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Rail News Home Federal Legislation & Regulation

2/3/2012



Rail News: Federal Legislation & Regulation

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passes bill without truck weight, size increases


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Early this morning, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed the “American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act,” a $260 billion bill that proposes to fund transportation programs over five years.

During a meeting that started yesterday morning and lasted until the wee hours of this morning, the committee considered dozens of amendments to the bill, including one that would stop provisions to allow states to increase truck weight and size limits.

The provisions, which were strongly opposed by the Association of American Railroads, would have allowed states to raise truck weight limits to 97,000 pounds, up from the current 80,000-pound limit. In addition, states could have allowed double- and triple-trailer trucks to travel over longer distances, as well as permit trucks weighing up to 126,000 pounds to travel on the interstate system for up to 25 miles.

The amendment instead directs the U.S. Department of Transportation to conduct a study of the impact of increased truck weight and size limits on U.S. highway and bridge infrastructure, as well as traffic safety.