In a letter to the Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Senator Susan Collins was joined by U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe in requesting a temporary exemption to the federal truck weight limits in Maine. The request comes as Maine truckers and trucking companies are facing rising diesel prices, cutting into the truckers bottom line.
In the letter, the Senator requests that Federal Highway Administration raise the federal truck weight limit of 80,000 pounds to the state highway limit of 100,000 pounds. By raising the weight limit, truckers would be able to not only load more onto each truck, but they would be able to remain on the federal interstate when their total weight exceeds 80,000 pounds. Currently, trucks that exceed 80,000 pounds are forced off the interstate and onto local, two-lane roads. If truckers were allowed to remain on federal highways, they would be able to travel more direct routes, greatly saving on fuel costs.
“The lifting of these federal weight limits will benefit Maine’s truckers greatly,” noted Senator Collins. “Maine’s truckers and trucking companies are having a difficulty coping with what seem to be perpetually rising fuel prices. We hope that the Highway Administrator will honor our request.”
Maine diesel prices have recently peaked at $3.85 per gallon and are currently averaging $3.55 per gallon statewide.
A text of the letter follows:
Dear Administrator Capka:
We are writing to request a temporary exemption of the federal truck weight limits in Maine during this time of rising diesel prices. High fuel costs are becoming increasingly worrisome to all Mainers, but especially to those industries that are particularly sensitive to energy costs, such as trucking. Many in the trucking industry have expressed to us their concerns that this trend of escalating gas prices will put several in the industry out of business, as soon as next year. In some place in Maine, diesel prices have peaked at $3.85 per gallon and averaged about $3.55 per gallon statewide.
A temporary exemption on federal truck weight limits could help alleviate the strain these escalating fuel prices have placed on our trucking industry. While we recognize that this exemption does not solve the underlying issue of high fuel prices, efforts must be made to substantially lessen the burdens on our truckers. Rising fuel costs are especially critical in Maine where the majority of goods are moved by truck.
Raising the federal truck weight limit statewide from the current 80,000 pounds to the state highway limit of 100,000 pounds would lessen the challenges faced by our operators. First, raising the weight limit would allow trucking companies to put more cargo in each truck, thereby reducing the numbers of trucks needed to transport goods. Second, for trucks carrying 100,000 pounds, they would no longer need to move off the main federal highways where trucks are limited at 80,000 pounds and take less direct routes on local roads requiring considerably more diesel fuel and extended periods of idling during each trip. Finally, trucks traveling on the interstate system would save on fuel costs due to the vastly superior road geometrics of the interstate system as compared to the rural and urban state road systems.
As fuel prices increase and truckers face increasing hardship due to the rising costs, we urge you to allow for a temporary exemption on federal truck weight limits in Maine. This exemption could significantly help minimize the strain on truckers this winter. Thank you for your attention on this important matter.