A bipartisan bill in the U.S. House of Representatives would give dry bulk haulers a little more flexibility at the scales.

Rep. Rick Crawford, a Republican from Arkansas, and Rep. Salud Carbajal, a Democrat from California, introduced the VARIANCE Act, which allows for a 10% shift in weight variance along the axles of tank trucks carrying dry goods, without any increase in the overall federal gross vehicle weight (GVW) limit.

Under current law, when stopped at a weigh station, a truck’s weight must be “evenly” distributed among each of the axles. However, with dry bulk goods, even when packed properly, the material often moves around in the tank, causing the weight on each axle of the vehicle to be different. 

How Does Proposed Law Help Dry Bulk Tank Haulers at the Scale?

The VARIANCE Act allows for a shift in variance, as long as the overall weight of the tank truck does not exceed 80,000 pounds. This will ensure trucks don’t have to unnecessarily reduce their loads, according to the congressmen.

The National Tank Truck Carriers applauded the bill, which has been a legislative priority for the association.

“This simple, commonsense solution that allows carriers to maximize payloads of materials such as grains, feeds, and plastics, without raising the federal maximum laden weight or disrupting the bridge formula,” saidRyan Streblow, NTTC president and CEO.

“By accounting for product shift during transit, this legislation acknowledges the operational realities of dry bulk carriers and represents a significant step toward a more efficient transportation network. It will help reduce stress on the supply chain, alleviate highway congestion, and enhance safety and efficiency.”

Why Bulk Loads Result in Overweight Axles

The bill's sponsors explain that bulk loads of dry goods rarely exceed the overall weight limits but they regularly shift during transport and cause the front trailer axle to exceed its maximum 34,000 pounds.

The force generated when braking compacts the cargo at the front end of the trailer, but the relatively weaker forces from acceleration and forward movement fail to evenly redistribute the weight across axles. Even when the cargo is properly loaded, the truck’s natural motions cause the load to become improperly distributed.

“Providing this variance standard will give trucks more flexibility to transport critical products while ensuring they are still meeting safe weight limits,” said Rep. Carbajal. “The VARIANCE Act is a bipartisan solution that will go a long way toward lowering costs for consumers and reducing congestion on our highways.”

“These dry goods will inevitably shift in the transport process,” said Rep. Crawford, “and current law must account for the unique characteristics of the goods being transported. This legislation is a commonsense solution for truckers transporting dry bulk by giving more flexibility.”