In The News

AAA opposes truck size and weight increase

The American Automobile Association, AAA, has renewed its fight against increases to truck size and weights on the highways. AAA sent a letter to members of Congress urging them to reject a House bill that would increase weights on federal highways beyond the current 80,000 pound maximum.

Following a strong pushback last year, the two-year highway bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, MAP-21, did not include an increase in truck weights. Rather it called for a comprehensive study of the effects of truck size and weight on highways, safety and the economy.

Not to be outdone, U.S. Reps. Michael Michaud, D-ME, and Reed Ribble, R-WI, introduced HR612, which would increase the maximum gross vehicle weight to 97,000 pounds on six axles. The bill has support from the large shipping community and the American Trucking Associations.

OOIDA and numerous other groups oppose the increase, saying larger trucks lead to safety concerns and have an adverse effect on America’s aging infrastructure.

AAA’s managing director of government relations, Jill Ingrassia, authored the group’s opposition letter.

“On behalf of AAA and our more than 47 million members in the United States, we urge you to oppose any efforts to increase the federal truck size and weight limit until the federal truck size and weight study is concluded,” Ingrassia said. “AAA members place a high priority on highway safety and on the quality of our infrastructure and consistently ranked driving alongside large trucks as one of their top traffic concerns over the years.”

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