Why not conduct pilot programs in a few select states to prove the concept before it is implemented nationally?
The Safe and Efficient Transportation Act of 2009 (H.R. 1799) would allow each state to decide whether to raise the weight limit on interstate systems within the state. Only states that choose the increased weight option will allow heavier trucks. The fact that not all states will participate immediately provides a type of “pilot” that other states can learn from. Furthermore, we are asking for rules that have already proven successful in many states (on state roads) and in most of the developed world. Studies conducted in the United Kingdom, the European Union and the state of Wisconsin are all examples of the net benefits of allowing six-axle 97,000 pound vehicles on interstate highways.
