Georgia lawmakers approve heavy truck bill

A Georgia bill to allow certain heavier trucks on roadways around the state beat the clock at the statehouse. The pursuit now heads to the governor.

While the bill was in the General Assembly, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association encouraged Georgia-based truckers to reach out to their state lawmakers about the legislation to permit heavy trucks.

Trucks traveling Georgia roadways now are limited to a maximum gross weight of 80,000 pounds. Exceptions are made for haulers moving products that include forestry, live poultry, cotton, feed, concrete and solid waste. Affected loads are allowed to carry goods up to 88,000 pounds.

A bill contested at every stop at the statehouse would permit heavier loads of certain commodities.

A rocky road through the statehouse

As introduced, HB189 called for opening the door to heavier loads for all types of trucks and all commodities. Specifically, a 12.5% variance of the 80,000-pound weight limit would be authorized for all loads.

Despite an initial six-hour House Transportation Committee meeting that included a lot of negative feedback from the Georgia departments of Transportation and Public Safety, and more than 100 local government officials, the committee sent the bill along without changes. Shortly thereafter, the House Rules Committee sent HB189 back to the panel to make revisions.

The transportation panel was charged with addressing concerns that the original bill would result in GDOT needing to post load restrictions on more than 1,400 bridges around the state. The figure is double the current number of posted bridges.

The initial revisions to the bill limited applicable loads to agriculture, forestry, livestock, concrete or granite. Specifically, logging and farming commodities would be permitted a 10% variance – up to 88,000 pounds.

As amended, HB189 eventually made its way to the House floor, where it was narrowly approved.

On the Senate side, Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Greg Dolezal, R-Cumming, said the bill needed additional revisions to advance from the committee.

“We are at a crossroads with our funding and with some of the other underlying issues that really serve as a backdrop to this entire conversation,” Dolezal said.

One Senate change made to HB189 further limited applicable loads to agriculture and forestry hauls. Another change limited affected truck loads to travel up to 75 miles from the farm or other processing facility where the load originated. The House-approved version permitted travel up to 250 miles from the origination location.

Another Senate revision would exclude the 13 metro Atlanta counties from the higher weight limit.

Additionally, local law enforcement would be authorized to write tickets for overweight trucks. Currently, only the state Motor Carrier Compliance Division is authorized to issue overweight citations.

One more change called for authorizing the heavier weight limit through June 2024.

Let’s make a deal

The conference committee met and worked out a deal on Wednesday to send HB189 before the full legislature hours before the regular session officially ended. The panel reached agreement on contested provisions that include a sunset date. The final bill authorizes heavier loads through June 2025.

Local enforcement of truck weights will share the sunset date. Enforcement authority does not apply to state highways and interstates.

The final version permits applicable loads to travel up to 150 miles from the farm or other processing facility where the load originated.

The provision to exclude metro Atlanta counties from the higher weight remained in the bill.

Once the conference committee wrapped up its work, both full chambers were permitted to vote whether to approve HB189.

House lawmakers voted 95-75 to approve the bill. The Senate followed suit moments later on a 37-16 vote.

During the House floor vote, Rep. Teri Anulewicz, D-Smyrna, characterized the legislation as “toothless.” She highlighted the fact the bill authorizing local enforcement of truck weights does not provide training or resources on performance of the task.

OOIDA concern about heavy trucks

OOIDA President Todd Spencer has said higher weight limits historically are not a “winner” for most in trucking.

“While popular with shippers adding heavier weights on state and county roads is bad public policy,” he said. “You end up with increased wear and tear on roads and bridges not adequately constructed for those loads.

GDOT Commissioner Russell McMurry previously shared the same point with lawmakers. He said state and local governments will need to spend billions of dollars more than they already do for road maintenance. LL

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