{"id":1153,"date":"2019-05-20T13:30:13","date_gmt":"2019-05-20T17:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scr-foundation.org\/oldsite\/dev\/?p=1153"},"modified":"2020-08-19T09:21:56","modified_gmt":"2020-08-19T13:21:56","slug":"1153-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scr-foundation.org\/oldsite\/1153-2\/","title":{"rendered":"SC&R Foundation Study Shows Regulations May Increase Carrier Costs By Up to 82 Percent"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

(Centreville, Va. – March 13, 2019)
Studies from the American Transportation Research Institute and the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Foundation have found that states\u2019 practices for interstate movements of overweight vehicles have considerable financial impacts to carriers and customers and increases cost by up to 82 percent. The findings also point to economic development barriers as a result of circuitous permitted routes.
The studies were commissioned by the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association and the SC&R Foundation to understand and quantify whether the lack of permit harmonization across the U.S. has resulted in unnecessary financial burdens being placed on carriers and their customers.
\u201cWe\u2019ve long suspected that a lack of permit harmonization has had a significant negative economic impact in general and has placed an onerous and problematic financial burden on businesses specifically,\u201d said SC&RA Vice President of Transportation Steven Todd. \u201cOur objective in commissioning the ATRI study was to see if what we suspected was true.\u201d \u00a0

The final report issued by ATRI entitled, \u201cAssessing the Cost and Operational Impacts of State Practices for Minimum Quad Axle Weights Granted for Routine Over-Weight Permits<\/strong>,\u201d begins by acknowledging that \u201cthe maze of rules and regulations that specialized carriers face in making interstate movements is truly overwhelming. As many states will attest, the basis for some of these regulations are extremely dated, not based on any empirical data or evidence.\u201d It also quickly points out that \u201cthe analysis of regulations across states conducted in this research demonstrate that the costs. . . are considerable.\u201d The report underscores this finding by noting \u201cthe added costs strictly due to circuitous permitted routes exceeded $1,000.00 for a haul from Wytheville, Va. To Fort Pierce Fla., while these same costs amounted to nearly $2,200.00 for a trip from Shreveport, La. to Kearney, Neb.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of note in the SC&R Foundation study<\/strong> is the discovery that, in general, average percentage increase to customers ranged from 45 \u2013 82 percent, per move. Additionally, the average financial increase to customers ranged from $4,245 to $5,440 in aggregate dollars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This first-of-its-kind ATRI study supports SC&RA\u00a0UPT2021 initiative<\/strong>, which aims to establish permit harmonization between all 50 states. Two of the primary goals for UPT2021 are to encourage all states to allow minimum weight thresholds for the most common industry configurations, and to analyze and issue permits via automated permit systems, 24-7. More than 30 states presently use systems that auto-issue permits, in some cases greater than 16 feet wide and high and 250,000 gross pounds. The aim is to gain 100 percent compliance across the country by the year 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese studies, as well as the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s Federal Highway Administration\u2019s study, \u2018Best Practices in Permitting in Oversize and Overweight Vehicles<\/strong>,\u2019 continue to support our effort with UPT2021,\u201d said Todd. \u201cThere is a consensus regarding the safety and efficiency of automated permitting systems and all of this research backs that conclusion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the findings of the FHWA study, described by both government officials and industry leaders included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n