Upload
rose-miles
View
212
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Issue: Should the federal government increase the maximum weight on single-trailer trucks traveling on interstate highways from 80,000 pounds to 97,000 pounds by adding a sixth axle?
Versus
• Reduce consumption by 2 billion gallons of diesel per year
• Reduction of $2.4 billion in pavement restoration costs over the next 20 years on interstate
• Allows American producers to reduce the number of shipments needed to deliver a fixed amount of goods - making them more productive and competitive
• Since the U.K. raised its weight limit to 97,000 pounds for six-axle vehicles in 2001, fatal truck-related accidents have declined by 35%
Talking Points
Talking Points
• Additional cost of repairing bridge damage of $3 billion
• Currently trucks pay 80% of damage they cause – by raising the limit from 80,000 to 97,000 pounds they will cover only 50% of the damage
• To break even on repair costs 97,000 lb trucks would need to pay an $1.17 per gallon in fuel tax
NLC opposes increases in truck weight limits unless and until such increases are accompanied by simultaneous and sufficient increases in the heavy truck-user tax.
• No state laws have been introduced to raise weight limits on state and local roads
• A federal issue pitting railroads versus trucks