Concerns about bill to allow 90,000-pound trucks nationwide
Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson and the Nebraska Teamsters visited Washington, D.C., last week to persuade lawmakers to vote “no” on a trucking industry bill. It would allow the semi to carry a larger weight of up to 91,000 pounds. The maximum is now 80,000 lbs. If they haul more, it will take longer for the trucks to stop and it will be harder to avoid a collision, says Kim Kwek, president of the local truckers’ union and a former truck driver. “Involved in a collision,” Quick said. Truck driver John Moore agrees. “We can’t stop on a dime. So I’m not going to withdraw at least 90 grand,” Moore said. He says that would be fatal. “If someone pulled out in front of them, they wouldn’t be able to stop,” he said. “Ninety thousand pounds, I went to kill someone.” Sheriff Hanson spoke to legislators on behalf of the National Sheriff’s Association. “We don’t want this bill to pass. We support the trucking industry. It’s a vital part of our lives.” “The economy but we don’t want Congress to allow big trucks to get bigger,” he said. He says heavy trucks pose a danger to everyone. “This will lead to more traffic deaths and more traffic injuries.” Hanson also says the country’s infrastructure can’t handle the extra weight. “It will cost tens of millions, perhaps hundreds of millions, to fortify our local bridges to be able to meet the weight requirements to make big trucks bigger and heavier,” he said. It’s all about the money, Quick says. “Profits over people is what it is,” he said. “It doesn’t do anything to improve the safety of the public; it just increases the chance of them carrying more weight, which results in increased profits for large corporations.” Moore thinks the same thing. “More money, that’s all, he said, ‘Corporations.'” KETV Newswatch 7 reached out to Congressman Don Bacon about the issue. Bacon says he is not scheduled to vote on it and has not yet decided how he will cast his vote.
Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson and the Nebraska Teamsters visited Washington, D.C., last week to persuade lawmakers to vote “no” on a trucking industry bill.
The semi will be allowed to carry a greater weight of up to 91,000 pounds.
The maximum is now 80,000 pounds.
If they haul more, it will take longer for the trucks to stop, and it will be harder to avoid a collision, says local truck drivers union president and former truck driver Kim Kwek.
“The heavier the truck is, the more likely it is to crash,” Quick said.
Truck driver John Moore agrees.
“We can’t stop on a dime. So I won’t be able to withdraw at least 90,000,” Moore said.
He says it will be fatal.
“Someone pulls out in front of them, they won’t be able to stop,” he said. “Ninety thousand pounds, I went to kill someone.”
Sheriff Hanson spoke to lawmakers on behalf of the National Sheriff’s Association.
“We don’t want to pass this bill. We support the trucking industry. It’s a vital part of our economy, but we don’t want Congress to allow big trucks to get bigger,” he said.
He says heavy trucks pose a danger to everyone.
“This will lead to more traffic deaths and more traffic injuries,” he added.
Hanson also says the country’s infrastructure cannot handle the extra weight.
“It will cost tens of millions, perhaps hundreds of millions, to fortify our local bridges so that we can meet the weight requirements needed to make larger, heavier big trucks,” he said.
Fast says it’s all about the money.
“Profit over people is what it is,” he said. “It doesn’t do anything to improve the safety of the public; it just increases the chance of them carrying more weight which results in increased profits for big companies.”
Moore thinks the same thing.
“More money, that’s all it is, it’s the companies,” he said.
KETV Newswatch 7 reached out to Congressman Don Bacon about this issue. Bacon says he is not scheduled to vote on it and has not yet decided how he will cast his vote.
(Tags for translation) Bill
