The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed the 2015 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Appropriations Act (H.R. 4745). This bill funds the departments of transportation, housing and urban development, and other related agencies, and the provisions regarding truck weights are of particular interest to IDFA.

Section 125 of the bill allows three states – Idaho, Wisconsin and Mississippi – to pursue limited, targeted truck-weight provisions because they already allow heavy vehicles on interstate highways. The section effectively grandfathers the laws in these states, allowing heavy trucks to remain on Interstates, rather than having to navigate intersections, pedestrians, railroad tracks, and school zones on local or county roads.

IDFA joined other manufacturing, distribution, agriculture, construction and forestry industries in signing a letter to House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), urging Congress to support Section 125 in the bill.  

IDFA is a member of the Coalition for Transportation Productivity (CTP) that supports increasing the federal gross vehicle weight limit on commercial trucks if they are properly equipped with an additional axle and meet the same safety standards as trucks currently allowed on interstates.

H.R. 4745 passed by near party lines, 229-192, and will be sent to conference with the Senate.

For more information, contact Chelsee Woodey, IDFA director of legislative affairs, at cwoodey@idfa.org.