Legislation has been introduced in the Indiana state legislature that would put much heavier trucks on state and local roads. If passed, this bill would do tremendous damage to Indiana’s roads and bridges as well as jeopardize public safety.

HB 1190 will allow any truck to operate up to 120,000 pounds, 20 tons heavier than the common 80,000 pound trucks we see on the road today. These 60-ton trucks would be allowed to run on almost every state road, with no limit on the number of trucks as long as they meet minimal standards. If passed, this bill will force the heaviest trucks to run through communities and near schools. These 120,000 pound trucks would not be able to operate on the interstates.

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Expressing your opposition can make the difference in stopping these bills. In order to defeat this legislation, would you be able to email your State Senator’s office telling them you oppose this massive truck weight increase?

 

Heaviest trucks would shift to our local roads

These massive trucks will be going through our local communities, the very places where our families live, work and play. If passed, these 120,000 pound trucks could not operate on interstates because they would exceed the federal interstate weight limit by 20 tons, thereby forcing them onto state roads. And, since truck trips do not start and end on interstates and state highways, these trucks will be operating on our local roads. Not only would there be heavier trucks traveling down the main streets of cities across the Indiana, there would be more trucks.

The weight of these behemoth trucks will mean added dangers to our roads

Study after study has shown that adding more weight to a truck makes it more dangerous. Safety concerns include: braking problems, more crashes and, when there is a crash, the crash becomes more severe, leading to more deaths and serious injuries.

  • Dramatically higher crash rates: The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) found in its 2016 report to Congress that heavier trucks had anywhere from 47 percent to 400 percent higher crash rates in limited state testing.[1] There were 5,207 large-truck crashes in Indiana in 2018. Unfortunately, 146 people lost their lives in those crashes.[2] From 2013 to 2017, Indiana’s rate of 18 people per one million killed in crashes involving a large truck was the 17th highest in the nation.[3]
  • More severe crashes. The severity of a crash is determined by the velocity and mass of a vehicle. If its weight increases, so could the potential severity of a crash. Any increase in crash severity increases the likelihood of injuries becoming more serious or resulting in fatalities. Heavier trucks tend to have a higher center of gravity because the additional weight is oftentimes stacked vertically. Raising the center of gravity increases the risk of rollovers.[4]
  • Increased wear and tear. Increasing the weight of trucks causes additional wear and tear on key safety components. The 2016 USDOT study found that trucks weighing over 80,000 pounds had higher overall out-of-service (OOS) rates and 18 percent higher brake violation rates compared to those at or below 80,000 pounds.[5] This is especially important because a 2016 study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that trucks with any out-of-service violation are 362 percent more likely to be involved in a crash.[6]

Heavier trucks would destroy our infrastructure

Gross vehicle weight is the primary factor behind bridge damage. Allowing statewide operation of 120,000 pound trucks carrying any commodity would dramatically increase the damage to our bridges.

  • USDOT found in its 2016 study that thousands of Interstate and other National Highway System bridges could not accommodate heavier trucks.[7] These bridges would need to be reinforced or replaced, costing billions of dollars. USDOT estimates the 97,000-pound, six-axle configuration would negatively affect more than 6,200 bridges, costing $2.2 billion nationwide. State and local bridges are not built to the same standards and would be even more negatively affected.
  • 11,392 of the 19,284 bridges in Indiana are rated in fair or poor condition, representing 60% of the total bridge stock.[8]
  • Replacement of bridges rated in poor condition in Indiana is projected to cost nearly $800 million.[9]
  • A total of 23 percent of major roads in Indiana are in poor or mediocre condition. This is projected to cost Indiana motorists $1.45 billion pear year, the equivalent of $319 per motorist through additional repairs, accelerated vehicle depreciation, increased fuel use and tire wear. [10]
  • Indiana taxpayers would have to pay for this additional infrastructure damage.

 

[1] USDOT; 2016. Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Limits Study, Final Report to Congress

[2] Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration; 2018. Analysis & Information- Crash Statistics

[3] TRIP; 2019. Indiana Freight News Release

[4] USDOT; 2000. Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Study

[5] USDOT; 2016. Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Limits Study, Final Report to Congress

[6] Insurance Institute for Highway Safety; 2016.Crash Risk Factors for Interstate Large Trucks in North Carolina

[7] USDOT; 2016. Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Limits Study, Final Report to Congress

[8] FHWA; 2019. Bridge Condition by Highway System.

[9] FHWA; 2019. Bridge Replacement Unit Costs 2019

[10] TRIP; 2020. Key Facts about Indiana’s Surface Transportation System