Coalition Against Bigger Trucks

The National Association of Counties (NACo) highlighted in the October edition of their County Countdown that “counties continue our push back against bigger, heavier trucks. NACo has consistently spoken out against efforts to increase the size and weight limits for trucks on our roads. Large, heavier trucks would cause more damage to local roads, and bridges, which are already costly.” CABT continues to advocate to Congress alongside NACo to keep heavier trucks off our roads to preserve our infrastructure. Watch and read the NACo County Countdown here: https://buff.ly/4dPraTk Learn more about CABT and NACo’s joint advocacy efforts against truck size and weight increases in the 118th Congress here: https://buff.ly/4dQEoPD

Our roads are getting more dangerous. Sheriff Don Smith of our Law Enforcement Board says it best: "It's simple physics. Force = mass x acceleration." Heavier trucks mean more mass, resulting in deadlier and more devastating crashes. With truck crash fatalities on the rise over the past decade, we need to focus on improving safety, not increasing truck weights. Let's prevent additional deaths by keeping heavier trucks off our roads. #NoBiggerTrucks Learn more about the CABT Law Enforcement Board here: https://buff.ly/3yiCoQV

Sandra Miller of Shillington, PA gave her perspective on the dangers of bigger truck configurations being proposed in Congress. “I read “Pa. police chiefs oppose increased truck weights” (Reading Eagle, Aug. 28). A bill in Congress would add 11,000 pounds of freight to tractor-trailers, allowing them to carry 91,000 pounds per load. I discussed this with my husband, who has driven tractor-trailers all over the U.S. This would increase the risk of fatalities in a crash…. More weight means more wear and tear of our roads and bridges. Disasters are waiting to happen. Big rigs cannot stop on a dime.” #nobiggertrucks

The American Road & Transportation Builders Association recently estimated that more than 220,000 U.S. bridges need major repair or replacement, with over 40,000 rated in poor condition. Truck size and weight exemptions in recent congressional proposals jeopardize bridge integrity. Heavier trucks cause more bridge damage, putting undue pressure on taxpayer investments. The Federal Highway Administration estimates replacing all poor bridges in the U.S. would cost $69 billion. #NoBiggerTrucks Learn more: https://buff.ly/4elsYUG

The Oklahoma Nurses Association recently voiced their strong concern with current federal proposals that would increase truck size and weight limits across the country: “As nurses, it is astonishing to us that discussions are taking place at the federal level to increase truck weights when studies already demonstrate a significant increase in crash rates with heavier trucks and as the state currently is grappling with a rising fatality rate from heavier trucks. Oklahomans must be made aware of proposed federal legislation that will have dangerous implications should it pass. Increasing weights would not only endanger motorists in our state but change the lives of the victims and their families forever.” Read more:

Scott Bohn, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association and former Chief of Police of West Chester, PA, shares law enforcements’ perspective on legislative proposals that would put heavier semi-trucks on our roads: “It’s just common sense that bigger trucks carry extra risk on the road and are more likely to be involved in crashes than lighter trucks. With another 5.5 tons, the crashes will be more severe, causing more injuries and fatalities….Pennsylvania is no stranger to truck traffic, especially since we have major routes such as I-95, I-80 and I-79, which all experience a high amount of commercial truck traffic already.” Read More:

Special interests are pushing Congress to increase truck weights on interstates. No truck trip starts and stops on the interstate – they all find their way on to local roads and bridges, which are not build to the same standard. Local infrastructure is already under enough stress. Jefferson County, Arkansas recently reduced the weight limit for semi-trucks on county-maintained roads from 85,000 to 68,000 pounds. A County Judge explained that county roads lack the base and foundation to handle such heavy loads, which leads to significant damage. This change addresses growing concerns from the community about road conditions and the impact of heavy trucks. Read more:

H.R. 3372 is a 10-year experiment on motorists, putting more dangerous trucks on our roads. This approach risks lives and turns motorists into guinea pigs. And we know these trucks are more dangerous – USDOT found 91,000-pound trucks had a 47% higher crash rate in Washington State and heavier trucks have higher out-of-service violation rates. Let's avoid replicating these findings nationwide and oppose this dangerous experiment. #NoBiggerTrucks Read more: https://buff.ly/49TgJMg

CABT’s national partner organizations have voiced opposition to bringing a 91,000-pound truck pilot project to our roads: “In a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, stakeholders ranging from local governments to trucking groups have asked the House leaders to reject requests to vote on a bill that would establish a pilot program for heavier trucks…. These heavier and longer trucks need to run on state and local roads to pick up and drop off freight, as well as for ‘reasonable access’ for fuel, food and other necessities,” the letter states. “Local roads and bridges face significantly more damage than interstates because they may be older, built to lower standards or are already in poor condition.” Read more here:

CABT’s national coalition partners voiced their opposition to bringing H.R. 3372, a 10-year “pilot project” that would allow a 91,000-pound semi-truck road safety experiment, to the House floor for a vote. Supporters continue to push for heavier truck configurations despite more than 70,000 local bridges that are not rated to safely accommodate 91,000-pound trucks. These heavier and longer trucks need to run on state and local roads to pick up and drop off freight, as well as for “reasonable access” for fuel, food and other necessities. Learn more about our opposition to H.R. 3372 here: https://buff.ly/49TgJMg Click below to read the CABT national coalition partners letter.