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I serve on the National Sheriffs Association Traffic Safety Committee and am the president of the Oklahoma Sheriffs’ Association — both oppose any increases in weight or length of commercial trucks, and for good reason. Recent proposals to increase commercial truck weights and length have failed in Congress, but the looming infrastructure debate will allow proponents another opportunity. One special-interest group is pushing to increase the weight of trucks from the current 80,000-pound maximum limit to 91,000 pounds, while another…

“As a law enforcement professional going on 40 years and in my role as president of the Iowa State Troopers Association, I have seen too many truck crashes to think that heavier and longer trucks are somehow a good idea. I currently patrol Interstate-80, from the Mississippi River over to Iowa City, and anyone who travels that stretch of interstate knows how much truck traffic there is, and the dangers that come along with it. Heavier and longer trucks endanger…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 25, 2018 Contact: Shane Reese, 919.339.3785 STATEMENT FROM THE COALITION AGAINST BIGGER TRUCKS IN RESPONSE TO LETTER SIGNED BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS REQUESTING HEAVIER-TRUCK PROVISION IN UPCOMING LEGISLATION: “Heavier-truck proponents continue to push for a 91,000-pound pilot project, turning our roads into test tracks and dragging American motorists into a dangerous experiment,” said Shane Reese, spokesman for the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks. “The most recent effort is a letter signed by Members of Congress asking that…

CHARLESTON, W.V.—As the chief of police of Parkersburg and the president of the West Virginia Chiefs of Police Association, public safety is always at the forefront of my mind. But protecting our families and residents comes in many different forms. One particularly pressing and deeply troubling issue is the threat in Congress that would allow for heavier and longer tractor-trailer trucks on our roads. This is especially critical here in West Virginia because both of our U.S. senators sit on…

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.—Semi trucks with larger, heavier loads would endanger Oklahoma roads and drivers, Payne County Sheriff R.B. Hauf told members of Congress last week. The issue has popped up as the U.S. House prepares the federal spending bill. Members of the House Committee on Appropriations will go through the bill on Wednesday, considering amendments in a process known as markup. Hauf is just one of hundreds of local officials who are fighting against the proposal. Some of the nation’s…

DETROIT—There is a push in Washington DC to allow more weight in semi-trucks. But Roseville Police Chief James Berlin hopes to lead the fight against heavier truck loads hitting the highways and streets. “Last year in the state of Michigan we had 107 people killed in truck crashes,” said Berlin. “That was a 47 percent increase from the year before. You add bigger, heavier trucks and that’s only going to go up.” Now there is an effort to increase the…

MADISON, Wis.—Congress is considering legislation to increase the size and weight limits for trucks. Companies like FedEx and UPS are lobbying to require every state to allow longer double-trailer trucks, also called “Double 33’s or Pups,” which are 17ft longer than typical 53ft trucks. The proposal also seeks to increase national truck weights from 80,000 pounds to 91,000. Stoughton’s Chief of Police Gregory Leck is heading to Washington on behalf of the state to encourage lawmakers to oppose it. “The…

LINCOLN, Neb.—The president of the State Troopers Association of Nebraska will travel to Washington this week to express opposition to legislative proposals to increase the size and weight limits for trucks that are allowed to travel on the nation’s highways. “As trucks get bigger, so do the public safety risks on our roadways,” State Trooper Brian Petersen said. “There’s no place on our roadways these longer and heavier trucks can safely operate,” he said. While the concern of state troopers…

JACKSON, Miss.—Prosperity rides on good roads. The first question a new industry asks when evaluating potential location sites, is, “how do I get raw materials in and how do I get finished products out.” That brings me to why I wrote this piece. Congress has debated for years whether to increase the weight and lengths of tractor-trailer trucks on our Interstates, which would impact roads across Mississippi and the nation. They are lobbying for longer double-trailer trucks — sometimes called “Double…

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.—The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says allowing more weight on vehicles will increase the potential for more accidents. Earlier this month, Delegate Scott Garrett of Lynchburg (R-23rd) proposed legislation asking the Virginia Department of Transportation to form a work group to study the impacts heavier trucks would have on Virginia roads. The study would primarily focus on safety, efficiency and infrastructure impacts. Allowing the study would permit Virginia to be eligible to partake in future federal pilot programs.…