American Trucking Associations: Weight Limits Impede Truck Productivity, Environmental...

American Trucking Associations: Weight Limits Impede Truck Productivity,
Environmental Progress

ARLINGTON, Va., July 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ .-- U.S. trucks would be more
fuel efficient and emit less greenhouse gases if they were more productive
like trucks in Europe, Canada and Australia, according to the preliminary
results of a multi-nation study. These findings reaffirm results from 2008
using the American Transportation Research Institute's higher productivity
vehicle model. As countries around the world prepare for increasing freight
volumes, many have already instituted programs that increase truck size and
weight and have seen great productivity and environmental gains, with
continuing improvements in safety.

At a recent conference hosted by the University of Michigan Transportation
Research Institute, truck industry experts from across the globe found that
the U.S. is lagging in several truck productivity and sustainability
categories when compared with international counterparts. Current U.S. truck
size and weight regulations serve as a limiting factor, preventing trucks from
utilizing the full potential of our infrastructure. Increasing truck size and
weight standards to align more closely with international standards would
improve truck productivity and the ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
and carbon output.

"Existing restrictions on truck size and weight are unreasonably low and harm
the U.S.," said Bill Graves, President and CEO of the American Trucking
Associations (ATA). "We must raise our standards to maximize the productivity
of our transportation system if we're to remain competitive in global
markets."

ATA supports allowing States to authorize more productive vehicles to operate
on the Nation's highways, consistent with sound engineering standards,
improved safety and cost responsibility. To address the potential for greater
productivity, ATA has proposed a program to allow 6-axle vehicles to carry
97,000 pounds in states that agree to permit them; allow states to permit
33-foot trailer combinations; harmonize the use of longer combination vehicles
in western sates and expand their use where appropriate; and allow a 10
percent increase in auto-hauler weights to account for today's heavier
vehicles.

Operating more productive vehicles would allow companies to deliver goods
while making fewer trips, resulting in less traffic congestion, cleaner air,
less costly freight transportation and safer highways.

The American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association
for the trucking industry. Through a federation of other trucking groups,
industry-related conferences, and its 50 affiliated state trucking
associations, ATA represents more than 37,000 members covering every type of
motor carrier in the United States.

SOURCE American Trucking Associations

Clayton Boyce of ATA, +1-703-838-7902