Lobbying for the agricultural industry and others who ship heavier products, nine members of Congress petitioned the House of Representatives’ Committee on Agriculture in support of the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act, H.R. 1799, which would boost the current 80,000-lb federal weight limit on commercial trucks to 97,000 lbs. Such a move, they say, would reduce emissions as well as boosting productivity for agricultural carriers. The additional sixth axle heavier trucks would require would maintain current braking capacity and weight-per-tire distribution and minimize pavement wear. The bill also contains a user fee imposed on heavier trucks that would be used to fund bridge repairs caused by heavier weights.

A growing shortage of freight capacity across the transportation sector – along with an increasing need to boost economic productivity – is putting more support behind legislative efforts to increase weight limits for U.S. commercial trucks.

Last week, for example, Rep. Jean Schmidt (R- OH) and Rep. Steve Kagen (D-WI) along with seven other Congressional members wrote an open letter to the House of Representatives’ Committee on Agriculture in support of the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act, H.R. 1799, which would boost the current 80,000-lb federal weight limit on commercial trucks to 97,000 lbs.

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