Removing roadblocks to improved transportation productivity

As America struggles to reignite its flagging economy, a policy debate is raging in Washington, D.C. about how to increase our productivity, create jobs in our economy, and enhance our ability to compete globally. At the forefront of this debate is finding a workable solution to the nation’s surface transportation infrastructure needs, and how that solution can bring productivity gains to all sectors of transportation to the benefit of every business and consumer.
 
Among the issues being discussed is the use of longer combination vehicles (LCVs), most commonly known as “triples,” on federally designated national highways. In 1991, the federal government passed a provision in the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) that stripped the states of their authority to regulate size and weight limits for trucks traveling on federal highways in their states. This despite the fact that a state’s department of transportation is better qualified to determine which truck/trailer configurations are best-suited for that state’s highways.

As a result of this federal “freeze” only 16 states enjoy the safety, efficiency and sustainability benefits from strategic use of triple-trailers. Even as states have seen new communities rise and population densities shift, this outdated restriction has prevented them from making prudent decisions about the use of these LCVs. Even common-sense changes that would allow triples to run on new and more appropriate highways — thereby benefiting local communities — are prohibited.
 

This undermines the ability of trucking operations to be more efficient in moving freight, and undercuts U.S. manufacturers’ ability to be more competitive with our trading partners in North America, Europe and Asia, which are not bound by the same restrictions.
 
More efficient trucking also lowers fuel use and curtails greenhouse gas emissions. Triples burn 29 percent less fuel than double 28-foot trailers on a ton-mile-per-gallon basis; this translates directly to a 29 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. One trucking company calculated fuel savings on 10 routes for the month of July 2010 if triples had been permissible. On an annualized basis, 5.7 million gallons of diesel fuel would be saved, with a reduction of 62,967 tons of carbon emissions.
 
As the industry is able to realize productivity gains from sensible use of LCVs, the opportunity to reduce truck traffic becomes real. Enhanced safety equipment and the special training federally mandated for LCV operators will mean fewer accidents and fatalities. In fact, triples have a better safety record than singles and double 28-foot trailers.
 
As a nation, we must address ways to manage growth and capacity of our transportation infrastructure intelligently and efficiently. The American Trucking Associations estimates that with just modest economic growth, trucks will haul 30 percent more freight in 10 years than they do today. LCVs can be a key part of the mix that efficiently manages these higher freight volumes, along with strategic and prudent investments to improve our nation’s highways. It’s time to retire this antiquated federal restriction and move toward progress.
 
Burnley served as the Secretary of Transportation from 1987 to 1989 and is currently the chairman of CleanerSaferTrucking, Inc., a coalition of stakeholders interested in improving the safety, productivity and environmental sustainability of the trucking industry through sensible changes to vehicle size and weight regulations.
 

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