Anyone who has driven on Virginia’s interstates knows you have to be ready to share the road with trucks. But some are now pushing for those trucks to get even larger.
Jeff Barras works at Anheuser Busch’s Williamsburg brewery. He says his company is proud of its beer, its presence in the community, and ready to keep growing.
Speaking to lawmakers in Richmond this week, Barras says the company could grow faster if they could transport more beer, on bigger trucks, on Virginia’s roadways.
“By having more productive trucks we can expect to gain additional productive volume,” Barras says. “Which is a win for our state, our employees, and our supporting businesses.”
Companies like Anheuser Bush and MeadWestVaco say raising weight and size restrictions on trucks can help them transport more goods using less gas -- good for their bottom line, and the environment.
But opponents say the larger trucks are less safe and place greater wear and tear on Virginia's roadways.
Currently the federal limit for a truck is 80,000 pounds. Virginia can’t raise that number unless Congress does first. National lawmakers opted not to in 2015, after a study by the Department of Transportation found heavier trucks have higher crash rates.
But a bill that has now passed both Virginia’s Senate and House Transportation Committees would allow the state to enroll in a federal pilot program, should Congress ever create one.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
