The American Trucking Associations and the Truckload Carriers Association came together at the conclusion of ATA's Management Conference & Exhibition in Dallas this week to call on policy makers to allow for increased truck productivity.


While ATA, along with the Coalition for Transportation Productivity, a group of more than 160 shippers and allied associations, has been lobbying for a limit of 97,000 pounds on a new six-axle configuration, truckload carriers have been reluctant to back higher weight limits.

TCA had opposed the 97,000-pound plan because it would mean expensive retrofits or buying totally new equipment -- and for truckload carriers, there likely would not be increased revenue to offset that expense.

At last year's ATA meeting, TCA changed its official position on the idea of raising the federal weight limit for trucks, supporting a proposal calling for an 88,000-pound gross vehicle weight limit, up from the previous 80,000 pounds.

This year, ATA and TCA opted for a dual-program approach, with each group adding the other's proposal to their platform.

The ATA Board of Directors voted to add 88,000-pound, five-axle combinations with enhanced braking capability, to its list of preferred productivity improvements. This new component joins 97,000-pound, six-axle combinations and harmonization of longer-combination vehicles on the menu of productivity improvements ATA will advocate for in Washington and state capitals across the country. ATA endorsed increasing truck weight limits to 97,000 pounds in 2006.

Also this week, TCA voted to approve a two-tiered productivity policy of supporting combinations of 88,000 pounds on five axles as well as 97,000 pounds on six axles.

"The trucking industry, like any family, sometimes takes a while to reach a consensus, but we're happy that we have been able to bring our respective policies on truck productivity in line," ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said. "It is critical that we petition our elected leaders with one voice and this brings us closer to our industry unity."

TCA President Chris Burruss agrees. "Considering all of the challenges we face as an industry, it should always be our priority to find common ground on as many issues as possible," said Burruss. "I applaud the leadership of TCA and ATA for finding common ground on this difficult issue."

"With possible hours-of-service changes threatening to limit capacity, congestion choking our highways and the driver shortage worsening, we need to find ways to improve our industry's productivity in order to continue delivering the nation's essential goods," said ATA Chairman Dan England, chairman C.R. England. "Studies have shown that more productive trucks are safer, more efficient and greener than conventional combinations without causing more wear and tear on our roads, and now that we and TCA have come together on this issue, we're in a better position to continue to make that case to policymakers."