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 The Best Legislature Special Interests Can Buy
by Tom Campbell
June 19, 2008
North Carolina’s Senate has passed legislation that would allow truckers to increase the length of tractor- trailers from 48 to 53 feet. The bill would also allow wider boats and heavier farm trucks on most roads. The proposal has generated widespread opposition from a variety of sources including North Carolina’s Highway Patrol. While some oppose the relaxed restrictions on boats and farm equipment, most of the opposition comes from the increased length of tractor-trailers.
Trucks are an essential cog in commerce for our state, hauling merchandise to and from our stores, factories, and businesses. Without them our economy would grind to a halt. No one denies the benefit of the trucking industry and common sense dictates that an increase of five feet would allow more merchandise to be hauled more economically.
Currently the 53 foot long trucks are allowed on only 5,600 miles of our roads, mostly Interstates and four lane roads. The newly proposed law would open these big rigs to travel on more than 20,000 miles or about 90 percent of our state’s roads. If local governments, the State Highway Patrol, the Department of Transportation or citizen groups object to having the longer trucks on a particular stretch of road they would have to obtain such a restriction from the legislature.
If you are asking what our lawmakers know about what is best for road safety or for maintaining our roads, you are asking the wrong question. The better question is why have they rushed this legislation through to passage over the objections of our state troopers, who patrol these roads; our DOT; that builds and maintains them; and the public who travels them? A recent Public Policy Poll revealed that only 15 percent of those surveyed thought the longer trucks were a good idea. Our Highway Patrol has cautioned that longer trucks on many of North Carolina’s narrow, winding roads are a recipe for more accidents and potentially more deaths. They also have safety concerns over wider boat trailers and farm machinery, especially at night. And heavier loads result in more wear and tear on roads.
If this legislation passes the House and becomes law, it won’t be because lawmakers have listened to the will of the people or the concerns for safety by those responsible for helping ensure that safety. It will be because the N. C. Trucking Association and other business lobbies have put pressure on them to make it happen.
The N.C. Trucking Association is comprised of good people and their organization has done good things for our state. We easily understand why this bill would be good for their members and the health of their industry. Further, this group deserves to advocate for their issues as much as any other organization or individual.
But the 170 members of our General Assembly are not elected to promote or protect special interest groups. They are given a public trust for doing “the people’s business” so as to ensure the best interests of the majority of our citizens. Sometimes this seems to be overlooked and it feels like we have the best legislature special interests can buy. This legislation appears to be such an example. |
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