Here is a way that you can help now. It has come to my attention from the Truck Safety Coalition:

Congress Must Do All It Can To Improve Truck Safety And Keep Our Roads Safe For Our Families – Increasing Truck Lengths Will Not Do That!

“Companies like FedEx are pushing Congress hard to allow double 33’ tractor trailers. The House Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations bill, released this week, contains provisions to allow these deadly double 33’ tractor trailers on federal and local roads.  We must do everything we can to prevent this from happening in the Senate so that we have a fighting chance as the bill moves towards a conference between the House and Senate.

Please take the time to contact the following Senators – it does not matter if you are from their state – either by phone or email, and urge them to resist special interest attempts to allow this dangerous legislation to the THUD FY16 Appropriations bill OR during the long-term surface transportation reauthorization process.  Just identify yourself as a Volunteer for the Truck Safety Coalition.

Note: Only Senator Tester actually serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee.  The others all serve on the Senate Commerce Committee, which is the authorizing committee that should be examining this type of policy fully and before the public before it gets slipped into an appropriations bill.

Contact Information:

• Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN); Staff: Danny Carlson, danny_carlson@klobuchar.senate.gov : 202-224-3244
• Senator Joe Manchin (WV); Staff: Wes Kungel, wes_kungel@manchin.senate.gov : 202-224-3954
• Senator Gary Peters (MI); Staff: Sydney Paul, sydney_paul@peters.senate.gov : 202-224-6221
• Senator Jon Tester (MT); Staff:  Justin Folsom, justin_folsom@tester.senate.gov : 202-224-2644

Talking Points: 

• Every year on average 4,000 people are killed in truck crashes in the U.S. and another 100,000 are injured.

• According to 2012 U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) data, fatality figures have increased for the fourth year in a row—a 17 percent increase in truck crash deaths since 2009.

• The annual cost to society from crashes involving Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMVs) is estimated to be over $99 billion.

• The proposed 33-foot double-trailer trucks are 10 feet longer than the trailers they would replace and are 17 feet longer than the 53-foot single-trailer trucks on the road today.

• If passed, the proposed legislation allowing these trucks would override the laws of many states. 

• Public opinion polls are clear and consistent – Americans strongly oppose bigger trucks.

• Longer Trucks Will Be More Dangerous to Motorists, Motorcyclists, Bicyclists and Pedestrians

• Longer Trucks Will Result in Increased Costs to Tax Payers – We lack the resources to appropriately maintain and replace our infrastructure. The Highway Trust Fund is now projected to go broke in fiscal year 2014. State highway departments are also running out of money for key highway projects. Cities and schools across the U.S. are forced to cut budgets to do more with less.

• This type of broad policy change has no place in the appropriations process and should be properly vetted and debated through the committee authorization process.

• Safety must remain a priority in the next surface transportation reauthorization and in any extension of the current bill.

• Congress Must Do All It Can To Improve Truck Safety And Keep Our Roads Safe For Our Families – Increasing Truck Lengths Will Not Do That!”