Container Top
Homes   Jobs   Cars   Shopping
Search

Events Calendar

EVENT SEARCH:

In This Section


Most Read Stories


Blogs:


Pets:
Cats are trainable — and that's not a punchline

The Heldenfiles:
Monday Notebook

Patrick McManamon:
Time for Kokinis, Browns to agree and part ways

Akron Zips:
Zips tip off tomorrow

Tribe Matters:
Indians announce spring dates

Cleveland Browns:
Mangini doesn't name a quarterback

Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – November 9

Cleveland Cavaliers:
Shaq: It’s All About Winning Championships

Buckeye Blogging:
Weekly ‘B’ Deck Report – New Mexico St.

Varsity Letters:
Walsh Jesuit’s Caponi commits to Duquesne

All Da King's Men:
If It Looks Like Islamic Terrorism…

Blog of Mass Destruction:
Dems Message To Women: Don't Enjoy The Sex

Akron Law Café:
Abortion Analogies

See Jane Style:
Muffle Your Muffler

Car Chase:
Clock Tender- Extending the Life of Collector Car Clocks

Let's Talk Real Estate:
Rumors: Akron Starbucks Closing

Ohio Travels with Betty:
Jack is looking for a trip to Southern Ohio the week of November 16.

Sound Check:
The Black Keys to perform benefit concert at Musica on November 27

HRLite House:
Personal Rant – Why People Do Not Live in Northeast Ohio

Akron Gamer:
New 'Call of Duty' could set entertainment record

YRC seeks higher truck weight limits

Executive tells Congress it would reduce traffic, emissions and fuel use


Bloomberg News

Allowing states to raise commercial-truck weight limits by 21 percent would save fuel and reduce traffic and emissions, boosting profits for freight haulers, an executive of the largest U.S. trucking company told Congress.

''Reform of size and weight regulations can, if employed responsibly, improve highway safety, relieve congestion, lower freight rates, alleviate the driver shortage, reduce energy use and improve air quality,'' Mike Smid, president of YRC Worldwide Inc.'s North American Transportation, said Wednesday in Washington.

Smid gave the testimony on behalf of YRC, the parent corporation of Akron-based Roadway, and the American Trucking Associations, an Arlington, Va., trade group pressing for the changes so truckers can ship more cargo in fewer trips. Proponents of heavier and longer rigs on U.S. roads have to convince skeptics including House transportation committee Chairman James Oberstar, a Minnesota Democrat.

Bigger trucks are ''far more difficult to maneuver safely,'' Oberstar said at the hearing. Such trucks require greater stopping distances, don't handle as well on highway ramps designed for smaller vehicles and can't keep up with traffic going uphill, Oberstar said.

The U.S., with some exceptions, prohibits commercial trucks of more than 80,000 pounds on federal highways. Smid said that should be raised to 97,000 pounds. Congress in 1991 froze limits on so-called longer-combination vehicles, which include those with three trailers and some with double trailers.

Consumer advocates Public Citizen said weight increases would make the vehicles more difficult to drive and put more wear and tear on roads.

Railroads, which compete with trucks for some freight, also oppose bigger trucks.

Overland Park, Kan.-based YRC is the nation's largest trucker by sales.


Get the full article here.


Story tools

Email  Email   Print  Print   Save  Save   Reprint  Reprint   Popular  Most Popular   Reprint  Subscribe

Share this story

AddThis Social Bookmark Button
















Most Commented Stories