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