00965527

Component

http://onlinepubs.trb.org...rnews/trnews228_p35-38.pdf

Federal and state regulations govern the weight and dimensions of trucks, buses, and trailers on U.S. highways. The regulations have economic consequences--trucking accounts for four-fifths of expenditures on freight transportation in the United States, and trucking costs are influenced by truck size and weight. Size and weight limits also influence highway construction and maintenance costs and the convenience and safety of highway travel. In addition, the regulations affect international commerce, because Canada and Mexico have different limits, and because international containers often do not meet U.S. standards. In June 1998, in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, Congress directed the Secretary of Transportation to request the Transportation Research Board (TRB) to conduct a study of the regulation of weights, lengths, and widths of commercial motor vehicles operating on federal-aid highways under federal regulation, and to develop recommendations. This article reviews TRB Special Report 267, which contains the results of the TRB study. The study recommends organizational arrangements to promote reform of federal regulations for commercial motor vehicles, as well as changes to improve the efficiency of freight transportation and to reduce the public costs of truck traffic.

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English

p. 35-38

2003-9

TR News

Commercial vehicles; Containers; Costs; Economic impacts; Freight transportation; Heavy vehicles; Highway maintenance; Highway safety; International trade; Recommendations; Regulations; Regulatory reform; Size and weight regulations; Standards; Trucks; Vehicle size; Vehicle weight

Economics; Finance; Freight Transportation; Highways; Law; Motor Carriers; Research; Vehicles and Equipment; I10: Economics and Administration; I90: Vehicles

TRIS, TRB

Nov 13 2003 12:00AM

• ADVANCING THE PAVEMENT PRESERVATION MOVEMENT: FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION CULTIVATES PARTNERSHIPS
• BRIDGES TO INNOVATION: SCANNING TOUR GAINS INTERNATIONAL POINTERS
• IMPROVING THE CONDITION OF BRIDGE NETWORKS: MICHIGAN CRAFTS A PRESERVATION PROGRAM
• LENGTHENING THE SPAN OF BRIDGE SERVICE LIFE
• LOOKING AT LONG-TERM RESULTS: PERFORMANCE OF TEST SECTION AFTER 13 YEARS
• NEW TRB REPORT: ACCESS MANAGEMENT MANUAL: TRB COMMITTEE DOCUMENTS THE STATE OF THE ART
• PRESERVING PAVEMENTS AND BUDGETS: CALIFORNIA'S STRATEGIES LEVERAGE LIMITED FUNDS
• PRINCIPLES OF PAVEMENT PRESERVATION: DEFINITIONS, BENEFITS, ISSUES, AND BARRIERS
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• RESEARCH FRONTIERS IN PAVEMENT PRESERVATION
• RESEARCH PAYS OFF: HIGH-CAPACITY PILES: CONFIRMING THE VIABILITY OF COST-EFFICIENT BRIDGE DESIGNS
• TRIED-AND-TRUE INFRASTRUCTURE IN CANADA: GUIDE ASSEMBLES BEST PRACTICES FOR MUNICIPALITIES
• UNIVERSITY CENTER PAVES THE WAY