I I I I Ndlnlffilbway I M• · ◄ '"llicaa 1997 Fan! RaiJraad ~t ·· ..... I Comprehensive N--a HipwayTrdie I Sa&ly Admia.iaaalica Bur-.at Truck T11G1pU111dian ~ I Size and Weight I Study I -I I I DRAFT I Volume II I Issues and Background I June 1997 I TL 230 I C887 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ·I I I 1997 I Comprehensive I Truck I Size and Weight I Study I -I I I DRAFT I I Volume II Issues and Background I June 1997 I I I rvtTA LIBRARY I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I' I .1 I I I I I Table ofContents I Chapter 1: Background and Overview I Introduction I-1 Purpose 1-2 I Approach I-4 Impact Areas Assessed . 1-4 I Alternatives Evaluation . 1-6 Building Blocks: Configuration. System and Geography . I-6 Illustrative Scenario Options . I-8 I Guiding Principles, Oversight and Outreach I-9 Guiding Principles . I-9 I National Freight Transportation Policy Statement . 1-9 Coordination with Highway Cost Allocation Study. I- IO Oversight. I-1 O I Internal Departmental: Policy Oversight Group. I- IO Public Outreach . I-11 I Context I-15 The Transponation Environment. 1-15 I Current Federal Truck Size and Weight Regulations . 1-17 Weight. I-19 Size . I-21 I Study Presentation 1-22 Overview . 1-22 I Organization of Volume II: Background and Issues . I-22 Truck Size and Weight Regulations . I-22 Trucking. 1-22 I Truck/Rail Competition . I-23 Safety and Traffic Operations . 1-23 Highway Infrastructure Impacts . 1-23 I Enforcement Issues. .. 1-23 I I I TL 2441 6 230 I C887 Sf P 2 2 1996 I Chapter 2: Truck Size and Weight-Limits I Evolution and Context II-1 Pre-1956 ... .......... ..... ........... .. ... ........ ...... .. II-1 ·1 Federal Regulation . .... .- .......... .. ........ ... .. .... .... ... II-1 State Regulation . 11-2 Post-1956 . .. ... .. .. .. ..... .. ... ... .. ... ... .... .. ...... ll-3 I Federal Regulation . Il-3 State Regulation . .. .. .. ........... ... .. ............... .. .. Il-9 Current Environment Il-12 I Federal .... ........... .. ... .. ... ....... ... .. .. ... ..... II-12 State Application . Il-12 I Weight . .. ......... ... ...... .. .... .. ... .. .. .... ... II-12 Length ........... ... .. ........ ... ...... ...... .. .. ll-17 I I I I I I I 1·· I I I 2 I I I Chapter 3: Trucking Fleet and Operations I Introduction III-1 Trucking Industry Structure ID- I I Private Versus For-Hire Carriers. .. .... ... .. .. ... .. ... IIl-1 Truckload Versus Less-Than-Truckload .. .. ... ... ....... ...... ....... ill-2 I Truckload Operations . .. Ill-2 Less-Than-Truckload Operations . III-3 Short-Haul Versus Long-Haul Operations . ........ ..... .. .. ... .... .. ill-3 I Equipment Characteristics ill-4 Single Unit Trucks ... ............ .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. ..... ill-7 I Truck-Trailer and Tractor-Semitrailer Combinations . .... .. .. IIl-7 Tractor-Semitrailers . .. .. ........... .. ... .. .... .. ... .. IIl-7 I Multi-Trailer Combinations ...... ... .... .. .. ... .. ... ..... ... ill-8 Influence of Size and Weight Policy on Fleet Characteristics ill-IO Weight Limits . ill-1 I I Tire Load Limits . ID-I 1 Axle Configurations ... ... ............... .... .. ... ... ID-12 ·1 Gross Vehicle Weight and Impact of Bridge Formula . .. .. ....... ..... ID- I3 Dimensional Limits . ill-13 Semitrailer Length . .. .. .... ....... ......... .............. .. ill-13 -I Width . .... .... .. .. .. ... .... ... ... ... ill-14 Height . .. ... .. .. ... .. .. ... ..... ... ... ID-14 I Domestic Fleet Operations ill-15 Truck Flows . ..... .... ... .. .. ....... ...... .... .. .. .. .. ill-15 I Truck Vehicle Miles of Travel . ill-I 7 Single Unit Truck Vehicle Miles ofTravel . ... ..... ... .. ....... IIl-19 Single-Trailer Combinations Vehicle Miles ofTravel . ..... ... ... ID-19 I Multi-Trailer Combinations Vehicle Miles of Travel ..... ... ....... ID-19 Multi-Trailer Highway Network .. .. .. .. ....... .. ... ........ III-20 I Cross-Border Trucking and International Commerce ID-25 Size and Weight Limits Differ. ...... .. .. ..... Ill-26 I Truck Characteristics ............ .. .. .. .... .. III-26 Domestic and lnternaitonal Container Transpon . ...... .. .... ... .. III-26 I I 3 I I I Chapter 4: Shipper Concerns anaModal Competition I Introduction IV-J I Recent Changes Affecting Shippers and Freight Transportation IV-2 Global Markets . IV-3 I Economic Deregulation ... .. ....... .. ...... ..... .. .. .............. IV-3 Surface Transportation Industry Deregulation . ... .... ............ IV-3 The Staggers Rail Act of 1980. .... .. .......... ... ........ ...... IV-5 .I The Motor Carrier Act of 1980 . : . ... : . IV-5 Industry Changes. IV-6 Trucking Industry Regulatory Reform Act of 1994 .... ...... .. .. .. IV-7 I The Federal t\viation Act of 1994: Title VI.. ............... .. .... ... IV-8 The ICC Termination Act of 1995 ...... ....... .. .. ......... ..... IV-8 Impact ofDeregulation and Truck Size and Weight Regulations ... ...... .... IV-8 I Technological Advances . IV-9 Mergers, Acquisitions, Alliances . IV-IO I Shipper Process Changes . IV-1 J Analysis ofMarketplace Changes in Distribution . IV-12 I Shipper Decision Making Process IV-14 Step 1: Customer Requirements. .. .. .......... ...... .... ... .. .. ... IV-15 -I Step 2: Shipper Network Options . .... .. .. .. ... ................ IV-16 Step 3: Mode Choice ....... .. ......... ...... ............. IV- 16 I Step 4: Carrier Choice . IV-17 Step 5: Performance Evaluation . ... ...... .. .. .. ... .... .. .. IV-17 I Step 6: Mode and Carrier Switching Behavior . .. ... ... .. .. ..... ... IV-18 Shipper Issues and Truck Size and Weight Policy IV-18 I Factors Affecting Shipper Mode Choice IV-20 Transit Time.... ...... ... ...................... ... IV-20 I: Service Quality ......... ............. ... ............. ... .... IV-21 Asset Productivity . .. IV-21 Carrier Use . .. ...... ......... .... ....... ...... .. ..... ... .. IV-21 I Customer Satisfaction . IV-21 Continuing Trends in Shipper Decision-Making IV-22 I I 4 I I I I Modally Competitive and Non-Competitive Freight Commodities IV-25 Competitive and Non-Competitive Commodities Identified in Freight Databases . IV-26 I Insights from the Corridor and Commodity Case Studies . IV-33 Perspectives from the Truck Size and Weight Study Docket . IV-33 Recent Trends in Modal Competition IV-34 I Rail Industry Trends.. ... ....... ..... .. .... ... ........... ..... IV-34 Trends in Rail Intennodal Freight ......... .. .. ... .. .... ..... .. .. .. IV-36 I Motor Carrier Industry Trends ... ........ ................ ..........· IV-38 The Recent Past .............. ........ .............. ... .. IV-39 The Future .......... .. ... ...... .. ......... .. .. ... ... ......... IV-40 I Shifts .... ........ ........ ... .. .... ....... .. _.... ........ IV-41 Equipment, Revenue, and Costs . IV-41 I Summary IV-42 I I -I I I I I 1. I I 5 I I I Chapter 5: Safety and Traffic Operations I Introduction V-1 I Truck Crash Causation Factors V-3 Contributory Factors . .. __ .. _ . .. _ . V-4 Truck Equipment .. ........... .............. ..... .. ........ ..... V-4 I Drivers . .. ... .... ... .. ..... ...... .. ... .. ............. ... ... V-5 Operating Environment .. ..... .. .. ..