CABT to governors: Return to lower truck weights after the pandemic

(Source: Progressive Railroading 04/24/2020)

Law enforcement leaders of the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks (CABT) have asked nation’s governors to ensure that truck weight limits will return to lower “safe” levels after the coronavirus pandemic crisis passes.

In response to the pandemic, Congress granted governors the authority to temporarily grant increases in weight limits for trucks operating on U.S. interstate highways in their states. The authority is limited to 120 days and only applies to trucks transporting relief material, according to CABT.

It’s essential that the authority terminate when the crisis is over, CABT’s law enforcement members wrote in a letter to governors.

“Limits on the size and weight of trucks are essential to ensure that our highways are safe and to preserve our infrastructure,” the letter states.

CABT, whose members include rail industry representatives, is opposed to Congress allowing permanent increases in weight and size of trucks operating on the nation’s highways. The organization did not oppose the efforts of some governors to use emergency declaration powers to temporarily raise truck weight limits for vehicles transporting pandemic-related relief supplies.