The Coalition for Transportation Productivity has launched a digital video campaign to rally support for federal truck weight reform legislation known as the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act (SETA), S. 747, H.R. 763.
CTP, a group of about 200 shippers and allied associations dedicated to responsibly increasing federal vehicle weight limits on interstate highways, produced the video to educate the transportation community about SETA and what it claims are the proven benefits of giving states the option to grant interstate access for heavier, single-trailer trucks equipped with six axles rather than five.
"The Coalition for Transportation Productivity is on a mission to mobilize the transportation industry around SETA," said CTP Executive Director John Runyan. "Shipping costs are on the rise, and available truck capacity has dropped by 16% since 2008. If U.S. shippers expect to emerge from the economic downturn and be competitive in the global marketplace, the entire shipping industry needs to rally around the truck weight reform effort and urge Congress to pass SETA."
The CTP video builds the case for SETA by demonstrating what it calls the safety, economic and environmental benefits of giving states the opportunity to use more productive trucks on select interstate routes.
The video highlights results of a recent pilot project in Maine, and the fact that most states already employ higher weight limits on secondary roads but are barred from allowing the heavier but more productive trucks on interstate highways -- which are actually engineered for heavier traffic. It also touts the experience of several major U.S. trading partners
"CTP produced this video to demonstrate that SETA is an innovative, effective way to make America's transportation network more productive and efficient," continued Runyan. "SETA is a cautious bill giving each state the opportunity to selectively raise truck weight limits on interstate routes that make the most sense. Shippers need to band together and urge Congress to pass SETA so we can give states a chance to maximize the productivity of their interstate highways."
The U.S. federal weight limit has been set at 80,000 pounds since 1982. Many shippers meet the limit with space left in their trailers and must use more truckloads, fuel and emissions when traveling interstates. The Safe and Efficient Transportation Act gives each state the option to set interstate weight limits of up to 97,000 pounds, but this higher weight limit would only apply to trucks equipped with safer six axles instead of the typical five. Without making the truck any larger, the additional axle maintains safety specifications -- including stopping and handling capabilities and current weight per tire.
SETA was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Jean Schmidt (R-OH) and Michael Michaud (D-ME) as H.R. 763. Identical companion legislation, S. 747, was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio).
