Schumer Launches Campaign To Fight Senate Bill That Would Allow New Excessively Long & Dangerous 84-Foot Trucks - The Size Of An 8-Story Building - To Drive On Upstate Roads & Bridges, Putting Other Drivers, Passengers, And Infrastructure At Risk; Senator Vows To Fight Alarming Provision Added To Transportation Funding Bill

Press Release

On conference call with reporters, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today launched a major push to block a provision in the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations bill that would permit twin 33-foot trucks on many Upstate New York roadways. Schumer said these trucks are significantly longer than existing limits and pose serious dangers to other drivers and passengers, as well as to truck drivers and infrastructure.

These longer trucks make passing and merging and braking more difficult and pose a greater risk at intersections for cars because these new trucks have a 6-foot wider turning radius and a 20-foot longer stopping distance. A study by the Multimodal Transportation and Infrastructure Consortium found that multi-trailer trucks have a 15.5% higher fatal crash rate than single-trailer trucks. Allowing these longer trucks on the road would place a greater strain on existing infrastructure unsuited for heavier trucks and lead to a greater risk of auto accidents.

Schumer also said that, despite the fact that New York has a ban on these types of trucks on most roadways, the language in the Senate THUD bill includes a provision that would preempt New York law. Therefore, Schumer has vowed to fight such a provision from passing in the Senate THUD bill as it comes to the floor for a full vote.

"It's time the pull the emergency brake on this dangerous provision allowing trucks the size of an 8-story building on our roads. The fact of the matter is, these longer, double-hitched tractor-trailers are a tremendous road safety risk to people and infrastructure alike: they take longer to stop, they have wider turning radiuses, and they place a greater strain on our roads and bridges which are already in need of repair," said Senator Schumer. "The marginal increase in shipping efficiency does not outweigh the tremendous safety risks of these larger trucks on our roadways, and I will be doing everything in my power to fight this provision from ever becoming law."

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