Posted on 06/25/2015 1:27:53 PM PDT by Olog-hai
Over the objections of safety advocates, the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday approved a trucking industry bid to allow longer tandem trucks on the nation’s highways.
The change, sought by the American Trucking Associations and large haulers such as FedEx Corp., would increase the permitted length of trailers hauled in tandem from 28 feet to 33 feet. […]
Pushing the measure were large trucking operations that stand to profit from lower costs. In opposition were unions such as the Teamsters, many states and local governments, and safety advocates. Many smaller trucking companies were against it as well. …
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
That could mean truck combos as long as near 100 feet! Oh, yeah, that’ll work out just fine!
Longer trailers are likely more stable but could have more trouble in high winds.
Those tandem trailers are only 28 feet long? You sure could have fooled me.
They need the extra length to make it easier to “tail whip” bikers off the road - especially the one wearing vests...
What’s a few lives worth when trucking companies can improve their bottom line?Push some money under the table in Washington and things get done.
That would be stupid so we can count on the GOP to get behind it.
Whatever big business, Wall Street Banks, and the Chamber of Commerce want, the GOP is here to deliver.
As to the little people suffering under Obamacare for 5 years still no alternative from the GOP. Just noise.
Oh now that the GOP has the Senate, where’s the Obamacare repeal bill?
To paraphrase the next president of the US:
At this point what difference does it make?
Ever see Australia’s road trains? They have to slow down at a certain rate so as to not jack-knife. The longest types have up to seven trailers, typically; usually, for the sake of safety, they run mostly at night.
I’ve always wondered how all those extra axles affect maintenance costs on those road trains.
We already do that here in Nevada. Not really an issue.
3. NRS 484.739 and NAC 484.360 – 484.370 prescribe Maximum Allowable Lengths. Overall vehicle
combination length is not restricted. Cargo body length for a tractor followed by 2 or 3 cargo units
cannot exceed 95 ft.. Cargo body length for a truck followed by 1 or 2 cargo units cannot exceed 98 ft..
A cargo unit in excess of 48 ft. of cargo body length cannot be used in combination with any cargo unit
in excess of 42 ft. of cargo body length.
http://nevadatrucking.com/Files/Forms/FederalBridgeInstructionsTable.pdf
Now in the smaller states and locales I could see a big problem.
I worry about more dangerous accidents.
OTOH the unions are against it (as are “smaller companies” no doubt whining about “unfair” competition cause they can’t afford longer trucks) which is usually a sign that it’s something good.
It could be a problem in the eastern parts of the country but they’ve been hauling two 53-footers for decades in parts of the west.
Will and Sonny can handle it. Not sure about B.J. McKay.
And .....
In Australia that is known as a "pocket road train"
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