The assumption that a proposal to increase maximum truck weights on interstates from 80,000 pounds to 97,000 pounds will come at great cost to the public is flawed...
Albany,NY,USA -The Times Union. by Kendra Adams -May 12, 2011: -- The May 5 commentary, "Future of trucking industry is frightening," which characterized heavier trucks as "deadlier monsters," was a slap in the face to the millions of professional truck drivers who deliver the goods we all rely upon in a safe and conscientious manner... Fatalities involving large trucks are at the lowest rate since the U.S. Department of Transportation began keeping records in 1975. In 2009, the truck fatality rate dropped to 1.17 deaths per 100 million miles, on par with passenger cars. Preliminary data for New York shows that fatalities from large truck accidents fell 37 percent from 2006 through 2009... The safe drivers responsible for the record-low fatality rate are the same safe drivers who would be behind the wheel of a heavier truck. In fact, New York allows trucks to operate at weights up to 120,000 pounds with an overweight permit. There is no data to suggest that those heavier vehicles experience more fatalities than an 80,000 pound truck... The U.S. Department of Transportation found that increasing truck weights nationwide would save taxpayers $2.5 billion over 20 years in pavement maintenance costs... Allowing heavier trucks on the nation's interstates will not lead to the "Titanic" fate the article claims... (Photo from heavydutytrucksusa: A Conventional Truck heavy duty truck)
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