Coalition of Concerned Groups Warn Congress About Dangerous Truck Size and Weight Increases

  • February 28, 2018
150 150 Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety

Ahead of tomorrow’s hearing, “The Administration’s Framework for Rebuilding Infrastructure in America,” consumer, public health, safety and law enforcement organizations, trucking groups, and victims of truck crashes and their families, sent the following letter about the danger of raising truck size and weight limits to members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee:

 

February 28, 2018

The Honorable John Barrasso, Chairman  The Honorable Thomas Carper, Ranking Member  Committee on Environment and Public Works United States Senate Washington, D.C.  20510

Dear Chairman Barrasso and Ranking Member Carper:

As you prepare for tomorrow’s hearing, “The Administration’s Framework for Rebuilding Infrastructure in America,” our broad and diverse coalition would like to express our strong concern about a major threat to our Nation’s infrastructure – relentless efforts to increase federal truck size and weight limits.  These continuing attempts include proposals to increase current federal and state weight and length limits, to create “pilot programs,” and to carve out special interest exemptions for certain states or industries.  Any proposals to provide desperately needed improvements to our country’s roads and bridges will be undermined if bigger and heavier trucks are allowed on the already-crumbling infrastructure.  We respectfully request that this letter be included in the hearing record.

Truck crash deaths have risen dramatically in recent years.  Since 2009 there has been a staggering 28 percent increase in deaths from large truck crashes.  In 2016 alone, more than 4,300 people were killed in large truck crashes.  This amounts to a major airplane crash every other week of the year.  Additionally, data from 2015 (the most recent year available) shows that 116,000 people were injured in truck crashes – representing a 57 percent increase since 2009.  This death and injury toll would not be tolerated in any other mode of transportation.  Further, truck crashes come with a significant economic burden.  The cost to society from crashes involving commercial motor vehicles was estimated to be at $118 billion in 2015.  This is completely unacceptable and represents a major public safety problem.

Allowing the operation of bigger and heavier trucks runs counter to the goal of improving our Nation’s infrastructure and will only cause further degradation.  America’s roads continue to receive a grade of “D” from the American Society of Civil Engineers.  One of every five miles of highway pavement is in poor condition and there is a significant and increasing backlog of rehabilitation needs.  Additionally, one in eleven of the Nation’s 615,000 bridges in the National Bridge Inventory was structurally deficient.  Increasing truck size and weight will exacerbate these problems and dilute potential benefits from investments in infrastructure.

There is overwhelming opposition to bigger and heavier trucks.  The public has consistently and strongly rejected any increases to truck size and weight.   In a nationwide poll released just last month, 7 of 10 respondents opposed longer and heavier trucks.  Just last week, a letter signed by over 1,000 local government officials was sent to Congress urging rejection of any attempts to increase truck size and weight.  And, both the House and Senate voted against attempts to allow bigger and heavier trucks in strong bipartisan votes during the last Congress.  Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) recommended that no changes be made to federal truck size and weight laws as recently as 2016.

Larger and heavier trucks pose a myriad of problems for both safety and infrastructure.  Trucks heavier than 80,000 pounds have a greater number of brake violations, which are a major reason for out-of-service violations.  Alarmingly, trucks with out-of-service violations are 362 percent more likely to be involved in a crash, according to a North Carolina study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).  Tractor-trailers moving at 60 mph are required to stop in 310 feet – the length of a football field – once the brakes are applied.  Actual stopping distances are often much longer due to driver response time before braking and the common problem that truck brakes are often not in top working condition.  In 2016, violations related to tires and/or brakes accounted for five of the top ten most common vehicle out-of-service violations.  Moreover, increasing the weight of a heavy truck by only 10 percent increases bridge damage by 33 percent.  The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) estimates that the investment backlog for bridges, to address all cost-beneficial bridge needs, is $123.1 billion.  The U.S. would need to increase annual funding for bridges by 20 percent over current spending levels to eliminate the bridge backlog by 2032.

The U.S. DOT Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Study found that introducing double 33 foot trailer trucks, known as “Double 33s,” would be projected to result in 2,478 bridges requiring strengthening or replacement at an estimated one-time cost of $1.1 billion.  This figure does not even account for the additional, subsequent maintenance costs which will result from longer, heavier trucks.  Double trailer trucks have an 11 percent higher fatal crash rate than single trailer trucks.  They also require more stopping distance, take more time to pass, have bigger blind spots, cross into adjacent lanes and swing into opposing lanes on curves and when making right angle turns.

Bigger trucks will not mean fewer trucks.  A common and misleading argument made in support of bigger and heavier trucks is that it will result in fewer trucks on the road.  History and experience tell us that this is simply not true.  Since 1982, when Congress last increased the gross vehicle weight limit, truck registrations have more than doubled.  The U.S. DOT study also addressed this assertion and found that any potential mileage efficiencies from use of heavier trucks would be offset in just one year.

Improving the Nation’s infrastructure is a goal that we all share and should not be crippled by efforts to increase or evade truck size and weight limits.  We urge you to reject any and all attempts to put bigger and heavier trucks on our roads.

Sincerely,

Catherine Chase, President

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety

 

Joan Claybrook, Chair

Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways (CRASH) and

Former Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

 

Jeff Solheim, 2018 President

Emergency Nurses Association

 

James P. Hoffa, General President

International Brotherhood of Teamsters

 

Georges C. Benajmin, MD, Executive Director

American Public Health Association

 

Linda Bauer Darr, President

American Short Line and Regional Railroad

Association

 

Dominick Stokes, Vice President for

Legislative Affairs, Federal Law Enforcement

Officers Association

 

John Risch, National Legislative Director

SMART-TD (UTU)

 

Michael O’Malley, President

Railway Supply Institute

 

Jack Gillis, Director of Public Affairs

Consumer Federation of America

 

Steve Owings, Co-Founder

Road Safe America

 

Dave Tennent, Executive Director and CEO

Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers

Association

 

Chuck Baker, President

National Railroad Construction and

Maintenance Association

 

Dawn King, President

Truck Safety Coalition

 

Brad Roseberry, Vice President

Coalition Against Bigger Trucks

 

Janette Fennell, Founder and President

KidsAndCars.org

 

Jennifer Tierney, Board Member

CRASH Foundation

 

Andrew McGuire, Executive Director

Trauma Foundation

 

Jason Levine, Executive Director

Center for Auto Safety

 

Center for Auto Safety

Parents Against Tired Truckers

 

Linda Wilburn

Weatherford, OK

Board Member, PATT

Mother of Orbie Wilburn

Killed in a truck crash 9/2/02

 

Ed Slattery

Lutherville, MD

Board Member, PATT

Husband of Susan Slattery

Killed in a truck crash 8/16/10

Sons Matthew & Peter Slattery critically injured in a truck crash 8/16/10

 

Kate Brown

Gurnee, IL

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Mother of Graham Brown

Injured in a truck crash 5/2/05

 

Peter Malarczyk

Hastings-on-Hudson, NY

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Injured in a truck crash 12/29/15

Son of Ryszard and Anita Malarczyk

Killed in a truck crash 12/29/15

 

Morgan Lake

Sunderland, MD

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Injured in a truck crash 7/19/13

 

Julie Branon Magnan

South Burlington, VT

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Injured in a truck crash 01/31/02

Wife of David Magnan

Killed in a truck crash 01/31/02

 

Monica Malarczyk

Hastings-on-Hudson, NY

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Injured in a truck crash 12/29/15

Son of Ryszard and Anita Malarczyk

Killed in a truck crash 12/29/15

 

Alan Dana

Plattsburgh, NY

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Son of Janet Dana, Uncle of Caitlyn & Lauryn Dana, Brother-in-law of Laurie Dana

Killed in a truck crash 7/19/12

 

Larry Liberatore

Severn, MD

Board Member, PATT

Father of Nick Liberatore

Killed in a truck crash 6/9/97

 

Henry Steck

Homer, NY

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

 

Michelle Novak

Delevan, NY

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Aunt of Charles “Chuck” Novak

Killed in a truck crash 10/24/10

 

Jane Mathis

St. Augustine, FL

Vice President, TSC

Board Member, PATT

Mother of David Mathis

Mother-in-Law of Mary Kathryn Mathis

Killed in a truck crash 3/25/04

 

Lisa Shrum

Fayette, MO

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Daughter of Virginia Baker, Step-daughter of Randy Baker

Killed in a truck crash 10/10/06

 

Ron Wood

Washington, D.C.

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Son of Betsy Wood, Brother of Lisa Wood Martin, Uncle of Chance, Brock, and Reid Martin

Killed in a truck crash 9/20/04

 

Wanda Lindsay

New Braunfels, TX

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Wife of John Lindsay

Killed in a truck crash 5/7/10

 

Jackie Novak

Hendersonville, NC

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Mother of Charles “Chuck” Novak

Killed in a truck crash 10/24/10

 

Beth Badger

Columbus, GA

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Daughter of Bill Badger

Killed in truck crash 12/23/04

 

Christina Mahaney

Jackman, ME

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Injured in a truck crash 7/19/11

Mother of Liam Mahaney

Killed in a truck crash 7/19/11

 

Tami Friedrich Trakh

Corona, CA

Board Member, CRASH

Sister of Kris Mercurio, Sister-in-Law of Alan Mercurio, Aunt of Brandie Rooker & Anthony Mercurio

Killed in a truck crash 12/27/89

 

Cindy Southern

Cleveland, TN

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Wife of James Whitaker, sister-in-law Anthony Hixon and aunt of Amber Hixon

Killed in a truck crash 9/18/09

 

Nancy Meuleners

Bloomington, MN

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Injured in a truck crash 12/19/89

 

Amy Fletcher

Perrysburg, OH

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Wife of John Fletcher

Killed in a truck crash 1/24/12

 

Debra Cruz

Harlingen, TX

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Injured in a truck crash 8/8/08

 

Steve Izer

Lisbon, ME

Board Member, PATT

Father of Jeff Izer

Killed in a truck crash 10/10/93

 

Laurie Higginbotham

Memphis, TN

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Mother of Michael Higginbotham

Killed in a truck crash, 11/18/14

 

Sandra Lance

Chesterfield, VA

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Mother of Kristen Belair

Killed in a truck crash 8/26/09

 

Vickie Johnson

Hartwell, GA

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Wife of Curt Johnson, Step-mother of Crystal Johnson

Killed in a truck crash 10/1/09

 

Bernadette Fox

Davis, CA

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Best friend of Daniel McGuire

Killed in a truck crash 7/10/14

 

Randall Higginbotham

Memphis, TN

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Father of Michael Higginbotham

Killed in a truck crash, 11/18/14

 

Warren Huffman

Odessa, MI

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Brother of Tim Huffman

Killed in a truck crash 5/6/13

 

Tina Silva

Ontario, CA

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Sister of Kris Mercurio, Sister-in-Law of Alan Mercurio, Aunt of Brandie Rooker & Anthony Mercurio

Killed in a truck crash 12/27/89

 

Paul Badger

Davidson, NC

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Son of Bill Badger

Killed in truck crash 12/23/04

 

Bruce King

Davisburg, MI

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Son-in-law of Bill Badger

Killed in truck crash 12/23/04

 

Tammy Huffman

Odessa, MI

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Sister-in-law of Tim Huffman

Killed in a truck crash 5/6/13

 

Marc Johnson

Hartwell, GA

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Brother of Curt Johnson

Killed in truck crash 10/1/09

 

Frank Wood

Falls Church, VA

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Father of Dana Wood

Killed in a truck crash 10/15/02

 

Melissa Gouge

Washington, D.C.

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Cousin of Amy Corbin

Killed in a truck crash 8/18/97

 

Santiago Calderon

Arcata, CA

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Injured in a truck crash 4/10/14

 

Kim Telep

Harrisburg, PA

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Wife of Bradley Telep

Killed in a truck crash 8/29/12

 

Michelle Lemus

Los Angeles, CA

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Injured in a truck crash 4/10/14

 

Marchelle Wood

Falls Church, VA

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Mother of Dana Wood

Killed in a truck crash 10/15/02

 

John Ramsey

Edneyville, NC

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

 

Ashley McMillan

Memphis, TN

Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition

Girlfriend of Michael Higginbotham

Killed in a truck crash 11/18/14

 

cc: Members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works