Future Retirement Success
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks

Future Retirement Success

Politics

Georgia senators advance bill allowing truck weight changes on highways

by March 22, 2023
March 22, 2023
Georgia senators advance bill allowing truck weight changes on highways

A plan to boost weight limits for trucks on Georgia state highways is proving a heavy lift against determined opposition.

After the scope of the bill was cut down earlier in the House and still garnered barely enough votes to pass, the Senate Transportation Committee on Monday took a few more logs off the truck.

The committee, on a 7-4 vote, approved a new version of House Bill 189 that would allow trucks moving agricultural and forestry commodities to carry up to 88,000 pounds on state roads. Now, the limit on state roads is 80,000 pounds, but trucks are allowed a variance of up to 84,000 pounds.

The bill goes to the full Senate for more debate. The House would have to approve the changes.

The higher limit would only be good until July 1, 2024. Heavier trucks wouldn’t be allowed in 13 core metro Atlanta counties, and local police and sheriff’s deputies could for the first time write tickets for overweight trucks. Now, only the state Motor Carrier Compliance Division can write tickets.

By next year, senators said, Georgia leaders need to try to find ways to increase funding for the state’s transportation system. Lawmakers have been pushing for a statewide freight and logistics plan, but it would cost another $1 billion a year, at least, to pay for projects including wider highways, improved interchanges and expanded railroads.

‘I think it’s important that this committee be engaged fully with the business community, the ag community and also the Department of Transportation over the next six to eight months,’ said Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch, a Dahlonega Republican. ‘We have to get this freight and logistics plan implemented but we have to have lots of money to do it.’

A House committee had originally sought to permanently raise the weight limit to 90,000 pounds for all trucks, before voting 93-81 to allow that heavier weight for only logging, farming and mining commodities. But Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Greg Dolezal, a Republican from Cumming, bluntly told supporters ‘there are not the votes on this committee’ to pass even the bill the House passed.

City and county governments and the Georgia Department of Transportation have ferociously opposed the increase, warning that heavier weights will cause much more expensive damage to roads and bridges. They also say many more bridges would have to be posted as too weak to allow 88,000-pound trucks, taking away some of the advantages of the higher limit. Other opponents warn heavier trucks could cause more crashes because of increased stopping distance.

Trucks would remain limited to 80,000 pounds on interstate highways.

Logging, farming and trucking groups have long been seeking the increase, saying they could save money by hauling more freight per trip. Loggers particularly argued that higher weight limits could make the difference between profit and loss in their low-margin industry.

Gov. Brian Kemp had been allowing heavy trucks that get special permits to haul up to 95,000 pounds, under a supply chain emergency order that he repeatedly renewed. But that order finally expired on March 11, reducing the limit to 84,000 pounds.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
Trump has not been notified whether Manhattan DA plans to bring charges: sources
next post
DeSantis touts his potential to beat Biden if he runs for president: ‘I think he’s failed the country’

You may also like

Pro-life groups rally behind Trump VP pick JD...

July 16, 2024

NYC to shelter 1,000 migrants in mental hospital...

July 27, 2023

Former Federal Prosecutor Now Defending J6 Defendants: DOJ...

November 1, 2022

SICK: Mattel’s “American Girl” Publishes Book Pushing Puberty...

December 8, 2022

McConnell says NH primary of ‘great interest’ but...

January 24, 2024

House Democrat slams Bernie Sanders’ call for barriers...

November 21, 2023

Blinken says Gaza cease-fire is ‘imperative’ after killing...

July 31, 2024

George Soros-linked PAC, extra races give Virginia Democrats...

June 14, 2023

Republicans warn of mass exodus from bipartisan group...

October 6, 2023

Trump’s legal team back in court in Florida...

June 24, 2024

Pro-life groups rally behind Trump VP pick JD...

July 16, 2024

NYC to shelter 1,000 migrants in mental hospital...

July 27, 2023

Former Federal Prosecutor Now Defending J6 Defendants: DOJ...

November 1, 2022

SICK: Mattel’s “American Girl” Publishes Book Pushing Puberty...

December 8, 2022

McConnell says NH primary of ‘great interest’ but...

January 24, 2024

House Democrat slams Bernie Sanders’ call for barriers...

November 21, 2023

Blinken says Gaza cease-fire is ‘imperative’ after killing...

July 31, 2024

George Soros-linked PAC, extra races give Virginia Democrats...

June 14, 2023

Republicans warn of mass exodus from bipartisan group...

October 6, 2023

Trump’s legal team back in court in Florida...

June 24, 2024

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free

    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • IG Group becomes first UK-listed firm to offer retail crypto trading

      June 2, 2025
    • Rand Paul says he would support ‘big, beautiful bill’ if debt ceiling hike removed

      June 1, 2025
    • Kevin Hassett ‘very, very confident’ courts will back Trump’s tariffs amid legal setback

      June 1, 2025
    • Senate Republicans eye changes to Trump’s megabill after House win

      June 1, 2025
    • Trump shares post saying Biden was executed, replaced with clones

      June 1, 2025
    • House Dems’ campaign chair says her party’s ‘on offense’ in 2026 battle to win back majority from GOP

      June 1, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (8,106)
    • Investing (2,000)
    • Politics (15,458)
    • Stocks (3,119)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: futureretirementsuccess.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 futureretirementsuccess.com | All Rights Reserved