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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Transportation Research Board. 2002. Regulation of Weights, Lengths, and Widths of Commercial Motor Vehicles: Special Report 267. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10382.
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Regulation of Weights, Lengths, and Widths of Commercial Motor Vehicles

SPECIAL REPORT 267

Committee for the Study of the Regulation of Weights, Lengths, and Widths of Commercial Motor Vehicles

Transportation Research Board

OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

Transportation Research Board
Washington, D.C.
2002
www.TRB.org

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Transportation Research Board. 2002. Regulation of Weights, Lengths, and Widths of Commercial Motor Vehicles: Special Report 267. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10382.
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Transportation Research Board Special Report 267

Subscriber Categories

IA planning and administration

IV operations and safety

VIII freight transportation (multimodal)

Transportation Research Board publications are available by ordering individual publications directly from the TRB Business Office, through the Internet at www.TRB.org or national-academies.org/trb, or by annual subscription through organizational or individual affiliation with TRB. Affiliates and library subscribers are eligible for substantial discounts. For further information, contact the Transportation Research Board Business Office, National Research Council, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001 (telephone 202-334-3213; fax 202-334-2519; or e-mail TRBsales@nas.edu).

Copyright 2002 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America.

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competencies and with regard for appropriate balance.

This report has been reviewed by a group other than the authors according to the procedures approved by a Report Review Committee consisting of members of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine.

This report was sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. This material is based upon work supported by the Federal Highway Administration under Cooperative Agreement No. DTFH61-99-X-00053. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Federal Highway Administration.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

National Research Council (U.S.). Committee for the Study of the Regulation of Weights, Lengths, and Widths of Commercial Motor Vehicles.

Regulation of weights, lengths, and widths of commercial motor vehicles / Committee for the Study of the Regulation of Weights, Lengths, and Widths of Commercial Motor Vehicles.

p.cm.—(Special report/National Research Council, Transportation Research Board ; 267)

ISBN 0-309-07701-X

1. Trucks—Sizes—Safety regulations—United States. 2. Trucks—Weight—Safety regulations—United States. 3. Trucks—Law and legislation—United States. 4. Trucking—Law and legislation—United States. I. Title II. Special report (National Research Council (U.S.). Transportation Research Board); 267.

KF2220.T7 N38 2002

373.7309'483—dc21

2002075409

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Transportation Research Board. 2002. Regulation of Weights, Lengths, and Widths of Commercial Motor Vehicles: Special Report 267. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10382.
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THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. On the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts is president of the National Academy of Sciences.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. William A. Wulf is president of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, on its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine.

The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both the Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts and Dr. William A. Wulf are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.

The Transportation Research Board is a division of the National Research Council, which serves the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering. The Board’s mission is to promote innovation and progress in transportation by stimulating and conducting research, facilitating the dissemination of information, and encouraging the implementation of research results. The Board’s varied activities annually engage more than 4,000 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia, all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest. The program is supported by state transportation departments, federal agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individuals interested in the development of transportation. www.TRB.org

www.national-academies.org

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Transportation Research Board. 2002. Regulation of Weights, Lengths, and Widths of Commercial Motor Vehicles: Special Report 267. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10382.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Transportation Research Board. 2002. Regulation of Weights, Lengths, and Widths of Commercial Motor Vehicles: Special Report 267. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10382.
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COMMITTEE FOR THE STUDY OF THE REGULATION OF WEIGHTS, LENGTHS, AND WIDTHS OF COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLES

James W. Poirot (Chair), Chairman Emeritus,

CH2M HILL, Mukilteo, Washington

Kenneth D. Boyer, Professor,

Department of Economics, Michigan State University, East Lansing

Robert G. Dulla, Senior Partner,

Sierra Research, Inc., Sacramento, California

Nicholas J. Garber, Professor and Chairman,

Department of Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville

Thomas D. Gillespie, Research Scientist and Adjunct Professor,

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Ezra Hauer, Emeritus Professor,

Department of Civil Engineering, University of Toronto, Canada

James H. Kopf, Deputy Executive Director and Chief Engineer,

Mississippi Department of Transportation

Sue McNeil, Director,

Urban Transportation Center, University of Illinois, Chicago

Eugene E. Ofstead, Assistant Commissioner for Transportation Research and Investment Management,

Minnesota Department of Transportation (retired)

John R. Pearson, Program Director,

Council of Deputy Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

F. Gerald Rawling, Director of Operations Analysis,

Chicago Area Transportation Study, Illinois

James E. Roberts, Chief Deputy Director,

California Department of Transportation (retired)

John S. Strong, Professor of Finance and Economics,

School of Business Administration, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia

C. Michael Walton,

Ernest H. Cockrell Centennial Chair in Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Austin

Transportation Research Board Staff

Joseph R. Morris, Study Director

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Transportation Research Board. 2002. Regulation of Weights, Lengths, and Widths of Commercial Motor Vehicles: Special Report 267. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10382.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Transportation Research Board. 2002. Regulation of Weights, Lengths, and Widths of Commercial Motor Vehicles: Special Report 267. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10382.
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Preface

This reportisthe result ofaprovision inthe1998Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) that instructed the Secretary of Transportation to ask the Transportation Research Board (TRB) to conduct a study of the regulations governing the weights, lengths, and widths of commercial motor vehicles operating on highways subject to federal regulation, and to recommend any revisions to the regulations deemed appropriate. These federal regulations, along with state regulations that also limit truck dimensions, have important effects on the costs of highway transportation of freight and passengers.

This study follows a series of investigations of the regulation of commercial motor vehicle size and weight conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and by earlier TRB committees. The study charge in TEA-21 asked TRB to take into account the conclusions of the 1990 report Truck Weight Limits: Issues and Options (TRB Special Report 225), which was also produced by TRB at the request of Congress. In 2000, DOT published the final version of its Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Study; the TRB committee that conducted the present study interpreted its task as complementary to the DOT study. The objective of the latter study was to develop an analytical framework that could be applied to assess a range of policy options; the study did not generate policy recommendations. In contrast, the present study provides recommendations, as Congress requested. These recommendations involve organizational arrangements designed to promote reform of the current federal regulations, as well as changes in the regulations to improve the efficiency of truck freight transportation and mitigate the costs of truck traffic to the public.

Unlike the previous TRB and DOT analyses, the present study has not produced new quantitative estimates of the impacts of changes in the regulations. The available models were fully exercised in previous studies, and it was not practical for the committee to develop new

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Transportation Research Board. 2002. Regulation of Weights, Lengths, and Widths of Commercial Motor Vehicles: Special Report 267. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10382.
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methods. The committee based its conclusions on the evaluations in past truck size and weight studies and criticism of those studies, on other published information sources, and on the comments of interested parties solicited by the committee in accordance with its charge.

The study charge in TEA-21 was broad, encompassing in principle every aspect of a complex body of federal regulations. It was not possible for the committee to review each provision of the regulations individually. Therefore, the absence of a recommendation to change any particular regulatory provision does not represent the committee’s endorsement of the provision. Nor was the objective of the study to identify an optimum set of federal size and weight limits. Rather, the committee’s recommendations relate primarily to the process by which federal regulations are established and the relationship between the federal and state governments in regulating truck size and weight. As one example, the committee did not consider whether federal axle weight limits should be changed. Also, although the committee received comments from members of the motor coach industry that included proposals for regulatory changes, the committee did not evaluate provisions of the federal regulations as they affect passenger coaches in particular.

The study was managed by Joseph R. Morris, who drafted this report under the direction of the committee and under the supervision of Stephen R. Godwin, Director of TRB’s Studies and Information Services Division. Thomas J. Hillegas prepared background material for the committee on enforcement of truck regulations and on methods of mitigating the effects of truck traffic. Suzanne Schneider, Associate Executive Director of TRB, managed the report review process. The report was edited and prepared for publication under the supervision of Nancy Ackerman, Director of Reports and Editorial Services. Rona Briere edited the report, and Alisa Decatur prepared the manuscript for publication. Jocelyn Sands directed project support staff. Special thanks go to Frances E. Holland for assistance with meeting arrangements, communications with committee members, and report production.

This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the National Research Council’s Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making the published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence,

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Transportation Research Board. 2002. Regulation of Weights, Lengths, and Widths of Commercial Motor Vehicles: Special Report 267. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10382.
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and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process.

Appreciation is expressed to the following individuals for their review of this report: Kenneth L. Campbell, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Thomas B. Deen, Stevensville, Maryland; Edward Fain, Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department, Little Rock; Gongkang Fu, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan; David A. Galt, Montana Department of Transportation, Helena; Patrick McCarthy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta; Fred P. Nix, Orangeville, Ontario, Canada; and Kenneth A. Small, University of California, Irvine. Although the reviewers provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the findings and conclusions, nor did they see the final draft before its release.

The review of this report was overseen by Christopher A. Sims, Princeton University, and Lester A. Hoel, University of Virginia, Charlottesville. Appointed by the National Research Council, they were responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authoring committee and the institution.

James W. Poirot

Chair, Committee for the Study of the Regulation of Weights, Lengths, and Widths of Commercial Motor Vehicles

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Transportation Research Board. 2002. Regulation of Weights, Lengths, and Widths of Commercial Motor Vehicles: Special Report 267. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10382.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Transportation Research Board. 2002. Regulation of Weights, Lengths, and Widths of Commercial Motor Vehicles: Special Report 267. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10382.
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TRB Special Report 267 - Regulation of Weights, Lengths, and Widths of Commercial Motor Vehicles recommends the creation of an independent public organization to evaluate the effects of truck traffic, pilot studies of new truck designs, and a change in federal law authorizing states to issue permits for operation of larger trucks on the Interstates.

In 1991, Congress placed a freeze on maximum truck weights and dimensions. Some safety groups were protesting against the safety implications of increased truck size and weight, and the railroads were objecting to the introduction of vehicles they deemed to have an unfair advantage. Railroads, unlike trucking firms, must pay for the capital costs of their infrastructure. The railroads contend that large trucks do not pay sufficient taxes to compensate for the highway damage they cause and the environmental costs they generate. Although Congress apparently hoped it had placed a cap on maximum truck dimensions in 1991, such has not proven to be the case.

Carriers operating under specific conditions have been able to seek and obtain special exceptions from the federal freeze by appealing directly to Congress (without any formal review of the possible consequences), thereby encouraging additional firms to seek similar exceptions. In the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, Congress requested a TRB study to review federal policies on commercial vehicle dimensions.

The committee that undertook the study that resulted in Special Report 267 found that regulatory analyses of the benefits and costs of changes in truck dimensions are hampered by a lack of information. Regulatory decisions on such matters will always entail a degree of risk and uncertainty, but the degree of uncertainty surrounding truck issues is uunusually high and unnecessary. The committee concluded that the uncertainty could be alleviated if procedures were established for carrying out a program oof basic and applied research, and if evaluation and monitoring were permanent components of the administration of trucking regulations.

The committee recommended immediate changes in federal regulations that would allow for a federally supervised permit program. The program would permit the operation of vehicles heavier than would normally be allowed, provided that the changes applied only to vehicles with a maximum weight of 90,000 pounds, double trailer configurations with each trailer up to 33 feet, and an overall weight limit governed by the federal bridge formula. Moreover, enforcement of trucks operating under such a program should be strengthened, and the permits should require that users pay the costs they occasion. States should be free to choose whether to participate in the permit program. Those that elected to do so would be required to have in place a program of bridge management, safety monitoring, enforcement, and cost recovery, overseen by the federal government.

The fundamental problem involved in evaluating proposals for changes in truck dimensions is that their effects can often only be estimated or modeled. The data available for estimating safety consequences in particular are inadequate and probably always will be. Thus, the committee that conducted this study concluded that the resulting analyses usually involve a high degree of uncertainty. What is needed is some way to evaluate potential changes through limited and carefully controlled trials, much as proposed new drugs are tested before being allowed in widespread use.

The committee recommended that a new independent entity be created to work with private industry in evaluating new concepts and recommending changes to regulatory agencies. Limited pilot tests would be required, which would need to be carefully designed to avoid undue risks and ensure proper evaluation. Special vehicles could be allowed to operate under carefully controlled circumstances, just as oversize and overweight vehicles are allowed to operate under special permits in many states. Changes in federal laws and regulations would be required to allow states to issue such permits on an expanded network of highways, under the condition that a rigorous program of monitoring and evaluation be instituted.Special Report 269 Summary

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