Driveaway Saddlemount proposal:

Proposal: A request for a legislative change to 49USC Sec.3111(g) that wouldlimit the number of vehicles in a saddlemount combination (the transportation ofheavy duty trucks in a piggyback fashion) to the currently allowed multiple saddle-mount plus full mount at up to the necessary length.

Saddlemount – Driveaway combinations fall under the “specialized equipment- automobile transporter” length regulations as contained in 23CFR658.13(e)(1)(iii). This authority stems from the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982. Currently, under rules issued by the Federal Highway Administration in January, 1988, triple saddlemount plus fullmount combinations are limited to an overall length of 75 feet.

Heavy duty trucks have changed dramatically during the 1990’s. Various models of these new high rise trucks are almost apartments on wheels. Some model Class 8 trucks (the largest) have increased over 33% in length since 1986. This length increase, along with the height of some of these units, make it nearly impossible to operate a triple saddlemount combination at the current length limit.

With safety being a paramount issue, Radlinski and Associates was retained in 1996 in order to perform off tracking and stopping tests on saddlemount combinations. In 2001 they performed additional testing on combinations at various lengths up to 95 feet. The tested combinations have exceeded the stopping standards imposed on these combinations, as contained in FMCSR 393.52. (Later test results using a combination length of 97 feet were consistent with previous tests).

In issuing the 1988 length rule, FHWA noted that “Petitions for longer vehicle lengths will be approved only when there is clear evidence for their operational safety.” We have addressed those concerns and based on the current realities of the industry and marketplace, we feel that a change is needed in the current length limitations governing saddlemount combinations. In 2002, over 215,400 Class 7 and Class 8 trucks were sold in the United States. Under the current length restriction, the delivery of those trucks translated into 75,315 trips. Our calculations indicate that if a length change to 97 feet was achieved, we would reduce the number of trips by approximately 9,800 trips. This would correspond to a decrease of over 10,000,000 fewer trip miles saving an estimated 2.2 million gallons of diesel fuel. The amount of projected pounds of contaminants that are not emitted into the atmosphere by this fuel savings is approximately 700,000 pounds. The societal benefits achieved are immeasurable in terms of reduced fuel consumption, vehicle emissions and highway congestion.

The Federal Highway Administration had denied our petition for a rulemaking procedure. Thus our request for a legislative solution.

CONTACT: Robert P. Farrell, President- NATA (703)838-7970