The controversial regulations to ban trucks from seven highway access routes in the state of New York is now open for public comment. Large trucks, except for local pick-up and delivery will be affected. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, the state trucking association and 26 business groups have voiced their concerns over the proposed restrictions. The draft regulations are available for review at www.nysdot.gov/programs/truckpolicy.

New York has released revised draft regulations for public comment that would restrict large trucks from using seven highways in the Finger Lake regions as short cuts.

On Aug. 6, Gov. David A. Paterson announced the public has 45 days to comment on the restriction, which excludes large trucks, except for local pick-up and delivery, from parts of state routes 41, 41A, 90, 38, 79, 89 and 96.

The governor also announced the creation of the Trucking Industry and Community Relations Task Force, which will be chaired by Stanley Gee, New York State Department of Transportation acting commissioner. Other members will be announced in upcoming weeks.

The task force will make recommendations on the proposed regulations, monitor them, evaluate effectiveness and recommend improvements. It will also watchdog the effectiveness of actions the DOT has added recently to reduce truck traffic in Fingers Lake communities and will work to improve relations between the Finger Lakes residents and truckers.

The Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association has opposed the restrictions, and the New York State Motor Truck Association and 26 business associations wrote the governor July 20 in protest of the proposals. Their concerns include that it is unclear who would enforce the plan.

The groups noted that no large trucking company maintains operations in New York because it is unfriendly to trucking and one of the few states with a highway use tax. They said enacting these bans will waste time and increase fuel costs.

The group also included a Capitol Hill Research Center report, The Unreasonable Impact of the Reasonable Access Highway Regulation, which was based on the governor’s original proposal to restrict trucks from 64 routes. He narrowed that to seven routes after the U.S. Department of Transportation raised concerns.

The report said the economic impact analysis to support the regulation is largely inadequate and fails to take into account industries aside from trucking. The cost-benefit analysis also does not meet the standard for creation of a regulation.

Once Paterson names the task force members, a preliminary report will be due to the governor in six months. This will be followed by progress reports to be delivered at nine months and 12 months, following the start of the substantive review process, with a final report due in December 2010.

The draft regulations will be published in the State Register for a 45-day review period and are available at the DOT web site .

[source - etrucker.com]