National Call-to-Action

[LDB]

From OOIDA:


National Call-to-Action

It's certainly not a new debate, but many large shippers and the American Trucking Associations have made increasing truck size and weight one of their top priorities this year. Disguised as being environmentally friendly and fuel efficient they are peddling the idea of opening up roads across the nation to "higher productivity vehicles" (a.k.a. heavier/longer trucks and longer combination vehicles). Obviously their real intentions are to get you to run heavier for less and to limit your ability to compete.

The main bill that they are pushing is the "Safe Efficient Transportation Act" introduced by Congressman Michaud (D-ME). That legislation would allow weight limits on the Interstate Highway System to be raised to 97,000 lbs. from the current 80,000 lbs. limit (some states have higher grandfathered limits) and would require a third trailer axle to haul the heavier loads.

To pay for the increased wear and tear on roads and bridges, the Act would change the annual Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT) to
$100 per year, plus $22 for each 1,000 pounds in excess of 55,000 pounds. That means an increase in the HVUT from $550 to $650 for 5-axle trucks licensed for 80,000 pounds. To make matters worse, the bill would cap HVUT at $800 per year, instead of $1024 to haul 97,000 pounds with the new formula. Even the proponents of heavier limits admit the increased weight will cause more damage to the nation's bridges. So why should heavier trucks get a break while everyone else pays more?

OOIDA strongly OPPOSES the Safe Efficient Transportation Act.

On the other hand, in March Congressmen James McGovern (D-MA) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) introduced the "Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act" (H.R. 1618). That bill will maintain current truck size and weight limitations on the Interstate Highway System as well as extend a freeze of current size and weight limitations on the larger federally funded National Highway System (NHS). Size and weight standards that already exist on the NHS would not be changed. Senator Frank Lautenberg (NJ) introduced the same bill in the Senate (S.779).

H.R. 1618 and S.779 are consistent with OOIDA's longstanding position of opposing increases to truck size and weight limits on the National Highway System.

OOIDA strongly SUPPORTS both H.R. 1618 and S.779.

Please call your lawmakers on Capitol Hill to ask that they commit to supporting H.R. 1618 or S.779 by signing on as cosponsors to those bills.

To contact your Representative or your two Senators, simply call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and provide the operator with your home zip code. The operator will connect you to the offices of your lawmakers.

[TeamCaffee]

Leo good deal posting this I will be on the phone today.

Last thing the road as us need is to haul more weight and be longer. Sometimes I think we are the only work force that instead of asking for a raise asks for more to do and more stress to go with it. Smaller trucks and less weight will create more opportunities.

OOIDA called this one right for a change!

[Moot]

From OOIDA....
To contact your Representative or your two Senators...

Two Senators???????? What state do you live in? Last time I checked I had only one Senator. But hey that's one more than D.C. or Puerto Rico! Maybe I should shut up. Next week could find me having two Senators.

Six Finger, Six Finger; man oh live. How did I ever get along with five?

[nobb4u]

I am sorry but maybe you need to brush up on the Constitution... Every state has TWO Senators no matter the size and why the U.S. Senate has 100 members.

Everyone has one Representative. Each state has at least one Representative and the House of Representatives has 435 members. So the U.S. Congress consists of 535 members.

[xiggi]

Two Senators???????? What state do you live in? Last time I checked I had only one Senator. But hey that's one more than D.C. or Puerto Rico! Maybe I should shut up. Next week could find me having two Senators.

Six Finger, Six Finger; man oh live. How did I ever get along with five?

All states have two senators both represent the entire state.

Oops beat to the answer...

[Moot]

I am sorry but maybe you need to brush up on the Constitution... Every state has TWO Senators no matter the size and why the U.S. Senate has 100 members.

Every morning I brush my tooth and partake in my daily constitutional.

The U.S. Senate has 99 members. Go ahead and count them if you don't believe me!

[usafk9]

I'll get it for ya, Moot.

Read his handle, folks. Moot's from Minnesota. There is currently only one Senator there. The Minnesota Supreme Court is supposed to rule on the November 2008 election results next month.


Correct him all you want. Moot's correct.

[Moot]

Read his handle, folks. Moot's from Minnesota.

Yes I admit I am from the state of confusion. Looks like the Minnesota Supreme Court will cobble together a new senator soon.

Ladies and gentlemen of the great state of Minnesota we introduce to you your new U.S. Senator. Senator Al Frankenstein. He walks. He talks. He crawls on his belly for laughs like a reptile.

[nobb4u]

The U.S. Senate has 100 seats. One seat from Minnesota is unresolved at this time.

You have 2 Senate seats one is just unfilled at the moment.

The are 99 Named seats at this time.

[FIS53]

Ontario has just started an experiment with LCVs which if the large transport companies get their way means we'll see a lot more of them on the highways. Yes it's a benefit for those companies as it means more freight hauled for only minor increase in costs.

However this also means more opportunity for mistakes at the terminals and that means a few more opportunities for the expedite boys! The expedite companies should be knocking on the transport co's doors and offering to assist when mistakes happen.
Rob