3 All U. S. business concerns face constant challenges of increased competition from domestic and international sources. The 4.5 percent increase in productivity in the motor carrier industry during the last decade has helped in meeting these challenges. This increased productivity in the motor carrier industry resulted from, but is not limited to, longer, more efficient equipment; computers, including on-board computers and better management. However, as weight and length decrease, so does productivity. If approved, the proposed legislation would overturn current laws in 27 states on weight limits and in 28 states on length limits. Commodities moving in the longer 53 and 57 foot trailers are often light and bulky and will often fill the cube of shorter trailers before reaching the applicable weight limit. Further, AAMA and its members oppose the elimination of the long-standing ability of states to issue special over-weight and over-dimensional permits on non-divisible loads which can only be moved by highway transportation. In addition to permits on non-divisible loads, AAMA and its members support permits for divisible loads. For example, in the shipment of commodities such as coiled steel, the placement of one coil on a trailer could result in an uncompetitive, inefficient and uneconomical load requiring two vehicles. Whereas, the addition of a second coil might result in 2,000 to 3,000 pounds over the legal weight limit, but could result in a more competitive, efficient and economical move with a special permit and one less vehicle on the highway system. A Transportation Research Board (TRB) study indicates that reducing the length of trucks would result in a negative impact on safety as more trucks would be required to transport the same volume of commerce. Further, the TRB study estimates a rollback in the weight would increase transportation cost by $7.76 billion annually which would result in decreased competitiveness and possible job loss. CONCLUSION A freeze/rollback of vehicle size and weight will move toward uncompetitive, inefficient and uneconomical conditions in the motor carrier industry. As vehicle weight and length decrease, so does productivity. Also, a freeze/rollback of vehicle size and weight could result in a negative impact on highway safety as the number of vehicles on the highway will have to be increased to transport the same volume of commerce. AAMA believes safety is achieved through strict enforcement of safety laws and regulations and not from a freeze/rollback of vehicle size and weight. Further, an increase in the number of vehicles on the 5 National Highway System will only exacerbate a growing problem for the motor carrier industry, that is, a national shortage of safe, qualified drivers. Comments of Ron Carey, General President Before the Surface Transportation Subcommittee U.S. House of Representatives Motor Carrier Safety Issues June 30, 1994 Mr. Chairman, members of the subcommittee, my name is Ron Carey. I am General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Our 1.4 million member union represents hundreds of thousands of workers in every sector of the trucking industry. Let me begin by saying that I commend you, Chairman Rahall, and your colleagues on this Subcommittee, for holding this hearing. It goes without saying that you have been steadfast in your commitment to periodically review motor carrier safety policies with any eye toward improving the laws and regulations that govern the many aspects of safety in this industry which have a direct impact on workers as well as the general public. For the Teamsters, curtailing injury and death in the motor carrier industry has always been a mission we take seriously. The safety of the motoring public and our drivers whose workplace is the highways, has been a major priority. Too often we witness an accident, often involving the release of hazardous materials, that could have been avoided. Whether such an accident occurs due to shabby maintenance or inspection, aging equipment, or fatigue caused by hours of service violations, it is clear that safety in this industry continues to be a major problem in need of constant re-examination. But for the purposes of my statement today, I will address motor carrier safety with particular emphasis on the concerns surrounding the phase-in of the North American Free Trade Agreement. IBT believes that NAFTA not only will wreak havoc for trucking employees in terms of lost jobs, it will result in the degradation of safety standards on our highways. But now that NAFTA is a reality, and our government is moving swiftly to implement its land transport provisions, it is incumbent upon this Subcommittee to ensure that this ill advised trade scheme does not result in making the motor carrier industry more dangerous for workers and other users of our highways. As this union has previously stated, Congress must not allow the liberalization of cross-border trade services between the U.S. and Mexico to be the vehicle for the pursuit of the lowest common denominator in terms of safety standards and regulations. While IBT believes Transportation Secretary Federico Peña is committed to protecting the integrity of the motor carrier industry, we still hold the view that certain safety compromises are inevitable because that is the very nature of implementing bilateral and multi-lateral trade agreements. You can be assured that the process of harmonizing standards is one to which we are looking to safeguard the safety interests of our members. IBT has many concerns in this area, and I will |