Weight debate: Should trucks carry more?

Alexander Kopitko, an independent truck driver from Philadelphia, pulled his trailer of new cars into the weigh station off Interstate 380.

His truck as a whole weighed 70,000 pounds, well below the 80,000-pound federal limit. But one of his axles was 1,500 pounds over, so he had to offload a brand-new Mercedes-Benz to get in compliance.

Despite the flap, Kopitko still resists a push to increase the federal weight limit to 97,000.

'Infrastructure is not designed to carry 100,000 pounds,' Kopitko said. 'Plus, you give people a little bit and they take your whole hand.'

He'd like a small increase to account for increasing weights of the cars he hauls, but a major increase would require upgrading equipment and trailers.

Increasing the weight limit on semi trucks is a debate that's been going on for years, but some think it will pick up steam this year.

There's the right recipe of need — a national truck driver shortage and increasing freight demand — and opportunity — the expiring transportation bill and a truck size and weight study by the U.S. Department of Transportation due out later this year — said Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Ankeny-based Soy Transportation Coalition.

'There's a number of things coming together,' Steenhoek said. 'There's increased attention to it, and we think this is the time to do it.'

The American Trucking Association has called for Congress to authorize states to allow a 97,000-pound, six-axle weight limit or an 88,000-pound, five-axle weight limit, standardize trailer lengths at 53 feet and allow two 33-foot double trailers, up from 28 feet.

The Soy Coalition has been a proponent of increasing the weight limit. And one of the major trucking companies in Eastern Iowa, CRST International based in Cedar Rapids, for example, supports the American Trucking Association position.

'There are a number of compelling arguments on both sides of the issue, and it will ultimately be an issue that will be decided in D.C.,' said Brenda Neville, president and chief executive of the Iowa Motor Truck Association in Des Moines. 'At this point in time, we continue to gather feedback from the members on increasing the size and weight limits of big trucks.'

Some segments of the trucking industry see opportunity to expand and battle the driver shortage, but others fear it would grant a competitive advantage to bigger players.

Road damage

Chris Hummer, president of Don Hummer Trucking Corp. of Oxford, supports increasing the weight limit but said 97,000 would be costly to embrace.

'I don't necessarily favor either way, but 97,000 pounds on six axles would mean a heavy investment, and I'm not in favor of retrofitting all of our equipment or buying all new trailers,' Hummer said.

Hummer favors a lesser discussed proposal from the Truckload Carriers Association to increase the weight limit to 88,000 pounds, similar to what is allowed in Canada, while maintaining the existing five-axle configuration.

Sharon Clark Gingerich, an Iowa City based truck driver for Landes Trucking Inc. of Jacksonville, Ill., said she doesn't believe the weight change would matter much from a driver's perspective. But she has concerns about heavier trucks causing more harm to roads.

'I'm thinking long term of the possible road damage,' she said. 'Most of these roads are really bumpy. They're always working on them.'

The Soy Transportation Coalition examined the 97,000-pound proposal in a study released in February. It found 97,000 pounds spread over six axles would increase braking capacity and more evenly distribute weight, meaning less wear and tear on the roads. Meanwhile fewer trucks on the road would mean less congestion, curbed emissions and a drop in accidents and fatalities, Steenhoek said.

The Coalition cites 67 percent increased trucking freight demand by 2040, from 12.5 billion tons to 18.5 billion in 2040.

'Imagine 50 percent more semis on 80 and 380 between now and 2040,' Steenhoek said. 'Are we going to build 50 percent more roads? We've proven we aren't capable of that.

'If you look at research, motorist safety is one of the most compelling reasons to increase limit.'

Congress set the weight limit on the federal highway system at 80,000 pounds in 1982, and froze the weight limit in 1991 for longer combination vehicles, which are two or more trailers.

Meanwhile, the railroad industry is calling to maintain the existing truck weight limit.

The American Railroad Association, for example, released a report last year that conflicts with the Soy Coalition study at just about every turn.

Trucks already don't pay their share of road upkeep and heavier trucks would increase deterioration of roads and bridges. Moreover, diverting traffic from rail to trucks would increase greenhouse gas emissions and rails would lose 19 percent of their traffic, according to the rail association.

Public opinion, too, continues to oppose larger trucks over safety concerns, the rail industry points out.

'Iowa is an example of how heavier trucks would have a big impact on rails,' said Jeff Woods, marketing and business development at Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway. 'We handle a lot of corn, which is very truck competitive.

'If trucks increased their weight limit it would likely take away from rail market share.'