ARLINGTON, Va. – The American trucking industry is asking Congress to modernize federal laws that governs truck productivity, which the group says have not been updated since 1982.

Testifying on behalf of the ATA before the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Michael Smid, President and CEO of YRC North American Transportation, said fundamental changes that permit increased trucking industry productivity will reduce congestion on the nation’s highways, reduce energy use, and improve highway safety and air quality.

"Over the previous quarter century, the trucking industry has made continuous improvements that have allowed its customers to significantly reduce inventories and create manufacturing and supply chain efficiencies that have saved the U.S. economy billions of dollars, increased salaries, slowed consumer price increases and created countless jobs,” Smid said. “Any disruption to the movement of freight on our nation’s highway systems will jeopardize these gains.”

Since 1982, truck tonnage has increased nearly 40 percent, driven by a 32 percent increase in the U.S. population and 82 percent growth in Gross Domestic Product.

Smid highlighted that use of more productive, long-combination trucks will limit the need for additional trucks.

Meanwhile, OOIDA, which has been actively fighting proposals to increase the allowable size and weight of trucks on the highways, was also present to give its side of the story.

US politicians are hearing the case for
and against larger trucks on highways

Testifying on behalf of OOIDA was senior member Bill Farrell, the owner of Bill Farrell LLC based in Missoula, Mont.

"Truckers such as OOIDA members know from firsthand experience that further increases in sizes and weights of commercial motor vehicles can endanger highway users and hasten the deterioration of our nation’s roads and bridges," Farrell told committee members.

Farrell tried to debunk arguments to push for the longer and heavier trucks by highlighting the numerous problems that would arise if current limits were abandoned.

"Under the guise of enhanced productivity, some carriers and shippers incessantly push for ever-increasing size and weight limits while largely ignoring the dire safety implications," he testified.