Few Trucks Benefit From Idaho Law

So far, only three companies are taking advantage of a law passed last year allowing heavier trucks on selected Idaho roads.

"There are even fewer trucks than we thought, but we didn't anticipate a lot in the first place," said Rep. Jim Kempton, the House Transportation Committee chairman who sponsored the bill.

According to Idaho Motor Transport Association President, Paul W. Sudmeier, the law is too restrictive to really benefit truckers. "This didn't change the shape of freight in Idaho one lick, but we knew it wouldn't. All it does is set the stage for the next round," he said.

The law created a three-year pilot program to test the effects of increased weight limits on a small number of two-lane state roads (TT, 3-23-98, p. 4). The bill originally called for a statewide test, but after heaving lobbying from railroads, state lawmakers approved a scaled-down plan that allows 129,000-pound trucks to travel from some locations in eastern Idaho into Utah, Nevada and Wyoming. The weight limit for the rest of the state remains at 105,500 pounds.

"In the last analysis, they were able to remove all routes that had the potential for allowing any traffic to divert from the interstate," said Mr. Sudmeier. "What you end up after that is this little patchwork piece of three roads that don't go from any shippers to any receivers."

Another reason few truckers have applied to run bigger trucks under the pilot program is that it just doesn't make sense to invest in the heavier equipment if it has such a narrow usage, he said.

Mr. Sudmeier said that the law didn't change much for truckers in the state, but it did send a message.

"When that legislation was proposed it was designed to accomplish one thing, to send a signal to our senior Senator in Washington, Senator Craig, that Idaho was interested in more efficient truck transportation," he said.