“The National Trooper Association, National Sheriff’s Association, and the International Chiefs of Police oppose longer trailers and heavier trucks,” Warren County Sheriff and President of the Pennsylvania Sheriff’s Association Ken Klakamp said. “The increase of longer trailers and heavier trucks was defeated in the last session of Congress but is expected to be raised with the new Congress. In the last congressional session it was a bipartisan defeat.”
On Tuesday, Klakamp addressed members of the Pennsylvania Congressional delegation and met with Congressmen Glenn Thompson.
Klakamp was invited to address the delegation and explain the PSA position against heavier and longer trucks, by the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks (CABT).
“The PSA position is based on public safety to drivers, our current infrastructure system, and environment concerns,” Klakamp said. “Longer trailers add to blind spots for truck drivers. Concerning heavier trucks: can our current roads and bridges withstand the additional weight before they fail. The State of Michigan allows a tractor trailer weight of 130,000 pounds. Their crash rate involving trucks have increased by 400 percent.”