Longer Combination Trucks: Potential Infrastructure Impacts, Productivity Benefits, and Safety Concerns; Trucking operations Freight transportation operations Cost control Transportation costs Transportation safety Shipping industry Highway safety Motor vehicles Traffic regulation Safety regulation Alaska Arizona Colorado Florida Idaho Indiana Kansas Massachusetts Montana Nebraska Nevada New York North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon South Dakota Utah Washington Wyoming FHwA National Bridge Inventory FHwA Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program Public Law 102-240