More than 100 Companies and Associations Come Together to Advocate for Legislation that Would Make Highways Safer, Protect the Environment and Strengthen the Economy

WASHINGTON, June 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than 100 associations and companies -- including Kraft Foods, MillerCoors and International Paper -- today officially launched the Coalition for Transportation Productivity (CTP), urging Congress to responsibly raise the federal vehicle weight limit on U.S. interstates. CTP supports the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act of 2009 (H.R. 1799), which would increase the interstate weight limit to improve trucking productivity and allow for safer highways, a cleaner environment and a stronger economy.

"America's freight transportation infrastructure is on the verge of becoming overwhelmed over the next decade," said CTP Co-Chair John Runyan. "Freight hauled by trucks in the U.S. is expected to double by 2025, and truck traffic is growing 11 times faster than road capacity. The Coalition for Transportation Productivity is asking Congress to responsibly reform truck weight limits with proper safeguards to allow the same amount of freight to be carried on fewer trucks, which will improve the efficiency of our interstates, reduce fuel use, and curb emissions."

Introduced by U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud, the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act of 2009 allows individual states to increase their interstate vehicle weight limits to 97,000 pounds -- but only for vehicles equipped with a sixth axle. Without changing the size or length of the truck, the additional axle would maintain braking capacity and the current distribution of weight per tire while minimizing pavement wear. The bill also imposes a user fee for six-axle units that would fund vital bridge repair.

"Accident rates among heavy vehicles are strongly tied to the vehicle miles a truck must travel to deliver a ton of freight," Runyan continued. "A proposal like H.R. 1799 would reduce the number of vehicle miles and overall number of trucks needed to deliver a specific amount of freight, making roads safer while cutting fuel and emissions by as much as 19 percent for each ton carried."

Multiple academic studies have shown, and empirical evidence proves, that raising the weight limit to 97,000 pounds for six-axle trucks would improve highway safety, protect the environment and benefit business.

A 2009 Wisconsin DOT study found that if a law like H.R. 1799 had been in place in 2006, it would have prevented 90 truck-related accidents in the state during 2006. Employers in the state would have saved more than $150 million in transportation costs.

In 2001, the United Kingdom raised the gross vehicle weight limit for six-axle trucks to 97,000 pounds. Since then, fatal truck-related accident rates have declined by 35 percent. More freight has been shipped, while the vehicle miles traveled to deliver a ton of freight declined.

About the Coalition for Transportation Productivity

The Coalition for Transportation Productivity (CTP) is a coalition of more than 100 shippers and allied associations dedicated to increasing the vehicle weight limit to 97,000 pounds on federal interstate highways for vehicles equipped with an additional axle as a way to address the safety, economic and environmental challenges facing our nation's freight transportation network. CTP supports a user fee on units equipped with the additional axle to be used for bridge repair. For more information, visit www.transportationproductivity.org.

SOURCE Coalition for Transportation Productivity

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http://www.transportationproductivity.org