A new bill introduced in the Senate would allow states to up the maximum weight for trucks traveling on their interstates beyond the current federal limit of 80,000 pounds. The Safe Efficient Transportation Act is identical to a bill introduced in the House of Representatives last year which would require a sixth axle to help support the additional weight. The American Trucking Associations (ATA), one of the groups backing the bill, says its passage would help reduce the size of the industry’s carbon footprint.

A trio of senators introduced a bill that would allow states to increase the maximum weight for trucks operating on their interstates beyond the federal limit of 80,000 pounds.

Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) said in introducing the Safe Efficient Transportation Act that states would be allowed to “opt in” and increase their weight limits to 97,000 pounds.

The legislation is identical to a bill introduced in the House last March by Reps. Michael Michaud (D-Maine) and Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) and would require the new, heavier trucks to have six axles in order to diffuse the added weight.

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