Daily Herald opinion: Congress has its work cut out when it faces issue of truck load limits

It may be nearly a year before the wheels of government bring Congress to deal with an issue former Buffalo Grove Police Chief Steve Casstevens went to Washington this month to complain about, but his concerns were far from premature.

The question of how much weight trucks should be allowed to carry on federal highways — a current proposal would push the limit up four and a half tons above the present 81,000 pounds — is not entirely as simple as it may seem, and depends a lot on the vantage point from which it is viewed.

From where Casstevens stands, it is a straightforward safety issue.

“Common sense, engineers and truck drivers will tell you higher weights mean more crashes,” he told Cops & Crime columnists Charles Keeshan and Susan Sarkauskas for their report published Friday.

Casstevens is lobbying for a national organization called the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks. With experience that also includes service as Cary police chief and as former president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, he brings solid, personal credentials on matters of highway safety to the argument. And that comes with impressive backing as well. The coalition’s two-dozen members include the international association Casstevens previously led as well as such authoritative agencies on matters of safety as AAA and the National Sheriff’s Association.

But, maybe, not so fast.

From where Ryan Lindsey stands, safety is still a factor, but with another line of reasoning. Lindsey is a spokesman for the Shippers Coalition and a trucking company. He told a congressional committee that the current load limits for trucks result in more of the vehicles being on the roads than necessary, thus increasing the potential for accidents.

“Fewer miles not only allow for the more efficient movement of goods, but it also means less exposure and more safety,” he told the committee.

And, for yet another dimension, the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks adds a wrinkle — the impact of heavier trucks on our roadways. That factor is measured in the billions of dollars, including $78.7 billion just to bring 68,000 bridges nationwide up to strength to handle the weight of trucks carrying loads of 90,000 pounds.

This is no simple arcane technical issue. It affects millions of lives and billions of taxpayer dollars.

It certainly seems from the outset as though the shippers have their work cut out for them to press their view of the safety question, and Casstevens lays down a compelling challenge when he declares, “There’s never been a study by anyone saying higher weights are safer.”

Therein may lie the crux of the case that Congress must sort out in the early months of 2026 as it takes up Surface Transportation Reauthorization legislation amid debate of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which expires in September 2026. Will significantly heavier trucks mean more efficiency and cost savings in the transportation of goods? Or will they mean faster deterioration of highways, expensive upgrades and, worse, more highway injuries and deaths?

There had better be some good data to counter the latter if the heavier trucks truly are worth considering.