White House Supports Bigger Trucks in Maine, Vermont.

The Obama Administration recently provided its support for a pilot project in Maine and Vermont allowing heavier trucks on interstate highways. 

In its continuing resolution for fiscal year 2011, the White House proposed the one year test program be made permanent.  The continuing resolution would fund the federal government beyond Oct. 1, 2010, the start of the new fiscal year.

The pilot project allows semis up to 100,000 lbs to operate on interstates in Maine and Vermont provided the existence of a sixth axle.  Both states have sizable logging industries that utilize larger, heavy trucks. 

Federal law prohibits trucks weighing more than 80,000 lbs. from utilizing interstate highways without oversize, overweight permits from states.

Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) support the pilot program, in part due to the opportunity to reduce semi traffic on the states’ secondary roads.

"It simply makes no sense to force heavy trucks off the federal highway and onto our smaller roads in Maine," Collins said.

In 2009, the Soy Transportation Coalition completed a study titled, “Heavier Semis: A Good Idea.”  The analysis focused on the impact on motorist safety, infrastructure integrity, and the cost savings to the soybean industry of increasing semi weights given a six axle configuration.  By increasing semi weights to 97,000 lbs. from the current 80,000 lbs. threshold, farmers can load 183 additional bushels of soybeans in a semi.  Over the course of a harvest season, farmers can save an entire day simply due to fewer trips being made to the initial delivery location.  

The summary document for the study can be accessed at the STC’s website at: http://soytransportation.org/whatsnew/STCSummarySemiWeightLimitAnalysis2.pdf.